I Got A Mountain Fever, and the Only Prescription is More Bluegrass

Mountain Fever Records in Floyd, VA, Became a Powerhouse Label for Bluegrass, with offshoot Morning Glory Records Making Its Noise in Gospel.

The Gospel Plowboys with Mountain Fever Records

Mountain Fever Records COO Amanda Cook can run a record label, cut a new album, and direct you to the best breakfast in Southwest Virginia, all using only her own two hands. Bluegrass music label Mountain Fever Records has always been about more than just business. It’s about family, artists finding a home, and a sound that makes listeners feel like they’ve stepped into the very heart of bluegrass. But if you’re wondering what mountain gave the label its name, Cook has the answer.

“We’re in a mountain, this region in southwest Virginia,” she says. “There’s not necessarily a mountain; it’s just multiple mountains.”

Cook says Mountain Fever founder Mark Hodges built this label on the region's music, using his deep community ties to foster a space where bluegrass could grow.

“Mark had multiple businesses in Floyd County, Virginia,” Cook said, “being born and raised here, so he was really involved with the community. I mean, if you walk into any store in Floyd, everyone knows who Mark Hodges is. The bottom line is he’s always been a music lover and always super involved, so in 2008, he came up with this idea to start a record label.”

That reputation gave Hodges the momentum to turn Mountain Fever into one of the premier bluegrass labels in the country. With its first major act to sign, the Spinney Brothers from Canada, the label quickly acquired Volume Five, building a roster with artists who weren’t just talented but had something distinct to say through their music.

“It has truly been a privilege to bring all of this music to fans all over the world,” Hodges says. “It still gets me excited every time I hear something new and innovative.”

Now, at nearly 69 years old, Hodges is starting to step back, handing the reins over to Cook while still keeping an eye on the label’s evolving role in bluegrass.

“I’m working hard to retire, but I’m still hanging around the office, so to speak. What I’ve built, I’ve handed over to Amanda, who is helping to continue the growth of the label and keeping it running smoothly as we transition constantly to maintain our foothold in the bluegrass genre. It changes every day.”

Cook understands the importance of balancing tradition with innovation.

“I think from the beginning I think Mark was looking for people that were self-motivated, determined and also a showing a unique creativity,” she says. “I think the common thread among all of the bands is each artist’s unique creativity. That’s what we look for – we don’t want a cookie-cutter. We want a band that’s different from the band before them.”

In 2019, the company launched Morning Glory Music, a label dedicated to bluegrass gospel.

“I think because Mark wanted the gospel bands on their own label to set them out in front on their own. We’re supporting acts within an industry and giving specialized attention to these bluegrass gospel bands,” Cook says, noting that gospel bluegrass is its own niche; having a separate label gives artists better access to the right audience on radio stations that only play bluegrass gospel. That market is no small niche either, with an estimated 500 radio stations Morning Glory targets to play their artists.

Meanwhile, the broader bluegrass industry has shifted dramatically. As streaming takes over, Mountain Fever has adapted.

“Who would've thought that a car modification, meaning removing a CD player from a vehicle, would impact a full industry the way that it has?” Cook says. “CD sales are done. We see physical products as a phenomenon that’s a souvenir now, rather than people buying something to listen and to cherish. Luckily Mark was able to join forces with Syntax (a digital music distributor) out of Nashville several years ago, and they’ve been an incredible addition to the team, being in the know of all the industry changes,” Cook says. “Certainly, the industry has changed dramatically since my first record in 2017 with Mountain Fever. It’s a totally different world.”

Even as technology evolves, Mountain Fever remains rooted in the traditional recording process.

“We still have a very high standard for our release recording, and I don’t ever see that changing,” Cook said. “We will stick to that tradition of having people come in and cut a record in a studio with an engineer. I think that will never change.”

That commitment to authenticity is what keeps artists coming back.

“Breaking Grass is one of the bands that’s been with Mountain Fever forever,” Cook says. “I think that’s a common thing among them, it’s once they get here, once they come on, they stay. And that’s one of the things I love about it. We wanna keep the bands with us for a long time.”

April and May are packed with new releases, including Mason Via’s self-titled album in late April, the David Mayfield Parade album on May 16th, and a new Volume Five album dropping on May 23rd. Each record offers something different, yet they all carry the unmistakable Mountain Fever imprint.

Cook never imagined she’d be where she is today—running one of the most respected bluegrass labels in the industry.

“I never thought that I’d be sitting here as a label executive,” she says. “But I really do. I’m thankful for Mark giving me the opportunities that he’s afforded me, and I absolutely love what I do. I’m so proud of the artists that we have, what they’re doing and what this year holds.”

Connecting the label’s passion for supporting its artists to its high standards in musicianship and recording, Mountain Fever seems to be a fever that won’t be breaking anytime soon.