Articles

If you don’t know the tale of Roland White and brothers Clarence and Eric White,  who were born in Maine, moved as kids to California, and influenced every subsequent generation of bluegrassers, then you don’t know the full story of bluegrass. Fortunately, Bob Black’s superb new biography of the oldest of the White brothers demonstrates,…

Sometimes, when faced with an album the reviewer likes and appreciate the artistry involved, it is challenging to describe the work when it doesn’t really fit anywhere.  That’s the case with Indoor Vistas, the latest effort from Ethan Sherman.  From the stunning cover art to the first-class picking, it’s all enjoyable — but it doesn’t…

On her first release as a bandleader, Molly Tuttle displays all the talents and traits that have helped her rise to the summit of the modern bluegrass pyramid. On Crooked Tree, she’s also invited most of her peer group including Billy Strings, Sierra Hull, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Ketch Secor, and Dominick Leslie, as well as grizzled…

Joshua Rilko’s debut album, Lost Soul/Rock & Roll, is modern is all aspects of the word. It began as a Kickstarter project that exceeded the goal and has two distinctly different “sides” — one is bluegrassy and the other, while labeled “rock & roll,” really is more Americana-ish. A mandolin player, Rilko was formerly with…

Obtaining your optimum tone preference from your banjo is something that can be influenced by number of variables.  One of those variables is banjo head tension.   If your banjo head is too loose, the tone can be too tubby.  If the head is too tight, the tone can be too bright.  Some players will…

Like A Flowing River is a 2-Disc project from James Reams, guitarist, songwriter and long-time leader of his band, the Barnstormers. This outing includes songs from his many albums along with many of the songs included in his DVD, Like A Flowing River: A Bluegrass Passage, in which Reams relates his musical odyssey from his…