Author: Richard Thompson

Earlier this month we mentioned the 10th annual Kazuhiro Inaba Bluegrass Camp (aka KazCamp 2023), which took place on May 6.  Kazuhiro Inaba, who organizes these festivals has now shared some pictures – some still and some moving – capturing some

Gloria Belle, a powerful second-generation bluegrass vocalist and instrumentalist, probably best known for stints with Jimmy Martin, passed away on May 5, 2023. She was 84 years of age. Known early on as the Pennsylvania Sunshine Girl, she was probably the first

Chris Strachwitz, founder and president of Arhoolie Records, passed away from complications with congestive heart failure at an assisted living facility in the San Francisco Bay Area's Marin County, California, on May 5, 2023. He was 91 years old.   Always

Legendary Canadian folk music star Gordon Lightfoot passed away at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto on Monday evening, May 1, 2023. Age 84, he died of natural causes. The singer-songwriter's most enduring works include If You Could Read My Mind, Sundown, Carefree

Japan has been a bluegrass music hot-bed for more than 50 years, and one of the principal practitioners and proponents during that time has been Kazuhiro Inaba.  Continuing his studious promotion of the music that he loves, Inaba will present the

Ivan Tribe, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Rio Grande, scholar of Appalachian culture, and a renowned expert on traditional country and bluegrass music, passed away on Tuesday April 4, 2023, after a recent spell in hospital. He

Details of the services for all-round bluegrass entertainer Ronald Gary Spears, who passed away on March 22, 2023, aged 69, have been announced.  A memorial service will be held at the Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, UT on Friday, April 14,

The line-up for this year's Bluegrass In La Roche Festival, taking place during the weekend of August 2-6, 2023, boats of an international roster of artists, including US visitors such as Tim O’Brien, The Special Consensus, and Henhouse Prowlers. Overall, there

David Akeman, better known as "Stringbean," was a beloved member of the country music community who found nationwide fame as a cast member of Hee Haw TV show. But long before television found him, Stringbean was a popular entertainer on the

Utah born bluegrass musician and ace songwriter Ron Spears passed away on March 22, 2023, from complications following surgery for cancer last year. He was 69 years of age, and suffering with other health issues as well.  He was a multi-instrumentalist