The Archives
David Grisman
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine February 1989, Volume 23, Number 8 David “Dawg” Grisman is back in the bluegrass once again with a new two record album featuring the likes of Red Allen, Del McCoury, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, Herb Pedersen, Bobby Hicks, Tony Rice, Curly Seckler, J.D. Crowe, Sam Bush,…
Ola Belle Reed—Preserving Traditional Music Without Killing It
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine June 1983, Volume 17, Number 12 Ola Belle Reed has just completed a Sunday morning Gospel set with husband Bud and son David at the 1982 Brandywine Mountain Music Convention. She sits in the performer’s tent behind the stage resting, as her admiring fans come up to greet her and…
Wilma Lee Cooper
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine November 1988, Volume 23, Number 5 This article was obtained in a rather unusual setting. Wilma Lee Cooper was playing a festival with Bill Monroe which was held at a county fairground. As this lovely and talented lady came off stage she came to me and said, “Just as soon…
Bill Napier—Creative Instrumentalist
By Ivan M. Tribe and John W. Morris Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine January 1980, Volume 14, Number 7 Between 1958 and 1968, Bill Napier established himself as one of the top musicians in bluegrass. Beginning as a sideman with the Stanley Brothers and then as half of the Moore and Napier team, Bill displayed…
Edd Mayfield—The Mystery Man
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine August 1983, Volume 18, Number 2 In the short history of bluegrass music many individuals have passed through the few major bands. During the late ’40s and early’50s, bands sporting a contract with a major recording company or privileged with major radio and later TV exposure could be counted on…
Bluegrass Mandolin—1/3rd Century Later
Reprinted from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine March 1972, Volume 6, Number 9 In the early years of bluegrass the mandolin was frequently overshadowed by both fiddle and banjo. Bill Monroe is by no means the only one who took up the mandolin because it was the only instrument not already spoken for by his musician friends….