Category Archives: Lyrics

Portland, Oregon clawhammer banjo player Paul Vorvick is giving away a book of transcriptions to match his latest album, Nameless Joe, a collection of 22 new original tunes that Paul has written.

No strings attached. If you like the music, you can download the book for free online. He has the album on streaming services so you can check out the music as well. Of course, Vorvick would appreciate your support if you like the tunes, so purchasing the album is always an option. But he tells us his greatest thrill would be to someday hear other players doing one of his tunes.

Paul is a lifelong musician and multi-instrumentalist who started out on guitar, though he now works mostly as a bass player in the jazz world in Portland.

He tells us that after learning several other instruments, he has approached the five string differently, leading him to a preference for solo banjo.

“I started playing clawhammer style banjo about five years ago. As a guitarist, the right hand was the biggest challenge for me, and I consider myself an intermediate player as far as the right hand goes. Rather than learning the much-respected standard tunes, I started composing as soon as I could manage a bum-diddy. I was fascinated with different tunings and found that as I played with them they would suggest melodies. With every other instrument I’ve learned I had the intent of playing with others. But not the banjo. Although I’m not against playing it with others, it’s a very personal instrument for me.”

Here’s a listen to the title track from the album.

You’ll find the Nameless Joe album available now from popular download and streaming services online. To get a copy of Paul’s very professionally made tab book of the tunes, just follow this link.

Volume Five’s latest single from Mountain Fever Records has made a rapid ascent on our Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay chart. The first week Restless Heart and a Rambler’s Soul hit the chart, it came in at #26, and now a week later, they are celebrating the #1 spot.

The song, written by Mark “Brink” Brinkman, is included on their current Karma album, sung as always by fiddler Glen Harrell.

He remembers how this song came to the band….

“Mark Brinkman sent me this song about three years ago, and I knew instantly it was one Iwanted to record. Mark has written many hits throughout the years, and I feel like this is another one!”

Support comes from regular V5 bandmates Aaron Ramsey on mandolin and Jacob Burleson on guitar, along with former members Jeff Partin on bass and Patton Wages on banjo.

Brinkman also recalls how he was inspired to write Restless Heart and a Rambler’s Soul.

“I was talking to my long-time friend Bruce Watson one day, and he said, ‘You need to write a song about a rambler’s soul.’ I told him I liked that idea, and the next day, I sat down and added ‘a restless heart’ to the equation. I’ve always loved to travel and explore, so putting the song together came faster than usual. I wanted to make it a bluegrass driver with a little bit of a twist on the chord progression. The minute I finished it, I knew it might make a perfect song for Volume Five!

Glen Harrell has always been one of my favorite singers. He has depth and emotion in his vocals that you can’t fake. Really genuine. I had pitched songs to Glen before, but this is the first one to ‘stick,’ and I’m sure glad it did. It turned out AMAZING!!! Great pickin’…great harmony…and a great feel!

I hope all the listeners and fans of Volume Five will like this cut as much as I do. As a songwriter, it just doesn’t get much better.”

Have a listen…

Restless Heart and a Rambler’s Soul, and the full Karma album, are available now from popular download and streaming services online. Audio CDs can be purchased directly from the label.

Radio programmers can get all the tracks via AirPlay Direct.

Photo by Will Wall

Geraldine is an interesting traditional music group from the Charm City of Baltimore. Playing a mix of original old time, bluegrass, country, and folk – they call themselves a new time stringband – their music is based around the songs of guitarist, John Bolten.

Bolten, who works by day as a hydrologist, researching water resources management, gave the band their name, an homage to Townes Van Zandt’s dog. He says that songwriting is a passion for him.

“I love writing songs. When you write songs and you connect with someone in a way that moves them, that’s when I’m at my happiest. But getting people to feel what we feel when we’re writing, that’s not easy and there’s no formula for that.”

Geraldine has just announced a May release for their second album, Paw Paw, and have released a music video for the title track, which sings the praises of the familiar Appalachian fruit.

Bolten is joined by bandmates Josh Anderson on fiddle, Jonathan Locke on banjo, and Jocelyn Haversat on bass and foot percussion. Actually, they all switch around a good bit on instruments, and Jocelyn is featured for her clog dancing as well.

Have a look/listen…

Paw Paw is available as a single now from bandcamp, where pre-orders for the Paw Paw album, due May 21, are also offered.

Chevy Watson photo by Laci Mack/Tyler Griffith photo © Dave Hollender

Seth Mulder has announced two new faces in Midnight Run, stepping in for founding members Ben Watlington and Max Etling who left at the end of 2022. He assures us that they still play the sort of fiery old school grass the band has been known for, and even shared a couple of live videos to prove it.

Let’s have him tell the tale…

“Our first new member is Chevy Watson from Rutherford, NC. He plays guitar and sings lead and parts. He’s a great addition to the band, both vocally and musically, and we look forward to working with him.

Next is Tyler Griffith from Avon, IN, on upright bass and vocals. Tyler has been a good friend of ours for a long time, and when the opportunity came up to work with him in a professional setting, we knew he was the right fit. Tyler’s official first show won’t be with us until the middle of June as he is currently in the Netherlands with his wife while she heals up from surgery.

Our good friend Joe Sharp has been helping us out for the last few months, and it has been a blast playing with him.

Im excited to work with the new members. They are both great people I have known for a long time, and the opportunity to bring them on board is exciting. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what they have to offer.

Our lineup is rounded out with Colton Powers on banjo, Max Silverstein on fiddle, and myself on mandolin.”

The band initially formed to work at the Ole Smoky Moonshine locations in east Tennessee, and has since grown into an international touring act who records for the Mountain Fever label.

Here are the boys tearing up Fire on the Mountain at the Collins Theatre in Paragould, AR.

Here they are again at the Withlacoochee Bluegrass Festival with Duncan & Brady.

Visit Seth Mulder & Midnight Run online to see their summer touring schedule, which gets very busy next month.

Friday and Saturday April 14-15 sees the inaugural Florida Bluegrass Summit. It is being held at the Florida Sands Music Ranch (formerly the Sertoma Youth Ranch) in Brooksville.

The festival is all about the greater Florida bluegrass community, featuring all Florida bands and musicians. Several Florida bluegrass music associations are involved in putting on the event, including the North Florida Bluegrass Association, the South Florida Bluegrass Association, and the Sunshine State Bluegrass Association.

Justin Mason who is a third generation bluegrass musician sent the following statement:

“The Florida Bluegrass Summit is the brainchild of a group of hard-core bluegrass fans from Florida, including group spearhead Justin Mason.

Justin and his crew had the idea to ‘Do the Most Good Possible’ for the Florida bluegrass scene by bringing together the bluegrass associations, bands, and industry leaders so that not only a festival can be held, but also networking and best practices could be shared to mutually benefit bluegrass in the Sunshine state. The inaugural fest is April 14-15 at the Florida Sands Music Ranch in Brooksville, and features Florida bluegrass bands.

The involvement of numerous organizations will assure a long lasting impression on the rich bluegrass culture of Florida.”

Florida has a strong bluegrass community that supports many one day and multi-day festivals. It has been my privilege to attend many of these events over the past few years. I have come to know many of the bluegrass family in that time. Justin Mason has a passion for the music that shows in his promotion of all events and participation in most of them.

I would encourage my Florida friends to get on board for this event for the greater good of the Florida bluegrass scene. 

Support your local music venues.

The G7th Capo company has introduced several new colors for its quick release Nashville guitar capo, in conjunction with this weekend’s 2023 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA.

The Nashville capo is designed to be an effective, spring-loaded model offered at a budget price. Like all their capos, G7th says that the Nashvilles provide just the right amount of tension, via the spring, to clamp the strings down only as much as is needed to allow your guitar’s natural tone to shine through.

These are lightweight capos, which are released by pulling the two bars together, making for quick and simple key changes, or storage on the headstock.

In addition to the standard silver, black, and gold, the G7th Nashville is also available now in red, white, blue, and green. And like all the G7th models, they come with a lifetime warranty.

The Nashville capo is offered for sale through music stores worldwide, or directly from G7th online, for $24.95.

The company has a wide range of capo options, from their super simple UltraLight, to their heavier duty Newport and Performance 2 and 3 series, and their top line Heritage models for the most discriminating users. Most are available for steel string guitar, classical guitar, and banjo. There are even a few 12 string guitar models, and most can be ordered with custom engraving to set your capo aside from the rest.

All can be seen at the G7th web site.

The Goodwin Brothers stay true to a hallowed bluegrass tradition, one birthed in Kentucky, and following in the footsteps of those notable statemates that have formed the essence of modern bluegrass and country music— Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, and, more recently, Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers, among the many.

Veteran performer and longtime industry insider Mark Newton was so taken with the band that he opted to manage them and promote the group as they make their way forward. 

Although the current band has only been in existence since 2020, each of the members of the trio —Jonathan and William Goodwin (vocals, guitar and mandolin) along with Kenneth (Chase) Bush (vocals) — have accumulated individual experience in various realms prior to their connection. Jonathan and William began their musical journeys as children in the early ’90s, when Jonathan was eight and younger brother William was six. They accumulated their stage experience early on, singing in church, performing in school plays, and participating in other public events. They released their first studio album in 1999, when Jonathan was 14 and William 12, and subsequently made their name on the bluegrass festival circuit across the eastern US. Their eponymous debut as a threesome won widespread critical acclaim, and paved the way for their exuberant and exhilarating new single, Everyday Thing, with an album due to follow. Set for release this Friday, April 14, the single offers another ideal example of the Goodwin’s gift for melody and, of course, their soaring and effusive harmonies and outstanding instrumental ability. 

Johnathan Goodwin could be considered the de-facto leader of the band, having been involved in the music industry as a Grammy-nominated engineer, producer, and veteran southern gospel artist and session player in his own right. He graciously agreed to sit down with Bluegrass Today and share some thoughts on the band and their music.

First off, tell us about the new single – what inspired it, who wrote it and how did it come about?

The new single, Everyday Thing, is a song that was written by our friends Tom Paden and Dwight Liles. When Tom brought us this song, it was funny because he wrote it years ago and had some major artists that wanted to do it. Marty Raybon asked him to hold it at one point for a new Shenandoah record, but it didn’t make the cut. Later on, Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys asked him to hold it for them for a new album, but again, it didn’t make their cut. In both instances the artists loved the song, but had too many songs already recorded with a similar tempo and feel. So Tom put the song on the shelf for a couple of years. We met in the studio one day and after hearing us sing, he asked me if he could pitch us a couple of tunes. This was one of two of his songs that we have recorded for the upcoming project. Everyday Thing is just a feel-good song that reminds people to appreciate the little things that make life worth living with people you love. 

How does this song fit into your trajectory so far?

Well, we were thrilled when our record label told us this was their pick for the first single from the new project, simply because it indeed speaks so well to the trajectory that the Goodwin Brothers have always taken. Songs about real life, love, happiness, and songs that make you smile. Of course, they’re not all gonna speak the same, but overall, as creators, this is the kind of messages we like to share.

Where do you generally get your inspiration from?

Our inspiration can come from a number of things depending on what style and song we are doing, but in general our inspiration comes from our heritage. We grew up in the church hearing hymns of faith that lifted your spirit and made you want to press on, despite everyday battles we all face. We’re deep thinkers and have a great appreciation for deep songs and lyrics that make you think, and even challenge the listener as well. But at the core of who we are, our inspiration comes from finding songs that make people feel good and bring a smile to their faces. Songs that make them want to dance, laugh, sing along, and appreciate the moment. When an artist says, “we grew up in the church,” a lot of people seem to think that means they must do gospel songs due to their convictions. The thing that moved us about singing in church while growing up was that when a congregation would sing together and lift their voices, the rest of whatever was going on in the outside world seemed to vanish. That’s the power of a song. 

What are some of the other early influences that informed your music?

We grew up in a divorced home. When we were with our dad and our paternal side of the family, it was mostly bluegrass and gospel all the time. Our grandmother was a great alto singer and piano player. She was responsible for having us on stage in church at two and four years old singing to the congregation. We loved groups like Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, the Louvin Brothers, and other great outfits. When we would see our mom, she was always listening to country music, which, at the time — early ’90s — meant great country music. Stacked harmonies and great vocal bands like Alabama, Exile, Restless Heart, Shenandoah, and countless others.

Of course, as we all got older, we began listening and working in other genres. Will was a vocal major and was a featured soloist for the Black Gospel Ensemble at Morehead State University, while I was working full time in Nashville producing Southern Gospel and CCM artists. Chase was singing country and pop songs on American Idol. So, as you can see, we are extremely musically diverse. However, at the core, we returned to grass-roots acoustic and bluegrass-driven music because it really was our first love. Anyone that has ever been to a Goodwin Brothers show will typically hear everything from hard-driving bluegrass to a country song or two that we loved from the ’90s. 

How would you characterize the band’s growth over the years?

The beautiful thing to me about the band is that although we’ve only been on the scene for about two years now, it didn’t take much work to fall back into singing with each other. In regard to the growth, all we can say is that we’ve been extremely blessed. Never did we imagine in two short years of stepping back into singing together, we would have the opportunity to play so many iconic festivals and stages, win multiple awards, meet and become friends with so many of our heroes, and actually have fans that support and appreciate our music. People often ask, “when are you guys gonna take the plunge and just do this full-time?” The good part is, we’re too busy. The bad part is…we’re too busy. 

For you personally, what are the challenges of being an artist and an entrepreneur — do the left and right side of your brain ever clash?

Well, I certainly experienced that in the early years of my career.  But one of the things I learned quickly was to build a team around me of people that are strong where I am weak. Our dad instilled in us an entrepreneurial mindset very early on. In regard to the band, although we are brothers, Will and I have different personalities, approaches, and tactics in regard to our roles within the band. Yet we’re business partners within the band, and we have a great respect for each other, understanding our own specific roles and duties that keep the band moving forward. What’s challenging is being able to balance out real work (that pays the bills) vs. our own band, and what attention it requires to keep progressing. But thankfully (again), we have been blessed with the most incredible team around us and always keep only professional class-A musicians in our band that helps us to become better.

Any thoughts on the contemporary bluegrass scene — and the challenges of treading the divide between the contemporary and the traditional? 

Well for us, our whole band has pretty vast experience outside of just the bluegrass world. For that reason, we really never think about genre divisions when we’re working up new material. We just think about what style fits the song the best. The bluegrass scene is always evolving and growing, and to us, becoming better. Don’t get me wrong… you’ll find no one that reveres traditional grass more than us. But we will never be the group you can put in one box and market only within that genre. We’ve got way too much in us to limit ourselves to three chords and a cloud of dust.

I believe it was Bill Monroe that said, “It’s got a hard drive to it. It’s Scotch bagpipes and old-time fiddlin’. It’s Methodist and Holiness and Baptist. It’s blues and jazz and it has a high lonesome sound. It’s plain music that tells a story. It’s played from heart to heart and will touch you.” We want to expand our audience to people outside of the bluegrass world, all while bringing in fans from outside of the bluegrass world that say to us consistently, “I never liked ‘bluegrass’ until I heard you guys! I didn’t know it could be done this way.”

It’s funny that people will love the way we do an old Bill Monroe song like Old Old House, and ask us whose song it was. Then later, they discover that they liked Monroe’s version too. We’ve tried to find creative and playful ways to infuse our bluegrass instrumentation with everything, from straight grass to country ballads and even some edgy rock ‘n’ roll energy. We will always be a band that blurs the lines. 

Who do you admire these days?

If you’re asking musically…. Anyone that is out there doing the music they love and working at it to become the absolute best they can be. Innovators that love where this music came from, yet aren’t afraid to push the boundaries to reach more people while being true to what they want to say. People like Molly Tuttle, John Cowan, Sam Bush, and all of the New Grass Revival guys, and so many others. I think I can speak for the boys in saying we admire those people that helped make this music what it is today and are still out there doing it after many years. People like Del McCoury, Larry Sparks, Bobby Osborne, and others of their ilk.

What’s ahead going forward? Will this single be part of the upcoming album? 

Yeah man! The new album is finished and we’re just counting down the days for the record label to pull the trigger and put it out for everyone to hear. Our actual album release show is taking place at the historic Station Inn July 29. We will have some special guests join us that night as well. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Going forward, we’re going to keep making a joyful noise. Making music that everyone can enjoy, regardless of genre.

D. A. Callaway – photo by Kaitlyn McConnell/Ozarks Alive

For generations people have responded, often in jest, to the question, “What are you going to do now that you’ve retired?”, with, “I don’t know… I guess I’ll write my memoirs.”

Of course, that rarely happens, but one who has done it is D.A. Callaway, who took his leave from Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO in 2020, where he had served as the Manager of their Entertainment Division. He oversaw all performers in the park, but his special pride was the annual Bluegrass & BBQ Festival, which runs throughout the month of May, and the Summer Gospel Picnic, which would take place over 10-12 days in August.

If you’ve ever visited the park for these events, or performed there, which almost every act in bluegrass has done, you will immediately recognize Callaway, who booked all the acts and oversaw the festivals with a very hands on approach.

Now, he has released a book of his memoirs called My Lucky Life at Silver Dollar City (Including plenty of old jokes). It might not be a true autobiography, as after a brief opening section on how he grew up in poverty with his mom, three brothers, and his grandparents in northwest Springfield, MO, the slim volume is completely dedicated to his career at Silver Dollar City.

And what a career it was! Coming onboard as a ragtime pianist in 1976, he worked his way up the ranks the old fashioned way, learning trumpet to be part of an act called The River Rats, and his lucky break, being groomed for management by an old boss who saw something of value in the young musician and singer.

D. A. talks about many of the people with whom he worked in the park, showing a nearly perfect memory over 45 years, and provides a nice history of the growth and development of Silver Dollar City along the way. The book also includes a good many photographs of his time there, and an impressive collection of truly corny jokes, which now seem to be known as “dad jokes.” Maybe “grandad jokes” is more appropriate here.

An example…

“As a former entertainer, I got used to being recognized. One day I walked into Wal-Mart and somebody yelled, ‘D.A. Callaway is here!’ Everybody turned around and stared at me. I was so embarrassed; I was almost sorry I yelled it.”

These wisecracks dot every page of the book, with some being simple one-liners.

“Five dollars for a wig is a small price toupée.”

Anyone who met D. A. Calloway recalls how quick he was to share a joke, something that never left him from those early days on stage.

My Lucky Life at Silver Dollar City is a quick read, and a must for anyone who has met Callaway over the years, worked at Silver Dollar City, or took part in their bluegrass or gospel festivals.

To get a copy, simply send $15 (cash or check) to the following address:

D. A. Callaway
1451 State Hwy 176
Galena, MO 65656

Eddie Ray Buzzini (whose given name is Ettore) makes his home in Mooresville, North Carolina. Just fifteen years old at the time of this recording’s release, the young banjoist lives with his Swiss-Italian father and American mother born in East Tennessee. Unsurprisingly, these two cultures have greatly influenced Buzzini’s musical and lyrical approach, both of which are reflected on his debut solo album, Eddie Ray.

The opening track, Ragnarok, is extremely impressive. Not only does the song tell an engaging story about the mythical battle between Thor and Odin, the Norse gods, but it also has a strong melody. It should be mentioned that Buzzini penned this song when he was only eleven years old! Eddie Ray is accompanied on this piece by Patrick McAvinue on fiddle, Kyser George on lead guitar, David George on bass, and Luke Morris on mandolin.

Farewell Blues is a jazz standard that most bluegrass fans came to know through the version recorded by Flatt & Scruggs on Mercury Records in 1950. The rendition played by Buzzini follows that arrangement fairly closely with the addition of superb twin fiddling from McAvinue and Willie Marschner, as well as lead guitar from Danny Knicely, and bass playing from Marshall Wilborn.

I’ll Try Not To Care is another original penned by Buzzini, Tom Mindte, and Mason Via. Falling firmly into the traditional bluegrass camp, this song focuses on the typical theme of love gone wrong, combined with a bit of teen angst. Mindte and Via also supply great harmony vocals on this track. Another strong original from Buzzini is Cash Don’t Sleep which tells an emotional tale of a young undocumented immigrant facing obstacles while attempting to bring his family to North Carolina.

New Camptown Races and Sunny Ray both demonstrate Eddie Ray’s abilities as a lead guitarist. The former is of course a Frank Wakefield classic which stays true to his original piece, while the latter has a Latin jazz flavor to it. Sunny Ray features Buzzini playing the resophonic tenor guitar.

You’re No Good is a bluegrass take on a song recorded by Bob Dylan in 1961. With strong lead vocals and banjo playing from Eddie Ray as well as great instrumental backing from Danny Knicely, Marshall Wilborn, and Patrick McAvinue, this is a really well done interpretation.

Eddie Ray Buzzini has all the goods. He’s a strong vocalist, instrumentalist, and songwriter. This recording captures every facet of his abilities, making for a thrilling listening experience. As cliché as it sounds, it’ll be exciting to see where Buzzini’s journey will take him!

Are you a British bluegrass picker who is similarly enthralled by the character of Sherlock Holmes? Or maybe just a jammer looking for a fun weekend pick?

June Ashe and Christine Cleaton have been hosting picking weekends in Wales for bluegrass enthusiasts for the past two decades or more. These events might be called a jamming festival here in the states, but the idea is to offer a central place for musicians at every skill level to get away for a weekend where picking and jamming is sure to be in ready supply.

Since 2015, they have hosted the Black Mountain Bluegrass Picking Weekend at Baskerville Hall in Powys. Pickers and listeners are welcomed June 23-25 this year for informal jamming throughout the historic Baskerville Hall and its grounds, with rooms in the hall available for the weekend, or camping passes for RVs and tenters alike.

The Hall has a full service restaurant as well as 28 rooms with private baths for those attending. Shower and restroom facilities are also provided for campers.

Conan Doyle fans know that his classic novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, was set in the English west country of Devon, rather than Wales, though the story was clearly inspired by Baskerville Hall where he was a frequent visitor. He was a friend of the Baskerville family, and learned of a local legend about the hounds from his many trips to the Hall. At the request of the family, he moved the story to Devon to prevent the Hall being overrun with tourists.

Black Mountain Bluegrass Picking Weekend sounds like a lovely getaway, and a fine chance to jam, for bluegrass lovers or Sherlock Holmes aficionados.

You can find more details on Facebook. Bookings are to be made through the hotel.

People always seem interested in where music celebrities, or lesser-known one-hit wonder types, have disappeared to. I seem to recall VH-1, or one of those channels that used to show music videos in the ’80s, devoting a whole show to the subject. I think people get a particular kick out of seeing a star who once graced the cover of People magazine in the late ’70s, running a pizza place in Poughkeepsie, or getting out of rehab in Sedona (or both).

I think these kinds of stories are less interesting to us in the bluegrass world, partly because very few bluegrass artists ever lived the extravagant lifestyles we associate with pop and country stars in the first place. This just doesn’t make a very compelling tale: “Hank McIntosh, one-time banjo player for Bill Monroe in late 1962, and later leader of his own band, Hank McIntosh and Apple Ridge, is now running a small gas station in Ashland, KY, where he lives with his wife in a modest 3 bedroom house. Quite a contrast to the days when Hank was traveling the highways in a Ford conversion van, staying in lavish $65 hotel rooms and making almost $15,000 a year (gross).”

Another problem is that most of us already know “where they are now,” since most of the people we might be wondering about are still out there playing music in some form or another, and probably will be for another 30 years, with the occasional false retirement. Yes, now and then someone quits and joins a cult, or becomes a pro golfer, but generally, even if they land some high-powered day job, it just means they pick a little less and drive a nicer car to gigs. There isn’t much of a mystery there.

What does interest me, though, is finding out what has become of some of the characters in our best-loved bluegrass songs, beginning with the guy who’s daughter begged him not to “go to the mines today.” There are quite a few unresolved stories out there, and some people whose lives may have changed dramatically since the third verse of whatever song they were in. 

That’s why once again I turned to my research team (it was pretty much just me, but it sounds so much better to refer to a “team”) to delve into these untold tales and answer the nagging question, “where are they now?” I uncovered enough stories to necessitate a two-part article.

Oh Daddy, don’t go to the mines today
For dreams have so often come true
My Daddy, dear Daddy, please don’t go away
I never could live without you

My first discovery was kind of a letdown, bordering on annoying: the miner from the song mentioned above, Dream of a Miner’s Child, went to the mines after all, where nothing at all happened. The little girl said the same thing to him for the next three mornings, until she finally admitted that she had just made the dream up because she just didn’t want him to leave her and go to work.

Daddy is now long-since retired from the mines and he and the family moved to South Carolina. His daughter is now 52 and owns a bait and tackle shop outside of Charleston. 

Other stories had more interesting outcomes (some more than others):

I wandered again to my home in the mountains
Where in youth’s early dawn I was happy and free
I looked for my friends, but I never could find them
I found they were all rank strangers to me

The man from Rank Stranger (which would make a great movie title, by the way) is a guy who went back to his home town and found that he didn’t recognize anybody. He came to the conclusion that all his childhood friends had died and gone to heaven. 

As it turned out though, he had mistakenly gone to the wrong town, which explains why nobody there looked familiar. Someone from the town kindly directed him to his actual home town, and when he got there, he found all his friends, but discovered he didn’t like them much anymore. 

He then returned to the first town, where he had bonded with a few of those rank strangers while looking around for his so-called “friends.” He resides there to this day, where he and his wife (one of the strangers he bonded with) operate a small hotel.

If you’re traveling in the north country fair
Where the wind blows cold on the borderline
Remember me to the one who lives there
For she once was a true love of mine

This is a song that’s addressed to a friend, asking him to check up on an old flame of his, since he seems to be heading to the north country (fair) where she lives. It has always left me wondering if the narrator of the song and this girl managed to stay in touch, or if his friend even saw her at all.

Fast-forward two decades, and it seems that the man eventually moved on and married a girl from the south country, whose hair didn’t hang quite as long, but who had many other fine qualities. 

Meanwhile, the elusive girl from the north country got pretty sick of the wind blowing cold on the borderline all the time, and she moved south. Today she owns a chain of hot dog and tropical smoothie stands in south Florida. 

Information on the man’s friend is sketchy, but apparently he never came back from traveling in the north country, and has never been heard from again. He may have been the victim of a bear attack.

The very next day about half past four
The sheriff’s men knocked at my door
They said young man come now and go
Down to the banks of the Ohio

I really didn’t want to have to return to The Banks of the Ohio (that’s what she said!), but when most versions of the song end with that unhelpful cliffhanger of a verse above, how can we not try to find out how the story ended? Did he ever go to trial? Did he do time? 

What actually happened won’t satisfy those who wanted to see justice done in this song: the murderer went willingly to the banks of the Ohio with the sheriff’s men, smirking the whole time, because he knew they’d find no body or murder weapon. All that was there were a few half-eaten sandwiches leftover from a picnic, and some signs of a struggle, which the accused claimed were due to the picnic basket being stuck shut.

There was a trial, but the murderer had some great legal connections and brought in a team of attorneys that included Johnny Cochran, Charlie Sizemore, and David Crow. The case was dismissed, and he never did an hour of time. Today he lives in the same southern Ohio town where he was raised. He’s retired, and spends his time making various wooden percussion instruments, none of which he can play. No one has ever agreed to marry him.

Pinecastle Records has released a debut single from their upcoming project with bluegrass veteran Robert Hale, his first in nearly three years.

Hale has been involved in bluegrass nearly as long as he’s been alive, starting out at only nine years old performing with his father’s band on TV in West Virginia. Bill Monroe invited Robert to sing on the Grand Ole Opry while he was still a youngster, and we have watched him go on to a stellar career in the music, working alongside top artists like J.D. Crowe and Dolly Parton, and with popular groups like LiveWire, Wildfire, and the Allstars of Bluegrass.

This latest song is one he wrote called A Place Where I Belong about living a life on the road, while hoping to find a place to call home. With Robert on guitar and lead vocal, support is provided by Jason Davis on banjo, Chris Davis on mandolin, Nathan Aldridge on fiddle, and Kameron Keller on bass.

Hale says that this song came during his pandemic period.

“This is one of three songs I wrote the same week during the height of COVID-19. The other two were recorded on the current Wildfire project.

This song really came to life in the studio with the help of the great musicians on this track.”

It’s a fast moving track with a feel-good sound. Check it out…

A Place Where I Belong is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

For many years, universities around the world have offered an advanced degree known as the Master’s of Business Administration, or MBA. Since their popularity has increased, schools have diversified these programs in a wide varieties of specialties, geared towards specific industries where one may wish to work. You could find an MBA program in most any corner of business, from facilities management to government to finance.

Troy University in Alabama has created an MBA for those who will be pursuing a career in the music business, known as the Music Industry MBA. The program is offered within Troy’s Sorrell College of Business, and their John M. Long School of Music.

Along with traditional MBA coursework in economics, ethics, finance, marketing and management, you’ll have electives designed around the music industry specialization. These can include music publishing and technologies, or legal aspects of the industry along with the history of entrepreneurship in American music, media, and entertainment.

Troy has created this Music Industry MBA specifically for artists and performers looking to expand their business acumen, or who want to work on the industry side, so the courses are offered using their Flex class system. This means that all classes are offered either in-person on campus, on online in either a synchronous or asynchronous format. That means that you can take the course online on a predefined schedule, or on-demand where you move at your own pace.

The University has created this video explainer to help educate potential Music Industry MBA students.

Since this Music Industry MBA is not specific to any particular form of music, it could be a useful advanced degree for the many students currently studying bluegrass music in one of the several programs offering such a degree.

The Troy University web site has a great deal of information for prospective students.

Randy Steele is a banjo picking fire fighter from Chattanooga who performs with a group called The High Cold Wind. He got his start on guitar, and toured on the jam band scene for a while. But he picked up banjo to while away the hours in the fire house some years ago, and found an intense fascination with bluegrass, the music his grandfather had always enjoyed.

Touring as a performer continued with an Americana trio incorporating some grass, taking advantage of the many free days in a fire fighter’s schedule, until the pandemic shutdowns put an end to that in 2020. When things began to return to normal, Randy decided that what he felt most strongly about doing was more traditional bluegrass, and put The High Cold Wind together to record the new music he was writing.

So this past winter has been dedicated to the studio, with a new single, There’s a Part of Me, now available, along with a clever music video that mixes animation and live action on this story of heartbreak and recovery.

Speaking of the video, Steele offered praise for his director, Jakey Lutsko, as well as his bandmates.

“The whole video shoot was kind of a family affair. I met Jakey Lutsko while playing banjo for his brother Nick on a project. I liked Jakey right away and we had fun working together. I watched some of his horror projects and was really blown away by how great they were. We started talking about a video and he seemed like the logical person to ask, and I’m so grateful he joined in; he strung together some really fantastic and inventive shots.

Much of the video setting is the wooded area of our property, our bass player Justin Hupp’s house, and an old building in Red Bank, TN near where we live. A few of our friends agreed to be a part of it and even our dogs make an appearance. The flying karate kick comes courtesy of our black belted mandolin player John Boulware. I love the tempo and texture of John’s mandolin solo on this song in particular. His initial melody comes in a bit hotter than the melody of the song but the way he seasons it with these kind of brake notes in between pulls the whole sequence into time. He then tacks on these pretty sweeping trills that follow the melody straight to the logical end point. He’s such a great player.”

High Cold Wind also includes Faye Petree on fiddle and Tyler Martelli on guitar.

Have a look and listen to There’s a Part of Me.

There’s a Part of Me is available now from popular download and streaming services online.

Randy Steele will have a number of other singles this year in advance of a new album with The High Cold Wind.

Midwest bluegrass promoter, bandleader, and performer Lori King has announced a new member of her touring band, Junction 63.

Kailee Spickes has joined the band on fiddle. Hailing from Mountain View, AR, Kailee is a skilled multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, and piano as well as fiddle. She is also an experienced vocalist, and Junction 63 is sure to take advantage of that. The Arkansas State Fiddle Championship has named her Female Performer of the Year, and she has worked previously with Taller Than You, 5 South, and Blackberry Summer.

Here’s a cut she recorded called Porch Song.

Kailee joins Lori King on bass and vocals in Junction 63, along with Joe King on guitar, Kevin Amburgey on mandolin, David Brack on guitar, and Alex Riffle on banjo.

Check their busy 2023 schedule for a chance to catch the band live on stage.

It is always interesting to discover how bluegrass artists get involved in the music. Some grow up with it in their family, with a parent in a performing band, or as member of such a group themselves. Others discover it for themselves, through friends, through recordings, or by seeing an artist live.

It’s especially intriguing with a non-traditional artist like South Carolina’s Marty Falle. In saying ‘non-traditional,’ we don’t mean that original bluegrass isn’t his milieu, but that Falle takes a different approach to the music business as an artist. A Senior Principal at a large financial company affiliated with IBM, his interest is in writing, singing, and recording his music, with no particular concern about touring. Not to mention that a demanding career such as his would allow no time for that sort of travel. Plus he is devoted to his wife and son, and wouldn’t want to do the necessary travel.

But with the success that has come his way in business, Marty has chosen to focus his outside energy on bluegrass music.

Growing up in Ohio, he never even heard traditional music until graduating from Ohio University, and taking his first job as a sales rep in Kentucky’s coal mining region. His customers warmly welcomed him as a newcomer, and shared their culture with the young Falle. He had been a singer in college, but the sound of bluegrass and original country music took over his mind when they took him to Renfro Valley. His college experience with rock bands and songwriting were now directed towards something more real.

After a pair of albums in a country vein, it was all bluegrass for Marty. He traveled to Nashville, booked a studio, and hired top sidemen to record his original songs. His 2021 album, Virgin on the Bluegrass, marked his first all grass effort, and a new side to his music.

With a new album in tow, Kentucky Bluestar, Falle has agreed to share his first single, Ridin’, with our readers. You can still hear the country influence in his writing, but the sound is bluegrass.

His producer, Jonathan Yudkin, praises this most recent recording.

“Marty has found his place and taken it a step further. He embodies the spirit of bluegrass, yet he doesn’t write typical songs, which brings a fresh presentation to this style of music.”

Studio support comes from Matt Menefee on banjo, Rob Ickes on reso-guitar, Carl Miner on guitar, and Yudkin on mandolin and fiddle. Marty also played guitar and added lead and harmony vocals.

Have a listen to Ridin’…

Ridin’, and the full Kentucky Bluestar album, are available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the tracks via AirPlay Direct.

On April 1, North Carolina singer/songwriter Josh Hudson won first place for the third time in four years in the Don Gibson Singer Songwriter Symposium in Shelby, NC. The Sandy Ridge resident took the top prize in 2020 and 2021, second place in 2022, then returned to first place this year for his original composition, Old Too Quick, Wise Too Late.

2023 offered some stiff competition.

“This year, in my opinion, was probably one of the better years we’ve ever had,” stressed Hudson. “It was so good, in fact, that when it came down to pick the top twelve, there were two so closely tied they let them through. There were 14 finalists instead of 12 this year.”

Darin and Brooke Aldridge served as judges.

Hudson shared, “After the competition, there was a little impromptu jam with Darin and me on stage. We did Oh, Lonesome Me and I Can’t Stop Loving You. They wanted everyone to sing along on a couple of Don Gibson songs. “

“It was pretty cool to play with Darin. I grew up one county over from him. We played a lot of shows before they got their record deal. We knew each other, but hadn’t had any close contact in the last fifteen years. It was nice to jam a little bit again.”

The Don Gibson Singer Songwriter Symposium encourages the development of singer/songwriters and honors Gibson, a Shelby native who was a member of the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. The contestants were judged on composition, vocal quality, showmanship, creativity, and audience response. First prize was $1,000.

The 42-year-old Hudson is a prolific composer. He has written around 350 songs.

Hudson shared his inspiration for this year’s award-winning tune.

“Christina and I have had a couple of major deaths in our family in the last few months. We thought our most precious commodity as human beings is time. You don’t know how much of it you have. You can’t buy any of it. Once it is gone, you can’t get it back. Youth is wasted on the young. If you listen to our elders, you can get some real wisdom out of them. Those conversations between us lead us to you really get ‘old too quick and wise too late.’ It’s a pretty common, universal theme, but it’s one that bears repeating again. 

Honestly, there was one sentence that came to me and the rest of the song was written around it: ‘We’re all only ashes that haven’t blown away.’ In the last of the second verse I say, ‘Be sure to count your blessings because we’re all only ashes that haven’t blown away.’ I’m a pretty big guy in real life, but when you put it into perspective, I just boil down to a bunch of ashes and dirt like everybody else. It’s a humbling, respectful thought to have.

I wrote the song in January because of some of the life events around us. I haven’t even had a chance to record it. I’ve just been playing it out at my live shows, feeling out what people thought. People’s response is what led me to submit it into the songwriter competition this year.

I wanted to test it, but honestly, it was pretty much a light bulb came on over my head immediately. This is one of the more personal, but also more commercial songs that I have ever written. It speaks to all ages, all groups, and all creeds. It was a no-brainer for me to enter. I was really blessed to write it.”

Hudson explained how his prize song came to fruition.

“To describe the songwriting process is difficult. There is no formula, and everybody does it a little differently. Mine have always literally seemed to come out of the blue. I credit it to Divine Intervention. I think the Lord gave me this and wants it put down on paper. It’s something someone needs to hear for the common good. I’m not inflating myself. I’m actually decreasing myself when I say that because I’m just happy to be the guy holding the pen. Anyone could have these thoughts, but I have them so it can’t be a coincidence. 

The melody comes right along with the lyrics. When I’m done writing the lyrics, I pick up my guitar and the structure is already there. Overall, the song is already 80-90% finished by the time I get to that point. It’s hard to explain, but so glad that I get to experience it.”

His award-winning tune came quickly.

“It might have taken 15 minutes to write it down. My wife and I were watching TV and I grabbed my pad and pen.”

Christina Hudson offered to mute the sound of the program, but Josh indicated that it wasn’t a distraction.

“It’s coming fast,” he told her. “I wrote the first two verses and the chorus. I took a break long enough to get a soda. I came back, wrote the third verse and the tag line and it was done. I said, ‘Mute that now, let me play you this. I think we’ve really stumbled up on something good here.’ It’s one of those things where the feeling, the words, and the melody hit me all at one time. It’s not something that I’ve earned. It’s just part of my makeup for whatever reason. I’m truly blessed to have it.”

Hudson wants his songs to be heard. His tunes are available if artists are interested in recording any of his original material. The father of four doesn’t want to hit the road at this stage in his life, but would love others to perform his thought-provoking music.

“I just want to continue to push my own rock up the hill,” he concluded.

Interested in new material? Contact the songwriter by email.

The distance separating Norway from North America seems insignificant when Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra take the stage and share the sounds inspired by their seminal influences. After making their mark with Migrants, their well-received debut, the eight piece ensemble take things up several notches with a live follow-up titled The Broken Circle Sessions, a collection of songs that revel in their roots in no uncertain terms. 

Still, this isn’t simply some rote re-read. While nearly every song could be considered a classic, the band’s unique combination of trad treatments and brassy flourishes results in an interesting mix, one that makes any ready definition somewhat difficult to discern. The band — Rebekka Nilsson (vocals), Joakim Borgen (mandolin), Ole Engrav (guitar), Magnus Eriksrud (banjo), Moa Meinich (fiddle), David Buverud (bass), Emil Brattested (dobro), and Sjur Marqvardsen (accordion) — are an assured outfit, bolstered by articulate instrumentation and a steady stride, with Nilsson’s singing providing the added extra. Her upper register lends a sense of freshness and finesse, an engaging sound tempered by innocence and appeal. 

Then again, the band’s been on a steady roll ever since they started. Inspired by the soundtrack to the Belgian film Broken Circle Breakdown, they recorded their first song, Wayfaring Stranger in a living room, garnering millions of streams and tens of thousands of subscribers in its aftermath. Their fame spread to the States with a nomination as Band of the Year and a win for Vocalist of the Year courtesy of the IBMA Momentum Awards. Back home, Migrants was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy Award following its ascent to the top of the charts. 

In a very real sense then, The Broken Circle Sessions could be considered the culmination of all the band has achieved so far. A resilient read of Bob Dylan’s Señor (Tales of Yankee Power), an exceedingly lovely Girl From the North Country, and the heartfelt, Going Out West, could be considered highlights, but so too, their takes on the traditional tunes, Wayfaring Stranger, Lord Don’t Forsake Me, and Ain’t No Grave, are exceptional as well. The imaginative arrangements — check out the percussive, gypsy-like vamp that steers several of the songs as examples — and an appreciative audience, suggest the fact that this is an intimate encounter overall.  

As unassuming as it might seem at first glance, The Broken Circle Sessions transports Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra to a higher plateau. It’s another solid step on that steady ascent towards international acclaim.

Uri Kohen, the founder and ongoing producer of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival in County Mayo, Ireland, has come up with a unique hybrid session for the three day festival this June. Noted bluegrass and Irish music players will collaborate to perform some traditional Celtic songs and tunes in a bluegrass style.

Like a number of other European bluegrass events, the Westport festival is held in a number of different venues in the seaport town of Westport, located on the Atlantic side of the island. The local community of roughly 6,000 people welcome visitors from all over the British Isles and Europe to enjoy the historic Georgian architecture in this heritage town, as they sample bluegrass and old time music from the US and Europe.

We asked Uri to explain the hybrid show he has planned for this year.

“We have curated a very special session, which is a new addition to our festival, and one that have not done before in such a format. Three top local, Irish traditional, and folk musicians, Freda Hatton, Julie Langan, and Declan Askin, will be joined by one of Ireland most prominent bluegrass and old-time musicians, Brendan Butler, to create a very unique session.

The four will rework Irish traditional tunes in a bluegrass style, and will provide a unique Irish folk style to much loved bluegrass classics. More so, as it a session, they will provide the opportunity to musicians from either of the genres to contribute their sounds and style and create something truly unique. This gig is in line with our festival’s ever quest to discover and promote the deep roots of American old-time music and bluegrass in Irish folk and traditional music.”

In addition to top US performers like The Kody Norris Show, Melody Walker & Jacob Groopman, and Bill and The Belles, Uri is bringing over Dr. Greg Reish of The Centre of Popular Music at the university of Middle Tennessee and Spring Fed Records, to make a presentation about the restoration of the Haley Family recordings.

Kohen again…

“Ed Haley was a legendary early 20th century Appalachian fiddler whose music has influenced generations of old-time and bluegrass musicians. Although he never recorded commercially, in the late 1940s Ed and his wife Ella made a series of home recordings on lacquer discs. In this workshop, co-producer and Spring Fed Records director Greg Reish will describe the painstaking process of restoring and reissuing these rare recordings in a landmark boxed set, released in 2022. He will also discuss the Haley family’s complex and lasting legacy in the canon of American old-time music.”

Also appearing over the June 9-11 weekend will be The Luis Gomez Quartet from Spain, The Rustic Robots from the Czech Republic, The Rocky Top Stringband from Ireland, and several others.

From all accounts, it is a charming festival with a great deal to offer in a weekend away.

Full details can be found online.

Bluegrass fans generally enjoy a well written Civil War song, and that’s just what Daniel Crabtree has delivered with his latest single for Bell Buckle Records.

In Cold Harbor, Crabtree paints a bleak picture of a day in 1864 with the song’s narrator stuck in Mechanicsville, VA, with both armies dug in, and his death on the horizon. This engagement, known to history as the Battle of Cold Harbor, was bloody on both sides, with the Union army taking the biggest hit.

Daniel says he tried to place himself in the mind of a soldier under Grant’s command in Cold Harbor.

“In the song, I tried to imagine some semblance of what it must have been like. The final victory was won by Lee’s army during the war. The Union army lost ten to thirteen thousand men over twelve days. I penned these words to commemorate the battle and the lives lost during our history. Let us not forget the price that’s been paid so that we might live as one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.”

Support comes from Cody Kilby on guitar, Scott Vestal on banjo, Jesse Brock on mandolin, Jason Carter on fiddle, Jeff Partin on reso-guitar, Patrick D’Arcy on bodhran and whistle, and Mike Bub on bass.

It’s a somber reminder, indeed. Check it out.

Cold Harbor is available now from popular download and streaming services online. It will also be included on Daniel Crabtree’s upcoming fourth album, The Way I See It, with a mix of gospel and secular material.

The track is available to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.

Robbie Fulks has a reverence for his roots, and while most artists that operate within the realms of Americana can claim the same, Fulks found the means of tying his passion and his purpose. His new album, Bluegrass Vacation, finds him coming full circle. So even though it’s been 27 years since he made his initial entry, the current album could  be considered his most essential effort to date.

Working with a cast and crew that includes Sam Bush, John Cowan, Chris Eldridge, Ronnie McCoury, Jerry Douglas, Brennen Leigh, and Shad Cobb, he’s fashioned a set of songs that celebrate his connection to a sound that inspired him early on. 

He describes the beginnings of his journey in the liner notes, making mention of the early shows he saw by Doc & Merle Watson, John Hartford, and the Earl Scruggs Revue, and how those experiences informed the musical persona he would adopt later on. He also talks about the first band he worked with, which happened to be Greg Cahill’s Special Consensus, an outfit that helped propel a musical journey that’s extended over the course of 30 years and 15 albums, while instilling his reputation as one of the most remarkable singer/songwriters in his field.

Fulks recently made an appearance on the Outlaw Country Cruise, and although he was a last minute booking, the audience engagement imbued within his delivery effectively defined every performance.

“I’ve been trying to get better at it,” he confessed when Bluegrass Today caught up with him by phone. “I’ve had a while to work on my chops. And until I start sort of physically falling apart, I think I’m at a peak.”

He’s also been adept at expanding his parameters. “I appreciate that,” he replied. “That’s pretty much what I’m trying to do.”

Of course, it’s more than that hint of humor which has marked Fulks’ efforts thus far. It’s a slightly sardonic approach filled with irony, satire, and a way of looking at things that at times can be quite unexpected.

“It’s part of me, so I don’t know if I could have kept that out of the music,” he reflects. “There are definitely other people in music that use irony and snarkiness and humor in various ways. Roger Miller comes to mind. So yeah, I love those people, and yeah, I think that’s definitely always been in there. I would say I’ve used less of it in the last ten or so years than during the previous 15 years, especially as I’ve gotten older, and probably a little less lighthearted as a person. But, still, I hope that never goes away completely.”

Given his reputation, it’s doubtful it ever will.

“There’s also just the fact that performing live is something that I do, more than 100 times a year, and making a record is something I do, for two weeks, every other year,” he mused. “So it’s really been something for me to learn, like how to how to project your personality on record, and, so when I get up on stage, it’s a diversion from sitting alone in a room. So when I get to get up on stage with a guitar, it’s just like pure fun, really. It’s just great. It’s great fun. And that’s what I want. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t show.”

Prior to Bluegrass Vacation, Fulks released two different sets of songs, each boasting more than 50 tunes and released as a thumb drive. Slowly however, the new album began to take shape.

“Those two projects came out within a year of the pandemic, and then from 2020 till 2022, my output was just in dribs and drabs,” he said. “This bluegrass thing was in the pipeline for a while. I planned to record it all the way through in April of 2020. And then, when COVID came, it just got kind of kicked down the road. I’d travel to Nashville every once in a while and do a couple of songs rather than doing it all in one chunk. It kind of got bottlenecked for a long time. So all that stuff kind of held up that particular project, and I think that accounts for most of the delay, and most of the time between projects.”

His current record label, Compass Records, expressed its interest after Fulks finished tracking the album. It was originally slated to come out on Rounder Records, but when his liaison at the label left, Compass offered its support and desire to share the album with the world.

That said, the idea for a bluegrass album began to take hold at least a decade ago. “Looking back toward earlier iterations of myself, I started leaning to bluegrass more explicitly around 2011 when I was working on my record called Gone Away, Backward,” he explained. “I started playing acoustic music into microphones, and thinking about older themes, and older people, and the original music that started filtering into my brain when I was a little kid. And so it kind of began back then. But at the same time, the songs on this record are pretty much representative of a guy in his late 50s. I’m thinking about myself there. And so in that sense, it’s not like, it’s not dipping back into the make believe land of Bill Monroe in 1960, or something like that. It’s where I am right now.”

So too, the new album is comprised of mostly all original material. 

“There’s one on there, called Nashville Blues, that was a Delmore Brothers song that Tim O’Brien and I sang in our own way,” he notes. “But the rest of them are tunes I made up.”

Given the kudos and acclaim Fulks has drawn over the years, one might wonder if those earlier accolades force him to look over his shoulder and think about any sort of high bar that may accompany his audience’s expectations. Fulks quickly sets that idea aside. 

“I would say I don’t give that a second thought,” he insists. “The sort of genesis of my experience being alone and working on songs in a house or a hotel room somewhere makes that the last thing that’s on your mind when you’re trying to make something happen. It’s pretty humbling to try to make something happen, and I often I have this this conscious thought when I’m working on something, which is do I really know what I’m doing here? And have I ever actually done this before? And if so, how did I do it? It’s pretty humbling. Each time is like the first time.

I know, it’s crazy. And I’m sure that I have little techniques to speed things up. For instance, I’m able to recognize quickly if a song is not really taking me by storm, or if it doesn’t seem very promising. And so I’m a little quicker to throw out stuff, and so songs are more liable to hit the trash can sooner. But I also have kind of a superstitious idea that if I do think of myself as experienced, and knowing what I’m doing, then the songs won’t come out as well.”

That’s not to say Fulks lacks confidence. It’s clear that’s hardly ever the case.

“It’s really more self editing, which has always been part of the process,” he suggests. “It’s like when you’re working on a song, at least four times out of five, maybe nine times out of ten, it’s not a good song, and you end up throwing it away, or you end up recording it and kind of regretting it shortly after, while thinking how that wasn’t as good as I thought. So the self-editing component of all this is really vital. It’s an important part of seeming like you know what you’re doing.”

Ivan Tribe, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Rio Grande, scholar of Appalachian culture, and a renowned expert on traditional country and bluegrass music, passed away on Tuesday April 4, 2023, after a recent spell in hospital. He was 82 years old. 

Born on May 1, 1940, in Athens, Ohio, Ivan M. Tribe graduated in Albany High School’s class of 1958. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ohio University, and taught history in high schools in Vinton and Meigs Counties for six years. 

He returned to graduate school and earned the PhD in American History from the University of Toledo in 1976, whereupon Tribe joined the faculty of the University of Rio Grande. He retired with Emeritus status in 2007, although he continued to teach an occasional course.

His research, writings, and presentations have embraced the history of communities and coal mining in south-eastern Ohio, as well as traditional country and bluegrass music.

Tribe was the author of more than 40 books, and record reviews appearing in such publications as The Journal of American Folklore and The Journal of Country Music, and he has written liner notes for more than 80 record albums. 

Also, he wrote more than 200 articles for such journals as The Journal of Appalachian Studies, Mid-America Folklore, Goldenseal: West Virginia Traditional Life and the Tennessee Folklore Society Bulletin.

Tribe’s most comprehensive work, Folk Music In Overdrive: A Primer on Traditional Country and Bluegrass Artists (University of Tennessee Press, 2018), is a compilation of Tribe’s more significant published articles, revised and updated from original biographies published in Bluegrass Unlimited, Precious Memories: Journal of Gospel Music, Old Time Music, and the afore-mentioned Goldenseal: West Virginia Traditional Life. 

It includes profiles about leaders, solo singers and composers ..

Hylo Brown, Roy Hall, J.D. Jarvis, Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers, Charlie Monroe, Clyde Moody, Lee Moore, Mac Odell, Jimmie Skinner, Buddy Starcher, Carl Story, Lilli Mae Whitaker

Sidemen ….

Billy Baker, Claude Boone, Buddy M. Griffin, George (Speedy) Krise, Curley Lambert, Joe Meadows, Red Rector, Clarence (Tater) Tate, Chubby Wise

Husband-wife duos ….

James and Martha Carson, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Joe and Stacy Isaacs, Bonnie Lou and Buster Moore, Molly O’Day and Lyn Davis, Doc and Chickie Williams

Brothers …. 

The Bailes Brothers, Callaghan Brothers, Goins Brothers, Mel and Stan Hankinson (The Kentucky Twins), The Lilly Brothers, J.E. and Wade Mainer

Families and groups …. 

The Briarhoppers, The Coon Creek Girls, Betty Fisher and David Deese, The Lewis Family, The Masters Family

Other subjects about whom he has written include …. 

Toby Stroud, Roy Harvey, Blind Alfred Reed, Onie Wheeler, Charlie Moore, Shannon Grayson, Asa Martin, Old Joe Clark, Kentucky Slim (aka Charles Elza), Anglin Brothers (aka Anglin Twins, aka Anglin Twins and Red), Raymond Fairchild, Rex and Eleanor Parker, Kelly Harrell, Tex Logan, Roane County Ramblers, Roba Stanley, Buzz Busby, Bill Harrell, Pete Pike, Buck Ryan, Carl Sauceman and his Green Valley Boys, Jimmie Rodgers Snow, Ernest V. Stoneman, Joe Stuart, Cecil Surratt, Uncle Eck Dunford, Alfred G. Karnes, Ernest Phipps and His Holiness Quartet, Betty Amos, Roni Stoneman, Stonemam Family, Dock Boggs, Noah Crase, Melissa Monroe, Emry Arthur, Goldie Hill, James Monroe, Paul (Moon) Mullins, Steve Ledford, Birch Monroe, Lulu Roman, Shenandoah Valley Trio, Jim Greer and the Mac-O-Chee Valley Folks, Aunt Molly Jackson, Morris Brothers (Wiley and Zeke), Harold Morrison, Jimmy Murphy, Kenny Baker, Callahan Brothers, Curly Ray Cline, Dixon Brothers, Bill Napier, Benny Martin, Don Stover, Tom Darby and Jimmy Tarlton, Paul Warren, Barrier Brothers, Red Ellis and his Huron Valley Boys, Sally Ann Forrester, Doc Hopkins, Howard (Big Howdy) Forrester and Carl Tipton, among many more.  

His other important volumes include … 

• Mountaineer Jamboree: Country Music in West Virginia (The University Press of Kentucky, 1984)
• The Stonemans: An Appalachian Family and the Music That Shaped Their Lives (University of Illinois Press, June 1993)
• Country: A Regional Exploration (Greenwood Press, March 29, 2006)
• West Virginia’s Traditional Country Music (Arcadia Publishing, March 16, 2015)

Italian musician and historian Matteo Ringressi paid this tribute …. 

“Mr. Tribe certainly doesn’t need any introduction – the magnitude of his research work on early country and blue grass music is impossible to overstate, and his articles (some memorable ones for Bluegrass Unlimited come to mind) were always extremely informative and thorough.

The book Mountaineer Jamboree in particular was my first exposure to his work, and is an absolute masterpiece. 

In the past several years, we corresponded at length, primarily for my research activities. He was always extremely gracious and willing to help – and even praising my expertise on the history of early blue grass music…I don’t know that I deserve such accolades, but knowing I had his respect means a whole lot.

Finally, he was extremely supportive of my musical endeavours with the Truffle Valley Boys, often playing tracks from our records on his radio show on radio WOUB out of Athens, Ohio.

He was a huge inspiration and set the bar for all music scholars.

Godspeed, Mr. Tribe.”

Beginning in 1983, Tribe, along with his wife Deanna, co-hosted and co-produced the program, Hornpipe and Fugue, for the WOUB Radio (Ohio University Public Media) for 40 years. Also, they were frequent monthly hosts of the program, D28+5 Bluegrass.

In October 2015, Dr. Tribe was presented with the B.B. Maurer West Virginia Folklife Scholar Award at The Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center, Fairmont State University.

R.I.P. Ivan Tribe 

Visitation will be Friday, April 7, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Bigony-Jordan Funeral Home in Albany, Ohio, followed by Masonic services at 8:00 p.m. 

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, 2023, also at the Bigony-Jordan Funeral Home with Jordan Pickens officiating. 

Burial will be in Alexander Cemetery in Athens.

Often times with fiddle-oriented recordings, the tunes tend to be a mix between new arrangements of standard pieces alongside original compositions. Sami Braman’s debut solo release, Riveter, relies on a completely original formula, with all ten tunes composed by Braman.

Sami, who began playing in the Pacific Northwest at the age of six, is steeped in old time fiddle stylings. This is evident from the first two tracks, Rogue River and Duck House. Braman’s supporting cast, which includes Jake Stargel on guitar, Frank Evans on banjo, and Emily Mann on bass, does a wonderful job all throughout the album. While solos are occasionally featured on the other instruments, the focus clearly remains on Sami and her fiddle.

The title track Riveter is Scandinavian influenced. This piece is one of several examples of how adventurous Braman is in her fiddling. It starts off in a real gentle pace, but picks up in tempo towards the end bringing great excitement to the listener. 

Another example of Sami’s intrepid nature is Train In The Wilderness. The A part is filled with incredible double stops and harmonization. This is a tune that will more than likely catch the ear of any aspiring fiddler who is listening.

Barnimal is a fast and thrilling piece. This track in particular features stellar instrumental solos from both Frank Evans and Jake Stargel. It definitely falls into more of the bluegrass camp in terms of stylistic approach.

The Basement is largely rooted in the old time fiddle tradition. Inspired by the first few notes of Art Wooten’s Hornpipe, this is another piece with a gentle tempo and terrific melodic ideas from Braman.

The closing track, Weevils In The Grits, features the album’s producer, Brittany Haas on second fiddle. Haas and Braman’s twin fiddling is a great fit for this particular tune and makes for a really defined ending to the project.

Riveter not only displays Sami Braman’s phenomenal abilities as a fiddler, but also as a composer. There’s a complete sense of originality here that isn’t found very often on traditional fiddle recordings. While it’s obvious that Braman is grounded in old time music, her tunes don’t consist of recycled ideas. Sami has a keen sense of inventiveness and imagination in both her playing and composing, which can be found here in spades.

Here’s another special song, just in time for Easter.

This one’s from Tim O’Brien, recorded with his touring band, called Little Lamb Little Lamb. Tim uses the metaphor of a new born lamb to discuss the contrasts between the frolics of youth and the trials of adulthood.

With O’Brien on guitar and lead vocal, support comes from Jan Fabricius on mandolin, Cory Walker on banjo, Shad Cobb on fiddle, and Mike Bub on bass.

Tim tells us that this one came to him in a flash, with its insights into the aging process.

“As George Jones sang, ‘the seasons come, the seasons go.’ Spring has always suggested new beginnings, but having just marked my 69th birthday, it has a different impact on me. I’m still plowing new ground as a musician, planting seeds and all, but maybe my steps are a little slower, and I’m aiming for a better yield from a smaller garden.

This song fell out quickly one morning about a year ago. It’s a very simple, repeating melody and chord progression, and the lyric sneaks up on the profundity of the circle of life in an easy going way. Sometimes I’m wary when a song comes this easily. I ask myself if it’s any good. But I kept wanting to sing it and I’ve learned to trust that, like I trust that the sun will rise, spring will come, and there are always new possibilities.

This track features my regular touring band. Jan and I state the basic melody with our guitar and mandolin parts, while Cory and Shad’s parts are like new shoots reaching for sunlight. Bub’s bass is what I call ‘nothin’ but right.’”

The clever video mixes live performance of the band with Irish lambs at play. Have a look/listen…

Little Lamb Little Lamb is the first peak at Tim’s next album, Cup of Sugar, which releases on June 16 on Howdy Skies Records. Pre-orders are enabled online.

The single is available from popular download and streaming services, while radio programmers can get the track via AirPlay Direct.

Tim and the band will be touring from later this month right up to the release date of Cup of Sugar, which they will preview at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in June.

You will find all the tour dates online.

Details of the services for all-round bluegrass entertainer Ronald Gary Spears, who passed away on March 22, 2023, aged 69, have been announced. 

A memorial service will be held at the Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, UT on Friday, April 14, 2023, at 12:00 noon. 

Also, a Celebration of Life event will be held in Nashville on a date to be decided.

The Spears family would like to extend a special thanks to all the medical and home healthcare teams from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

In lieu of flowers, Ron’s loved ones invite you to turn on your local bluegrass station and donate to a charity of your choice.

Billy Blue Records has released a music video of Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers’ a cappella cut of The Glory Road, a song written by Marty Stuart and two of his Fabulous Superlatives, Paul Martin and Harry Stinson.

Joe wanted to get this video out to share with folks before Easter, and has kindly offered us the premiere this afternoon.

He explained a bit about how he found this lovely call and response song from this current album, Let It Ride.

“Boy, Chris Davis can play that Monroe-style mandolin! Bill and the Blue Grass Boys started doing quartet tunes with just the mandolin and the guitar in the first days of bluegrass recordings in the ’40s. That sound still speaks to my soul, and, hopefully, to a lot of bluegrass gospel fans.

Chris’ mandolin, Adam’s guitar, then the quartet, on a tune Marty Stuart and his boys did. To my knowledge, I couldn’t find a recording of this song except for Marty’s television show several years ago. We wanted to recreate it like Marty and the boys, and sing our version of The Glory Road.

Every Radio Ramblers album has a few gospel numbers, and we hope this one will be a favorite for a long time.”

Have a look listen…

The Glory Road, and the full Let It Ride album, are available from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the tracks via AirPlay Direct.