Bluegrass Songwriting News

This month’s Songwriter’s Back Story features the song Old Train, written by Herb Pedersen and the late, Nikki Pedersen (plus as a bonus, Wait A Minute, also by Herb). It was recorded first by The Seldom Scene in 1973 as the title

The DC Bluegrass Union has announced the winners of their 2016 Hazel Dickens Song Contest. The contest is sponsored to celebrate the memory of Hazel Dickens, a prolific songwriter herself, and a long time DC-area resident. Proceeds from the contest, which generated

The International Bluegrass Music Association is accepting applications through the end of this month for their World of Bluegrass Songwriter Showcase. It is hosted each year during the organization's annual convention, and will be held on Thursday, September 29 in Raleigh, NC. Ten

Prominent Nashville publishing house and music production company, Banner Music, has announced that Jerry Salley has signed with their agency. Jerry has written a string of hit songs and album cuts in bluegrass and Gospel music, as well as mainstream country.

Greetings bluegrass friends and fellow fans. If you are reading this, I’m betting you are a fan of bluegrass music, probably have an impressive music collection and more than likely enjoy live music at festivals and concerts. No matter how or where

Auld Lang Syne is a Scottish folk song, most commonly associated with Scottish bard Robert Burns, whose artistic legacy is celebrated on this date in his native country. He described it as ‘a song of olden times’ which appears to have been

Weeds (Where the Flowers of Love Once Grew) was written by David Morris and Chris Dockins, two emerging song-writing talents in the bluegrass music fraternity. They wrote the song in in February 2013, during what was their “second or third writing

Entry deadlines are approaching for two top songwriting contests that are of interest to bluegrassers. The deadline to enter the DC Bluegrass Union’s second annual Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest is Jan. 15. Winners will be announced March 10. The entry fee

Following her passing early this year, it has been revealed that prolific bluegrass songwriter Dixie Hall had left funds in her will for the establishment of an organization to assist institutions who are working to help young artists pursue bluegrass music. It

The Hazel Dickens Song Contest, sponsored by the DC Bluegrass Union, is now accepting entries for their 2nd annual competition. Named to honor the recently-departed bluegrass songwriter, the contest is a fundraiser for DCBU, who promote bluegrass and traditional music in