As one of their 150+ shows per year, the band of bluegrass ambassadors swung by Dee’s to play a few songs and talk music as a universal language

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Earlier this year, Chicago-based (but ever-roaming) bluegrass/Americana band Henhouse Prowlers released their 10th LP Unravel and celebrated their 21st anniversary as a band.

There’s no overstating the deservedness of this celebration. Like dog years, band years hit different; 21 is basically 210. But even if you account for this warped interpretation of time, it’s a marvel how many shows the band manages to squeeze in. This group averages 125-150 shows per year. And these aren’t little hops to venues around their hometown. As cultural ambassadors for the U.S. State Department, Henhouse Prowlers have (so far) traveled to around 30 countries. And their mission is as important as their music. As the Bluegrass Ambassadors, they aim to spread the universal language of music, not only playing their own songs but taking the time to research, reinterpret and perform local faves (their cover of Nigerian hip-hop duo P-Square‘s  “Chop My Money”  made a particularly big splash when they toured Africa). Plus serving up lessons on the side, schooling their audiences in banjo, composition and songwriting.

Back in September, the band made a slightly different type of music pilgrimage to Madison, TN, where they met up with us to film a session at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge. And while this was not one of those State-sponsored trips, I did learn a thing or two—and, thoroughly enjoy myself—as the Prowlers broke out the banjos (etc.) to serenade our AMERICANAFEST crowd (songs included “Line the Avenues,” “Lead and Iron,” “Look Up To The Sky” and “Gospel In Review,” plus that “Chop My Money” cover) a nd chat about their music, travels and the good work they’re doing off the stage and behind the scenes.

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Want more AMERICANAFEST? Check out our session with Leslie Jordan and Jack Van Cleaf!

Follow Henhouse Prowlers at @henhouseprowlers and add the music to your Spotify playlists!

Follow I Know We Should at @iknowweshould and subcribe on YouTube.

Credits: Brad Wagner – Video // Juan M Soria – Audio // Jamie Robertson – Lighting // Anna Lindqvist – Production Assistant // Arieh Samson – Production Manager

Feature image: Jess Gruneisen