The Tradition

Roland White passed away on April 1, 2022, at age 83. All who knew him remember the standup guy he was—a warm, welcoming, humble, generous man of wide smile and sleeve-worn heart. And we all remember what an outstanding, innovative mandolinist he was. Having played for decades with many famous bands— with his brother, Clarence,…

Queries Q: Can you tell me who wrote and recorded “You Live in a World All Your Own”? I know that Bill Monroe recorded it but I assume it was a country song first. Thanks. Jerry Steinberg, Salem, Virginia. A: Bill Monroe recorded the song on November 30, 1960, and released it on the 1961…

That Traditional Bluegrass Sound In the February, 1967 edition of Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine, Pete Kuykendall wrote an editorial regarding the state of bluegrass music at that time.  He proposed that the bluegrass music that was recorded pre-1955 was “a preference across the country of almost ten to one.”  After making that statement, Kuykendall proceeded to…

Queries: Q: One of my favorite albums by Don Reno and Red Smiley is one on King Records called Good Old Country Ballads. The back of the album jacket has a photo credit to someone named Fernandez. No first name. That has always struck me as odd. Do you know who he is or anything…

The music of the Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe and the New South, and the Tony Rice Unit will be familiar to even the most casual bluegrass music fan.  Many would claim one or more of these bands as their all-time favorites.  More hard-core bluegrass enthusiasts will also fondly remember shorter-lived, but equally as innovative, bands…

Sets Sail Upon Doyle Lawson’s retirement, three members of his band, Quicksilver—Eli Johnston-banjo, Stephen Burwell-fiddle, and Jerry Cole-bass—decided to launch into the already familiar waters of musical entertainment with a new band.  Cole explained, “When Doyle announced he was going to retire, Stephen, Eli, and I decided to stay together.”  Burwell added, “We didn’t even…