| Mountain Fever Records is proud to present the new 12-track album, New Horizons, by Mason Via. The album title came from a lyric in one of the songs, “Colorado,” and it seemed to sum up the overarching imagery that the music and lyrics convey,” explained Mason.
“When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be an astronaut and hitch a ride on a rocket ship to pick some bluegrass in outer space. That might still happen one day, but until then, I’m gonna keep singing a traveling song and reaching new horizons physically and metaphorically as I tour across the countryside. In this transitional period of my life, an album with themes of perpetual motion, unforeseen changes, and unfamiliar scenery was born,” said Mason.
Mason successfully takes the listener on that ride with bluesy tracks like “Poverty Line” and “Mardi Gras” along with the traditional sounds heard on “Old Time Girl.” Other tracks include “Trials,” “Ocean Blue,” “Great Big Wall,” “Yeah Beer,” and the impressive instrumental, “White Face.” Rounding out this stellar album are the previously released singles, “Big City,” “Colorado,” “Gettin’ Gone,” and “Love Train.”
“Mason is hard to corner into just one genre of music, as he has an eclectic style of playing Appalachian funk, soulful acoustic, bluegrass, and groovy Americana. But there is one thing of which you can be assured. His voice rings with the roots of bluegrass and old-time music,” said Bluegrass Today.
Mason grew up going to fiddler’s conventions and music festivals around North Carolina and Virginia where he was steeped in the rich Appalachian culture that surrounds that area. Picking and singing from an early age, Mason combines soulful high lonesome singing with virtuosic instrumental prowess. In 2016, he completed the Virginia Folklife Songwriting apprenticeship with his father, award-winning songwriter David Via. He was also the 2019 Floydfest OTR competition runner-up and is a 3-time winner of the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival’s band competition. Mason’s lyrics are also considered by many to be the driving force behind his music, and his vocals back up the deep emotion that his lyrics possess. The legendary and highly acclaimed Del McCoury Band has recently recorded one of Mason’s original songs to be released on their next album.
Love Train
Mason is now a member of the Old Crow Medicine Show, made his Grand Ole Opry debut late last year with the band, and is a previous Top 40 finalist on American Idol. Upcoming Old Crow Medicine Show performances include August 26 with Dwight Yoakam in Rochester Hills, Michigan., August 27 with Dwight Yoakam in Canandaigua, New York, and August 28 with Dom Flemons in Jay, Vermont. For a complete tour schedule, please visit crowmedicine.com/tour.
For more information on Mason Via, visit MasonVia.com. |
