Wyatt Ellis Releases Winds of Rowan County With Peter Rowan.
There ain’t no grass growin’ under Wyatt Ellis’ feet. The 15-year-old mandolin wunderkind continues to tour and record new music, setting pace for an amazing 2025. His first project of the year releases today, Winds of Rowan County, a double-sided, limited-edition 45 RPM vinyl single, featuring Ellis alongside music icon Peter Rowan.
Out on Ellis’ own Knee-High Records, Side A features Winds of Rowan County, a song co-written by the inter-generational duo, which is seamlessly paired with Side B, a cover of Bill Monroe’s Memories of You.
Rowan, who has been a mentor and champion of Ellis for many years, describes what makes the young musician unique:
Wyatt’s understanding of the music goes way beyond mechanical; he intuits the ancient tones – Peter Rowan.
Imagine if Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music, awoke from his eternal rest and listened to today’s bluegrassers. One of Mr. Monroe’s greatest surprises would be Wyatt Ellis – Bluegrass Today.
Ellis explains the history behind the song:
I originally wrote Winds of Rowan County as an instrumental when I was 13, right after playing mandolin at Peter Rowan’s induction into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. Just before we were set to go into the studio, Peter emailed me from Ireland, saying he was hearing lyrics to the tune, and asked if I’d be interested in hearing them. Of course, I said yes. We worked out a verse and chorus together in the studio and ended up with an ‘instrumental sandwich’, my music framing Peter’s lyrics. Since then, we’ve been writing a bunch on email and over the phone. We’ve even worked up a few more verses to ‘Winds,’ and it’s pretty lonesome – Wyatt Ellis.
Winds of Rowan County has already been added to Spotify’s New Grass and Amazon Music’s Fresh Folk & Americana playlists.
Fans can purchase the vinyl copy here.
This project is symbolic of what is most endearing about the bluegrass form-honouring the past with a bridge to the future. Winds of Rowan County is a historic release that honours Rowan’s legacy while passing the torch of “old-school” bluegrass to the genre’s newest flame-keeper, Wyatt Ellis.
About Wyatt Ellis:
Named 2024s IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year, Wyatt Ellis has quickly become one of the most-watched young musicians in bluegrass music. In a recent review, Billboard stated, “Ellis has quickly cemented himself as a sterling newcomer in the bluegrass scene,” a prophetic assessment as evidenced by his debut single, “Grassy Cove,” going to #1 on the Bluegrass Today charts.
Wyatt Ellis Peter Rowan
At the age of 14, he made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry, and released his first album, Happy Valley, which received widespread recognition. The album features original compositions and collaborations, including his chart-topping single “Blue Smoke,” featuring Marty Stuart. During one week in March of 2024, Ellis had five singles on the Bluegrass Today charts. That same year, Ellis officially launched his touring career with many appearances, including opening spots for Marty Stuart and Molly Tuttle, and performing on an array of major music festival stages including Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, MerleFest, Pilgrimage, and the Newport Folk Festival.
A devotee of Bill Monroe, Ellis has been mentored by many iconic musicians, including Sierra Hull, Bobby Osborne, Mike Compton, and others. Ellis has studied with mandolin masters, composed his own original instrumentals, and transitioned from playing alone in his living room to performing seamlessly alongside bluegrass legends and Hall of Famers. In his two short years on the scene, Ellis has become a multi-instrumentalist and has been invited to perform on stage with some of the most iconic musicians of this era, including Billy Strings, Vince Gill, Molly Tuttle, Dierks Bentley, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, Dailey & Vincent, Ernest, and Marty Stuart.
Beyond his musical accomplishments, the proud East Tennessee native is committed to his Appalachian roots and supporting conservation efforts in the Smoky Mountains. His charitable work further underscores his connection to his home and community, making him a role model for both young musicians and fans of bluegrass music. Wyatt’s journey is not only a testament to his musical talent, but also to his community ties and dedication to preserving the tradition of bluegrass music.
