by Christine | Jul 21, 2018 | Welcome Column
The last time I attended Strawberry Music Festival, the only things I recall are running around the meadow naked, and being covered in face paint. Now, admittedly those of you who know me might wonder if this was a recent event, but no, I was a little dude at the...
by Christine | Nov 8, 2007 | Welcome Column
We’ve had a few posts lately about Rosine, KY. It brought back memories of a visit my wife Barbara and I made there shortly after Bill Monroe’s death. I poked around in the archives and found this story I had written for the August, 1998, Breakdown. The headline was:...
by Christine | Aug 17, 2019 | Welcome Column
One thing you can count on with bluegrass musicians is they have a guaranteed and bonafide calico quilt of a musical pedigree. It seems like the more talented the player, the more diverse their roots. At any given bluegrass festival, usually if you stay up late...
by Christine | Aug 10, 2020 | Welcome Column
Hi everyone! For this month I thought I would reveal how my project ends. If anybody would desire specific information found in any of the body chapters or would want to check out the thesis as a whole, please feel free to contact me on facebook or email me at...
by Christine | Nov 11, 2019 | Welcome Column
Like Western Classical music and various other genres or musical styles, bluegrass has been assessed as and plagued by the notion that it is a static and dying music. Yet, the “death of bluegrass” conversation pivots away from other such discussions in the fact that...
by Christine | May 27, 2011 | Welcome Column
While it’s probably old news to many of you by now, I hope you took the chance to read banjo player Chris Pandolfi’s April 2011 blog, titled “Bluegrass?” (if you haven’t read it yet, check it out by linking to http://chrispandolfi.com/?p=567). Chris’ essay arrived at...
by Christine | Jul 22, 2018 | Welcome Column
Some may know this, others may not, but my middle name is Duffey. Martin Duffey Varner. I like the name in principle more than how it rolls off the tongue because it’s always served as a reminder of one of the greatest performers, instrumentalists, vocalists, and...
by Christine | Jul 28, 2012 | Welcome Column
I’m thankful that it’s been such a busy summer this year. I’ve been lucky to teach at some of the best music camps around, like Banjo Camp North in Massachusetts; the Midwest Banjo Camp in Michigan; Camp Bluegrass at South Plains College in Texas and, coming up next...
by Christine | Sep 15, 2012 | Welcome Column
“Is the jamming any good?” “Will I have to hike out for food?” “What kind of a bluegrass festival is it anyway?” “What’s the volunteering like?” Ah, yes, friends, these are the great unknowns of an untried festival venue. So, here’s a take on a recent festival...
by Christine | Mar 19, 2016 | Welcome Column
If you’re on Facebook you probably know how sometimes it throws you a “memory,” a post from your past, usually with a photo of a previous Facebook post. So today when Akira Otsuka (of Bluegrass 45) showed up in a smiling pose with 17 year-old me at Wintergrass in...
