Worldgrass trio Tanasi have announced an upcoming, self-titled debut album, arriving May 8th, 2026, and have released the first single for the album, “Mahalla / Let’s Hold On”.
The story of the song goes back to a time when the members of the trio, Billy Cardine, Anya Hinkle, and Mary Lucey, were independently immersed in musical traditions spanning Appalachia, West Africa, South Asia, Southern Africa, and beyond. They all learned directly from other musicians.
One of those musicians happened to be South African slide guitarist Hannes Coetzee. Known internationally for style of playing slide guitar using a spoon held in his mouth, Coetzee taught a melody to Cardine and Lucey while teaching together at a music camp in Washington.
Cardine says:
Each night, Coetzee and his travelling companion, influential South African singer, songwriter, playwright, and director, David Kramer, would stay up sharing songs until sunrise, teaching Mary to sing in Afrikaans, and teaching me traditional melodies on the dobro. With Coetzee’s blessing, Mary added lyrics and a complementary vocal melody to the song he’d taught us, capturing the ache of travel, connection, and saying goodbye too soon and too often.
Hinkle reflects:
At a moment when it feels like our country is looking dangerously inward, this music feels like a reminder of how big the world really is. The breadth of musical styles that exist, across borders and cultures, is what makes life rich. When I let myself open to that expansiveness, I can begin to feel the endless possibilities in both life and artistic expression.
The band will be celebrating the release of their debut LP with a special hometown show at Asheville’s Grey Eagle on May 9th. A full list of tour dates can be found below and to support further, check out their Kickstarter here.
Catch TANASI On Tour:
April 24 – Falany Performing Arts Center – Waleska, GA +
May 7 – Tryon Fine Arts Center – Tryon, NC
May 8 – The Down Home – Johnson City, TN
May 9 – Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
May 16 – Matilda’s Music Under The Pines – Milton, GA
May 30 – Rivanna Roots Concert Series – Charlottesville, VA
June 6 – Windy Hill Farm and Reserve – Loudton, TN
June 12 – Live at Ted’s – Wilmington, NC
July 17 – Ridgway Concert Series – Ridgway, CO
June 19 – Red Wing Roots Music Festival – Mount Solon, VA
June 26 – Lime Kiln Theater – Lexington, VA*
June 27 – Lime Kiln Theater – Lexington, VA *
July 4 – Burnsville Concert Series – Burnsville, NC
July 9 – The Fiddling Cricket – Soquel, CA
July 10 – Raven Rocks – Nevada City, CA
July 11 – Mountain Stage – Groveland, VA
July 16 – Ridgway Concert Series – Ridgeway, CO ^
July 24 – 26 – RockyGrass – Lyons, CO
Aug. 20 – Roots in the Garden Concert Series – Boone, NC
Aug. 30 – Sierra Nevada Brewing Company – Asheville, NC
Oct. 17 – Strawberry Music Festival – Grass Valley, CA
* With The SteelDrivers
^ With Sam Grisman Project
+ With Sister Sadie
