Articles

This is an excerpt from Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy (edited by Fred Bartenstein and Curtis W. Ellison, © 2021 by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Used with permission of the University of Illinois Press.). The book chronicles the important roles Cincinnati, Dayton and surrounding areas played in the development of…

The Quiet Assassin Photo by Shelly Swanger Multi-instrumentalist Justin Moses excels at picking anything with strings. As an in-demand sideman, the modest musician lets his unassuming talents do the talking. “I call him the Quiet Assassin,” says Eric Gibson of The Gibson Brothers. “He’s over there on his side of the stage just killing it, but…

Influencing Generations of Bluegrass Pickers Jack Tuttle is a multi-instrumentalist, author, and teacher based in the San Francisco Bay Area who has the distinction of being one of, if not the first to ever teach a bluegrass jam class. For more than four decades, Jack has taught bluegrass mandolin, guitar, banjo, fiddle, vocal, and jam…

For Over 50 Years, Great Homespun Artists Have Taught Us How to Play Music For many bluegrass musicians who have tried to improve their skills over the last 50 years or so, whether it is professional artists or campground pickers, the Homespun Music Instruction Company has played a part in their journey. There is most…

It’s hard to imagine a bluegrass fan who has never heard of Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick. After all, he’s well known as the banjo player for longtime fan favorites Hot Rize. His 1974 instructional book, Bluegrass Banjo, has sold roughly a quarter-million (!) copies. He was the first president of the International Bluegrass Music Association…

Building Bluegrass Community  Music camps and workshops provide students with an opportunity to interact with, and learn directly from, professional musicians and music heroes. While at camp, students also have the opportunity to make new friends who share common interests and, of course, there is the jamming. It is learning via the total immersion method….