Articles

Most people know Lizzy Long as the multi-instrumentalist, multi-talented singer, songwriter and sidekick of Little Roy Lewis. Like her “Pap,” as she calls him, she is a ball of creative energy and spends part of her limited free time making fiddles.  In her woodworking shop, the Lincolnton, Georgia native labors to take pieces of solid…

Students attending Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in Richmond, Kentucky can consider themselves extremely fortunate if they have any interest in learning to play bluegrass music.  Although the university does not have a bluegrass music degree program, they do offer a Bluegrass Ensemble course and the person who teaches that course is multi-instrumentalist and singer Pam…

Bluegrass’s Annual Ritual of Spring Photos By David McCarty Every year on the last weekend of the first month, the bluegrass faithful emerge from their winter burrows like cicadas after hibernation with no outdoor festivals and few indoor events, itching to pick. It may still be late January, but don’t try telling bluegrass that spring…

A Banjo Master Gone Too Soon James Robert “Jim” Mills (December 18, 1966 – May 3, 2024) was one of the most celebrated bluegrass banjo pickers from the last forty years. His early resume included stints with several regional bands such as Summer Wages and the Bass Mountain Boys while later entries observed high-profile jobs…

It is not unusual for older folks to look at the younger generations coming up behind them and feel as though those youngsters don’t know anything about working hard or honoring tradition. It is an old story but, like all stereotypes, not always true. If you have ever found yourself having negative thoughts about young…

One of Bluegrass’s New Generation Written by Dale and Darcy Cahill It is difficult to write about Austin Scelzo without listing the many ways he has contributed to the bluegrass community. He plays the fiddle and sings for bands On The Trail and the Rock Hearts. He teaches on his own bluegrass, country and roots…