Tennessee Jed Fisher: “New Beginnings” (2022) CD Review

Tennessee Jed Fisher is a singer and songwriter from Tennessee (thus the name) who is now based in North Carolina. His music is in the bluegrass realm, but with other elements mixed in. The album that turned me on to his music was 2018’s Pimpgrass, which featured mostly original material. His new release, New Beginnings, likewise contains mostly original material. Joining him on this album are Scott Vestal on banjo (Vestal also played on Pimpgrass), Michael Bub on upright bass, Deanie Richardson on fiddle, Jason Carter on fiddle, James Seliga on mandolin, and Mark Schimick on mandolin and backing vocals, along with a few other guests on certain tracks.

The album opens with “Who We Are (Instrumental Fade),” a short instrumental track that is basically a little tease of the album’s final track. With its rather somber, contemplative tone, it is an interesting choice for kicking off the disc. It is followed by the album’s title track, “New Beginnings.” This song announces itself as a song of hope. Couldn’t we all use such a song in these strange and divisive times? And with a friendly voice delivering these lines: “This is a song of new beginnings/A song for happy endings/A song of love against all odds/For hearts that needed mending/A song to light your hope anew/To find your dream and see it through.” The lyrics also contain a reference to The Empire Strikes Back (the same line that Air Traffic Controller refers to in “The Work”). This track features some nice work by Jeanie Richardson on fiddle.

For several years now my girlfriend has been bringing up the idea of getting an RV and just living out on the road, something that certainly has its appeal. It always has, I suppose, even before this country went sideways. “House On Wheels,” a song about doing just that, is also appealing, tapping into that desire to hit the road, which I imagine most of us have. Check out these pertinent lines: “In a world divided by extremes/Just heading west while the rest of the world explodes/But I know I won’t be blue/Because as long as I’m with you/Then I’m at home.” Those lines get it exactly right, don’t they? Then “Drivin’ My Life Away” is the first of only two covers on this release. Yes, it’s the Eddie Rabbit song, here delivered with a delightful bluegrass angle, which works really well. It also works well following “House On Wheels” with the lines “Ooh, I’m driving my life away/Looking for a better way/For me.” This track features lots of good, prominent work on fiddle, and then a great lead on banjo. There is a wonderful energy to this track, and this rendition might actually be better than the original.

In “Bridges,” Tennessee Jed sings, “We can build a bridge/Between extremes/And help each other/Realize our dreams.” Maybe I’m foolish, but I still believe this to be true. And probably you do too, if you are a person for whom music plays an important part in life. We are forever optimistic, even when cynicism drives its way into the middle of things. And even the track’s instrumental sections carry that sense of capability, of moving toward something better, the playing full of heart. That’s followed by “Devereaux Run,” a song that was co-written by Barney Rogers. This one creates a strong sense of place, peopled by characters we can visualize. It has a traditional bluegrass sound and vibe, with each of the musicians getting moments to lead.

“Devil’s Deal (If I Were Johnny)” has a cool vibe right from the start, with its slower, meaner sound. And there is a good amount of attitude in the vocal performance. This song provides a different perspective on “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.” “And if the devil jumped up on a hickory stump/With a golden violin/I’d let the devil know/Where to shove that bow/I’m not selling out for a win.” Then “The World That Cried Wolf” sets a different tone in its opening moments with those backing vocals. Trey Hensley and Josh Shilling provide the harmony vocals on this one. Trey Hensley also plays guitar. Rob Ickes is on resophonic guitar, and Jacob Burleson is on both mandolin and bass. This is one that will certainly strike a chord with a lot of folks. “Always preaching the end/Never wanting it more/Now the wolf’s closing in/On a house made of straw/When the world cried out wolf/No one heeded the call.” I love that guitar work, but this track features excellent playing all around.

“Now That You Got Me” is a song about the sometimes confusing and difficult course of love. “Now that you got me/Suddenly you don’t want me/I don’t understand why/You keep pushing me away.” Hey, it doesn’t always work out, but the music surely does. “Now That You Got Me” is followed by the album’s second cover, The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” (one of my favorite Beatles songs). Tennessee Jed delivers a fantastic rendition with some beautiful instrumental work (though I could do without the actual laugh after the line about how she started to laugh). Mason Via provides backing vocals on this track. The album then concludes with “Who We Are.” The opening line is so very apt, “What have we become?” That’s a question for our nation. And until a certain ex-president and his cohorts are in prison, it remains an open question. This is a slower song, prompting introspection. “Look what we’ve become/Look what we’ve done/Tried our hands at fate/Whole world crashing/Bowl of epithets/Hear them laughing that the/Joke has been on us/We’re ashamed of what we are/If this is it, then I want off/This shooting star.”

CD Track List

1. Who We Are (Instrumental Fade)
2. New Beginnings
3. House On Wheels
4. Drivin’ My Life Away
5. Bridges
6. Devereaux Run
7. Devil’s Deal (If I Were Johnny)
8. The World That Cried Wolf
9. Now That You Got Me
10. Norwegian Wood
11. Who We Are

New Beginnings was released on June 17, 2022.