When it comes to creating music, it all begins with inspiration — and that spirit runs deep through Shootin’ Straight, the powerful new release from Kurt Adams. For this collection, Kurt draws from the well of geography, family roots, lifelong friendships, traditional bluegrass heroes, and the lived experiences that shaped him. His ancestry stretches from Jackson, Mississippi, to Big Laurel, Virginia, and Pikeville, Kentucky — ultimately leading to Campbell County, Kentucky, where he was raised and still calls home. Recording the album in Wise County, Virginia, was no accident. While tracking the songs there, Kurt felt the presence of his Papaw and great-grandparents, Mommy Adams and James Taylor Adams — a quiet reminder that this music is as much legacy as it is expression. A singer-songwriter at heart, Kurt was determined that Shootin’ Straight would be bluegrass in its purest form. Years spent listening to and studying legends like Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, and Larry Sparks are evident from the first note. Yet while the album honors the tried-and-true traditions of the genre, it carries a fresh energy — fueled by Kurt’s distinctive voice and a talented group of young musicians. In a world that often feels complicated and divided, Shootin’ Straight reminds us of the simple things that still bring us together — love found and love lost, reflections on mortality, and quiet mornings waiting for a bearded tom turkey to cross our path. With honesty, heritage, and heart, Kurt Adams delivers bluegrass the way it was meant to be heard.