Author: John Lawless

Spartanburg, SC's Backline has been moving fast as a new entry on the bluegrass scene. This young group is only about two years old, but they have already placed songs on our chart, and have been steadily entertaining audiences wherever

MVD Entertainment Group has released a double live CD that will be of interest to fans of California bluegrass in the 1970s, and followers of Grateful Dead alumnus, the late Jerry Garcia. Good Old Boys Live - Drink Up & Go

Billy Wheeler, a very active banjo player in northern Virginia since the 1970s, died at his home on December 20. He was 62 years of age. Born Jospeh William Wheeler III, Billy seemed able to play most any stringed instrument he

Andy Thorn, fearless banjo player for Leftover Salmon, had a bit of a mishap last week while skiing on Colorado's Copper Mountain. He took a tumble and his right ski failed to eject from the boot, and Andy's right foot

Banjo maestro Butch Robins has recreated as a single, a song he wrote a couple of years back, and re-released it this year as a Christmas treat. It's one called Holiday Toast, which combines an old fashioned wish for the

The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America has announced the nominees for their 45th annual Bluegrass Music Awards. Winners will be announced February 3, 2019 at their 36th national convention at Nashville's Sheraton Music City hotel. And the

Don’t get them wrong, Bill and the Belles love the holidays. They live for gatherings of family and friends, snow days, sparkles and cheer, as evidenced by their fourth year hosting the Johnson City Jingle Bell Jamboree (a holiday roots

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced their 2019 class for Leadership Bluegrass, an annual, three-day academy intended to generate future pacesetters in the bluegrass industry. Attendees are selected in a competitive process through an application process, and those selected

The Larry Stephenson Band got an early Christmas present in the form of Eddie Faris, who is now playing bass and singing harmony vocals with the group. Bluegrass fans will quickly recognize Eddie from his recent time singing harmony with Ricky

When celebrated singer, songwriter, and storyteller Grant Maloy Smith published his children's book earlier this year, he recognized that its story simply cried out for a song. So he wrote one, and since his target audience was young readers, he