All articles tagged with #bluegrass
Billy Strings, a Grammy-winning musician blending traditional bluegrass with improvisational jam music, discusses his new live album 'Live at the Legion,' his personal healing through songwriting, performing after his mother's death, and how fatherhood has influenced his music, in an interview with NPR.
Billy Strings, a Grammy-winning bluegrass musician, discusses his influences, including Doc Watson, his recent albums 'Highway Prayers' and 'Live At The Legion,' and his personal struggles with family addiction and loss, emphasizing his dedication to the craft and his desire to use music for healing.
The 89th Old Fiddler's Convention in Galax, Virginia, celebrates mountain music and bluegrass with competitions, jam sessions, and traditional dances, highlighting the importance of preserving this cultural heritage despite challenges like declining participation and competition from other festivals.
Molly Tuttle, a renowned bluegrass artist and Grammy winner, discusses her new album 'Crooked Tree,' her advocacy for alopecia awareness, and her experiences collaborating with artists like Ketch Secor and unexpectedly meeting Ringo Starr, highlighting her evolving musical style and personal journey.
Russell Moore, known for his work with IIIrd Tyme Out, will join Alison Krauss & Union Station as their guitarist and vocalist for their 2025 tour. This marks a significant change as Krauss hasn't toured with her bluegrass band in a decade. Moore will balance this new role with his commitments to IIIrd Tyme Out, with support from his bandmates. The tour will feature nearly 75 dates across North America, starting in April 2025, and is expected to boost Moore's visibility and IIIrd Tyme Out's market position.
Alison Krauss & Union Station are reuniting for their first North American tour in a decade, featuring 73 shows starting in April 2025. The tour, named the "Arcadia Tour," will also coincide with the release of their first new studio album in 14 years. The lineup includes longtime members and new addition Russell Moore, with Willie Watson as the opening act for most dates. The tour will visit major venues across the U.S. and Canada, with tickets going on sale soon.
The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum has unveiled an exhibit titled "Jerry Garcia — A Bluegrass Journey," highlighting the Grateful Dead guitarist's deep connection to bluegrass music. The exhibit, which includes Garcia's instruments and artifacts, explores his 1964 road trip to become Bill Monroe's banjo player and his influence on the "jamgrass" scene.
Bluegrass virtuosos Chris Thile and Billy Strings performed together on CBS Saturday Morning, marking their first collaboration. The duo played traditional songs "Wild Bill Jones," "I Am A Pilgrim," and "I’ve Been All Around This World" as part of the 65th Street Sessions series at NYC’s Lincoln Center.
The IBMA World of Bluegrass Festival will be leaving Raleigh after its 2024 event, which has been held in the city since 2013. The festival, known as the largest urban bluegrass festival in the world, has generated over $88 million in economic impact for the area. While it's unclear what will replace the festival, organizers have confirmed that another large music festival is in the works, which will include bluegrass but also incorporate other genres to reflect the cultural diversity of Raleigh.
Thousands of people in Kentucky are without power following severe storms that passed through the state, with over 51,000 individuals affected. The outages are spread across several counties, including Fayette, Clark, Woodford, Anderson, and Washington. Updates on the outages can be found on the Kentucky Power Outages Map.
Bobby Osborne, the influential mandolin player and singer who co-led the groundbreaking bluegrass band, the Osborne Brothers, has passed away at the age of 91. The band defied convention by incorporating drums, electric bass, pedal steel guitar, and string sections into their music, as well as being the first to record with twin banjos and amplify their instruments with electric pickups. They also introduced three-part vocal harmonies, with Bobby's high-pitched lead voice above the others, creating their signature sound. Despite facing criticism from traditional bluegrass fans, the Osbornes achieved success and were named vocal group of the year by the Country Music Association in 1971. Bobby Osborne's innovative mandolin playing expanded the instrument's vocabulary beyond the established style of Bill Monroe.
Bobby Osborne, one-half of the bluegrass duo The Osborne Brothers and known for popularizing "Rocky Top," has passed away at the age of 91. The Grand Ole Opry confirmed his death and praised his legacy as a bluegrass pioneer. The Osborne Brothers achieved international fame with their hit song "Rocky Top" and performed together for over five decades. Bobby Osborne continued to record and perform even in his advanced years, earning a Grammy nomination in 2017. He was recognized for his dedication to bluegrass music and received the Governor's Awards in the Arts.
Bobby Osborne, one half of the bluegrass duo The Osborne Brothers, has died at the age of 91. The group, known for popularizing the song "Rocky Top," was inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Honor in 1994. Osborne's brother and bandmate, Sonny, passed away in 2021. The Osborne Brothers were influential in the bluegrass genre, using distinctive three-part harmonies and being one of the first bands to use drums and electric instruments. Their version of "Rocky Top" became synonymous with East Tennessee and the University of Tennessee, and was made an official state song in 1982.
Jesse McReynolds, the lead singer and mandolin player of Jim & Jesse, the first-generation bluegrass duo he established with his older brother, Jim McReynolds, died at the age of 93. The McReynolds brothers developed a smooth blend of harmony singing and a polished instrumental approach that created a bridge between the barnyard twang of early sibling duos and the more streamlined sounds of mid-20th century country music. Jesse McReynolds was known for his widely imitated cross-picking technique, which employed a flat pick to approximate the three-finger banjo roll of the bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs.
Colorado offers a variety of bluegrass music festivals throughout the summer months, including the GoldenGrass Bluegrass Weekend, Pagosa Folk ‘N Bluegrass Festival, SnowyGrass Music Festival, Rapidgrass Bluegrass Festival, and Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. These festivals offer live music, camping, workshops, and other activities for all ages. Headliners for the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival include Larkin Poe, Tallest Man on Earth, and Katie Pruitt.