Featured Story
Béla Fleck
Goes Deep into his New 19-cut Album My Bluegrass Heart Photos by Kevin Slick “I want the recording to sound like the musicians own that music, and not sound like they have just managed to get through it.” It was a bittersweet occasion when the news broke that Béla Fleck had recorded a follow up… Read the full article
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The Tradition
Notes & Queries – November 2021
Queries: Q: There is a gospel tune the Gillis Brothers recorded which, as far as I can tell, has not been recorded elsewhere: “I Always Call Your Name.” I and my bluegrass friends LOVE the tune, but we are seriously struggling with understanding the lyrics in the second verse. We are missing the second and… Read the full article
Fiddlin’ Joe Meadows and Sen. Robert Byrd
I consider myself to be just an ordinary soul. I never reached the national spotlight. But as I grow older, I often look back on the many aspects of my life and bluegrass music has been a major influence on how I lived and it has been a source for many accomplishments and treasures. A… Read the full article
Remembering Robert Hutchison
Robert Lewis “Zeke” Hutchison, banjoist, singer and family man, died August 2nd, 2021, after a long illness. Born on September 13th, 1948 (Bill Monroe’s 37th birthday) in Belmont County, Ohio into a musical family, he made a special mark on the music scene in the upper Ohio River valley as well as nationwide. He is survived… Read the full article
Remembering Country Music Icon Don Maddox
Country music legend Don Maddox has passed away, at age 98, on September 12, 2021. The last surviving member of The Maddox Brothers and Rose, Don was a fiddler and singer who certainly leaves a lasting legacy and impact on the genesis of country music. Don Maddox was born on December 7, 1922. At a… Read the full article
The Artists
Fiddler Mike Barnett
Longs For Return To Playing Photos By Stacie Huckaba After four years of hard work, Grammy-nominated fiddler Mike Barnett was pumped to release his dream duets project when tragedy struck. Two days after celebrating his July 23 birthday last year, the now 31-year-old musician was cleaning house with his wife when he tried to tell… Read the full article
Steve Dilling
A Great Banjo Picker and a Good Person Steve Dilling is a very humble and thankful man. Instead of listing his many accolades from 40 years in the music industry, he references all those who have helped him along the way. He is reflective, appreciative, and grateful. His dad, Don Dilling, explained his son’s demeanor…. Read the full article
Jeremy Stephens
How He Hears It Photos By Amy Richmond Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Jeremy Stephens of the bluegrass group High Fidelity is a devoted student of traditional bluegrass and country music. While he enjoys digging through the golden nuggets of music history, Stephens puts his own stamp of uniqueness to his music on his second solo… Read the full article
The Sound
The Story of a Stelling
On November 14, 1995, a Stelling Sunflower banjo—serial number 4356— began its journey from the Virginia factory to Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. Ten months later it was purchased by a banjo picker in Mill Valley, California who kept it for an indeterminate amount of time. At some point it came into the possession of my… Read the full article
The Richest Man
“When COVID-19 hit, it was obvious things were going to slow down,” recalled Buddy Melton, lead singer and fiddler for repeat IBMA “Entertainer of the Year” Balsam Range. “We wanted to utilize our time and be positive.” Their May 2020 release of “The Richest Man” was one enduring result of their downtime. “Under the circumstances,… Read the full article
The Old Man and the C-Clamp
Photos by Cindy Matheson At an age when most people have slowed down, 99-year-old Buckeye luthier and instrument repairman Jeff Littell rises by 7:30 and is at his well-equipped, dimly lit basement workbench after breakfast most days. His days fill with repairing double-basses, fixing all manner of bluegrass instruments, and even building a C.F. Martin… Read the full article
The Venu
Milton Harkey
The Man Behind the Curtain “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,”is a famous line from The Wizard of Oz. Musical promoters often are the ones behind the curtain that rarely receive recognition, but without them, both musicians and fans would be at a total loss. Milton Harkey is an important man behind… Read the full article
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