The Sound

In 1975, John Cowan, the newest member and lead vocalist of New Grass Revival, a band that would come to forever alter people’s perception of an entire genre of American music, walked into the Doo Wop Shop in Louisville, Kentucky, picked up a 1962 Olympic White Fender Jazz bass and immediately fell in love with…

At the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee in September of 2025, I ran across a mandolin builder from Kansas City named John Boyd who is building mandolins under his name. I tried out the Boyd F-style mandolin and was impressed with its playability and tone. I later asked Lauren Price Napier,…

At the 2025 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) conference held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the exhibition hall featured a new vendor booth—Token Picks. I love to stroll through the exhibit hall and check out the new instruments and gear that are on display at the various booths; however, every time I passed by the Token Pick…

A Bluegrass Pioneer:Ralph Pennington North Carolina’s Vivian Pennington Hopkins made it her mission to share the legacy of her late father, Ralph Pennington. In doing so, she orchestrated the recording of an album and two music videos that pay homage to her dad’s many talents. A gifted songwriter, musician, and luthier, he helped formulate the…

In early August, I accompanied my wife to Minneapolis, where she was planning to attend a family reunion. I remembered that Adam Granger lived in the area, so I decided to try to book a guitar lesson from him. Although I have been a flatpicker for many years, I have never been satisfied with my…

On June 22, 1989, at the Roma in Telluride, Colorado, during the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the seeds of what would become the modern jamgrass scene were first planted.  On stage was Vince Herman’s Cajun jug band, the Salmon Heads.  Joining them were a couple of friends from the Left Hand String Band, Drew Emmitt…