Articles

John Hartford’s legacy, at the time of his death, would have been cemented in music history if he had written only “Gentle on My Mind,” but he made a huge mark playing fiddle and banjo, his tapping feet always moving. Hartford’s songwriting, singing, and playing, even his fascination with steamboats influenced scores of musicians and…

Clayton McMichen was a renowned fiddle player who was noted for his ability to perform in a variety of styles including traditional, bluegrass, pop, jazz, and country. Born in Georgia in 1900, he was from a musical family and began learning the fiddle at a young age. From 1922 until his passing in 1970, McMichen…

A lot of students are turning to YouTube to learn how to play their instruments these days.  The upside is that it doesn’t cost anything.  The downside is that there typically is not a well-designed step-by-step learning method presented with an effective multi-media approach to learning foundational material and theory along with a progressive method…

Although I love to read books and do so for a few hours every day, I’m going to have to admit that I do not spend much time reading fiction.  I tend to be a non-fiction reader in the realms of music history, science, and philosophy.  However, when author Trish Doll sent me her new…

This five-piece band out of Austin, Texas has a unique and compelling sound that draws from bluegrass as well as old-timey Appalachian music and country-folk.  Lead singer Rose Lichtenfels, who hails from Virginia, has a captivating voice marked by emotional nuance and provocative phrasing. At times, she sounds reminiscent of the Carter Family; at other…

John Cowan, formerly of the Newgrass Revival, is one of the most distinctive and versatile singers to emerge from modern bluegrass. In recent years, he’s kept a high-profile touring with the rock band, the Doobie Brothers. Andrea Zonn, with whom Cowan partners on this album, is an equally impressive and versatile vocalist and fiddle player….