Author Archive: John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.

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Newton & Thomas debut Old McDonald video

| May 16, 2013 | 0 Comments
steve_mark_th

Last night in Nashville, Mark Newton & Steve Thomas held a CD release party at the Swinging Doors Saloon, which also served as the premiere of their music video for Old McDonald Sold The Farm. The guys have graciously allowed us to offer the online premiere [...]

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Wide Awake coming soon from Joy Kills Sorrow

| May 16, 2013 | 4 Comments
wide_awake_th

Signature Sounds has released a preview video for Wide Awake, their upcoming 7-track CD from Joy Kills Sorrow. The Boston-based band specializes in original music that flirts with the line between modern bluegrass and contemporary indie-pop. Emma Beaton fronts the group and sings lead with [...]

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Randy Barnes to Marty Raybon

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments
randy_th

Randy Barnes is the new bass player with Marty Raybon & Full Circle. He has been out with the band since April 28, and is also participating in the harmony singing. He joins Chris Wade on banjo, Zach Rambo on mandolin, and Tim Raybon on [...]

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IBMA releases further WOB 2013 details

| May 15, 2013 | 1 Comment
awob_th

At a press conference this afternoon in Raleigh, NC, the International Bluegrass Music Association announced PNC Bank as the presenting sponsor for the 2013 Wide Open Bluegrass festival. This two-day event, running September 27-28 and formerly known as Bluegrass Fan Fest, occurs just following the [...]

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Introducing the Cherry Pickers

| May 14, 2013 | 1 Comment
cherry_pickers_th

The Cherry Pickers are a new young bluegrass group in the San Francisco, CA area featuring Isaac Cantor on banjo, Riley HIll on guitar, Rich Kearns on mandolin, and Leo Suarez on bass. Their goal is to write and record their own music, walking the line between contemporary and [...]

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Stormy Horizons for The Expedition Show

| May 14, 2013 | 0 Comments
stormy_th

Today (5/14) marks the release of Stormy Horizons, a new CD project from The Expedition Show, on Mountain Fever Records. Fans can hear the entire record this week on Sirius-XM’s Track-by-Track with Kyle Cantrell, starting on Wednesday (5/15) at 11:00 a.m. (EDT). The show will [...]

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Blake Johnson to Grasstowne

| May 14, 2013 | 0 Comments
blake_th

With Dustin Pyrtle hopping aboard the Quicksilver Express, Grasstowne is pleased to announce that Blake Johnson is their newest member, playing guitar and singing lead. Blake lives in Roxboro, NC and has been playing guitar since he was ten years old. His musical upbringing is [...]

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Coda Mountain Academy adds bluegrass

| May 14, 2013 | 0 Comments
brandon_th

Another successful infiltration for bluegrass music… We heard recently from Brandon Green, lecturer and band director in the ETSU Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music program, about a music camp in West Virginia where he teaches. It’s called the Coda Mountain Academy, and they offer [...]

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Submissions solicited for Bluegrass Country’s live WOB broadcasts

| May 13, 2013 | 0 Comments
wamu_th

For the past five years, WAMU’s Bluegrass Country has lugged hundreds of pounds of gear from their Washington, DC studios to the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville to broadcast live each day during the IBMA’s World Of Bluegrass. This year, they’ll make the trek to Raleigh, where [...]

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Photos from Willow Oak

| May 13, 2013 | 0 Comments
junior_th

Thanks to Laura Tate Ridge for this fine gallery of photos from the Family Style Bluegrass Festival, held late last month at Willow Oak Park in Roxboro, NC.  

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