by Steph Cosme
When Bobby Osborne passed in 2023, bluegrass lost one of its towering voices, and C.J. Lewandowski lost a mentor who shaped his musical identity. Keep On Keepin’ On is a project that reflects a legendary past and a vibrant future. Produced and shepherded by Lewandowski, this project preserves Osborne’s final mandolin recordings and surrounds them with a generational constellation of artists. The resulting music shows Osborne’s influence stretches across decades of country and bluegrass music.
“Keep On Keepin’ On” opens the album with a symbolic passing of the torch. Osborne’s weathered but resonant voice intertwines with Lewandowski’s clear tenor, while the instrumental centerpiece is a mandolin summit of Bobby Osborne, C.J. Lewandowski, and Sam Bush trading tone, rhythm, and authority. Bush’s celebrated drive and rhythmic flair provide a contemporary edge, complementing Osborne’s seasoned phrasing and Lewandowski’s reverent presence. The performance is an invitation to celebrate Osborne’s influence on the instrument that defined his life.
“Lonesome Feeling,” with Vince Gill and A.J. Lee, has a classic country sound without losing its mountain core. Gill’s plaintive tenor rides with the ensemble, with Leanna Price on harmony and the twin fiddles of A.J. Lee and David Crow creating a bed of lyrical playing.
The collaborations read like a roll call of the Grand Ole Opry stage. On “She’s No Angel,” Del McCoury and his son Ronnie add warmth, with Bobby Osborne Jr. on bass, Wynn Osborne on banjo, and Aynsley Porchak’s fiddle tying the ensemble together. It’s one of those tracks that makes folks nod their heads. The recording captures every instrument in its space, every harmony rings true, and the mix (engineered by Ben Surratt) lets the vocal blend breathe like a live performance.
“Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong” was recorded with Molly Tuttle and Osborne’s sons. It carries a profound backstory that Osborne learned during the session that his mother, Daisy, had listened to the song daily while he served in Korea. The knowledge reshaped his delivery into a tribute within a tribute, and when paired with Lewandowski’s mandolin and Tuttle’s crystalline voice, it becomes a piece of bluegrass history preserved in amber.
The album brings in younger voices like Wyatt Ellis and Jaelee Roberts on “Fern Branch” and “Blue Heartache,” giving the record vitality. Ellis, still in his teens, trades mandolin lines with Lewandowski that hint at the future of the instrument, while Roberts channels a torchy, modern country edge. The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys supply the backbone here, giving the record the kind of rhythmic drive that has always kept bluegrass alive on dance floors as much as on stages.
“Cora Is Gone” is a swaying waltz featuring Billy Strings and Rob McCoury. Strings brings his kinetic energy without upsetting the balance. The song’s groove captures the classic waltz style in equal parts Osborne tradition and 21st-century fire. It’s easy to hear that Osborne’s influence doesn’t end with the Hall of Fame generation, as it extends into the new wave of players reshaping the festival circuit today.
And of course, no Osborne tribute would be complete without “Rocky Top.” Osborne leads, flanked by Lewandowski, Ellis, and The Osborne Boys. It’s a jubilant celebration of its author as the track is a marvel of balancing multiple mandolins and voices without muddying the mix, proof of the careful listening by each band member.
Across its 13 tracks, Keep On Keepin’ On plays like a celebration. The sequencing honors the arc of Osborne’s life with numbers like “Where The Soul Never Dies” sitting comfortably alongside reel-inspired selections like “Fern Branch.”
Technically, the production is balanced. Surratt’s engineering captures the raw edge of acoustic instruments without polishing away their soul. Dave Maggard’s editing and Dave Polster’s mastering ensure continuity across sessions that spanned years, musicians, and even Osborne’s lifetime. The liner notes by Lewandowski, paired with Rebekah Speer’s design, complete the package with professional polish.
For country music fans, Keep On Keepin’ On is a lesson in how to honor a single voice in tradition while letting it be influenced by the present. The recording is filled with storytelling in song selection and arrangement. And for fans, the music is carried forward with today’s voices, hands, and hearts willing to “keep on” for the next generation. That’s the short of it!
