Fronted by Lynn Thompson, the West Michigan duo plays the Sunday festival with another album on tap. Plus, Local Spins debuts tracks by other Michigan artists, including Tommy Schichtel, Ficus & more.

Lots of Old Country & Bluegrass Influences: Lynn Thompson, right, and Ian Grant. (Courtesy Photo)
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When it comes to his prime musical influences, Lynn Thompson traces his inspiration to generations well before his own.
“In my music, there’s a lot of influence of Bill Monroe, Roy Acuff, all the old country bluegrass people. When you’re born in it, it never leaves you,” said Thompson, a West Michigan singer-songwriter, guitarist and frontman for Lynn & The Moonshine Runners.
And when Thompson decided to take a stab at banjoist Ralph Stanley’s classic “Man of Constant Sorrow” – made popular by the movie “O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?” – it “opened up” a new world for him and spawned what he calls “mountain music.”

Feeling More Creative Than Ever: Thompson (Courtesy Photo)
“Wow. It just did something to me,” he recalled. “I just heard so much going on.”
Then there was his grandfather, who lived to 112 and spent time as a moonshine runner, inspiring the name of Thompson’s band.
“My roots go back pretty far,” conceded Thompson, 66, who started playing guitar and writing songs when he was just 10 years old.
Those roots have propelled Thompson and bassist Ian Grant through five years of the Moonshine Runners, a band that’s produced two studio albums since Thompson’s first “mountain music” CD. A fourth collection is set for release early this summer with tracks recorded at Greg Baxter’s Second Story Sound in Grand Rapids.
For this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE Thompson debuted two new tracks from that upcoming CD – “Make Me Alright” and “Hold That Thought.” Scroll down to listen to the songs as part of the radio show podcast.
‘A LITTLE DIFFERENT’ TWIST FOR THE UPCOMING NEW ALBUM
The new album – featuring Thompson, Grant, Baxter. percussionists JD Jones and Rick Bennett, and keyboardist Dutcher Snedeker – is “a little different” than Thompson’s past recordings.
“The new CD has many new mountain tunes, but it also branches out into a folk style,” Thompson suggested. “I’m kind of branching out a little bit – folky yet still country.”
Thompson noted that many of his rootsy songs have dark undertones, while others boast a more upbeat vibe. All of it has resonated with audiences.
“I don’t go look for songs. I hear something and I just go with it. It kind of writes itself,” he said. “I write songs with meaning about current situations and hope people get my meaning. I also write songs about letting go and being free and honest with yourself.”

Together for Five Years: Moonshine Runners (Courtesy Photo)
As for the duo’s live shows: “Some of the tunes are pretty dark, but they’re fun to do and people really enjoy ’em. I’ve gotten so many compliments about how we (Thompson and Grant) are just chill.”
They’ll demonstrate that approach on Sunday for the Wheatland Music Organization’s rescheduled Winter Wheat festival, with nine bands playing two stages at The Intersection starting at 1 p.m.
Lynn & The Moonshine Runners will play The Stache acoustic stage at 2:40 p.m. Scroll down to view the full schedule of performances.
Tickets for Winter Wheat are $30 in advance, available online at sectionlive.com and online at Wheatland store. Admission is $35 at the door day of show. Previously purchased tickets for the Jan. 13 event will be honored for the new date.
“At Winter Wheat, folks can expect many new songs off the new CD,” Thompson said, adding the duo will also unfurl selections from their earlier “Hangman Comin’ ” and “World Away” albums.
The duo also plays Sawyer Brewing Co. in Montague at 7 p.m. Saturday (2/17), Grand Armory Brewing in Grand Haven on March 1, and SpeakEZ Lounge in Grand Rapids on May 3.
“The long-term plan for me,” Thompson said, “is to keep performing until I cannot.”
In addition to the Moonshine Runners, the Feb. 16 edition of Local Spins on WYCE – a show that spotlights Michigan-made music on WYCE (88.1 FM) and online at wyce.org at 11 a.m. Fridays and 5 p.m. Sundays – featured tracks by Ficus, Tommy Schichtel, Colt Snuffer & The Dead Horsemen (this week’s musician’s pick by Thompson), Samil, The Inn, Natalie Gaza, Brother Wolf, Troy Ceasar, Aaron James Wright and The Round Creek String Band. Listen to the show here.
PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE (2/16/24)
WINTER WHEAT 2024 AT THE INTERSECTION: THE SCHEDULE
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