Articles

This family band out of the Midwest sure makes some righteous noise on their sophomore release.  Katie Greer is simply a remarkable singer and mother Kathie’s and brother Jase’s harmonies support her hand-in-glove. Jase also does a yeoman’s job on lead on a pair of cuts. The vocal arrangements that veteran producer Jim Van Cleve…

University of Illinois Press Although not as well-known as the Southeastern United States, the Ozarks region of Missouri and Arkansas has long been a hotbed of fine old-time fiddling, folk ballad singing, and bluegrass music. One of the primary reasons that so many ballads and tunes from the Ozarks have been faithfully preserved over the…

By Ivan M. Tribe and John W. Morris Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine January 1980, Volume 14, Number 7 Between 1958 and 1968, Bill Napier established himself as one of the top musicians in bluegrass. Beginning as a sideman with the Stanley Brothers and then as half of the Moore and Napier team, Bill displayed…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine August 1983, Volume 18, Number 2 In the short history of bluegrass music many individuals have passed through the few major bands. During the late ’40s and early’50s, bands sporting a contract with a major recording company or privileged with major radio and later TV exposure could be counted on…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine March 1972, Volume 6, Number 9 In the early years of bluegrass the mandolin was frequently overshadowed by both fiddle and banjo. Bill Monroe is by no means the only one who took up the mandolin because it was the only instrument not already spoken for by his musician friends….

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine July 2010, Volume 45, Number 1 Bluegrass Hall of Famer, National Heritage Award recipient and Grand Ole Opry star Jesse McReynolds celebrated 62 years in the music business and eighty years of life on July 9, 2009. Hundreds of friends, fans, and several former members of his Virginia Boys band…