Trenton Ayers

Taking It To The Mountain

Music Maker Foundation

One of Music Maker’s newest Next Generation artists, Trenton Ayers hails from Holly Springs, Mississippi, where he grew up immersed in Mississippi’s blues community. The son of Junior Kimbrough’s bassist Earl “Little Joe” Ayers, he grew up rubbing elbows with Hill Country blues icons like Jessie Mae Hemphill and played his first gig at just six years old. By the time he was twelve, he’d joined his first band, the Burnside Exploration, and embarked on a lifelong touring career soon after. Ayers has spent four decades honing his musical prowess on a wide range of influences, from the Hill Country blues of his upbringing to Sly and the Family Stone. Until recently, he’s worked primarily as a sideman. Now, at the urging of roots legend and producer Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers), Ayers has taken center stage to create this extremely creative solo record, defined by his breathtaking guitar playing.

Takin’ It to the Mountain was recorded by John Kilgore at Music Maker Studios in Fountain, North Carolina, in May 2025. It is one of the first albums to take full advantage of Music Maker’s “Freeverb” chamber, a reverb chamber situated in what used to be the workshop of the late artist, luthier, and philosopher Freeman Vines. Ayers, on guitar and vocals, is accompanied by guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, and backing vocalist Mathus; guitarist and drummer Kirk Russell; bassist John Kveen; and backing vocalists the Crimestoppers — Anthony “Amp” Daniels, Christy Moody, and KeAmber Daniels. Mathus’ band Creatures of the Southern Wild also assisted (Russell, Kveen, and Scott “Paco” Goolsby).

Ayers opens with the funky lead-off track “Blues So Bad,” as he sings, “Don’t talk to me, blues so bad, when you give me call, don’t say things that hurt my mind…blues so bad.”

On “Play On,” Ayers chimes, “let the band play on, everybody play on.” “Run Leo” is a powerful instrumental with some Hammond B-3 from Mathus and some great guitar from Ayers.

On the title track, “Takin’ It to the Mountain,” Ayers chants, “Yeah, don’t let me think about it…goin’ to the river, I’m takin’ it to the mountain, me and my people are going to have a conversation.”

“Getting Funky” features Ayers as he groans, “when times are gettin’ funky…we have no rules, we stand together…how funky can we get.” On “Insight,” with more great B-3 from Mathus, Ayers moans, “we’ll be ready, I need your ‘Insight’, I need your knowledge…”

“Snake Hips” features Ayers as he quips, “come on baby, snake hips, now wiggle when you want to.” On “Long Time No See,” Ayers cries out, “Take a train, and my car, long time no see, it’s about time…ain’t nothin’ in the world I wouldn’t do for you.”

On the closer, “Thang Going On,” Ayers croons, “I cried and cried, cried all night long, you got a thang going on…you know I love you babe, everything you do…you got a thang going on.”

For 32 years, the Music Maker Foundation has worked to preserve and promote the musical traditions of the American South. Since 1994, they have partnered with senior roots musicians living in poverty, sustaining their day-to-day needs while building their careers. Through Music Maker, our rich musical heritage will not be lost with the passing of time. Trenton Ayers’ Takin’ It to the Mountain should garner him additional recognition. Thank you, Music Maker.

Richard Ludmerer

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