Articles
IssueM Articles
Texas Bluegrass History: High Lonesome on the High Plains
In recent years there have been a number of books written that cover the history of regional bluegrass. Kip Lornell’s Capital Bluegrass focused on bluegrass music in the Washington, D.C. area. Tim Newby’s Bluegrass in Baltimore covered the legacy of bluegrass in that city, and—most recently— Industrial Strength Bluegrass, edited byFred Bartenstein and Cutis Ellison,…
The Complete Tune Playing Toolkit For 5-String Banjo: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Traditional Melodies
This new banjo instructional book by Jamie Francis could have easily been titled “Fiddle Tune Boot Camp for the 5-String Banjo.” The 120-page book is an extremely comprehensive approach to learning how to play fiddle tune melodies—including old-time tunes, reels, jigs, hornpipes, polkas, slip jigs, and airs (41 tunes in all)—on the 5-string banjo. …
Vassar Clements—Out West
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine May 1978, Volume 12, Number 11 Vassar Clements is one of the best known and popular fiddlers in all areas of country music and is quickly becoming a favorite of jazz and rock players and fans. A complete list of his credits would be as long as a moderate-sized article…
Stuart Duncan: Bluegrass In Miniature
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine November 1977, Volume 12, Number 5 There are many young pickers in bluegrass and traditional music; child prodigies are visible in every field of endeavor, not only music. What is unusual is a teenager who can do it all musically, handling virtually every traditional instrument as well as singing, arranging,…
Curly Seckler — From Foggy Mountain to Nashville Grass
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine November 1979, Volume 14, Number 5 EDITOR’S NOTE: As the right hand man off and on with the late Lester Flatt, Curly Seckler has been one of the true unsung heros of bluegrass music. His roots go back to the mid 1930’s and he has been a strong force in…
Mac Martin and The Dixie Travelers: A Bluegrass Institution in the Steel City
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine October 1989, Volume 24, Number4 Whereas bluegrass band leaders and some musicians have long had an enduring quality about them—Bill Monroe being only the most obvious— continuity of personnel in bands is much less common. One quite atypical group in bluegrass music that has long endured with a consistent quality…