Exclusive: Grascals Premieres New Song "What Does God Look Like"

Award-winning Grascals premieres their new song "What Does God Look Like" today.  "What Does God Look Like" is taken from the band's new Mountain Home collection, Straighten The Curves, which releases on August 30. 

"What Does God Look Like" is sure to speak to any parent with children.  The song is a wistful and moving narrative of a child asking her parent what God is like.  Banjo player Kristin Scott Benson explains: "Kids are so honest and oftentimes have a beautiful, childlike insight into God. I love how this song reminds us of their little inquisitive minds." 

Listen to the song here.

With two of the set's tracks already out - and having already topped the charts - Straighten The Curves looks briefly backward even as it introduces a strong new addition in Chris Davis, who contributes solid guitar picking, stellar harmonies and compelling lead vocals that perfectly complement the singing of veteran members John Bryan and founding member Terry Smith. But though the lineup has changed, you wouldn't know it from the sextet's masterful performances encompassing their signature mix of bluegrass and country-flavored originals, country classics, gospel treasures and sparkling instrumentals.

From start to finish, then, this is vintage Grascals - confident, clear-eyed, and filled with a spirit of adventure that's always looking down the road, whether it leads away from or back to home. These are themes woven through the course of the project, from the lively Becky Buller-penned opener, "My Virginia Mama," to the group's revival of Eddie Rabbitt's 80s country hit, "Drivin' My Life Away," and the defiant getaway of the title track, penned by Canadian old-time and bluegrass stalwart Chris Coole.

In true Grascals form, there are a couple of stellar gospel numbers given luminous readings by Bryan ("The Shepherd Of My Valley") and Davis ("What Does God Look Like") alongside a pair of ballads in the thoughtful "They Laughed" and a melancholy "Don't Leave Your Memory Behind," the mandolin-led picking showcase, "AndiWayne," and a pair of grassy lovelorn laments in "Calling Your Name" and "Who Needs You."

With the vocal trio of Bryan (guitar), Davis (guitar) and Smith (bass) backed by an instrumental trio that includes Kristin Scott Benson, four-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year and recipient of the Steve Martin Award, founding member Danny Roberts (mandolin), a seven-time SPBGMA Mandolin Player Of The Year, and master fiddler Adam Haynes, The Grascals are a formidable presence in the world of bluegrass.

Infusing a musical wisdom developed and refined through years of steady creativity on stage and in the studio with the fresh energy brought by new talent, The Grascals are at the top of their game - ready to delight long-time fans and make some new ones, too, as they Straighten The Curves.

About The Grascals

Great musicians will always find a way to make good music, but for great musicians to make great music, they must form a bond - one that, more often than not, goes beyond the purely musical to the personal. For The Grascals, that bond has been forged at the intersection of personal friendships, shared professional resumes and an appreciation for the innovative mingling of bluegrass and country music that has been a hallmark of the Nashville scene for more than forty years.

Their cutting-edge modern bluegrass is delivered with a deep knowledge of, and admiration for, the work of the music's founding fathers. Timely yet timeless, The Grascals make music that is entirely relevant to the here and now, yet immersed in traditional values of soul and musicianship. It's a unique sound that has earned three Grammy® nominations and two Entertainer of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, as well as national media attention that seems to perpetually elude acts entrenched in niche genres. Such appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Fox & Friends, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and CBS' The Talk. All the while, stages that represent the strongest bastions of tradition continually welcome them, as evidenced by the over 150 performances on the Grand Ole Opry. Honors also include performing twice for President George W. Bush and at President Barack Obama's inaugural ball at the Smithsonian.

As their records prove, The Grascals' rare musical empathy gives them an unerring ear for just the right touch to illuminate each offering's deepest spirit - whether they're digging into one of their original songs or reworking a bluegrass classic or a pop standard. Take for instance, fan favorite, "Last Train to Clarksville." Non-bluegrass listeners enjoy a new take on a familiar song, while diehard bluegrass audiences who may have never heard the Monkees classic, respond inkind, not even realizing that the song has been Grascalized. 

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