Music

John William Shuffler, one of the better known bass-playing brothers of the Shuffler family, passed away on Friday, December 21, at Grace Hospital, Morganton, North Carolina, after a period of declining health. He would have been 82 years old on

I’m sure by now the fruitcake is on the table and you have a bookmark on Luke 2, but if you need a little bluegrass to get you in the Christmas spirit, here are some Christmas classics that are sure

One of 2012's holiday hits is the album, Holidays Rule, released by the Starbuck's label, Hear Music, and Concord Music Group. It features a bevy of pop, jazz and indie rocks artists, from Paul McCartney to The Shins, performing new

James Reams is offering a special Christmas gift to bluegrass lovers, a free download of his entire 2001 album, Barnstormin'. It's his first move in celebrating 20 years in the bluegrass biz in 2013, during which he will also see the

Rounder is giving away a free track from the upcoming Steeldrivers release, Hammer Down, due to hit on February 5. This is their first recording with the latest iteration of the band, with Gary Nichols on guitar and lead vocals, Tammy

Valerie Smith also has a special Christmas release, a lovely cover of The Louvin Brothers' Shut In At Christmas, also know as Shut In Prayer. This one really tugs at the heartstrings, as it tells a story of being unable

Listen up, resonator guitar fans! Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes have teamed up to create a new record sure to please slide fans of every kind. It's a "dobro trio" project, with these three masters picking together in the

Josh Shilling, Mountain Heart's bluesy lead singer, has released a Christmas single. It's his pared-down version of the  perennial Mel Torme classic, The Christmas Song. With just Josh's voice and his piano, this track recalls how Shilling plied his trade prior

Congratulations to our Special Bluegrass Correspondent, John Goad. Yesterday (12/15) he graduated from East Tennessee State University, along with four other students, with a bachelor's degree in Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music Studies. Goad graduated with a dual major, accepting a history

Ty Piper, founder of Imperial Banjos, passed away on December 5, 2012 at his home in Idaho. He was 64 years old. During the 1970s and early '80s he built banjos from his shop near Oklahoma City. These were true shop-built