Mighty Poplar - new bluegrass supergroup

Hearth Music announce the formation of Mighty Poplar, a new bluegrass supergroup comprising five outstanding musicians from some of the leading acoustic music acts, who have come together to play solid bluegrass. Hearth Music writes: 'With their debut album, Mighty Poplar has captured the fierce and playful energy of an all-night jam between old friends who just happen to be grandmasters of the music.' Three of the band's members have previously played in Ireland, and the first video they have released is of a song written by another visiting artist.

Mighty Poplar is Andrew Marlin (mandolin) of Watchhouse, Noam Pikelny (banjo) and Chris Eldridge (guitar) of Punch Brothers, Greg Garrison (bass) of Leftover Salmon, and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle) of the Billy Strings Band. See John Lawless's feature on Bluegrass Today. The first album from Mighty Poplar (also on Facebook) is due for release on 31 Mar. 2023; and the video they have released is of 'Up on the Divide', written by cowboy poet Martha Scanlan, who played here in 2008 and 2009. It can be seen on Bluegrass Today or YouTube.

Update: The video also appears in Stacy Chandler's report on No Depression.

© Richard Hawkins