Red Barn Radio

Every so often we have the chance to introduce you to an artist who's still at the be-ginning of the journey. Those are some of my favorite evenings, because years later you can say, "I remember hearing them before everyone else did." I think you'll feel that way about Garrett Dearing, our guest next week on Red Barn Radio.
Garrett has turned a lifetime of Kentucky memories, a mix of colorful characters, sad times and hopeful times, into songs that are we like a lot not because they're flashy or trying to be clever, but because they are honest and accessible to all. Raised in Barren County, Garrett began singing in church before discovering that songwriting could help him make sense of the life he's lived.

Growing up in the small town of Union, West Virginia, Caden was sur-rounded by old timers. While no one in his family played an instrument, he got bored and decided he would learn to play the banjo. He taught himself to play bluegrass banjo at a young age. That lead to Caden pick-ing up a guitar as well. Eventually he would grow to love southern rock, blues, country, and folk music with big inspirations such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Doc Watson, Jim Croce, The Allman Brothers and many more! These inspirations molded his voice to what it is today! His knowledge and playability of music is a wide variety of all genres! Caden has music across all platforms telling tales of Appalachia.

The only thing Full SpectrumBluegrass has to prove is that bluegrass music is for everyone. 
Their debut EP Homesick (releasedNovember 2025) virtuosically showcases the driving rhythm of classic artistslike Bill Monroe and JD Crowe, while intertwining original songwriting thatexplores the modern queer, trans, and urban experience. Without losing sight oftradition, Full Spectrum invites people from all walks to access everythingthat makes bluegrass special. 
 ‘Full Spex’ finds fans in oldschool grassers, deadheads, Americana fans, and everyone who enjoys apassionate live performance. Their live set is a high energy mix of originals,bluegrass standards, and unexpected deep cuts.

Erik Stucky is a internationally touring producer, songwriter, and instrumentalist.
Growing up in the mountains of Western Colorado, Stucky picked up his first mandolin at the age of eight. Following the release of his debut album Stray Clouds in 2017, Stucky packed up his instruments and headed for Nashville. Since then he’s released his sophomore album, Good Vibrations, and held stages across the United States and Europe.
Stucky has been featured multiple times by RFD-TV and Today in Nashville, as well as The Cowboy Channel, The Bluegrass Situation, Nashville Entertainment Weekly, and many other media outlets. His music has been praised by Americana UK, Roots Music Report, M Music & Musicians Magazine, and CMA, AMA, and ACM award-winner Crystal Gayle.

The music of the Carolinas (and Appalachia in general) stems from the marriage of the Irish fiddle and the African banjo, which first met in the South before the revolution. The Tan and Sober Gentlemen aim to bring these traditions full circle, blending Irish tunes, ballads, and pub songs with the Appalachian old-time and bluegrass music they grew up on. The result is a ruckus known affectionately as “Irish-American hill-billy music”.
Renowned as one of the South’s most electrifying live folk bands, The Tan and Sober Gentlemen are known for blazing tempos, raw energy, and unforgettable shows. Their performances are raucous celebra-tions of the Carolinas’ Irish heritage, filled with drinking, dancing, and downright joy, and have earned them a devoted following across the folk, bluegrass, celtic, and roots music scenes.
Since forming in 2017, the Tan and Sober Gentlemen have toured across the United States and Ireland, per-forming at festivals including MerleFest, Blue Ox Festival, IBMA Bluegrass Live!, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Appaloosa Festival, FloydFest, Ramble Fest, Shakori Hills, and internationally at Electric Picnic, Spraoi, and the world’s largest Irish traditional music festival, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
In January 2024, the band sold out the Haw River Ballroom on their home turf of Alamance County, North Carolina, performing to 800 fans and recording a live album. Live at the Haw River Ballroom was released in February 2025. Their sophomore studio album, Regressive Folk Music (2022), followed their debut Ve-racity, which was named by Shite’n’Onions as one of the five best Celtic punk albums of 2019–2020.