The Artists

Pushing Piles of Words Together Photo by Chasity Chen In the Present The singer/songwriter shared, “Some of the most impactful moments in my life included having people walk up to me after a set, with tears streaming down their faces, as they recounted the death of a loved one that I made them think about…

A Transatlantic Delight There is something special about some musical partnerships.  Think about Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Sonny and Bobby Osborne, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Sierra Hull and Justin Moses or Tony Rice and Ricky Skaggs, to name just a few dynamic duos. They all have a chemistry and a sound uniquely their…

Many skilled musicians just skirt the forefront of the listening public’s immediate recognition. But these are the musicians other artists call for session work, ask to stand-in when a band member is unavailable, or to select as part of a special show or short tour. These are the artists who analyze other musicians’ styles, record…

The award-winning banjo picker Kristin Scott Benson and her husband, mandolin great Wayne Benson, are what you might call a bluegrass power couple. After all, Kristin is a 5-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year and a recipient of the prestigious Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass as well as a long-time…

Those lyrics were penned and recorded by North Carolina resophonic guitarist, Frank Poindexter, in 2004 (Dex Records – CD 001). “It’s The Music” was the title and first cut on his solo project that was re-released by Mountain Fever Records in 2022.  Frank said, “I want to acknowledge Mark Hodges (Mountain Fever Records). He’s a…

Any dyed-in-the wool fan of bluegrass fiddling will instantly recognize the names of such legendary fiddlers as Chubby Wise, Jim Shumate, Fiddlin’ Arthur Smith, Kenny Baker, and Bobby Hicks. The list goes ‘On and On,” as Bill Monroe would say.  One name you might not yet be familiar with is Aynsley Porchak. This young Canadian…