Biography

On the heels of “Weary Town,” their chart-topping lament for a fading town, western North Carolina’s Unspoken Tradition is back with an evocative portrait of a woman who dreams of making her way to a beloved Appalachian landscape.

“‘Georgia in Her Eyes’ is a deeply personal song that I wrote in a fit of inspiration not long after meeting the woman who is now my wife,” says bassist and lead singer Sav Sankaran. “Looking through the perspective gained from 12 years together, the lyrics are even more meaningful. I’m excited that the guys in the band chose to help bring this song to life!”

Indeed, the entire band’s excitement can be felt throughout the track, offering unhurried yet unstoppable momentum from the first notes of its unusual kickoff — a supple guitar line from tenor singer Audie McGinnis. Fiddler Tim Gardner is featured prominently, splitting the opening with McGinnis, singing a baritone vocal, and then sharing solos with mandolinist Ty Gilpin and banjo man Zane McGinnis, while Sankaran’s distinctive vocal tone and phrasing deliver his tale of a lover whose voice “sings the songs of the hollers and the fields,” all punctuated by “Georgia in Her Eyes”’ irresistible choruses:

Those Carolina mountains grew green upon her mind
Crystal mountain rivers still roll on
In the darkness of her soul I see the stars up in the sky
She’s got Georgia in her eyes

If “Weary Town” and the group’s previous (and similarly chart-topping) meditation, “Weeds Don’t Wither,” showed Unspoken Tradition as artists with more than romantic relationships on their musical minds, “Georgia in Her Eyes” reminds listeners of their ability to take those on, too, and shows vividly why the demand for their music continues to grow.

About Unspoken Tradition
Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere.

Their latest single, “Weeds Don’t Wither” reached No. 1 on the Bluegrass Today chart, and seven singles from their 2022 album Imaginary Lines charted in the top 20 including “California” at No. 1, “Irons in the Fire” at No. 2 and “Carolina and Tennessee” at No. 4. Their 2019 release, Myths We Tell Our Young, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts and saw five top-charting radio singles, including a No. 1 on the Bluegrass Today chart with “Dark Side of the Mountain.”

Unspoken Tradition’s material is mostly original and reflects the ever-changing culture of Western and Central North Carolina where they call home. The band has earned a fervent following in the Southeast, selling out shows in Asheville, NC as well as the legendary Station Inn in Nashville, TN. They have also performed twice on the coveted Watson (main stage) at MerleFest. With heavy airplay on Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction and ever-growing streaming numbers, Unspoken Tradition is a fast-rising voice of a new generation of roots music artists.