Rod Stewart’s 1988 classic “Forever Young” has been reimagined and covered a vast amount of times during its 35-year lifespan. Though, banjo aficionado Daniel Grindstaff has completely reinvented the song with unprecedented creative liberties by transforming the quintessential pop classic into an intimate and humble bluegrass tune.
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For the single, Grindstaff recruited Paul Brewster (Kentucky Thunder, Osborne Brothers) and the iconic Dolly Parton to bolster the song’s bluegrass arrangement by accompanying it with their supple tenor and soprano duet. “A wonderful cast of heroes and friends joined me in the studio along with special guest vocalists, the great Paul Brewster and the legendary Dolly Parton,” Grindstaff says in the single’s press release. “Their vocals are nothing short of magical, and an absolute dream come true for me, one I’ll never forget.”
Grindstaff’s vision of entirely recreating the piece into a bluegrass tune was inspired by the worldly truths ingrained in Stewart’s original lyrics. “The timeless lyrics contained in ‘Forever Young’ have always touched my heart. I often think about how quickly time passes as our children grow into adults and yet for us as parents, they remain ‘Forever Young.’ Producing this song was an honor,” states Grindstaff.
With Grindstaff in the producer’s chair, one can seemingly tell with just one listen, that his ambition to capture the tender sentiments of the lyrics in a new light is successfully achieved. By covering the song in the bluegrass genre, Grindstaff is not only evoking an existing set of emotions in an avant-garde fashion but also paying homage to his influences: Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe and Sonny Osborne.
The single was first introduced on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction on Tuesday (July 25) and is intended to be included on Grindstaff’s upcoming album, Heroes & Friends. The release date for the album has not been announced.
(Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images for ABA)
