Photo by Rick Davidson
Catherine “BB” Bowness Announces Debut Solo Album Goodtime Revival, Out November 1, 2025
Cambridge, MA — After more than a decade shaping the progressive bluegrass landscape as a founding member of the award-winning band Mile Twelve, banjoist Catherine “BB” Bowness steps confidently into the spotlight with her debut solo album, Goodtime Revival, releasing November 1, 2025. The album highlights BB’s original banjo compositions and, for the first time, her own vocal work — offering an intimate, personal, and deeply musical portrait of an artist whose roots span oceans and traditions.
Though now based in Cambridge, MA, BB’s story begins a world away. Raised in the small town of Marton, New Zealand, she spent her early years working in her family’s fish-and-chip shop before discovering the banjo — an unlikely calling in a country without a bluegrass tradition. Self-taught and relentlessly dedicated, she became the first banjo student at the New Zealand School of Music, and in 2012, moved to the U.S. to pursue her passion.
After years of writing music for banjo, she entered the studio in October 2024 to bring her favorite pieces to life. She’s joined by a stellar band of collaborators: Ethan Setiawan (mandolin), Avery Merritt (fiddle), Myles Sloniker (bass), and Alex Rubin (guitar), with special guest Darol Anger joining BB for a mesmerizing banjo/fiddle duet. The album was engineered by Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sound Studios in Jamaica Plain, MA.
“Recording these tunes with such incredible musicians was a dream — they brought the music to life in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’m incredibly proud of how it all came together and can’t wait to share it.”
BB’s playing has drawn praise from some of the most respected musicians in the field:
“BB’s new album, Goodtime Revival, is a wonder to behold… Her banjo playing and overall creativity, though strongly rooted in Bluegrass, know no bounds... Her groove is deep and her daring execution is flawless. With a voice that will open doors all over the place, her future is secure — and we can only hope that she will shower us with her musical gifts for many years to come.”
— Tony Trischka
“I have admired BB for years. She's truly one of the most versatile banjo players around. BB handles bluegrass like a traditionalist, yet can improvise with ease and creativity over the most complex tunes. I'm her fan — musically and personally.”
— Kristin Scott Benson
BB’s contributions to the bluegrass world have already earned major accolades: she’s a winner of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize (2020), the FreshGrass Banjo Contest (2015), and multiple IBMA Awards with Mile Twelve, including New Artist of the Year (2020) and Momentum Band of the Year (2017).
With Goodtime Revival, BB Bowness affirms her place as a powerful and original voice in modern acoustic music — one that bridges tradition and progression with clarity, warmth, and joy.
