Author: John Lawless

Fade to Bluegrass Volume 2: The Bluegrass Tribute to Metallica is a new CD in the CMH Records Pickin' On series, due for a January 31, 2006 release. Like the first Metallica tribute project on CMH, the grassified covers were

Don Nitchie just passed along some info about the latest issue of Banjo NewsLetter, the longest running publication of its kind. In the January 2006 Banjo NewsLetter we feature David Talbot, banjo player with the The Grascals, who recently won the

Chicago-based Washburn Guitars has announced the debut of two new bluegrass instruments, aimed at players looking to move up to a professional grade axe, but with budget restrictions to consider. A new banjo, the B160, and a new mandolin, the M120,

Silver Strings is an online banjo magazine, published especially for new pickers embarking on a study of the instrument in their middle to later years. The "ezine" is meant to be roughly equal parts informational, instructional and motivational, and a

The Roanoke Times, formerly the home town newspaper for noted bluegrass singer/songwriter Ronnie Bowman, closed the year with a brief catch up piece on the Franklin County, VA native. Times writer Ralph Berrier offers a brief overview of Ronnie's big

We just heard from Frank Ray, founder and mandolinist with the popular Missouri-based Cedar Hill, about some changes in the band's makeup as they head into the new year. Longtime bass player Ali Keisler and guitarist Jesse Durham will be

CMT.com, the online side of cable network CMT (Country Music Television), has posted a list of their Ten Favorite Bluegrass Albums of 2005. The choices cover an interesting range of styles, and include both new and re-issue projects from legends and

Del McCoury fans should enjoy reading this article, which ran in December 29 issue of The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, TN. Though published primarily as a preview piece on The Del McCoury Band's annual New Year's Eve concert in

We posted last week to let everyone know that Rob Ickes and Tim Stafford would be guests on National Public Radio's All Things Considered program on Christmas Day. At that time, we suggested that audio of the interview would appear

We have posted several times about the recent embrace of traditional bluegrass instruments as a principal of study at the Berklee College Of Music in Boston, MA. While other post secondary schools facilitate the study of bluegrass music - most