The Michigan bluegrass community is mourning the passing of Burke Cole, who with his wife, Tina, put on the Marshall Bluegrass Festival this past 15 years in south Central Michigan. Burke died on March 3 at Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall. He was 71
Bluegrass At Large
12 Ways To Instantly Improve Your Band Website
Our friends at Bandzoogle have created a free, downloadable, 30 page ebook designed to help independent bands spruce up their web sites and make them more effective. It's titled 12 Ways To Instantly Improve Your Band Website, and includes very simple tips
Steve Groat passes
Steve Groat, who established the Aiken Bluegrass Festival in 2004 with his wife, Jeannie, died on Tuesday (12/11). He was 67 years old, and had been vigorously battling cancer this past 9 years. The festival is held in Aiken, SC and
Jim Wilder passes
Jim Wilder, long-time festival promoter in the Great Lakes region, has passed away unexpectedly. James R. Wilder was born November 10, 1933 in Varmint County, Tennessee to the late James and Martha Wilder. He established the T. J. Drywall Company and ran
‘Mac’ McHale has passed
New England bluegrass and traditional country music stalwart Allan 'Mac’ McHale passed away last night (November 11) in Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine, following a heart attack. Allan F. McHale was born in May 11, 1932 in Bangor, Maine,
The High and Lonesome – Poems by Russell Brakefield
Verse has always been an integral component of bluegrass music, just as it has for every song form. The very art of songwriting hinges on the ability to blend words and music in ways that are both attractive to the ear,
Welcome The Parmesans
We heard recently from The Parmesans, a new bluegrass outfit in the Bay area of California. Like many young urban bands, their members are interested and involved in a wide variety of musical styles, in this case "ranging from punk
The bluegrass hair wars
Well, it seems like we have started a major controversy in bluegrass with our poll seeking to determine who has the best hair in bluegrass. Artists are sending their fans to vote, so we will keep the poll up until Thursday
Pickin’ at the Apple store
Here's ones for all the Apple fans out there. (Haters, keep it to yourself.) Our friends at Whynoceros, who developed the Barnyard Bluegrass app for iOS devices, showed up at the Apple store in Portland to entertain the folks in line to
Stillhouse Jane video from Templeton Thompson
Country music singer and songwriter Templeton Thompson has taken a turn to the bluegrass for her latest video, Stillhouse Jane. It's the story of a woman who can't seem to keep away from the moonshine whiskey, and the video plays it