New Single From Daniel Grindstaff: The Death of John Henry.
Daniel Grindstaff has released his new single The Death of John Henry, now available on all digital retailers and streaming platforms. The gripping track features Country Music Hall of Famer and Grammy award-winner Marty Stuart, adding his legendary touch to one of America’s most enduring well-known stories coupled with Grindstones faultless and driving banjo picking. This music with energy.
Fans can download and/or streamThe Death of John Henry here.
The Death of John Henry has deep roots in the history of American music. More than a century old, it was a signature tune of Uncle Dave Macon, who was one one of the original stars of the Grand Ole Opry, I wanted to pay tribute to that legacy and shine a light on how the voices that built this music still influence us today. Recording a song connected to an original star of the Grand Ole Opry — and having American music legend Marty Stuart join in with his distinctive mandolin style — was a huge honor. It felt less like a session and more like a conversation across time, and an incredible way to revisit this classic ballad – Daniel Grindstaff.
Grounded in tradition, The Death of John Henry retells the classic folk story of the steel-driving man who pushed himself beyond human limits in a contest against the machine. The line a cool drink of water ’fore I die serves as an impactful reminder of sacrifice and struggle. Grindstaff’s banjo leads the way, supported by baritone vocals and an all-star lineup of musicians including Marty Stuart on mandolin, Kevin Richardson on lead vocals and guitar, Kent Blanton on bass, Derek Deakins on the fiddle and Shawn Lane providing tenor vocals. The track was engineered by Stephen Burwell.
The new release follows Grindstaff’s No. 1 hit Angel Dream, which delivered a fresh Bluegrass spin on the Tom Petty classic. It went on to top the Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay Chart in July and continued the momentum he’s built over the past two years.
Marty Stuart
A native of East Tennessee, Grindstaff has established himself as one of Bluegrass music’s premier banjo stylists. With his band The Uptown Troubadours, he has toured extensively, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in roots and acoustic music. Over the years, he has graced the iconic stage of the Grand Ole Opry countless times, performed at CMA Music Fest, and appeared on national television’s Fox & Friends.
Daniel Grindstaff is currently in the studio working on his next full-length album, the highly anticipated follow-up to his critically acclaimed Heroes and Friends project, which featured an impressive lineup of genre legends and collaborators including Dolly Parton, Doyle Lawson, Paul Brewster, Jimmy Fortune, Trey Hensley, Jeff Tolbert, Andy Leftwich, Rickey Wasson and Kevin Richardson.
Fans can learn more about Daniel Grindstaff music and band, find upcoming tour dates, and stream the new single by visiting his website.
About Daniel Grindstaff:
2-time IBMA nominated banjo extraordinaire Daniel Grindstaff has carved out his own path in the Bluegrass and American music. Along the way, he has shared the stage with some of his biggest musical heroes, appeared countless times at the iconic Grand Ole Opry and made several national television appearances. A native of East Tennessee, he has performed across the United States and Canada with some of the very best in Bluegrass, Acoustic, and Country music.
Daniel began his professional music career at the young age of 18, performing at the Opry in Nashville, Tennessee with late bluegrass legends Jim and Jesse McReynolds. At the age of 21, Daniel was not only performing with the McReynolds but had also been called upon to take the stage with the iconic Osborne Brothers, best known for their familiar hit and Tennessee state song “Rocky Top.” In the fall of 2006, Daniel began touring with Grammy Award winning artist, Marty Raybon. For the next five years Daniel remained an important part of Raybon’s studio recordings and concerts.
As the years followed, Grindstaff kept forging along, releasing new music of his own and doing what he loves, which is performing for fans. With a musical career that covers hundreds of appearances on the coveted stage of the Grand Ole Opry (as recent as 2024 with Daily & Vincent), national television appearances on Fox News morning show “Fox & Friends,” Smithsonian Folklife Festival, CMA Music Fest in Nashville, hundreds of live concerts, and many studio recordings, Daniel Grindstaff’s musical career and accomplishments speak for themselves, and he’s just getting started!
All that experience hit full circle with the release of his 2024 ‘Heroes & Friends’ project. It quickly stuck a chord, with the single “Forever Young” feat. the iconic Dolly Parton and Paul Brewster. “Forever Young” and the release of “Finnland” feat. Andy Leftwich both landed at #1, topping the Bluegrass Today and Bluegrass Unlimited Monthly Airplay Charts. The success of the songs landed “Heroes & Friends” as the #1 album in Bluegrass Music for March of 2025 on the coveted Bluegrass Unlimited chart.
The future is continually looking bright as 2025 brings new music and a new project introducing Daniel Grindstaff & the Uptown Troubadours. The core of this fresh and exciting musical collaboration features the remarkable talents of Derek Deakins, Kevin Richardson, and Kent Blanton. Each of these artists brings a wealth of experience and individual accomplishments to the stage, promising an unforgettable musical experience.
