In a church yard in Floyd

Out back of the church in Floyd, Virginia, the New Roanoke Jug Band performs songs that are older than bluegrass, rowdier than what’s ordinarily played around the church, and many of them blacker than tonight’s musicians.

As the dusk comes on, Jay Griffin, a founder of the band, manhandles the washboard. A few months after this performance in August 2007, NRJB released what they believe was the first gospel jug band CD.

Performing with Griffin are multi-instrumentalist Sam Lunsford, singer Scott Baldwin and bassist Jeff Hofmann.

Later in 2007, Griffin retired from performing. Baldwin, Lunsford and Hofmann carried on, adding new players and forming the band Rootstone.