Monthly Archives: June 2021

Tina Adair has one of those voices that makes you immediately stop what you’re doing to give her your full attention. She’s arguably one of the best female vocalists in bluegrass – something her peers have acknowledged the past two years by awarding Sister Sadie, in which she features as one of the lead vocalists, the IBMA Vocal Group of the Year. After several Sister Sadie albums and a recent duet collaboration with Dale Ann Bradley, Adair has recently released her first solo work since 2012’s Born Bad. The new self-titled album from Engelhardt Music Group is a fine showcase of Adair’s vocal abilities, giving listeners a taste of grassed-up country covers alongside several newer songs.

The lead single, released late last year, will be familiar to fans of 80s and 90s country music. Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses was a huge hit for country artist Kathy Mattea in 1988, and Adair offers a bright, fiddle- and banjo-guided version here. It’s a cheerful, hopeful love song that’s a joy to listen to, with perfectly controlled vocals from Adair and nice harmonies from Ronnie and Garnet Bowman. Adair’s latest single reaches back a little further in the country music catalog for Hank Williams’s I Can’t Get You Off Of My Mind. The number has a fun country swing sound to it, with sassy, bold lead vocals, inventive banjo from Scott Vestal, and truly excellent fiddling from Tim Crouch – definitely one of the album’s best overall performances.

Another standout performance comes on Mickey Newbury’s Why You Been Gone So Long. There are shades of Tony Rice’s version here, but Adair has slowed the song down, with a bluesy treatment – particularly courtesy of Rob Ickes’s dobro. Adair’s vocals have just the right mix of anger and loneliness. Another fine bluesy track is God Will Make a Way, penned by Glen Duncan and Kevin Grant. While there’s some great instrumental work going on in the background, Adair’s vocals are the showpiece here, as she shares a message about God’s power: “If God can make the mighty mountain, God can make the seven seas, put all of the stars in the universe, He’ll make a way for you and me.”

Two of the songs on the album were co-written by Adair and her Sister Sadie bandmates. The first is Won’t Be Crying Over You, penned with banjo ace Gena Britt. It’s a driving, banjo-guided, kiss-off number that finds the singer getting out all her sorrows over a cold-hearted man in one night: “Tonight I’m burning your pictures while sitting here drowning my tears… You can call me crazy, even call me a fool, but after tonight I won’t be crying over you.” Adair puts plenty of conviction into her vocals here – the guy she’s singing about better pick up his bags and get gone! Her other co-write is Let Each Other Go with Deanie Richardson, a well-written, classic country-styled cheating song that brings to mind Tammy Wynette. I’d actually like to hear this one as a duet, with its back-and-forth verses about the man and woman in the relationship. As it is, Adair pours plenty of emotion into the lyrics, singing with a tear in her voice.

There’s plenty of good stuff to be found on this album, particularly for those who enjoy their bluegrass with a strong dose of country and blues sounds. Adair has long been one of my favorite singers, and I thoroughly enjoyed what she has put together here. Female Vocalist of the Year, anyone?

For more information on Adair and her new solo album, visit her online. The album is available from several online music retailers.

Patuxent Music has signed The Country Gentlemen Tribute Band to record their first new album since the death of their founder, Bill Yates, in 2015.

On this next project, unlike their previous efforts which focused on revisiting classic Country Gentlemen material, the guys will record songs that the Gents never did, but in their distinctive style. Over the past decade or so, the Tribute Band has developed a remarkably similar sound, with members that very closely resemble the singing styles of Charlie Waller and John Duffey.

In their live performances, you’ll hear the band – consisting of Mike Phipps on guitar, Dave Propst on mandolin, Lynwood Lunsford on banjo, Eric Troutman on bass, and Geoff Gay on reso-guitar.

Phipps tells us that they plan to get in the studio sometime this summer, so there should be more news on their next record soon.

Energetic, prolific, and talented were some of the adjectives used to describe the late Tommy Edwards during his celebration of life service. On Sunday afternoon, an eclectic group comprised of some of the red headed guitar picker’s closest friends assembled in the restored barn at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC, to pay homage to a man whose life touched many.

A bluegrass legend in central North Carolina, Edwards passed away on May 22 following a brief, difficult battle against pancreatic cancer. The 75 year old was a founding member of the Bluegrass Experience, a band that is in its 50th year performing. A songwriter, multi-instrumentalist (named World Champion Guitarist at Union Grove Fiddlers Convention in 1970 and 1971), radio show host, instrument dealer/trader, and promoter/mentor/supporter to the Tar Heel bluegrass community, Edwards was also a retired middle school history teacher, administrator, basketball coach, small business owner, and past board member of his local arts council. On June 27, he was remembered for it all.

For more than two and a half hours, numerous bands performed and various individuals shared their love, respect, and thanks for a life well-lived. Edwards’ friend in music and arts, Molly Matlock, served as the master of ceremonies. She first introduced a past president of Pinecone, a Raleigh-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting and preserving folk arts and music.

“Tommy was one of my oldest friends,” Ben Ruckle shared. “We met in 1969 on Labor Day weekend at Camp Springs (Bluegrass Festival). He was the first person I actually met who played bluegrass. He took me under his wing and taught me all about bluegrass.”

Those opening remarks were followed by a performance by Tommy’s five decade band, which contained two original members, Al McCanless on fiddle, and Snuffy Smith on upright bass.

Smith introduced the group to those assembled, “We’re Bluegrass Experience…what’s left of us. We sure miss our buddy, but we must go on.”

Their five song set included an Edwards’ original Gospel tune, Help Me Find My Way Back Home, plus special guest appearances by other musicians who the beloved picker had performed with over the years. LaNelle Davis (who often performed with Edwards at wedding receptions) thanked Tommy’s wife, Cindy, for sharing him with others and sang Ernest Tubb’s classic, Waltz Across Texas. Then former school mate and band member, Leroy Savage, took the stage to sing Bob Dylan’s, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.

Another to eulogize Edwards was Alan Button, president of WLHC radio in Sanford, NC, where Tommy hosted a weekly show called Bluegrass Saturday Night for 16 years.

“Tommy played two hours of the best in bluegrass. He not only highlighted IBMA winners and top songs on the bluegrass charts, but regularly played the music of others he knew. Tommy’s Christmas Letters (from Rebel’s 2003 compilation, Christmas in the Mountains) was one of our most frequently requested songs on our station. He had listeners that spanned from Canada to Russia to the Philippines. He had such an impact on us with just a weekly two hour show.”

Next to perform was Carolina Lightnin’, a trio comprised of Alice Zincone on bass, Rick LaFleur on banjo, and normally, Edwards on guitar. Their band performed regularly at a local barbeque restaurant, the Q Shack.

“It takes three to fill Tommy’s spot,” shared Zincone. Joining the original members on stage were mandolinists, Andrew Marlin (Mandolin Orange)and Jason Beverly, and guitarist, Jerry Brown (owner of Rubber Room studio where all Tommy Edwards and the Bluegrass Experience recordings were made). One of the songs they selected to play during the service was another Tommy tune, Midnight Run.

Other speakers included a former middle school student and one of the players from his basketball team.

Shirille Lee donned a tiara, stating that her former teacher, Edwards, had called her queen on social media. “Cindy was the apple of his eye and I was second,” she quipped.

Stan Lewter, Edwards’ former player who went on to coach basketball at Livingstone College and became a sports commentator, shared, “I come with a lot of emotions: great sadness, but joy that we shared a faith. We will all be together again someday, but I’ll still be trying to figure out what a Salty Dog actually is.”

Another spokesperson, Mark Hewitt, a neighbor, told the assembly, “Tommy was an encourager. He loved this place – central North Carolina, the music, arts, and crafts. He had a great memory and knew so many lyrics and so many stories about musicians, and had fast fingers. He was a pillar of the community with Cindy by his side helping non-profits and small businesses. She let Tommy be a rare bird: an orange crested, guitar picking, golden warbler.”

The husband/wife duo, Chatham Rabbits, also performed.

Clawhammer banjoist, Sarah McCombie, emotionally expressed, “Tommy made such a tremendous impact on me. Whenever we played with him, it was all about being included and being nice.”

Her husband, Austin, related about Edwards’ business sense, “Tommy was a true wheeler-dealer.”

Sarah agreed about a transaction in which Austin acquired from Edwards a 1941 D-18. “He left with two guitars and came back with one.”

Retired Raleigh News and Observer columnist, Jack Barnhardt, also praised Edwards. “He was a prolific songwriter. He was a son of the south, and had a vivid sense of place. He wrote about the Devil’s Tramping Ground (an unsolved North Carolina mystery) and wrote the first song I ever heard that gave a shout out to Krispy Kreme (donuts) from Edwards’ The Devil Wore a Sundress. In 2007, Bluegrass Experience headlined an Appalachian Festival in northern Ireland. It was held in a folk park. As I walked past the visitor’s center, I saw two guitarists swapping  tunes. It was Tommy Edwards and 17 year old Jake Stargel (Mountain Heart). Tommy was a generous, loving man.”

The last group to perform was a group of musicians that had been working on a collaborative album with Tommy.

Mandolinist, Jason Beverly, praised Edwards’ wit. “I loved Tommy’s puns. My favorite was: ‘You don’t have issues, you have a subscription!’ I played with Tommy and Leroy (Savage) at the Q Shack in the corner by the trash can. Tommy always saw the possibilities. He carried that energy forward.”

Andrew Marlin of Mandolin Orange added his own memories of the musician. “I met Tommy when I was 19 at Chapel Hill, and didn’t know what bluegrass was. He always had a hand shake, a hug, and a story. We started doing gigs together. He pushed me to take solos. We’d pick 5 hours without taking a break. We’re going to keep on pickin’ and bringing that energy to the stage.”

Marlin, joined by his wife, Emily Frantz, on fiddle, and a host of others launched into a final set of traditional tunes such as Little Cabin Home on the Hill, Old Love Letters, and Rabbit in a Log.

The afternoon of remembrances concluded with another president of Pinecone, Ron Raxter, sharing the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the most prestigious award that the Governor of North Carolina can bestow upon a citizen. The state’s highest honor is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the state through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments. 

“My life changed because of Tommy Edwards. He taught me about my own musical heritage. When Tommy became ill, we got the Governor’s office to waive the time requirements for this award. We presented it to Tommy the day before he died.”

He concluded by reading the proclamation that included lyrics from the Not Carolina Toast Song:

Here’s to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here’s to “down home,” the Old North State.

RIP Thomas (Tommy) Shelton Edwards, July 20, 1945 ~ May 22, 2021

Donations in Tommy’s memory can be made to: Pinecone, Chatham Arts Council, or Southern Folklife Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, UNC-Chapel Hill.

With everyone getting deep into summer and making preparations for the July 4 weekend celebrations, the International Bluegrass Music Association want to remind everyone of some important World of Bluegrass deadlines that hit tomorrow (June 30).

These include applications to perform during the October 1-2 street fair component of IBMA Bluegrass Live, during the various Youth Events that same weekend, and a chance to have your artwork featured on the official IBMA Bluegrass Live t-shirt to be sold to visitors.

The street fair has become one of the most popular parts of IBMA week in Raleigh, as area residents are invited out to hear music and sample great food and drink provided by local vendors. The streets downtown from the Convention Center to the Capitol are closed to traffic on Friday and Saturday, and bands perform on at least five different stages along the way. If your band will be in town for the convention, it’s a great way to showcase your music for both the assembled business folk, and the citizens of the greater Raleigh area.

All acts are compensated for their performance, and as many as 80 will be chosen this year. Slots are limited to bluegrass or closely-related bands or artists. Further details and an online application can be found online.

The Youth Events include three separate things: IBMA Kids on Bluegrass, Bluegrass College Band Showcase, and the IBMA Bluegrass Live Youth Stage. These are all designed to highlight young bluegrass artists during World of Bluegrass. Kids on Bluegrass assembles a group of exceptional teen pickers and singers, and they are given performance opportunities in Raleigh. Any college that either has a bluegrass band within their music department, or as a social club on campus, may likewise submit to be featured on stage. The Youth Stage will provide music all weekend from bands primarily made up of youngsters.

Further details and applications for each of these Youth Events can be found on the WOB web site.

Lastly, graphic designers are requested to submit a t-shirt design for the IBMA Bluegrass Live. Time is a bit short to pull that off, but if you can do it, details and an application can be found online.

Megan E. Darby, Director of the Glenville State College Bluegrass Music Program in West Virginia, has announced that she is stepping down from her other position as President of the West Virginia State Folk Festival.

It seems that Miss Megan, as she is known to her students, realized that she had too many irons in the fire, heading up the GSC bluegrass program, and running their Pioneer Stage venue, on top of raising two young daughters as a single mom. She had spent the past three years heading up the festival staff, and feels that they are in a much better position than when she came in, as she put it in a letter to the festival community at the start of events earlier this month.

“In 2019, the organization was in a time of transition. At that time, I was honored and humbled to be selected President, and I feel more so today knowing the true weight of the responsibilities in a non-profit and volunteer-based organization. I embraced the challenge of building upon the festival’s successes, and hoped to make impactful progress to strengthen and move the event forward. I could not be prouder of the achievements we have all made together.

In the years since its founding in 1950, the West Virginia State Folk Festival has become a part of our town’s identity. National attention has been consistently recognized. Although the 2020 pandemic was a tragedy in many ways, I am proud to report that our hardworking Board of Directors, community volunteers, GSC student interns, and donors continued to make progress. During the past year we worked to maintain structural needs on the historic Country Store and Museum, created a new position of ‘Historian’ to our Board of Directors in an effort to organize the infrastructure of the festival, and dedicated many hours towards taking advantage of resources and funding made available from the state and the West Virginia Humanities Council.

Since its inception, Dr. Patrick Gainer saw value in student and community collaboration, and we continue to help rejuvenate and preserve West Virginia histories, experiences, and oral traditions based upon his theories. One example of new growth is introducing our Appalachian Studies Degree Program that will be launched in the fall of 2021 at GSC.

I am confident that the festival is in good shape. We have increased our monies, support, and membership. We have a strong Board of Directors. Though it is a difficult decision, I feel it is best for my family, students, and myself to step down from the WVSFF Presidency at the conclusion of this year’s festival. I want to make this process a smooth and successful one, so I am offering to assist as much as possible.”

Among Darby’s proudest achievements has been the growth of the festival’s Youth Camp for ages 4-17, which she has managed and run with assistance from Luke McKnight, Nick Blake, Rick Falls, and Alice Holmes. It is held concurrent with the festival at Pioneer Stage, located just off the GSC campus. There burgeoning pickers not only get to have hands-on experiences with bluegrass instruments, they receive instruction from skilled players and teachers.

The kids had the opportunity to hear bluegrass music being played by area grassers, before trying out a little picking themselves.

You can see what may be the beginning of a life-long interest in bluegrass and old time music in the faces of the students who attended this year, courtesy of some photos that Megan has shared with us. Perhaps some them will return some day to study with Miss Megan at Glenville State!

The Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University has announced their Artist in Residence appointments for the 2021-’22 academic year.

Brittany Haas and Mike Compton have been named to this faculty position after an exhaustive process of interviews with major artists in our music. Both will provide on campus, in person instruction starting in August during the fall semester for ETSU students. These are one year appointments, which can be renewed, and program Director Dan Boner tells us that the Artist in Residence program will be an ongoing part of their curriculum, with new appointments announced as they are made.

Despite her relative youth, Haas has many years as a performer under her belt. She began with Darol Anger’s Republic of String at 14 years of age, and released a debut recording at 17. While earning a degree in Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Music at Princeton, she toured and recorded with genre-bending string band, Crooked Still. An in demand session fiddle player, she has appeared frequently in television and films, and currently plays in Hawktail with Paul Kowert, Jordan Tice, and Dominick Leslie.

Brittany says that she is eager to start working with the wide range of students in the ETSU program.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the faculty of ETSU as an artist in residence with their historic program. Their offerings in bluegrass, old-time, and roots music studies are ever-expanding, and I can’t wait to delve into these areas with the students. To explore these traditions with college learners will be exciting as well as inspiring and challenging. I look forward to helping the students along in their musical journeys, playing music with them, and asking questions about what it means to be a musician, and where we can go with our collective music-making and studies. Thanks to ETSU for this great opportunity!”

Compton has been involved with bluegrass music his entire adult life. Befriending Bill Monroe towards the end of the great man’s life, Mike had the opportunity to study directly with Bill, who served as a mentor passing down his groundbreaking mandolin style. Since that time, Mike has been at the forefront of preserving and teaching others to master Monroe’s quirky sense of rhythm and distinctive closed position techniques. He runs the annual Monroe Mandolin Camp near Nashville each September which not only shares the music of Big Mon for mandolinists, but has also expanded to include the other instruments in the bluegrass band.

But he’s not just an exceptional instructor. Mike is also a first rate player with credits like Nashville Bluegrass Band and Soggy Bottom Boys, and has recorded with country stars Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Patty Loveless, and rock music luminaries like Sting, Gregg Allman, and Elvis Costello. You can also see him performing as a solo artist and in duet with Joe Newberry.

Like Brittany, he is rarin’ to go this fall.

“I’m greatly looking forward to being a part of the ETSU Appalachian Studies program, and bringing the flavor and fire of Southeastern musical styles to a new generation of players, writers, and artists. This is an amazing opportunity to help further the music and bring an understanding of the lifestyle of a musician and what it all entails. I know the energy will be a positive step for us to all forget about 2020 and move ahead in a positive and vibrant fashion, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Boner tells us that Haas and Compton will teach bands, offer private lessons, and offer seminars each week for students. Mike will teach a seminar called, “Living Your Life As An Artist,” while Brittany will offer one with Roy Andrade called “Art of Interpretation,” about recreating older, traditional material for old time, bluegrass, or modern acoustic music. They will each also present a concert or lecture open to the public during their appointment.

The courses and lessons offered by the Artists in Residence will be open to all ETSU students during the Fall 2021 and the Spring 2022 semesters.

The Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music Studies team has been working for years to make this program a reality, and it will provide a marvelous opportunity to those studying there.

Reso-guitar master Jimmy Heffernan has released another single from his current album, I’d Trade It All for a Little More.

Rarely seen out front, Heffernan has spent a career in Nashville supporting the music of others, working as a sideman for top acts in both bluegrass and country music. As a young man, he toured with a number of bluegrass bands, including Raintree, Transatlantic Bluegrass, and Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers. From there he got a gig playing for Cajun fiddle sensation Doug Kershaw, and eventually with Joe Diffie, where he stayed nearly a decade. Nashville began to provide him with a steady income as a producer and session player, though he did spend two more years on the bus with Brad Paisley.

These days, Jimmy likes to stay closer to home, and plies his trade in the studio more than on the road. And he has taken that occasion to record this new project, featuring a number of singers he finds particularly moving. This time out he has tapped Dennis Parker, harmony vocalist with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, and one of the great undiscovered gems in the bluegrass world. His popular Songs Under The Air Conditioning Unit series on YouTube, and album of the same name, have earned him a loyal following among the enlightened in the music world.

Jimmy has Dennis in to sing Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues, a 1972 hit for pop singer Danny O’Keefe.

Parker says that we all should be paying more attention to Heffernan’s music.

“Truthfully….Literally….whenever I think of Jim Heffernan or when his name is mentioned, an automatic smile comes to my face. What a blessing he has been in my life. I’ve played many a show with him. I’ve spent many a bus ride with him. I’ve spent many an hour being encouraged by him. These are the times I cherish and miss.

This project, I’d Trade it All for a Little More, is just good music. That’s what Jim creates. When I listen to this, I am in the company of a master craftsman that loves his craft, but I’m also hanging out with a friend I love dearly. I am honored that he asked me to be a part of it. More folks need to be saying the name Jim Heffernan. When that happens, you can bet I’ll be smiling.”

The track features Dennis on lead vocal and Jimmy on reso-guitar, with Craig Fletcher on mandolin, Dennis Crouch on bass, Jim Hurst on guitar, and Kenny Malone on drums.

Have a listen…

Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues and the full I’d Trade It All for a Little More, are available now wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can get the tracks at AirPlay Direct.

Michael Kelly is a singer and songwriter. There’s nothing unusual about that, of course. The music biz is littered with singer/songwriters, most of whom are desperately vying for public attention. What separates folks like Kelly from the competition is not necessarily the amount of acclaim they achieve — that’s a long hard road that often depends on luck and having the right connections — but the skills they share along the way. 

That’s why Kelly stands out for all the right reasons — namely, a cache of good material and the ability to purvey his songs with honesty, humility, and a genuine sense of purpose. His new album, Kingfisher — his third to date — reflects a decidedly unassuming attitude, and a delivery that seems to draw from various homeland homilies. And while his vocals sometimes seem tinged with weariness and resignation, they’re also fueled with diligence and determination.

Kelly’s backstory is similar to many other likeminded musicians. He started his career working Washington DC’s club circuit before graduating to opening act status for various national acts. Along the way, he managed to accrue several songwriting awards, including outstanding honors in the vocal category at the Deer Creek Fiddler’s Convention. Kingfisher reflects the confidence that comes with that recognition, but its songs tend to lean towards his own personal perspective, as drawn from everyday happenstance. Blue Mountain, Maryland Avenue, and California Sky are, like many of the songs on the album, inspired by certain situations that tended to trigger his imagination and subsequently set to song. 

As a result, the music tends to easily engage the listener, whether its the easy fiddle and mandolin-fueled ramble shared in Daffodils, the sprightly sound of Cornbread, or the upbeat attitude found in Chicktaw Road. The songs are fresh and exuberant, but they also possess a certain familiarity factor that makes each offering that much easier to readily embrace.

Ultimately, that’s the thing that puts Kelly ahead of the game, and makes Kingfisher such an genuinely enticing entry. Hopefully he’ll get the recognition he so rightfully deserves, but in the meantime, he warrants all the appreciation his admirers might offer.

He is supported on this Patuxent Music release by Rob Benzing on banjo, Danny Knicely on mandolin, Mark Schatz on bass, and Rickie Simpkins on fiddle and harmony vocals.

Mountain Home Music has released a fourth single for Jaelee Roberts, taken from their upcoming album together. This time it’s a lovely mid-tempo number, Think Again, with a bluegrass/acoustic country vibe.

Bluegrass doesn’t have two many father/daughter label mates, but Jaelee and her dad, Danny Roberts, mandolinist with The Gracsals, make the exception. Both record for Mountain Home, and the young Ms. Roberts has been drinking in lessons in the music business from the time she was knee high. Now, while still in college, Jaelee is recording for a label, and is a member of one of the hottest acts in our music, Sister Sadie.

This new song comes from Marla Cannon-Goodman and Shane Stockton, both veterans of Nashville’s Music Row, which uses two subtle shades of difference in the meaning of the title phrase as the singer makes a decision to end a relationship. Roberts is supported on the track by Alan Bibey on mandolin, Tony Wray on guitar, Kristin Scott Benson on mandolin, Jimmy Mattingley on fiddle, and album producer Tim Surrett on bass.

Jaelee says that this one came to her through the Sister Sadie sisterhood.

“Think Again is such a well-written song that goes straight to the heart. My Sister Sadie bandmate, Deanie Richardson, brought the demo to me, and the very first time I heard it I knew immediately that I had to record it…it’s just that kind of song! When I sing Think Again I can see the story unfolding in my mind, because the words are very visual, and I think that most people will relate to it. Who hasn’t experienced that final goodbye when you absolutely know that a relationship is over and it’s time to move on? This song tells that classic story with emotional lyrics and a beautiful melody – and a little bit of attitude, too!”

Have a listen… 

Think Again from Jaelee Roberts is available now wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can find the track at AirPlay Direct.

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver at the 2021 Charlotte Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren

I think I can now describe what fifteen months of cabin fever does to people.

The Charlotte Bluegrass Festival is well known for having at least one day of rain. This year it had three, along with an evacuation for tornado warnings. No one left. After the all clear was given, the show went on!

Friday was damp, but it didn’t dampen band or audience enthusiasm. Promoter Wes Pettinger was interviewed by a local television station between raindrops and tasks. The stage was moved from the stage to the front of the audience pavilion due to the weather. It was the third set up of the weekend for GBS Sound. Dave and Traci were troopers through the whole weekend.

New Outlook kicked off the show with a variety of bluegrass and Gospel music.

The Kevin Prater Band followed. Kevin has one of the “big” voices in music. He gives his audience a full measure of hard driving bluegrass music.

Edgar Loudermilk is always a favorite at Charlotte. A lot of his music is the result of his songwriting ability. He also held a songwriting workshop for budding songwriters.

Charlotte is Audie Blaylock’s long time home festival. He and his band, Redline, closed out the Friday show. Audie is always welcomed home with open arms.

The Saturday afternoon show was the “calm before the storm.”

Kyle Jarvis and IIIrd Generation opened Saturday’s show. They are based in Ohio and play many festivals throughout the tri-state area.

Out of the Blue participated in the Old Hippie “RV Sessions” prior to their stage appearance. Jerry Eicher interviewed, and had a number of bands play, for the Old Hippie Bluegrass show. Out of the Blue will be the headliner at Blissfield Bluegrass on the River on August 14.

Fiddlin’ Dixie and Lil’ Friends presents a kids program at several Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana festivals. In a “normal” year there are hands on activities and an instrument petting zoo for the youngsters. This year Dixie is passing out “Gig To Go” bags to the kids.

Bobby Hamlin and the Lawless is a local band the played Charlotte for the first time.

The festival has had two MC’s splitting stage time. Duffy Brown lives in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The Canadian border remains closed to most travelers, so Duffy was unable to be at the festival. Her son and daughter-in-law park campers and run the ticket booth at the gate. He works in Canada, but can now travel back and forth. He couldn’t for a year, so he would work for two or three months and then come home to Michigan for a short period. Blair and Jennifer kept contact by going to the Blue Water Bridge on Friday evenings, have coffee, and Facetime each other from across the river. Wes called Duffy, put her on speaker phone, and let her know how much we all missed her.

The Family Sowell is a band that needs to be added to everyone’s “must see” list. This group of siblings cover a wide variety of music in addition to some of their original music.

The infamous band, Supper Break, was interrupted by tornado sirens going off, and just about everyone’s phone lighting up with warnings. Charlotte’s EMTs, fire department, and police department showed up within a minute to evacuate nearly everyone to the basement of the water treatment plant located just off the fairgrounds. It was pouring rain, so a bunch of completely soaked people spent a couple hours waiting out the storms. The emergency people passed out blankets to everyone that needed one. All of us thank the emergency crews for their prompt response and helpfulness. Charlotte can be proud of their emergency services.

GBS Sound reset the stage after the “all clear” was given and The Family Sowell and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver put on their evening performances. About 2/3 of the way into Doyle’s set another windy, rainy storm blew through – albeit briefly. Doyle and the band put their instruments in the dry and completed the set with acapella music. This is dedication!

The next stop for Candidpix.info is the Norwalk Music Festival in Norwalk, Ohio. See you there!

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The Southern Ohio Indoor Bluegrass Festival, which has held twice annual events in Wilmington, OH for 17 years, is rebranding this year as the Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival, starting in November.

In addition to the new name, this venerable festival hosted by Joe Mullins and his family, is expanding to add a third day this fall, running November 11-13 at the The Roberts Centre in Wilmington. It will remain an indoor event impervious to weather, with a large Holiday Inn attached to the Centre, and quality music, plenty of jamming, and a family-friendly environment.

The name change is meant to reinforce the legacy of how bluegrass music came to southern Ohio during the industrial era, when Appalachian families migrated north in search of work in the factories around Cincinnati and Columbus. They brought elements of their native culture, including bluegrass and old time music, which became established in cities as far north as Detroit. With both a new book and a popular bluegrass recording utilizing the name, Mullins and company decided that it was a more fitting name for their festival as well.

The debut Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival in November will include performances by host band, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, along with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, and several more. Tickets will go on sale August 1.

Full details about the November 2021 Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival can be found online.

The Grand Master Fiddler Championship has announced a new annual $1,000 scholarship in honor of Matthew Lin, a promising young fiddler and regular competitor who died last year at 19 years of age.

The Matthew Thomas Lin Memorial Scholarship is open to high school and college students and musicians, “who display academic achievement, a commitment to serving others, a strong work ethic, active leadership, and financial need the opportunity to continue their musical and academic pursuits.”

Those descriptors above perfectly characterize Lin, who in addition to being a standout young fiddler, was also an athlete, a peer mentor for other young musicians, and an Eagle Scout. His dedication to community service which he had demonstrated in high school continued when he enrolled at the University of Kentucky where he was a Peer Mentor in the Engineering Living Learning Program, as well as a Peer Instructor, and a K Crew Leader.

He passed on December 11, 2020 from complications following lung surgery to remove several blood clots. Matthew’s death sent a shock wave through the music community in which he was involved, his family (of course), and the amateur and competition fiddle world. At the time of his passing Lin was also a member of the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra., and was studying for a twin major in Chemical Engineering and violin performance.

Here is video of him winning the Youth Division at the 2014 Grand Masters.

The new scholarship application process will typically run from February to May, with a recipient announced in June, but this first year, applications are being accepted now until August 1. A 2021 award recipient will be named August 22.

Requirements for eligibility are:

• Applicants should be currently enrolled in a public or private high school, homeschool, or an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school in the US, Canada, or Puerto Rico that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
• Applicants should be current residents of the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico.
• Students should have a cumulative, unweighted grade point average of 2.5.
• Void wherever prohibited by law.

Preference for selection will be baed on the following criteria:

• Musicians who plan to use this scholarship for music lessons, instruments, camps, or music-related travel.
• Applicants who demonstrate substantial contributions to community service.
• Students with a cumulative unweighted grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.3.
• Students demonstrating active participation in extracurricular, faith-based, and/or community organizations.
• Applicants displaying an active leadership role in community service, athletics, and/or similar co-curricular activity (such as student government, team sports, fraternal life, etc.).
• Students with a minimum ACT Composite score of 25 or a minimum combined SAT score of 1220 (if available).
• Applicants with demonstration of substantial financial need.

An application form for the Matthew Thomas Lin Memorial Scholarship is available online, along with a list of full scholarship requirements and details. Each candidate must also submit a short video (less than three minutes) or a personal statement (1000 words or less) describing your educational plans and why you should be considered for the scholarship. Musicians are also invited to send links to performance videos online.

More information is available on the Grand Master Fiddler web site.

The 2021 Grand Master Fiddler Championship will be held in person at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum over Labor Day weekend, September 4-5.

Tomorrow, June 26, is the day. Bluegrass artists and fans will get together in Hiawassee, GA at Pickin’ For Patton to enjoy music and raise money for the continuing rehabilitation costs of Patton Wages. The beloved music teacher and Volume Five banjo picker suffered a debilitating stroke back in February.

Given his relative youth, and the fact that his dad was with him when symptoms first displayed and got medical assistance right away, Patton is making a remarkable recovery. Both he and his medical team are hopeful of a return to full physical capability. But he is living in a full-time rehab facility, and even with insurance, those cost are substantial.

All proceeds from tomorrow’s one day festival will go to Wages’ medical fund. Two stages of live entertainment are on tap, both indoor and outdoor, with music from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee. Jamming is encouraged, and food and drinks will be available on site.

Performers include Volume Five, Alan Bibey, Shawn Lane, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Last Call with Brian & Maggie Stephens, Shannon Slaughter, Amanda Cook Band, Dave Adkins Band, Backline, and several others. Tickets at the gate are $35, with a number of raffles to be conducted during the event.

A full day of fun is certain, with all monies raised going for a true bluegrass brother. Patton is expected to attend, though it may be difficult for him to interact with everyone who wants to wish him well. Organizers are bringing a comfortable recliner to set right up front so he can enjoy the show.

If you aren’t able to attend, but want to support this effort, you can still contribute to the GoFundMe campaign online.

Not everyone has been enjoying the music of Jeremy Stephens for the past 25 years, but those of us in central and southwestern Virginia have been aware of his tremendous talent, and special love of traditional bluegrass, since he was a teenager. While still in high school, Jeremy was performing Reno & Smiley material in the Lynchburg/Roanoke area with his brother, and delighting audiences with how authentically they reproduced that vintage sound.

Now living in Nashville, and working with his wife, Corrina, in High Fidelity, people all over the bluegrass world know of his skill and allegiance to bluegrass and country music from the ’50s and ’60s.

And now Rebel Records is bringing out a solo project from Stephens, How I Hear It, expected in August, chock full of both early bluegrass and original music, played and sung in that style.

Stephens says that while a lot has changed in his life since he was a teenager here in Virginia, he still loves the old time sound.

“Twenty years have passed since my first solo project, Scarlet Banjo. In that time, I’ve grown considerably as a musician and singer, and I felt it was time to make another solo album as a picture of where I am today in my musical journey.”

Rebel has a debut single available today, Could I Knock on Your Door, a song he co-wrote and recorded in 2004 with Virginia bluegrass legend, Cecil Hall, who performed in this region for many years with his band, The Dominion Bluegrass Boys. He was something of a tutor to young Jeremy, teaching him a great deal about the music business, and Stephens says that he is proud to make this the song people see first from How I Hear It.

“Cecil believed in me and wanted me to carry on his music. Most of the songs he wrote in his later years, he gave me half writer credit whether I helped or not! Of all of Cecil’s compositions, this one always stuck with me because it was an upbeat and happy love song. I’m so thankful to be able to have it as the first single release on this album.”

He also explained a bit about how the arrangement was structured. 

“When arranging this song for this album, I could really hear it with Benny Martin-flavored guitar playing, so I tried to play it in that style here with Hunter Berry offering some excellent Benny Martin-style fiddle playing as well!

Over the years lots of folks have commented on my playing the banjo without a capo, a technique associated with Don Reno, but one that I actually learned more about from my mentor, Troy Brammer. While I was tempted to capo up on this song, my wife and co-producer ,Corrina Rose Logston, really encouraged me to play it out of open B flat. I worked hard to come up with something that drove like an open banjo yet referenced some of the way I used to play it in C with Cecil.”

Have a listen.

Could I Knock on Your Door is available as a single wherever you stream or download music online, and pre-orders for the full How I Hear It album are enabled online as well. Radio programmers can get the single track now at AirPlay Direct.

I don’t think many of us realized just how much bluegrass music festivals have been such an important part of our lives until they were taken away. Many Charlotte Bluegrass festival goers spent Thursday morning visiting with old friends and making new ones. The stage show kicked off in the afternoon with the bubbly personality of MC Terri Grannis, who makes sure that everyone knows what is going to happen, and keeps all of us in line. Promoter Wes Pettinger welcomed everyone to the festival and thanked the audience for continued support.

Local band, Out of the Blue, kicked things off with top notch, straight-ahead bluegrass. The band features Dave Conley Sr. who is one of Michigan’s finest guitar players. The band can be seen at numerous festivals across the state.

Pettinger and some friends billing, themselves as Charlotte 48/49 with a nod towards 2021 serving as both the 48th and 49th edition of the festival, presented a set of bluegrass and classic country music that was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.

Host band, Harbourtown, is a festival favorite. The band is comprised of seasoned Michigan and Ohio musicians including former Bluegrass Boy Dana Cupp. Band leader, Kurt Hickman, is the promoter of the Norwalk Music Festival in Ohio. Guitar player, Jeremie Cole, promotes the Marshall Bluegrass Festival in Michigan.

The Little Roy and Lizzy Show exploded onto the stage. Roy has more energy at 79 years young than most people less than half his age. He has spent the past year creating what we would call a museum. Roy calls it his “stuff.” The band is celebrating ten years of great music and shenanigans.

Blue Highway closed out the day’s entertainment with their first show since January of 2020, kicking off the 27th year of touring. One of the amazing things is that all but dobro player, Gary Hultman, are original members of the band. There truly one of the “must see” bands in the bluegrass world.

Two more days of top flight music are on tap at the Eaton County fairgrounds in Charlotte, MI. Come and join in on the fun.

Support your local music venues.

Pinecastle Records has a new music video today from trad grasser supreme, Danny Paisley, for one of the songs on his current Bluegrass Troubadour album.

He Can’t Own Them is a mighty lonesome number, written by Eric Gibson, about folks who work around luxury goods, things they couldn’t afford to own themselves. The song plays with that contrast throughout, using a number of examples that should ring true to the bluegrass audience.

As always, Paisley delivers it with his trademark ‘ragged but right’ style, supported by his stellar band. With Danny on guitar, and his son, Ryan, on mandolin, the band also includes Mark Delaney on banjo, T.J. Lundy on fiddle, and Bobby Lundy on bass. Family has always been an important part of their sound, ever since Danny’s father, Bob, and T.J. and Bobby’s father, Ted, played together a generation earlier.

The video follows Danny and Ryan around classic vintage automobiles and collectible guitars, playing on the theme of the lyrics, only to finish with a final verse that uses the same paradox to describe loving a woman you can’t contain. Very effective.

He Can’t Own Them, and the full Bluegrass Troubadour album, are available now wherever you stream, or download music online. Radio programmers can find the tracks at AirPlay Direct.

Reso-guitar legend Phil Leadbetter has been somewhat sidelined this past few years with a variety of health issues, ranging from cancer treatments to kidney dialysis. But he is maintaining his high spirits and sense of humor, and staying involved as best he can with the bluegrass music he loves.

One such is the new album, Masters of Slide: The Spider Sessions, set for release tomorrow, June 25, from Mountain Home Music. It is a compilation project featuring new recordings from several of the top current dobroists in bluegrass, including Uncle Phil among them. Included are contributions from Jimmy Heffernan, Gary Hultman, Rob Ickes, Orville Johnson, Gavin Largent, Matt Leadbetter, Leroy Mack, Justin Moses, Jimmy Stewart, Ferrell Stowe, Greg Booth, Josh Swift, Fred Travers, Sally Van Meter, Roger Williams, Mike Witcher, Steve Toth, and Roger Williams among others.

It will be an excellent overview of the state of the instrument today, and serve as a terrific introduction to those who enjoy the sound of the reso-guitar in bluegrass, but may be unfamiliar with all these fine players.

This evening we are delighted top share the record’s first single, Caught Steelin’, written and performed by Andy Hall of Infamous Stringdusters.

Leadbetter says that he was determined to have a contribution from Hall as he was doing the preparations for this album.

“I first met Andy Hall many years ago in New York playing with Ronnie Bowman, and he was still a very young guy back then. He has really grown to be one of the best resonator guitar players on the planet, in my opinion. It was such a huge blessing to have him on this CD, and playing the opening track which sets the tone for the whole album.”

Enjoy.

Masters of Slide: The Spider Sessions will be available on June 25 wherever you stream or download music online. CDs can be purchased from Phil Leadbetter’s web site.

Radio programmers can get the tracks now via AirPlay Direct.

The History Press, a division of Arcadia Publishing, has announced a release date of September 20 for Texas Bluegrass History: High Lonesome on the High Plains, by Jeff Campbell and Braeden Paul. 

Both authors have personal knowledge and interest in the subject. Paul is a bluegrass mandolinist with experience in artist representation who writes for the Bluegrass Society of America on Facebook, while Campbell is a Professional Historic Preservationist and author of previous works on the history of the Lone Star State. Both live in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and have collaborated on this look into how bluegrass music grew in Texas, and how it developed a number of important figures and institutions in our music.

Texas may not be the first region that comes to mind when you think of bluegrass history, but Braeden tells us that there are many things important to a chronicling of how the music developed and is maintained in the US.

“The state of Texas has nurtured a thriving bluegrass scene dating back to the early 1950s, one that Jeff and I both felt was important to document. While we do discuss known names in bluegrass such as the Mayfield Brothers, Tex Logan, and Wood & Wire, among others, we also devote a lot of the book to those who were primarily based in Texas such as the Shady Grove Ramblers, Holly Bond, and Johnnie Martin. We also talk a lot about the importance of the Bluegrass and Country music program at South Plains College in Levelland, and other Texas-based organizations such as the Southwest Bluegrass Club and the Central Texas Bluegrass Association.”

Pre-orders have not yet been enabled on The History Press web site, but you can keep an eye out for it there. They have published a number of other books about the regional history of bluegrass music which should be of interest to our readers.

We will talk with the authors in more detail about Texas Bluegrass History closer to the publication date.

Host band Harbourtown at the 2021 Charlotte Bluegrass Festival

In short: We are back! The 48th/49th Charlotte Bluegrass Festival kicked off Wednesday evening after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 festival. Promoter Wes Pettinger spent time going through the campgrounds greeting festival goers. The smiles stretch for miles!!

Wednesday night featured a new activity called Charlotte Dance Night. The Bootleg Band played a couple hours of classic country music for a number of dancers. The dancers included festival MC and publicist, Terri Grannis, Paige Capo owners Bryan and Lisa Paige, Norwalk Music Festival promoter Kurt Hickman, nuts and bolts festival assistant Kellie Knauff, and Marshall Bluegrass Festival promoter Jeremie Cole.

Louie’s Limo has provided shuttle service at festivals for many years. It is always good to have a shuttle pass through the campground on a regular basis.

The stage show kicks off Thursday afternoon with Out of the Blue, a festival house band that includes promoter Wes Pettinger, host band Harbourtown, The Little Roy and Lizzy Show, and a finale with Blue Highway.

The Friday lineup features New Outlook, The Kevin Prater Band, The Edgar Loudermilk Band, and Audie Blaylock and Redline.

Saturday brings Kyle Jarvis & IIIrd Generation, Out of the Blue, Bobby Hamlin & the Lawless, The Family Sowell, and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver to the Charlotte stage.

Friday and Saturday will have songwriting, mandolin, banjo, and guitar workshops.

The festival has been held at the Eaton County Fairgrounds in Charlotte, Michigan for all of its 48/49 years.

Please join Wes and his crew for a weekend of great music and fellowship.

Support your local music venues.

Turnberry Records has released a music video for the title track from their album with Greg Blake, People, Places and Songs.

Blake says that this song means a great deal to him, representing the things that connect us to our families and friends, the locations that stay in our memories, and the music that makes live worthwhile.

“It gives me great pleasure to share with the bluegrass and acoustic roots music communities this video of the recently released single and title cut from my new album on Turnberry Records – People, Places and Songs! I teamed up with acclaimed songwriters, Dawn Kenney and David Morris, during the COVID lock down period to write this song about the long-lasting, forever-shaping impact of those key people and crossroads in our lives.

My wish is that you not just enjoy the artistry of the music, but that the lyrics and the images remind you of … ‘the things that make us who we are, and tell us we belong; a part of us forever, rocks we build our lives upon – PEOPLE, PLACES AND SONGS!‘”

Greg is supported on this track by Jesse Brock on mandolin, Jacob Metz on resophonic guitar, Aynsley Porchak on fiddle, and Mark Schatz on bass and banjo. Schatz and Claire Lynch sing harmony vocals.

The single is available now wherever you stream or download music online, while the CD can be purchased directly from Turnberry Records.

The Andrea Roberts Agency has announced the signing of Seth Mulder & Midnight Run for exclusive booking representation. These masters of ’50s and ’60s throwback bluegrass have also recently signed with Mountain Fever Records.

Seth and the boys got their start performing in Gatlinburg, TN at the Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery where they still appear when they aren’t on the road, keeping the band extra tight. All are college educated grassers, with a special love for the traditional sound applied to original music written within the group. Mulder plays mandolin with Colton Powers on banjo, Ben Wattlington on guitar, and Max Etling on bass. Seth sings most of the leads, though everyone has a hand in the vocals. Cody Bauer also joins them on fiddle for selected shows.

Roberts says that she is delighted to add Midnight Run to her roster, which also includes The Grascals, Caleb Daugherty, Wildfire, and Daryl Mosely.

“I am so excited to be working with this great band! Seth Mulder & Midnight Run is a young group that is really working hard, and making great strides in the industry very quickly. I am so impressed with their professionalism and work ethic on top of the extraordinary music they are creating, and their energetic and entertaining stage show. This band has really got the chops – vocals and instrumentals – and I feel very certain that promoters are not going to want to miss out on having them on their festivals in 2022! I’m honored to have the opportunity to work with Midnight Run and I feel like their future in bluegrass music is extremely bright.”

Mulder is equally psyched to join Roberts’ team.

“We are thrilled to be teaming up with the Andrea Roberts Agency. We’ve been looking for the right agency to team up ever since Jim Roe told us he was retiring, and we knew we needed someone that would work hard for us and help us grow as a band. When we connected with Andrea, it just felt right. She offered great ideas and goals, and her connections within bluegrass music make for a valuable resource for the band. Her strong presence in bluegrass music, the top-tier bands she works with in the past and present, and her love for the music made her stand out. We’re excited to grow as a band see where we go as we add to our team.”

Here’s a live video of the guys doing their current Mountain Fever single, One More Night.

For more information about Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, visit the Andrea Roberts Agency online.

The Nashville area home of Keith Bilbrey, former radio announcer at WSM and the Grand Ole Opry, was severely damaged by fire early this morning. Always a good friend to bluegrass music, he and his wife were barely able to escape as the house became quickly engulfed in flames.

Many people these days know Bilbrey primarily as the announcer for the Huckabee show, airing weekends on the Trinity Broadcasting Network with former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee.  He and his wife, Emy Jo, also hosted a TV show called Nashville Country Cookin’, and Keith served as host for Music City Roots, and continues to host a syndicated radio program, Classic Country Today, on many stations around the country. Nahvillians remember him as an on air personality on WSM-TV, and NBC affiliate in town for more than two decades, where he appeared regularly on The Ralph Emery Show, and as an announcer on Larry’s Country Diner.

According to Emy Jo, she and Keith just had time to grab their dog and run out of the house with nothing but the clothes on their backs. She offered thanks to the firefighters who were able to save Keith’s musical instrument collection, but they were unable to save their vast store of Opry memorabilia, or his trove of cowboy boots. Their vehicles were also badly damaged in the fire, and they lost phones, tablets, computers, and almost all their personal photos and effects.

These past few years have been a struggle for the Bilbreys, as Keith was unexpectedly terminated from WSM radio in 2009, a move which outraged local listeners. Then in 2018, their son, Mark, died in an automobile accident during a severe storm.

In a Facebook message this morning, Emy Jo asked friends and fans to pray for them as they try to put their life back together.

Best of luck to them both.

Mountain Home Music has a new single for North Carolina banjo man Tray Wellington this week, a grassified take on an old time favorite that should please fans of both styles.

Wellington has received a great deal of attention in bluegrass circles over recent years. A 2021 graduate of the bluegrass program at ETSU, he had begun playing professionally while still in high school as a founding member of Cane Mill Road. Having been named a recipient of the IBMA’s Momentum Award in 2019 for an emerging instrumentalist of note, Tray recorded a solo EP of banjo music the following year, Uncaged Thoughts.

His upcoming album with Mountain Home takes a similar tack, mixing his own original compositions with traditional standards, and this week’s single is of the second sort.

Half Past Four is a well-known old time fiddle tune, coming from the mind of Ed Haley, a blind fiddler from Kentucky who performed in the first half of the 20th century. Not many folks outside of Kentucky knew his music until he was championed by John Hartford, who not only recorded several of Haney’s tunes, but also transcribed many others and oversaw a collection of Ed’s home recordings.

Now Tray has put his own spin on the tune, supported by Wayne Benson on mandolin, Carley Arrowood on fiddle, John Stickley on guitar, and Kevin Kehrberg on bass. 

“As a John Hartford and Ed Haley fan, I knew when I heard this song, I wanted to put a modern, unique twist on it that would make it my own version. And with the musicianship of these players, from Carley’s powerful fiddle kickoff, to Stickley’s killer rhythm, to the groove of Kevin’s bass, and Wayne’s playing, it ended up being a great track.”

Here ’tis…

Half Past Four by Tray Wellington will be available on Friday, June 25, wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can get the track now via AirPlay Direct.

Last week, I gave all publicists and artists who write their own bios in third person fair warning that in addition to the annual retirement of some of our most beloved adjectives, this year will mark the first retirement of a noun. The ceremony won’t take place until the IBMA World of Bluegrass in late September, which will at least give you an opportunity to use this noun to your heart’s content between now and then.

Before we discuss the noun itself, I wanted to respond to some reader comments about last week’s column. Some were wondering why the IBMA would seek to limit words that publicists can use, and in effect act as “word police” for the writers of our music’s promotional material. Some even questioned whether this story was even authentic, or simply another “joke.”

I can assure you that it’s very real, or it would be if it were true. Or, as someone once said to me after forwarding a fictitious political email: “Even if it isn’t true, it makes a good point.” I plan to address the issue of the IBMA “word police” in a video next week. 

Getting back to the noun, before we learned which noun would be the first to be honored with retirement, word had leaked out (literally) that “whiz” would not be chosen this year. This may be disappointing to some, including Jack Tottle, who recently pointed out that it was inappropriate—or perhaps just lazy—to refer to Chris Thile as a “mandolin whiz.”

Here’s where it’s worth pointing out that this process of retirement of adjectives and nouns in bluegrass prose-writing is not a statement of disrespect towards these words. Quite the opposite: these are words that have served us so well and have been used in so many press releases, reviews, and website bios that they deserved to be retired, like Willie Mays’ #24. I’ll agree that referring to “hard-driving,” for example, as “the Willie Mays of bluegrass adjectives” is more than a bit of a stretch, but if it’s helpful to you to visualize the honor that comes with this retirement ceremony, feel free. 

As I pointed out in my original article on the subject, after retirement, these adjectives are then displayed permanently in the Bluegrass Hall of Fame’s Retired Adjectives Wing, built a few years ago. The first noun will be displayed in the brand new “Retired Noun Nook,” just off the adjectives wing (make a sharp right at “dynamic”).

I think we can agree that “whiz” is not yet deserving of official retirement, at least not yet. It has never been in frequent enough usage to have attained classic status, and that’s just as well. “Whiz” is a word we naturally expect to be followed by “kid,” the kind of word you would use to describe a precocious eight-year-old banjo player who had just learned a blistering version of Cumberland Gap. It’s not a word you would really want in your bio, unless of course you happen to have a precocious eight-year-old in your band. Also, “banjo whiz” sounds a little like spreadable banjo in a jar (which is going to be a groundbreaking product as soon as someone develops it).

But enough of this teasing, according to this week’s announcement, the noun that will be the first to be retired, and the first to be reverently placed in the Retired Noun Nook is “icon.”

I’ll be honest, I won’t shed a tear to see this one taken out of circulation, but I’m not sure it should have been first among nouns. Perhaps it will someday deserve its spot in the nook, but I think it has generally been both misused and overused. Everyone is an icon now, from a “songwriting icon” (Gordon Lightfoot), to a “fiddle icon” (Kenny Baker), to a “ping pong icon” (Andrew Baggaley).

A true icon is a piece of religious art with special significance, used especially in Eastern and Byzantine forms of Christianity, but the icon itself is more a medium for worship, rather than an object of it. Those who use them would refer to them as “windows into the holy.” Doesn’t that make referring to Elvis as an “icon” seem a little inappropriate and/or just weird?

Icons can also refer to those thumbnails on your computer or phone, linking to apps. That doesn’t seem very Elvis-like or Bill Monroe-like for that matter, either.

I think people started out meaning to use the word “idol,” which also begins with “i.” Often, “icon” is just used where “legend,” “celebrity,” “superstar,” or sometimes “whiz” would be more fitting. 

As I said, above, though, “icon” is fully available to you between now and the end of September, so feel free to call anyone an “icon” you feel like, from your barber (“hair icon”), your 8th grade math teacher (“junior high icon”), to Mark O’Connor, who started as a whiz before becoming iconic. “Iconic,” by the way is still available as an adjective until further notice. Use with restraint.

See you at the ceremony in Raleigh.