RootsGrass Records launches with debut album from The Howlers

RootsGrass Records has launched with its first release, A Call to the Wild, an eight-track debut from California project The Howlers. The album mixes bluegrass instrumentation with reggae rhythm and is available on major streaming platforms.

Why it matters: - RootsGrass Records is entering the market with a clear niche: roots music that blends bluegrass instrumentation with reggae rhythm. - The debut release introduces a label strategy built around genre collision, AI-assisted production and independent distribution. - The album is already available on major streaming platforms, giving the imprint an immediate public launch.

What happened: - RootsGrass Records announced its launch on Sept. 16, 2026, in Corona, California. - The independent imprint of The Storytellers Band, LLC launched with its first release, "A Call to the Wild" by California music project The Howlers. - The album was released Aug. 21 and is available on all major streaming platforms. - The release includes eight tracks. - The album features banjo, fiddle and mandolin over one-drop reggae grooves and deep basslines.

The details: - The track list includes "AI Music Is For Me," "Where You Want It To Go," "Dragonfly," "High Mountain Wisdom," "The Bill Comes Due," "Good Enough For Me," "Platitudes," and "A Wild Thing Woke." - The songs were written by Scott Diehl, Michael Garcia and Lance Frantzich. - Vocal and instrumental performances were generated using artificial intelligence tools, then auditioned, selected and refined across multiple takes. - Diehl said the band kept banjo, fiddle and mandolin out front, set the rhythm section into a one-drop, and rewrote until the two styles stopped fighting each other. - Diehl said the first track, "AI Music Is For Me," reflects the method behind the record. - RootsGrass Records said the album is available with free previews and MP3 downloads at TheHowlersBand.com. - The label said full tracks, lyric sheets and interviews are available to press on request. - The Howlers are described as a California roots project built on bluegrass instrumentation and reggae rhythm. - The Howlers' lyrics are human-written, and the recordings were realized using AI production tools. - The album is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other major streaming platforms. - More information is available at TheHowlersBand.com and the band's YouTube channel. - RootsGrass Records is an independent label and an imprint of The Storytellers Band, LLC. - The label was founded by Scott Diehl, Lance Frantzich and Michael Garcia. - The label describes its mission as releasing roots music that honors tradition without being bound by it. - More information is available at RootsGrass Records.

Between the lines: - The launch frames AI not as a background tool, but as part of the artistic identity of the project. - The label is positioning itself around a hybrid sound that may appeal to listeners drawn to both acoustic roots music and genre experimentation. - The debut also signals a direct-to-audience approach, with streaming, previews and downloads packaged alongside press materials.

What's next: - RootsGrass Records is likely to use this debut as the template for future releases. - The Howlers and the label are already directing listeners and press to their websites and social channels for follow-up material. - The label's first release sets an early test for how far its bluegrass-reggae format can travel beyond niche audiences.