Author: Richard Thompson

His father is the late Jimmy Campbell, a popular bluegrass fiddle player who graced stages with Bill Monroe, Jim & Jesse and The Sidemen, among others. His mother is Marcia Campbell Thomas, a member of the Grand Ole Opry Square

Rick Spinney, banjo player for the Nova Scotia, Canada-based band, The Spinney Brothers, recently announced that he is to leave the band at the end of the summer season. Formed in 1991 as The Spinney Brothers & Close Company they became

Danny Lee Jones passed away peacefully at his home in Louisville on February 3, 2017. He was 77 years old and had been battling the effects of multiple major cancers.    He was born on June 3, 1939, in Caneyville, Grayson

During this past weekend, April 30/May 1, 2017, reports emerged that the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center had dispensed with the services of members of their house-band, led by Kimberly ‘Kricket’ Reynolds. On Saturday night after that evening’s show, they were presented

Bill Bryson, well-known west coast-based bass player, passed away on Sunday afternoon, April 30, 2017. He was 70 years old and had been ill for some time. He was a life-long musician, gifted instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, who, following his return

For the past 15 years or thereabouts the subject of Bill Monroe’s first home, the Homeplace near Rosine, Kentucky, has been one of what has sometimes been a very bitter dispute.   In the early years of the millennium the Bill

Tammy Sullivan, who with her father, Jerry, carried on the legacy of the Sullivan Family bluegrass Gospel group, passed away on April 20, 2017. She was just a young 52 years old, and she succumbed to the dreaded Cancer disease. Tammy

As has already been anticipated the European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA) is making changes to improve it services and modernize the way that it operates. Among the changes are new, reduced, membership fees and benefits to make it more affordable across

Fay McGinnis, the president of the Stanley Brothers' Fan Club for a number of years, passed away on Friday, March 17, 2017. She was 89 years old and lived in the Wyandotte suburb of Detroit, Michigan. Fay M. McGinnis was born

Ken Irwin photo at Podunk Bluegrass Festival in 2014 © Ted Lehmann Last week (on March 7, 2017) AirPlay Direct announced that they had honored Ken Irwin with their “Iconic Innovators” Award for 2017. The award is presented annually to the member