The Sound

Jeff Black credits a small-but-mighty banjo with providing inspiration for his song, “Gold Heart Locket,” recorded by Black (B-Sides and Confessions/2003) and later by Sam Bush (Circles Around Me/2009). “I’ll always think that song was in that little banjo,” said Black, during a songwriter’s round at The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville. In an exclusive interview for…

Carrying On The Jazz Grass Tradition Some readers are going to look at the title to this article and take exception to the words “Jazz Grass” and “tradition” being used in the same sentence.  However, if you think about it, the melding of jazz and bluegrass started early in the history of bluegrass music with…

The Bluegrass Unlimited Annual Talent Directory lists all artists and bands that requested inclusion in this directory. If you are a performing artist or are in a band and would like to be listed in the future, please email [email protected] with “Talent Directory” as the subject.   This directory will also appear on our website and will…

Photos By Erin Nutini Katie Glassman’s Fiddle School (fiddleschool.com) has everything that you’d want in an online music teaching platform.   The site offers instruction from two world-class fiddler players who thoroughly know their subject and expertly present their lessons in a well-designed, step-by-step teaching method that has something to offer fiddle players of all…

By Jack Shannon “Same Old Moon,” written by Jack Shannon, stands out from more traditional bluegrass subject matters of trains, murder, and whippoorwills. Sweet, thought-provoking, and a touch whimsical, the song was recorded most notably by Jim Hurst (Looking Glass, 2014). Shannon also recorded it on his album, The Bloomingdale Boys (2018), which Hurst produced….

Béla Fleck Signature Banjo I am excited about the new Béla Fleck Model from Gold Tone that today’s top 5-string banjo player, Béla Fleck and Wayne Rogers from Gold Tone have designed. Now anyone can take advantage of Béla’s expertise in tone and set up, which is extensive. Wayne explained to me all the detailed…