Preserving The Tradition of Bluegrass Into The Future

In the four years between albums, a lot has happened for the idiosyncratic, boundary-pushing bluegrass/roots band Nefesh Mountain.   “It's hard to pick up the phone and not just feel constantly affected by this world and this growing tension and divide in our country," says guitarist/banjoist/singer/songwriter Eric Lindberg, who fronts the band with his wife, vocalist and songwriter Doni Zasloff. “There's global things going on and there's wars," he laments.   But the state o

Enda Scahill started playing music at an early age in rural Ireland.   “Where I grew up in Galway, on the west coast, most Irish children played the tin whistle in school from age five or so,” he says. “When I was about nine years old, a wonderful music teacher called Bernie Geraghty came to my school. She asked if anyone would like to play the banjo, and my hand shot up into the air. I don’t know why I was instantly attracted to the banjo, and I don’t have a clear memory of

The satisfying sound of live music still has a home at Camp Springs Bluegrass Park thanks to North Carolina’s Coswell County resident Cody Johnson. With a heart full of fond memories and hard work, the park is again a thriving venue for bluegrass music. “I grew up going to festivals, including Camp Springs, which we happen to live near,” shares Cody, who says a sense of nostalgia drove him to buy the once-famous stomping ground. “My mom and dad went up and down the East Coast

Years ago, while our kids were still emptying Trick-or-Treat bags and comparing their Halloween haul, my wife Susan looked at our family calendar and sighed:  “After tonight I feel like we’ve been shot from a circus cannon and won’t land until after the New Year.” We now realize we had a small-caliber schedule, at least compared to the events hitting the calendars of folks in the Bluegrass community. That packed itinerary starts with fun but sleep-deprived nights at IBMA. Bac

"We were asking the big questions," says thirty-three-year-old Them Coulee Boys lead singer Soren Staff, about their latest LP, No Fun in Chrysalis .  "This record was coming from a place where there were huge changes for me and the band." The project felt change-oriented, explains Staff. "I was trying to figure it all out. I was getting to the point in life where I'm asking myself, 'Is this what I want to do?" The band agrees that live streaming poses a financial challenge.

While bluegrass continues to merge with other genres of music, bands like The Tennessee Bluegrass Band are dialing it back to its origins. After one album, an EP, and a handful of singles into their burgeoning career, their latest title track and LP, Nolichucky, further establishes the quintet's knack for revitalizing a song.   Banjoist Lincoln Hensley spoke from his home in East Tennessee.   "We are super psyched! We'll be releasing the full album sometime in July. This is t

Known for its storied recording history, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is a major player in the music world. It is also home to a bluegrass band bending genres and surprising audiences for over two decades. Iron Horse. "It has been said of this area, 'There must be something in the water,'" says Vance Henry of Iron Horse. "There currently is and has been in the past a lot of music produced in Muscle Shoals, even in the bluegrass genre. We are proud of that heritage." They are also

Bridget Lancaster has become a trusted voice in American home kitchens, but her story begins in the hills of West Virginia. Born and raised in Cross Lanes, just outside Charleston, Lancaster grew up in a culture where food was more than sustenance — it was memory, heritage, and community. Today, as co-host of PBS’s America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country, she translates that Appalachian food wisdom for a national audience, showing millions of viewers that good cooking doesn

"Brian Lillie here, playing some hot rockin' bluegrass hits for ya tonight on the Pickin' and Fiddlin' Show on Torrington Community Radio." Once again, Brian Lillie sings on the air on WAPJ-FM, as he does every Wednesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. The station is in downtown Torrington, Connecticut, and it's the city's only station hyper-focused on the community. The non-profit, non-commercial station was started by dedicated volunteers and is still staffed by volunteers. Listen

A native of St. James, Minnesota, who proudly settled in the Tennessee town of Manchester, Becky Buller has been stacking up accolades for years. She’s the first woman to win IBMA’s Fiddler of the Year, and the only artist to take home both Female Vocalist and Fiddler in the same year. Her songs have been recorded on three Grammy-winning bluegrass albums, including Laws of Gravity by The Infamous Stringdusters, The Travelin’ McCourys, and Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway’s Crook

After many years on the road—she was with the circus, he hopped freights—husband and wife Keith Josiah Smith and Sparrow Smith, who perform as The Resonant Rogues, have put down roots.   "We live in Western North Carolina," says Sparrow. "It's one of the most beautiful natural places in the world. People can come here from all over the world to experience nature here. We're so lucky to have it in our backyard.”   But as The Resonant Rogues, Sparrow and Keith—sometimes perform

Bluegrass came along as a new calling for career musician and classically trained upright bassist Trish Imbrogno. She'd already spent 25 years with her instrument, performing with classical ensembles and symphony orchestras and gracing the stages of prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall.   Even after all that, the allure of roots music caused her to take an unexpected turn.   "I don't think I knew what I was missing until I found it," Imbrogno explained. "When you're in th