by Bert Daniel | Jun 28, 2025 | Welcome Column
Most shoppers of authentic prewar Gibson Mastertone Banjos still face a dilemma: “this prewar Gibson is a nice archtop tenorbanjo, but to be useful for modern bluegrass it usually needs a flathead tone ring and always needs a five-string neck, preferably consistent in...
by Bert Daniel | Jul 10, 2025 | Welcome Column
Some players attempt to coax superior tone by modifying their instruments sometimes in bizarre ways. For example, one (now deceased) incredibly talented player is reputed to have taped a mirror inside his banjo resonator to better reflect the tone outward. Whether...
by robin | Jun 30, 2025 | Bluegrass Musicians
In this series, Joselyn explores what it takes to make the leap from campground picker to professional performer. In this third installment, we hear from Rhonda Vincent, whose many musical achievements as a multi-instrumentalist and bandleader include being a Grand...
by robin | Aug 1, 2025 | Bluegrass Musicians
In this series, Joselyn explores what it takes to make the leap from campground picker to professional performer. In this forth installment, we hear from Danny Paisley, whose many accolades as a guitarist, singer, and bandleader include four-time IBMA Male Vocalist of...
by Bert Daniel | Aug 14, 2025 | Welcome Column
Today was back to school day here in Sonoma county. Kids return to school pretty early here. Where I grew up in South Carolina we had at least a couple of weeks still before the summer was over. Often when we returned to school we had to write the obligatory essay...
by robin | Sep 1, 2025 | Bluegrass Musicians
photo by Lauren Hartmann In this series, Joselyn explores what it takes to make the leap from campground picker to professional performer. In this fifth installment, we hear from Sierra Hull, whose many accolades as a mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader...
by Bert Daniel | Sep 10, 2025 | Welcome Column
In my endless quest to try and discover the true breadth of traditional music I have decided to learn yet another instrument. I should probably just concentrate on the instruments I know fairly well and get better at them but the temptation is just too compelling. The...
by robin | Oct 1, 2025 | Bluegrass Musicians
In this series, Joselyn explores what it takes to make the leap from campground picker to professional performer. In this sixth installment, we hear from Darol Anger whose many accolades as a renowned fiddler, composer, producer, and educator include the IBMA...
by Bert Daniel | Oct 4, 2025 | Welcome Column
Life is what we make of it. Nothing could be more emblematic of that maxim than the special people who have made the best of things despite being dealt a poor hand. I really love seeing Danny DeVito in movies, on TV shows and even on commercial ads. Like Robert Reich...
by robin | Nov 1, 2025 | Bluegrass Musicians
photo by Robin Frenette In this series, Joselyn explores what it takes to make the leap from campground picker to professional performer. In this seventh installment, we hear from AJ Lee, whose many accolades as a mandolin player, vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader...
