Author: John Lawless

Jacket Copy, the Los Angeles Times books blog, carried a review today on Steve Martin's show last night (5/11) with Steep Canyon Rangers in L.A. Why the books blog, you may ask? Well, the show was a benefit for the L.A.

One of my favorite online obsessions is The Onion, a faux news site that is always funny, and often hilarious. Yesterday, they posted a radio "news" story that may be familiar to a good many bluegrass pickers - and their neighbors!

Rounder Records also has a promotional giveaway going on to mark Bluegrass Music Month. The Grand Prize is a Deering Goodtime banjo, autographed by Steve Martin, whose CD The Crow is set for a May 19 Rounder release. 5 first prize winners

Happy news from the home of semi-retired banjo picker Alan Munde... Alan and his wife Kitty are celebrating the birth of Casey Patrick Alan Rice on May 1 - Alan's first grandchild! Also celebrating, of course, are the new parents, Rachel

Sugar Hill Records is very excited about their next major release, Song Up In Her Head, from 17 year old Texan Sarah Jarosz. Produced by Gary Paczosa, who also brought Sarah to Sugar Hill, the sound is airy and ethereal, combining

Lou Reid & Carolina have signed with Rural Rhythm Records, who will release their next CD, My Own Set Of Rules, later this summer. Lou produced the new album which was recorded in early 2009. Reid works as guitarist/vocalist with Seldom

Here's a video to file away in the "isn't that cute" department... Now... can you play the song backwards and get her to go to sleep? Thanks to Steve Romanoski for sending us this video link.

A number of companies who offer products to the bluegrass market are offering contests and giveaways to celebrate May as Bluegrass Music Month. In one such promotion, Mel Bay Publications has partnered with Michael Kelly Mandolins and will be giving

I heard recently from Grasstowne mando man Alan Bibey, who reports that tracking for their next CD is complete. They are in the process of mixing now, and hope to have the project delivered to Pinecastle Records shortly. The album is

This column, containing brief reviews of recent CD releases by Richard Thompson, is published in the current (Spring 2009) edition of British Bluegrass News. As it is a lengthy piece, we have broken it into two parts, with the firt