Carolina Bound

Orbiting around Asheville’s vibrant music scene since late 2023, Suns of Stars have quickly become a local favorite for their spirited fusion of contemporary and traditional bluegrass with a high-energy jam-grass twist. Now, the band makes their studio debut with “Carolina Bound,” a song that ties their roots and sound together in one powerful statement.
“Carolina Bound” was written in the mid-1970s by Don Humphries, the late father of Suns of Stars mandolinist Johnny Humphries. Known for his songwriting and his work in the Bay Area’s Done Gone Band, Don Humphries also penned beloved tunes such as “The Boys Are Back in Town,” “Eli Renfro,” and “Blackbirds and the Crows.”
“Written in the mid-1970s by my dad, Don Humphries, Carolina Bound is the first single release from Suns of Stars,” says Johnny Humphries. “Other than the original 1979 recording by The Done Gone Band — my dad’s band in the Bay Area of California — we’re the first to record it again. It’s a wonderfully reassuring song about flying back to your hometown to check in and stoke the fires that burn while we’re away.”
A celebration of homecoming and musical lineage, “Carolina Bound” captures the band’s signature blend of tradition and exploration. Anchored by the driving guitar of Alex Bazemore, grounded by Asheville’s own Jackson Chisholm on upright bass, and propelled by Humphries’ mandolin, the song also features guest fiddler Don Lewis and Jason Flournoy on banjo — a lineup that brings both precision and spontaneity to the track.
While Suns of Stars’ live shows are known for extended improvisation and genre-bending jams, “Carolina Bound” takes a more traditional route — a heartfelt nod to bluegrass heritage and the familial ties that connect the past to the present. The track’s energy is unmistakable: bright, rootsy, and performed with the kind of chemistry that only hometown collaborators can create.