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Q – What can you tell us about “Those Two Mirthquakes of Fun” called Shufly and Buckeye Sneezleweed who appeared with Bill Monroe at several shows in 1949? Joe Ross, Roseburg, Oregon. A – An advertisement for an October 21, 1948, show by Bill Monroe in West Helena, Arkansas, revealed Buckeye Sneezleweed to be Mac…

Musicians and Community Support One Another Photos by Ricky Davis 2024 was preordained to be a bittersweet IBMA year, like a high school graduation, throwing caps in the air, fully realizing that the World of Bluegrass landscape as we knew it was about to change. After 12 years in Raleigh—a period long enough to be a…

Here’s to the next 10 years! Williamson Branch, a family bluegrass band featuring parents Kevin and Debbie Williamson with daughters, Melody Williamson Keyes, Kadence Williamson Reynolds, and Caroline Williamson, celebrated 10 years of performing in 2024. With six albums and a Christmas DVD under their belts, a 2020 “Best Vocalist” IBMA Momentum Award for Melody,…

Formally announced at this year’s IBMA, Collings’ Hill Country Series of guitars continues the company’s move to stretch the acoustic guitar envelope by re-instituting labor-intensive hand-building construction components. The product of more than 24 months of research and development (resulting in multiple prototypes for both the D and OM sizes), the Hill Country line is…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine August 1988, Volume 23, Number 2 If the term “Morgan Thoroughbred” makes you think of horses, and not banjos, then you haven’t met Tom Morgan yet. If you already know that the Thoroughbred banjo is a superb instrument designed and built by Tom and hand-crafted at the Morgan Company, you…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine May 1983, Volume 17, Number 11 Jimmy Arnold popped in and out of the bluegrass scene in the seventies. During that time, the Virginia native managed to record one banjo and one guitar album for Rebel. Jimmy also put in a few years playing mainly banjo with Joe Greene, Cliff…