The High Road
Finding the Groove in Tradition and Friendship
By James Bridges
When you’re standing in the audience at Bluegrass on Bell, letting the music soak into your bones, there’s always that one band that just hits differently. They’ve got soul, stories, and a true connection that comes through loud and clear. That band, folks, is The High Road.
Justin Beckwith sets the vibe on mandolin and vocals, and his story is one of those twists you don’t expect. Growing up in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, he first dug into music with an electric guitar, chasing rock dreams. But his real rhythm came from the award-winning Broken Arrow High School Drumline. It wasn’t until a camping trip to the Rockies at age 17, around a campfire with friends, that he discovered the mandolin and fell deep into bluegrass. Fast forward, he’s third in the Oklahoma State Mandolin Championship and sees bluegrass as a genuine fellowship set to music, pure and simple.
Then there’s Michael Perry, whose roots in Oklahoma bluegrass run deep. He started young, at nine years old, playing with the Bluegrass Revue alongside legends like Vince Gill. Those early days took him nationwide, winning competition after competition and laying down four albums along the way. Today, Michael brings a solid groove to The High Road Band, playing bass like it’s second nature, backing up countless artists, and always championing the bluegrass sound he loves.
Lead guitarist and vocalist Joe Kahlden brings a soulful, seasoned presence to the stage. Born into bluegrass, performing with his family band Blood Kin, Joe picked up guitar at twelve and never looked back. His skills don’t stop at guitar. He’s a wizard on mandolin and dobro too. Joe’s flatpicking has snagged him awards and respect across the state, opening shows for giants like Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, and Dwight Yoakam. When Joe sings and picks, you feel it deep down, where music belongs.
Sam Henderson rounds out the crew, adding banjo, guitar, and vocals. Born into a bluegrass family, Sam was picking banjo strings by age six. A true third-generation musician, Sam knows his roots, but he’s also a songwriter, having penned his own tunes like “Oklahoma Heartache.” He’s played everywhere from Red Dirt gigs to the Oklahoma Opry, always spreading the good word of bluegrass across the region. At home in Stephen County, he’s keeping tradition alive and thriving.
Together, these four guys are sharing a piece of themselves, connecting us all through sound, stories, and community.