What to Look for in 2014

Look at this post as pure speculation based on what I think I see as possible trends. These predictions are NOT necessarily what I wish to see, and should be treated as possibilities in the near or not-so-near future. It might be interesting to look back on this post...

What was that middle part again?

I remember a seminar I attended on doing presentations for groups of people. They said your presentation should consist of three parts: Tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them. They said a strong finish and ending...

What we need is another bluegrass movie

There’s nothing quite as much fun as playing to a roomful of people who don’t know bluegrass from a hole in the ground. I like picking for a picking audience too, don’t get me wrong. The punishment, I mean feedback, is invaluable and I always come away a better player...

What’s a Musical Instrument Worth?

Musicians of all stripes are gearheads at heart. The search for the perfect instrument never ends – an instrument with the right feel, the right tone, the best playability and the best story. It’s always out there somewhere. We fill up our spare rooms with...

What’s Bluegrass Worth?

My first paying gig was at the opening of a new McDonald’s restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1972. With hardly any professional performing experience outside of singing solos in high school and church choirs and having never attended a bluegrass festival at...