Friday, June 19th in Charlottesville, Virginia, the ornate walls of The Jefferson Theater resonated with the brilliant and exotic sounds of Rising Appalachia's distinct blend of folk, soul, and world music. The last classification is not nearly fitting enough to
It’s a pretty hefty undertaking for a bluegrass band – especially an independent group – to release one album per year. Bud’s Collective, a relatively new group based out of the northern Virginia/eastern West Virginia area, upped the ante for
One of – if not the – most anticipated albums of the past year was the return of Hot Rize after twenty-odd years with When I’m Free. Since its release in late 2014, the group has embarked upon a popular
Alex Hibbitts’ Depression Lies Studio in Sevierville, TN is quickly becoming a go-to spot for up-and-coming bluegrass artists whose music leans toward the popular country-tinged modern traditional style. Recent solo projects by Matt Wallace, Cody Shuler, and Hibbitts himself were
Laura Orshaw might be the busiest bluegrass fiddler in Boston, Massachusetts. The Pennsylvania native performs with five different bands in and around Beantown - including her own New Velvet Band - and seems to fill in from time to time
Winning the award for unique traditional music band name of the month is Wisconsin-based duo The Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers. Nikki Grossman and Joe Hart bill themselves as “a brand-new take on old-time country,” and their newest release, a twelve song (plus
When Chris Stapleton left the SteelDrivers a few years back, I was skeptical that the band could recapture the magic with someone else in front of the microphone. His let-it-all-hang-out style defined the band and made its recordings instantly recognizable. So
This review is a contribution from Ivor Trueman. Italy’s Ruben & Matt and The Truffle Valley Boys, play 1950’s style bluegrass, and they pretty much replicate the original bluegrass ‘sound’ and ‘look’ perfectly. On stage they perform in hats and ties, sharply dressed in
Bluegrass fans may recognize the name Stacy Grubb from her work with the Clay Hess Band, including a popular tour several years ago, or perhaps from her husband’s bluegrass management and booking service, Jason Grubb Artist Management. Though Grubb’s first
It's a bluegrass Gospel CD... It's a Southern Gospel CD... It's two CDs in one! That was my reaction after giving a thorough listen to Feller & Hill's new release, I Firmly Promise You. The guys clearly have one foot firmly
