Hillary Klug, dancing Nashville street performer turned fiddling social media sensation, has a fun new music video this week for one of the tracks on her upcoming Dancing Fiddler album.
From her long blonde hair to her buck dancing performance videos online, Hillary has developed a sizable following on a number of social media platforms. Many of her videos have multiple millions of views, all featuring Klug dancing while fiddling, exhibiting the skills that have won her a number of dance championships over the years. Her efforts over time have introduced a great many people to old time and bluegrass music, not to mention buck dancing as opposed to clogging.
In recent years, we’ve been getting to hear Hillary as a vocalist as well, often in videos with her Nashville-based musical friends. Two of them appear with her in the latest music video, Klug’s version of the classic old time tune, Black Eyed Susie.
Hillary says that though it’s an old song, it still resonates with her.
“I heard this song growing up around old time festivals and jam sessions, and it became a favorite because it was fun to share the call and response chorus with friends. It’s the perfect metaphor for the meaning behind the music; ultimately, it’s a conversation back and forth sharing and honoring these old traditions that we love.
In the song, we sing about a fictional character named ‘Black Eyed Susie’ who encompasses the gender roles and values of the olden days. Although my values are a little more modern, and gender roles have definitely changed, I like to imagine how my grandparents and great grandparents felt as they settled down and lived the simple life back in the olden days.”
Helping out in the video, and the audio track for the single, are Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on second fiddle and duet vocal, and Victor Furtado on banjo. Also on the track are Tyler Andal on guitar and Hillary’s husband Evan Winsor on bass.
Have a look/listen…
Black Eyed Susie from Hillary Klug is available now through a partnership between her own Fiddle Feet Records and 615 Hideaway Records from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track via 615 Hideaway.
Search on the name Hillary Klug in any social media app to see her many dancing fiddler videos. Good fun, wholesome, old time and bluegrass entertainment.
Executive Director Ken White says that he is certain that this new crew is ready for all they have going in 2025.
“These staff changes mark an exciting new chapter for the IBMA as we strengthen our team to support the global bluegrass music community, and prepare for the monumental year ahead. With relocating IBMA World of Bluegrass to Chattanooga, TN, and the celebration of our 40th anniversary, I’m confident that welcoming fresh perspectives will help drive our mission forward while fostering growth and visibility for bluegrass music worldwide.”
New to the organization is Rebecca Bauer, who has taken the position as Marketing Director. With a Masters in Marketing from Johns Hopkins, she has worked previously for the Franklin Theatre, Nashville Symphony, City Winery, and Pepsi Bottling Group. Rebecca will oversee strategic planning, partnerships, and digital marketing.
Elizabeth Dewey, who started at IBMA in April 2024, has been moved up from Administrative Manager to Communication Director. She started as an intern at IBMA in 2021 and has become a valuable part of the staff. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Music in Commercial Music from Belmont and is now responsible for brand management, content creation, email communications, and media relations.
Also new is Haley Grimm, who joins as Administrative Manager in her final semester of a Bachelor of Music in Commercial Music at Belmont. She has also interned in the IBMA office, and is now responsible for administrative support for the IBMA staff as well as IBMA’s various programs, including IBMA Leadership Bluegrass and the IBMA International Band Performance Grant.
When you contact the IBMA, these are the ladies you will be dealing with.
Pinecastle Recording has asked us to premiere a brand new music video from Nick Chandler & Delivered, their grassed up take on Never Did No Wanderin’. It’s a song from the hilarious 2003 mockumentary, A Mighty Wind, a clever send up of the ’60s folk music scene, 40 years later.
The older you are, the funnier the movie will seem, as having actual memories of the earnestness and vehemence with which these groups performed is the key to enjoying its humor.
Chandler says of the song and the video shoot…
“We had a great time shooting this video for one of my favorite songs. Never Did No Wanderin’ has been on my to-do list for years now. I heard it first on the cult hit A Mighty Wind, and knew it would make a great bluegrass song.
I have so much fun traveling the roads with these guys, so it was not hard to have some fun during this video shoot. I hope everyone enjoys the video, and we can’t wait to see you on the road.
Seen in the video and heard on the track are Nick Chandler on mandolin and lead vocal, Jake Burrows on banjo, Spencer Atkinson on guitar, and Gary Trivette on bass and tenor vocal.
For the past 15 years or so, The Jaywalkers have stood out as among the more interesting and entertaining British bluegrass acts. Their clever songwriting and quirky sense of style show influences from Appalachian bluegrass and old time music, alongside the wealth of English folk sounds.
Primarily a trio of Jay Givern on fiddle and lead vocals, Mike Givern on mandolin, guitar and vocals, and Lucille Williams on bass and vocals, they are often supplemented with banjo, as in the latest release from their upcoming album, a song Mike has written entitled Move On.
Speaking jointly, Jaywalkers explain the meaning of the song.
“Our only attempt at writing a ‘heartbreak’ song, but this is written about the moment the heartbreak starts to heal and you realise it’s time to pick yourself up and Move On. The song starts with the realisation that the person you’ve been crying over wasn’t worth all that energy (‘What a waste of water, what a waste of time’), and you need to move on with your life in order to heal. We are joined by Lucy’s brother – Stu Williams – for some banjo on this track.”
The music video finds them beneath the Runcorn Bridge which spans the Mersey River between Runcorn and Widnes, not far from Liverpool. Jay, Mike, and Lucy are wrapped up against the winter’s cold as they run through Move On from their various positions.
It’s a wonderfully bluesy track that perfectly showcases their approach to the music. Have yourself a look/listen…
Move On is available from popular download and streaming services online, or directly from Jaywalkers on bandcamp.
Popular banjo player and educator Bennett Sullivan has come up with a unique instructional music festival which he is calling LickFest. It’s set to run online February 22-23, and attendees will be able to spend 30 minute Demio sessions with a dozen or more top professional banjo pickers, showing how they create melodies, and then put together licks and phrases to express them.
It’s a fascinating concept, and Sullivan will be on hand during all the sessions to facilitate and guide each of the players, who include some of the top names in acoustic music, encompassing traditional and progressive bluegrass, as well as old time and Americana styles.
Scheduled to appear are:
Kristin Scott Benson
Jens Kruger
Sarah Jarosz
Tony Trischka
Billy Failing
Sam Grisman
Wes Corbett
Kyle Tuttle
Jason Davis
Gena Britt
Jeff Picker
Tray Wellington
Gina Furtado
Bennett Sullivan
Jake Workman
Bennett put together this brief explainer video to clarify the concept.
Registration is $97 for both days of online learning, and all sessions will be archived in perpetuity for anyone registered to attend. Students will be able to watch the proceedings go down live, and then reach for the archives to work on what is presented as time allows. Tablature will be provided after the fact by email for all the examples shown during LickFest sessions.
Most sessions will be presented live, allowing student attendees to post questions via chat if something isn’t clear. Bennett says that a couple of sessions may be pre-recorded based on artist availability.
This appears to be an extremely cost-effective way to watch and learn with these experienced pros in the comfort of your home. LickFest seems certain to be both entertaining and instructive.
Full details can be found online, along with a daily schedule. LickFest 2025 will be managed by Sullivan’s online learning company, Banjo Licks.
Fiddle man and vocalist Jason Carter is stepping away from the Del McCoury Band after 33 years to focus on his soaring solo career. He is also vacating his spot with The Travelin’ McCourys, which is the same group, with Cody Kilby swapped out for Del.
Press for Jason’s 2022 solo project, Lowdown Hoedown, was universally positive, as was the response from the public and bluegrass radio. That, along with the strong reaction to three recent singles from an upcoming duo album with Michael Cleveland, Carter & Cleveland, have given him the confidence to stake out a claim and pursue music under his own name.
In a comprehensive statement this morning, Jason explains why now is the time to put away his sideman’s cap and start leading his own band, as he says goodbye to the first family of bluegrass.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to spend the last 33 years making music with The Del McCoury Band. After a considerable amount of thought, I’ve decided to say my farewell to Del and the Travelin’ McCourys in order to pursue my solo career as The Jason Carter Band.
I feel so much gratitude to these guys for nearly a lifetime of education in bluegrass music. I consider them to be not only the best musicians in the world, but the finest people you’d ever meet, and I couldn’t have picked a better boss or co-workers to be on this bluegrass journey with.
From the moment I heard Del, I wanted to play in his band. At first, I played guitar and mandolin. I talked so much about playing with Del as a kid that eventually my Dad had to tell me that Del’s sons played banjo and mandolin and Del was the guitar player, so if I wanted to be in this band, I would probably have to learn fiddle or bass, and we had a fiddle at the house. I was so obsessed with his music that every day of my senior year in high school, my mother drove me to school and we’d listen to I Feel The Blues Moving In. That song was the perfect length of time to go from our driveway to the doorstep of the school.
When I graduated high school, I realized the chances of even being in the same place as Del and his band were slim to none because they lived in Pennsylvania and I lived in Kentucky. I wound up getting a job with the Goins Brothers right out of high school and six months later, in February 1992, we were in Nashville at the same festival as Del. Tad Marks was the fiddle player in his band and he told me that the McCourys were moving to Nashville and he wasn’t making the move. He knew that I wanted his job and he encouraged me to go talk to Del. So I gave Del my number and a couple weeks later he called our home. He said I was the first to ask for the job so I was the first to get to try out if I wanted to. I’ve been there ever since.
I have to give a huge thank you to the band for practically molding me into the player I am today. Del never told me that I had to play a song a certain way; he always encouraged me to play it how I felt. In those days he would drive the bus, and there were many nights I would ride shotgun all night and play fiddle trying to learn solos to his songs. Del would sing melodies to me and I would try to play them back to him. I can’t begin to list all the experiences that we had, but I’m extremely proud of every moment. We played everything from college town bars to Carnegie Hall, and the biggest festivals in the world. I’m so proud of all the music that we played together.
I also feel I owe a lot to the guys in the Travelin’ McCourys. I’m extremely grateful to be able to have been part of that band since the beginning. I’m very much excited to watch their growth and all they will accomplish, too. I’ll be their biggest cheerleader!
Not long ago, I realized that when Del made the move to Nashville in 1992 and I started with his band, he was close to the same age I am now. This is just another example of how I have been inspired by Del McCoury. At this point in time, I feel that everything in my world is pointing me in the direction of starting my own band and pursuing my solo career. After releasing my latest solo record, Lowdown Hoedown, I have really enjoyed touring and fronting my own shows. I have a new record coming out with my friend, Michael Cleveland, in March, and I’m very excited about playing some shows with him. And, I’m preparing to begin recording my second solo project very soon. I am so excited about this new chapter and for the chance to share my own music with the world.”
Over the weekend, Jason played the Grand Ole Opry with Michael Cleveland, performing their latest single, With aVamp in the Middle. Helping out were Bryan Sutton on guitar, Cory Walker on banjo, Harry Clark on mandolin, and Alan Bartram on bass and harmony vocal.
Judging by that audience reaction, Jason is on solid ground.
Carter has announced some early dates for 2025, with many more sure to be added.
February 20 – Nashville, TN;The Station Inn with Michael Cleveland
February 21 – Fort Meyers, FL; Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center with Michael Cleveland
April 2 – Savannah, GA; Ships Of The Sea Maritime Museum with Michael Cleveland
June 14 – Lake Cowichan, BC, Canada; Cowichan Valley Bluegrass Festival
September 12 – Louisville, KY; Bourbon & Beyond with Michael Cleveland
September 14 – Flagstaff, AZ; Pickin’ In The Pines with Michael Cleveland
Wayne Erbsen has dedicated his whole professional life to playing, teaching, broadcasting, and writing about traditional mountain music. As a professor at the University of North Carolina Asheville, he has taught and performed old time and bluegrass music, hosted Country Roots for three decades on Blue Ridge Public Radio, and written a total of 38 books, most of them music instruction manuals.
Each chapter includes a number of concise biographies of important figures whose contributions are worth noting, some based on interviews Wayne has conducted with them, in person. Some are obvious; Earl Scruggs in the banjo chapter and Fiddlin’ Arthur Smith in fiddling, but many reach way back to very early artists, or take a look at young artists who are making a mark today.
Especially tasty is the second appendix, which is titled “Quickies,” featuring more than 50 brief snippets about individuals, songs, and experiences the author has chosen to insert.
Anyone with an interest in the history of the music of the southern Appalachian region will find Southern Mountain Music either a sterling resource, or an entertaining read, as you may prefer. One would expect to find this book on the reading list of Appalachian Studies programs all over the southeast.
With a Foreword by Tim Stafford, this is a “can’t lose” volume that belongs in the library of anyone with a passion for traditional mountain music.
Southern Mountain Music is available directly from the publisher, and from many online resellers.
The IBMA Foundation, the charitable and philanthropic arm of the International Bluegrass Music Association, has announced the recipients of their 2025 project grants. These are given to organizations worldwide that are fostering the growth of bluegrass music, the primary focus of the Foundation.
Foundation Board Chair Trisha Tubbs says that these grants, for which parties apply throughout the year, nicely accomplish their educational efforts.
“A diverse list of recipients for 2025 will support bluegrass education for both young people and adults. We are grateful to donors who continue to support the Foundation. Their generosity has helped to support very deserving programs.”
Receiving grants this year are:
Arthurdale Heritage; Arthurdale, West Virginia – grant to start a new Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) program for students in Preston County, West Virginia.
Chamber of Commerce, Hancock/Sneedville, Tennessee; Sneedville, Tennessee – to support a Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) program in Hancock county for four 12-week sessions, benefitting more than 30 students. The Gladson family leads the Hancock J.A.M. program.
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center; Smoky Mountain J.A.M.; Townsend, Tennessee – grant to support the Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) program for students in the Smoky Mountain National Park region of east Tennessee.
Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.); Independence, Virginia – grant to support the national Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) Teacher Certification training program and donation of two banjos to be used by students with financial need.
Monongalia Arts Center; Morganton, West Virginia – grant to support a Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) afterschool program for 4th and 5th graders held at the Monongalia Arts Center. An estimated 40 students in grades 4-8 will participate in the 14-week program planned for spring 2025 and fall 2026.
Museum & Cultural Center at 5ive Points; Junior Appalachian Musicians; Ocoee Region; Cleveland, Tennessee – grant to support a local Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) chapter that plans to increase participation to 40 students for the next school year.
The European Bluegrass Music Association; Dornach, Switzerland – grant to support the European Bluegrass Summit 2025 in Prague, Czech Republic, featuring three days of workshops, panel discussions, and concerts. This event marks the return of EBMA’s flagship annual conference after a 10-year hiatus, revitalizing its role in fostering collaboration and innovation within the bluegrass community.
Jam Pak Blues and Bluegrass; Chandler, Arizona – grant to support training student participants in simple maintenance and repair by professional luthiers and musicians. Jam Pak has been given many instruments, and they want to learn to maintain them and not let them fall into disrepair.
Louisville Folk School; Youth Bluegrass Summer Camp; Louisville, Kentucky – grant to support three weeks of youth summer camps. Each week-long camp will serve 20 children, age 5-12, who will learn to play traditional bluegrass instruments and be inspired by the musicians leading the camps.
Queen Bee Music Association; Santa Fe, New Mexico – grant to support a bluegrass music education program which introduces young people to bluegrass music through music camps, jams, concerts, and outreach.
Savannah Music Festival; Hazel Dickens at 100: Della Mae, featuring special guests Laurie Lewis and Alice Gerrard; Savannah, Georgia – grant to support a one-day concert celebrating the life and impact of Hazel Dickens in April, 2025.
ScreenDoor Songwriter Alliance; Helene: My Story, My Song: Using Songwriting to Reduce Traumatic Distress and Promote Personal Well-being and Community Healing After Hurricane Helene; Asheville, North Carolina – grant to support three songwriting workshops and performances at three high schools where students are determined to be at risk for, or exhibiting PTSD-like symptomology, as a consequence of Hurricane Helene. The team, directed by Louisa Branscomb, Ph.D., includes accomplished bluegrass musicians who also possess specific training or experience in the areas of mental health/counseling/crisis service.
Eric Shi; Educational videos for Chinese bluegrass students; Yunnan Province, China – grant to help fund production and travel for the creation of YouTube educational song videos with other Chinese musicians using traditional bluegrass and traditional Chinese instruments. Shi also hopes to further interest and participation in bluegrass music in China.
Kevin Slick; Free Strings; Winchester, Virginia – The creation of the Free Strings educational program was funded previously by an IBMA Foundation project grant to Annie Savage. The 2025 grant will help fund implementation of the Free Strings program in 50 schools.
West Virginia Academy; High school bluegrass band; Morgantown, West Virginia – Donation of one banjo and case to help establish a course of study that will include learning to play and perform bluegrass music.
The IBMA Foundation depends on the financial support of donors, and can accept both one-off contributions and every sort of planned giving. Donations can be tied to specific grants, scholarships, or efforts of the Foundation, and the number of grants and the amount of money given is dependent on these contributions.
You can find out about giving to the IBMA Foundation online.
Aa a part of the Folk Marathon airing this week on the University of Virginia’s WTJU during its 2025 fundraising drive, Bill Evans will be hosting a two-hour program this afternoon where he will play live recordings made at Charlottesville’s C&O Restaurant during the 1980s.
Way back in the previous century, when Bill was a recent graduate of UVA, he sponsored a concert series at C&O, and will be sharing board tapes from these shows from 4:00-6:00 p.m. today. Included will be music from Larry Sparks & the Lonesome Ramblers (featuring a young Stuart Duncan), Tony Trischka & Skyline, Country Gazette, Hot Rize, Cloud Valley, Peter Rowan (solo and with Cloud Valley), and J. D. Crowe & the New South.
Those of us who remember the ’80s can enjoy reliving the music of those days, hearing some of our beloved artists when they were 40 years younger, and newer bluegrass lovers can get a taste of how it was back then. Hint… it was really good.
WTJU broadcasts in central Virginia at 91.1 FM, and can be heard worldwide online from their web site.
If you miss it live, the program will be archived for two weeks at the WTJU site. After that, its gone.
This afternoon in Los Angeles The Recording Academy is holding the Grammy Premiere Ceremony, announcing and distributing the awards deemed insufficiently important for their big, televised Grammy Awards show this evening on CBS.
But, of course, these are exactly the ones we most care about, as they include the annual award for Best Bluegrass Album, just announced.
He was not in attendance at the ceremony, so segment host Rhiannon Giddens accepted on his behalf.
Well done, Billy.
Also of interest to many of our readers is the fact that Sierra Ferrell, who accepted awards for Best Americana Performance for American Dreaming, Best American Roots Song (with Melody Walker) for the same, and Best Americana Album for Trail of Flowers.
![Nick Chandler and Delivered - Never Did No Wanderin' [Official Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iBStuvtJSkc/hqdefault.jpg)
