• Kris Rasnake to Blue Moon Rising

    Here's one we missed when it occurred earlier this year... Kris Rasnake is playing banjo with Blue Moon Rising. He took the spot vacated by Owen Piatt, who had laid down the five on the band's current CD, Strange New World. While

  • Memories of Tony Pass

    This remembrance of Tony Pass is a contribution from David E. Schenkman, proprietor of Turtle Hill Banjo Co., and one of Tony's dear friends in the banjo community. Last Tuesday (7/26) Linda Pass called to give me the sad news that

  • Tony Pass, R.I.P.

    Noted banjo craftsman Tony Pass has died after suffering for many months with cancer. He was the designer of the popular Tony Pass rims, noted for their block construction. The wood used was timber reclaimed after having been submerged at the

  • Jim Gabeheart makes the news

    I've known a number of banjo picking attorneys in my day (insert joke here), but Jim Gabeheart is the first five-slinging prosecutor to make my acquaintance. In addition to his duties as an Assistant Prosecutor in Lincoln County, WV, Jim plays

  • Charlie Cushman leaves Flamekeeper

    Charlie Cushman has left his position playing banjo with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper to refocus attention on his banjo set up business, and stay a little closer to home. His last show with the band was this past Thursday. In a

  • Last Chance from Russ Carson

    Russ Carson is the full-time banjo player with Audie Blaylock and Redline, who has released his debut solo project, Last Chance, on Patuxent Records. It features Russ along with a red-hot rhythm section - and several terrific vocalists - on

  • Jim Mills on the BBC

    In a piece broadcast today (7/18) on the BBC 4 Americana podcast, banjo player and collector Jim Mills offers British listeners some insight into the history and development of our beloved 5 string banjo. Jim takes the producers into his sanctum

  • Chris Pandolfi introduces Banjo-Cam!

    Chris Pandolfi, erstwhile banjoist for The Infamous Stringdusters and budding videographer, has introduced a fun new feature to 'Dusters' live shows. In something he calls a Stringdusters video autograph, Chris will attach your Flip camera to his banjo headstock for a

  • Jim Mills in Garden & Gun

    We've posted a few times about Garden & Gun magazine. It's a glossy bi-monthly that merges content on southern lifestyle with hunting and outdoors features. They have been quite kind to bluegrass music, with recent features on Sam Bush, Punch Brothers,

  • Sleepy Man Banjo Boys on Letterman

    The whole bluegrass world is falling in love with Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, the brother trio of hot young pickers from Lebanon Township, New Jersey. We first mentioned them on Bluegrass Today last November, and it turns out that one