Articles

California Bluegrass Pioneer Herb Pedersen’s life was utterly transformed—in the blink of an eye—in a record store on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. There he was, a fresh-faced, guitar-playing teenager flipping through records in the folk music section, studying the newest release by the Kingston Trio. Suddenly, a stranger was standing by his side. He…

Roland White passed away on April 1, 2022, at age 83. All who knew him remember the standup guy he was—a warm, welcoming, humble, generous man of wide smile and sleeve-worn heart. And we all remember what an outstanding, innovative mandolinist he was. Having played for decades with many famous bands— with his brother, Clarence,…

Bluegrass Blessings & Music Milestones Photo by Lori Stoll As agreed, the two mandolin players met up at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. They opened their instrument cases and brought out their vintage Gibson F-5 instruments while a professional photographer stood by to capture their meeting.  One was Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass…

“Flamen Grass” is a collaboration of four great Spanish musicians from the Barcelona area. Headed up by banjo player Lluis Gomez, he is accompanied by Javier Vaquero on guitar, Carol Duran on violin and vocals, and Maribel Rivero on double bass and vocals. Combining a mix of bluegrass and flamenco traditions, the group presents a…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine October 1978, Volume 13, Number 4 In 1967, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a barbershop closed. Now, ordinarily, the demise of a barbershop in the Recording Capital of the World, or anywhere, wouldn’t create much stir. But the closing of this particular establishment caused a collective sigh of relief from bluegrass…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine April 1975, Volume 9, Number 10 Introduction: B.R. “Pete” Kirby, better known by millions as Bashful Brother Oswald of Roy Acuffs Smoky Mountain Boys, is truly a remarkable performer. Oswald was one of the first to develop the Dobro sound, and during the thirty-eight years he has been with Roy…