• Feed a cold, starve a touring musician

    Last week, I introduced the radical idea that the road life may not be the idyllic lifestyle it’s imagined to be. This week I’m ready to come right out and declare that it’s also downright unhealthy. In a recent survey of

  • How I came to love life on The Road

    “The life I love is making music with my friends And I can’t wait to get on the road again” - Willie Nelson For many bluegrass musicians, the road can be a disappointing and wearing experience, and it often leads to early

  • Border intrigue for bluegrass musicians

    I’m on an extended family vacation right now (48 hours), so with your permission (who am I kidding? You have no say in the matter at all!) I’m presenting a slightly revised version of a column which ran previously in

  • Bluegrass Olympics in 2014?

    After events of the past week, I’ve been asked numerous questions and have tried to respond to various rumors about my position with Bluegrass Today, and any possible changes to my schedule here. Unfortunately, the extremely restrictive contract I signed

  • SPBGMA ’14 in the rearview

    I'd just like to go on record as saying that I love the SPBGMA weekend in Nashville, and this past weekend's event was another good one. There's really a lot to love, from the obscure acronym (understood only by insiders), to

  • Can I Be Frank?

    Recently, I’ve noticed that band breakups, wholesale personnel changes, and other career developments once thought of as negative are being broadcast to the world in press release form. Maybe this is a good thing, reflecting a new era of openness and

  • 2014 Bluegrass Knowledge Test

    Every January, or thereabouts (January to April or so) I publish an annual bluegrass music quiz, known officially as the Bluegrass Knowledge Test, or BKT (believe me, it took numerous meetings, presentations, and the formation of several committees to come

  • No-risk predictions for 2014

    As discussed last week, making resolutions is a popular January pastime. Making predictions for the coming year is another one, and many psychics, whether amateur, professional, or semi-pro (weekend psychics), are already weighing in. Really, as with New Year’s resolutions, there’s

  • If all else fails… email Mom

    New Year’s resolutions are, for the most part, doomed to failure. I’m sorry to be the one to quell New Year’s optimism, but try to just think of me as the messenger. I’m merely stating an undisputed fact. Now for the good