Opinion and commentary

This article is a contribution from Tom Feller. In addition to performing with Feller & Hill, Tom is an experienced studio engineer and live audio reinforcement specialist. He was inspired to write following this past week running sound at Bean

Billboard, who publishes the (supposedly) quintessential music charts, have released their year-end chart of the Top 15 Bluegrass Albums of 2013. 15. Leaving Eden - Carolina Chocolate Drops 14. Brothers of the Highway - Dailey & Vincent 13. The Living Years - The Isaacs 12. Ahoy! - The Punch Brothers 11. Hammer Down - The

My mailbox and inbox overflowed with music in 2013, as sure a sign as any that bluegrass is alive and well. There’s good news and bad news about that. The good news is that much of that music was very well

This commentary is a contribution from Caroline Wright, in response to a number of comments to our previous articles about Tony Rice's financial difficulties, which suggest that he was unworthy of such assistance. Friends and neighbors and fellow guitar lovers, I'm

Seriously, who needs Nashville? I was among those not thrilled when IBMA packed up and moved World of Bluegrass from Nashville to Raleigh, N.C. The annual awards show taking place somewhere other than the historic Ryman? Unthinkable. The yearly business conference being held

IBMA Executive Director Nancy Cardwell is interested in hearing from members who have ideas about the rules for the association’s award for emerging artist of the year. Cardwell responded after my commentary last month, which pointed out what I saw as

At one point during Wednesday night’s announcement of nominees for this year’s IBMA awards, Jim Lauderdale caught himself reading the choices for female vocalist of the year for the second time, and Sam Bush kidded about having a déjà vu moment. Unfortunately,

While attending the 40th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival I was struck by three bands in particular that caused my mind to race with an age old question.  For decades it’s been asked: “What is bluegrass music?” The question comes in

I walked into the store, and even though I was the only one in there, I saw a thousand faces staring back at me. The glare of the cellophane made it hard to see, but I liked it. By not

Death has crept near and far this week in unspeakable horror, to those we know and to those we hear about. Words are usually my comfort, but this past week has reminded me of the inadequacy of words to express