• CA Guitars closes up shop

    Composite Acoustics, commonly known as CA Guitars, has closed its doors. The Louisiana-based company that manufactured steel-string acoustic guitars made from a carbon fiber material had found adherents among both hobby and professional pickers worldwide, including Blue Highway guitarist Tim Stafford.

  • Process credit cards from your iPhone

    A recurring frustration for performers who sell merchandise at shows is their inability to accept credit card payments. There are portable card scanners, but they often require AC power or online access to operate - typically unavailable to merch vendors at

  • New chapter for Rhonda Vincent

    Rhonda Vincent will be releasing her next album with a new partner. No... not that! She and husband Herb Sandker are still connected at the hip, and he continues to represent and manage her career through Upper Managemnet. The new partner

  • European Bluegrass Summit, round 2

    Richard Hawkins, proprietor of the Bluegrass Ireland Blog - and a regular contributor to the European Bluegrass Blog - has a new piece about the second European Bluegrass Summit at Bühl, Germany, held February 5-7, 2010. Richard contributed an overview of

  • Prime Cuts Of Bluegrass – status uncertain

    We have received a number of inquiries from readers asking about Prime Cuts Of Bluegrass, and when the next compilation from their long-running bluegrass radio service would be produced. Kirk and Becky Brandenberger have managed this service since 1992, allowing

  • Two last CDs from Pinecastle

    We posted last Friday with the sad news that Pinecastle Records was closing its doors, effective February 1, after 20 years producing and marketing bluegrass music worldwide. The company was started in 1989 by Tom Riggs after a successful career as

  • Pinecastle R.I.P.

    We just received this notice from Cort Riggs, son of Pinecastle Records and Music Shed founder Tom Riggs. Given recent events related to my father’s health and the current business environment, we find it necessary to cease operation of Pinecastle Records

  • New performance royalty rates for 2010?

    2010 isn't shaping up to be a good year for radio. There's a lot of competition out there for listeners' ears. Satellite radio, iPods, iPhones...all have contributed to a drop in listeners for local radio stations. Add a struggling economy,

  • 2010 won’t happen by accident

    Brian Hazard over at the Music Think Tank blog has posted a good article entitled The case for online-only promotion. Some of his thoughts are right on and I agree wholeheartedly, others I have to respectfully disagree with. First he issues a