Walker's Run

"The Rockbridge County bluegrass heroes breathe scorching mountain sounds."

"The best bluegrass in town. Bar none." - Cville Weekly

"Well studied but respectfully irreverent, Walker's Run will ride with their guns blazing. Whether they kick into a traditional standard, or morph an original tune with worldly beats, the touch of reckless abandon keeps your spirit soaring and the soul feeling quenched."

Aer Stephen
Folk & Beyond
91.1 FM, WTJU, Charlottesville, VA - Aer Stephen, WTJU Charlottesville

Ten years ago, Walker’s Run was one of Charlottesville’s most popular local bands. The unconventional bluegrass group fronted by guitarist and mandolin picker Brennan Gilmore — then a University of Virginia student — built a loyal regional following for its high-energy hoedowns.

The band stopped playing full-time in 2002 as members moved on to start other careers, and since then, reunions have been sporadic. This year, though, Walker’s Run reformed with some new members.

The band just released a six-song EP, “Live at Lime Kiln,” recorded during a gig this past summer at the idyllic outdoor theater in Lexington. It’s the band’s first recording since 2000.

Walker’s Run plays string band music described by Gilmore, who grew up in Lexington, as the fiery Rockbridge County sound purveyed by regional

artists from the area like Larry Keel and Gary Ruley.

High-lonesome harmonies and tight picking are given some edgy grit and youth-charged muscle.

“There’s a roughness to the music,” said Gilmore. “Our sound is more raw mountain music than cleaner traditional bluegrass. Although the lineup is different than it was 10 years ago, that energy is still there.”

In addition to Gilmore and original bassist Zack Blatter, the band now features local Charlottesville mandolin ace Andy Thacker and versatile fiddler Nick Reeb, formerly of King Wilkie.

Longtime friend Will Lee, who was a member of Keel’s McGraw Gap, handles the banjo duties.

The band plays the Southern on Saturday night with support from acoustic duo the Honey Dewdrops.

Songstress Sarah White also is scheduled to sit in with Walker’s Run.

In addition to Walker’s Run, Gilmore, who now resides in Washington, is also still involved with his Appalachia-meets-West-Africa project Kantara and an alt-country soul outfit, Borden Grant.

He juggles these with a full-time job in humanitarian assistance with the State Department that takes him to Africa for months at a time every year.

With work calling in the early part of next year, this will be Walker’s Run’s last local gig until at least the spring.

Cross-continental travels, though, have provided plenty of inspiration for Gilmore’s original tunes. “Kakuma,” from the new EP, delivers a chilling tale of a conflict zone in Sudan from a Blue Ridge front porch.

“A lot of my songwriting has been heavily influenced by the places I’ve traveled,” Gilmore said. “It’s hard to separate the job from music when it is fueling so much of the creative process. I have a lot more to write about now.”
- Daily Progress, 12/16/09