Reviews

Pandemic or not, everyone is busy this time of year, so I'll get straight to the point: Swing For The Fences, from Phil Leadbetter and the All Stars of Bluegrass, is my favorite bluegrass project of 2020. There were many outstanding projects,

Based on the album art for the latest album from Bluedust, Travelin', the casual viewer would easily assume the band is an up-and-coming group in the modern traditional vein, hailing from North Carolina or Virginia. Five men holding instruments, gathered

Many bluegrass albums are touted as solo records, particularly when an artist who is best known as part of a popular band steps out on their own. However, As Time Goes By, the newest album from Jacob Underwood, banjo player

A decade after launching their career, and with five albums to their credit thus far, New River Bluegrass has emerged as one of the most proficient Gospel groups operating within today's bluegrass environs. That certainly says something about their prowess,

West Virginia's Crandall Creek hasn’t been on the bluegrass scene an extremely long time, but their songs have already made a big splash on bluegrass radio – particularly on those stations that favor the Grassicana style. The band’s first few

One of the most time-honored traditions in the bluegrass world is that of the family band – mom, dad, and the kids, often building the band from the ground up as the kids and parents hone their craft together over

Clare Brown was clearly a child prodigy. Her bio claims that she's been playing fiddle since the age of four, which is a considerable accomplishment by any standard. Those lessons learned early on are fully realized in Brown's excellent debut offering,

Singer/banjo player Matt Menefee and singer/mandolin player Bryan Simpson — collectively known as The Golden Age — are spirited auteurs obviously inspired by bluegrass, but at the same time, also clearly capable of imbuing an emphatic imprint of their own.

Robert Hale can trace his career back to the tender age of nine when he gained his first performing experience, playing alongside his father on a weekly West Virginia television show that was broadcast on WOAY. That eventually led to

Missy Armstrong first came to the attention of the bluegrass world a few years back as the powerful lead vocalist behind several radio hits from Michigan-based band, Detour. Though she had taken some time off from performing recently, Armstrong recorded