Hops & Spirits: Bar Conversations

Gangstagrass harmonizes the unwavering array of skills from Rench, R-SON the Voice of Reason (MC), and Dolio the Sleuth (MC, Vocals), in addition to featuring Dan “Danjo” Whitener (Banjo, Vocals), and B.E. Farrow (Fiddle, Vocals), among other brilliant instrumentalists. With roots across the country, the ensemble has skillfully blended the traditional sounds of fiddles and banjos with contemporary hip-hop beats. We chat with Rench, Dolio, R-SON and Sleevs about how Gangstagrass came to be, how everyone joined the group, their new album Blackest Thing on the Menu dropping June 14, what folks can expect on the album, seeing a live show and so much more. 

Country artist and songwriter George Ducas is set to release a new album, Long Way From Home, on June 21. We chat with George about his favorite drink, writing a song "Women and Whiskey" at age 12, growing up in Texas and California, getting to Nashville, co-writing "Just Call Me Lonesome", taking a different career path, his songwriting process, getting back in the studio, going on tour and more.

Bryce Leatherwood is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter who aims to carry the torch of country music and continue the legacy of legends prior. Bryce was born and raised in Woodstock, GA, and his passion for music began at an early age. He competed on the NBC hit television show The Voice and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December of 2022. Bryce talks about growing up working on his grandpa's farm, how he got into country music, forming a band while at George Southern, going on The Voice, his single "The One My Daddy Found," writting more than 80 songs for his next project, his Neon Does tour, what's next and more. 

We chat with American folk legend Jim Kweskin about his latest album Never Too Late: Duets With My Friends, which features a collection of 18 recordings and storied collaborations with some of his favorite female musicians. The new album stands as a testament to the generation and genre-spanning brilliance that has defined Kweskin's illustrious career for the past six decades.

Nice Horse is a wild, fresh, and fierce pair that has established themselves as one of the most buzzed-about acts in the Canadian music industry. The duo, made up of Katie Rox (vocals/banjo/acoustic guitar) and Brandi Sidoryk (vocals/bass), has garnered significant accolades, including two Canadian Country Music Award (CCMA) wins, eight CCMA nominations, and ten Country Music Alberta Awards. They talk about their new album dropping April 19, how they were friends before the group, how Nice Horse came to be, their name, growing up in Alberta, learning to play instruments and so much more!

Discover the captivating sound of Nashville recording artist Jake Bush, a true purveyor of traditional, rug-cutting country music. Tailor-made for the dedicated honky-tonk crowd, Jake Bush has emerged as an authentic craftsman of country music, with crowd-pleasing melodies seamlessly blending the nostalgic essence of ‘90s country with the vibrant spirit of modern country. Jake talks about how he got into music, his journey in the business, how things changed when "Gravity & You" hit the top of the Texas charts, his lastest single "God and Good News", what else is happening in 2024 and more.

Koe Wetzel might just be the last real rebel out there. The Platinum-selling East Texas-born singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer shakes up the status quo, shatters expectations and sticks to his guns with a sound steeped in country storytelling, yet spiked with grunge grit. He’s unapologetic, undeniable and unlike anyone else you’ve ever heard.

Southern-Rock influenced country may seem contradictory in the Great White North, but that's where Devin Cooper hangs his wide-brimmed hat. Kicking off 2024, Cooper was nominated for 5x Country Music Alberta Awards, released his country-rock love anthem “She’s My Religion”, with a highly anticipated album coming later in 2024.

By the age of 16, Dalton Dover had picked up a guitar and started teaching himself to play, yet it was his grandfather who turned him on to country music and artists such as Keith Whitley, Rhett Akins, Joe Diffie and Steve Wariner. We chat with Dalton about his grandfather, growing up in small town Georgia, going on The Voice, getting to play the Opry, travelling, releasing Take Me Home: The Covers, what else is coming in 2024 and so much more.

Amy Sheppard, alongside her siblings George and Emma, is a founding and current member of the indie-pop sensation Sheppard. The band stands as one of Australia's most prominent musical exports of the past decade. Amy has launched the next chapter of her country music career with the release  ‘Overthinking’ from her debut full-length album. In the first 18 months of her solo country music career, Amy has amassed four Top 3 hits on the Australian country airplay chart and was the most played Australian female artist on country radio in 2022-23. Amy talks about growing up in Papau New Guinea and Australia, getting into country music, forming Sheppard with her siblings, visiting Nashville, going on the Masked Singer Australia, her single Overthinking and so much more.