KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When Big Ears starts in Knoxville on March 21, people in the city will be surrounded by music of all kinds. It will echo through the Old City and across the downtown area, and among the mixture a 14-year-old bluegrass musician will dazzle audiences with his talent at plucked strings and fast, acoustic rhythm.
Wyatt Ellis is from Maryville and built a discography garnering a following in East Tennessee and beyond. Despite being a teenager, he is becoming one of the most in-demand musicians from the area.
"I got to work with Bobby Osborne for two years. He was able to tell me great stories, and worked with Paul Brewster, who sang with the Osborne Brothers for many years," said Ellis.
The Osborne Brothers are responsible for the song that now plays every year across East Tennessee during football season, and is the song that first brought Ellis to the mandolin — Rocky Top.
"The mandolin, there's really no other instrument that sounds like, very similar to fiddle. An instrument all its own, and I loved it from the very start," he said.
Ellis has already performed at the Grand Ole Opry twice.
"I actually made my Opry debut in November and went back and played instrumentals, and got a standing ovation," he said.
His latest album, "Happy Valley," pairs him with bluegrass musicians and performers for a variety of different sounds. Its 12 tracks range from plucked and fast-paced tones to relaxed strums. He also had a chance to work with Bobby Osborne before he passed away in June 2023.
"I got to write a song with him that's coming out sometime this year. I kind of wrote the first part and I also got to record solo on Rocky Top. Bobby played," he said.
Bluegrass fans can find exhibits about some of the genre's most famous icons at the East Tennessee History Center, honoring performers like Paul Brewster and Carl Butler and Pearl. Ellis also has his own exhibit, showing how he is taking bluegrass music into the future.
"The future of bluegrass, love to see more of the old stuff played. Not a lot of that, but it would be really cool and put a new edge on that," he said.
Ellis will perform at the Jig and Reel during Big Ears on March 23, starting at 9 p.m.