Over the last couple of years, Alabama-based up-and-coming bluegrass band Mountain Grass Unit has really been lighting the bluegrass world on fire, impressing audiences at big festivals, enjoying bigger and bigger opportunities, and generally presenting themselves the future of the genre. However, one thing they’ve been lacking is new music to match their recent evolution and growth, and represent what they do to folks who haven’t seen them on stage.
Now all of that changes as Drury Anderson (mandolin), Luke Black (guitar), Sam Wilson (bass), and Josiah Nelson (fiddle) have announced they’ve signed with Dualtone Records, and will release what they’re presenting as their debut album on August 28th called Appalachian Smoke. Luckily though, fans won’t have to wait until the end of the summer to hear new music. The announcement comes with a 3-song self-titled EP as well that includes the debut record’s title track.
Though Mountain Grass Unit is certainly influenced by jamgrass and psychedelic textures as well, similar to Billy Strings, they also remain steadfastly bluegrass. Strings once said of the band’s guitar player Luke Black (on an Instagram post by Saving Country Music, nonetheless), “Kinda rude of him to be this good honestly… luckily for me we’re on the same team.” Strings has also shouted them out as the future of bluegrass and as “killer pickers.”
The new album is produced by Vance Powell, known best for working with Chris Stapleton and Phish. The album will also feature guest appearances by flamethrowing fiddle player Michael Cleveland, Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass, as well as steel guitar player Karl Smakula. “We wanted the album to feel like our live show,” says Sam Wilson.
Along with the title track to the debut album, the 3-song EP also includes the song “Window for a Friend” and it’s video that are a reflection back on the band’s origin story. Drury Anderson and Kevin Black met when they were four years old, and were playing music and going to Boy Scout outings together shortly thereafter. They met bass player Sam Wilson in the Sixth Grade. Josiah Nelson has worked as an adjunct teaching bluegrass and old-time music at East Tennessee State University.
“There was such a strong musical connection between the three of them,” Nelson says. “They worked together so naturally, because they’d grown up together, and there was an obvious place for me to fit into their sound.”
The announcement of the debut album comes after Mountain Grass Unit were named the IBMA Momentum Band of the Year in 2025, and Saving Country Music’s 2025 Breakout Artist of the Year. They will make their Grand Ole Opry debut on August 26th—two days before the album release.
To pre-order/pre-save Appalachian Smoke, CLICK HERE.
TRACK LIST:
1. Earthquake
2. Homebound Troubadour
3. Appalachian Smoke
4. Wait for Me
5. Window for a Friend
6. Darkness Rollin’ In
7. Forest Mississippi
8. Suspicion
9. One Last Time
10. Eagle’s Nest
11. Take Your Time
12. Where Steamboats Go to Die
13. Another Sunday Again
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source savingcountrymusic.com ’
