JOHNSON CITY – Students in Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies at East Tennessee State University worked for countless hours in the ETSU Recording Lab to complete what will be another milestone in the program's history.
The ETSU Bluegrass Band officially released its newest student album, "Testing Tradition," Aug. 31 in conjunction with ETSU PRIDE Week at the Bluegrass on Broad concert on Broad Street in Kingsport.
The album, produced by Daniel Boner, director of bluegrass, old-time and country music studies, and engineered by recording lab manager Ben Bateson, features 12 original compositions by students of the program. Thirty-one student performers in all contributed their energy and talent to create "masterful arrangements, tight harmonies and virtuosic instrumentals." Many of the students may be heard not only with the ETSU Bluegrass Band, but also with professional bands touring the bluegrass circuit.
"These young students come to ETSU from across the globe specifically to study in our program," Boner explains. "Track 12 on the album was co-written by Norwegian bluegrass student Signe Salvesen. Such wide geographic and cultural separation creates a vast difference of influence among the student artists."
Founded in 1982 by Jack Tottle, Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies at ETSU is the oldest established program of its kind at any four-year institution and boasts the world's first bachelor of arts degree in Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies.
For more information, contact the program office at (423) 439-7072 or bluegrass@etsu.edu. The program's website is www.etsu.edu/das/bluegrass.
