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Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine November 1981, Volume 16, Number 5 According to Webster’s: FLUX —to become fluid; a substance used to promote fusion. Put Jerry Douglas and his Dobro into a band—and you know how he got his nickname. Constantly complementing vocals and other soloists, or ripping off one of the dazzling breaks he…

Alan Munde Rises Above Convention with New Record “Excelsior” When Alan Munde was thinking of a name for his new collection of fifteen tunes building on his long-standing penchant for harmonic adventurousness and embrace of the melodic banjo style, he lit on one word: Excelsior. It’s a direct nod to a short Henry Wadsworth Longfellow…

Photo by  Scott Simontacchi One of the most innovative musicians and gifted producers of his generation, Jerry Douglas is at the point in his career of fifty years when he can do whatever he wants. A fifteen-time Grammy winner and the ten-time recipient of IBMA’s “Dobro Player of the Year” award, Douglas—along with Josh Graves,…

University of Missouri Press  Howard Wight Marshall, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri, has recently completed his trilogy covering the history of fiddling in the state of Missouri.  The first book in the series, titled Play Me Something Quick and Devilish (2013) begins with what is known about fiddling from the time of…

Chosen Road’s latest release, It Never Gets Old is a collection of soulful gospel tunes highlighted with wonderfully blended vocals and instrumentation. The group has been together for over a decade and produced a chart-topping album, Appalachian Christmas, last year. This reviewer was fortunate enough to review Water Grave a few years ago—an early, solidly…

Joe Mullins and The Radio Ramblers enjoyed a most memorable weekend September 1 and 2, 2023.   Our band was very fortunate to host the Hall of Fame Homecoming for the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum, Owensboro, Kentucky. Let us never forget the importance of the leadership in the City of Owensboro, Daviess County and…