Reviews
The Dark Side of Lonesome
The long-awaited second album by Edgar Loudermilk on Rural Rhythm Records is available as of March 2022. This is one you’ll surely want for your collection. The project contains thirteen tracks, eight of which Loudermilk authored, bringing his songwriting credits to over fifty, including the Daryle Singletary recording “Can’t Live Life” with Rhonda Vincent. No…
Glade
Reckoner Records Guitarist Courtney Hartman first came to prominence on as a member of the bluegrass band Della Mae. Hartman distinguished herself as an elegant picker in the light touch tradition of Tony Rice and Bryan Sutton. In 2018, she left the band and began to reevaluate the sound of her songwriting and playing. Following…
One-Ring Circus
This eclectic instrumental exercise from celebrated maestro Tristan Scroggins is an intriguing exploration of melody and rhythmic fusion conducted on a 1920s-era four-string Paramount Style C-tenor banjo. This is a bit of a departure for Scroggins, who’s best known for his mandolin prowess. Though eminently listenable on its surface, the copious liner notes to One…
Rare and Fine: Unknown Tunes of Bill Monroe
Don’t be fooled by the overalls and Mississippi River-stained drawl, Mike Compton is actually a hard-boiled, gum-shoed detective on a relentless cold case to uncover as much of Bill Monroe’s music legacy as possible, both his compositions and Monroe’s playing style. His ongoing comprehensive book of Monroe transcriptions, last we heard, was around 500 pages…
On the Bus with Bill Monroe: My Five-Year Ride with the Father of Bluegrass
Touring with Bill Monroe was notoriously difficult. Still, with Monroe’s foundational place in the history of bluegrass, it was a rite of passage that many musicians were not only willing but eager to endure. Monroe’s death in 1996 has of course shut the door to any future opportunities to tour with the “Father of Bluegrass.”…
Too Late Now
Susan Nikas is a singer-songwriter from the San Dimas area of California. Her career began in 1987 when she joined the band Clay County as their singer. Clay County was founded by banjoist Jim Dawson, and mandolinist Frank Abraham. Bassist Jim Logue joined them in the studio but was soon replaced by Leslie Spitz. It…