Articles

The Pursuit of a Passion A decade ago Taylor Mullins decided to replace the pickguard on his treasured Takamine dreadnought.  Solving that seemingly simple problem subsequently immersed Taylor in a world of celluloid manufacturers, swirl patterning, adhesives, CNCs, and pickguard design – as well as marketing – that has coalesced into Holter Pickguards (www.holterpickguards.com).  “I…

Talk About Their New Album Wall Dogs, and Give Us A Master’s Class in Songwriting For 30 years now, Tim Stafford has been a member of the world-class bluegrass band Blue Highway.  Tim has also become one of the best songwriters in the business, winning three International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Songwriter Of The Year…

Balsam Range’s longtime bassist Tim Surrett has worn plenty of musical hats over the course of his career. Vocalist/sideman/singer/producer/sessions player/record label owner, but these days he’s soaking in the joy of fatherhood. At age 60, he spends as much time as possible with his only child, Braden, 15, a junior on the high school baseball…

How Pitney Meyer Brought Together A Red Jeep, Analog Tape, And Johnny Cash To Form A Redemptive Parable Photos by Nathaniel Maddux/Slate + Glass March 10th, 2023 The historic Ryman Auditorium is packed to the brim with a sold-out crowd. On the digital signage outside above the steps facing 5th Ave North, there is a…

The Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Kentucky is, of course, devoted to the heritage, history, and future of bluegrass music.   In terms of the future, it’s also proven to be an incubator that provides showcases for promising local talent.  “Everybody talks about the beginnings and Bill Monroe and Rosine,” says Steven Stewart, founding…

For many new adherents to folk music in the early 1950s, one of THE go-to collections was the Anthology of American Folk Music that was assembled by Harry Smith. The 80-track set, complete with a well-annotated booklet, served as a roots music primer for a generation of folk music enthusiasts. Less well known, and perhaps…