Reviews

When a Lonesome River Band CD pops up in the mailbox, I have a pretty good idea what to expect: Impeccable picking, impressive vocals and some of the best banjo picking this side of Earl Scruggs, all expertly recorded and

The cover of the new CD from The Grascals shows the six bandmates around a table holding seven coffee mugs. It’s almost as if they’re waiting for you to join them. You can call it truth in advertising. Before Breakfast is

If there was an IBMA award for blue-collar bluegrass band, Hammertowne would easily win my vote. No fancy outfits, no frills, just straight ahead traditional bluegrass delivered with a high degree of consistency. The latest evidence of Hammertowne’s craftsmanship is found

Rootchie Tootchie & the Ragtime Shepard Kings at Oldtone - photo © Tara Linhardt The Oldtone Roots Music Festival has once again dazzled its audience with great music and fun activities for an entire weekend. The festival is located on the

Javonda Charlene Smith, friend and former employee of Bill Monroe, has released her second book of memories and photos based on the great man's life. Entitled Bill Monroe And Friends, The Sequel, this book offers a look at Big Mon,

This past weekend marked the second annual SamJam Music Festival, held at the Pike County Fairgrounds in Piketon, OH. The festival is growing at an amazing rate, with Sammy Karr and Rick Greene at the wheel. These guys strive to

This review of One Song at a Time comes from Annie Savage, fiddler/vocalist with The Savage Hearts, educator and clinician, and PhD candidate at the University of Iowa. Look for her and the Hearts at World Of Bluegrass 2017 where

It’s 2017, folks, and just about anything goes in bluegrass music. The bluegrass world is broader than ever, with country, old time, folk, Americana, and pop influences inspiring both newer and more established artists. The “big tent” is getting bigger

If, for some awful reason, I could only attend one bluegrass festival each year outside of IBMA’s big bash in Raleigh, I would most likely pick one of the twice-a-year extravaganzas at Gettysburg. The music, of course, is terrific, with enough

Sometimes it seems that it's only a stroke of fate that decides whether strong new bluegrass singers and songwriters that hit Nashville go the country or the bluegrass route. Take Mo Pitney, an extremely talented young vocalist who is starting