Graham Sharp is best known as the "banjo engine" and a founding voice of the Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers, a group that has redefined modern bluegrass over two decades. On his second solo outing, How Did We Do It, Sharp steps away from the Rangers' high-octane energy to offer a personal "photo album" of a life built on grit and gratitude. In this episode of Curious Goldfish, Sharp discusses the unseen labor behind a creative life and the resilience required to sustain both a family and a career.

The album’s title track serves as a "love letter" to Sharp's wife, reflecting on the "stressful" early years of touring in a van while raising small children. Eschewing romantic clichés, Sharp celebrates the sheer endurance of long-term commitment. As he poignantly notes in the chorus: "The only thing that we knew about love was not to quit it".

Sharp’s pathway into bluegrass was never about rigid preservation. Influenced by artists like Doc Watson and Hot Rize, he viewed traditional music as a "door" rather than a cage, allowing him to put his own "stamp" on the genre. This philosophy is evident in his solo work, which leans into his rich baritone and narrative songwriting to create an "easygoing" atmosphere that fans have described as "swinging in a hammock".

In the track "Behind The Scenes," Sharp pulls back the curtain on the creative process. He describes himself as a "dealer of dreams," contrasting the seemingly effortless performance with the "hard work" that happens out of sight. This solo project provides a home for songs that didn't quite fit the Rangers' repertoire, allowing Sharp to explore the "grace in the long game"