Non-US bluegrass news

... or, USA’s bass pickin’ Kelly meets Japan’s mandolin pickin’ Shin Some of us folks in the business world do a lot of traveling. For bluegrassers, business travel often spins off into great musical experiences like concerts, jams, vintage instrument stores, festival

This piece is a contribution from Niall Toner, a songwriter, mandolinist, and bandleader who lives in the Blackstairs Mountains in County Carlow. Niall will be recording a new album for Pinecastle Records in Nashville in May and touring the US. I believe it's

This is the second part of a St. Patrick’s Day column. Yesterday was an interview with Richard Hawkins, the editor of the Bluegrass Ireland Blog. Today is an interview with Ronnie Norton, a 2012 graduate of Leadership Bluegrass. Ronnie is a Dublin-based

We all know the story of how bluegrass came to Ireland—how Bill Monroe banished the dreadful snakes and taught three-part harmony with a shamrock. While some may doubt the accuracy of this account, none can dispute the fact that in the

Boston's favorite bluegrass gals, Della Mae, have been selected to participate in the US State Department's American Music Abroad program. A dozen acts were chosen to tour outside the United States, primarily in areas where access to live performances by American

Australia's Davidson Brothers took home two more awards Saturday night in their home state  of Victoria for their latest release, Here To Stay. With a total of eight finalist nominations this year at the Victorian & National Country Music Awards, Lachlan

Australia's Davidson Brothers have picked up another major award, the 2012 Golden Guitar for Instrumental of the Year at the Jayco CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia. The trophy came for the smokin' bluegrass tune, OMFG, from their 2011 album Here To

How much does the US State Department’s American Music Abroad initiative want to include bluegrass as a part of its 2012 overseas musical offerings? Enough to warrant a special contact to Bluegrass Today in hopes of reaching bands and ensembles interested in month-long,

This report on the 33rd Annual Central Canada Bluegrass Awards is a contribution from Martin Chapman. Over the past weekend, the luxurious Deerhurst Resort near Huntsville, Ontario in the heart of Muskoka cottage country, underwent a major transformation. The Province's most well-known indoor and outdoor

On this day in 1990 ..... The British Bluegrass Music Association (BBMA) was formed. “Reacting to an initiative by Mal Salisbury, a group of 10 British bluegrass music enthusiasts gathered together at the George & Dragon Inn, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, on Saturday,