The East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Pride Band
The East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Pride Band is enjoying national success with its new single, "Did You Hear Me Say Goodbye" on Now and Then Records.
The band debuted the song during a concert on Facebook Live, which reached more than 22,000 people, and the song went on to hit the number 12 spot on the Bluegrass Today chart for the week of Nov. 11. It was written by band member Max Etling of Plymouth, Minnesota, and his father, B. Etling.
"This is the first time, that I'm aware of, where a university bluegrass band has made the national airplay charts," said Daniel Boner, director of Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies in ETSU's Department of Appalachian Studies. "We are proud to see the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band listed on the chart among ETSU alumni Tim Stafford and Shawn Lane of Blue Highway, Colby Laney of Volume 5 and faculty member Adam Steffey.
"The song reflects on a subject to which anyone who has ever lost a family member or friend can relate," he continued. "The lyrics are honest and thoughtful. I'm glad to see our students presenting original material of such high quality."
In addition to Max Etling on bass, ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band members are Brady Wallen of Williamsburg, Kentucky, on banjo; fiddler Aynsley Porchak of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, Troy Boone of Erwin on mandolin; and guitarist Aaron "Frosty" Foster of Wells Bridge, New York.
"Did You Hear Me Say Goodbye," recorded in the ETSU Recording Lab in Roy S. Nicks Hall, was produced and mixed by Boner, who also provided the photography and graphic design for the cover. It was engineered by Ben Bateson, manager of the Recording Lab, and mastered by Randy LeRoy of Airshow Mastering, Takoma Park, Maryland.
