Miscellaneous bluegrass news

On this day ….. On June 25, 1926, Joe Val was born. Joseph Valiante, shortened to Joe Val by Tex Logan, was a bluegrass music pioneer from New England. Born in Everett, Massachusetts, he was a relative late-comer to country music, starting to

Congratulations to Joe Kershenbaum of Waterbury, CT who won our iPad Mini giveaway this month. Joe tells us that he found his way to bluegrass, and Bluegrass Today, via a circuitous route. "I had a piano teacher who introduced me to a many kinds

Well, summer is here, although bluegrass fans know summer starts when you attend your first outdoor bluegrass festival of the season. (You know I'm right!) According to Mother Nature though, today is officially the first day of summer. Unless you're a

We heard this morning from Tennessee banjo picker Daniel Grindstaff, who has worked of late with Marty Raybon and Bobby Osborne. He shared some happy news from he and his wife, Kristen. "Daniel Finn Grindstaff arrived June 14th, right on his due

Gruhn Guitars opened for business in their new location on Saturday (6/15), across town from their long time home on Broadway in downtown Nashville. What is now an international destination for lovers of fine fretted stringed instruments started far more humbly on

Much of the bluegrass and acoustic world was shocked to learn earlier this week about singer/songwriter David Via being attacked and injured prior to a show last weekend in South Carolina. From what we can determine, the attack was random

The VW Boys have been fixtures at festivals throughout the southern US for many years. Mixing comedy, magic and bluegrass has been their theme, along with "possum songs." Their biggest number over the years has consistently been Five Pounds Of

We have learned that Curly Seckler, the legendary bluegrass singer and songwriter, suffered a mini-stroke on May 19. At 93, he is the sole surviving member of the Foggy Mountain Boys and has continued to perform sporadically to this point. According

David Via - photo © G. Milo Farineau Noted songwriter and jamgrass performer David Via was attacked by a stranger prior to a house concert this past weekend. According to people at the show, a man came at David from behind

On this day …… June 9 is the birthday of Gloria Belle. Probably best known for being Jimmy Martin's so-called "girl singer" in the late 1960s and into the 1970s, she played mandolin, guitar and bass at different times as a Sunny