A Novel Banjo Style

A Novel Banjo Style

I suppose everybody who’s hooked on bluegrass is by definition hooked on banjo. Some people say, with good reason, that Bill Monroe “invented” bluegrass. But without those Earl Scruggs banjo rolls to drive the music, that invention would be hollow. Without the banjo,...
Happy Birthday Del McCoury!

Happy Birthday Del McCoury!

Del McCoury turned 84 today. Happy Birthday Del! One of bluegrass’s senior statesmen, Del is particularly close to fans here in California because he visited us pretty often. He’s also trained some of the best and brightest bluegrass stars out there still touring...
Martin

Martin

Today’s national holiday might be an opportunity to pick a little more bluegrass music with friends as long as you get the day off. Some of us might even be playing guitars with the same name as the holiday honoree. Baby boomers like me can look back more than fifty...
Oh, I Gotta Do That One!

Oh, I Gotta Do That One!

Like many of you, I listen to a lot of bluegrass music. I listen to it live whenever I can because that’s how it should be enjoyed for its full effect. But I also listen to a wealth of recorded music by great musicians I may never get the opportunity to listen to live...
Orphan Instruments

Orphan Instruments

Unless their parents force them into it, most people choose to play a musical instrument because they like the sound of it and maybe they like how they fit in with other friends who play an instrument as well. They put in a ton of effort to bond with their instrument...
The Fifty Eight Hour Jam

The Fifty Eight Hour Jam

Who is that lonely guy in the photo playing guitar in an empty railroad passenger car? He looks a little bit like Doc Watson. Doc is ten years past and gone now of course but all the good times are possibly not yet past and gone. Don’t you want to just join that guy...