Articles

Why Carter Stanley Ranks as the No. 1 Bluegrass Songwriter Carter Stanley’s song “The Memory of Your Smile,” came on strong as Tracy Nelson picked songs for an upcoming 1972 album.  Blues-rock singer Nelson grew so committed to the bluegrass number that she brought in banjo king Earl Scruggs and A-level fiddler Vassar Clements for…

Exploring the Black Roots of Bluegrass, Old Time and Americana The first Biscuits and Banjos festival took place in Durham, North Carolina during the weekend of April 25th-27th, 2025.  The festival was initiated by Rhiannon Giddens and is dedicated to the celebration and exploration of Black music, art, and culture in her home state of…

There aren’t many bluegrass or old-time fiddlers who can claim to have performed in a bear suit. More than once. As cool as that is, it represents but a second in the long and eventful career of the highly esteemed Southern California multi-instrumentalist Tom Sauber. Now in his seventh decade as a professional musician, has…

Photo By Wes Hobbs – Better Focus Photography Singer/songwriter Amanda Cook doesn’t simply shine on the creative side as a full-time touring and recording artist. She also has a solid business acumen and knowledge, accompanied by a strong work ethic, that has propelled her to the Chief Operations Officer position at Mountain Fever Records, the…

Billy Strings’ impact on bluegrass and guitar flatpicking has triggered tens of thousands of fans to attend his concerts and buy his records and merch. For bluegrass guitarists, he’s probably had more impact on the flatpicking scene than any of his modern peers, raising the bar with his facile, deeply rooted picking and singing. But…

The Life  of a Musician on  PBS Appalachia When Brandon Adams called me several years ago and told me that he was getting ready to produce a new television show for PBS Appalachia, I’ll have to admit that I was hesitant to jump in with a story about it because many times these kinds of…