Alison Brown is that rare combination — both an artist and entrepreneur whose success at the helm of her label, Compass Records alongside her husband, co-owner and bandmate Garry West, has made it one of the leading independent labels encompassing
Author: Lee Zimmerman
-
-
Bluegrass Beyond Borders: The Dodge Brothers from the UK
The Dodge Brothers have always made it a point to tap tradition within their musical motif. The UK-based band started out as a skiffle group, playing music that was the actual English equivalent of early rock and roll, before they opted
-
A Dream Is a Wish: A Special Acoustic Tribute to the Magic Kingdom
When there's a premise as promising as this — i.e., a tribute to the music made for the classic Disney films— one can't help but be enticed. Happily then, A Dream Is a Wish: A Special Acoustic Tribute to the
-
The Legacy of John and Frances Reedy and their Stone Mountain Band – John and Frances Reedy
It's telling that these archival recordings from the gospel duo John and Frances Reedy sound so fresh and vital even now, decades after they were originally recorded. Granted, the technology used to bring them to full fruition has something to
-
A Sensational Start – first Earl Scruggs Music Festival lives up to the name
The Earls of Leicester at the 2022 Earl Scruggs Music Fest - photo © Bryce Lafoon When you name your new musical festival after Earl Scruggs, suffice it to say it has a certain standard to live up to. That was
-
Small Towns – Stillhouse Junkies
Taking a similar tack to newgrass provocateurs like Steep Canyon Rangers, Infamous Stringdusters, Trampled By Turtles, Town Mountain, and various other outfits that marry instrumental acumen with their story-telling skills, Stillhouse Junkies — Alissa Wolf (vocals fiddle), Cody Tinnin (vocals,
-
Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Notabene brings the curtain down in Czech Republic
Making music behind the Iron Curtain in the mid '80s was no small feat. After all, artistic expression was severely hampered by the authorities. That was the challenge faced by the Czech bluegrass band Notabene when they began their collective
-
In Dreams I Go Back – Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run started out in a most inauspicious manner, perfecting their chops at the Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Notably, the venue has provided a stepping stone for any number of outfits and ensembles over the
-
Down Where the Grass Is Blue – Headin’ Home
There's no bond stronger than that of family, although admittedly there are times when those relationships can be strained. The ties are sometimes tenuous when discussions of politics or other polarizing issues intrude on holiday gatherings or resentment wreaks havoc
-
Rudy Lyle: The Unsung Hero of the Five-String Banjo – interview with the author
Max Wareham is a man on a mission. His new book, Rudy Lyle: The Unsung Hero of the Five-String Banjo, uncovers the story of an artist with a profound influence on the ongoing trajectory of bluegrass music, and specifically the