Sammy Shelor’s birthday bash in Big Stone Gap
Lonesome River Band reunion at Blue Highway Fest ’25 – photo © Joshua T Moore Friday was an extra special day in Big Stone Gap, VA for Sammy Shelor and Lonesome River Band fans. The award winning banjoist and longtime band leader celebrated his birthday with a reunion of former LRB bandmates Dan Tyminski, Don […]
Virginia Squires reunion to honor Randall Hylton
Bluegrass lovers in southwestern Virginia have a unique opportunity on March 15 to relive the music of the 1980s when the Floyd Country Store in Floyd, VA presents A Tribute to Randall Hylton with a Virginia Squires reunion. Hylton was a prolific bluegrass songwriter, and a native of Floyd County in Virginia, who got his […]
Life of a Musician receives Emmy nomination
Television programs that focus on bluegrass and acoustic string music are rare, which is precisely why we cherish them so much. Even rarer are ones that receive critical acclaim, especially right out of the gate. But this is exactly what has happened for The Life of a Musician, hosted by Brandon Adams, which has received […]
Track Premiere: Ernest T. Grass from Bluegrass at the Crossroads
Mountain Home Music continues to releases singles from its Bluegrass at the Crossroads album, a sort of 'band scramble in the studio' project that puts musicians and singers from different groups together to record both new and classic bluegrass. This week the latest will be available, a new take on Ernest T. Grass, a modern [...] Big changes for Lonesome River Band
Sammy Shelor has announced a big change coming next month for Lonesome River Band. Long time guitarist Brandon Rickman is leaving the group after almost two decades of touring and recording with the group. Current mandolinist, Jesse Smathers, will move over to guitar, with Adam Miller coming in to take that spot. Miller is a [...] Track Premiere: On The Lonesome Breeze from Bluegrass at the Crossroads
Mountain Home Music Company is set to release another single tomorrow from its Bluegrass at the Crossroads project, a band scramble sort of recording where members of various bands and solo artists are grouped into unexpected ensembles. They have intentionally matched musicians from the more traditional side of bluegrass with those of a more progressive [...] Welcome Samuel Ellis Shelor
Sammy Shelor, fearless leader of Lonesome River Band, and his wife Jordyn are celebrating the arrival of their first child, Samuel Ellis Shelor. He was born on April 9 at 4:57 a.m. at the Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg, VA after something of a battle in the delivery room. According to Sammy, the baby's heart [...] 20 Questions with Katy Daley – Sammy Shelor
With this post we introduce a new feature, which will appear sporadically at Bluegrass Today. The column may be new, but you all know the contributor, Katy Daley, a familiar voice from the Katy Daley Show each weekday morning at WAMU's Bluegrass Country. As the situation allows, Katy will conduct interviews with bluegrass artists and personalities, [...] Rock royalty at The Station Inn
When Aerosmith's legendary lead singer Steve Tyler made it known that he was moving to Nashville to get involved in country music, there were a lot of doubters. "What does this rocker know about country music?" and "It's just a publicity stunt," were heard loud and long. But it turns out that the Jagger-esque front man [...] Sammy Shelor gets key to the City of Martinsville
Sammy Shelor, banjoist extraordinaire and leader of the indomitable Lonesome River Band, was surprised last week when he was presented with the Key to the City of Martinsville, VA. Shelor was performing with some buddies of his at Mtn' Jax Restaurant & Pub in Martinsville, and following the show by Jason Harris and Friends, Mayor Danny [...] 