Larry Sparks at the 2018 Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival - photo by Dale Cahill Just before the final act on Sunday at the 2018 Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival, promoter Michael Mulligan made a surprise announcement. There will be a festival next
The Slocan Ramblers are an ideal example of grassicana’s northern sweep and universal embrace, dancing along the line between bluegrass and old time music. Hailing from Canada, the quartet — Frank Evans (banjo, harmonica, vocals), Adrian Gross (mandolin), Darryl Poulsen
Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass festival begins today. We arrived on Monday and have enjoyed swimming in the ocean, sitting on the beach, reconnecting with old friends and picking far into the night. Thomas Point is famous among bluegrassers for its
The Travelin' McCourys with Jerry Douglas at the 2018 Jam In The Trees - photo by Alisa B. Cherry If the best festivals are measured by the vibe as well as by the music, then Jam in the Trees successfully scores
Its a knowing musician who can bring listeners to the heights of sheer elation, and then ease them down with measured tomes offering reflection and rumination. Indeed, if thats the definition of an engaging artist then suffice it to say
Eight years ago an idea became a reality in Blissfield, Michigan. The Blissfield Downtown Development Authority presented Blissfield Bluegrass on the River for the first six years. The Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association accepted the challenge of managing and operating
Béla Fleck welcomes the class at the 2018 Blue Ridge Banjo Camp - photo by Brian Swenk “Immerse yourself.” If there was one consistent theme to the inaugural Béla Fleck Blue Ridge Banjo Camp, it wasn't necessarily the technical mechanics of banjo
There’s something to be said for the effusive enthusiasm of bluegrass stirred with sentiment and spirituality. Indeed, that’s an initial indication of authenticity, a tack that High Fidelity pursues to the fullest. Well-garbed in their matching outfits and making no
Fairgrounds at Podunk 2018 made for easy, organized camping - photo by Dale Cahill It has been ten years since we last attended the Podunk Bluegrass Festival, and boy how it has changed. This summer, we finally returned to enjoy Podunk’s
Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road purvey the essence of traditional bluegrass, but play their songs with an edge and urgency that often hints at a deeper designs. While the vocals and instrumentation pay heed to archival precedents — Bill Monroe