Music Reviews

While the phrase “du jour” may be familiar to coffee house goers and soup connoisseurs, it may be one that much of the bluegrass world encounters only rarely, especially where their music is concerned. However, there is at least one

One might say that becoming a bluegrass virtuoso was simply written in the stars for Buddy Merriam, a mandolinist originally from Hartford, Connecticut. Although he had played guitar since childhood, he became interested in the mandolin after seeing Frank Wakefield

Quick! Name a band lineup that included members of The Grascals, Marty Stuart & The Fabulous Superlatives, The Osborne Brothers, The John Cowan Band, and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (to name a few). If you guessed The Mike Snider String

With seven national recordings to her credit, Lorraine Jordan is back at it again with Carolina Road’s second Rural Rhythm release, Back to My Roots. Formed in 1998, the group remains very active on the bluegrass circuit, averaging 60 festivals

Bluegrass has been a long served as a platform for artists to springboard to success in the country music arena. In addition to new traditionalists like Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Keith Whitley, and Ricky Skaggs, many other country artists dabbled

Having recorded and toured together since 1975, the North Carolina-based band The Crowe Brothers have released several projects in many band configurations, including albums with Raymond Fairchild and David McLaughlin. However, their latest effort, Bridging The Gap, which sits somewhere

In order to write and perform music featuring Appalachian subjects, one does not have to have a rural heritage, as proven by the members of Massachusetts-based band Three Tall Pines. Their latest release, All That’s Left, relies heavily on images

Eric Gibson calls Too Blue’s work “music for grown-ups,” and it’s easy to see why on the New York band’s second CD, Trouble With The Grey. This is part jazz – think big-band swing and the Andrews Sisters – part Patsy

Recently released by Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! is a generous helping of original music spanning the spectrum of bluegrass styles from traditional to contemporary. Upon listening to Wayne's vocal style, it is apparent that he is not a typical

It took me just seconds to break into a broad smile the first time I listened to Many a Mile, the recent release from Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray and Friends (Patuxent Music). As soon as Eddie’s banjo kicked