Contemporary ballet meets the rousing, soul-stirring bluegrass and old-time string tunes as Washington, DC’s Chamber Dance Project presents Ramblin’ featuring The Red Clay Ramblers. Now in their 44th year, the Tony Award-winning Red Clay Ramblers are a North Carolina string band whose repertoire reflects their roots in old-time mountain music, as well as  bluegrass, country rock, New Orleans jazz, gospel, and the American musical. They’ll play for two premieres: the world premiere of Book of Stones, a new ballet by guest choreographer Christian Denice and the Washington, D.C. premiere o ..read more

Signature Theater presents the DC-area premiere of Where the Mountain Meets the Sea, a poignant, beautiful musical of parallel journeys by Jeff Augustin, the writer of Apple TV+’s The Morning Show. After he learns of his estranged father’s death, a son recreates the cross-country trip his Haitian immigrant parents took before he was born. As he traces their journey across America, and bonds with the music his father adored, time blurs and erases the distance between them. Lyrical storytelling and an evocative folk score drive father and son to rediscover love, each other and their everl ..read more

It’s a night of genre-busting bluegrass when Railroad Earth, Leftover Salmon, and Yonder Mountain String Band bring their contagious improvisational jamming to Wolf Trap. Railroad Earth tops the trifecta with fan favorites “Like a Buddha,” “Mighty River,” “Bird in a House,” and more. Leftover Salmon pioneered the jamgrass sound with their marathon live shows and songs like “Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes” and “Midnight Blues.” Grammy-nominated Yonder Mountain String Band blends rock, alternative, psychedelic, and bluegrass into a package that has captivated both festivals and stadiums. Thanks to ..read more

By Randy Barrett The legendary banjoist Ben Eldridge passed away on April 14, 2024 in Fredericksburg, VA. Eldridge is one of the most influential players of his generation and was a co-founder of the supergroup The Seldom Scene. The cause was complications related to Parkinson’s Disease. Born in Richmond, VA on August 15, 1938, Ben was an only child. The sounds of hillbilly music made an early impression on him as he sat by the radio listening to the Old Dominion Barn Dance on WRVA. The popular show was broadcast from the Lyric Theater in downtown Richmond, only a few blocks from Ben’s house ..read more

The Charm City Bluegrass Festival returns for its 11th year celebrating bluegrass and roots music in Baltimore, MD.  It all happens on Friday and Saturday May 3 & 4, 2024 at the Baltimore Peninsula. The all-star lineup includes Noam Pikelny & Stuart Duncan with Friends (Barry Bales, Chris Eldridge and Matt Flinner), Scythian, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Wood Belly, Willi Carlisle, The Sweet Lillies, The Slocan Ramblers, Caleb Stine Band, Sicard Hollow, Hampden All-Stars, Deadgrass, Old Part of Town, Rachel May & Friends and Jacob Panic. Doors open at 4 pm on Friday and 10 am Sat ..read more

The Charm City Bluegrass Festival returns for its 11th year celebrating bluegrass and roots music in Baltimore, MD.  It all happens on Friday and Saturday May 3 & 4, 2024 at the Baltimore Peninsula. The all-star lineup includes Noam Pikelny & Stuart Duncan with Friends (Barry Bales, Chris Eldridge and Matt Flinner), Scythian, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Wood Belly, Willi Carlisle, The Sweet Lillies, The Slocan Ramblers, Caleb Stine Band, Sicard Hollow, Hampden All-Stars, Deadgrass, Old Part of Town, Rachel May & Friends and Jacob Panic. Doors open at 4 pm on Friday and 10 am Sat ..read more

Bluegrass Country is offering a printable copy of its festival calendar, listing all the events from our online calendar for 2024. This PDF document can be printed or viewed online using Adobe Acrobat, and includes links to festival websites.  We update the calendar throughout the year to bring you to most current information. To order a copy of the calendar, send us your name, email address and location using the form below. Are you a Bluegrass Country member?  Help us keep providing the best in roots music, commercial free 24/7.  Donate today. [contact-form-7 ..read more

In the world of bluegrass, Del McCoury stands alone.  For over 50 years, from honky-tonks and schoolhouse stages to the Grand Ole Opry, sold-out concerts, Grammy awards and a namesake festival with bluegrass, newgrass and Americana stars, Del’s trademark tenor and solid bands have helped define bluegrass music and expand its audience to new generations of fans. As a young banjo player, Del emerged from the Baltimore/Washington bar scene to join Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys as guitar player and lead singer in the early 1960s.  Through years of performing and recording and endless ..read more

The 5-string banjo has provided the defining sound of bluegrass music since Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in 1945.  As we near the 100th anniversary of Earl’s birth in January, Bluegrass Country will solidly banjo-focused during our year-end membership drive.  We’ll be providing special programming featuring banjo playing from clawhammer to chromatic, plus commentary from some of today’s top banjo players on how Earl Scruggs influenced their lives and careers.  And we’ll be asking for your continued support to our mission of bringing the best in American ro ..read more

Nickel Creek’s breakthrough album in 2000 was a revelation.  The trio of Chris Thile, Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins, who’d been playing together since 1989, broke out of the bluegrass mold with a sound all their own, combining folk, jazz, bluegrass, classical and pop with dazzling instrumental virtuosity and clean clear harmonies. The band went on to win multiple Grammys and influence a generation of players.  Eventually they parted to pursue their individual musical careers, but Nickel Creek never really disappeared.  They continue to write and make music together, and in 202 ..read more