Articles

University of Missouri Press  Howard Wight Marshall, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri, has recently completed his trilogy covering the history of fiddling in the state of Missouri.  The first book in the series, titled Play Me Something Quick and Devilish (2013) begins with what is known about fiddling from the time of…

Nervous Energy seems like the perfect name for a solo project from a banjo player who is staying busy.  Andy Lowe, most recently known for his work with the Deer Creek Boys, looks like he has a winner. The first single off the album is “Mountain,” with the lead singing duties taken by Josh Shilling…

Songwriters are the eyes of the world and Baltimore songwriter Caleb Stine’s eyes are better than most.  Armed with a storyteller’s inquisitiveness and a restless independent spirit, Stine is songwriter of uncompromising heft, he can spin tales that are joyful expressions, songs that are serious meditations on life, and write tunes that are all of…

And then there are the albums that make a listener just think, “wow.” Sometimes one comes along that’s hard to pick a handful of songs to focus on because—to borrow an old phrase—it’s all killer, no filler. That’s the case with Carson Peters & Iron Mountain’s latest album, Gotta Lotta Lonesome. Eight of the 12…

Resophonic Explorations Billy Cardine has explored the possibilities of the square-neck resophonic guitar far beyond the genres of bluegrass, folk, country, Americana and blues.   While musical explorations that push the outer bounds of genre are not typically embraced by bluegrass hardliners, Cardine is a musician who knows how to reign in his expansive musical abilities…

Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine August 1972—Volume 7, Number 2 I. Why The Louvin Brothers? Not only because they played with a full bluegrass band for a year, and not only because of their deep roots in old-time duet singing, but because of the firm impression their songs and style have had on bluegrass music….