Author: Sandy Hatley

With North Carolina vaccines up and COVID cases down, the state is gradually rolling back restrictions and outdoor events are returning. One of those is the 41st Annual Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver Festival held at the Denton Farm Park in

North Carolina singer/song writer, Josh Hudson, has made history by winning a song writing contest in two consecutive years. The 40 year old Cleveland County native took the thousand dollar prize at the Don Gibson Singer Songwriter Symposium in both

Another happy bluegrass union has occurred. Melody Williamson, lead vocalist and fiddler in her family's Nashville-based band, Williamson Branch, and Geoffrey Keyes, sound engineer with Morganton, NC's Blue Ridge Sound, were wed on April 11. The ceremony took place in

"I'm living the dream," 23-year-old Mason Via declared on his becoming the newest member of the Old Crow Medicine Show, in a phone interview this week. "Joining a band that I've listened to since I was a kid is wild." The

Veteran fiddler, Stephen Burwell, is the latest professional bluegrass musician to announce his engagement. The Texas native will be marrying Haley Rhea of Sevierville, TN. Burwell, known for his time as a member of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and more recently

Two North Carolina musicians, Katie Springer, fiddler with Sweet Potato Pie and Drive Time, and Austin Koerner, mandolinist with Drive Time, have been making beautiful music together in a band, now they are going to do it in life. The

Look for big changes in North Carolina's Brevard-based, Carolina Blue later this year. Mandolinist and lead vocalist, Timmy Jones, has chosen to step away from the band to pursue other interests.  CB fiddler extraordinaire, Aynsley Porchak, stressed, "He will certainly be

Erected in 1969, the Shawnee Cave Amphitheater in Murphysboro, IL, was host to many major touring artists of the era. Bands such as Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show, Tanya Tucker (at 15 years old), T.G. Shepard, and Muddy Waters

Bluegrass singers are well represented in this season's American Idol competition. One of those contestants is Savannah Church, formerly of the twin sister duo, The Church Sisters. Born and raised in Danville, VA, Savannah started singing around age five.  "My mom sang

This year’s American Idol contestant field has strong representation from the bluegrass genre. For the show's 19th season, there are four such young performers vying to become the next American Idol. One is 17 year old Alex Miller from Lancaster,