Opinion / Humor

Let me say up front that this article is not about a night I had on the dance floor in the 80s with the father of bluegrass. It’s about remembering lyrics, but would you have started reading something called “Fun

Before I proceed, I’d like to brace you for the fact that I’ll be telling stories this week that are actually true. I hate to deviate so far from the usual pattern, but in the case of this week’s subject,

I guess I should have known this would happen. I was very clear last week that I was retiring from interpreting bluegrass dreams. I didn’t even want to be in that role in the first place. Allow me to quote

I first saw banjoist Ned Luberecki on stage at an IBMA showcase back in the ‘90s. He made a joke that about ten people in the room got and I immediately bonded with him. It took several more decades for us

Last week I published a list of topics for bluegrass music camp elective classes that, based on trial and unmistakable error, were deemed colossal failures. I didn’t, however, say that the topics couldn’t be discussed in this column. One of them

In last week’s discussion of bluegrass music camps, I focused primarily on the students, and what they can expect at events like this. This week, I’d like to offer a word or two for and about music camp instructors, especially

Guest Artist Quiz and Prizes This month’s guest artist is the rajah of the resophonic guitar, Rob Ickes. At an early age, Rob was kidnapped by pirates who left him on an island off the coast of California with nothing but

Now that March is upon us, it’s only natural to think ahead to the end of winter (if you got any where you live) and the coming festival season. The festival season also means the season of the bluegrass music

March Madness, to me, doesn’t mean basketball. Rather, it’s the perennial delusion that just by showing up in Peoria, Arizona, and running a few wind-sprints, the San Diego Padres are guaranteed in seven months to be spraying champagne over themselves after

I have always loved a good conspiracy theory. I believe almost all of them, too, whether they become discredited in the media or not. When I hear that something has been “disproved,” I believe that’s just what “they” want us