Rock Hearts is a bluegrass group based in the south—the southern part of New England, that is. Despite their physical distance from the southern Appalachian center of bluegrass, their dedication to the musical traditions of the genre places them squarely in its musical territory.
According to the band’s lead singer and guitarist Alex MacLeod, “We are a New England-based bluegrass band but we still adhere to a very traditional bluegrass setup.” He continues, “We are pretty strictly traditional as far as instrumentation, as far as material, as far as the sources of inspiration of our music…” That being said, the band is also known for its command of old country and southern gospel, as well as the occasional “bluegrassified” number culled from completely unrelated genres.
Along with Alex, the band consists of founding member and banjo player Joe Deetz, Billy Thibodeau on mandolin, bassist Rick Brodsky, and fiddler Austin Scelzo. All are veteran musicians bringing a heavy load of road-tested bluegrass chops to the table.
Their latest release is Unfinished Bridges, out in October 2024 (released on 615 Hideaway Records), has already scored a series of number #1 charting singles. It includes a title track by gospel great Mark “Brink” Brinkman and a track called “Lonesome Man in a Lonesome Town,” (by Billy Thibodeau and Stan Keach), which features a guest co-lead vocal by Danny Paisely (2024 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year).
However you describe them, since their formation in 2013 Rock Hearts has rolled toward greater and greater success, with the latest proof being a repeat showcase stint at the 2024 IBMAs (after being chosen in 2021 as well). Band members have also recently been acknowledged individually for their achievements, with Alex being chosen as one of 10 songwriters selected for the 2024 IBMA World of Bluegrass Songwriter Showcase, Austin Scelzo being nominated for the 2024 IBMA Momentum Awards: Industry Involvement, and Billy Thibodeau recently being inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame. The bottom line is that the talented members of Rock Hearts are making a solid name for themselves in the bluegrass world.