Brenda Reviews: Casey Penn – One Step Away

Brenda Reviews: Casey Penn – One Step Away

www.mountainfever.com Song List: Journey to Providence, We Go Together Like A Guitar and a Fiddle, Oceans, Little Lives, The Blade, How To Bend, Chasing Rainbows, Winner Every Time, Would These Arms Be in Your Way. Dark and Desperate, One Step Away. Casey Penn is an...
Brenda Reviews: Jackson Hollow – Roses

Brenda Reviews: Jackson Hollow – Roses

www.mountainfever.com Song List: I’m All the Way Gone, Shallow Rivers, Roses, For the Life of Me, Can’t Stop Now, A Heartache in the Works, Travelin’ Heart, Look Who’s Talking Now, Put Yourself in My Place, Pour It to Me Straight. The members of Jackson Hollow had...
A Century of Doc

A Century of Doc

Doc Watson’s birthday was this past Friday. He would have turned one hundred on March third. I celebrated with my best jamming buddies by cutting short our session and walking down the street to hear Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands at the Sweetwater Music Hall in...
Brenda Reviews: Ashby Frank – Leaving Is Believing

Brenda Reviews: Ashby Frank – Leaving Is Believing

www.mountainhomemusiccompany.com Song List: Any Trouble, Midnight Highway, Arkansas Island, Leaving Is Believing, Paintball Gun, Sea of South Dakota, Make Your Mama Proud, Jump On It, Every Little Kiss, Waving Girl, Where I’m Bound, Roll on Mississippi, Your Face...
In Praise of the Banjo

In Praise of the Banjo

The banjo has always held a certain fascination for me. I was enthralled when Bill Evans presented his Banjo in America extravaganza ten years ago. What a cool instrument I thought, as Bill played through a series of vintage instruments to illustrate the venerable...
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...