The Sound
End of the End of the World
We all have days when we could use a good-humored song with a classic feel. If that’s you today, I recommend “End of the End of the World,” written by Adam Wright, which fits that bill with playful perfection. As the title suggests, it takes a run-of-the-mill phrase, end of the world, and gives it…
Grateful Dead
And the Culture of Roots Music Throughout their career the Grateful Dead loaded their song repertoire with American roots music traditions from top to bottom. The Dead were interested in roots music largely because of Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter’s (the Dead’s lyricist) early exposure to Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. This anthology…
Jody Hughes
Online Lessons for Guitar and Banjo While researching an article that I wrote about Allen Shelton in the December 2023 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited, I ran across a YouTube lesson on Allen Shelton “ideas” by Jody Hughes. I was not familiar with Jody, but he mentioned in the video that Allen Shelton was his “largest…
Has Eastman Brought Affordability TO Bluegrass Guitars?
Photos by Bud Osborne Eastman Music Company, over the last decade or so, has quietly but unmistakably risen to the challenge of building guitars that can satisfy discerning bluegrass players, while retaining the affordability that is the hallmark of APAC (Asia-Pacific) instrument manufacturing. Case in point is the well-crafted and luxuriously appointed…
I’ll Take Love
Louisa Branscomb and Dale Ann Bradley A song can create an out-of-body experience, not only for listeners upon hearing it but also for songwriters as they write. This according to renowned songwriter, psychologist, and performing artist Louisa Branscomb, PhD, who had such an experience while strolling the hills of her famous (and now former) Woodsong Farm….
Keith Yoder
The Camp Guy If you have attended any of the popular bluegrass music camps that occur around the country every year, you have probably met Keith Yoder. Keith has been an instructor at Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Camp, Colorado Roots Music Camp, Merlefest Jam Camp, NimbleFingers, Strawberry Jam Camp, Acoustic Music Camp, Acoustic Alaska Guitar Camp,…