The Artists
Journey of Faith
Photos by Lily Jack Photography Grammy-nominated songwriter Rick Lang has created not one, but now two staples of bluegrass gospel music with the release of Blue Collar Gospel on the heels of Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout. The New Hampshire native received a Grammy nod for Best Roots Gospel Album for GSGS. The title track was…
Mike Compton and Joe Newberry
Photo by Scott Simontacchi After fifteen years playing together, Mike Compton and Joe Newberry are releasing their first studio album Home in My Heart. The project combines new arrangements of old standards and original songs with a traditional flavor, delivered clean and spare. The result showcases their unique blend of vocal harmony and instrumental virtuosity….
Williamson Branch
Here’s to the next 10 years! Williamson Branch, a family bluegrass band featuring parents Kevin and Debbie Williamson with daughters, Melody Williamson Keyes, Kadence Williamson Reynolds, and Caroline Williamson, celebrated 10 years of performing in 2024. With six albums and a Christmas DVD under their belts, a 2020 “Best Vocalist” IBMA Momentum Award for Melody,…
Hard Work & Brotherhood
Photos by Laci Mack Sometimes a new song comes to you the way it should, as in randomly, and without fanfare or prior description, and the quality of it takes you for a ride. That is what happened to me one day while driving through the mountains of Western North Carolina. In the Blue Ridge…
The Space Between
I called Ron Thomason on his eightieth birthday, September 5th, to schedule an interview for Bluegrass Unlimited. I had just recently reviewed his latest album, Ancient Songs Et Al. I had also watched the recent documentary about Ron and the Dry Branch Fire Squad, The Court Jester. I had read numerous articles highlighting Thomason’s many…
In the Moment with Rebecca Frazier
Photos By Scott Simontacchi The unintentional decade-long wait between the release of Rebecca Frazier’s last album When We Fall (in 2013) and her latest Boarding Windows in Paradise (in 2024) reflects Rebecca’s continued maturation as an artist in the face of modern life. Boarding Windows in Paradise – currently #4 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums…