Reviews
Industrial Strength Bluegrass—Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy
Edited by Fred Bartenstein and Curtis W. Ellison Reviewed By Robert C. Buckingham University of Illinois Press The spread of bluegrass reflects the movement of populations from the poverty and adversity of the mountains to places with more opportunity. Southwestern Ohio, with its industrial economy, was one of these places. In a response to employment opportunities during…
Late Bloom
Graber gryass Don’t say they didn’t warn you…The Facebook page for Graber Gryass lists the band as “Hard-hitting, joy-inducing original music and earth-bound bluegrass, acoustic psychedelic music from Memphis, TN. A collective joy-making machine. Astral yet rooted to the magnetic core.” After giving a listen to the group’s debut album, Late Bloom, it’s as good…
Chris Thile Pick
Picks and their various materials and shapes are debated endlessly in online instrument forums. One new entrant to that conversation is the Chris Thile Signature Mandolin Pick from D’Addario (#2CA7-01CT), which the bluegrass mandolin world has been giving a lot of positive chatter to lately. The standard triangle pick with rounded points is made from…
Tyler Grant’s Master Flatpicking Course
I am excited to have the opportunity to review Tyler Grant’s “Mastering Flatpicking” course offered through JamPlay. While I have heard about Jamplay.com and have seen the ads on YouTube and social media I did not know exactly how it all works. JamPlay is a subscription-based website that offers hundreds of video lessons on all styles of…
Stephen Mougin’s Bluegrass Rhythm Evolution
I have worked with True Fire lessons for guitar for many years. At first, the site primarily offered guitar lessons for rock players, but they have added genres outside of rock and instruments other than the guitar. I have always enjoyed True Fire’s quality of presentation, ease of use, extra bonus features (like downloadable tabs…
American Fiddle Method Online School
Brian Wicklund began his journey of fiddle love at the age of 7 and hasn’t looked back. Early on he realized the value of having a village of friends to commune with, and learn from, and how it enhanced his passion. This passion turned into a career revolving around touring bands, studio work and eventually,…