A heartfelt look at our awkward high school days.
With today’s new batch of superstars in country music getting younger and younger seemingly by the minute, headlined by the likes of Sam Barber, Ty Myers, Waylon Wyatt, Hudson Westbrook and more, it’s becoming increasingly harder to sort out the best of the best when it comes to young talent in genre today.
While Barber and Wyatt have made waves in the ever-prominent acoustic/folk scene and Myers has seemingly taken a page out of John Mayer’s playbook throughout his career, there’s a growing need for a hot, young group to carry the torch (and traditions) of Appalachia.
That group is none other than Low Gap.
In case you’re not familiar with the duo, comprised of brothers, Gus and Phin Johnson, they’ve been making waves across many independent country circles for the past few years. When they were in their early teens back in 2021, they burst onto the scene with their debut single, “Mockingbird,” which has since become a cult-classic among their ever-growing fanbase and has scored the siblings well over a million streams on Spotify alone.
Since then, Low Gap has become what can only be described as one of the most exciting young voices in the genre, blending the sounds and stylings of their Appalachian roots in both Lexington, Kentucky and Holmes County, Ohio. Not only have they expanded out over the past year or so, piecing together a stellar band comprised of Levi Brown on the drums, Christopher Bias on the steel guitar and Samuel James on bass, they also dropped one of the most impressive debut albums I’ve heard in years back in January with Geneva.
Since dropping Geneva, they’ve been keeping the momentum going, scoring an opening slot on the Whiskey Riff Madnesss champion himself, Colby Acuff’s, HANDMADE HORSEPOWER Tour and continuing to expand their ever-growing fanbase.
Wasting no time, the young Appalachian duo is back with their first follow-up since their debut album, a brand new single simply titled “Timmy.”
If there’s one thing that becomes apparent while listening to Low Gap, it’s their knack for relatable, honest storytelling from track-to-track. In many ways, the young duo is wise beyond their years, often touching on themes of religion, history and philosophy. Here, however, they decide to take a step back and tell an incredibly relatable story of something we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives: the awkward days of high school.
Brilliantly, Gus and Phin set the scene of a Billy Strings-loving, straight-edge high schooler who’s simply trying to figure out the growing world around him. As for why they chose Billy Strings, Gus would explain that the bluegrass hero perfectly captures the essence of “Timmy,” given that he’s the “perfect combination of nerdy and brilliant.”
“I felt like Billy Strings is the perfect combination. I mean, for one, Billy Strings is great. He’s like the perfect combination of nerdy and brilliant and very enjoyable. There’s something there.
I can’t imagine most high schoolers are going to a Billy Strings concert, but a mildly awkward kid who’s smarter than all of his peers is the type of guy that would be at a Billy Strings concert. It fit the vibe pretty well. Kind of a homage in some sense.”
Like most high school stories, “Timmy” wouldn’t be complete without a love story, and that’s exactly the direction the young brothers take on the track in the second verse. Introducing his love interest, “Penny,” the titular character then works up the nerve to ask her to dance at homecoming, despite being let down that they didn’t play any Billy Strings.
“He’s sweating out a river as she walked him to the floor
But I guess old son’s got rhythm; they waltzed a mean 3-4
Well, Timmy, you’re gonna be a star tonight
Just don’t hold her hand too tight”
If there’s one word I would use to describe “Timmy” (and Low Gap’s entire discography at large), it would simply be “earnest.” As noted in Geneva, it’s become abundantly clear that Gus and Phin aren’t here to chase any trends from both a lyrical or sonic standpoint. Instead, they’re carving their own path in today’s homogenized state of the genre with some lush, traditional production and heartfelt, relatable storytelling from release to release.
If you’re looking for a heartfelt, honest reflection of growing up and breaking out of your shell, look no further than “Timmy.”
“Timmy”
Low Gap Tour Dates
July 11 – Ozark, Arkansas – Bank OZK
July 23 – Duck, North Carolina – Duck Town Park Boardwalk
July 25 – Macon, Georgia – Bragg Jam
August 12 – Greeley, Colorado – Moxi Theater
August 14 – Pinedale, Wyoming – Summer Series
August 15 – Denver, Colorado – The Black Buzzard
August 18 – Carbondale, Colorado – Steve’s Guitars
August 22 – Virginia City, Nevada – Red Dog Saloon
August 27 – Custer, South Dakota – Custer Beacon
August 29 – Aberdeen, South Dakota – Red Rooster Coffee House
September 25 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – 89th Street
September 26 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – Mercury Lounge
October 1 – San Antonio, Texas – Sam’s Burger Joint
October 2 – Austin, Texas – Meanwhile Brewing
