Author: John Lawless

Robin Smith with one of his Heartland Banjos - photo by Dustin Ogdin Robin Smith, noted Nashville banjo luthier and musician, has died following emergency heart surgery last week. He was 71 years of age. Many banjo players have taken advantage of

It's been a while since we've seen a bluegrass band explode onto the scene like Carolina Blue. In a few short years, we've watched them go from a regional group performing in their native western North Carolina, to a headline

One of the most enduring aspects of the human condition - and the bluegrass community - is the ability to laugh in the face of hardship, to find humor in dark or dangerous times. This new virus, and the worldwide

Asheville's Fireside Collective continues their run blending contemporary bluegrass with rock and folk music overtones on Elements, a new project for Mountain Home Music, due this Friday. The Collective has been on a roll since winning the MerleFest band competition in

From Seattle comes The Warren G Hardings, a modern bluegrass group who grew up following the lead of the founding fathers of the progressive grass movement. Calling themselves a dance stringband, they play a high-energy style based on original music

When Jamie Dailey first hit the bluegrass scene with Doyle Lawson in 1998, audiences recognized a star in the making right away. The clarity and beauty of his tenor voice was a rare and wonderful thing, and his grasp of

Applications are now being accepted for the 3rd annual Higher Education Scholarship provided by the Mountain Fever Music Group. They offer a $1,000 award to a college-bound student based on merit, citizenship, and love of music. The Mountain Fever Music Group

Dark Shadow Recording has today released a first single for label owner and engineer, Stephen Mougin, from his upcoming solo album, Ordinary Soul. I'm Gonna Ride is a testament to the importance of overcoming fear and pursuing a dream. It's one

Today marks the official launch of the solo career for Carley Arrowood. The talented young fiddler, vocalist, and songwriter, who worked the past five and a half years with Darin & Brooke Aldridge, is now on her own, with a

Sebastian Schröder has released the third volume in his series of instructional books on 2 finger banjo, a pre-bluegrass style that has enjoyed a surge in popularity among serious students of American old time music of late. The first two books