Author: Lee Zimmerman

"Im so dumb that I'm happy," Steve Ludwig sings on the song of that name, one of eight impressive offerings on his new album with the Casual Hobos, Down in the Deepest Shade of Blue. In a way, the song's an ode

It's always a treat to come across an exceptional new band or artist, especially when one seems to pop up seemingly out of nowhere. One ideal example is found in the form of the twosome that perform under the name

Sometimes the challenge to share music involves more than common up with the right words and melodies. For Mike Barnett, the obstacles were such that they very nearly ended his career, a career that includes a Grammy nod for his

It's clear even at the outset that Howdy Bluegrass has an absolute devotion to… well…bluegrass. Based in the Basque Country, a tiny nation situated between France and Spain on the Atlantic side of the Pyrenees Mountains, their name certainly tells

It's always striking when a young artist eschews the temptation to simply come across as trendy, or as if they're beholden only to current fads or tapestries. The duo consisting of Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno offer the ideal example

In 1994, Jerry Douglas and Tut Taylor conceived and coordinated a project dubbed The Great Dobro Sessions, an event that gathered some of the top dobro/resonator guitar players of the era to show off their skills and shine the spotlight

It's certainly no secret that many Asians have an unfettered enthusiasm for country music. And nowhere is that more evident than in the scores of bands that have taken American music and replicated it with a reverence that goes well

An album that consists entirely of covers can be a precipitous proposition. For one thing, if the original versions are already well ingrained within the musical lexicon, any attempt to revisit them runs the risk of paling by comparison. After

Roger Cline is an example of an artist whose passion for music was instilled at a young age. The country music that formed an essential part of his parent's record collection offered him his initial inspiration, and eventually led his

When you opt to name your band You, Me, Everybody, you're automatically all-inclusive. You've branded yourself with a populist handle that allows everyone to feel part of the process. The New Zealand-based combo that refers to itself in that way knows