Articles
IssueM Articles
Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys
By Mike Greenstein Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine July 1977, Volume 12, Number 1 Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys live in Boston, far removed geographically from the nation’s major bluegrass belt. In style and philosophy, however, this quartet with heavy Yankee accents still speaks the language of the bluegrass mainstream. Unlike many…
Buck Ryan
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine January 1974, Volume 8, Number 7 The mailbox in front of the neat Fairfax, Va., home bears the name “Arnold Walter Ryan.” But in Jackson, Miss., Bean Blossom, Ind., and Nashville, Tenn., they know the man as “Buck Ryan — World Champion Fiddler.” “There’s only one thing as entertaining as…
Jan Johansson
Follow Your Dreams Photos Courtesy of Jan Johansson Jan (pronounced “Yahn”) Johansson is a man who has defied all odds. A true connoisseur of bluegrass, he is a player, teacher, historian, collector, and much more. What makes him truly amazing is that he achieved all this by overcoming huge obstacles along the way: being born and…
Notes & Queries – November 2025
Q: The very first time I ever saw Dr. Ralph Stanley, it was late ‘60s to early ‘70s at a German club in Dover, New Jersey: Germania Park. There is NO info on this in ANY history. I would like to know what the date was if anyone has it. I did talk to Ralph…
2025 Talent Directory
The Bluegrass Unlimited Annual Talent Directory lists all artists and bands that requested inclusion in this directory. If you are a performing artist or are in a band and would like to be listed in the future, please email [email protected] with “Talent Directory” as the subject. This directory will also appear on our website and will…
The Evolution of Jamgrass
On June 22, 1989, at the Roma in Telluride, Colorado, during the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the seeds of what would become the modern jamgrass scene were first planted. On stage was Vince Herman’s Cajun jug band, the Salmon Heads. Joining them were a couple of friends from the Left Hand String Band, Drew Emmitt…





