Author: John Lawless

The demise of J.D. Crowe & The New South with Crowe's recent retirement has left a big hole in the bluegrass scene. The distinctive sound that he maintained over 40 plus years with this group has left a deep impression

The Clay Hess Band will have a new look for the 2016 season. Nick Keen left the group in 2015, to be replaced by Dustin Frame on mandolin. Clay has also brought Ray Cossin in to play fiddle. Both should be familiar faces

As this year's SPBGMA convention in Nashville was winding down, we shared the unfortunate story of a young man whose instrument had gone missing. Alex Clayton had borrowed a Dobro guitar from a friend so that he could work on his

The Bluegrass Brothers of southwest Virginia have announced John Simmons as their new guitarist. John is a familiar face in bluegrass circles from his work with Country Fried Grass, a successful regional group he headed for 2006-2013. He will also sing lead and

It's easy for serious fans of bluegrass music to talk about tradition and longevity, a prime commodity in the genre, but in the larger scheme of things it's only been around in a formal sense for about 70 years. That makes

Ma Crow and the Ladyslippers have been busy. Recently, the all-female band from Cincinnati, OH made a stop in Louisville, KY to appear on two radio programs in the same night. Actually, it was easier than you might think as both programs originate from the

Long time bluegrass lovers in our nation's capital remember the glory days in the 1960s and '70s, when bluegrass at area clubs and restaurants was a common occurrence. It wasn't always the most fashionable night spots that drew the bluegrass

Frank Solivan has become one of bluegrass music's most entertaining performers, touring with his band, Dirty Kitchen, all over the US. But like every artist, he had a long route to get where he is today. Starting as a young man in

At the risk of jumping on a groaning media bandwagon, I feel the need to report a political endorsement that touches on our bluegrass community. Nathan Stanley, who had announced his endorsement some weeks ago of Donald Trump in the Republican Presidential

Good news for fans of mandolinist Jesse Brock! The long-awaited transcription book by Nick DiSebastian, The Mandolin Style of Jesse Brock is now available. Transcriptions were taken from several prominent bluegrass recordings on which Jesse is featured, including his critically-acclaimed solo