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Walt Michael playing guitar in 2022 Photo by Richard Anderson

Walt Michael’s Full Circle Journey 

Exploring Roots and Creating Culture at Common Ground on the Hill This is the story of a musician whose career path led him back to his roots to develop a music and arts community known as Common Ground on the Hill, where “the big tent of bluegrass” is welcoming. Walt Michael, whose peaceful outlook, and…

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The Jerry Garcia “A Bluegrass Journey” Exhibit Opening Weekend

Over the weekend of March 28-30, 2024, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened up its newest exhibit—Jerry Garcia “A Bluegrass Journey” with a star-studded event that included many artists who had performed with Garcia over the years, including David Nelson, Peter Rowan, Eric Thompson, Pete Wernick and Maria Muldaur.   In addition…

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Nothin’ Fancy—(left to right): Chris Sexton, Curt Gausman, Mike Andes, Jenkins, and Jacob Flick. // Photo by Susie Neal

Nothin’ Fancy

Celebrates 30 Years In the Bluegrass World Hailing from the fertile musical grounds of Virginia, the bluegrass band Nothin’ Fancy has kept a steady roll in a hard and volatile business by putting the music and the fans first. Now, in 2024, the band is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a group, which is an…

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“Who’s That Knocking At My Door” appeared on The Dreadful Snakes album Snakes Alive.

Who’s That Knocking At My Door

“I’m not a writer of songs,” said Pat Enright, 79, who, despite his declaration, was indeed the writer who penned the decidedly bluegrass song, “Who’s That Knocking At My Door,” first recorded by The Dreadful Snakes on the band’s only album, Snakes Alive! (1983, Rounder Records).  Humble to a fault perhaps, Enright’s “only” solo write…

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Chubby Collier with Mac Wiseman, ca. fall 1952. Left to right: Chubby Collier, Mac Wiseman, Jim Williams and Wayne Brown. Photo originally printed in the February 1970 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited. // Photo courtesy of Pete Kuykendall.

Notes & Queries – June 2024

Q: Chubby Collier played some awesome hardcore fiddle on several Charlie Bailey songs that I like extremely well. I believe he was from far southwest Virginia. I wonder if he recorded on more songs; I can’t think of any. Can you come up with anything about him? I’d love to learn as much as I…

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Bluegrass & Bourbon

Dierks Bentley Embraces Two Western Kentucky Traditions Photos by Zach Belcher Owensboro (Kentucky’s fourth largest city) is known as the culinary and cultural hub of western Kentucky due in large part to its extraordinary three B’s—Bluegrass, Bourbon and Barbecue.  As the birthplace of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and the home of the Bluegrass…

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