Jimmy Rupert was a big fish in a small pond. So small, in fact, that I’m sure few if any Bluegrass Today readers have heard of him before now. But I wouldn't be writing this, and you wouldn't be reading it,
Author: David Morris
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Valerie Smith recovering at home from COVID-19
Bluegrass utility player Valerie Smith continues to recover at her home near Nashville after a bout with the coronavirus that required two overnight stays in the emergency room. Smith, 54, became ill two weeks ago, while caring for her daughter and
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Tony Rice – a giant among us; his peers react
The night Tony Rice first made grown men cry was in September 2013. In a speech marking his induction into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, Rice labored through his early remarks in the raspy, broken voice we had become
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Swing For The Fences – Phil Leadbetter and the All Stars of Bluegrass
Pandemic or not, everyone is busy this time of year, so I'll get straight to the point: Swing For The Fences, from Phil Leadbetter and the All Stars of Bluegrass, is my favorite bluegrass project of 2020. There were many outstanding projects,
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Who’s the real Father of Bluegrass?
This Saturday, the Grand Ole Opry celebrates the 75th birthday of bluegrass music. It's certainly a cause for celebration. But, for me at least, it's also a time for reflection and the sharing of a belief that I’ve held for
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Giving thanks, bluegrass edition
I've never celebrated Thanksgiving in my own home. That means 64 holidays at my parents, my in-laws, a West Coast dinner out with an uncle, and a long weekend with my college girlfriends family in Pittsburgh. That string will be broken
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Darin & Brooke Aldridge find a new home with Billy Blue Records
When one of the hottest bluegrass acts signs with arguably the hottest bluegrass label, can anyone really be surprised? It seemed to be a matter of when, not if. When, it turns out, is today, with the announcement that Darin &
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Some Favorite Moments from World of Bluegrass 2020
I miss seeing friends in person, and stumbling across some incredible hallway and hotel room jams, but IBMA’s virtual World of Bluegrass 2020 was a huge success. Here are some memorable moments, some funny, some poignant, from the week so
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2020 IBMA Industry Awards presentation
Singers and pickers are the most visible stars in bluegrass, but as with any venture, much of the work and preparation is done by those behind the scenes – the promoters, songwriters, broadcasters, CD and poster designers, and journalists. But today
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World of Bluegrass seminar – Demystifying the Bluegrass Charts
One of the great mysteries of bluegrass – how so many different bluegrass charts come up with such divergent results – is a little less puzzling today, thanks to one of the best panels I’ve heard in 11 years of