Preserving The Tradition of Bluegrass Into The Future

Figuratively speaking, Stephen Mougin wears a lot of hats. (Literally, he’s nearly always seen in a black pork pie number). He’s a songwriter, producer, studio owner, radio host, solo performer, and, since 2006, he’s been singing and playing guitar with bluegrass legend Sam Bush.  But every year attendees of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s conference pack a convention hall room to see Mougin (“Mojo,” nearly everyone calls him) in a different role as he conduct

When Danny Roberts learned to play the mandolin while growing up in Kentucky, he never dreamed it would take him all over the world. “When I was coming up, my musical idols played in contests. They did it on the weekends, then went back to their regular jobs. That’s what I saw, and that’s what I wanted to do.”  He never dreamed that he could have a full-time career in music. Yet, for the past 22 years, Danny has been playing with The Grascals, a group he formed with a childho

From historic ice cream parlors to roadside frozen custard stands, these seven spots are local favorites with delightful flavors across Appalachia. Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream — Charleston, West Virginia Address: 225 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301 Website: https://www.ellensicecream.com Ellen’s has been a sweet landmark in downtown Charleston since September 1997. All of its ice cream, gelato, sorbet and sherbet are made on site from scratch, and the menu rotates seasona

Artist Lakin Fain grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and now lives in Denver, Colorado. She has been painting her whole life. In recent months, her love of bluegrass and her talent in art have come together in a unique way that she didn’t see coming. Lakin went to college to study environmental design. “It’s a broad degree that explores production design, fabrication, and even 3D modeling in the woodshop,” she explained. It was during those classes that Lakin first started maki

When asked if she always wanted to be a violinist, Sharon Winters Bounds immediately responds with a vehement “No” and a gleeful chuckle. Both of her grandfathers and her father played the old-time style of fiddle, which is derived from traditional European dance melodies. Not all children necessarily want to follow a family tradition, and the young Sharon had no interest in being a third-generation fiddler. When an opportunity to learn classical music arose in grade school,

Hannah Harper is striving to balance raising a family with three little boys and following a musical journey as an aspiring songwriter and singer. It’s a journey that began when she was just nine years old, growing up in Southeast Missouri in a family steeped in the rich traditions of bluegrass gospel music. The nation was introduced to Hannah when she first appeared on Season 24 of American Idol  on February 2. She auditioned for judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and L

Bluegrass has always been music built on movement—between towns and tents, borrowed fiddles and borrowed time, tradition and the next idea waiting to happen. And if there’s a modern map to that movement, it lives at BluegrassRoadTrip.com , the official online directory for bluegrass festivals across the United States. At the center of that map is Amy Ricci, who didn’t set out to build a digital institution. She stepped in because something worth keeping was about to disappear

Finding a song that puts a band on a winning trajectory is always a blessing.  That’s the case with “Fall in Tennessee,” the song that garnered praise and honors for Authentic Unlimited at the 2024 IBMA Awards.  With the song comes an interesting story of how it came to be recorded. But first, it’s important to understand how Authentic Unlimited came into existence.  “We started the group... and grew into it,” explains founding member and banjo player Eli Johnston.  Growing i

If there is an act that Americana music fans will look upon with excitement as they rummage through the twenty-first century, recapping their favorite artists, it will no doubt be L.A. roots rockers Rose's Pawn Shop. Their latest effort, American Seams , captures the synergy that has become the band's trademark. Weathering numerous personnel changes while navigating the revolving music industry, the band's current incarnation has dialed back punk tempos for nuanced songwritin

“Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” That George Jones country classic has been covered by Bluegrass artists Ricky Skaggs and Mo Pitney, The Steep Canyon Rangers and others.  In a real sense, the International Bluegrass Music Association also is taking action to answer that song’s question. Through Leadership Bluegrass, IBMA is identifying and developing the next generation of leaders for the music’s future. Leadership Bluegrass selects a 25-member class each year. In just over a

Few musicians in the world of bluegrass garner as much respect and acclaim as banjo expert Alison Brown. Recently, Brown decided to produce a new record for the all-female, Grammy-nominated Americana-bluegrass-folk group, Della Mae. With both a guest turn on banjo and an acumen that happens behind the scenes, this consummate performer’s imprint on the new Della Mae record has created excitement for all involved. Della Mae guitarist and vocalist Celia Woodsmith exuded delight

Steve Ray Ladson strolled confidently across the America’s Got Talent  stage to the microphone. Cowboy hat, dreads, overalls tucked into boots, holding a banjo. With a big smile, he spoke, commanding the stage. “I’m Steve Ray Ladson.”  Judge Howie Mandel asked if he made a living making music. “Yes, I do.”  Mandel asked, “What’s the dream?”  “The dream,” said Steve, “is to do my own thing. I’ve been on tour with a lot of professional bands, but I’m here today to bring my own

Kaïa Kater remembers the moment the door cracked open.  She was a kid in Montreal when her mother fell in love with the O Brother, Where Art Thou?  soundtrack, and they sought out an opportunity to see its musicians perform live.  “We went and saw the ‘Down from the Mountain’ tour,” Kater says. The consequent search for more of the same eventually led Kater and her mother to a map, an eight-hour drive, and the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in upstate New York. She laughs about