Reviews

Make no mistake — the Allegheny Drifters have no allusions about being nu-grass, grassicana, Americana, or for that matter anything other that what they are, which is traditional bluegrass. Some might deride them for making no attempt to push the

One of the most underrated female vocalists in bluegrass music today, hands down, is Melody Williamson of Nashville-based family band Williamson Branch. She’s been around the bluegrass world for years, performing on stage with her parents as a kid, showcasing

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, and fronted by vocalist/fiddler Kati Penn Williams and her singer/banjo player husband, Jr. Williams, NewTown produces a sound that typifies today’s new generation of bluegrass bands. Formed in 2009, the band got its start when Williams

There aren't many people in bluegrass with the level of credibility both on stage and behind the scenes that accrues to Clay Hess. As a guitarist and singer he has been part of Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Mountain Heart,

2018 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion - photo by Teresa Gereaux Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion celebrated its 18th year, September 21-23. Rhythm and Roots takes over downtown Bristol with four major outdoor stages, one on State Street, where half the

It’s rare when a new band nails their sound the first time out, so credit Wood Belly with doing exactly that and earning the kudos they deserve as a result. Recorded last October with Grammy-winning producer Sally Van Meter at

It’s evident even at the outset that Wood & Wire appreciate the essence and nuances of grassicana, not only in the way they construct their adept arrangements, but also in the sources that serve as their inspiration. While the title

Driving up the winding road to Poppy Mountain, the buzz of ATV’s gradually mixed with the music festival-goers come to enjoy year after year in Morehead, KY. We noted the infamous signs of the festival’s past artists along the entrance

It ought to come as little surprise that Hot Buttered Rum’s recorded catalog contains a fair amount of concert albums, especially when considering the fact that they’re a band whose instrumental outlay translates well to live performance. With nine offerings

It's been said many times of late that we are living through a golden age of banjos, a claim that seems easy to support. Even though the venerable Gibson Mastertone is no longer in production, there are a number of