• Congratulations to Banjo NewsLetter

    Today is a big day for the venerable Banjo NewsLetter. With their November 2013 issue, their 481st, the monthly magazine celebrates 40 years of continuous publication. The cover depicts BNL's publishers, Spencer and Donald Nitchie, who continue to manage the only print

  • On This Day #20 – Samantha Bumgarner

    On This Day .............. On October 31, 1878, the first lady of the old-time banjo music Samantha Bumgarner was born. Sarah Samantha Biddix, to give her maiden name, was born, according to her death certificate, in "Tennessee", on Halloween during the same

  • Checking in with Bill Evans

    Here's an interview with banjo man Bill Evans, conducted during IBMA week in Raleigh last month. We talked about his two recent recordings (In Good Company and Fine Times at Fletcher's House), and his upcoming Sonny Osborne Banjo Camp in

  • More stolen instrument news

    We have some more information about stolen instruments in the bluegrass world, of the good news/bad news variety. First some good news. The banjo and guitar we reported as stolen from Luke Munday have been returned to him. The details are