Once a part of the Humboldt family, always a part of the Humboldt family, is what we’re goin’ with. And so, LoCO adds to the chorus of those sending out congratulations to formerly local song slinger Melody Walker for snagging gold in the Best American Roots Song category at Sunday’s 2025 Grammy Awards show. Hooray, Melody! 

It’s been a long time ‘a-comin’. The one-time Humboldt State University student (B.A. Music, 2008) will be familiar to faithful Humboldt music scene watchers for her time in local vocal groups AkaBella and WoMama. In the early ‘10s, she took her talents south to the Bay Area where she found success as the driving creative force behind the bluegrass group Front Country — who happen to have been highlighted in our old Humboldt Live Sessions feature, we’re proud to say.  

Fast forward to today: Walker earned her golden honor due to her co-songwriting credit on the song “American Dreaming,” a which appears on the album Trail of Flowers by alternative country shooting star Sierra Ferrell. Allow yourself to tune into the “Dream” by firing up the clip below and remember: A song written by someone with Humboldt roots won a Grammy for Best American Roots Song. That’s worth rootin’ for. 

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