Articles

Dives Into No Fear You might think it would send shivers down the spine of a teenaged Maddie Dalton joining one of bluegrass music’s hottest acts, Sister Sadie, and that’s exactly what it did. On top of auditioning for the 3-time IBMA “Vocal Group of the Year” and making her Grand Ole Opry debut on…

Bands Blurring the Lines of Bluegrass The genius of Cris Jacobs has always been his chameleon-like ability to float between genres and musical styles, making each his own.  From the rambunctious jamband energy of his first band The Bridge, to New Orleans funk and his collaboration with Ivan Neville, to his soulful brand of rock,…

This veteran East Tennessee banjo maestro has performed and toured with just about everyone over the years, including, for starters, the Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Marty Raybon and Tim Raybon. And he’s gained a slew of friends and admirers along the way. He’s called upon many of these friends while producing his star-studded debut…

John Hartford (1937-2001) was one of the most unique individuals in the history of American music.  Most bluegrass fans are familiar with the rough outlines of Hartford’s career, from his early days in St. Louis, Missouri, becoming interested in bluegrass music and the old-time fiddle, to his early days in Nashville, his early songwriting and…

Mohavisoul is based in the San Diego area and takes its name from California’s Mojave Desert. While the band’s musical approach is contemporary, it recognizes its bluegrass roots in both the song writing and arrangements of covers.  The band consists of Randy Hanson (mandolin), Mark Miller (guitar), Orion Boucher (bass), and Jason Weiss (banjo). They…

At age 16, Mei Lin Heirendt, lead singer and fiddler with this northern California-based quartet, is already a veteran of sorts. She started playing the violin at age 7, and has simply never stopped.  Since she was a child, she’s been involved with and nurtured by the California Bluegrass Association and is currently the organization’s…