Somewhere in the miasma of the non-televised Grammy Awards on January 28, 2018, the Bluegrass Album of The Year was announced. Oddly, it was a tie, between Rhonda Vincent and The Rage’s “ All The Rage” and The Infamous Stringdusters’ “Laws of Gravity”. Both are deserving winners. The Stringdusters are an interesting case, however. Their […]
Tag: guitar
Infamous Stringdusters: “Laws of Gravity”
Infamous Stringdusters “Laws of Gravity” Compass Records The Infamous Stringdusters have always been difficult to categorize. That’s part of their charm. Part traditional bluegrass (leaning on sound bluegrass instrumentation, namely guitar, Dobro, banjo, fiddle, and standup bass), part jam band (extended sets of songs in their live shows in which one song triggers another), and […]
Interview: Leigh Gibson
The Gibson Brothers Go To Ground There’s no more solid live bluegrass show than the Gibson Brothers. They play with great technical skill, and with crispness. Their harmonies are just what a brother act should be: sweet, true and never forced. The brothers, Leigh and Eric Gibson, surround themselves with outstanding sidemen with impeccable bluegrass […]
Ron Block: “Hogan’s House of Music”
Ron Block “Hogan’s House of Music” Self-released Ron Block’s new release, “Hogan’s House of Music” works on several levels. Block’s release is a lively and admiring tribute to traditional and bluegrass sounds that made him the player that he is today. And, the work could be included in an aural time capsule to demonstrate the […]
Rod Picott: “Fortune”
Rod Picott “Fortune” Welding Records Rod Picott was born and raised in the Northeast, but these days he is all about the road. Now based in Nashville, Picott has carved up a tasty slice of Americana for himself, and his appetites display starkly on “Fortune”, his new release from Welding Records. ”Fortune” is honest, solid […]
Rhonda Vincent and The Rage: “All The Rage”
Rhonda Vincent and The Rage “All The Rage” Upper Management Records Rhonda Vincent has been a solid voice of bluegrass music since the 1970’s. She first performed with a family band (The Sally Mountain Show), before setting out on her own. Her career took a country turn for a few years, but she’s mostly a […]
The Infamous Stringdusters: “Undercover” EP
The Infamous Stringdusters “Undercover” EP Lumenhouse Recordings Known for their live shows, The Infamous Stringdusters constantly search to capture the delirium of their stage fusillades on record releases. The Stringdusters’ challenge flows, in part, from their conscious choice to stream virtually every live show for free (via Mixlr ) and to generously post, for little […]
Mr. Sun: “The People Need Light”
Mr. Sun “The People Need Light” Compass Records To say that Mr. Sun is a four-piece string band is both praise and diminishment. The band owes as much to David Grisman and Stephane Grappelli as it does to Bill Monroe. Mr. Sun could sit in with each and tear up the room. In fact, most […]
Interview: Kristin Scott Benson
The Grascals Check In The Grascals are a well-established collection of players, featuring a six-piece mix of some of the most talented musicians in bluegrass. What happens when there’s some turnover in the lineup of an established band? It either gets better or goes home. With their new release “And Then There’s This…” on Mountain […]
Irene Kelley: “These Hills”
Irene Kelley “These Hills” Mountain Fever Records Irene Kelley has created a bluegrass record which seems just right- well-conceived, with outstanding songwriting, singing and powerful musicianship. From the trickle down banjo run which introduces “Carolina Wind” to the soulful mountain vibe which exemplifies the final cut, “Before You Call Me Home”, Kelly makes a case for […]