Bluegrass instructional resources

Mike Witcher, who has played resonator guitar with Missy Raines and the New Hip since its inception in 2002, has announced his departure from the group. In addition to being a fine musician, Witcher also has a photography business, and

We heard yesterday from Mike Conner, producer of both the Roanoke Fiddlefest bluegrass festival, and more recently, the traveling Bass Strummit instructional workshops. As we mentioned when Conner hosted his first event, there have long been plentiful such opportunities for students

Pete Wernick, aka Dr. Banjo, and his lovely wife Joan will be headed to Russia this summer to participate in the Russia-America Bluegrass Jamboree in July. This is the first event of its kind, being organized in part by the Consulate

Vermont banjo picker Gordon Stone has a well-earned reputation for melding the 3 finger banjo style with other idioms, among them jazz and African folk music. He has toured and recorded widely, but has not yet attained the sort of

The 27th annual International Country Music Conference is scheduled for later this week in Nashville. This annual event, hwld on the campus of Belmont University, brings together scholars and academics who make country music their field of study. Noted bluegrass historian

Henri Deschamps, proprietor of The Mast Farm Inn, a lovely B&B in western North Carolina, has announced a new series of intimate musical retreats, designed to offer serious students of bluegrass music an opportunity to study closely with its top

Brance had a great piece up in September last year about banjo player Patrick Costello, and how he regained his hearing after a successful surgical implant. Patrick had suffered hearing loss as a child, and yet taught himself how to

Mel Bay has published a new mandolin book, written by Joe Carr. Entitled Mandolin For Seniors, it is a beginner's manual especially geared for older learners. Larger fonts are used with an nod towards eyes that are "formerly young," and the

AcuTab is set to release the first instructional DVD for one of the most celebrated pickers in bluegrass music. Barry Bales - A Solid Approach To Acoustic Bass is set for an April 27 release. Bales is well-known for his work

Bobby Osborne will be recognized next month during the graduation ceremony for the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music in Hazard, KY on May 15. He will receive an honorary Associate Degree in Human Letters from Dr. Allen Goben,