The Appalachian skyline is a thing of beauty. There are few natural gifts as majestic and breathtaking. With his new song “Appalachian Skyline,” Union-native Caden Glover invites the listener to take a seat on his back porch and admire the view. “Well, I once met a woman ‘neath the Appalachian moonlight,” he sings, his twang as thick as grapes on the vine.

Later, Glover impresses with a lyric that transcends the here and now: “When I die, don’t put me in no graveyard / I want a perfect view of them Appalachian hills.” The view, as he sees it, has branded his very soul and will follow him all the days of his existence. “It’s something so beautiful that any man will stop for a moment to appreciate,” he tells HashtagWV. “There’s no skyline like the Appalachian skyline when the mountains meet the sunset.”

“There’s no skyline like the Appalachian skyline when the mountains meet the sunset.” – Caden Glover

“Appalachian Skyline,” sampling a forthcoming EP, is a career-setting moment. It’s tethered to tradition while also feeling fresh and exciting. Glover’s voice is due to crash the Americana scene, and it’s only a matter of time.

Growing up, such artists as Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley, and The Marshall Tucker Band, as well as Lynyrd Skynyrd and James Taylor, shaped his songwriting and musical sensibilities. Glover credits his father, as well, for opening the floodgates and listening to a vast array of styles, from classic hip-hop to straight-arrow country music. “Eventually, I got hooked on all genres of music and listened to anything I could,” says Glover.

Glover first began playing banjo when he was 13, and it was quickly evident he had a knack for it.

He first began playing banjo when he was 13, and it was quickly evident he had a knack for it. “Lots of folks told me I was way above where a normal beginner would be. So, it really boosted my confidence and willingness to learn, and that’s when I realized I had a talent and love for the craft. I actually started songwriting well down the path. I started thinking of stories and things in my life that have meaning and putting them to paper.”

As far as performing onstage, Glover recalls his first proper stage performance as a pivotal moment in his life. “[I] was sitting around picking bluegrass with a buddy of mine in front of our school. It was a crazy mess, but the people loved it and I was on cloud nine,” he remembers.

Being from such a small town – Union has a meager population of only 429 – is certainly not for everyone. But for Glover, he wouldn’t trade the immense lessons of community and home for the world. “People outside of our town can be some wild animals. I’ve learned there’s nothing quite like sitting in a restaurant and having the waitress know right away what you want to eat and drink, knowing every person that comes in and out of the restaurant,” he reflects. “There’s nothing quite like having a conversation with someone you’ve never met before, but they used to put up hay with your grandparents, so they’ll talk like they know you. There’s nothing like walking down the street and talking with every person who knows your last name. You don’t find these things anywhere other than a small town.”

As he sings in “Appalachian Skyline,” he’ll soon be one of those who leave small town life for bright city life.

As he sings in “Appalachian Skyline,” he’ll soon be one of those who leave small town life for bright city life. After graduation, he plans to move to Nashville to pursue his musical career. “I am saddened to leave the place where I was raised,” he admits, “but I hope to make a name for myself and our great state.”

If “Appalachian Skyline” is any indication, the world will know Caden Glover’s name soon enough. | Read more of Jason Scott’s work at bsidesbadlands.com