Reviews

High Fidelity at the 2022 Big Lick Bluegrass Festival - photo by Gary Hatley After a two year hiatus due to the global pandemic, the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival near Oakboro in south central North Carolina returns this weekend. Promoter Jeff

Twenty years is a big milestone, especially for a touring bluegrass band. Deeper Shade of Blue, based in Monroe, North Carolina, has chosen to celebrate theirs with the release of Twenty, a collection of new material that demonstrates the group's

Frank Ruck of the New Jersey-based Blue Jersey Band has released an album that is solo in every sense of the word. The bulk of the material contained within Americana Wandering was written by Ruck, and all of the vocals and

Bluegrass has long been marked by ebullience and enthusiasm, a communal bond that both listeners and players are seemingly eager to embrace. The seasoned duo that goes by the name Starlett & Big John — specifically, Starlett Boswell and Big

Lorraine Jordan has been a household name in bluegrass music for several decades. Known as the Lady of Tradition, Lorraine and her band Carolina Road have scored multiple hits on the bluegrass charts, and numerous fans in the U.S. and

The German-American trio Standard Crow Behavior— Judith Beckedorf (vocals, mandolin, banjo), Steve Voltz (vocals, guitar), and Filip Sommer (vocals, violin, mandolin) — offers an approach that's both unique and well-rooted in archival origins. A blend of bluegrass, folk, and a

Russell Moore at the Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival (March 2022) - photo by Eric Popp The spring Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival for 2022 is in the books, a resounding success over the March 24-26 weekend. Daniel Mullins and his staff and volunteers

Bill Monroe was arguably one of the most prolific composers in the history of American music. All throughout his life and career, Monroe was constantly creating new ideas and expressions. While many of his compositions were recorded in the studio

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway at the Station Inn (3/28/22) - photo by Wayne Slaven Monday night's album release show at the Station Inn for Molly Tuttle's new Crooked Tree is one that gave me hope for a revitalized industry that

True to their name, The Po' Ramblin' Boys sing songs about perpetual motion, always being on the move and never allowing themselves to be constrained by any particular confines. It's a restlessness that not only informs such songs as Missing