• Notes From Gettysburg, August 2019

    It’s no secret to regular readers that the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival is one of my two favorite stops of the year, the other being IBMA’s World of Bluegrass in Raleigh every fall. The festival is just an hour from home, features

  • The Butcher Shoppe – Della Mae

    It would be understandable if the uninitiated mistakenly mistook Della Mae for a sister ensemble. Their close-knit harmonies and astute arrangements have a cohesion and confidence that ensures a compact fit and an air of authenticity that recalls an old

  • Blissfield Bluegrass on the River 2019

    Blissfield Bluegrass on the River is a small, community sponsored, free one day event that has been held for the past nine years. The Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association has organized and presented the festival for the past three years.

  • 2019 Mandolin Farms report

    Two weeks ago, my wife Missy and I made our way to beautiful Flemingsburg, Kentucky for the Mandolin Farms C.A.M. Fest, presented by our good friend Vic Adams and his family. The name C.A.M comes from young family member, Colt

  • Leylines – Rising Appalachia

    Don’t be misled. Their name may conjure up images of a certain homespun sensibility, but in fact, Rising Appalachia creates a sound with a far more worldly view. Sisters Leah and Chloe Smith, the core of the outfit, are experienced

  • Nofugrass 2019 report

    This report from the 3rd annual Nofugrass in Spain comes from Lluis Gomez, noted Spanish banjo player and teacher. Bluegrass and old time music is growing in Spain, with more musicians, festivals, and fans every year. Case in point is Nofugrass

  • Songs From Lyon County – Dennis K. Duff

    Dennis K. Duff brings with him a wealth of tradition, much of it borne from his family’s own backstory revolving around their early settlement of Lyon County Kentucky. That of course adds authenticity, but equally importantly, it adds a genuine sense