Articles

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…

Photos Courtesy of Ohio County Tourism A visit to the hometown of one of your music heroes may not always sound like it would be worth the time, effort, or expense. These days most small towns in the United States all look about the same.  You might find a quaint, but somewhat run-down, downtown area,…

Shelby Means had nothing to prove to anyone but herself when she set out to record her first solo self-titled album. Her bluegrass credentials are solid. In fact, bluegrass brought her to Nashville in the first place. A native of Wyoming, she grew up going to festivals and played in the Alaska bluegrass band Bearfoot…

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…

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…

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…