Two-time GRAMMY Award-winning quintet Ranky Tanky from Charleston, South Carolina, are back with their uplifting new single “Be Alright”, the first glimpse of their forthcoming 2026 album This Village. Known for turning the living rhythms of Gullah music into modern American grooves, the band infuses the track with the warmth, faith, and resilience that has defined their career.
From the opening pulse of the drums to the soaring trumpet lines, “Be Alright” is built on a foundation of community and shared history. Quiana Parler’s commanding vocals anchor the song, while Kevin Hamilton’s bass and Quentin E. Baxter’s drums hold steady, and Charlton Singleton’s trumpet lifts the melody like a prayer. Guitarist Clay Ross threads rhythm and brightness through the track, making it both rooted in tradition and vibrantly contemporary.
“As long as we stick together as a family and community, it’ll be alright,” Singleton says. “As long as we keep the Faith, it’ll be alright. Those are two of the sayings and ways of life I grew up surrounded by in the Gullah community.” Ross adds, “The phrase came from something Quiana sang during a soundcheck. I built the lyrics around that spark, wanting to connect with how Gullah music transforms pain into praise and struggle into song. ‘Be Alright’ carries a spirit of hope and joy. Our mission has always been to honor and uplift the Gullah tradition, guided by the voices who come directly from it, and to share its message of strength, love, and community with the world.”
Ranky Tanky’s catalog has always existed at the intersection of history and groove. Over the past decade, the group has transformed Gullah roots into a living, breathing language of American music, earning two GRAMMY Awards for Best Regional Roots Album, topping Billboard’s Jazz chart, and reaching audiences worldwide through NPR’s Fresh Air, The TODAY Show, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
In 2025, the quintet was named to Charleston Magazine’s “50 Most Influential”, recognizing their impact on the city’s cultural identity and their ongoing work amplifying Gullah heritage.
“With ‘Be Alright,’ Ranky Tanky reminds us that music can be both a balm and a celebration,” we wrote after an early listen. “It’s a song that carries history, joy, and the unwavering pulse of community — a moment where ancestral rhythm meets present-day purpose.”
The single, mixed by multiple GRAMMY winner Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, The Revivalists), is a celebration of connection, faith, and resilience, and a first taste of the band’s forthcoming album This Village, arriving in 2026.
For more information and tour dates, visit rankytanky.com
It’s a song that carries history, joy, and the unwavering pulse of community — a moment where ancestral rhythm meets present-day purpose.
Author: Andrew Braithwaite
Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He’s also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.
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