Why We Write with Kim Ruehl, Eps. 41: Mile Twelve

A few years back, Mile Twelve burst on the contemporary stringband scene with some serious momentum. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) named them 2020’s New Artist of the Year. But, as Covid descended, with all of its cultural changes, so too did the lineup of Mile Twelve change.

They added two new members and decided to charge ahead in this new formation, with a new album that is now in the world, Close Enough to Hear. Starting with the instrumentation of an acoustic stringband, Mile Twelve is not afraid to branch out in its style or lyrical content.

So it was interesting to dig into the ways they’re unpacking bluegrass tradition and pulling it in new directions through creative approaches to songwriting. It turns out horses, meditation, and centering the upright bass are a few ways their songs come into the world, but they have other insights too, and we got into all of it on this new episode of the Why We Write podcast.

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