The Big Wu play a fairly large role in my high school and college days. I grew up in Aberdeen, SD, which seemed to be a common tour stop for the band. We even got a shoutout on the song 'Red Sky' ("from Butte to Aberdeen") and a nickname from the band, the Aberdeen Army.
Chris Castino is one of the primary songwriters for the band, and has recently paired up with a fantastic Milwaukee bluegrass band, Chicken Wire Empire, to reinterpret some of the Wu's classics and more. He also recruited some of the best bluegrass musicians alive who also happen to be Castino's heroes - musicians like Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Tim O'Brien, Keller Williams and more.
Each of these songs brings me to a place of nostalgia in the best possible way. That said, they are reimagined in a way that is still familiar and at the same time totally fresh pickles. From an article on Relix, Castino said that his main goal with this project is to give these songs new life. It's for those familiar with the songs, and also for those who have no history with The Big Wu.
