Articles

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine October 2005, Volume 40, Number 4 It has taken two decades, but bass player maestro Missy Raines is finally ready. “It’s terrifying,” the five-time IBMA Bass Player Of The Year confesses of her bold move to transition from bandmember to bandleader. “I have always wanted to do this, for twenty…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine August 1980, Volume 15, Number 2 Don Reno, whose middle name could easily be “Banjo” spoken with a bluegrass accent, recently marked his 40th anniversary in the entertaining business. Fans of his distinctive style (“I just pick it,” he says.) will be happy to know that thoughts of any kind…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine August 1983, Volume 18, Number 2 When is a bluegrass band not a band but an “ensemble”? What is the difference? Some people may think that “ensemble” is only a fancy name for a group —a word used in publicity material sent out to secure the more elite gigs like…

Veteran Tina Adair has a lovely voice with a bit of a teardrop in it.  After growing up in a family band, she launched her solo career at age 17 on Sugar Hill Records. She’s more or less stayed in the game since then. She spent a number of years as part of the Grammy-nominated…

Colorado-based Orchard Creek—Dave Richardson, vocals, banjo; Keith Murdock, vocals, Dobro; Jan Springer, vocals, guitar, Kevin Slick, vocals, mandolin and Todd Ball on base—emerges fully formed on their first full-length album, with fine musicianship, including some stirring harmonies, as well as intriguing, artfully crafted original songs. The band’s accomplished harmonies don’t just hint at bluegrass oldies…

Bluelight Records  BLR 332332 Led by Jussi Syren (mandolin, lead vocals), the Groundbreakers members hail from both Finland and Europe. Formed in 1995 the others in the group include Tauri Oksala (banjo, resonator guitar, vocals), J.P. Putkonen (guitar), and Tero Maenpaa (bass, vocals).  The group has toured around six European countries, and in the States,…