All too often, bands sound their best in the studio. They bring in super pickers to augment or replace regular band members and rely on technology and a great engineer to deliver a sound they can’t possibly replicate on the
Reviews
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Radio Shows – Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys
Bluegrass fans under the age of 50 could be excused for not understanding the crucial role radio played in the development of our music. Those under 30 won't even recall a time when their favorite music wasn't just a click
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Circa Blue’s A Darker Blue
The new release from Circa Blue is accurately named. In A Darker Blue, this Northern Maryland trio puts the blues in bluegrass. The title gives a solid hint, of course. Further evidence comes from a glance through the titles of the
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Practice Strategy Checklist from Bennett Sullivan
We've written before about Bennett Sullivan, a banjo player plying his trade in New York City, and his fine album of new banjo tunes, Lady Nora. In addition to performing in and around the Big Apple, Bennett is also a successful
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Trampin’ On – Steep Ravine
Bluegrass music is often praised for its driving rhythm and fast, hot picking – particularly on the banjo. However, there’s another side to bluegrass ingenuity, often with a more laidback sound, that fully embraces bluegrass music’s connections to jazz and
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The Story of My Life – Summer McMahan
Summer McMahan, the fiddle player and lead vocalist for western North Carolina Gospel group Mountain Faith, has recently branched out on her own to release her debut solo album. She’s joined by several of her Mountain Faith bandmates here, and
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Dave Adkins has Nothing to Lose
Some bluegrass folks are just meant to sing together. Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent. Dale Ann Bradley and Steve Gulley. And a seemingly endless string of brothers, from the Delmores to the Gibsons. Add to that list Dave Adkins and Edgar
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Side By Side – Ralph Stanley and Ralph Stanley II
Bluegrass fans of a certain age, who were following the music during the 1970s, will surely recall the soulful music recorded by Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys throughout the decade, when Ralph returned to performing following Carter's untimely
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Memories of Mine – Charlsey Etheridge
It’s rare to find a musician, especially in the traditional music world, who wasn’t influenced by a parent or grandparent at a young age. For Charlsey Etheridge, a Georgia native who has recently released her debut album, one of those
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Living For The Moment – Kristy Cox
We hear quite a bit about country crossover artists in the bluegrass world. Marty Raybon, for instance, has had successful careers in both genres, while Rhonda Vincent recently released a dual country and bluegrass album. Kristy Cox is one of