Wow, these singles seem to come along quickly, seems like only a week or two since the last one from Susto Stringband, led by Susto frontman Justin Osborne. And that’s because it is, and usually we’d be inclined to say “nice song, bit too soon to feature the same band again” but for this one, well it seems like we decided to make an exception. It’s a song with good advice for any aspiring troubadour, and it’s a reworking of a Susto song into a folkier, more bluegrass-esque form. Says Justin Osbourne “Hands In The Dirt is an older tune of mine that actually predates SUSTO,” says Osborne. “I wrote it based on some advice my dad gave me in my 20s, when I was feeling burned out from DIY touring, and ready to give up on the dreams of writing and performing that I’d been pursuing. His advice was basically to work harder (lol) which over time has proven to be sound advice. My dad passed away back in 2020, and since then I’ve enjoyed bringing this one back into the sets from time to time, because it really reminds me of my dad and makes him feel closer. It was a blast to work up this Susto Stringband version of the song for Volume 2, and I’m really proud to finally be re-sharing a song that I’ve had such a personal connection to for many years.”
The Susto Stringband was born in 2022 when Osborne relocated to Asheville, NC and met some of the key players of the Asheville bluegrass scene at an open mic night. The solidified lineup includes Clint Roberts and Jackson Grimm of Holler Choir, Nat Copeland, Helena Rose and Joey Brown, and on this volume, they’ve added the help of friends like Morgan Wade, Joshua Hedley and Madeline Dierauf. The song comes from the Susto Stringband (Volume 2) LP, which is out on May 29th via Missing Piece Records.
