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Cole Quest and the City Pickers
Woody Guthrie’s Grandson and his NYC-based Bluegrass Band Woody Guthrie has a strong legacy in American music. Part of the reason is obvious—the music and the lyrics speak for themselves. Additionally, musicians such as Bob Dylan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Pete Seeger, Woody’s son Arlo, and others, have praised Guthrie as an influence and mentor and…
How Did We Do It
Graham Sharp is no stranger to bluegrass fans. For nearly a quarter century, he shared vocal duties with co-founder Woody Platt in one of the most successful groups of this century, the Steep Canyon Rangers. When Platt announced his departure, the band regrouped, added another distinctive voice in Aaron Burdett, and kept going. Sharp’s distinctive…
From Stages to Campgrounds
Old Settler’s Music Festival Sustains a Robust Community Photos by Steve Levine/stl.images The 38th Annual Old Settler’s Music Festival, happening this year over the final weekend in April, was not just the latest installment of the longest-running festival anywhere near Austin, Texas. It was not just an eclectic mix of beloved and outstanding “roots”…
Songs Move Mountains
Louisa Branscomb Marks 36 Years of Songwriting retreats March 2025 marked the 36th consecutive year of songwriting workshops, usually twice a year, hosted by veteran songwriter Louisa Branscomb. Louisa founded Woodsong Farm Songwriting Retreats in 1989, at her farm in Georgia, and continued to hold 2 to 4 retreats a year for the next 30…
Southern Sky
Since his 2019 debut with the album North Country, Irish-born Danny Burns has received his share of accolades. He possesses a robust baritone and a deft songwriter’s eye and ear for emotional detail that lends itself well to his unique blend of Celtic, folk, country and bluegrass music. Burns’s new album features a pair of…
The Making of Rounder 0044
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine September 2015, Volume 50, Number 3 Four decades ago, J.D. Crowe & the New South went into the studio to record one of bluegrass music’s most influential albums. The band consisted of J.D. Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, and Bobby Slone, and their 1975 eponymous album is commonly…