The thought of the satan partaking in a high-stakes guitar competitors with a gifted younger bluegrass musician won’t be one thing that instantly involves thoughts, however it’s an idea that Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton have delivered to life. As two of bluegrass’ most expert guitarists, they’ve collaborated on quite a few events, showcasing their skill to feed off one another’s distinctive guitar choosing.
Their newest launch, “The Satan Went Down To Deep Hole,” is a reimagined model of The Charlie Daniels Band’s basic “The Satan Went Down To Georgia.” This iconic track, featured on Daniels’ 1979 album Million Mile Reflections, tells the story of a fiddle participant named Johnny who competes towards the satan, wagering his soul for a fiddle of gold. The track’s enduring recognition is a testomony to its timeless enchantment.
In “The Satan Went Down To Deep Hole,” Strings and Sutton have created a brand new narrative, pitting a younger bluegrass picker towards the satan. The track options an all-star solid of bluegrass musicians, together with Del McCoury because the satan, Sam Bush, T. Michael Coleman, and Jerry Roe. The story follows the satan as he encounters a younger blind picker named Arthel, with whom he wagers a golden guitar for his soul in a guitar competitors.
Because the track progresses, Arthel’s identification is revealed, and it turns into clear that he’s impressed by the legendary Doc Watson, a blind flatpicking and fingerpicking phenom who has influenced generations of bluegrass guitarists. The track’s lyrics, resembling “The satan bowed his head as a result of he knew that he had been beat / And he laid that golden guitar on the bottom at Arthel’s ft / He stated, ‘Satan, you may come again if you need one other shock / However in the event you ever present your face round right here any longer, name me Doc'” pay tribute to Watson’s legacy.
This reimagined model of the track supplies an entertaining origin story for considered one of bluegrass’ most supernatural figures and introduces a brand new viewers to Doc Watson’s exceptional music. Though Watson handed away in 2012, his influence on the bluegrass scene stays important, and his spirit continues to encourage musicians like Billy Strings. As Strings and Sutton have demonstrated, the affect of Doc Watson’s music might be heard in their very own taking part in type, and it is a testomony to the enduring energy of his legacy.
