• Matt Downing to Larry Stephenson Band

    The Larry Stephenson Band has announced Matt Downing as their new guitar player, stepping in for Nick Dauphinais who held down that position for many years. Downing has worked as a bluegrass banjo and guitar player since he was in school,

  • Mel Bay adds two new instructional books

    Mel Bay Publications has two new titles that should be of interest to bluegrass musicians, and those studying to become ones. First up, Hot Banjo Licks in the Different Musical Genres, written by Italian banjo player Claudio Parravicini, who has also

  • Gloria Belle passes 

    Gloria Belle, a powerful second-generation bluegrass vocalist and instrumentalist, probably best known for stints with Jimmy Martin, passed away on May 5, 2023. She was 84 years of age. Known early on as the Pennsylvania Sunshine Girl, she was probably the first

  • How Blue from Carson Peters & Iron Mountain

    Billy Blue Records has a debut single from their most recents signees, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain. Their version of How Blue answers the question that's been on the mind of a great many bluegrass fans following Carson's recent appearances on The

  • Wolfpen Branch closes up shop

    Original music-based Wolfpen Branch, located around Lexington, KY, has announced the dissolution of the group. They had formed about two years ago around the nexus of a long running band known as Hancock and Shouse, based on the primary singers and

  • Window of a Train from Cedar Hill

    Mountain Fever Records has a new single from their upcoming album with Cedar Hill, a veteran outfit led by Ozark mandolin hero Frank Ray since the 1960s. For this new featured track they have chosen Window of a Train, written by

  • Two new singles from Don Rigsby

    RBR Entertainment has released not one, but two new singles for Don Rigsby, an uptempo grasser and a contemplative gospel number. Both were written by Rigsby in collaboration with RBR President Billy Droze. Cold Ashes is a straight up grass tune