Joe K. Walsh Releases “Trust and Love”

A beautiful collection of original compositions from Peghead Nation mandolin and octave mandolin instructor.

By: Dan Gabel

April 10, 2025

Whether Joe K. Walsh is playing in his modern acoustic supergroup Mr Sun (with fellow Peghead Nation instructor Grant Gordy, Darol Anger, and Aidan O’Donnell) or playing with his own ensembles, or playing on-camera while teaching any of his courses on Peghead Nation, he reminds us to be musical in everything we play. Find Joe with an instrument in his hands if you’re looking for an example of someone who pays attention to what he’s playing, listens to what’s happening around him, and reacts to and guides the music and musicians around him in ways both subtle and inventive.

So we’re excited about Joe’s latest project, Trust and Love, which he describes as “a collection of instrumental love songs of a sort, beautiful melodic vignettes showcasing the power of musicians listening and reacting to each other, sensitive improvisors sharing a musical conversation and following the threads.” The album is made up of ten original compositions by Joe, who plays mandolin, mandola, and octave mandolin throughout, with a talented cast of monster players from the bluegrass and folk music world: Rich Hinman (pedal steel/lap steel/guitar), Zack Hickman (bass), John Mailander (fiddle), Bobby Britt (fiddle), and Dave Brophy (drums/percussion).

The tunes on Trust and Love are mostly on the quiet side, inviting you to settle into the experience and pay Walsh-level attention to the interweaving parts. As a whole, it’s a beautiful and inspiring 45 minutes of original string-band music and a welcome breath in hectic times.

In the video at the top of this page, Joe plays “Clouds,” the second track on Trust and Love, at the Peghead Nation 10th Anniversary Showcase last November. Joe enlisted Peghead co-founder Scott Nygaard, our Improvising for Fiddlers and Violinists course instructor, Alisa Rose, and bassist Mark Schatz to join him on this tune, and they also played another composition from the new album, “Juneau What It Means to Leave Alaska.”

Thanks, Joe, for all you do and for the much-needed new music!

To learn mandolin from Joe K. Walsh, enroll in his Advancing Mandolinist, Swing and Jazz Mandolin, Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites, Octave Mandolin, or Improvising for Mandolin and Fiddle courses.

Photo above by William Wayland.

Trust and Love Credits:

Joe K. Walsh – mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin
Rich Hinman – guitar, lap steel, pedal steel
Zachariah Hickman – bass
Dave Brophy – drums and percussion
John Mailander – all fiddle (except track 2)
Bobby Britt – fiddle (track 2)

Recorded in May 2024 at Greedy Beast Studios in Watertown, MA
Engineered by Pat DiCenso
Produced by Joe K. Walsh and Zacharia Hickman
Mixed by Dave Sinko
Mastered by Dave Glasser

All songs by Joe K. Walsh except track 2 (Larrabee/Walsh) and track 10 (Hartman/Walsh)

Photography by Natalie Conn
Art by Matthew Rose
Lettering by Sam Moss
Layout by Louise Bichan

For Emma and Hartley