Remedy Tree Say Darlin’ Say

Bridging the Decades: A Deep Research Review of Remedy Tree’s “Say Darlin’ Say”

By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine

I. Context: The Progressive Re-Rooting of Bluegrass

Remedy Tree, hailing from Florida, occupies a crucial space in the modern acoustic scene: they are part of the progressive bluegrass movement, a genre defined by its willingness to integrate jazz, folk, and indie influences while maintaining instrumental mastery. Their new single, “Say Darlin’ Say,” serves as the final precursor to their anticipated album, Beyond What I Can See (September 12, 2025). However, unlike typical progressive offerings that push into new lyrical or harmonic territory, this track performs an act of historical excavation, returning to the very deepest roots of American acoustic music.

The band’s decision to cover a “timeless folk song” first recorded by Ernest Stoneman and the Sweet Brothers in 1928—a time preceding the formal birth of bluegrass itself—is a statement. It grounds their innovation in tradition, suggesting that moving forward (as implied by the album title) requires a profound understanding of where the music began. Fiddler and lead singer Gabriel Acevedo’s discovery of the tune via Jubal’s Kin highlights the powerful oral tradition of folk music, where tunes are passed down and reinterpreted across generations of musicians, from the ’20s recording era to contemporary revivalists.

II. The Historical Significance of “Say Darlin’ Say” (1928)

To appreciate Remedy Tree’s rendition, one must understand the song’s provenance. Ernest V. Stoneman was a pivotal figure in the 1927 Bristol Sessions, often dubbed the “Big Bang of Country Music.” His recordings represent the raw, pre-commercial sound of the Appalachian mountains. These early recordings are characterized by:

• Modal Melodies: Often using pentatonic or modal scales that feel ancient and somewhat haunting.
• Simple Harmony: Primarily rooted in I, IV, and V chords, allowing the melody and the narrative to dominate.
• Old-Time Rhythms: A loping, danceable rhythm driven by the clawhammer banjo, which was the dominant instrumental style before the rise of the three-finger Scruggs style in the 1940s.

By choosing this track, Remedy Tree is deliberately accessing the “old-time” sound that is the grandparent of bluegrass. This choice immediately forces the band to reconcile the high-speed, sharp attack of modern bluegrass instrumentation (mandolin, guitar) with the song’s inherent rootsiness.

III. The Fusion: Clawhammer Banjo and Progressive Picking

The most significant structural and sonic choice in this rendition is the inclusion of Victor Furtado on clawhammer banjo. This is a masterstroke in blending tradition and innovation:

1. Rhythmic Texture Shift: Standard bluegrass relies on the forward drive of the Scruggs-style banjo (boom-chick-a-boom). Clawhammer, in contrast, uses a downward striking motion (frailing), resulting in a rhythmic, percussive thump that is less focused on speed and more on hypnotic rhythm. By featuring Furtado, Remedy Tree fundamentally changes the engine of the song, replacing the relentless drive of bluegrass with the roll of old-time music.
2. The Fiddle/Banjo Dialogue: With Acevedo on the fiddle, the track sets up the classic old-time instrumental dialogue: the fiddle carries the melodic lead, while the banjo provides the percussive rhythm and harmonic fill. Furtado’s presence ensures an authentic Appalachian foundation for the entire track, providing a solid, historically accurate base over which the more contemporary elements can layer.
3. Progressive Harmony Integration: The challenge for Remedy Tree lies in how the guitar (Nathan Beaumont) and mandolin (Bryce Griffin) adapt. These instruments, typically utilized for aggressive chop chords and rapid fire improvisational breaks in bluegrass, must now integrate their progressive harmonic sensibilities without overwhelming the simple, modal nature of the original folk tune. If successful, the mandolin and guitar will provide subtle, modern voicings and counter-melodies, demonstrating the band’s innovation without compromising the song’s Appalachian heart.

IV. Thematic Relevancy and Vocal Delivery

The “darlin'” in “Say Darlin’ Say” is the subject of the song’s timeless plea. These early folk songs were often terse and emotionally direct, dealing with heartbreak, labor, or longing with minimal embellishment. The “fresh rendition” must maintain this raw, “unmistakably human” quality.

Gabriel Acevedo’s lead vocal and the harmony contributions from Abigail Acevedo and Nathan Beaumont need to deliver the lyrics with the direct, unadorned sincerity of a folk singer, rather than the polished theatricality of modern country. The combination of Acevedo’s fiddle—an instrument deeply tied to vocal expressiveness in folk music—with the plaintive quality of the traditional melody, is designed to capture the listener’s attention immediately, fulfilling the promise of a track that “captivated me right away.”

V. The Gateway to Beyond What I Can See

As the final single, “Say Darlin’ Say” is a calculated choice that broadens the expected scope of the upcoming album. An album titled Beyond What I Can See implies exploration, pushing boundaries, and perhaps questioning conventional bluegrass structures.

By presenting a track so deeply rooted in the 1920s, Remedy Tree signals that their progressive nature is not merely about adding electric instruments or contemporary pop forms, but about tracing the acoustic continuum of American music. It suggests the album will likely be a journey across musical history, using their technical prowess and innovative spirit to illuminate the enduring power of acoustic storytelling, making the past visible as they look to the future.