The Sound

And His Fabulous Fiddle Shop Many of the artists that we interview in Bluegrass Unlimited grew up in musical families.  The majority of them are raised in southeastern regions of the United States where bluegrass and country music was played in their homes from the time they were born.  California native Phil Salazar also grew…

Putting Together The Pieces   Photos Courtesy of Bil Vorndick Bil VornDick, audio engineer/producer to the stars, summarized his role in the studio and music industry, “I’m there to help people and I’m good at putting together puzzles. I like putting it together so people will enjoy listening to it.”  VornDick’s puzzles have garnered him…

Any tribute to The Stanley Brothers calls for an inside look at a favorite Stanley Brothers song. I’m not the expert some are on The Stanley Brothers or Ralph Stanley, but I’ve always enjoyed their lonesome, high-in-the-mountains sound on songs like “Rank Stranger,” “Angel Band,” and so many others. In looking back through some of…

Photos by Jamie Alexander For many of us, the first-generation bluegrass pioneers were the link that pulled on our heart strings and gave us a lifetime infatuation for bluegrass music. Whether it be Flatt and Scruggs, Monroe, The Stanley’s, Reno and Smiley—or whoever it may have been—it seems that each individual connects in some way…

Photos by Bud Osborne  DSecades ago, someone approached me at Bean Blossom and asked for feedback on a mandolin he’d built. The F-5 style instrument looked like a C- grade junior high school shop project. Not a smooth curve or straight line anywhere, and the finish looked like he’d melted Crayons over it. I played…

On November 14, 1995, a Stelling Sunflower banjo—serial number 4356— began its journey from the Virginia factory to Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. Ten months later it was purchased by a banjo picker in Mill Valley, California who kept it for an indeterminate amount of time. At some point it came into the possession of my…