For those who journey again 45 years in a time machine, you’ll land in a world the place “Dawg music” – that wondrous mixture of bluegrass, jazz, and classical championed by mandolinist David Grisman and guitarist Tony Rice – was a cutting-edge style.

As we speak, you don’t typically hear that music, however younger acoustic ace Ben Garnett would possibly change that. On his newest, Kite’s Hold, Garnett leads an exemplary ensemble in updating the music, emphasizing nuance over chops. VG requested him to clarify his strategy.

How did you uncover Dawg music?
Discovering it was a reasonably pure evolution for me. I went to the College of North Texas to review jazz guitar, however midway by means of, I got here throughout this world of acoustic music through Punch Brothers and my guitar heroes Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge, then went down a rabbit gap. Additionally, the unique Dawg musicians have been speaking issues I had at all times craved in music however had by no means actually heard. The way in which they merged traditions and composed their very own music felt expansive, but profoundly rooted.

“Look Once more” has a mesmerizing groove. Who’re your guitar influences?
Tony Rice is actually big. It’s laborious to even start speaking about acoustic music with out instantly speaking about Tony’s affect. Clearly, his lead enjoying is iconic, however the actual affect for me has come to be in his rhythm enjoying. The way in which he would use the guitar as this engine to drive a band. And most of all, the way in which he might enliven the music and make different musicians sound higher. Nobody sounded higher than when Tony was enjoying with them. It was actually magical.

On this album you’re neither a straight lead or rhythm guitarist – your components snake out and in with melodies, chords, and arpeggios. What’s your guitar’s job within the ensemble?
My dream was to make a guitar album the place the guitar lives on the middle of the music however isn’t at all times in entrance. Music that makes use of a extra environmental strategy to the instrument and celebrates it for what it’s largely been, traditionally – an instrument that builds a world for different devices to inhabit. Take into consideration the albums Blue by Joni Mitchell or Church Road Blues by Tony Rice. The guitar performs an important position in shaping the tales informed on these data. I wished to reveal that an instrumental report can showcase the guitar as this world-building ensemble instrument reasonably than merely a lead instrument.

“Cellar Door” has a heavy part that just about jogged my memory of a drop-tuned Metallica riff.
Good (laughs)! That tune is actually a nod to my metal-loving teenage self. I used to be curious to listen to this Travis-picked guitar melody with some heavy metallic influences. The Travis choosing and the drop-tuned riffs appeared to share this thumping quarter-note factor. For this lower, I performed my Huss & Dalton TD-M Customized tuned to drop D then down a complete step

Which different guitars did you employ on the album?
The principle one was a ’37 D-18 courtesy of Chris Eldridge, who additionally produced the report. It’s the identical guitar he used on his duo data with Julian Lage, and the Punch Brothers albums. I additionally performed a extremely particular ’39 0-17 courtesy of singer/songwriter Kristin Andreassen. For microphones, we recorded with a pair of Klaus Heyne-modded KM-88s, two Neumann U87s for neck and physique, and a Shure SM57 for good measure. Moreover, we used some Professional Instruments plug-in results like distortion, auto-wah, and EQ.

Chris Eldridge performs guitar on two tracks. How do your kinds work collectively – and the way do they distinction?
Critter is considered one of my closest associates and largest heroes; he’s like an older brother. As gamers, we each like to depend on spontaneity, obsess over nuance, and love the guitar. There’s a pure chemistry.

Stylistically, Critter grew up round bluegrass royalty and his dad was within the influential band the Seldom Scene. Later, Critter was mentored by Tony Rice. However I grew up in suburban Texas, listening to a mixture of rock, jazz, classical, and folks music. My cousin, Andy Timmons, is an unimaginable rock guitarist who lived close by and I used to be fortunate to develop up being mentored by him. I went to jazz college on the College of North Texas, and didn’t actually begin enjoying critical bluegrass till 2017, once I moved to Nashville and joined Missy Raines’ band.

Is there a youthful viewers for this type of acoustic instrumental music?
There actually appears to be. With folks like Billy Strings promoting out arenas enjoying David Grisman’s music, I feel we’re in fairly good condition. God prepared, I’ll be making data for a very long time and I’ll hold doing what my heroes have at all times performed – following my curiosity, being as emotionally sincere as I can, and capturing life one second at a time. – Pete Prown

This text initially appeared in VG’s October 2025 situation. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.