Biography

On their new single, “Weeds Don’t Wither,” Unspoken Tradition double down on their reputation as a group with more on their minds than the usual bluegrass subjects. Written by established genre hitmakers Milan Miller and Beth Husband, the song reveals an inner landscape rarely seen in the genre, exploring the ways in which we choose which thoughts and emotions to hide or reveal to those around us and the world at large — set to a propulsive beat and strong harmonies that keep the performance firmly in the bluegrass groove.
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On their new single, “Weeds Don’t Wither,” Mountain Home Music Company’s Unspoken Tradition double down on their reputation as a group with more on their minds than the usual bluegrass subjects. Written by established genre hitmakers Milan Miller and Beth Husband, the song reveals an inner landscape rarely seen in the genre, exploring the ways in which we choose which thoughts and emotions to hide or reveal to those around us and the world at large — set to a propulsive beat and strong harmonies that keep the performance firmly in the bluegrass groove.

The track opens with a forceful mandolin and fiddle figure before the backing subsides to underline the lyric’s first lines:

There’s the kind of feelings you wear on your shirt
Right there on the sleeve, but the ones that hurt
You bury somewhere deep down in the dirt
Where the weeds don’t wither

Sung by mandolinist Ty Gilpin, with backing vocals from Audie McGinnis (guitar) and bassist Sav Sankaran, the song bears down on its title — a phrase translated from its German original, used to denote persistence — with a powerful call-and-response chorus, punctuated by blistering solos from Gilpin, McGinnis, banjo man Zane McGinnis and Tim Gardner (fiddle) and a thoughtful arrangement whose alternating full-bore and pared-down passages underline the duality of choices displayed in its verses.

“When I heard the lyrics of ‘Weeds Don't Wither,’” says Gilpin, “I was reminded of a phrase I read saying that everyone has a public life, a private life and a secret life — and this song refers to the latter. It’s about all the things that we keep inside that are a big part of who we are but aren’t easily communicated. It is a place where we can hide both the best and worst of us, but it’s not something that anyone else can see or share. Sometimes it’s a place where we find a little hope, but often it’s where we lock away our greatest fears. When we went into the studio, we wanted the music and the vocals to reflect the sense of anxiety and desperation I heard in the lyrics, and I think we succeeded.”

About Unspoken Tradition
Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere.

Seven singles from their 2022 album Imaginary Lines charted in the Bluegrass Today top 20 including “California” at No. 1, “Irons in the Fire” at No. 2 and “Carolina and Tennessee” at No. 4. Their 2019 release, Myths We Tell Our Young, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts and saw five top-charting radio singles, including a No. 1 on the Bluegrass Today chart with “Dark Side of the Mountain.”

Unspoken Tradition’s material is mostly original and reflects the ever-changing culture of Western and Central North Carolina where they call home. The band has earned a fervent following in the Southeast, selling out shows in Asheville, NC as well as the legendary Station Inn in Nashville, TN. They have also performed twice on the coveted Watson (main stage) at MerleFest. With heavy airplay on Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction and ever-growing streaming numbers, Unspoken Tradition is a fast-rising voice of a new generation of roots music artists.