When it came time for the Infamous Stringdusters to record their new album, A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs, the band gathered in the studio and pressed record; all at once, all together, just like the bluegrass pioneers whose music they were picking. Hot on the heels of yet another GRAMMY nomination—this time for their latest LP, Toward The Fray—the Stringdusters are revisiting the forefathers of the genre in a way not too distant from their GRAMMY-nominated A Tribute to Bill Monroe. “The concept of paying tribute to the Grandfathers or originators of Bluegrass is one we bounced around for awhile and after Bill Monroe, the most logical, I think any bluegrass musician would agree, is Flatt & Scruggs,” says Stringdusters bassist Travis Book. “They’re legendary and without Earl’s banjo, bluegrass just doesn’t exist the way we know it today.” A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs—the band’s 13th full-length album—will be released on April 21st via their Americana Vibes label.
Today, the band shared an early listen of their take on Flatt & Scruggs’ 1954 single, “I’d Rather Be Alone.” “For the album, each of us brought a song to the table that we wanted to sing and that had meaning to us,” remembers Book. “I reached out to my friend, Jon Weisberger, and asked him if he’d suggest a song that he thought hadn’t been overdone and would suit my voice. I was thrilled when he suggested ‘I’d Rather Be Alone’ because I was familiar with it but hadn’t really played it much or learned the lyrics and it was a perfect fit.” The band quickly locked into easy bounce of the rhythm section and loping vocal delivery. “It’s a lament and it’s a sad song but it’s so beautiful,” says Book. “The way the melody hangs the line out there— “You say you’re sorry that you went awaaaaay”—it’s just classic Flatt & Scruggs!”
Fans can listen to “I’d Rather Be Alone” today at this link and pre-order or pre-save A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs ahead of its April 21st release, including a specialty vinyl pressing here. Fans can also pre-order the full suite of Flatt & Scruggs merch via a bundle here. The Stringdusters are back on the road this weekend in Killington, Vermont, before making a run through some of Colorado’s most beautiful and beloved mountain towns through the end of the month. A full list of tour dates can be found below or at thestringdusters.com/tour.
A Tribute To Flatt & Scruggs Tracklist:
I’d Rather Be Alone
Will You Be Lonesome
Blue Ridge Cabin Home
Earl’s Breakdown
Cabin on the Hill
Down the Road
Catch The Infamous Stringdusters On Tour:
Feb. 11 – Killington, VT – Killington Ski Resort
Feb. 24 – Frisco, CO – 10 Mile Music Hall
Feb. 25 – Frisco, CO – 10 Mile Music Hall
Feb. 26 – Telluride, CO – Sheridan Opera House
Feb. 27 – Telluride, CO – Sheridan Opera House
Feb. 28 – Crested Butte, CO – Center for the Arts
March 1 – Crested Butte, CO – Center for the Arts
March 3 – Steamboat Springs, CO – WinterWonderGrass
March 4 – Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s
March 5 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
March 23-26 – Live Oak, FL – Suwanee Spring Reunion
April 20-21 – Crystal Bay, NV – Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room
April 22 – Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall
April 23 – Mill Valley, CA – Sweetwater Music Hall
May 5-6 – Baltimore, MD – Charm City Bluegrass Festival
May 19-20 – Clive, IA – Greenbelt Music Festival
May 25-28 – Cumberland, MD – DelFest
June 1-3 – Oak Hill, WV – Mountain Music Festival
June 15-18 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 21-24 – Owensboro, KY – ROMP Fest
June 22-24 – Eau Claire, WI – Blue Ox Festival
June 29-July 2 – Quincy, CA – High Sierra Music Festival
For a full list of tour dates and ticket information, please visit thestringdusters.com/tour.
