By Ed Tutwiler There is a sad feeling that sometimes over-takes those of us who reach an old age and suddenly realize a lifetime has unrolled toward a retreating past and cannot be retrieved. That feeling sometimes includes the realization that one has missed an important happening that cannot be recreated. Being a writer for a music magazine has permitted me to encounter many music artists and many music styles over time; and seldom does greatness pass by unnoticed. However, such a realization did happen to me recently. Let me tell you about my experience. A good church friend, Larry Johnson ..read more

To paraphrase the Irish band’s PR material, JigJam is a bluegrass/Americana outfit that is here in America to “take back” the music styles that can be traced, in part, back “across the pond” to their musically prolific home isle. The band’s appropriately titled fifth album, Across The Pond, was released on March 1. Jamie McKeogh says “The theme throughout is about Irish people and their journey, settling in America, bringing their music and traditions with them. Our Irish roots are deeply reflected in the album, and so is our American influence…” JigJam originated in 2012 and is made up of fou ..read more

Sierra Hull, now in here early thirties, has already accomplished more as a musician than most artists dream about. Considered by many to be a master musician as a mandolin player, she was the first female to win IBMA’s mandolin player of the year – and has since won it six times, as well as being nominated twice for a Grammy award. Sierra said she always knew that being a musician is what she was meant to do. From a young age, she felt called to pursue music, and it has always been her passion. Although there are moments of frustration and doubt, she is certain that this is the path she was m ..read more

Country star, Lorrie Morgan, is entering her 40th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry Member this June, 2024, with a special celebration at the Opry on June 8th. The latest album for this multi-platinum artist, Dead Girl Walking, releases this spring as she embarks on her Ruby Anniversary Tour. I asked Lori about her 40th anniversary performing, and she reminded me; “Well, the performing part has actually been about a decade longer! Wow, does that make me old,” she quipped. Regarding the Opry, her dad [Grand Ole Opry star, George Morgan] got her onstage when she was a young teen. “I was hooked,” s ..read more

Anthony Crawford and Savana Lee, collectively known as Sugarcane Jane, have been lauded as “one of the best duos since Johnny and June” (Nancy Dunham, The Washington Times). So, how did this pair, now hailing from Loxley, Alabama, come together and attain such a level of acclaim? Savana recalls meeting Anthony while she was living the aspiring artist’s life in Nashville, doing studio work, playing songwriters’ showcases and even managing a studio (Deep Field in West Meade). “He would come over and record there,” she remembers. “We were friends for probably about six or seven years before we ac ..read more

As banjo player Derek Kretzer of The Plate Scrapers speaks about the band’s beginning, it becomes clear that his own journey into folk music, the assembling of the band, and their evocative name are all intertwined. After spending his high school years playing guitar in a variety of band settings and genres (along with his younger brother, a drummer at the time) he was drawn into folk music after meeting Andrew Jordan (later The Plate Scrapers’ guitarist). Derek explains, “Mutual friends would have a Sunday ‘picking party’ at their farm, and every Sunday for a couple of years straight, people ..read more

Lolly Lee credits her fifth or sixth grade chorus teacher in Tallahassee, Florida with planting the singing seed that would grow to bear fruit much later: “…[she] pulled me aside one day and she’s like, ‘You’re really good. You’ve got a “different” voice,’ and I was like ‘Huh?’” Into adolescence, Lolly was focused more on instruments, playing piano and teaching herself guitar from a Mel Bay chord book and by listening. She remembers, “Back when you only had records…I would try to figure out the chords; then all of a sudden I could play a Joni Mitchell song…” Soon enough, Lolly was performing p ..read more

As the “baby” of his musically-inclined family, Kansas City singer-songwriter Bill Abernathy recalls being “the little eight-year-old kid that was hanging around watching my brother sing folk music…with a bunch of his friends in the living room.” Music became an important part of his life, as well. But despite performing throughout his youth and into adulthood, Bill opted for the “practical” approach: “I decided…that raising a family as a singer-songwriter sitting on a chair in the corner of a coffee shop was maybe not the best way…” He spent 43 years living the American dream—but never stoppe ..read more

The duo, Jessica Skinner and Jeff Pitts, have developed a certain chemistry on stage, which has allowed them to make a name for themselves in the Carolinas. Their newly released album, Better Left Said, blends upbeat originals into a coffee house feel in the flavor profiles of Americana, pop, rock, and more. Both Jeff (guitars and vocals), and Jessica (vocals and ukulele) were born and raised in South Carolina. They met after both moving to Columbia and have been playing together ever since. “We’ve done a lot of regional travel and some national travel, but will definitely always call Columbia ..read more

Lolly Lee’s fans have been eagerly waiting for the release of her self-titled album set for February 23rd, 2024, but you can get a early, sneak peak right here with the World Premiere of her “Great Crusade” Music Video. Lolly Lee’s “Great Crusade” is a powerful and soulful track that captures the essence of love, loss, and the struggles of everyday life in rural Alabama. The music video, directed by Jay Stern, perfectly complements the emotional depth of the song and showcases Lee’s raw talent and authentic style. Filmed on location in New York, the music video for “Great Crusade” features st ..read more