The Artists

Longs For Return To Playing  Photos By Stacie Huckaba After four years of hard work, Grammy-nominated fiddler Mike Barnett was pumped to release his dream duets project when tragedy struck. Two days after celebrating his July 23 birthday last year, the now 31-year-old musician was cleaning house with his wife when he tried to tell…

Goes Deep into his  New 19-cut Album  My Bluegrass Heart Photos by Kevin Slick “I want the recording to sound like the musicians own that music, and not sound like they have just managed to get through it.” It was a bittersweet occasion when the news broke that Béla Fleck had recorded a follow up…

Photo by Amy Richmond, Courtesy of Rebel Records At age 33, bluegrass singer Kody Norris hardly seems to fit into the category of “seasoned veteran.” But sit down with him for a conversation about the music business and you’ll find that he is wise beyond his years. His formula for success: start with passion and drive,…

Prolific songwriter paints pictures in listeners’ minds while telling stories with lyrics and melodies. One of bluegrass music’s most prolific songwriters draws from a deep well of influences. Mark “Brink” Brinkman, 68, grew up listening to his grandfather play Big Band music, including a stint with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. His mom was a concert…

Saved by Bluegrass Photos by Scott Simontacchi Forty minutes into conversation, Dan Tyminski drops an unthinkable truth. Without flinching, perhaps the most globally recognized voice in modern bluegrass explains the conflict that’s defined his journey. In spite of a tone so instantly head-turning it defined George Clooney’s character in O Brother, Where Art Thou, he…

Rhonda Vincent Brings in Zack Arnold as New Guitarist In the world of NASCAR, they call it the “silly season.” It is the time between late fall and early spring after the race season has ended when various race car teams either fire a driver or crew chief, bring in new talent and start a…