As winner of the 2022 Telluride Bluegrass Competition – AND winner of the IBMA 2022 Momentum Band of the Year Award – up-and-coming bluegrass group Full Cord has clearly showcased their talent in a way that has wowed crowds. Even folk superstar Billy Strings recognizes the solid menu of traditional offerings Full Cord brings to the table. Having someone like this as part of the band's support network undoubtedly helped put Full Cord in front of listening audiences. "Billy has been a friend of ours for quite a while," explained Full Cord bass player Todd Kirchner. "I met Billy when he first moved up to Traverse City, Michigan. I think he was around 17 back then. My folks live up there, and my dad was playing banjo with us at the time. Not long after Billy moved up there, he and my dad started a band, Kirchner recalled. Needless to say, we all became fast friends. When we released our previous album, Hindsight, I asked him if he'd write a few words for the liner notes. It really meant a lot. He even covered one of our tunes at one of his shows in Atlanta." According to Kirchner, something almost magical happened when these musicians jammed. He could just tell that something good was afoot. “We've kind of known that we had something special when we first started playing music together,” he said. “Everything just clicked, and we kept thinking...man, other people need to hear this!” Much like Billy Strings, the band tries to bring the genre forward. There’s perhaps a loosening of some of the "strictness" that still exists in some bluegrass quarters. Full Cord is part of the movement with a clear objective: Sustaining a musical form that deserves to be promulgated instead of letting it be lost in the shuffle of forward progress. Full Cord wants bluegrass to stick around and thrive. “We're a little different in that we really try to take a fresh approach to the music and try to find a way to bridge the gap between traditional bluegrass and the more progressive stuff,” Kirchner explained. “We really love the music and have thought for a long time that if we aren't trying to bridge that gap, we may lose the genre.” Kirchner’s brief summary statement of what Full Cord is about further shows the band’s idea of how they want to be seen: “I often say that we're a bit progressive, but solidly grounded in traditional bluegrass. The comment I hear most often, though, is that it's refreshing to the ear.” Joining Kirchner with his bass are bandmates Eric Langejans (guitar), Brian Oberlin (mandolin), and Grant Flick (fiddle). Kirchner said the band is just now hitting its stride; they're making new music and touring across the U.S. "We've all got bucket list venues we want to try to play," Kirchner said, of where they'd love to see themselves in coming years as Full Cord further inhabits its place in the bluegrass world. "Hopefully, by then, we will have performed at the Ryman, the Opry and be back at Telluride a time or two." Last year came the band's latest recording. Dropping a record during a year of incredible accolades is always a good time, and it has been satisfying for Full Cord. The record is called Cambium. Although they had several records already under their belt, this 12-track release was their first on the Dark Shadow label. “It was recorded at the Dark Shadow Recording Studio in Nashville,” Kirchner explained. “We try to get our inspiration for our music from real life experiences. Brian Oberlin wrote quite a few songs on the album. Eric Langejans and Ricky Mier contributed as well. We also leaned on some of our musician friends and included some of our favorite tunes from them as well.” He said Stephen Mougin from the Sam Bush Band served as producer and "really helped us pull together what turned out to be a great album." While he said all the recent notable success and accolades for Full Cord has been "a bit overwhelming," Kirchner is excited about the new opportunities that have come along with so much attention. From all indications, Kirchner thinks it's not just the core band that led to this success, but it included many contributions. “We all feel extremely lucky to be connected with such great folks in the bluegrass scene,” Kirchner assured.

Washington DC-based folk rock band Scythian loves getting up close and personal with fans. Each year, they take to the roads of Ireland with a huge group of fans, hoping to give their devoted followers a cool experience. They also enjoy themselves, adding another layer of meaning and life experience to their own careers as musicians. “Our ‘Scythian in Ireland’ trip has become a yearly tradition, and we just returned from our 10th trip,” explained Dan Fedoryka, who plays guitar and accordion with the band. “We chose Ireland to do our fan tours because this is where it all started, with my brother Alex, busking on Grafton Street in Dublin by day and learning fiddle tunes in the pubs by night.” This time, the event consisted of three tour buses with 135 fans. During the tour, the bandmates traveled with the group and played three shows in Ireland (Cork, Killarney, and Galway). Fedoryka said the trip has “grown organically over the years.” “Now we have something called ‘The Whiskey Fairy,’ who leaves a bottle of whiskey at the front of the bus, and we all bust out our 'Scythian in Ireland' shot glasses, make a toast, and sing from our songbooks," Fedoryka said. “The Whiskey Fairy has turned the trip into an impromptu whiskey-tasting trip, and attendees who buy the bottles spare no expense. This creates a lighthearted spirit of generosity, which makes time off the stage almost as much fun as time on the stage.” Other performers considering a similar tour might want to know that Fedoryka was once unsure about it, but his fear faded quickly. “We initially didn't know what to expect, riding on the same buses as our fans,” he explained, “but quickly learned how special this trip would be for us. The music business is geared towards fame, creating a divide between artists and fans. In a sense, this idolic divide is good for business. But we found that by traveling on the buses with our fans, this divide disappeared, and we were back to our early days as a pub band…ALL in it TOGETHER!” Fedoryka suggested that anyone interested in getting a feel for the dynamic should check out the band's YouTube channel, where Scythian has uploaded "daily video diaries which give you a sense of how magical the trip is. “It is our great joy to see friendships which started over this trip continue back stateside,” he added. Fans appreciate the unique sound of Scythian music, which needs to be more easily classified and reflects a range of influences. “Initially, my brother Alex and I started out playing just Irish music,” Fedoryka reminisced. “We were buskers playing for gas money while in school, and as the crowds grew, we started playing some bluegrass since we grew up in the Shenandoah Valley." They eventually started dabbling in Ukrainian music since their parents had immigrated from Ukraine, and both brothers had learned Ukrainian as their "first language." "It took a while because it felt vulnerable playing such an eclectic mix,” he confessed, “but we found that since it was an authentic representation of who we were as people, it really resonated with our listeners. We've been tempted for the sake of marketing to narrow things down – since it's genres, not eclectic, which sell – but we decided that it wasn't worth sacrificing representing who we are.” He explained that “because of this, we have so much fun onstage, and that is our hallmark." The band will be touring less than usual this spring; for now, they'll be focusing instead on writing and recording. There are also "a couple of new babies" expected among band members during February, so it's a good window of opportunity for spending time at home before the busy schedule resumes in March. As headliners on the Irish fest circuit, Fedoryka joked that “March is kind of like a Super Bowl for us.” Scythian will follow up the St. Patty’s season with an April event they always look forward to. “We're pumped to be at MERLEFEST, where we'll play the Main Stage the same day as Turnpike Troubadours,” Fedoryka said. "MERLEFEST is always a highlight of our year since we get to be fans as well as performers." Scythian – who has released a whopping 16 albums to date – is composed of Fedoryka and his brother, Alexander Fedoryka (fiddle, mandolin, bass, vocals); Ethan Dean (electric and upright bass, vocals); and Johnny Rees (drums). The band offers a deal for new fans; instead of purchasing all 16 albums individually, the entire catalog can be purchased on a USB thumb drive in the shape of a bottle opener. “The cost is roughly the equivalent of a tank of gas,” Fedoryka said, “so if you buy us a tank of gas to keep us on the road, we’ll give you over $275 worth of music for free.”

With a background in music and business, Ken White brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role as executive director of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). The Kentucky native was selected by the IMBA Board of Directors and assumed his duties on October 2, following the completion of the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina. Making the move from Belle Plaine, Kansas, to Nashville, Ken says he has fond memories of his "starving artist" days living in Nashville when he was in his 20s. "I had a friend who worked behind the bar at Station Inn. I would stay until the end of the night and help restock the bar in exchange for free nachos and pizza." That was thirty years ago, and Ken says he barely recognizes today's bustling Nashville. "It is comforting to recognize the old landmarks, including the Ryman and Station Inn." He also enjoys discovering "East Nash Grass," saying discovering so many young artists is a fun scene. Ken was raised on a steady diet of Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, and Tony Rice, falling asleep many nights during his childhood with his ear next to the family hi-fi. Perhaps that is why he won the Kentucky State Banjo Championship when he was just 14 years old. He went on to study guitar with the jazz icon Jimmy Raney at the University of Louisville Music School while continuing to record, perform, and tour with Bluegrass and Americana artists. Ken had the opportunity to play in such acclaimed venues as the Grand Ole Opry, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, RockyGrass, Walnut Valley Festival, The Station Inn, and the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Owensboro, Kentucky. Ken has written for and performed with the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra, the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, and the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Ken's multi-instrumental talent can be heard on many recordings, including a recent catalog of music he co-wrote with his wife, Robin Macy, inspired by their home of 22 years in Kansas. Also an astute businessman, Ken teamed up with award-winning designer Nicole Howerton in 2002 to form Howerton+White, an integrated marketing agency. Under their leadership, the company has become a multi-million-dollar business with ongoing integration of marketing and media platforms for a variety of clients. Combining his technological expertise with his passion for music, Ken has played an active role in several community organizations. He has served as president of the Wichita Jazz Festival and serves on the Board of Directors of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. For 17 years, Ken has co-produced a popular seasonal concert series at the Bartlett Arboretum. He is also a non-voting member of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. While he has established roots in Kansas, Ken says he is excited about his return to Nashville and its vibrant music scene to assume leadership of the IBMA. “Nashville is an exciting city, and the IBMA is an important organization with a mission of honoring tradition while encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide while helping to connect, educate, and empower bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts. I’m excited to rekindle relationships and to create new ones.” Ken says the time was right for him to make the move. “My son is finishing up his master's in Ohio, and when I saw this position listed in Bluegrass Today, I realized that my music background and my background in business made me a perfect candidate for the job. Now that I’m here, I’m looking at the organization and thinking about how we can recreate ourselves. Moving the World of Bluegrass to a new location in 2025 is a start.” The decision about where it will take place has yet to be made. "We are exploring our options." Ken says he still plays enough to keep his chops up. “I have been to a few bluegrass jams and played a jazz brunch recently with Isaac Eicher.” But his main focus is on the IBMA and promoting all things bluegrass. “Everybody loves bluegrass, but many don’t know it yet.”

For 22 years, Deeper Shade of Blue members have been entertaining audiences across the central United States and along the eastern seaboard. “We’ve played from Texas and Arkansas and up to New York and Maine,” says Troy Pope, the lead vocalist and guitar player for the band. Based in North Carolina, Deeper Shade of Blue has been a passion project for its members. “We have been doing this for so long. All of us except Frank Poindexter work full-time. Frank is retired and does what he wants.” A lot of work and time goes into the band, and it shows. They play anywhere from forty to seventy dates a year, and they’ve put out six albums and counting. “We are fortunate that we have gotten a lot of radio play in the past,” says Troy. “We are actually in the process of going into the studio for our next album.” Troy and Frank are the two long-time band members who live in Monroe, North Carolina. "Frank is Tony Rice's uncle," says Troy, who says that the band members make up one of the best mixes of musicians found anywhere. “We love what we do, and I think it shows when we are on stage. I would describe our band as a traditional, hard-driving, harmony bluegrass band.” Troy says their strong suit is harmony, and they strive to start each show with a tight harmony on the first song to catch the audience's attention. "We like to think we have Doyle-Lawson-like harmonies, and people seem to like that." About half of the songs the band performs are originals. “Every project we do, some more than others, has at least half original tunes. We do even more original tunes in our live shows – songs that have not yet been recorded." They also play cover songs, but not those that have been worn out. "We find songs that bring back memories and put our own spin on them. One thing we love to do is pick." The band will play songs by the Eagles, the Gatlin Brothers, Vince Gill, and Clint Black. "We look for songs with good harmony and a good tempo.” The band plays a lot of festivals. “There are some we play each year and others we’d like to,” says Troy. They always liked to play the Denton, North Carolina, festival because it's close to home. “Doyle has always been supportive of us. He has complimented us on our harmony, and that means a lot coming from him.” Other festivals they play include the EMS Festivals produced by Ernie Evans and Evans Media Source. “We have a lot of respect for Ernie. We worked with him during Covid and did a lot of online shows. We even did an entire festival online with bands in different states playing." Those online shows were a lifesaver for the band. "The virtual shows were important to keep the music alive and helped us continue doing what we love." Troy, with a strong background in Gospel, is joined in Deeper Shade of Blue by mandolin player Milom Williams II, who has been playing in a bluegrass band since age 14. Before joining Deeper Shade of Blue, he played with Cuttin' Edge, Skip Cherryholmes Quintet, Nu-Blu, and The King James Boys. Frank Poindexter plays dobro with the band. He has played on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry with artists including Dickie Betts, Vassar Clements, Larry Rice, and Brothers Leon. He's released two solo projects in addition to recording with the Rice Brothers. Rounding out the band is Scott Burgess on bass and Chad Day on banjo. Scott’s parents were bluegrass musicians, and he grew up playing in churches with them. Chad has been playing banjo since he was 14, and his style is explosive and hard-driving. “We love playing this music,” says Troy. “We are lucky and blessed to get to do what we love to do.”

While catching up with Thunder and Rain lead singer Erinn Peet Lukes to talk about their up-and-coming EP Storybook Sessions, she spoke about their two new singles, “Ash and Rain” and “Wendigos Wandering.” The Nashville Indie and Bluegrass songstress and her band are among today's rising bluegrass acts. With their decade-long career, Thunder and Rain have shared bills with flat-picking sensation Billy Strings and bluegrass legend Peter Rowan, among others. Balancing her solo career, Lukes has opened for Rachel Baiman and John Paul White of the Civil Wars and has won numerous awards, including Floyd Fest On The Rise Artist 2021 and 2022 and the 2023 IBMA Songwriter Showcase. Set to drop in its entirety in the early spring of 2024, the EP's singles Ash and Rain and Wendigos Wandering are already available on Spotify, Band Camp, and the band's website. Lukes chatted candidly from her home in Nashville, where the story-telling lyricist described the recording sessions for the EP as a series of single takes with no overdubs. “I think for any performer that is a nightmare situation, but they handled it with grace. They are so talented,” she said, praising her band. Filled with suspense, the song “Ash and Rain,” about a young maiden whose heart filled with vengeance leads to murder, captures the imagination much like a romance novel would. When asked how she came up with the idea, the singer recounted her real-life romantic struggle that inspired the ominous seafaring lyrics. “I had a crush on someone already in a relationship and knew I couldn't have them,” she sighed. Detailing how her newly purchased mando guitar (hybrid) from Carter Vintage music shop inspired the melody, “With that [mando guitar], I started writing this 6/8 (musical time signature) sea shanty. I sang words that came to mind. It's a murderous, cheating, high seas kind of thing, and I like murder ballads. I just think they are fun. It's the ultimate murder ballad song.” “Wendigos Wandering,” the band's second single, is yet another masterpiece among the songs in Storybook sessions. Fascinated by Southern Appalachian folklore, the Redondo Beach, California native recalled what she felt was an eerie encounter. “While walking in the park, I just got the creepiest feeling. You know when your hair stands on end, and it feels like something is watching you?” She learned about Appalachian skinwalkers through social media. "I thought, man, this would be a cool song about skinwalkers warning people not to go in the woods. I went home and wrote the song right away.” Ever since Lukes can remember, she’s loved to sing and write songs. She left California at age 18 to attend Seattle’s University of Washington, where she describes her time as doing more busking (playing music on the street) than schoolwork. Lukes credits the Emerald City as the place where she discovered bluegrass. “I didn’t have any bluegrass in my life until I left California. It was Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dog. It wasn’t until I went to Seattle when I first heard old-time music and bluegrass music." After college, she left for a stint in the New York City folk scene, finding city life distracting. “My one dry spell was when I lived [there]. That was the only time I didn't write songs. I think it's because I didn't have space to write songs.” Leaving the Big Apple behind, the Indi-styled singer-songwriter drifted to Denver, Colorado, where she fell in with kindred bluegrass musicians, forming Thunder and Rain in 2013. By 2014, they released their debut album, Holler Out, followed by Start Believing (2017) and Passing in the Night (2020). After touring for eight years across the US, Canada, Ireland, and the UK, the 2020 pandemic hit, causing the group to disband. With no end to the pandemic in site, Lukes relocated to Nashville where, at the suggestion of friend and Della Mae bassist Vickie Vaughn, she reformed Thunder and Rain with Amelia Ransom on Fiddle/Vocals and Laura Ray on banjo/vocals. Erinn remembers asking Vickie to put together an opening band for her solo album release show. “[Vickie] couldn't, so she suggested Laura to put together a band, who was her roommate."  Becoming good friends, Laura then introduced Erinn to Amelia. “We just started hanging out.” Lukes expressed her happiness working alongside Amelia and Laura while performing with a new version of Thunder and Rain. Describing the previous lineup as losing enthusiasm, she explained, “With this lineup, I feel that fire when we play. Amilia and Laura's ability to process music and perform it without a mistake is unlike anything I have ever seen.”

Tim O’Brien grew up in a family that appreciated music. “My parents sang in church, but my sister and I were the only ones in the family who were musical. We were the two youngest, and we were red-headed and left-handed. She played the piano, and about the same time, I started playing guitar. While our parents didn’t play musical instruments, they always encouraged us.” Tim grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia. “I played guitar all through high school. I guess I was mostly into folk music, like the Peter, Paul, and Mary sphere, but I also got caught up in the British invasion and all things Beatles.” He left home at age 18 to go to college, but after a year, Tim left to play music. “I ended up in Colorado, which became my base of operation.” Around that time, Tim discovered bluegrass. National Public Radio was a new thing, and bluegrass festivals were springing up across the country. “I heard Doc Watson playing on television and liked what I heard.” That led him to become a lifelong devotee of old-time and bluegrass music. Tim started a bluegrass band called Hot Rize with banjo player Pete Wernick in 1978. The Hot Rize website quotes Tim as saying, “I got a call in the fall of 1977. It was Pete on the line, and he had a proposal. Since we each had solo recordings coming out the following year, and since we'd helped each other record them, he thought we should join forces and form a bluegrass band to play our music to folks. He even had a name for the band – Hot Rize.” The name was a way to connect them to the bluegrass community since Flatt and Scruggs sang on radio and television about Martha White Self-Rising flour with its special leavening ingredient, “Hot Rize.” The band began booking gigs in 1978. “We had a pretty good production run for about a dozen years.” Hot Rize indeed had a “pretty good production run.” They were presented with the International Bluegrass Music Association's first-ever Entertainers of the Year award. They were nominated for a Grammy, had a four-star review in Rolling Stone, and toured the world, playing on four continents. “It was like being in school,” he says. “We learned how to make music, how to record, and about the music business in general.” Kathy Mattea recorded a couple of songs Tim wrote for Hot Rize. “Walk the Way the Wind Blows” and “Untold Stories,” both of which were Top Ten hits. He left the band in 1990 and had a record contract, continuing with his music on his own. He pursued songwriting more, and little by little, he carved out a career for himself. Songs he wrote for his solo projects have been covered by artists including Nickel Creek, Garth Brooks, and The Dixie Chicks. He has also collaborated with his sister, Mollie O'Brien, songwriter Darrell Scott, old-time musician Dirk Powell, Mark Knopfler, Steve Earl, Sturgill Simpson, and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. “I moved to Nashville in 1996 to plug into the system here,” he says. Tim enjoys the process of writing songs. “To me, writing songs is like a little puzzle. You have to find a way to arrange the words to put them in a frame. It’s kind of subjective, just like any other work of art. But it’s exciting when it works out.” Songwriting has become the most important part of what Tim does today. “I studied up on how to play various instruments and other aspects of music. When you are writing a song, however, that is unique to you.” Tim still has a busy schedule performing and playing music. He performs with his wife, Jan Fabricius, who plays mandolin, sings, and collaborates with him on songwriting. The couple has been performing together nationally and internationally as a duo or as part of the Tim O’Brien Band. A new album, Cup of Sugar, was released last June and features original songs co-written by Tim and Jan. Awarded Grammys in the Folk and Bluegrass categories, Tim was inducted into the West Virginia and the Colorado Music Halls of Fame. Tim says he’s slowing down a bit as he looks at 70. “Keeping busy helps me stay healthy.” He and Jan enjoy traveling, and it's easy to hop in the car and go as a duo. ”We have made traveling one of our hobbies. I read up on the places where we are going to play. I like history, and I like to read. I also enjoy cooking, and I like to get out and walk. It seems that most of my leisure activities are somehow tied into my life in music.”

Musical luminary Ola Belle Reed was born on August 16, 1916, in Lansing, North Carolina. Her childhood unfolded against the backdrop of the Appalachian hills, where old-time ballads and the twang of the banjo lightened the arduous life of New River Valley miners and their families. Her ancestors had settled in the New River Valley area of western North Carolina in the 1760s. Ola Belle's father, Arthur Harrison Campbell, was a savvy schoolteacher and storekeeper who also maintained a summer farm. His thriftiness and diligence in these roles supported his family of 13. However, the Great Depression compelled the Campbells to relocate to northeastern Maryland, with the promise of fertile lands and better work opportunities. Born Ola Wave Campbell, her initiation into music was as natural as the flow of the New River. Her grandfather, Alexander Campbell, a Primitive Baptist preacher, and fiddle maestro, permeated their home with his soulful strings. Ola Belle's mother and grandmother spun Appalachian tales through ballads and topical songs. At the same time, Ola Belle's father, a musical polymath, orchestrated a family band with his siblings Doc and Ellen. And Uncle Herb Osborne’s mining songs rang out from West Virginia’s coalfields. As a young child in Lansing, Ola Belle learned the art of singing traditional ballads, crafting her unique banjo style that became the heartbeat of Appalachian melodies. She discovered her love for traditional music, and this birthed a prolific songwriter and a country music pioneer. Banjo in hand, she began composing songs, setting in motion a journey that would resonate across generations. Ola Belle toured and performed alongside her brother, Alec Campbell, and later with her husband, Bud Reed. Her partnership with Alec paved the way for Ola Belle to record her compositions, which found permanent homes at Starday Records, Rounder Records, and Smithsonian Folkways. The recordings showcased Ola Belle's banjo prowess and the musical talents of her son David, a bluegrass virtuoso, and her husband Bud, whose rhythmic guitar and yodeling added texture to their cadence and overall performance. They also carved a space for their musical endeavors, birthing The New River Ranch, an iconic venue staging the foot-stomping rhythms of country music legends like Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, and Bill Monroe. Ola Belle received the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Award in 1986, which crowned her a tradition bearer. Her influence rippled through the bluegrass community, with artists like Del McCoury acknowledging her impact through his rendition of "High on a Mountain." The potent strains of "High on a Mountain" also found new life in 1992 when country-rock singer Marty Stuart turned it into a hit. A testament to Ola Belle's enduring legacy, the song has been recorded over 100 times. Her 1973 masterpiece, "Ola Belle Reed," transcends temporal boundaries and found its rightful place among the revered gems of the National Recording Registry in 2019. Today, Ola Belle Reed continues to be a luminous figure and tradition bearer of the Appalachian people, their culture, and their music. The Town of Lansing and the local non-profit organization GLAD (Greater Lansing Area Development) will pay tribute to Ola Belle Reed by hosting The Ola Belle Reed Festival on August 19, 2023. This one-day event will feature judged performances and songwriting in the style of Ola Belle by bands and individuals, adults and youth, with guest performances and a square dance following the competition. Ola Belle Reed Festival – Saturday, August 19, 2023 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – Jackson Cunningham & Nobody's Business 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM – Youth Registration ($10 per contestant, $15 per band) 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Youth Competition 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM – Break 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Adult Registration ($20 per contestant, $30 per band) 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – Adult Competition

In the new book Highways and Heartaches: How Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, and Children of the New South Saved the Soul of Country Music, author Michael Streissguth explores the artistic choices made by two Grammy-winning stars with deep bluegrass roots. Ricky Skaggs appeared on the Flatt and Scruggs television show when he was seven. Marty Stuart was on the road full-time at age 13 with Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass. Streissguth is a Department of Communication and Film Studies professor at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. The subjects of his previous books include Johnny Cash, Outlaw Country, Eddie Arnold, and Rosanne Cash. The Bluegrass Standard spoke with Streissguth about Highways and Heartaches, which he says was inspired by David Hajdu's book, Positively Fourth Street, about Bob Dylan and Mimi Fariña and Richard Fariña and Joan Baez. Streissguth: It was just a beautiful story that unfolded among four people. And I thought it would be interesting to try doing the same thing with two characters from bluegrass music and country music in the 1970s... Ricky and Marty are growing up in bluegrass music and then went on into the 1980s to influence mainstream country music. So, the goal became trying to tell a story about bluegrass music and bluegrass culture in the 1970s into the 1980s through the experiences of Ricky and Marty. The Bluegrass Standard: While most guys their age were playing in garage bands and learning rock 'n roll, Ricky and Marty sat on buses with old guys learning older music. How have they embraced tradition and moved beyond it? Streissguth: They grew up in settings that appreciated tradition, Ricky, in Eastern Kentucky with Hobert Skaggs, a father who was just a big bluegrass enthusiast, and a family that sang and was musical. And the same was true to some extent with Marty Stuart. He grew up in a music-rich area. There is music made by the family in the living room of the Stuart’s household in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Blues music is around Marty. There's country music television. Radio stations are playing all the great music of the era. And it just fortifies both. The contact with so many talented people inspires them and ultimately pulls them into the world of commercial bluegrass music. One of the book's themes is that they're working in a tradition with some of the best exemplars of that tradition--Ralph Stanley for Ricky and Lester Flatt for Marty. But they also begin to innovate within that tradition. So, it's not surprising that Ricky Skaggs, in his band Boone Creek in the 1970s, would riff on pop songs of the day by the Eagles. And it's not surprising that Marty would have been drawn to the Byrds, notably guitarist Clarence White, and go on to incorporate those styles in his music right up to this day in his current album. The Bluegrass Standard: Ricky was driven by his father, but Marty seems self-motivated. There was no stopping Marty. It appears he was going to be a performer, despite what his parents might have said. Is that right? Streissguth: I think so. And I think also his parents understood that their son had a gift, and they understood that they needed to be involved in nurturing that gift and helping Marty find an outlet for it. And that meant taking him to shows all around the region. That meant driving up to the Bean Blossom Festival in the early 1970s, where he finally meets Lester Flatt and others. I tend to think of it also against the backdrop of the cloud that was over Philadelphia, Mississippi, in the wake of the murders of the three civil rights workers during that time. I think the family may have understood that to thrive, he would need to get out of Philadelphia and ply his talent elsewhere. Now, that said, Marty has never abandoned Philadelphia. He continues to have a major footprint there with his Congress of Country Music. He owns property there and spends significant time there each year. But I think the family understood that getting out of Philadelphia was important. The Bluegrass Standard: They’ve become kind of elder statesmen for bluegrass and country music. Are they surprised by that, or is that something they cultivated? Streissguth: I think Marty cultivated that by being a collector of many of the artifacts of country music and by never really refusing any opportunity to talk about country music. I think for a long time, Marty's own story has been obscured because of his dedication to talking about other people in country music. And I think that's illustrated in the Ken Burns PBS documentary, where he's just a wonderful spokesperson for country music. But it's not necessarily an avenue for learning more about Marty Stuart. Ricky perhaps hasn't pursued it in the way that Marty pursued it. For a period in the 80s, he was the face of not just traditional country music but the country music period. And I think he's developed his skills over the years as a spokesperson, as a commentator on country music, and finds himself in that position of being somebody to turn to when we think about tradition in country music. The Bluegrass Standard: You've written several books about country music artists. What is it about country music that you find compelling? Streissguth: It’s because the stories behind the music are really the stories of a nation growing up and evolving. I was a history major in college, and following the roots-based music in our country has just been a wonderful history lesson. And I continue to learn from this experience of following the music and then writing about the music …Somebody once said that writing is learning, and that's just what it is for me. And it's also great music. At the end of the day, it's great music.

For Cincinnati-based folk duo The Montvales, presenting a robust and woman-centric voice is an integral part of the art of making music. The personally held beliefs of singer-songwriters Sally Buice and Molly Rochelson infuse the duo’s first full band-supported record, “Born Strangers,” which releases February 2. The website for The Montvales described the spirit of the music: It’s all described as a series of unexpected – but enticing – juxtapositions. The duo strikes a balance between “catchy and lonesome.” The onstage attitude is “raucous” as much as it is “reverent,” and the sound offers “equal parts honky-tonk mischief and earnest meditation on friendship, heartbreak and place.” Original clawhammer banjo and guitar music – written individually or co-written in tandem – focuses on harmonies. Here, Buice and Rochelson recorded for the first time with the backing of a full band. While their 2019 debut album Heartbreak Summer Camp was more of a stripped-down affair, this sophomore record – which Buice said “kinda goes across the folk and country spectrum” – promises to broaden the duo’s sonic landscape. It’s the first time they’re putting out music they describe as having a “full” sound. The group began among two friends raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. They cut their performance teeth in street busking in Knoxville’s Market Square and eventually landed on the local Americana radio station, WDVX. They have since graduated to a packed touring schedule that includes almost 100 dates yearly. They are looking forward to two special appearances: a full-band album release show in their home city and another in their newly adopted base. The first will happen on February 2 at the Woodward Theater in Cincinnati and the other at Barley’s Taproom in Knoxville on February 10. The 12-track Born Strangers was recorded at sound engineer Sean Sullivan’s Tractor Shed Studio and was produced by Chris Stapleton guitarist Mike Eli LoPinto. Contributing Nashville musicians include Aaron Goodrich (drums), Hank Long (keys), Alex Lyon (bass), Eddie Dunlap (pedal steel), Josie Toney (fiddle), and Holden Bitner (cello). “Woman of God” – the record’s first track, co-written by Buice and Rochelson – is described as a “banjo-driven, tent revival-style folk rager and meditation on the discipline of hope.” And there it is again…that contrast. Rager. Meditation. Other tracks promise motifs of everything from bucolic life to “the weirdos of Knoxville.” Addressing issues ranging from self-determination to money, the record is also infused with opinions on gender. According to both performers, music allows each to express deeply-held beliefs – such as thoughts on reproductive freedom – in a way they believe might be more unrestrained and effective than what other communication methods might allow. This freedom to express a range of beliefs – popular, unpopular, controversial, mundane, weird, hyper-personal, or anything in between – lures many to make a life of music. The power of this isn’t lost on The Montvales. Rochelson said it’s easier for her to change minds on topics close to her heart by using “music and storytelling” to communicate. She said she has found the voices of women are “often interrupted,” but there’s a sense in which music provides a more certain outlet. “When I write a song,” Rochelson asserted simply, “I’m not interrupted for the whole course of the song.” Buice expressed a similar sentiment about what music does in facilitating the free exchange of ideas. It’s something some of their musical heroes understood well, acts such as The Indigo Girls and The Chicks. The Montvales clearly aim to be just as forthright. “Being socialized as southern women, it can be unclear how much space to take up,” Buice explained. “I see other women taking up space through music, and I’m really grateful for it.”

One West Virginia restaurant’s menu reads something like this: ● Poutine ● Roasted Red Pepper Soup ● Warmed pimento cheese dip with housemade crackers ● “Deviled Eggs of the Moment” It displays a comforting mix of New American (and Canadian) cuisine with a fleeting Appalachian classic. “At Hart Kitchen, we change our deviled eggs about every quarter. Never the same egg twice. Yet..,” said Chef Ann Hart, owner of Hart Kitchen in Clarksburg. “If you are a deviled egg aficionado, you are not shy to let everyone know that your deviled egg is better than anybody’s deviled egg. Repeatedly! Oh, you know that person. I have been told by ‘those people’ that mine are a preeeeeetty close second. I’ll take that consolation prize.” “Deviled Eggs of the Moment” has become a signature of Hart’s, who has contributed a number of classics to the Appalachian food repertoire. Her roasted red pepper soup, which was also a staple at her previous restaurant Provence Market Cafe in Bridgeport, has fans far and wide. Back to the Basics “Long story, but I actually dropped into the food business by accident,” Hart said. “Degree in biology in hand, I moved to Atlanta in hopes of an opportunity in laboratory research. After many, many diversions, and needing to pay bills in the interim, I started working in a casual theme restaurant. There are multiple chapters to that story from then to now, but here we are still cooking.” Many know the award-winning chef from her delicious dishes at the aforementioned Provence Market Cafe, which fed the North-Central West Virginia region for nearly 18 years before a devastating fire destroyed the building in 2019. A year later, Hart opened Hart Kitchen Eatery in Clarksburg with many of the same recipes customers had come to love, as well as Hart Kitchen Cookery, where she offers culinary classes for small groups. “My signature is creating new dishes as my specials of the day. I know what I order, but I never know exactly how it will arrive. Do we have some beautiful fish but not as thick as I had expected? Then instead of it being the total star on its own, it now may become part of an ensemble of other fishes and seafood, etc.,” she said. “I don't know until I see it! My dishes may be regionally inspired, globally inspired or just a good old classic.” When it comes to her deviled eggs, though, there’s just one thing for certain: You never know what to expect. “One thing I do like to do to my egg is gussy it up,” Hart said. “Keep the bottom classic egg the same but mix up the toppings. I am not even going to suggest you change your recipe to mine but go ahead and come up with your own combo to top your egg!” Here are a few suggestions from Hart to get you started: ● Buffalo chicken, celery and blue cheese ● Tortilla sliver, jalapeno slice and cheddar ● Caprese with tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil ● Pickled egg with pickled vegetables ● Benedict style with ham, chilled hollandaise, paprika and buttered crumb ● Steak and eggs The above are just a few of the recipes in Hart’s back pocket. But if eggs aren’t your jam, try another featured dish on the menu that tempts your tastebuds, like the seared sea scallops with blueberry compote, crispy soppressata and roasted vegetables or the tuna carpaccio nicoise. The skinny fries appetizer is adorned with two dips of your choice: English Mustard Mayo, Green Goddess, Bleu Cheese, Calabrian Chili Aioli, Roasted Red Pepper Soup Dip, or Regular Ketchup. There’s also a basket of beer steamed Gulf “peel and eat” shrimp served with New England butter, grilled lemon aioli and cocktail sauce. Michael’s Famous Pixie Dust Chicken Wings consist of nine large house wings served with bleu cheese and veggie sticks. There is always something new, different or updated at Hart Kitchen. Whether it’s a throwback to a crowd-favorite or a new take on a classic dish, the eatery keeps it fresh. “The most exciting aspect to this career is the day to day challenge as no day is ever the same - no ‘Groundhog Day’ in this business,” Hart said. For more information about Hart Kitchen Eatery and Cookery, visit https://hartkitchen.com/. Hart Kitchen Eatery and Cookery is located at 123 S. 4th Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301. It is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed Sunday through Wednesday.

Some may think it’s unlikely that a Jewish girl born in Germany after World War II to Polish-born Jews who survived the German Holocaust would go on to play in a family bluegrass Gospel band. That’s precisely what Lily Isaacs has done, working with her family’s band to perform across the country and worldwide. They have earned 19 Dove Awards in various categories and many other awards for their inspiring music. Lily moved to New York with her parents in 1949 when she was two. She spoke Yiddish until she was in grade school. In 1969, Lily met Joe Isaacs, a Greenbriar Boys bluegrass band member, in Greenwich Village. Joe was one of 19 children born to a Pentecostal preacher father. The couple married, and Lily accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior in 1971 at Joe’s brother’s funeral in Ohio. It was a natural progression for her to join Joe on stage. Lily always had show business in her blood. As a child, Lily studied theatre and performing in the Bronx. As a teenager, she signed a contract with Capitol Records and recorded an album with a friend. But the birth of her three children set the course for Lily’s performing life. “God blessed me with three very talented children.” In time, she became the matriarch of one of the bluegrass world’s most endearing groups, The Isaacs. The group now consists of Lily and her three children, daughters Becky and Sonya, son Ben, and other musicians. Since this issue of The Bluegrass Standard focuses on the women of bluegrass, we’ll turn our attention to the girls. “My girls started their career in bluegrass before they were born,” laughs Lily, who says she was on stage with each of them before they saw the light of this world. “I can’t remember a time when they weren’t on stage with us. Both of them picked up an instrument on their own and learned by watching other people. I think Sonya was playing with us by the time she was seven years old.” Lily says the girls never had formal music lessons outside a few vocal lessons. “Their talent comes naturally.” Sonya Isaacs Yeary plays mandolin and sings with the band. Through many trials and tribulations, including two miscarriages, Sonya has managed to rise above it. Along with her songwriter husband, Jimmy Yeary, they wrote a song about the second one called “Keep Breathing,” released on The Isaacs 2016 album Nature’s Symphony in 432. Sonya is the middle child of the Isaacs family. She and Jimmy married in 2009, and they have two sons and a daughter. In a recent podcast, Sonya says that being raised in two cultures “really introduced our palettes for different musical styles.” Both sides of her family have influenced her faith. While she loves the culture, traditions, and discipline of the Jewish faith, she says her Pentecostal side has taught her about free worship and having a personal relationship with God. Becky Isaacs Bowman is the baby of the family. She is a guitarist, vocalist in the band and an accomplished songwriter. However, Lily said music was more challenging for Becky than her siblings. For years, she suffered panic attacks on stage, but now she prays a special prayer before going on stage. Knowing she is doing what God has called her to do helps, too. Married to evangelist John Bowman, Becky wanted to go into the medical field at one time. But she continued playing with The Isaacs and now feels she is exactly where God wants her to be. Becky spent much of 2023 recovering from a tragic car accident that left her with multiple injuries to both legs. The Isaacs are based out of Hendersonville, Tennessee. They stay busy performing on the road, recording in the studio, and producing for other artists. “My girls are my best friends, and I love spending time with them,” says Lily. “But I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We are a family, and we have disagreements like any other family. But we love each other and know how to get past our disagreements. We always have each other’s back.” a trustworthy opportunity for others to help us bless Israel. Their passion project is the family’s non-profit, The Isaacs Foundation, with a mission “to help us provide a trustworthy opportunity for others to help us bless Israel.” Lily says what is happening in the Middle East is heartbreaking. “I have cousins in Israel, but I feel sorry for the Israelis and the Palestinians. As descendants of surviving Jewish Holocaust parents, I don’t understand the hatred of Jews. My prayer is for all people to have peace.” The Isaac Foundation was formed in 2018, and Lily says they have been able to bless Israel with several hundreds of thousands of dollars through the non-profit. “Because of the current conflict, our focus has changed to a humanitarian focus, helping to get people basic needs.” The Isaacs are frequent performers on The Grand Ole Opry and are often seen on the Gaither Homecoming Videos and Concert Series. They have performed in several countries on almost every continent, in venues ranging from large arenas to country churches. Their travel schedule is mind-boggling, yet they all make time for family. “We live pretty close to each other,” says Lily, who says the family enjoys spending time together even when they’re not on the road, especially during the holidays.

From childhood, Louisa Branscomb lived in a world of songs. "I remember sitting on Grandmother's living room rug singing my favorite song, “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Fun-tear,” when I was about four. Grandmother told me I asked what a 'fun tear' was, and she said, 'It's like the rug is what is familiar, and the frontier is everything beyond the rug - it is where no one has gone before, where pioneers go.' I asked why they say fun and tears together," and she said, playing along, 'It's not always easy to be a pioneer, and that's the tears. But it's fun too.'" That exchange began a lifetime devoted to pioneering the territory of songwriting, the role of women in bluegrass, and new ways to use songs to unite people. "I was very shy," Louisa relates. "Songwriting was my 'first language.' Talking was my second." As a child, songwriting came naturally and gave her a way to make meaning out of things by telling their stories. She wrote her first song at age six and received her first significant honor as a composer at age 11 when she won a regional contest and the distinction of being the youngest person to perform an original composition with the Birmingham Symphony in front of an audience of 2,500 people. Louisa's skills as a songwriter caught the eye of country songwriter/singer greats like Mel Tillis and Tom T Hall before she was 22. The song synonymous with Louisa is “Steel Rails,” written at age 21. As recorded by Alison Krauss, it is one of the longest-running chart hits in bluegrass, a hit in country and folk, and considered a bluegrass classic that brought a new generation into the field. YouTube reflects some 350 performances of the song by different musicians and bands. Mel Tillis heard “Steel Rails” in 1971 and invited Louisa to move to Nashville to write country songs, saying they needed another female songwriter. He saw Louisa as potentially the "next Cindy Walker." Louisa turned him down. "Looking back, I had no idea what kind of opportunity that was for a 21-year-old, but I told him I really loved the banjo and performing around the country with my band. He was very gracious and helped me record demos of the first five I recorded in Nashville." Louisa formed what may have been the first modern all-female bluegrass band with a friend in 1971. She continued as likely the first woman to front a band on banjo while also writing most of the band's material and taking a major role in producing the band's albums (Boot Hill). In 1991, Louisa happened by the Station Inn in Nashville, where she heard Alison Krauss for the first time. Without knowing Alison had recorded “Steel Rails,” she found herself greeted by Alison in the green room, who picked her up, swung her around, and exclaimed, "We've been looking for you for two years!" Like the "never-ending double line" in the song, Steel Rails has a seemingly endless life of its own and has paved the way for Louisa's catalog of train songs. Legendary singer Dale Ann Bradley said, "Louisa is the master of train songs. She is the best friend a train ever had!" Explains Louisa, "My heartbeat was literally forming during a two-day long train ride from Nashville to Saranac, New York, when Mom was pregnant with me. She was going up to join my father, who had TB and was in the Sanitarium. I was born there, and we lived three doors from the tracks, where we heard the trains bring TB patients in three times a day." Louisa rode the train from Birmingham to Nashville's Union Station throughout her childhood to visit her grandparents. " ‘Steel Rails’ has been my greatest teacher," she says. "So many stories over the years of how it has joined people to each other and to music. Last night, in a bar, a woman introduced herself to me and showed me her Spotify playlist with “Steel Rails.” She said, "When I learned my sister was dying of cancer, I drove as fast as I could from North Carolina all the way to Pennsylvania. It was “Steel Rails” that kept me going. I played it for hours and arrived an hour before she died. “Steel Rails” got me there." About songwriting, Louisa says, "Books can teach craft, but it's the soul of the song that I am most interested in. The magic that lifts some songs above others and makes them resonate with listeners. I think when you go through life with the heart of an artist, it is like intentionally lifting the veils of your own soul to find the truest message in the moment. That's the song." Fascinated by how people use creativity to overcome hardship, Louisa continued as a full-time musician while earning a Ph.D. in Psychology, where she studied the power of songwriting to transform trauma. Now, both paths have joined in her work, evolving an original model for understanding and teaching the art of songwriting. Her retreat program is in its 33rd year and has seen over 800 participants, many of whom return year after year. Asked why she has spent so much time mentoring instead of promoting her career, Louisa answered, "In the 70s, when I came along, I didn't have teachers or mentors. There were no bluegrass organizations, and the number of songwriters was few, and the number of women players and songwriters even less. So, when Alison recorded “Steel Rails,” I wasn't 40 yet, but I felt I had the good fortune songwriters dream of all their lives. I decided I wanted to pay it forward and dedicated myself to mentoring as much as performing from then on." Louisa blazed trails in advocating for songwriters and the songwriting community beginning in 1996, spearheading the forming of the organized songwriter community in IBMA and the Songwriter Award. She then founded the non-profit ScreenDoor Songwriter Alliance to build community through songwriting and songwriting events, especially with children and veterans. "The most powerful tool we have is to move people and bring people together in music. Songwriting is where music begins. In a world so fragmented, it is where I see hope." Louisa has penned over 350 recorded songs, many holding top chart positions in folk, bluegrass, and roots music for an extended time. She is believed to be the only person to have ever contributed a song to a legendary artist's first Grammy album (Alison Krauss) and the same song to another legendary artist's last album (John Denver). She earned a second Song of the Year with “Dear Sister” co-written and recorded with Claire Lynch Distinguished Achievement Award for "furthering the genre of bluegrass music with her pioneering for songwriters, musicians, and communities." She was recently honored with her third nomination for Mentor of the Year. Louisa is a member of the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Honor and the Alabama Bluegrass Hall of Fame. One awarded songwriter peer relates, "It's simple. Louisa IS songwriting." Writer David McGee explains, "No other writer captures the full rainbow of human emotions, in all their flawed glory, as does Louisa." She continues to perform, mentor, and record and is authoring a book about her unique approach to songwriting. A 13th album of originals is also underway. "I see songwriting as the doorway to the soul. We might not like what we find when we open it, but whatever it is, it is something universal that everyone feels across oceans and across all our differences. It's the rails I'll always ride wherever they take me." louisabranscomb.com