August 16, 2024 — “As musicians,” says Andy Leftwich, one of acoustic music’s most sought-after players, “we know that the journey never ends. You’re always trying to be better at your craft, always exploring new ways to approach certain things in music, and forever growing and learning. Every once in a while, you begin to see results of your hard work and it begins to pay off.”
Leftwich is talking about the sessions that produced his latest single, a blazing original instrumental called “Aced” — and it’s impossible not to hear that payoff in the tune’s arpeggiated melodies, intricate rhythms and kaleidoscopic arrangement of solos and unison passages. Starting with guitarist Cody Kilby’s deft chimes ringing out over Leftwich’s jittery mandolin chop, “Aced” quickly introduces a melody that strings together rising and falling lines to create an irresistible forward momentum. Leftwich’s fiddle joins in, as does Byron House’s bass and Matt Menefee’s banjo, passing the opening rhythms and slinky melody around from player to player, alternating blazing solo passages with spirited ensemble work that includes jaw dropping unison figures and rapid trades. The result keeps the listener’s attention moving from one player to the next through an intricate set of variations, until — after a slippery solo from House — the tune hurtles toward its dramatic end: a rising cascade of notes that come to a sudden and satisfying stop.
“When you get pickers like Cody Kilby, Byron House, and Matt Menefee together, good things happen,” notes Leftwich. “These guys are ‘Aces’ at their craft, and I’m honored they would pick with me on this song!”
“Aced” is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Musicand TIDAL. Listen to it HERE.
About Andy Leftwich
Four-time GRAMMY®-winning instrumentalist Andy Leftwich began playing the fiddle at the age of six, entering his first contest at seven and winning the National Championship for Beginners at the age of twelve. By the time he was a teenager, he had appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and “Music City Tonight” with Crook and Chase, and had established a reputation as a winning contest fiddler throughout the Southeast. At 15, he capped off his contest career by winning Winfield, Kansas’s Walnut Valley Old Time Fiddle Championship, one of the most prestigious contests in the country. At the same time, with mandolin and guitar added to his arsenal, Andy began playing professionally, and before he finished his teens, he had joined Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder in 2001. wIn addition to 2005’s solo album, Ride, Andy has recorded two critically acclaimed albums as a member of Three Ring Circle (with dobro player Rob Ickes and bassist Dave Pomeroy), and built an impressive list of studio credits as one of Nashville’s top session players.