“The sound of the river might just be my favorite music,” says Brevard, North Carolina, native Woody Platt. In 2000, the bluegrass singer and guitarist co-founded Steep Canyon Rangers, a band that went on to win a 2013 Grammy for best bluegrass album, collaborate with actor and banjoist Steve Martin, and receive an induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. But in 2022, after years on the road as frontman, Platt stepped back from the band to spend more time at home with his family. Now, his rich baritone and fast fingers are back on his first solo album, Far Away with You, out in October.
“I was ready for a break from the road but not necessarily from music,” Platt says. The album’s ten tracks came together as he soaked up the rhythms of home, hanging out with his wife and children, fly-fishing the area’s trout waters, and reflecting on the musicians who had inspired him. “Naturally, on my first record, I returned to my roots for a straight-ahead bluegrass project,” he says. Platt’s wife, the singer-songwriter Shannon Whitworth, wrote the duet “Off to the Sea,” while “Walk Along with Me” coalesced as Platt sat up late at night, cradling his newborn son between his chest and a guitar.
Then there are the many collaborations, which bring a host of bluegrass standouts. Album opener “Like the Rain Does” features Rob McCoury on banjo, Jason Carter on fiddle, and Buddy Melton’s vocals. Platt’s bluegrass hero Del McCoury joins him on “Broke Down Engine,” which reimagines the Blind Willie McTell classic. “This record is essentially a reflection of the music and artists that have inspired me since the beginning,” Platt says.
Today, G&G is proud to premiere “Toe the Line,” which finds Platt joining forces with another of his bluegrass idols, Tim O’Brien, who lends his harmonies to the upbeat, banjo-driven track. Brevard-area locals Barrett Davis and Josh Carter wrote the song, an ode to a wandering spirit feeling the pull of Appalachia.
Listen to the track below. Far Away with You is out October 11 and available for pre-order here.
