The Wildmans To Release “Longtime Friend” & Tour

The Wildmans will release Longtime Friend on July 11, 2025 via New West Records. The 12-song set was produced by Nicholas Falk (Hiss Golden Messenger, Dori Freeman) and recorded by Chris Bittner at Applehead Recording in Woodstock, NY. Longtime Friend’s sound itself is at the sonic crossroads of Americana, Alt-Country, Bluegrass, and Folk with the brother-sister duo of Aila and Elisha Wildman being joined by Dori Freeman, Jeff Hill, Sam Leslie, Sam Fribush, Redd Volkaert, and Nicholas Falk as well.

Not far from the tiny town of Floyd, Virginia, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the childhood home The Wildmans. A veritable hotbed of bluegrass, old-time, and mountain music, Aila and Elisha Wildman have been immersed in the rich, vibrant music scenes surrounding them for as long as they can remember. As kids, Elisha picked up the guitar and mandolin, while Aila reached for the fiddle. They became enamored with their instruments, which parlayed itself into a presence at regional festivals and also winning numerous renowned competitions around Southern Appalachia. Both recent graduates of the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, The Wildmans’ Longtime Friend showcases both their musical virtuosity and the interlacing harmonies which are specifically unique to siblings. The sound itself takes the essence of their intricate musicality in the bluegrass and old-time realms and slides that into more contemporary tomes of Americana and indie-folk.

Today, American Songwriter premiered the album highlight “Autumn 1941.” The Wildmans said, “We first heard the song when co-writers Roger Brown, former Berklee College of Music President, and Mark Simos, Berklee songwriting professor, brought it to us. They thought we would connect to the story being from our region and this being a part of Appalachian history not often told. It immediately sparked interest. Different versions of this story of eugenics prove to be true across Appalachian regions and more largely other minorities throughout American early-mid 20th century history. Our good friend, Dori Freeman, who is singing the background vocals on this track, told us she had read a book about this same movement in Virginia and communities like Floyd, our hometown. We felt we could take this song and make it our own. Once we got into the studio with it, the song just flowed and out came a haunting authenticity we hadn’t yet discovered in our music.”

Relix Magazine previously premiered the video for the first single and the album’s leadoff track, “Take Me” as well. The Wildmans said, “‘Take Me’ is the first song on the album and it really is the best introduction to our new music. We wrote the chorus during the pandemic while at our childhood home in Virginia. ‘Take Me’ conveys the feeling of wishing things were different. It was such a time of growth and excitement in our lives, and it felt like in an instant it had all vanished. It proved to be a transformational period for us and our new music very much showcases that.”

“With Longtime Friend, we’ve naturally progressed under the indie-folk umbrella,” Aila says, “But, we still are doing old-time tunes, which ties us to our roots and how we grew up.” She adds, “Bluegrass and old-time is something natural to our musicianship. The other natural counterpart of that is growing it and taking it in different directions, which is something that’s always naturally happened in that music, anyways.”

On the surface, Longtime Friend is a blend of original melodies, traditional instrumentals, and a handful of covers. But, digging deeper, there’s an array of subtle odes to the musical heroes of The Wildmans, including Gram Parsons on “Hot Burrito #2,” and “Luxury Liner.” “Gram’s harmonies with Emmylou Harris are really inspiring,” Elisha says. “And also, how he kind of helped create this genre that’s unique and really blends a lot of the aspects of music we like together, to create a new thing. His songwriting has always been inspirational.”

Alia emphasizes a “going with the flow” approach is the underlying ethos of Longtime Friend — a personal and profound joy of simply playing what you want to play in the way you want to play it. Elisha adds, “It feels good to not try to fit into something. To just be true to ourselves and kind of let loose.” There is a genuine attitude of curiosity, exploration, and discovery in the melodic hearts of The Wildmans.

Longtime Friend will be available across digital platforms, compact disc, and “Coke-Bottle Clear” color vinyl. A very limited-to-100 translucent blue color vinyl edition will be available via Heady Wax Fiends. Longtime Friend is available for pre-order NOW via NEW WEST RECORDS.

Longtime Friend Track Listing:

1. Take Me
2. Sometimes
3. Hot Burrito #2
4. Before I Go
5. The Route
6. Longtime Friend
7. Any Day Woman
8. Luxury Liner
9. Hog Eyed Man
10. Absolute Zero
11. Autumn 1941
12. Old Cumberland

The Wildmans Live:

May 16 – Sevierville, TN – Blooming BBQ & Food Festival
May 17 – Johnson City, TN – The Down Home
June 25 – Newport, KY – Southgate House Revival
June 26 – Peninsula, OH – G.A.R. Hall
June 27 – Chicago, IL – Hideout
June 28 – Eau Claire, WI – Blue Ox Music Festival
June 29 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel
July 10 – Nashville, TN – Skinny Dennis (Record Release Show)
July 12 – Floyd, VA – The Floyd Country Store (Hometown Release Show)
July 16 – White Plains – NY – Rock the Block
July 19 – Beech Mountain, NC – Party On The Mountain
July 30 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
July 31 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall
August 1 – Vienna, VA – Jammin Java
August 2 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest
August 3 – Wayne, PA – 118 North
August 5 – Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool
September 4 – Columbus, OH – Rambling House
September 5 – Huntington, WV – The Loud
September 6 – Indianapolis, IN – Turntable
September 7 – Evanston, IL – Evanston Folk Fest
September 19 – Bristol, TN – Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
September 25 – Winfield, KS – Duck Jam in the Park