The Sound

Filling the Gap Between the Traditional and the Progressive Photos by Mark Torrence Although Tulsa, Oklahoma native Rob Bishline did not grow up listening to bluegrass music, the acoustic music of early 1970s performers like Jim Croce and Gordon Lightfoot did grab his ear.  It wasn’t until about 1974, when he was 13 years old…

Overcoming the Pandemic Year Photos by Matthew Dudenbostel Next year will mark the 25th year since Lynn Dudenbostel starting building world-class mandolins and guitars full-time (it’s been 32 years since his first guitar build and 25 since his first mandolin). But even in this pandemic year, Lynn has been exploring new avenues for instrument production,…

McClanahan Trinity Model F-5 Mandolin Photos by Jonathan McClanahan In a relatively short time, Jonathan McClanahan has earned a place amongst the highest reaches in modern bluegrass mandolin building. His Trinity and Loretto F-5 models aspire to the loftiest standards of tone, projection, playability, and build quality. Played by C.J. Lewandowski, Danny Roberts, Wayne Benson,…

Photo By John Malinowski If  you travel to a foreign country, you can buy a travel guide, a map and a phrase book and head out on your own, or you can find someone who knows the language, geography, history, and customs and ask them for help.  The second option is usually the easiest, most…

A Music Seldom Heard Written By Dale McCurry with Bambi Grinder “Make it about the music,” Mike Smith implores. “Don’t make it about me. It’s about the music.” Mike said this in preparation for a story I was to write about him a decade or so ago. I remember he followed me to the parking…

Photo by Eleanor Wilkie Matt Flinner was touring nationally in a bluegrass band as a pre-teen.  Around 1980, Ted Shupe of Ogden, Utah formed a band of 10-year-olds around his fiddle-playing son, Ryan (now with Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband) and they called themselves the Pee Wee Pickers.   The band’s talent earned them spots…