The Sound

John Holder’s Good Ears Are Apparent In Blue Ridge Sound

Sound systems are an integral part of any musical event. No matter how talented the musicians, they are dependent on competent sound engineers to make sure their instruments and voices are heard in the best possible way. North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Sound, owned and operated by John Holder, is a valuable commodity for promoters and…

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TylerGrant & ArtistWorks

Photo by Jessie Bell Photography/Adrift Dinosaur Background Tyler Grant has been a name familiar to flatpicking guitar players since he emerged onto the acoustic music scene in the early 2000s performing with bands like Adrienne Young, the Two-Stringers (with Christopher and Casey Henry), Canadian fiddler April Verch, old-time banjo player Abigail Washburn, and the Drew…

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Dave Maggard in the studio. // Photo by ST Photography, Co.

Sound Biscuit Studio

It’s never too late to chase a dream. Dave Maggard turned a retirement hobby into a full-fledged recording studio and independent label, focused on bluegrass and Americana artists. A sculptor by trade, Maggard now extracts the art of music from wood and wire at his Sound Biscuit Studio in Sevierville just off Tennessee Route 66….

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A Little Bit of Bluegrass

Photo by Jackie Stewart “A little bit of bluegrass will chase your blues away.” Derived from that simple sentiment and written by David Stewart, “A Little Bit of Bluegrass” was released late last year by Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road. Currently, it sits at #1 on the Bluegrass Unlimited Survey chart (June and July 2023). …

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The Bluegrass Jamboree

This month’s cover story artist, Lorraine Jordan, loves to shine the spotlight on other people in her life including the radio announcers who play her music. Two of those broadcast professionals are David Pugh and Doug Whitley from The Bluegrass Jamboree internet radio. David hosts Mountain Bluegrass Sundays 9:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. ET, and Doug is…

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Thomm Jutz and Tim Stafford. // Photo by Jefferson Ross

Railroad Town Without A Train

By Thomm Jutz and Tim Stafford Thomm Jutz and Tim Stafford have a knack—individually and together—for writing historical-themed songs. The two have cowritten such songs for other artists and for their aptly named duo album, Lost Voices (March 2023), which includes“Take That Shot,” about the place of photography in our lives historically; “Vaudeville Blues,” based on…

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