A first year composition student at Oberlin Conservatory, Max Allard takes an adventurous and — at times — a seemingly unorthodox approach to banjo. With his daring debut album, Odes/Codes, he applies lessons learned from such prestigious and prodigious mentors
Norman Blake is without question one of the most influential musicians in the acoustic stratosphere. His distinctive guitar style has been studied by many aspiring players. His original songs have captured the ears of countless listeners due in large part
As first reported in this publication in March, 2021, Acoustic Lullaby was the brainchild of acclaimed bluegrass banjo player and guitarist Tony Wray, Pinecastle Records owner Lonnie Lassiter, and the company's CEO, Ethan Burkhardt. Lassiter and Burkhardt were new fathers
Like so many of us, in and out of bluegrass, the members of Unspoken Tradition had big plans for 2020, touring in support of, and planning their follow-up to, 2019's superb Myths We Tell Our Young. But COVID interrupted those plans,
The banjo has lengthy origins dating all the way back to the 1870s. Since the 1990s, banjoist Bill Evans has concisely presented this history in a solo performance titled The Banjo In America, giving audiences a taste of numerous banjo
A Midwesterner who's well adept at fiddle and old time music spawned from the Ozark Mountains in particular, Kevin Buckley shares a solo debut that reflects both his verve and versatility. He personally describes Big Spring as a celebration of
It's a mark of a great album when you can listen to it straight through without wanting to skip any songs. But what about when you find yourself keeping it in the CD player for hours on end, pressing rewind
Ohio native Mark Whitt specializes in the sounds of traditional bluegrass music. It's reflected in all of his studio projects, especially his latest, Tennessee Moon. Though all the material on Tennessee Moon utilizes full band arrangements, there are only three musicians
Old Crow Medicine Show at Meijer Garden in Grand Rapids, MI - photo © Bryan Bolea Old Crow Medicine Show high-stepped their way into Meijer Gardens' amphitheater from stage left and quickly let the sold out crowd know it was time
Ralph Stanley II at the 2022 Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival - photo by Ted Lehmann This report, with photos, is a contribution from Ted Lehmann, one of the more prolific writers and photographers in bluegrass music for many years. Now retired,
