Chris Jones & The Night Drivers have unveiled the official music video for “Plenty Ventured,” a wry, blues-tinged single that plays on the familiar adage, “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.”
Jones, known for his lyrical wit and narrative clarity, notes that the idea emerged unexpectedly. “It’s about investing too much in a lost cause, something most of us can relate to, whether in love, work, or life,” he explains. That emotional terrain is matched by a subtle groove and atypical structure that emerged during studio sessions.
The track opens with an offbeat bass intro from longtime collaborator Marshall Wilborn, soon followed by a melodic variation from mandolinist Mark Stoffel that anchors the song’s fluid, asymmetrical rhythm. Jones delivers the lyric with a weary but nuanced tone:
I always took the hopeful line
Like I could will the sun to shine
But heavy clouds still turned to rain
Plenty ventured, nothing gained
Instrumental breaks from Jones, Stoffel, and banjoist Grace van’t Hof act as a musical bridge between verses, while guest fiddler Carley Arrowood makes a late but memorable entrance.
Ultimately, “Plenty Ventured” underscores what sets The Night Drivers apart: lyrical sophistication, understated musicianship, and a continued evolution within the bluegrass tradition.
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