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Without fail, the worst part of our job here at Bluegrass Today entails sharing tragic news that befalls our bluegrass community. Such is this story from Thanksgiving Day. Hiroshi Arakawa, a Japanese student here in the states to study both English and bluegrass music, was involved in a serious auto accident on Thursday evening. He and [...]
OK folks... Thanksgiving is behind us, so let the onslaught of Christmas music begin! Today we have a new recording from Tom Adams, reaching back to the catalog of the singing cowboys in the first half of the 20th century. Hardrock, Coco and Joe tells the tale of three of Santa's helpers who ride with him [...]
When I caught Boston's Mile Twelve live during World of Bluegrass in Raleigh this year, there were a number of impressions I came away with. First off, it was immediately clear that these talented young artists, with the bloom of the music conservatory still on their cheeks, possessed a unique blend of skill, humor, and vision [...]
What are you doing after Thanksgiving? Well The Henhouse Prowlers will be hopping a jet for an impromptu trip to central Asia. The guys have been invited by the US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan to play at the Dostuk Music Festival in the capital of Bishkek. The Prowlers have made a habit of traveling the world doing shows for the [...]
Tom Ratliff, a fixture in the bluegrass scene in east Tennessee for many years, passed away on October 30. He was 79 years of age and died from the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Tom was a passionate bluegrass fan and dobro player who switched to the instrument after hearing Josh Graves with Flatt [...]
West Virginia's Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band greets the Thanksgiving week with a new music video featuring one of the songs on their current album, Memories & Tears. This record is special to the band, as it includes eleven originals written by the sister of Stoney Creek vocalist Libby Files, the late Deanna Stottlemyer. This new single, Never Tell [...]
Thanksgiving is upon us. It’s a time when bluegrass musicians, sound engineers, event producers, etc. are all taking a break from their routines, and they’re all heading to a place called “home” (remember that?) or perhaps to a relative’s house. It’s a precious time of family, fellowship, pumpkin pie, and whatever that amino acid is [...]
When Special Consensus made the journey to Shepherdsville, KY last week for a show in Gary Brewer’s Friday Night Bluegrass Series, the band took a side trip to Louisville to make a guest appearance on Bob Mitchell's Best Of Bluegrass program, recorded at WFPK-FM. The guys played several songs in the studio and chatted with Mitchell about their recently-concluded European [...]
Here's another bluegrass Christmas tour getting ready to start up next month. Circa Blue will be performing selections from their new Bells Of Home CD in a series of concerts centered around our nation's capitol in December. Just as on the album, they will be accompanied by singer/songwriter Dawn Kenney, who has a writer's credit [...]
Alton Tharse Batten, known widely as Al, passed away on Sunday, November 20. He was 68 years of age. Al was born and raised in Selma, NC where he lived his entire life. He led the popular bluegrass group, Al Batten & Bluegrass Reunion for more than 40 years. Before launching his own band in 1972, [...]
