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For over 5 decades, Southern Ohio has been a hotbed for bluegrass music, tracing back to the briarhoppers heading north for the industrial boom of the '50s and '60s. Supporting a family sometimes meant leaving your native mountains for the city, but these folks brought their beloved mountain music with them, helping soothe their homesick [...]
Enquiries about a Larry Sparks album from any era is certain to be met with a response indicating that it is certainly of very good vintage. Now Sparks has released on his own Sparks label an album entitled Vintage, a 10 song collection from a recording session in Chicago, Illinois, way back in 1981. Vintage [...]
While visiting family, and attending the Brewer Family Reunion, Gary Brewer and the Kentucky Ramblers were given a personal tour of the Mapes Piano Wire Company on August 1. Mapes manufactures string wire in Elizabethton, TN and supply all sorts of wire to popular instrument string companies like GHS, D'Addario, Ernie Ball, Yamaha, and many others. Mapes introduced their new line [...]
The 2016 Musicians Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) festival is taking place this week at the Hoover Y Park in Columbus, OH. Darrel and Phyllis Adkins’ annual event is held in memory of their daughter, Mandy Adkins, who passed away from an inoperable brain tumor in 2000. All of the proceeds generated from the MACC benefit St Jude [...]
Here's another gallery of Frank Baker's photographs from last weekend's cool and rainy Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival.
The Last Suit You Wear, written by Larry Williams, Larry Shell and Kim Williams, was recorded by Larry Sparks in the Fall of 2006 and released on the album of the same name on the McCoury Music label (MCM 0004), produced by Don Rigsby. The song was one of IBMA’s (International Bluegrass Music Association’s) 2007 [...]
Since 1927, Time magazine has named bestowed the honor of Person of the Year (formerly Man of the Year) to an individual, group, or idea that "for better or for worse...has done the most to influence the events of the year". Winners have included presidents, queens, and dictators, alongside soldiers, activists, scientists, and even YOU! [...]
Larry Sparks, noted for his very original style of playing the guitar and singing, bluesy elements abounding, has been in touch with Bluegrass Today to share his reaction to the news of his induction to the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. He shares a quite amusing story …… "I had been working in the [...]
This coverage of the Brown County Fest is a contribution from Artie Werner, bass player/booking agent for The Missy Werner Band, and husband of The Missy Werner. Festival promoter Don Morgan, along with son Rob, achieved a milestone this past weekend as they celebrated the 25th year of The Brown County Bluegrass Festival. The three [...]
Driving home yesterday from the Bristol Bluegrass Spring Fest, I was struck by one overwhelming sentiment. What a joy it is to live in a world where Larry Sparks is a superstar. It may not be true everywhere, everytime - I'm sure Mr. Sparks can make it to the store and the post office unmolested - but [...]
