Unreal Bluegrass, the long-running syndicated radio program hosted by Steve Martin, the banjo-playing Kentucky lawyer, not the banjo-playing California comedian and actor, has announced the end of its 13-year broadcast run.
Martin tells us that his great friend and audio editor, Jerry Schreper, has turned in his notice for health reasons, and Steve is unable to continue assembling this pre-recorded show without his help. Unreal Bluegrass has always been a passion project, and with the many other demands on his time – and an eye towards his own retirement – the sun is setting on the show.
Should another audio editor become available, Martin is open to relaunching Unreal Bluegrass, but for the time being, the 13 online bluegrass broadcast outlets carrying the show each week will have a hole to fill in their programming.
It’s a great loss to bluegrass radio, as Steve has both a broad knowledge of the music and the people who make it, and a calm and relaxing presence on the air. He was recognized as the IBMA Broadcaster of the Year in 2018, and nominated multiple times.
Steve has retained an archive of the more than 500 interviews he has conducted with major bluegrass artists and personalities, which are available and searchable on the show’s web site.
Let’s hope that a return can be orchestrated, but for now, so long and well done to Unreal Bluegrass!
