SCR ready for their "Next Act"

Written by Graham Sharp and Aaron Burdett, "Next Act" follows the journey of a woman rising from heartbreak and reclaiming her independence. Burdett takes lead vocals on the song.

Sharp said, "'Next Act' was inspired by a friend of mine I greatly admire. I saw her get done wrong in a relationship she had built her life around. She looked her heartbreak in the eye, got to work and moved on to a version of herself that was even wiser and freer. A good reminder that we don't have to be defined by our past if we're willing to keep growing."

Recorded by Julian Dryer, mixed by Derek Studt, and produced by Steep Canyon Rangers, "Next Act" features Burdett (guitar, lead vocals); Michael Ashworth (percussion, harmony vocals); Mike Guggino (mandola, harmony vocals); Nicky Sanders (fiddle); Barrett Smith (bass) and Sharp (banjo).

The band will be on an extensive run of tour dates stretching into 2026, including high-profile performances with longtime collaborators Steve Martin and Martin Short, as well as six festival appearances—-Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, North Carolina Folk Festival, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival and the 19th annual Mountain Song Festival.

"Next Act" is the first new music following 2024's "Live at Greenfield Lake," the band's first live album of original material

The band has released 14 studio albums, three collaborative albums with Martin and been inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

Tour dates are:
Aug. 16 - Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival - Gettysburg, PA
Aug. 22-23 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA*
Sept. 5-6 - Mountain Song Festival - Brevard, NC
Sept. 11 - Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts - Annapolis, MD
Sept. 12 - Capitol Theatre - Wheeling, WV
Sept. 13 - Bourbon & Beyond - Louisville, KY
Sept. 14 - North Carolina Folk Festival - Greensboro, NC
Sept. 19 - The Dome - Virginia Beach, VA*
Sept. 20 - Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront - Richmond, VA*
Sept. 21 - Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion - Bristol, TN
Sept. 26 - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater - Wilmington, NC
Sept. 27 - Knight Theater - Charlotte, NC
Oct. 3 - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL*
Oct. 4 - Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood, FL*
Oct. 5 - Ruth Eckerd Hall - Clearwater, FL*
Oct. 10-11 - Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas - Las Vegas, NV*
Oct. 17 - Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC
Oct. 18 - Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival - Manteo, NC
Oct. 24 - Embassy Theatre - Fort Wayne, IN*
Oct. 25 - Old National Centre - Indianapolis, IN*
Nov. 7-8 - Wang Theatre - Boston, MA*
Nov. 14 - Robert Kirk Walker Theatre - Chattanooga, TN
Nov. 15 - Memorial Hall OTR - Cincinnati, OH
Nov. 21-22 - Benedum Center for the Performing Arts - Pittsburgh, PA*
Dec. 4 - Palace Theatre - Albany, NY*
Dec. 5 - Toyota Oakdale Theatre - Wallingford, CT*
Jan. 17 - Wright Auditorium - Greenville, NC
Jan. 24 - Main Street Crossing - Tomball, TX
March 5 - The Freight - Berkeley, CA
March 22 - Schermerhorn Symphony Center - Nashville, TN^

* with Steve Martin & Martin Short
^ with Nashville Symphony