Articles

Bryan Sutton remembers well the times when he was the new young gun guitarist in the bluegrass world. As a young man, he had his eye on moving to Nashville and being a studio musician, and that happened in the mid-1990s. Then, he soon found himself performing and recording with some of the most amazing…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine September 1985, Volume 20, Number 3 Some great names in bluegrass picked under an old oak tree in Harris, North Carolina many years ago. Oren Jenkins, who still lives in this rural community, remembers summer nights when he, his brother Hoke and his uncle Dewitt “Snuffy” Jenkins were joined there…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine January 1988, Volume 22, Number 7 You walk up to Kenny Baker at a bluegrass festival and introduce yourself and explain that you’d like to interview him for a possible feature in a music magazine. He listens quietly, but courteously, and replies, “Maybe later, I’m kind of busy now.” You…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine June 1991, Volume 25, Number 12 Why would any fiddle player turn down offers from Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Grandpa Jones and Mac Wiseman? “I’m pretty much of an individualist,” says Arvil Freeman. “I’ve never been a person that’s wanted a lot of attention.” In fact, anyone wanting to hear…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine February 1996, Volume 30, Number 8 There are an extraordinary number of bluegrass and country music performers who achieved stardom by simply emulating Carter Stanley’s hauntingly emotional vocal style or by recording one of his many remarkable hit songs. The songs he wrote have been recorded and/or performed by nearly…

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…