Reviews

Shelby Eicher at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame (March 2018) - photo by Sandi Cooksey Last Wednesday night was no different than any other Eicher Wednesday at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. Shelby Eicher always has tons of talent,

Sara Watkins, Aoife O'Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz of I'm With Her - photo by Alisa B Cherry There’s nothing quite like the sound of voices blended in harmony, and when those voices belong  to three of the most able and engaging

The 14th February Palatka Bluegrass Festival kicked off with a bang on Thursday afternoon. The day turned warm and sunny with the temperature reaching 80 degrees. Sherry Boyd is once more handling the MC duties, She keeps the bands and the

Would you rather hear an average rendition of a great song, or a stellar version of an average song? That's a though experiment I have rolled around in my brain for some time, mostly for fun. Ultimately, however, neither can

The Steeldrivers on stage in Atlanta at the Buckhead Theatre on Feb. 2, 2018 - photo by David Cohen It’s a testament to the unique sound and immense talent of the Steeldrivers that the Nashville-based bluegrass band can switch lead singers

The term “traditional bluegrass” can mean many different things these days. For some groups, it means they play rough and raw and record live around one microphone; for others, it means they dress in suits and ties and try to

Yee-haw! The Steep Canyon Rangers are riding again! This time, they are out in the open, the great wide open! Thank goodness, because nothing about their new album, Out in the Open, should be concealed in any way. Like the

When new music arrives from Joe Mullins and The Radio Ramblers, you can pretty much guarantee hearing traditional bluegrass songs about love, regret and hope, with a bit of Gospel added for good measure. You’ll hear tight harmonies and clean

It’s time for my annual compilation of favorite recordings of 2017. It is decidedly subjective, not necessarily the best overall, but what caught my ear and imagination. There’s just one caveat: I don’t include recordings that include songs or liner notes

Just shy of celebrating thirty years as a band, bluegrass Gospel stalwarts The Churchmen continue to sound energetic and fresh on God Holds Tomorrow, their latest album for Mountain Fever Records. The album’s twelve all-new songs include four originals from