Articles

And Her Passion  for Teaching Megan Lynch Chowning’s career as a contest champion and recording/performing artist would be the envy of any bluegrass fiddle player.  She is a seven-time national fiddle champion, six-time California state champion and has won one or more state championships in four other states. She spent four years touring with country…

“When COVID-19 hit, it was obvious things were going to slow down,” recalled Buddy Melton, lead singer and fiddler for repeat IBMA “Entertainer of the Year” Balsam Range. “We wanted to utilize our time and be positive.” Their May 2020 release of “The Richest Man” was one enduring result of their downtime. “Under the circumstances,…

Photos by Cindy Matheson At an age when most people have slowed down, 99-year-old Buckeye luthier and instrument repairman Jeff Littell rises by 7:30 and is at his well-equipped, dimly lit basement workbench after breakfast most days. His days fill with repairing double-basses, fixing all manner of bluegrass instruments, and even building a C.F. Martin…

Longs For Return To Playing  Photos By Stacie Huckaba After four years of hard work, Grammy-nominated fiddler Mike Barnett was pumped to release his dream duets project when tragedy struck. Two days after celebrating his July 23 birthday last year, the now 31-year-old musician was cleaning house with his wife when he tried to tell…

 A Great Banjo Picker and a Good Person Steve Dilling is a very humble and thankful man. Instead of listing his many accolades from 40 years in the music industry, he references all those who have helped him along the way. He is reflective, appreciative, and grateful. His dad, Don Dilling, explained his son’s demeanor….

Robert Lewis “Zeke” Hutchison, banjoist, singer and family man, died August 2nd, 2021, after a long illness. Born on September 13th, 1948 (Bill Monroe’s 37th birthday) in Belmont County, Ohio into a musical family, he made a special mark on the music scene in the upper Ohio River valley as well as nationwide. He is survived…