New River Blue Grass Photo
Members of New River Bluegrass are Dwayne Brown, Mike Johnson, Barry Long, Mike Mullins, Chuck Price and Andy Smith.
It is the second time New River has been number one but it’s the first time a Barry Long written song has hit the top of the chart. The group’s “When I look back down the road” reached number one in November 2013.
“I got the thought for “God of Isaac & Abraham” while listening to my brother teach a Sunday School class,” Long said.
Long said he turned in the group’s latest project, to their label Butler Music Group, and told them to pick out the song they thought would be best, Long said.
“God of Isaac & Abraham” appears on their newest CD, “A Different Shade of Blue”. The latest project is a mix of original bluegrass and gospel songs.
“I write a lot of songs and when you’re writing spiritual songs I go to the scriptures,” Long said.
New River, formed in 2004, blends acoustic sound with spiritual lyrics. Members of the band are Dwayne Brown, Mike Johnson, Long, Mike Mullins, Chuck Price and Andy Smith.
Long said the band crossed several milestones in the past year. They performed in Pocomoke, Md., with the Triumphant Quartet and performed six shows at Dollywood for the annual Barbecue & Bluegrass festival for the fourth straight year.
New River Bluegrass will perform at Dollywood again this year and are beginning to book for 2016.
"We also looking for some songs written by some local artists," Long said.
Call Barry Long at 864-303-7873 or email for more information.