Author: John Curtis Goad

Travis Frye, guitarist with Travis Frye & Blue Mountain, and his wife, Monika, welcomed a baby girl to their family on January 20. Born at 12:22 p.m., Vera Rhea weighed in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 inches

Most of the bluegrass world has been concentrated in Raleigh over the past week at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual festivities. Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa, on the other hand, decided to take the “international” thing literally, and headed over

The name Gena Britt may not roll off the tongues of casual bluegrass fans as easily as say, Ron Stewart or Sammy Shelor, but her name – and her stand-out banjo playing - has been introduced to a much wider

Though Ralph Stanley II cut his teeth on his dad and uncle’s mountain stylings, his early solo efforts tended to lean a little more toward a country sound, just like several other Clinch Mountain Boys lead singers – Keith Whitley,

First things first: Merle Monroe is no relation to Bill. By blood, that is. Musically, however, there are some definite influences from the Father of Bluegrass, as there are from the band’s other namesake, Merle Haggard. As you see, Merle

There are very few artists that I will purchase a new album from unconditionally, without first previewing and skimming tracks, or perhaps downloading a few singles. It seems like so many albums these days are filler surrounding three or four

Most everyone who is a fan of bluegrass music knows that Michael Cleveland is blind; the fact is often briefly mentioned in bios and introductions, or tossed around in stories from one picker to another. However, any disabilities he may

Chances are you knew Irene Kelley’s work before you knew her as an artist. That’s because her original songs have been recorded by everyone from Alan Jackson, Loretta Lynn, and Trisha Yearwood to Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White and Pure

The name Dowdy has long been associated with hardline, traditional bluegrass. Brothers Victor and Robert Dowdy helmed southwest Virginia’s Bluegrass Brothers for many years, and Victor’s sons Steven and Donald have been part of the band more recently. Now, Steven

There are many country artists whose songs and style have impacted bluegrass music throughout the years, but perhaps none more than Merle Haggard. These days, it’s rare to find a bluegrass band – especially those in the more neo-traditional, hard-driving