Marty Raybon, with roots in the group Shenandoah, is an accomplished musician playing with good back-up musicians. He has a pleasing voice clearly suited to bluegrass or country music. He began playing bluegrass as a youngster. He was the lead … Read More
I have been asked to review an album that I liked or had a significant effect on me. Of the thousands of recordings and hundreds of LP’s, 45’s 78’s, CD’s, cassettes and reel tapes I have listened to over the … Read More
I really enjoyed this CD. Just when you think you have heard it all, as far as traditional bluegrass music, Plastic Heart comes along and takes you by surprise. I am basically a traditional bluegrass fan, not because the newer … Read More
You can’t be around bluegrass without having heard of the Grascals, but somehow I never managed to pick any of their music. So their fourth and latest CD is a real eye opener for me. This CD follows hard on … Read More
There’s a great scene in the movie Crazy Heart where “Bad” Blake, the charismatic, but rather messed up, former country legend, is laying on the bed, playing his guitar, and trying to seduce Jean Craddock, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Blake … Read More
Last October while attending the IBMA’s annual convention in Nashville, TN, I heard a group of musicians picking and singing in a lounge area of the second floor of the Renaissance Hotel. I moved closer and found myself captivated by … Read More
An old African phrase goes something like,”It takes a village… “ Well, it took our HVBA village to make the Gibson Brothers concert such a huge success. Aside from the fact that we had such excellent musicians with a … Read More
by Tom Thorpe Since the early days of California’s landmark bluegrass band, The Bluegrass Cardinals, David Parmley has been setting his mark as one of the best singers, songwriters and band leaders in the business. His smooth-as-velvet baritone voice is … Read More
A clever title for a highly enjoyable album of songs dealing with the life of the drivers of those big semis crisscrossing the land. Several of the tunes are covers of classics originally recorded by the likes of Merle Haggard, … Read More
Let’s clear up one thing right from the start; this is not a bluegrass record. As the title indicates, it’s a 40th anniversary celebration, culled from four different concert events, mostly recorded at the Grand Ole Opry House in 2009. … Read More