The award winning bluegrass group The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys have released their latest single, “Let ’em Know I’m From Virginia,” featuring Tommy Brown, available today on all major streaming platforms via Sound Biscuit Records. This powerful track, written by Glenn Alford and Jerry Newberry, is a heartfelt tribute to the life and enduring legacy of James Frederick Quesenberry—known simply as “Fred” to those who loved him. Fred was a longtime supporter, travel companion, and chosen family to the band’s frontman, C J Lewandowski.
For C.J. Lewandowski, this song hits particularly close to home. Fred entered C.J.’s life after the loss of Fred’s wife and quickly became a constant presence: a mentor, confidant, and father figure. A longtime bluegrass fan, Fred traveled often with the band, ran their merch table, and became part of their family in every sense. By 2013, Fred and C.J. were living together in Sevierville, Tennessee, side by side in work and in life. When Fred’s health began to decline, C.J. was there to care for him, encouraging him to rest, stay close to home with his beloved dogs, and find peace surrounded by the music and people he loved most. Fred passed away in 2024, just a day before his 82nd birthday, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, faith, and quiet strength that continues to inspire the band. The song’s emotional weight and authenticity are heightened by the vocals of Tommy Brown, father of the band’s banjo player Jereme Brown, and founder of the group Tommy Brown and the County Line Grass in 1991. For The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, “Let ’em Know I’m From Virginia” is much more than a song; it is a profound tribute to the people who shape us, the places that define us, and the love that never truly fades.