Same Old Moon

By Jack Shannon “Same Old Moon,” written by Jack Shannon, stands out from more traditional bluegrass subject matters of trains, murder, and whippoorwills. Sweet, thought-provoking, and a touch whimsical, the song was recorded most notably by Jim Hurst (Looking Glass, 2014). Shannon also recorded it on his album, The Bloomingdale Boys (2018), which Hurst produced. The song has become a show staple for Hurst, whose live audiences grow still when he performs it, as he did for a recent outdoor crowd at Lexington, Kentucky’s Moondance Amphitheater.  “This song is all about the lyric. At the end of the song, I take the volume down much like I recorded it,” Hurst said. “As it fades out, you could hear a pin drop. It’s so quiet, and I can hear people say, ‘Wow,’ and then they just wait until it completely fades out to applaud or make a sound.” Indeed, the lyrics captivate from the start, pulling listeners into scenes from long ago in a way that creates a sense