Articles

A new record label launched by longtime songwriting collaborators Billy Droze and Chris Myers is turning heads in the bluegrass music industry.  RBR Entertainment is churning out hits on bluegrass radio these days by an ever-growing roster of talented newcomers and established veterans. Droze is the label’s creative director and founder who produces projects at…

In my continuous journey to find and highlight exceptional songwriting, I arrived this month on “Oh, Me Of Little Faith,” a song written for the contemporary Christian genre and successfully introduced to bluegrass fans by the husband-and-wife team of Wayne Benson (Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out) and Kristin Scott Benson (The Grascals) as part…

A Gem From Coal Country’s Deep Heart Photo by Callie Thomas In today’s hyper-competitive custom luthier marketplace, excellence is only the price of admission for new mandolin builders. For an emerging luthier, getting noticed under the blinding luminescence of top-tier builders like Heiden, Kimble, Ellis, McClanahan and more means building instruments early in your career…

Learning how to play a musical instrument by ear is a skill that is vital to your development as a musician in traditional genres of music.  While reading music can also be a valuable skill, in most forms of traditional music—folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, blues—the music is historically handed down aurally.  Musicians who participate in…

Photos by Johnny Calcagno There is no groove in American music quite as deep as the one laid down by a hard-driving old-time stringband in full roar. It doesn’t require trickeration or effects pedals or fancy lighting. It can’t be faked. The groove comes from the heart, and it comes from the soul.  The Onlies,…

It’s not often that bands go on a 10-year hiatus and decide to give things another go.  Traditional bluegrass fans should be glad an old gravestone inspired Maine-based Breakin’ Strings to make the trek to Nashville to produce Hangovers & Heartaches. Cliff Gelena, a third generation bluegrass performer, heads up the group with lead vocals,…