Hard-hitting bluegrass pickers who moonlight as symphonic classical musicians, Hank, Pattie, and the Current have forged their unique sound by approaching their string band much as they would a string quartet. 
 The four-piece group based in Raleigh, North Carolina is led by banjo player Hank Smith and fiddle player and vocalist Pattie Kinlaw. On their new album, Letters, they present a collection of intricately crafted messages to their lovers, friends, and children. The present iteration of the band includes bass player Stevie Martinez, who also performs with the Long Bay Symphony, and guitarist Billie Feather, who hold numerous degrees in guitar and engineering. “The tone of this album reads much more modern than our past work, and my favorite thing about it is that all the band members really had a heavy hand in creating it”, adds Kinlaw. 
 In the world of traditional music, it’s common for musicians to try and hide their backgrounds in classical or jazz genres for fear of seeming “inauthentic”. With a wealth of knowledge and passion, Hank, Pattie, and the Current refreshingly embrace their myriad of musical influences to create a unique sound, true to themselves. “Letters” is an album written straight from the hearts and minds of four people who are fully comfortable with the multitudes that they each contain. 
 -Rachel Baiman