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IBMA's World of Bluegrass gives folks many chances to meet and learn from others in the industry, both from experts on panels and just chances to mix, mingle and swap stories with other musicians, broadcasters, mangers, and festival promoters. I attended a few of the seminars where I learned things, and got new ideas to chew [...]
IBMA's World of Bluegrass convention is just around the corner, and a lot of attendees are starting to scout around for things to do in Raleigh while they are in town. During our several scouting trips this year, we found a number of cultural and historical destinations worthy of consideration, but for banjo players, a [...]
This tribute to Earl Scruggs on the anniversary of his passing is a contribution from Jim Mills, a life-long student of Scruggs-style banjo, and a serious collector of the sort of pre war Gibson banjos that Earl played. Jim also maintains a large collection of photos and memorabilia of Flatt & Scruggs and other early [...]
At the early part of each year, prewar banjo enthusiasts of every stripe converge on the town of Maryville in east Tennesse for an annual celebration of all things banjo, known simply as Banjothon. The 2013 get together was held this past weekend, and Dean Hoffmeyer was there with his camera. Banjothon is not widely promoted, [...]
Richmond,VA photographer, and banjo pick aficionado, Dean Hoffmeyer captured a few images from Vince Gill's 2012 bluegrass tour when they stopped at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond last night. Joining Vince were Jim Mills on banjo, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Dennis Crouch on bass and Jeff White on guitar. Sarah Jarosz opened the [...]
Vince Gill will once again be embarking on an acoustic bluegrass tour this summer, with an all-star cast in tow. Starting in mid-June, Gill has shows scheduled throughout the southern and central US with Jim Mills on banjo, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Jeff White on guitar, and Dennis Crouch on bass. Vince will play mandolin [...]
This remembrance of the great Earl Scruggs comes from former Ricky Skaggs banjo player, celebrated recording artist and avid banjo collector, Jim Mills. First of all, let me say that Earl Scruggs was my all time hero on this earth. He was the driving force behind most everything I've ever achieved in my life, and [...]
Banjo master Jim Mills is the subject of a short documentary piece produced by UNC-TV, the public television service at the University of North Carolina. The video starts with a musical biography on Mills, covering his early discovery of the banjo through his time with such stellar acts as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Ricky [...]
In a piece broadcast today (7/18) on the BBC 4 Americana podcast, banjo player and collector Jim Mills offers British listeners some insight into the history and development of our beloved 5 string banjo. Jim takes the producers into his sanctum sanctorum, where he houses his enviable collection of pre war Gibson banjos. There he [...]
We've posted a few times about Garden & Gun magazine. It's a glossy bi-monthly that merges content on southern lifestyle with hunting and outdoors features. They have been quite kind to bluegrass music, with recent features on Sam Bush, Punch Brothers, and Steve Martin with Steep Canyon Rangers. Garden & Gun does a collections feature [...]
