Wyatt Ellis and Justin Moses Discuss Debut Album with Joey Black on
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ย. 2024
- wyattellis.com
14-year-old Wyatt Ellis and his producer, Justin Moses, discuss his debut album Happy Valley with Sirius XM’s host Joey Black in NYC March 2024.
Happy Valley is a curated collection of twelve original instrumental tunes written when Wyatt Ellis was twelve-years-old. The album, named for a holler near his home in East Tennessee, showcases the skill of a thirteen-year-old Wyatt playing alongside twelve of his mandolin heroes, backed by an all-star bluegrass band. Produced by Justin Moses, the project was serendipitously recorded on Happy Valley Road, a homestead once owned by Grand Ole Opry member Grandpa Jones and his wife Ramona outside of Nashville. Although purely coincidental, the picturesque title reflects not only a love of his home state's natural beauty but also the rich musical legacy of the musicians who were here before him. Rooted in tradition but adventurous in spirit, Happy Valley illustrates Wyatt’s reverence for the genre’s pioneers, as well as a respect for its trailblazers.
Throughout Happy Valley, Wyatt switches styles with ease, from the upbeat twin mandolins of Grassy Cove to the haunting Two Rivers Waltz which features the young musician playing Vassar Clements’ fiddle. Alongside the whistle-able melody of the title track, Happy Valley, tunes such as Maryville, Goin’ to Townsend, and Little Pigeon were inspired by his childhood in East Tennessee. Wyatt pays homage to the clean, bluesy playing of David McLaughlin on Johnson Mountain Blues while Whites Creek, Wildwood, and Sandy Gap, tunes that mirror the tradition and style of Bill Monroe, were co-written with three of the genre’s top Monroe-style mandolin players. Get Lost was named as a nod to Johnny Cash and his first visit to Cash Cabin the day Marty Stuart recorded his iconic solo on Wyatt’s rousing fiddle tune Blue Smoke.
Happy Valley is a vivid snapshot of Wyatt's boundless musical creativity and curiosity in its earliest stages. Throughout his debut album, the young multi-instrumentalist effortlessly layers his respect for the history and tradition of bluegrass with humble virtuosity. At any age, an album this impressive is an incredible accomplishment. However, in referencing Wyatt Ellis, mentions of his age become irrelevant. Taken together, these twelve tunes seem to echo from somewhere beyond his years, beyond Wyatt’s home in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains; echoes that are still there, still alive, still inspiring, still pulsing the way they have been since the beginning of time - guided by the ancient tones to which we are all connected.
#bluegrass #mandolin #learn #inspire #mandolinlessons #wyattellis
This young man is a personal friend of mine, and he is definitely genuine . True talent, and I am looking forward to seeing him again.
I love the album - great work, Wyatt!
Wyatt, you are amazing! And Justin certainly is too.
Crazy good! totally inspired me for today's practice! Thanks Wyatt!
It's fun watching your musical journey. Best wishes for your album and future success.
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❤🐐🐐🎶🎶amazing playing guys
Grate Album Wyatt and Justin! Love all the killer collabs goin on in the Blue Grass Scene.. it's one big JAMBILY🤘🏼🫠🌈🔥💎🩷🩵☮️💕💜♾️🌺💃🐊
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Fantastic music!
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Watching Wyatt's trajectory is reminiscent of Sierra's... and that is a pleasure to watch. Justin Moses is one of my favorite multi-instrumentalists in the whole wide world. He is right after the great Stuart Duncan. Watching the musical collaboration between Bela Flec, Sierra and Justin and so many old and young musicians in the Blue Grass world makes an otherwise sad and fractious world seem bright.
Instrumental album of the year already!
Thank you and hoping the politics agree!!! 💙
Love ❤️ 😍 💖
I LOVE ME SOME WYATT ELLIS ..❤ 🇨🇦 ....crazy note my best freind s name was Dave Mchlauglin...he died in a bad car acvident in his teens...had many tradgedies happen in my life but this music helps me through....🇨🇦
As a guitar player My mom always told me to protect my hands 🇨🇦 ❤
Incredible talent sitting there...wow.. impressive.. Is that a standard 2012-present Martin D18 that Justin is playing? Sounds unreal
Tight, buddy, that guy next to youbis a pretty good flat picker?
This young man is a personal friend of mine, and he is definitely genuine . True talent, and I am looking forward to seeing him again.