The Dead South: Chains & Stakes
Nov 03, 2025
THE BAND
The Dead South is an intriguing band, rooted in bluegrass while simultaneously pushing its boundaries. Often blending classic rock vibes with tunes that lean more toward pop than country, they’ve created a sound entirely their own.
The Album
Chains & Stakes stays true to the band’s northern (and Canadian) roots. The album is fun, hokey, haunting, and at times, beautiful.
For us banjo players, Colton Crawford offers great inspiration with rolls and licks straight out of bluegrass tradition, as well as quirky, non-traditional, and very catchy riffs.
The album is a lot of fun, and below are a few of our favorite tracks.
FROM THE ARTISTS' WEBSITE:
“True blue right through, The Dead South don’t shy away from ruffling traditionalists’ feathers from time to time, as they flawlessly execute banjo rolls and lightning-fast mandolin tremolos, 3-part harmonies and songs of classic themes -murder ballads, disloyalty, ghosts and the like, all with a wink and a smile. As they continue their climb to the top, The Dead South have learned an important lesson: If you’re going to be outsiders, you’d better be great.
Confirmed by the passion of their Dead South cosplaying fans, who go to concerts in the band’s signature look, this four-piece acoustic set from the middle of the Canadian prairies have found their people. Good Company, as they call themselves, is a global community of vastly dissimilar folks who might not see eye to eye, but who stand shoulder to shoulder at the gigs.”
Interested in learning banjo? Check out our article How to Learn Bluegrass Banjo in 10 Easy Steps!
