Podcasts

Our podcast interview this week features bluegrass banjo legend Pete Wernick.  The focus of our April 2021 issue is “Learning How to Play” and part of the motivation to learn how to play is being able to play with other people.  Today we talk with Pete about his Wernick Method Jam Camps, which provide students with a safe and comfortable environment to learn how to play music with other people.  We talk about how the camps work for jammers at all ability levels and how you might become a Wernick Jam Camp instructor yourself.

Our podcast interview today features Bill Bay of Mel Bay Publications.  The focus of our April 2021 issue is “Learning How to Play” and most people who have learned how to play a bluegrass instrument have, at some point in time, learned from a Mel Bay Publications book or video.  Today we talk with Bill about how the company started, how it developed to fit the needs of bluegrass players, where it is today and plans for the future.

Our podcast interview today features Steve Kaufman.  Steve is well known for his many flatpicking contest victories, his instructional books and videos, his weekend workshops for guitar and mandolin players, and his summer music camps for old-time and bluegrass musicians.  Today I will talk with Steve about all of his music camp and teaching activities as April is “Learn to Play’ month.

Our podcast interview this week features bluegrass singer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Williams.  Josh is best known as the guitar player with Rhonda Vincent, but has also toured with the Tony Rice Unit, performed with the Bluegrass Album Band and has been on the road with his own Josh Williams Band.  Today we talk with Josh about his time spent on stage with Tony Rice, his band and solo recording, and we catch up with him regarding his recent work with Rhonda Vincent.

Our podcast interview this week features bluegrass guitar master Bryan Sutton.  Bryan first came to be well known in bluegrass as a member of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder and has since gone on to perform and record with a very long list of bluegrass and country artists.  He is a member of Hot Rize and has toured with his own band.  He continues to keep busy with recording sessions in Nashville.  We talk to Bryan about his relationship with Tony Rice, his work with the Artist Works instructional site, and some of his plans for the future.

Our podcast interview this week features Punch Brothers guitarist Chris Eldridge.  Chris was a founding member of The Infamous Stringdusters, and the Punch Brothers, was a member of the Live From Here band and also performs and records with Julian Lage.  Recently he became a professor at Oberlin College in the music department.  Today we talk with Chris about an amazing week that he spent with Tony Rice at Tony’s home 20 years ago while he was a student at Oberlin.  Chris will also update us on all of his current musical activities.

Our podcast interview today features California flatpicker Jim Nunally.  Jim is well known for his work with a number of west coast bands including John Reischman and the Jaybirds and the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience.  Today we talk with Jim about his work with those bands and some of his experiences with Tony Rice.  You will also hear a cut from the Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally Band and the second cut from his duo album with Dix Bruce. 

Our podcast interview today features guitar player, singer and songwriter Tim Stafford.  Tim is well known in bluegrass music for his work with Blue Highway and for his talent as a songwriter.  He is also the co-author of the Tony Rice biography Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story.  Today we will be talking with Tim about his relationship with Tony Rice and we will also discuss his newest solo CD, his upcoming release with Steve Gulley, and much more.  You will also hear a couple of cuts off of Tim’s newest solo album Tunes & Ballands.

Our podcast interview today features multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, record producer and all around great guy Carl Jackson.  We talk with Carl about his time spent playing on the road with Jim & Jesse, his touring with Glen Campbell, his songwriting, the new Carl Jackson documentary film, and his work on a number of Grammy-winning record projects.  You will also hear some cuts off of two of those projects.

Our podcast interview today features banjo player Mike Scott.  Today we will talk with Mike about his time spent playing on the road with Jim & Jesse, his work with Ronnie Reno, and playing with his own band.  We will also discuss some of Mike’s CDs and instructional material for banjo and you’ll get to hear a couple of cuts from Mike’s recordings.  We hope you enjoy the Mike Scott podcast.

This podcast episode features Monroe-style mandolin master Mike Compton.  Today we talk with Mike about his time spent in John Hartford’s band, his work on The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Volume 1, his involvement with the Monroe Mandolin Camp, his CD with Norman Blake titled Gallop to Georgia, his work with Joe Newberry, and more.  You’ll also get to hear cuts from the Gallop to Georgia CD and a live recording with Joe Newberry.

Our podcast interview today features fiddler Matt Combs.  Matt has performed with a long list of Nashville’s top bluegrass and country artists and was a protege of John Hartford.  We talk with Matt today about his work compiling the book John Hartford’s Mammoth Collection of Fiddle Tunes and his work producing the Grammy Nominated album The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project Volume 1.