The Tradition

A Look Back at Early Urban Bluegrass (Or, The Short But Lively Career of the Lonesome River Boys)  The Lonesome River Boys (not to be confused with the more modern Lonesome River Band) was a bluegrass group from the Northern Virginia/Washington DC area that was popular in the early and middle 1960s. Although largely unknown…

The story of the rise of The SteelDrivers is an impressive one. What famously started as a one-off bluegrass jam in a living room in Nashville turned into 20 years of great music and accolades at the highest levels of the music world. I distinctly remember the first time I heard about The SteelDrivers 18…

Q –  I heard a song on the radio about an old truck driver telling a story about losing his family due to his addiction to shooting pinball. I was able to locate the song later online; it’s called “Pinball Machine” and the artist is Lonnie Irving. It’s not really a bluegrass record but it…

The Innovator (June 21, 1938-March 19, 2025) Eddie Adcock was a native of Scottsville, Virginia, who was known for his inventive banjo and guitar playing, spot-on baritone singing, and membership in several award-winning cutting-edge bands. His career spanned over seven decades and was marked by significant contributions to bluegrass, folk, country, rock, and jazz music….

Part Two: Early Bluegrass Fiddling, Music Row Songwriting, and a Creative Family Band Fiddler Jim Lunsford’s musical pursuit of excellence and innovation in music took him all over the map, from his native Southeast to Nashville’s music industry, from California’s dancehalls to Vietnam’s U.S. military bases. By the early 1950s, some of the musicians Lunsford…

Q – I am a big fan of Ernie Thacker and know that he was in Ralph Stanley’s band from 1988-1994. I am trying to find all the albums that feature him singing lead with Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys.  Do you happen to know the titles of the albums that Ernie was…