While the sound and spirit of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton appear to inform every note and nuance that inspire Donna Ulisse’s vocals, the singer herself has no need to lean on any comparisons whatsoever. Winner of the
Author: Lee Zimmerman
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Authentic – Band of Ruhks
The best songs are, by nature, overtly entwined with sentiment. On their new Rebel Records album, Authentic, Band of Ruhks lives up to the disc’s title by sowing songs flush with shared feelings and, well, authentic emotion. A stirring mix of
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Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Sons of Navarone bring the Belgian bluegrass
It may seem somewhat surprising that the Sons of Navarone, a Belgian bluegrass band, found the motivation they needed from, well, a Belgian movie. Not just any movie mind you, but one that had the telling title, The Broken Circle
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When the Crops Are Laid By – The Gospel Plowboys
It’s hardly surprising that Gospel music and bluegrass are often intertwined. After all, both are borne from core values that find faith and music sharing a common bond. The Gospel Plowboys convey those convictions through their mutual devotion, and indeed,
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Time Has Made A Change – Jeff Parker & Company
Granted, the billing sounds more like a consulting firm than a bluegrass band, but in truth, Jeff Parker & Company have been entertaining audiences with their down home sounds for more than three decades. A native of central Kentucky, Parker
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High Peaks and New Ground – Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle
If it sometimes seem like Steve Gulley is literally everywhere, well suffice it to say there’s good reason. Aside from his regular morning presence as a DJ on one of East Tennessee’s most prominent radio stations, WDVX, he was practically
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A Musical Legacy – Mark O’Connor Band
It’s hard to say anything about Mark O’Connor that hasn’t been said before. An award winning multi-instrumentalist, he’s been on the receiving end of countless kudos ever since he proved himself a teen prodigy in his adolescent years. For the
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Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Dirk Brinker bends the boundaries
Dirk Brinker on banjo with Backporch Bluegrass While many musicians suggest that they found their way to bluegrass music quite naturally from an early age, there are some who discover it only by happenstance later in life. That’s often the case
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North Carolina Songbook – Steep Canyon Rangers
It goes without saying that the Steep Canyon Rangers are in the forefront of those artists who have helped in the transition from bluegrass to grassicana, sharing their reverence for their roots while establishing their own contemporary credence. There’s no
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Old Mountain Time – Beg, Steal or Borrow
Formed in 2013, Beg, Steal or Borrow received substantial acclaim well before the release of this, their debut album, Old Mountain Time. This publication in particular proclaimed them to be a “Triple Crown Bluegrass Band” by virtue of the fact