Amanda Cook Does It All

Photo By Wes Hobbs – Better Focus Photography Singer/songwriter Amanda Cook doesn’t simply shine on the creative side as a full-time touring and recording artist. She also has a solid business acumen and knowledge, accompanied by a strong work ethic, that has propelled her to the Chief Operations Officer position at Mountain Fever Records, the…

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the artists

Brandon Lee Adams // Photo by Patrick Gibson

Brandon Lee Adams

The Life  of a Musician on  PBS Appalachia When Brandon Adams called me several years ago and told me that he was getting ready to produce a new television show for PBS Appalachia, I’ll have to admit that I was hesitant to jump in with a story about it because many times these kinds of…

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Tom Sauber // Photo by William Purcell

Through the Years with Tom Sauber

There aren’t many bluegrass or old-time fiddlers who can claim to have performed in a bear suit. More than once. As cool as that is, it represents but a second in the long and eventful career of the highly esteemed Southern California multi-instrumentalist Tom Sauber. Now in his seventh decade as a professional musician, has…

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Annie Staninec with the Kathy Kallick Band (left to right) Greg Booth, Annie Staninec, Kathy Kallick, Tom Bekeny and Cary Black Photo by Anne Hamersky

Annie Staninec

Fiery Bluegrass Fiddler Annie Staninec has a lot going for her. First, she has what might be the biggest smile by several inches of anybody except possibly Doug Dillard. Second, she is a fiery bluegrass fiddler, perhaps the “grassiest” fiddler of them all.  I was honored to interview her for this article. I chose to…

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from the archives

It’s Been Nothing But Fun! — Hub Nitchie and Banjo Newsletter

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine August 1989, Volume 24, Number 2 In October, 1988, Banjo Newsletter, the 5-string banjo magazine, celebrated fifteen years of continuous publication. That’s one magazine a month for fifteen years! That’s 180 magazines—all devoted to the 5-string banjo. “Surely,” you ask, “can there actually be that much to say about the…

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