In the summer of 1979 Jim Lauderdale made a pilgrimage to Nashville from North Carolina with two goals: to work with and befriend Roland White and George Jones, and to make a mark on the respective worlds of bluegrass and country music. The result of their friendship was a bluegrass record, created in the basement of Earl and Louise Scruggs’ home. The record initially struggled to attract a formal record deal and was ultimately left unreleased. Years later, Roland White’s wife discovered the reel to reel of a rough mix, and thus, Jim Lauderdale & Roland White was born again.