Two relentless storms once drowned the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers, transforming quiet valleys into raging torrents. Within hours, rivers leapt their banks and tore through homes and neighborhoods. This was not the flood of 2024 — but the devastating flood of 1916, a tragedy etched deep into Asheville’s history.
Now, The Asheville Mountain Boys bring that moment back to life with their new single, “Flood of 1916.” Written by mandolinist and lead vocalist Zeb Gambill, this original tune aims to remember, reckon, and restore — carrying forward the stories of survival, loss, and community that defined that July more than a century ago.
Bluegrass has long been a vessel for storytelling, balancing hardship with hope. It takes heartbreak, history, and hard times and frames them in a style that uplifts — sometimes danceable, often deeply cathartic. That tradition runs through “Flood of 1916,” blending the band’s driving traditional sound with lyrics recalling rising waters, devastation, and the tragic loss of the singer’s true love. In this way, the flood becomes the villain in a song about lost love…