Articles

Annick Odom, lead singer and principal songwriter of this trio—named after a wild flower that proliferates in Appalachian West Virginia—grew up in two cultures and spend her formative years in both West Virginia and the Netherlands, where she formed this band.  Sweet Joe Pye currently divides its time between Europe and the Morgantown, West Virginia,…

Although Sally Jones is fairly ubiquitous in the world of bluegrass music, this album travels a little off the beaten path. These recordings start in the earlier years of Sally Jones’s transatlantic tour with the Sidewinders, featuring Kristin Scott Benson on banjo, Mickey Harris on bass, and Brad Meinerding on mandolin. The rest of the…

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…

The “Pickin’ On” series has been running for nearly three decades now, cranking out over forty records. They have successfully bridged the gap between traditional bluegrass and popular music of the 20th and 21st century. The series first began to captivate bluegrass audiences with the Pickin’ on the Grateful Dead album in 1997 and went…

I’ve had the immense pleasure of seeing Beppe Gambetta perform live at a cozy venue in Harrisburg, Missouri. He is a master of his craft; a one man orchestra. His playing is strongly influenced by the great flatpickers of our time, but also has elements of classical and contemporary music of the world. I’ve also…

Even early in his life, John Cowan’s vocal talents surprised and impressed those who heard him. As Cowan, now 70, recalls in his memoir Hold To A Dream, it was the cute sister of one of his friends telling him—“You sing really good!”—that scotched his interest in playing football and motivated him to give his…