The excitement was unbearable as high school let out in June 1970. Dad bought a pop up tent camper and plans were made to drive to one of the biggest bluegrass festivals in the country in Berryville Virginia. This festival … Read More
Growing the Network – 1960s and 1970 In the last chapter I reviewed the growing bluegrass community around Maine and New England and getting more contact with the top people of bluegrass music like Don Reno. In the late 1960s … Read More
In the last chapter I reviewed my first live bluegrass shows, which included none other than Flatt & Scruggs in Aug 1964 at Sunset Park in Pennsylvania. After I got home and Mom got the snapshot developed of Earl posing … Read More
Have about one hour to sit down and learn more about the history of the banjo? Dick Bowden has alerted us to this wonderful documentary. He writes: “A great 52 minute British documentary on the history of the banjo in … Read More
In the last chapter I mentioned my dad surprised the family with the news that we were going to drive to Sunset Park in southeast Pennsylvania to see Flatt & Scruggs in person. Summer of 1964. He had the new … Read More
I consider myself MIGHTY fortunate for the amount of bluegrass history I’ve witnessed first-hand in my life. I’m heading into my eighth decade soon, so I’ve seen some history, before it was history! As a little kid, I was exposed … Read More
Prior columns mentioned a few bluegrass radio personalities in passing but this is the first column devoted to one. Bluegrass radio has been an important part of the music from the beginning. Bill Monroe joined the Grand Ole Opry in … Read More
This month, to celebrate my 50th column, I exercise one of the prerogatives of a columnist: focusing on the music of two particular favorites of mine-the late banjoist and singer/songwriter Dave Evans, and mandolinist and singer/songwriter Dick Staber. Perhaps their … Read More
“Evening Prayer Blues” is a mandolin tune that Bill Monroe released on “Master of Bluegrass,” his 1981 collection of mandolin instrumentals. Nearly all the tunes on the album were Monroe compositions, many played at lightning tempos, showing that at age … Read More
John Hartford was one of the most talented and unusual musicians to come out of bluegrass in the 1960s and 70s. He excelled at many things. Perhaps most prominently, he was a gifted and quirky songwriter, who gave the world … Read More