Billy Gilman, two-time Grammy-nominated Country music artist, and recent runner-up on NBC’s The Voice, has signed a recording contract with Pinecastle Records and has recently completed recording his first Bluegrass album. The first single, “Roller Coaster” will be released to radio on March 15.
“We are so excited to have an incredible artist like Billy on our label,” said Ethan Burkhardt, president of Pinecastle. “Billy has not released an album in almost 10 years, and coming off The Voice, he has had options to release an album in almost any genre that he wants. But it is a great win for Bluegrass that this is where his heart genuinely is and where he wants to release an album.”
“I am more excited about this than anything I have ever done in music,” said Gilman. “I grew up around bluegrass music since my grandparents would play it all the time, and it just feels so natural to me.”
Gilman, who has sold 10 million records and won an American Music Award and four Billboard Music Awards, says that he plans to do a deep dive into Bluegrass. “This record isn’t just a one-time thing,” he said. “This is where my heart is right now. I plan to get to know everyone I can in the industry, to put the work in, and make many more bluegrass albums in the years to come.”
Gilman scored over 45 million views on YouTube in four short months during his run on The Voice and charted several iTunes number-one singles.
“I think that the bluegrass world is going to be pleasantly surprised when it hears what Billy has done on this album,” said Burkhardt. “It’s some really great traditional Bluegrass music. And he is definitely going to help promote and bring more attention to this industry.”
Gilman finished recording the album for Pinecastle Records in January at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.
