Darin & Brooke Aldridge have released a music video for their latest single with Billy Blue Records, the gospel classic, Jordan. The song has been recorded a number of times in bluegrass, including by The Stanley Brothers, but many folks think of the definitive version as being the one on Emmylou Harris’ Roses In The Snow album in 1980, a landmark album for her, which features backing vocals by Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice, with a bass part sung by Johnny Cash. It has often been listed as traditional, as it was on Roses In The Snow, but Gary Reid’s liner notes for the compilation CD, The St ..read more

Utah born bluegrass musician and ace songwriter Ron Spears passed away on March 22, 2023, from complications following surgery for cancer last year. He was suffering with other health issues as well.  He was a multi-instrumentalist – adept on all the bluegrass instruments and pedal steel guitar – he could sing all the parts, was a champion “yo-yo man” (won Utah State Grand Championship), a comedian and a ventriloquist, in sum, a complete entertainer.   Ronald Spears was born on July 28, 1953, in West Valley City, Utah. His musical career began at age 12 playing rock ‘n’ roll. He was ..read more

615 Hideaway Records in Nashville has another new single from David Parmley, a Marshall Wilborn song called Goodbye To The Blues, recorded with The Del McCoury Band. Like Rob and Ronnie McCoury, David got an early start playing bluegrass professionally with his father, and the three have been friends for many years. They have recorded together before on a project called Parmley & McCoury back in 1990, with their dads, Don Parmley and Del McCoury, back when they were all much younger. David has sped up Marshall’s song a good bit as compared to earlier versions by The Johnson Mountain Boys ..read more

Sideline at the 2023 EMS Springfest – photo © Bill Warren It has been a warm winter in Florida. The opening day of EMS Springfest was no exception. It was a clear mid-80s day. I was a little late getting to the show due to a family obligation, but I did borrow a picture from the Wandering Hours who opened the show. They are a Tampa Bay area band that plays a variety of bluegrass, folk, and old time music. They were followed by thumb picking guitar virtuoso, Richard Smith, a native Londoner who now lives in the Nashville area. He is an award winning player who leaves an audience in awe. Bluegr ..read more

The Fly Birds are a bluegrass/old time quartet based in northern Virginia who have been performing together this past six years. In addition to their popular live shows, they have an interesting naming convention for their recorded releases. After a self-titled EP in 2017, their next was called The Band is Causing Problems, followed up this year by The Band is Playing Covers.  Elizabeth Baker is on banjo, Mary Dunlap on bass, Sarah Twigg on guitar, and Crystal Shipley on fiddle. They play an interesting mix of bluegrass, folk, and Americana music that led them to be named winners of the ..read more

Applications are open for the 2023 FreshGrass Awards, one of the most remunerative music competitions in the bluegrass world, offering more than $20,000 in cash prizes for band, banjo, fiddle, and guitar. Plus the FreshGrass Festival where the competition takes place also provides a grant to each of three finalists in each category to help with travel expenses. There is no fee to submit for the contest, and the application form can be found online. Each submission must include a video performance of two pieces, at least one of which must be an original song or tune. Applications will be accep ..read more

Mountain Fever has a new single for Nothin’ Fancy, the second from their upcoming sixth album with the label, Here We Go Again, expected later this year. Like many of the band’s songs, Crash and Burn was written by founder, mandolinist, and lead singer, Mike Andes, who has helmed the group since 1994. Since launching nearly 30 years ago, they have produced 18 full length projects as Nothin’ Fancy. They have also hosted their own bluegrass festival this past 20 years in central Virginia, held in September at Glenn Maury Park. Andes says this one has been in the hopper for some time. “As many s ..read more

The Bobby Maynard Family Band from Huntington, WV was named Best Bluegrass Band earlier this month at the 2023 Appalachian Arts & Entertainment Awards, held March 18 at The MACC in Prestonburg, KY. The “Appys” celebrate a wide variety of arts and entertainment forms throughout the 13 states in the Appalachian region, encompassing Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Anyone can put themselves forward for these awards. Nominees in all the myriad categories receive votes from t ..read more

England’s Old Baby Mackerel kicked off their career in 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. They quickly found a loyal following on the UK festival circuit, and then went on to tour the UK, Thailand, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Austria.  The band was founded by banjo player Sam Garrard, whose father, blues musician Steve Payne, built a successful career touring the USA, Canada, and Europe while sharing stages with such icons as B.B. King, Dr John, Paul Brady, Bert Jansch, and others of that ilk. Growing up, Sam became immersed in the sounds of traditional blues and folk, which in tu ..read more

Bonfire Music Group has a new single for the special project duo, Shawn Lane & Richard Bennett. It’s a new song the two of them wrote called 1000 Miles. It’s a moody song about being far from what means the most to you. Both are experienced bluegrass veterans, with Lane logging nearly 30 years with Blue Highway, and Bennett playing for several years with J.D. Crowe & The New South, plus the band Flashback. Both have also recorded a number of solo projects. Shawn says that the lyrics describe a feeling most of us can recall. “I think this song captures the essence of having distance be ..read more