“WHOLE LOT MORE” IS OUT NOW!
“Whole Lot More” reminds listeners that real wealth isn’t measured in what we own, but in who we are, how we love, and how we keep going. It’s a blue-collar anthem about resilience, perspective, and finding richness in simple things — faith, grit, and the people who taught us how to stand back up.
ABOUT
Butter & Grit is a country soul duo creating music that is uplifting, redemptive, real, and raw. Their songs are rooted in truth and transformation, blending heartfelt storytelling with southern grit and soulful melodies.
The duo’s story began long before their first show together, when Luke “Butter” Michael heard Psalm 23 (I Am Not Alone)—a song co-written by Laurel “Grit” Taylor. The song reached him in a season of deep depression and ultimately helped save his life. That moment of connection sparked a friendship that grew into a calling. Singing together in prisons and jails, they discovered an undeniable chemistry and a shared purpose to bring hope and healing through music. It just worked.
Laurel (Grit) is a Dove Award–winning and Grammy-nominated songwriter for Psalm 23 (I Am Not Alone), cut by The Isaacs, and both she and Luke (Butter) bring warm, soulful vocals and a storyteller’s honesty shaped by real life, real feelings, and a deep compassion for people. All of their music is created and written by Luke, Laurel, and their best friend, manager, and stylist Lauren Hammett — a trio that has become an undeniable force together. Their songs reach beyond the stage to touch hearts in hospitals, hospices, VA centers, recovery programs, prisons, and jails—places where music often becomes medicine.
In 2025, Butter & Grit made their sold-out debut at the iconic Bluebird Café, further cementing their place in Nashville’s storytelling tradition. Their latest single, Whole Lot More (released January 23, 2026), reminds us what is already enough in a world chasing more. They are also leading an ongoing initiative called Unchained Voices, produced by Laurel and written by Luke and Laurel, amplifying songs and stories from inside the walls of incarceration and recovery and releasing them as raw, demo-style tracks.
At its heart, Butter & Grit is more than a duo—it’s a movement of empathy and restoration. Every lyric, every performance, and every encounter carries the same message that brought them together: healing is possible, hope is real, and home can be found wherever grace meets grit.
UNCHAINED VOICES PROJECT
Unchained Voices is an ongoing creative project from Butter & Grit dedicated to amplifying stories from inside the walls of incarceration and recovery. Through songwriting, conversation, and deep listening, we gather real words, real experiences, and real moments of hope from the people we meet in prisons, jails, recovery centers, and transitional programs across the country.
Each song is produced by Laurel Taylor and written by Luke Michael, Laurel Taylor, and their manager Lauren Hammett. Recorded simply in our little home studio, these tracks are released as raw, demo-style songs — untouched, unpolished, and honest. These songs aren’t about perfection. They’re about truth, dignity, and giving voice to people who are so often unheard.
Unchained Voices is more than a music series. It’s a bridge — a place where stories can breathe, where redemption can be witnessed, and where the humanity of every person is honored.
New volumes will be released throughout the year as we continue traveling, listening, and creating alongside the communities that inspire us.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN…
