Volume Five

(Willis, VA, April 14, 2023) –Volume Five is #1 on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 weekly chart today with their new single, “Restless Heart and a Rambler’s Soul.” The song is one of six chart hits from this award-winning band’s impressive new album, KARMA, on Mountain Fever Records. 

“Restless Heart and a Rambler’s Soul” songwriter, Mark “Brink” Brinkman, shared his thoughts, saying, “I was talking to my long-time friend Bruce Watson one day, and he said, ‘You need to write a song about a ‘rambler's soul.’ I told him I liked that idea, and the next day, I sat down and added ‘a restless heart’ to the equation. I've always loved to travel and explore, so putting the song together came faster than usual. I wanted to make it a bluegrass driver with a little bit of a twist on the chord progression. The minute I finished it, I knew it might make a perfect song for Volume Five!”

“Glen Harrell has always been one of my favorite singers. He has depth and emotion in his vocals that you can't fake. Really genuine. I had pitched songs to Glen before, but this is the first one to ‘stick,’ and I'm sure glad it did. It turned out AMAZING!!! Great pickin'…great harmony…and a great feel!  I hope all the listeners and fans of Volume Five will like this cut as much as I do. As a songwriter, it just doesn't get much better,” said Brinkman.

Musicians on the track include Glen Harrell on lead vocals and fiddle; Jacob Burleson on guitar and harmony vocals; Aaron Ramsey on mandolin; Jeff Partin on bass and harmony vocals; and Patton Wages on banjo.

Harrell said, “Mark Brinkman sent me this song about three years ago, and I knew instantly it was one I wanted to record. Mark has written many hits throughout the years, and I feel like this is another one!”

KARMA has received tremendous radio success. Six tracks have appeared on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 Song Chart, including “Restless Heart and a Rambler’s Soul.” In addition, the band received seven #1s for the hit single “When Karma Comes Calling.” Other chart tracks include “What I Didn’t Say,” “Losing My Religion,” “You Take Me as I Am,” and “My Life,” all from this stellar new album. Volume Five also received success on Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine’s National Bluegrass Radio Survey Chart, the Roots Music Report Top Bluegrass Songs and Albums charts, and other radio charts.

This International Bluegrass Music Association award-winning band is now on tour with Glen Harrell, Jacob Burleson, Aaron Ramsey, Chris Wade, and Jacob Eller. 

For more information on Volume Five, please visit volumefivebg.com.

(January 6, 2022) –Mountain Fever Records proudly announces the new album, KARMA, by Volume Five. On this 11-track album, the band delivers impressive musicianship and vocal harmony creating the unique sound their fans have come to expect from this multi-award-winning group. Previously released singles from KARMA have earned Volume Five numerous #1 chart hits and continued respect in the bluegrass community.

Musicians on the album include band leader Glen Harrell on lead vocals and fiddle, Jacob Burleson on guitar and harmony vocals, Aaron Ramsey on mandolin, bass, and harmony vocals, Jeff Partin on resophonic guitar, bass and harmony vocals, and Patton Wages on banjo. 

The album features stellar vocal guests such as Russell Moore lending tenor vocals to “My Love Will Never Fade” and Shawn Lane on tenor vocals to “Walk Beside Me,” written by Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott.In addition, Josh Shilling sings tenor vocals to the third single, “Losing My Religion,” by Josh Miller. The song quickly shot to #1 on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 Monthly Song Chart in November 2022.

The title track and first single release, “When Karma Comes Calling,” written by Terry Herd and Ronnie Bowman, garnered an impressive seven #1s on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 Chart. Additionally, the popular tune was named in Bluegrass Today’s Top 50 Bluegrass Songs of 2021 and received chart success on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey Chart and the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Bluegrass Singles chart. 

Glen Harrell contributed two songs to the album, including the emotional tune “What I Didn’t Say,” which remained on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 chart for numerous weeks, and co-wrote “The Bible” with Jeff Partin. 

Other impressive tracks include “You Take Me As I Am,” written by Craig Market and Thomm Jutz, “My Life,” written by Melanie Castleman and Robert Lee Castleman, “No End To Love,” written by John Hartford, and “Restless Heart and a Rambler’s Soul” by Mark “Brink” Brinkman and Bruce Watson. The compassionate tune “It’s Gonna Get Better,” written by Craig Market and Tim Stafford, is the fourth single and was released last week. 

Volume Five’s distinctive sound has garnered the group significant success throughout the years, including an International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Song of the Year Award, IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year Award, GMA Dove nominations, and more accolades. 

The band is now on tour with Glen Harrell, Jacob Burleson, Aaron Ramsey, Chris Wade, and Jacob Eller. Volume Five will celebrate KARMA’s release at The Old Rock School in Valdese, North Carolina, on Saturday, January 14, 2023. 

EXCERPT

Glen Harrell - Turn up the VolumeFiddler Magazine|Fall 2022

In just a little over 10 years since its formation, Volume Five has become one of the most popular bluegrass bands in the industry. The reason is obvious: distinctive, strong vocals, quality instrumentation, well-chosen bluegrass and gospel songs in its repertoire, and a dedicated leader of the band.Matt Merta 

That position is held by vocalist/fiddler Glen Harrell. Since 2008, he has made Volume Five one of the most recognizable names in the bluegrass festival circuit. 

This success and recognition did not come easy or out of the blue. Harrell has been working with his fiddle for a number of years in order to create a unique and creative sound in bluegrass. The main ingredient to that sound has been his passion for the music. His early years were spent in Cherokee, Alabama, and though he started out on guitar as a kid, it was his father that motivated him to move toward the fiddle. "My great-grandmother told me she would buy me a fiddle if I would learn to play it," he explains. "At that time it just seemed like something new and fun to do. I had no idea I would come to love it and all the places it would take me throughout life."

Harrell would spend his early music years jamming at relatives' homes and visiting bluegrass festivals with his family. Like most teenagers, he would play with friends and form short-lived bands, although he leaned more toward bluegrass and country projects than the expected rock bands of high schoolers. "When I was about 14 or 15, I started playing with a band around the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, area called Bell Terry and the Alabama Grass. 

"At that time the Bluegrass Album Band had just gotten really popular so I listened to a lot of their music. I loved Bobby Hicks' fiddle playing and tried to sit down with a cassette player and learn all the licks I could that he played. He is still one of my all-time favorites." During this time, he was playing a Stradivarius-copy five-string fiddle.

Read the entire article in the magazine.

(October 3, 2022) – The award-winning bluegrass band, Volume Five is proud to announce the addition of Jacob Eller on bass. Jacob began his career playing bass for the Galax area bluegrass band No Speed Limit, honing the skills that he brought to bear later with The Church Sisters and with Sierra Hull. “I’ve been a Volume Five fan for years. I’m excited to get out and play music with these guys. The songs and musicianship are top shelf,” said Eller. 

Jacob Eller joins this exceptionally talented group that includes band leader Glen Harrell on lead vocals and fiddle, Jacob Burleson on guitar and vocals, Aaron Ramsey on mandolin, and Chris Wade on banjo. 

Glen Harrell welcomes Jacob Eller to the band, saying, “When Jacob played the first gig with us, I knew he had the groove we were looking for. He’s a very talented guy and fits right in with Volume Five in every aspect. We look forward to playing and recording music with him!” 

Volume Five has been busy touring this year and achieving success for their recent Mountain Fever Records singles. Their current chart hit is “Losing My Religion,” written by bluegrass songwriter and musician Josh Miller. The song is currently #3 on the Bluegrass Today Monthly and Weekly Top 20 Songs chart. Other recent chart hits include “When Karma Comes Calling,” written by Ronnie Bowman and Terry Herd, and “What I Didn’t Say, written by Glen Harrell. 

Volume Five has been busy on tour. Upcoming performance dates include Friday, October 14, 2022, at Ole Smoky in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Saturday, October 15 at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tennessee, and Saturday, November 5 at the Eagle Bluegrass Concert series in Berryville, Virginia.

Willis, Va. (August 16, 2022) – Mountain Fever Records proudly announces today’s new single, “Losing My Religion,” by Volume Five. Not to be confused with the R.E.M. hit song, Volume Five’s “Losing My Religion” was written by bluegrass songwriter and musician Josh Miller. This new track includes the award-winning talents of Glen Harrell on lead vocals and fiddle, Jacob Burleson on guitar, Patton Wages on banjo, Aaron Ramsey on mandolin, and Jeff Partin on bass and resophonic guitar, and Josh Shilling on tenor harmony vocals.

Band leader, fiddler, and lead vocalist, Glen Harrell, said, “I was so fortunate to have this song dropped in my lap. Josh Miller is one of my favorite writers and musicians. This song shows how anyone can have their world turned upside down and become hurt so deeply that they doubt everything they know to be true. This is a great song to remind people once again that it rains on the just and the unjust.” 

The award-winning Volume Five has a long history of success on the radio charts and garnering other recognition. Several years ago, the band won the IBMA Song of the Year Award for their hit “I Am A Drifter,” In 2021, Mountain Fever Records released “When Karma Comes Calling,” written by Ronnie Bowman and Terry Herd. It was the #1 song six times on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 Weekly Chart and named in the publication’s Top 50 Bluegrass Songs of 2021, even with its late-year release. The track also appeared on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey Chart and the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Bluegrass Singles chart. It was followed with similar success by “What I Didn’t Say, written by Glen Harrell in honor of his parents. 

Volume Five is now on tour with Glen Harrell, Jacob Burleson, Aaron Ramsey, Chris Wade, and Zach Collier.

(March 8, 2022) – Mountain Fever Records is proud to announce the new single, “What I Didn’t Say,” by the multi-IBMA award-winning bluegrass band Volume Five. This emotional song was written by Volume Five’s lead vocalist and fiddler, Glen Harrell, after he suffered the devastating loss of both parents in 2019. 

Glen shares his thoughts on creating the tune: 

“I wrote this tune after losing my dad in a tragic accident while we were working together in August 2019. It brought me to the lowest place I have ever been in my entire life. No matter how much I try to tell myself that it will get easier to cope, the pain is always there. It was even more difficult because I lost my mother to cancer just two months before my dad passed away. Volume Five was performing in California when I got a call that my mom died, and it completely broke my heart that I couldn’t be with her.” 

“My parents lived a very simple and modest life. I cherish the memories of sitting on their front porch laughing and having a good time just talking about our lives and what was happening at that time. We have a large family, so we always had cookouts and enjoyed being around each other. When you lose your parents, you always wish you had asked them more questions, listened better when they were talking, told them everything you wanted them to know, and let them know how much you love them. If I had told mine every single day, it would still never be enough.” 

“With this song, I just wanted to write something in memory of them and share a little through the lyrics about how losing my dad in the accident truly broke me as a human being. It took the life out of me, and I know I will never be the same. I loved my parents dearly, and I think about them every day. I hope this song will inspire everyone who hears it to take time and visit your mom and dad and spend quality time with them. We all think we will be ready when the time comes, and they leave this world, but I can tell you that even if they live to be 100, you will never be prepared,” said Glen Harrell. 

Volume Five, and their fans, suffered another heartbreak when their beloved banjoist Patton Wages suffered a stroke early in 2021, soon after the band’s recording session. Fortunately, Patton continues to improve and keeps fans apprised of his journey. Patton’s one-of-a-kind banjo talents are included on both current singles and will be on all tracks on the upcoming Volume Five album along with former band member Jeff Partin. Current members, Glen Harrell, Jacob Burleson, and Aaron Ramsey are also part of the track and upcoming album. 

Glen continues to find solace and happiness in recording and performing with Volume Five, the band he originally formed in Mississippi as a casual jam band in 2008. Today, Volume Five’s sound is instantly recognizable. They have been highly successful on the bluegrass radio charts, including their recent single, “When Karma Comes Calling,” written by Ronnie Bowman and Terry Herd, that reached #1 seven times on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 charts. The publication also included this hit single on the Bluegrass Today’s Top 50 Songs of 2021, even with a late-year release. 

Volume Five’s trademark sound is undoubtedly highlighted by Glen Harrell’s soulful and smooth lead vocals and complimented with the extraordinary talents of Jacob Burleson on guitar, Aaron Ramsey on mandolin, Chris Wade on banjo, and Zach Collier on bass.  

Willis, Va. (October 29, 2021) –The award-winning band Volume Five debuts at #1 on the Bluegrass Today Weekly Top 20 song chart with their new single, "When Karma Comes Calling." This is the first single release from the band’s upcoming album, Karma scheduled for release next year on Mountain Fever Records. 

“When Karma Comes Calling” was recorded earlier this year and includes Glen Harrell, Patton Wages, Jacob Burleson, Aaron Ramsey, Jeff Partin, and Kameron Keller. Volume Five’s fans are thrilled to hear beloved banjo player Patton Wages on this song, as he suffered a stroke soon after the band recorded the tune. Thankfully, Patton continues to improve and fans love to keep up with him on social media. 

Volume Five has achieved tremendous chart success for both radio airplay and sales over the years. They appeared in the Top 5 on Billboard's Top Bluegrass Charts for a previous release and at #12 for their latest Mountain Fever Records’ album, For Those Who Care To Listen. In addition, this award-winning band took home the coveted International Bluegrass Music Association's Song of the Year Award for "Drifter" as well as the Emerging Artist of the Year Award in 2017. 

Volume Five will perform Thursday, November 18, 2021, at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tennessee, and on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at Everett’s Music Barn in Suwanee, Georgia. For more information on Volume Five including their music and tour, please visit VolumeFiveBG.com. Reserve a date for Volume Five to perform at your next event at HopeRiverEntertainment.com.

July 8, 2021 - Congratulations to Aaron Ramsey who received an IBMA Industry Award Nomination as Sound Engineer.

Volume Five is proud to welcome back Colby Laney. Read more about it at Bluegrass Today.