Articles

CHRIS BRASHEAR HEART OF THE COUNTRY Hearth Music No Number With a voice both plaintive and lyrical, and with a keen ear for language, Chris Brashear continues to be one of the finest writers and exponents of the sentimental song. That fact was certainly front and center on his 1998 solo CD Wanderlust (highlighted by…

JOHN LOWELL I AM GOING TO THE WEST No Label No Number After years of progressive exposure to American bluegrass audiences, first through the wonderful and lamented band Kane’s River, and on an ongoing basis with Growling Old Men, John Lowell has established himself as a significant force in modern acoustic music. With his warm,…

JOHN DRISKELL HOPKINS AND BALSAM RANGE DAYLIGHT No Label 001    John Driskell Hopkins met Zac Brown while hosting an open mic night in Atlanta in 2004. A year later, Hopkins became an original member of the Zac Brown Band, playing bass and being a part of the group’s now-signature and powerful harmony vocals. Since then,…

CAHALEN MORRISON & ELI WEST OUR LADY OF THE TALL TREES No Label No Number There’s something exceptionally challenging about the duo format. Two voices, two instruments—nothing to hide behind. Every second of space is as important as each note you play. From Bill & Charlie Monroe to Darol Anger & Mike Marshall, many traditions…

BRAD BENGE NASHVILLE   No Label No Number Brad Benge has spent most of his time in music behind the scenes. Hailing from Oklahoma City, he did a three-year stint playing guitar for Byron Berline before learning to work the boards. For a decade, he was chief engineer at Palladium Recording before going on the…

JOHNNY STAATS AND THE DELIVERY BOYS TIME MOVES ON No Label No Number For anyone who may have forgotten the amazing dexterity and talent Johnny Staats brings to the mandolin, let this be a reminder. It may not be apparent in the first track “Never Mind The Mule,” a bluesy medium-tempo stomp about driving his…