Feb 23 2008
Writing Archive
I have written for numerous publications over the years. And nowadays I am writing a blog about folk and bluegrass music, at http://folkbluegrassblog.com. The entries for that blog are show live below…..
And if you are wondering about old stuff I’ve written, you can find it here.
Folk, Bluegrass & Traditional Music: Folk, Bluegrass & Traditional Music
This Labor Day weekend, the sounds of New Orleans will be ring out near the beaches in Rhode Island. The 13th annual Rhythm & Roots Festival, being Sept. 3-5 at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, R.I. is a celebration of the end of summer. And what a party; in many ways, it’s fair to call this festival Mardi Gras North.
My friends, The Nashville Clippers, recently performed at the Soule Homestead in Middleboro. The Clippers are friends who attended the WUMB Summer Acoustic Music Week many years ago, when someone suggested that they should form a band. They did, and now play a delightful blend of folk, country and bluegrass music, with lovely 3- and […]
Every year, the International Bluegrass Music Association brings the best musicians in the world to Nashville. In addition to a bluegrass festival, the industry holds its business conference and chooses the best of the best for that year. It’s kind of odd calling it an “industry,” since it’s so common to see these same performers […]
For those guitar players out there, one of the most classic melodies to learn is “Hotel California” by The Eagles. You can spend lots of time listening to the CD trying to figure it all out, buy a music book, or just have someone show it to you! Check out this brief video below from […]
I completely enjoy what happens when musicians and music fans get together — particularly at folk and bluegrass events. One of the inherent truths about traditional music and the people who enjoy it is that it is participatory — folks just want to join in. I recall several years ago attending the WUMB Summer Acoustic […]
It’s been a number of years since I’ve seen Watertown, Mass.-based Southern Rail. With the core being guitarist Jim Muller and his wife, bassist Sharon Horovitch, Southern Rail has always played a heartwarming blend of bluegrass, drawing on the traditional, but also performing contemporary numbers. Checking them out at the recent Podunk Bluegrass Festival was […]
Last weekend’s 15th Podunk Bluegrass Festival in East Hartford, Conn., introduced audiences to new acts, fun stage antics, wonderful traditional groups, a few favorites and even a little political controversy. Though I don’t know the actual numbers, the attendance at Podunk, particularly on Saturday, was the biggest I had ever seen. The main stage is […]
Mitch Jayne, the emcee, bear-claw-necklace-wearing bass player in The Dillards, died Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, of cancer. He was 80. The Dillards may best be known for their portrayal of The Darling Boys, a hillbilly band on “The Andy Griffith Show.” Jayne, who often regaled audiences with his Ozark humor, wrote or co-wrote many of […]
While music festival season is in full swing, don’t miss out on some smaller shows right in your own backyard. The Nashville Clippers will be the featured act Saturday night at the Soule Homestead in Middleboro, as part of its Saturday night concert series. The Nashville Clippers are a Massachusetts-based quartet that performs a heartwarming […]
I am just now starting to return to real life after the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 2010. Wonderful music, as always, and some wacky weather. But a great time nonetheless. Here’s a sampling of some of the weather, set to a performance of The Hillbenders, my new favorite bluegrass band, from Missouri:
