Roger Black, Author at Bluegrass Today

Saturday at SPBGMA 2025

Saturday morning at SPBGMA brought the first round of the band competition. Over a dozen bands from all over the country took part. Contestants from Alaska to Florida and all points in between vied against one another in the 50th SPBGMA International Band Competition. The second round took place later in the afternoon with the final rounds to name the champions to be crowned on Sunday.

Saturday evening brought great entertainment in the form of The Larry Stephenson Band, The Junior Sisk Band, Nothin’ Fancy, The Grascals, and Rhonda Vincent and the Rage.

The awards show brought a few surprises. Junior Sisk made a very emotional speech as he accepted the trophy for album of the year. Junior was totally unaware that he had even been nominated for the award. He was backstage tuning his guitar when his name was called. The big winner for the night was The Kody Norris Show, taking home five awards including Entertainer of the Year.

Friday at SPBGMA 2025

Appalachian Road Show at SPBGMA (1/24/25) – photo © Roger Black

Music filled the air as the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America all but took over The Sheraton Music City in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday, with eleven amazing bands taking the stage in the main ballroom.

Bands included The McClain Family, Kentucky Just Us, Deeper Shade of Blue, Dave Adkins & Mountain Soul, Nick Chandler & Delivered, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, The Country Gentlemen Show, and The Kody Norris Show. Appalachian Road Show brought the house down with their stellar instrumentals and exciting vocal performance. The evening rounded out with The Waddington Brothers, and The David Parmley Band.

However the stage show was only part of the great music at SPBGMA. Jamming has always been a huge part of this long-running weekend event. Jam sessions overflowed the huge lobby of the Sheraton Music City, elbow to elbow and wall to wall. Jam sessions could also be found in many of the guest rooms, stairways, and sometimes even in the elevators.

The Bluegrass Jamboree, last years Bluegrass Radio Station of the Year, was well represented by Jeff Lipchick and Roger Black as they broadcast live from the lobby of the Sheraton. They could be seen conducting interviews with some of bluegrass music’s biggest stars, such as Larry Stephenson, Troy Pope, Caroline Owens, Mike Phipps, and many others.

Stephanie Jones, the President of SPBGMA, also gave an insightful interview about the founding and growth of SPBGMA. The Awards Show and The International Band Competition will take the stage on Saturday and the show will finish off with the final round of the band competition along with several other bands and events on Sunday.

Thursday at the 50th anniversary SPBGMA convention in Nashville

Shamanov Sisters jamming at SPBGMA ’25 – photo © Roger Black

Roger Black shared this gallery of photos from opening day at the 2025 SPBGMA Fest in Nashville, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the organization founded by Chuck Stearman in 1975. While this Nashville weekend is technically the 41st National Convention & Band Championship and Bluegrass Music Awards, it is 50 for the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America.

Happy anniversary, SPBGMA!

King James Boys at The Gospel Barn

The King James Boys at The Gospel Barn 11/30/24 – photo © Roger Black

The Gospel Barn in Somerset, KY, along with The King of Kings Radio Network, played hosts to a big bluegrass gospel singing on November 30. The show featured The Lindsey Family from Columbia, KY, The Hominy Valley Legacy, that included Reagan Riddle, formerly of the Primitives, and the King James Boys, who have been nominated for Bluegrass Gospel Band of the Year for 2025 at SPBGMA.

The three bands put on a great show for the fans that came out to the Gospel Barn.

Many thanks to the Gospel Barn and King of Kings radio for providing a great venue for bluegrass gospel music.

Winter Ensemble Showcase at the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music

Mountain Heritage at the KSBTM Winter Ensemble concert – photo © Roger Black

The Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music in Hyden, KY was the place to be on Thursday night, December, 12. Hyden has played host to the Osborne Brothers Hometown Bluegrass Festival for over thirty years. But it is also the home of the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music, which trains students in many aspects of the bluegrass music industry. The school offers certificate, diploma, and Associate Degree programs in various aspects of the industry.

The students, faculty, and staff under the leadership of the Director of the school, Dean Osborne, come together twice a year to entertain the community with their Ensemble Showcases that feature the different groups that have been put together by the students. This year’s showcases featured Mountain Heritage, The Mountain Cats, Rock Opera, and the Rockhouse Ensemble.

2024 River Stomp Bluegrass Festival report

Authentic Unlimited at the 2024 River Stomp Bluegrass Festival – photo © Roger Black

The days were hot, and the nights had a bit of chill in the air, at the 2024 River Stomp Bluegrass Festival in Williamsburg, KY.

This year’s festival found the stage setting in a different spot than previous years. The Whitley County Fairgrounds has made some vast improvements to the venue over the last five years. The stage has been relocated to a much better spot there on the grounds.

Host band Tidal Wave Road put on another great festival this year for hundreds of amazing fans. Fairway Drive kicked the show off on Friday evening followed by the always funny Moron Brothers. Kenny & Amanda Smith then took the stage for a great set, and had a little help from their daughter Annabelle. The night’s festivities ended with The Dean Osborne Band.

Saturday brought one of Kentucky’s best new bands to the stage in the form of Rounders Station to get things started. Hammertowne, certainly among Kentucky’s premier bands, took the stage next highlighting their vocal and instrumental talents, along with the amazing songwriting of David Carroll. Wilson Banjo Company was up next.

Authentic Unlimited took the stage in typical AU fashion showcasing the reasons why they were the big winners at this year’s IBMA awards. Then host band Tidalwave Road finished out a great day of bluegrass music.

2024 Blazin’ Bluegrass Festival report

John Meador with Authentic Unlimited at the 2024 Blazin’ Bluegrass Festival – photo © Roger Black

The 2024 Blazin’ Bluegrass Festival at the Sandhill RV Park near Whitley City, KY will certainly be counted as one of the state’s best bluegrass festivals of 2024. The crowds were large and enthusiastic every night, and the campground and parking lots were overflowing. But what else do you expect with a superb line up made up of the best bluegrass bands in the business. Thursday saw Joyful Noise, Gerald Mullins & Friends, The Dean Osborne Band, Deeper Shade of Blue, and Authentic Unlimited take the stage. It was not hard to see why Authentic Unlimited has been nominated for several 2024 IBMA Awards.

Friday’s bluegrass stage was graced by none other than Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, along with Jeff Tolbert and Primitive Road, Deeper Shade of Blue, Clearview, Double Portion, and crowd favorite, Open Rail. The Friday evening sets featured all bluegrass gospel by the same bands.

The festival closed out on Saturday in fine fashion with more outstanding music provided by Open Rail, The Tim Shelton Syndicate, Retro 78, C.F. Bailey & Shadow Ridge, and The Caleb Daugherty Band. The Appalachian Road Show not only provided great music, but also delivered a history lesson about the people of the Appalachian Mountains. Darrell Webb and Barry Abernathy spoke about the hardships and struggles that went along with living in the mountains in days gone by. They used their music and stories to paint a picture of life in the coal mines and on the farms of the Appalachian Mountains, and how they used their mountain music to relieve the stress of the hard life.

Many thanks to Fred Patrick and all of his amazing volunteers for putting on two great bluegrass festivals every year.

Blazin’ Bluegrass is certainly one of Kentucky’s premier festivals. Bluegrass fans from all over the country are in attendance every year. They are never disappointed. Looking forward to the next Blazin’ Bluegrass Festival this coming June. Hope to see you there.

Living Waters Bluegrass Gospel Singing

The White Oak Community Church, just across the Russell and Adair County line in south central Kentucky, served as a beautiful backdrop for the 19^th annual Living Waters Bluegrass Gospel Singing. The beautiful old white church was built in the late 1800s and has played host to this great bluegrass gospel festival for the past twenty years.

This year’s event found many local bands and other talented musicians taking the stage for lots of soul stirring bluegrass gospel music. The Living Waters Bluegrass Gospel band from Russell Springs, KY is the host band for this annual event.

The food and music was provided free of charge to all who came. I will have to say one thing, these Kentucky ladies sure know how to cook!

Hope to see you there next year.

20th annual Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival report

The Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival held at the KOA Campground on the banks of beautiful Lake Cumberland in Russell Springs, KY, was delightful this past weekend. Promoter, and beloved local personality, Moochie Hart, and her amazing staff did it again, just as they have done for the past twenty years. In spite of some brutal heat, humidity, and a few pop up rain showers the crowd had a great time.

The festival led off on Friday night with a terrific set by Rounders Station, one of the hottest new bands in Kentucky. Then The Moron Brothers kept the audience laughing until Authentic Unlimited filled out the evening with a ninety minute set of top notch, award-winning bluegrass music. Authentic Unlimited has been nominated for eight IBMA awards this year, and the bluegrass fans in Russell Springs sure found out why. They were treated to a stellar performance by one of the hottest bands in our music.

Friday brought great bands like David Osborne and Friends, CF Bailey and his band, Shadow Ridge, plus the soulful vocals and songwriting of Lincoln Mash and Heather Alley. Kentucky’s own Hammertowne brought many traditional songs to the stage, but also showcased the prolific songwriting of guitar player David Carroll.

Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out finished out the evening in typical IIIrd Tyme out fashion, putting on a show that that was certainly a crowd pleaser. Russsell Moore is the most awarded male vocalist in bluegrass history, and nobody wondered why at the end of the night.

Many thanks to Mooche Hart and all of her staff and the KOA Campground in Russell Springs for providing bluegrass fans with a great festival at a fine facility. Looking forward to next year.

2024 Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival photos

The 31^st annual Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival got off to a great start on Wednesday July 31 with an all-gospel night in Hyden, KY, the home town of the Osborne Brothers. The following three nights boasted a lineup of bluegrass music superstars that included acts like Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, the Lonesome River Band, Authentic Unlimited, Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Dave Adkins, Lorraine Jordan, the Moron Brothers, and many more.

Rain and thunderstorms graced a good part of the festival, but the spirits were not dampened beneath the Bobby Osborne Pavilion where hundreds of bluegrass fans stayed dry and enjoyed the best that the music had to offer. The lightening was so fierce at one point, Kelly Caldwell of the Dean Osborne Band switched from her normal electric bass to a borrowed upright dog house bass. The festival went off in fine form in spite of the nasty weather.

We need to offer up a great big thank you to Dean Osborne and his incredible staff, the many great sponsors, and the city of Hyden for yet another great Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival.