Articles

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…

In our May 2025 issue, we printed an article by Jack Bernhardt introducing us to a bit of the history of bluegrass gospel music.  Bernhardt, an anthropologist and journalist, researched the history of gospel bluegrass while preparing this new book, which focuses on the gospel bluegrass of Jerry and Tammy Sullivan, father and daughter bluegrass…

The Stillhouse Junkies have gone all out on their latest venture. It’s a sweeping and ambitious 20-plus-track concept album that’s been years in the making. Some of the material even predates the Junkies’ previous release, 2022’s Small Towns. The band’s founder, guitarist, principal songwriter, and singer Fred Kosak describes The Ballad of Charlie Avalon as…

Since forming in 1978, the Italian group Red Wine has become one of Europe’s premier bluegrass bands. They have extensively performed not only in Europe, but also in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland, just to name a few, including the United States. Based in the city of Genoa, Italy, the current band…

On their latest, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers serve up a box of treats that seem destined to please old fans as well as new ones.  The album opens with the philosophical “Time Adds Up (If You’re Lucky)” (co-written by Missy Raines and Tim Stafford). Next up is “Something To Look Forward To” (Ronnie…