Author: John Lawless

The folks at bluegrasscollege.org have put together a video sample from their latest online lesson. The song is Blue Night, sung by Tim O'Brien, with instrumental solos taught by Bill Evans (banjo), Rob Ickes (resonator guitar), Tyler Grant (guitar), Matt

We posted about ten days ago with release dates for four new projects due from Pinecastle Records in 2009. Not long after that, we heard from a reader who wondered why a title we had just indicated wouldn't be released until

Yet more news of band personnel changes... The Isaacs have announced that Thomas Wywrot has joined the band playing banjo and guitar. Current lineup now includes Ben Isaacs on bass, Sonya Isaacs on mandolin, Becky Isaacs Bowman on guitar, Jesse Stockman on

And the band scramble continues... We checked in with Larry Stephenson to see who would be joining his group when Kristin Scott Benson leaves later this month to become the newest Grascal. "Rick Allred will be playing banjo with us. I started my

Punch Brothers have brought on young bass monster Paul Kowert to take the spot of departing founding member Greg Garrison. The band otherwise remains the same (Chris Thile on mandolin, Noam Pikelny on banjo, Chris Eldridge on guitar and Gabe

Long time mandolinist with The Gibson Brothers, Rick Hayes, recently announced his intention to retire from the road to focus on Hayes Mandolins, his budding mandolin building endeavor. Eric and Leigh Gibson are happy to welcome young mandolinist Joe Walsh in

As always seems to happen this time of year, a number of top bluegrass bands are making personnel changes. Aaron McDaris is leaving The Grascals, and Kristin Scott Benson will be leaving Larry Stephenson's band to accept the job. She will

Audio from a recent performance on Mountain Stage by Canadian banjoist Jayme Stone and Malian kora player Mansa Sissoko, is now available online. They perform music from their recent CD collaboration, Africa To Appalachia. The kora is an African harp-like

Fiery flatpicker Cody Kilby has released a new solo project, Many Roads Traveled. It's the third album under his name, but the first since he has matured into a serious professional player. The first two CDs were produced when Cody was

Missy Raines, seven-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year, has signed a multi-project deal with Compass Records, run by fellow IBMA Award winner Alison Brown and her husband, Garry West. A new CD will be released on February 10, 2009, the