Why We Write with Kim Ruehl, Eps. 56: Steep Canyon Rangers

Steep Canyon Rangers have been a bluegrass band but they’ve also been not exactly a bluegrass band. Somehow, despite the tension between those two things, they’ve managed to maintain interest and respect in the bluegrass world.

Since the departure of their longtime frontman and contributing songwriter Woody Platt, fans have been wondering how his replacement Aaron Burdett would impact the sound and vibe of the group and its place in the bluegrass world.

On this episode of the Why We Write podcast, Burdett and bandmate Graham Sharp talk about all of this and more. They give a nod to Western North Carolina, to the influence of John Hiatt and David Wilcox, and the songwriting assignment Wilcox gave Burdett that led to him riding his motorcycle across the country to work on a
dude ranch. Of course, they also talk about their excellent new album, Morning Shift.

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