Here’s a bit of political whimsy for you as you watch tonight’s Super Tuesday election returns. It comes from those bluegrass rascals, The Darrell Brothers, who felt compelled to respond after seeing our story last week about Nathan Stanley endorsing Donald Trump. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASES: Special Statement […]
Rounder Records is celebrating March, and the imminent arrival of festival season, with 21 reissues of classic titles in their catalog, representing some of the finest bluegrass albums from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. These are all projects that have never before been available for […]
Mike Holmes, founder of Music Camps North, passed away on February 18. He was 74 years of age. He had retired from management of these very successful workshop weekends for banjo and mandolin players in New England in 2014, which continue on under new management. Mike’s […]
It’s always great to see fine people achieve success in bluegrass music, or in any other endeavor in life. Such is the story of Buddy Melton and Milan Miller, a pair of picking buddies from western North Carolina this 20 plus years, who have both […]
The demise of J.D. Crowe & The New South with Crowe’s recent retirement has left a big hole in the bluegrass scene. The distinctive sound that he maintained over 40 plus years with this group has left a deep impression on our music, one that […]
Rounder Records is celebrating March, and the imminent arrival of festival season, with 21 reissues of classic titles in their catalog, representing some of the finest bluegrass albums from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. These are all projects that have never before been available for […]
Mike Holmes, founder of Music Camps North, passed away on February 18. He was 74 years of age. He had retired from management of these very successful workshop weekends for banjo and mandolin players in New England in 2014, which continue on under new management. Mike’s […]
The demise of J.D. Crowe & The New South with Crowe’s recent retirement has left a big hole in the bluegrass scene. The distinctive sound that he maintained over 40 plus years with this group has left a deep impression on our music, one that […]
The Clay Hess Band will have a new look for the 2016 season. Nick Keen left the group in 2015, to be replaced by Dustin Frame on mandolin. Clay has also brought Ray Cossin in to play fiddle. Both should be familiar faces from previous work in […]
The Bluegrass Brothers of southwest Virginia have announced John Simmons as their new guitarist. John is a familiar face in bluegrass circles from his work with Country Fried Grass, a successful regional group he headed for 2006-2013. He will also sing lead and harmony vocals with the […]
Here’s a bit of political whimsy for you as you watch tonight’s Super Tuesday election returns. It comes from those bluegrass rascals, The Darrell Brothers, who felt compelled to respond after seeing our story last week about Nathan Stanley endorsing Donald Trump. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASES: Special Statement […]
As this year’s SPBGMA convention in Nashville was winding down, we shared the unfortunate story of a young man whose instrument had gone missing. Alex Clayton had borrowed a Dobro guitar from a friend so that he could work on his developing skills in jam […]
At the risk of jumping on a groaning media bandwagon, I feel the need to report a high profile political endorsement that touches on our bluegrass community. Nathan Stanley, who had announced his endorsement some weeks ago of Donald Trump in the Republican Presidential primary, is […]
Five string banjo pickers in the US, especially here in my home state of Virginia, typically know a little something about Joel Sweeney of Appomattox. He was an early popularizer of the banjo in the pre-Civil War south, often using the blackface stage personna now […]
The 2016 edition of Bluegrass First Class was held this past weekend at the Crowne Plaza resort in Asheville, NC. Everyone seemed to have a fine time enjoying the music and the lovely surroundings, with the possible exception of one banjo player. Gena Britt had finished […]
It’s always great to see fine people achieve success in bluegrass music, or in any other endeavor in life. Such is the story of Buddy Melton and Milan Miller, a pair of picking buddies from western North Carolina this 20 plus years, who have both […]
Ma Crow and the Ladyslippers have been busy. Recently, the all-female band from Cincinnati, OH made a stop in Louisville, KY to appear on two radio programs in the same night. Actually, it was easier than you might think as both programs originate from the same building. Louisville Public Media […]
Frank Solivan has become one of bluegrass music’s most entertaining performers, touring with his band, Dirty Kitchen, all over the US. But like every artist, he had a long route to get where he is today. Starting as a young man in Alaska, he learned to […]
Reso-guitar master Ivan Rosenberg has come up with a clever way to promote his next recording, using the crowdfunding site Kickstarter to generate advance orders. He has found success for his melodic old time and contemporary bluegrass recordings, as an in-demand instructor of resophonic slide […]
One great thing about bluegrass culture is that even the most modern artists appreciate the music of the earlier days, while the more orthodox players enjoy what the more contemporary pickers are doing. Here’s a great example of that young meets old, progressive meets traditional vibe. […]
Friday morning at the first Florida Bluegrass Classic was kicked off by Martin guitar expert, Bill Anderson, doing a workshop on the construction and maintenance of Martin guitars. Florida band, Wry Whiskey were first up on followed by Virginia’s Nothin’ Fancy who stormed the stage […]
It’s easy for serious fans of bluegrass music to talk about tradition and longevity, a prime commodity in the genre, but in the larger scheme of things it’s only been around in a formal sense for about 70 years. That makes it slightly older than rock […]
Thursday at the Florida Bluegrass Classic was kicked off with Brink Brinkman doing a songwriting workshop. He explained his methodology for writing alone and co-writing. The afternoon continued with a Classic Country Roundup Sing-a-long. Calvin Mickey, promoter of the Mickey’s Mountain festival in Ohio joined […]
Long time bluegrass lovers in our nation’s capital remember the glory days in the 1960s and ’70s, when bluegrass at area clubs and restaurants was a common occurrence. It wasn’t always the most fashionable night spots that drew the bluegrass crowds, but there were more […]
Evans Media Source (Debi and Ernie Evans) are presenting the first Florida Bluegrass Classic at the Florida Classic Park in Brooksville this week. Preliminary activities kicked of Tuesday with a soup beans and cornbread supper, jamming, square dancing, and a performance by singer/story teller Michael […]
These days you never really know what a band is going to sound like when you hear them live, although you can usually bet they’re not going to sound exactly like the track you heard on your favorite bluegrass radio station. It’s just the way […]
Few people can get away with describing their music as an “experience.” But then again, few words come close to actually describing the music of Larry Keel. To see Larry Keel perform is to have just that: a unique, singular experience that cannot be duplicated. […]
North Carolina fiddler Tim Smith is back with a second album under the title, Fiddler Tim Smith & Friends – Volume 2. Like its namesake, this record combines Smith’s clever original instrumentals with popular standards and a couple of Gospel classics. Also like his previous […]
Once again the Boston Bluegrass Union has put on a great festival with top notch bands on stages, around 50 workshops offering folks chances to learn techniques, histories, and to interact in an intimate setting with great players. They also had the Sunday night dance […]
When I see young children hailed as musical prodigies in the bluegrass world, I usually wonder if their early technical skill will translate into a true superstar career, with not just the knowledge to arrange notes in a complicated manner, but to play with heart […]
Greetings bluegrass friends and fellow fans. If you are reading this, I’m betting you are a fan of bluegrass music, probably have an impressive music collection and more than likely enjoy live music at festivals and concerts. No matter how or where you listen to music, one […]
more
Every now and then, I run across something in the social media realm that catches my attention, and that thankfully has nothing at all to do with presidential candidates or Kanye West. It’s the kind of thing that causes me to shout to the hills, […]
more
Good news for fans of mandolinist Jesse Brock! The long-awaited transcription book by Nick DiSebastian, The Mandolin Style of Jesse Brock is now available. Transcriptions were taken from several prominent bluegrass recordings on which Jesse is featured, including his critically-acclaimed solo project, Kickin’ Grass, from […]
more
This memorial appreciation is a contribution from Jack Tottle, Associate Professor Emeritus at East Tennessee State University. It is used by permission from Moonshiner magazine (JAPAN), originally published—in Japanese translation—February, 2016. Takeharu Kunimoto was among the most unusual, gifted, energetic and hard-working individuals I’ve encountered during my six […]
more
Mountain Fever Records has released a first single from their upcoming album for The Deer Creek Boys. It’s a good ol’ brokenhearted number from Larry Boone, Tracy Lawrence, and Paul Nelson called How A Cowgirl Says Goodbye. The song was a hit for Tracy Lawrence back in 1997. […]
more
More bluegrass for you, Thing One and Thing Two
Every now and then, I run across something in the social media realm that catches my attention, and that thankfully has nothing at all to do with presidential candidates or Kanye West. It’s the kind of thing that causes me to shout to the hills, […]
Songwriter’s Back Story – Fox On the Run
Greetings bluegrass friends and fellow fans. If you are reading this, I’m betting you are a fan of bluegrass music, probably have an impressive music collection and more than likely enjoy live music at festivals and concerts. No matter how or where you listen to music, one […]
Valerie Smith on Fire with New Direction: Stop, Drop, and Roll
Valerie Smith works to stay on top of her game. Never one to shy away from personal growth, the singer/songwriter/entrepreneur realized she needed to make some changes in her career a couple of years ago. “I’ve been pretty much working on me,” she tells Bluegrass […]
Having A Coffee with … Tim Surrett
This is fun series in which we ask bluegrass music personalities, some famous, some not so famous, about some of their interests as well as about the music that they love. Joining me this morning is Tim Surrett, a member of the award-winning bluegrass […]
David Freeman has received many plaudits, some given on a personal level and some, like the induction into IBMA’s Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (in 2002), given, if not with some razzamatazz, with a greater public awareness. We can’t allow this year (2015) to pass […]
