Articles

An Interview with Randy Lanham, Education Director, Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum How do people learn to play bluegrass music, or any type of music for that matter? Is it handed down from generation to generation?  Do they teach it in school? Private Lessons? Group Lessons? Jam Sessions? Or are today’s options for…

Michael Prewitt Special Consensus mandolin player Michael Prewitt grew up on an old tobacco farm in Whitley County, a 45-minute drive east of Somerset. It wasn’t until he left Eastern Kentucky for an English degree at grad school in North Dakota that he began to reexamine his bluegrass roots. “As far as making a conscious choice…

Bands Blurring the Lines of Bluegrass “I tell people we are the tradition of bluegrass, the attitude of punk rock and the culture of hip hop,” explains Kenny Feinstein (singer, multi-instrumentalist) of Water Tower.  That declaration perfectly sums up the unconventional musical personality of Water Tower, a Los Angeles-based string-band that is keeping old-timey, traditional…

By Jody Stecher Beautiful and unusual instrumentation, rare points of view, and intricate, natural imagery come together to create “The Only Sunshine,” an atypical love song written by Jody Stecher and released in December 2023 on his album Mile 77.  The writer behind this powerful statement song has a musical career that spans decades and…

Growing up in Georgia, Reynolds liked rock and roll and performed around her home. While in college she discovered that country and bluegrass were the kinds of music she wanted to sing. In the 2000s, she moved to the Washington, D.C., area, found a home performing with local bluegrass bands and teamed up with banjoist…

“Banjer” Dan Mazer is originally from the Washington, D.C., area and grew up playing banjo in the manner of Earl Scruggs. He was mostly known as a solo artist, performing and busking around the area at local jams and venues. He relocated to California a number of years ago, and continues as a mostly acoustic…