SONG PREMIERE: Asher Brinson Showcases Songwriting Strength Alongside Smith Curry’s Pedal Steel Power on Authentically Country Tune “And Why is That?”

At just 16 years old, Newport, North Carolina’s Asher Brinson already carries himself like a seasoned picker. A left-handed guitarist, singer, and songwriter with an old-soul sensibility, Brinson’s music feels rooted in tradition while remaining refreshingly personal. Growing up along the North Carolina coast, his sound draws from bluegrass, folk storytelling, and the rhythms of everyday life, delivered with a sincerity that feels far beyond his years.

Brinson introduces that voice on his debut studio album Midnight Hurricane (due out April 3rd), a collection of eight original songs alongside one cover and two traditional instrumentals. The record pairs the young songwriter with a heavy-hitting group of collaborators, including banjoist Cory Walker, fiddler Jason Carter, and producer Christopher Henry, who also contributes bass, mandolin, and additional instrumentation. The album’s supporting cast reads like a modern bluegrass roll call, with appearances from Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Justin Moses, Smith Curry, David Grier, and Lindsay Lou, adding depth and color to Brinson’s already confident debut.

The seeds for Midnight Hurricane began to take shape in spring 2024, when Brinson started studying with Christopher Henry, the acclaimed musician and founder of Noya Mountain Music Studio. Within months he had written a handful of songs and an instrumental, and by December the pair entered Henry’s studio to begin recording the young songwriter’s first batch of tracks.

With Midnight Hurricane, Brinson arrives as a young artist deeply connected to the bluegrass tradition but already carving out a voice of his own.

Today, Glide is offering an exclusive premiere of the reflective tune “And Why Is That?,” which shifts into a more contemplative space and pairs Brinson’s country-leaning vocals with the slow sway of Smith Curry’s pedal steel. Written about a close family friend who lived on a sailboat and served as a trusted confidant, the song memorializes a phrase the man often asked when someone was struggling: “And why is that?” The result is a work of authentic country music, showcasing Brinson’s musical versatility and his ability to switch gears from classic bluegrass sounds to other genres and styles while also keeping his artistic identity at the core.

Asher Brinson describes the inspiration behind the tune:

“‘And Why is That?’ That is the question my good friend and mentor, Kevin Knapp, would inquisitively ask me in his deep baritone voice when I would talk with him about things that happened, good or bad. Kevin was elderly, lived a simple life on a boat, and was one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, as well as musically gifted. It didn’t matter what subject came up; he was well versed and knowledgeable. He was so inspiring to me, and from a young age, he taught me to ‘learn to learn.’ Unfortunately, Kevin passed 2 years ago, when I was 14 years old. When I started writing songs in 2025, I just knew one of my songs had to honor him. My dad, uncle, and I all got together and ended up writing a song about the love of Kevin’s life, and every single line of the song is true. Of course, we had to put the chorus line as, ‘And why is that?’ This song is the most meaningful song that I have written, and I love that it’s got a country feel. Hearing the steel guitar in the background of Kevin’s story makes me thankful for the close relationship we shared and the life lessons he passed along to me that I will keep in my pocket always. Whether writing a song, doing schoolwork, or anything in life really, sometimes I just have to chuckle and ask myself, ‘And Why is That?’”

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