Muscadine Bloodline Tells Cinematic Southern Stories On New Album

No group in country music captures the spirit of the small-town South quite like Muscadine Bloodline.

Hailing from Mobile, Alabama, this harmonizing duo sings about lovable characters with questionable morals, blacktop parking lots where heartbreak happens regularly and the long nights that make life worth living.

This month, Muscadine Bloodline released … And What Was Left Behind, a new LP that chronicles the sights and sounds of the group’s Southern roots. Like tall tales told around a campfire or a night of barstool banter, the album weaves together a collection of three-minute stories inspired by the people and places the band knows best. The album serves as the second release in a two-part concept series that began with 2024’s The Coastal Plain.

In a new interview with Forbes, Muscadine Bloodline members Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton chat about the double-album project, writing hometown songs and touring with Post Malone. Read on for highlights from the conversation.

On Writing Songs Like A Novel

The band approached The Coastal Plain and … And What Was Left Behind like an author writing a novel, Stanton said. Each song should represent a chapter, like pieces that fit to form a larger picture. Listeners hear the end result on … Left Behind with numbers like “Ballad of the Blanton Brothers,” a foot-stompin’ tale of misguided murder, and “Chickasaw County Church,” a song capturing the final moments of a fleeting love.

The group’s inspired by singer-songwriters who reprise characters throughout different songs or albums, Stanton said. He name-checked Kentucky troubadour Chris Knight and Evan Felker of Turnpike Troubadours as two songwriting influences.

“This is supposed to be a 40-minute listening experience,” Stanton said. “This takes you on a journey. [We’re] just tryin’ to do that.”

On Writing ‘Larger Than Life’ Characters

The album kicks through traditional country influences, like on bluegrass-y romp “Durwood” – loosely based on Muncaster’s grandfather – or neotraditional drinkin’ tune “Hittin’ My Stride.” While rooted in real-life experiences, some songs may include a few subtle embellishments, Stanton said.

“I think there’s something about the Southern culture of making someone, like a grandparent or relative, larger than life,” Stanton said. He added, “A lot of times I’ll call my dad or an old relative and be like, ‘Give me some inspiration. … who was a group of brothers you were growing up with that were always startin’ trouble?’

From a seed of inspiration planted by a relative or remembered from a passed-down story, the group went to work on songwriting.

“Now we’re just creating stories, almost a cinematic approach,” Stanton said. “It’s kinda fun. Now I’m just tellin’ a story, like folklore.”

On Touring With Post Malone And Lainey Wilson

A decade into making music, Muscadine Bloodline continues to reach new audiences – on the road and beyond. Earlier this year, the independent duo shipped its first song to country radio with 2024 single “10-90.” Additionally, Muscadine Bloodline earned a nomination for Duo of the Year at the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards, set for May 8 in Frisco, Texas.

Last year, the band played stadiums as main support on Post Malone’s tour for his country album F-1 Trillion; this fall, Staton and Muncaster play arenas as part of Lainey Wilson’s anticipated Whirlwind tour.

How does the band approach a support slot for a major headliner? By pushing a foot on the gas.

“We look at it like, man, we’re gonna blow the socks off these people,” Muncaster said. “We call it our ‘gas’ set. When we play fests or one-hour sets, we feel like that’s the perfect-timed sets. It keeps people’s attention. Keeps the energy on 100. We pretend that we’ve got no fans out there and we pretend we’re gonna get ’em all.”