Curley Seckler and Willis Spears with The Nashville Grass Willis Spears, whose singing and guitar playing were remarkably similar to Lester Flatt's, and who served as Curley Seckler's partner in The Nashville Grass, passed away on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at
Author: Richard Thompson
Don Mulkey passes
Washington DC area bluegrass bass-playing virtuoso Don Mulkey passed away in Portland, Oregon, on August 19, 2023. He was 93 years of age. Donald Ray Mulkey was born in Arlington, Virginia on July 7, 1930. He played with the duo, Benny
It’s Lonesome Everywhere I Go drops for Kathy Kallick Band
Kathy Kallick Band at Grass Valley, CA 2022 - photo © Alan Bond San Francisco Bay area's Kathy Kallick Band today releases its first single - It's Lonesome Everywhere I Go – from the forthcoming CD, The Lonesome Chronicles. About the
On This Day #70: Remembering Jan Jerrold
On this day … On August 18, 1993, American-born British bluegrass activist Jan Jerrold passed away, aged 52. His importance in the popularity of bluegrass music in the UK could scarcely be overstated. Jan Jay Jerrold was born in Washington DC, on
Shoji Tabuchi passes
Japanese-American Branson-based legend and member of the National Fiddler’s Hall of Fame, Shoji Tabuchi, passed away on Friday, August 11, 2023, after battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 79. Tabuchi was born April 16, 1944, in Daishōji, Ishikawa, Japan (now Kaga,
Oh, Didn’t They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music
How long have you been interested in bluegrass and old-time music? Could it be that records by George Pegram, the Boston-based Spark Gap Wonder Boys, or Joe Val were among the first that you bought? What these artists and the likes
County Sales hosts 50th Anniversary Open House
The internationally recognized bluegrass and old-time retail music institution, County Sales, is celebrating 50 years at its base in Floyd, Virginia, and to mark the anniversary they will be hosting an Open House during the weekend of August 4-6, 2023. Open
The end for the Bluegrass Ireland Blog?
Richard Hawkins, the editor of The Bluegrass Ireland Blog since November 2005, has announced his forthcoming retirement from this role. In a statement on the Blog, he indicated ….. "I intend to give up work on the Bluegrass Ireland Blog (BIB)
1923 Lloyd Loar F-5 mandolins a century later
July 9, 2023, marked the 100th anniversary of the date when musician, instrument designer and sound engineer Lloyd Allayre Loar signed off as tested and approved, an iconic batch of Lloyd Loar Gibson F-5 mandolins. The batch includes the most famous
On This Day #69: Doc Watson at the Boone Fiddlers Convention
On this day…. On July 4, 1941, 18-year-old Arthel Lane 'Doc' Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) played at the Boone Fiddlers Convention at the Appalachian State Teacher's College (now known as Appalachian State University), in Boone, North Carolina.