Lowland Ramblers strike a chord with debut album
What began as a handful of casual jam sessions at Brasher’s Little Nashville and the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum has quickly grown into something much bigger. Less than two years after officially coming together, the Lowland Ramblers — an Owensboro-based bluegrass quartet — have released their debut album, and both the local music scene and streaming audiences are taking notice.
The band is made up of four friends whose paths kept crossing until collaboration became inevitable: guitarist and vocalist Chris Abell, mandolin player Alex Abend, fiddler and vocalist Blythe Dahlem, and banjo player Sam Sanford. While each of them has their own musical influences and backgrounds, the group formed organically through Owensboro’s vibrant open-mic and jam culture.
“Alex and I had met between Brasher’s open mics on 2nd Street and the Bluegrass Museum jams,” Abell said. “I had been playing with a fiddle player, so I asked if she wanted to hop on some gigs with us. Eventually it kind of became us as a duo for a bit that summer — until Blythe started coming around to the Bluegrass jams.”
Dahlem’s arrival is still a running joke among the group.
“Alex and Blythe were actually on a date at Brasher’s open mic,” Abell said with a laugh. “She told me before we got there, ‘He plays banjo,’ and I said, ‘We should ask him to be in the band.’ She said, ‘No, I’d like to not do that.’ But I went for it anyway. Totally crashed the date, told him we had practice every Monday and he should come jam with us. He’s been with us ever since.”
Sanford joined the following summer, also through the Bluegrass Museum jams. With all four members in place, the Lowland Ramblers began developing a sound rooted in personal experience.
“A lot of the songs I’ve written are very experience-driven,” Abell said. “They’ve come from ups and downs in my adult life — through COVID, loss, breakups, and now getting engaged. It’s really a coming-of-age thing.”
That perspective shaped the record, which the band cut over several months between Nashville and Owensboro. They spent two days at Hilltop Studios tracking the instruments, then finished the project at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, recording vocals whenever their schedules allowed.
“It really was a team effort,” Dahlem said. “We’d squeeze in sessions between our day jobs, just chipping away until it was done.”
The project, featuring songs including “Flying the Model” and “Love and Morphine,” began building buzz even before its release. The two singles drew in early listeners on streaming platforms and gave the band confidence that they were heading in the right direction. Sanford said the early feedback gave them fuel.
When the full album finally dropped in late August, the band celebrated in true Owensboro fashion — with live music and a packed house.
“We had our album release party on the 30th, and we had about 70 people come and celebrate with us,” Abell said. “We already sold like 30 CDs that night, which was awesome. These days, buying a CD is really one of the best ways to support a band, so that meant a lot.”
The album’s impact extended beyond that night.
“We’ve got over 1,000 streams on Spotify with the record, and several digital downloads,” Abell continued. “People have even been using our songs on social media. I’ve been getting texts from friends and community members saying the songs really resonate with them, and honestly, that’s the best thing I could ask for.”
In addition to streaming and downloads, local support has been key to their early success. Abend pointed out how instrumental Owensboro’s music community has been in helping the Ramblers establish themselves.
“We’ve gotten so much support locally,” he said. “People like Andy Brasher and Drew have gone out of their way to promote us and help us build a website. It’s nice to be in a position where we can also promote other bands and contribute to a resurgence of local bluegrass.”
The Ramblers’ schedule reflects that growing momentum. They’ve played shows in Pennsylvania and Ohio, hosted after-parties following Billy Strings’ Owensboro shows, and performed downtown for Smothers Park’s Live on the Banks. And while traveling is essential to build their audience, the group never takes its hometown crowd for granted.
“We’re on the road a lot these days, so anytime we get to be local, it’s special to us,” Abell said.
The record is now available on all major streaming platforms, with physical copies for sale at shows and through the band’s website. For the Ramblers, though, the release means more than streams, sales, or downloads. It represents a milestone in their journey as a band and as friends.
“We’re just grateful people want to hear what we’re doing,” Abell said. “This is our hometown, and we want to make them proud.”
With a strong debut behind them and an already busy schedule ahead, the Lowland Ramblers have positioned themselves as one of the most exciting new acts in Owensboro’s thriving music scene. And if the reception to their first record is any indication, they’ll be carrying that sound far beyond Kentucky. OL
