Breaking Grass

Originating in Booneville, Mississippi, Breaking Grass formed in 2010 as a bluegrass and country ensemble comprising Cody Farrar on guitar and vocals, Britt Sheffield on bass and vocals, Jody Elmore on banjo and vocals, Zach Wooten on mandolin, and Tyler White on fiddle. The musicians set out to blend elements of traditional country, bluegrass, and blues while exploring themes of love, faith, and everyday existence in rural America. Early on they concentrated on songwriting, rehearsals, and informal sessions that produced local gigs and steadily expanding audiences. In 2011 the group captured first-place honors at the Athens Old Time Bluegrass Band Competition, the State of Mississippi Bluegrass Band Championship, and the Uncle Dave Macon Days Bluegrass Band Competition in Tennessee. That year they also issued their self-titled debut album independently, which drew additional listeners and larger live crowds. Their second independent release, Running with the Moon, arrived in 2012 and received notice from online bluegrass publications for its wide-ranging songcraft, particularly the Hank Williams, Sr. tribute “Strings” and “Witches of Harlan,” which featured Jana Mougin of Fragment. The band further received the B.O.R.N. Award in 2012. They later joined the roster of Mountain Fever Records and delivered Just as Strong in 2014, an album again noted for its range of traditional influences. Three years afterward Breaking Grass issued Warning Signs, their fourth album on the same label; the project introduced multi-instrumentalist Jody Elmore, who assumed banjo and vocal duties previously held by Thelton Vanderford.