There are studios where the red light comes on and the air tightens like a courtroom. Then there are studios where someone calmly leans into the talkback mic and says, “Do you guys want to check tuning really quick? I think your B string has gone south a little.” The second kind tends to make the records that last. That quiet moment lives at the center of Eric Uglum’s philosophy at New Wine Studios, a studio that began in Southern California in 1994 and now sits in Watertown, Tennessee, just outside Nashville. It also explains how a lifetime spent onstage became the foundation of a career spent helping other musicians sound like themselves. A life that started onstage Eric Uglum’s path into bluegrass began long before New Wine Studios existed. Born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and raised in Huntington Beach, California, he came up through the Southern California bluegrass scene at a time when the genre’s West Coast community was both tight-knit and ambitious. In 1982, he won the West Coast Flatpicking Guitar Championship, an early marker of a career defined by musicianship as much as technical curiosity. Through the 1980s and ’90s, Uglum built a résumé that reads like a map of modern bluegrass connections. He performed with Weary Hearts alongside Ron Block, Mike Bub, Butch Baldassari, and Chris Jones, and later helped form New Wine with Ron and Sandra Block and Rob Ickes. He played in Copperline and toured internationally with Lost Highway, whose recordings included Ralph Stanley. Later collaborations included Chris Stuart & Backcountry and the family group Eric Uglum & Sons. His solo album Shenandoah Wind featured Alison Krauss, Stuart Duncan, and Rob Ickes, names that signal just how deeply embedded he is in the genre’s musical community. New Wine Studios began in Southern California in 1994 and eventually relocated to Tennessee, where it operates today as a recording, mixing, and mastering studio serving bluegrass, folk, and Americana artists. The advantage of a producer who plays Uglum’s dual identity as musician and engineer shapes the studio environment in ways artists immediately feel. “The main asset of being an engineer who plays is the ear training that a player experiences is applicable to the production environment,” Uglum explained. “Being able to resolve small pitch and tuning issues will help the artist create a better product and save time in the studio.” It’s a philosophy rooted in empathy. When the producer has been the person holding the instrument, the studio becomes a collaborative space instead of a technical proving ground. From California beginnings to Tennessee home New Wine Studios’ move to Tennessee reflects both personal and professional motivations. “I always had the goal of moving out here,” Uglum said. “While the business opportunities are great in Nashville, it was being closer to family, friends and grandkids that was the main motivator. Of course, the general musicality of the players out here is very high and lots of fun to work with!” Today, New Wine Studios serves a wide range of artists across bluegrass, folk, and Americana, with Uglum working as a recording, mixing, and mastering engineer and producer. The danger of attempting perfection Ask Uglum what defines a great modern bluegrass recording and the answer arrives quickly – and carefully. “In bluegrass in particular and folk music in general, one must be careful not to over-produce,” Uglum deduced. “Modern recording technology allows editing forever and many projects end up having a perfect antiseptic sheen that doesn't really exist in the real world. All of my favorite historic recordings, The Stanley Brothers, Paul Brady, Tony Rice, James Taylor, etc. have some technical timing and pitch inconsistencies that don't affect the end product at all! Music should make you feel something and all those artists have done that regardless of the production process they used.” Even the click track isn’t the standard, but a tool, and only when needed. “The decision to use a click track can be a big problem for a bluegrass band that hasn't trained with it. 4/4 bluegrass will often have a strange feel if played to a click. This seems to be a result of the subdivisions in the banjo roll. The effect seems less in waltz ¾ time. The more the band can breathe rhythmically the better.” Uglum feels that producing across generations offers a front-row seat to bluegrass evolution. “The players just keep getting better and better. A young student has an incredible amount of instructional material and recordings to listen to that has really increased the state of the art. Sierra’s accurate and buttery mandolin tone is unique, Alison's vocal tone and pitch is amazing!” Technology will continue to assist recording, but Uglum sees a steady center that won’t move. “Traditional music will always be about the artist who actually plays and sings with good tone! No amount of studio tricks can replace that!” At New Wine Studios, the microphones sit ready, the room holds quiet, and somewhere between the tuning check and the final take, we hear what recording was meant to do: capture a performance that feels alive. https://ericuglum.com/

If necessity is the mother of invention, guitars made of cigar boxes are a testament to human creativity in the face of financial hardship. A simple cigar box, commonly found, serves as the resonator of the instrument, with a neck made of wood – often a broom handle – then strung with screen wire or fishing line to create a do-it-yourself guitar with a distinctive sound. Cigar boxes, hubcaps, Coke crates, and more were used to fashion improvised string instruments played during the three-day Cigar Box Guitar Festival in New Orleans in January. The festival was founded by Collins Kirby ten years ago. “My wife and I lived in New Orleans at the time,” said Collins. “We attended the cigar box guitar festival in Huntsville, Alabama – the first festival of its kind. We met Justin Johnside and John Pickle. We hired April May and the Junebugs to play in New Orleans in 2014, and we realized then that a festival was feasible in New Orleans.” There are cigar box guitar festivals in California, St. Louis, and other places around the country, but the New Orleans festival has been called the “World Cup of Cigar Box Guitar.” Players and makers from around the globe gathered at the historic New Orleans Jazz Museum. The lineup was amazing, with musicians of many different genres playing in the intimate setting. “If you’re interested in total immersion in Americana, the New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival is an elevating and enriching salute to our culture and heritage, and you can't leave without a smile on your face,” said documentary producer Dennis Baker. It truly was a unique celebration of music, art, and the cultural history of homemade stringed instruments, appropriately held in New Orleans, a city where the early development of jazz and blues depended on them. From Affordable Substitute to Modern Musical Instruments Cigar box guitars can be traced back to the mid-1800s. During hard financial times, the instruments provided entertainment when resources were scarce. The string count ranged from one string to six, and over time, the quality of the guitars improved. Elements from traditional guitar-making were incorporated, including hardwood guitar necks that used standard guitar strings, and pickups that allowed the tonal range to be broadened with simplification. Even with all that, the cigar box guitar has a distinctive sound that many musicians prefer. Because of its smaller size, it has a bright, midrange-focused tone. Beginners often prefer a three-stringed guitar that is tuned to an open chord. They can play full chords with a single finger, which encourages the rhythm and slide techniques commonly heard in roots and blues music. Not Just for the Blues The festival in New Orleans was heavy on the blues, but there were plenty of other genres there as well. And folks came from around the globe to perform, “We had acts from France, Holland, and Australia,” said Collins. Any improvised instrument was welcome. The same musical rules to build stringed instruments applied. “We had a guitar made from a hubcap, and a bass made from a Coke crate, plus plenty of guitars, and even a fiddle, made from cigar boxes.” The New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival kicked off Thursday night with bluegrass artist Hilary Klug. She is a fiddler and a dancer, a combination not often seen. Hilary was joined on stage by Canadian performer Meredith Moon. “I had a blast,” said Hilary, who entered a video where she played an instrument made by her neighbor. “I won second place in the video contest, and I was invited to perform at the festival.” The festival also included a builders' workshop and contest on Friday. Russ Wellington from St. Louis, Missouri, took first place. In second place was Huntsville, Alabama native Chuck Coan, and Steve Holladay from Holladay, Tennessee, placed third. Some of the instruments from the workshop were played at the Friday evening Hootenanny, This was a unique festival in that it not only featured musicians, but also the instruments they played. In the midst of blues and other genres, bluegrass music made a big splash. “I was proud to bring mountain music to sea level at the New Orleans Jazz Museum,” laughed Collins. “One of the keys to this festival’s success is that we feature so many different styles of music.” The festival operates on a tight budget, yet it has snowballed into one of the largest cigar box guitar festivals in the country. “It's my desire to stimulate an interest in the homemade stringed instrument movement among old-time and bluegrass music enthusiasts and players like the one that exists in the blues and jazz communities,” said Collins. “A recognition of the history, and the adoption of homemade fiddles, banjos, basses, and guitars by current culture bearers to achieve an authentic sound. Hopefully, our performances will help kickstart that recognition and use.” https://www.neworleanscbg.com/

“Our goal is to keep our band going,” explains mandolinist and lead singer Brian Eversole, father of Julia, 16, and David Eversole, 15. The Eversoles, along with friend and Scruggs-style banjo player Ashton Murray, 13, form the family-run Grassy Creek Bluegrass Band. For those not yet familiar with this band from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, they just recorded their first single, “Weather Girl,” and are thrilled to talk about it. “I was a little nervous, but it was a lot of fun. Once we got there,” says 16-year-old bassist Julia Eversole, taking part in her first recording session. Recording at Sound Biscuit Productions, “We’ve heard some of the bands here locally that recorded with them,” recalls the teen bassist about the Grammy Award-winning studio. “We thought, ‘you know, they're putting out really good stuff.’ So when we were thinking about where to record, we decided to go with [Sound Biscuit]. I think that was a really good decision!” Most people listening will be surprised. “We all kind of started together about three years ago,” shares Julia and David’s father, Brian. “I was visiting my father-in-law, and he had a cheap mandolin hanging on the wall. “I saw it and pulled it down, and I just started playing,” the mandolinist recalls. “My [father-in-law] said, ‘why you don’t take that home with you, I don't have any use for it.’ So I took it home, and within the day, I had learned my first fiddle tune.’” The Kids Followed “We had a guitar at the house, and this little ukulele bass,” remembers Brian. Julia picked up the bass and started playing, while David, 15, started playing the guitar. “I just showed them a little thing like ‘Angeline the Baker.’ I think that was the first little easy fiddle tune that we learned together.” “Soon after, we started going to the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association jams,” Brian recalls. “We never missed a jam—we just played together every single day.” Going on, “So we haven't really been playing that long, but we've got a lot of trigger [practice] in a short amount of time.” Megan Eversole, mother of Julia and David, says her husband and kids enjoy each other’s company. “I couldn’t be prouder! Their love for bluegrass, and for each other, shines through every time they play.” “I keep the household running so they can focus on the music,” Megan says about her role in the band. New to Bluegrass “I had grown up around bluegrass, so it was kind of infused in me, same as church music,” explains Brian. “I'd heard bluegrass music a lot, but I didn't spend a lot of time playing it or listening to it. It was kind of an eureka moment.” Julia joins in, “I heard people talking about Bill Monroe, and I was like, ‘okay, I've got to look this guy up.’ So I looked him up, and I started listening to him, and I heard all of those old songs he did, like ‘Can't You Hear Me Callin’ and ‘Southern Flavor,’ and I just fell in love with [bluegrass].” David’s Surprising Music Ability “Tony Rice is a big inspiration for my son David. I would say, ‘how do you know how to play [Tony Rice]?’ [David] said, ‘I pulled it up on my computer and listened to it and figured it out. He's done that with dozens and dozens of Tony Rice breaks,’” explains Brian. Helps With Harmonies “He has a special ear for harmony,” Brian shares. “David figures out our vocal harmony parts on his piano; I don't know if we would be able to sing harmony like we do without David, his piano, and his ears.” Friend Ashton Murray completes the lineup. “I swear, we played with a lot of banjo players, and Ashton is our favorite,” shares Brian, describing their thirteen-year-old banjo player. “He's got that bluegrass drive behind his banjo.” The band’s leader says Murray’s playing has good dynamics. “He's really good at being really loud when he needs to be and then really quiet!” Brian says the band will be going back to the studio to record. “We have quite a few other songs that we're hoping to record this year. ‘Weather Girl’ will be our first release, which is part of that album that we're working on.” The band, currently traveling in Brian’s F-150 pickup truck, says financial backing is welcomed. “If signing on with a record label could reduce some of the expenses and make some of the recording process a little easier, that would be appealing to us. Right now it’s for fun. We just kind of do this as a side hustle—it’s a hobby for me and the kids.” https://www.facebook.com/p/Grassy-Creek-Bluegrass-Band-61578726595805/

Another Hall Of Fame For The Stanley Brothers With this spring’s announcement of a new class of honorees in Nashville, the Stanley Brothers took their place among legendary acts selected to both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Bluegrass Hall of fame. They were selected to the Bluegrass Hall’s second class of honorees in 1992. “Hailing from mountainous southwestern Virginia, the Stanley Brothers—Ralph and Carter—were a foundational act in Bluegrass whose music has influenced generations of artists in a variety of genres,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Now, they will permanently be enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame alongside their esteemed peers and fellow pioneers.” Other honorees in both Halls of Fame include Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Mac Wiseman, and the Carter Family. While the Carter Family’s recognition at the Bluegrass Hall focuses on A.P., Sara and Maybelle, their plaque mentions the later line-up that included June Carter Cash, who was selected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2025. “Testament To A Legacy” John Lawless, editor of Bluegrass Today, put the contributions of several of these pioneers in perspective: “It is often said that Bill Monroe invented the Bluegrass style and gave it its instrumentation, then Flatt and Scruggs brought it to the wider audience, while The Stanley Brothers gave it its soul,” he said. Ralph Stanley II and his sister Lisa Stanley Marshall and Jeanie Stanley, Carter’s daughter, represented their late parents at the Hall of Fame ceremony. “This moment is deeply personal for our entire family,” they said in a statement responding to the announcement. “Seeing Ralph and Carter – The Stanley Brothers – inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is an extraordinary honor, and something we know would have meant so much to them. The fact that people around the world still love their music speaks to the heart and soul they poured into every recording and performance.” “Carter’s emotional lead combined with Ralph’s haunting tenor created a sound that was truly special. After Carter’s passing, Ralph carried on the music they began together, dedicating his life to preserving the spirit of traditional mountain music and sharing it with audiences everywhere through the Clinch Mountain Boys before his passing in 2016. “To see The Stanley Brothers recognized together, side by side, is incredibly meaningful for our family and a testament to a legacy that continues to live on through their music.” That “Old-Time Mountain Sound” Ralph and Carter grew up in a musical family, learning harmonies as their father sang mountain ballads and hymns and their mother played the banjo. The radio expanded their musical horizons, bringing the sounds of the Grand Ole Opry and other talented entertainers. The Stanleys formed the Clinch Mountain Boys band in 1946, with Carter singing lead and playing guitar and Ralph on banjo and high tenor harmonies. What they described as that “old-time mountain sound” found a home base on radio at WCYB-AM in Bristol, Virginia, and later at the Suwannee River Jamboree in Live Oak, Florida, and on syndicated television shows. The brothers’ recording career began in 1947 on the Rich-R-Tone label, continuing with Columbia, Mercury, Starday, King, and Rebel Records. Among their signature songs were “White Dove,” “Little Maggie,” “Mountain Dew,” “Rank Stranger,” “Man of Constant Sorrow,” and “Angel Band.” In 1959, the Stanley Brothers became the first Bluegrass band invited to play at the Newport Folk Festival. That performance gained new fans and showcased the “mountain sound” in the 1960s folk revival. The Stanleys appeared on network television shows, including ABC-TV’s popular “Hootenanny” broadcast from college campuses. When Carter Stanley died at age 41 in 1966, Ralph continued to tour and record with the Clinch Mountain Boys. Just as Carter had served a stint with Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, Ralph mentored many young Bluegrass musicians over the next 50 years. Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley are among the best-known alumni of the Clinch Mountain Boys, and in 1995 Ralph Stanley II joined the group he now leads. In his mid-70s, Ralph Sr. entertained everything except thoughts of slowing down. He was introduced to yet another generation of new fans through the Coen Brothers 2000 film, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” The soundtrack album, which included several new versions of Stanley standards and Ralph’s own performance of “O Death,” won the CMA Award and Grammy for Album of the Year. At the age of 75, Ralph won the 2002 Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his solo from “O Brother”. He followed that up a year later when “Lost In The Lonesome Pines” won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. He also was nominated for Grammys in 2007, 2012, and 2016, the year he died at the age of 89. More Bluegrass Ties in Country’s New Class The other members of this year’s class of the Country Music Hall of Fame also can claim some Bluegrass ties. Songwriter Paul Overstreet’s hits include the classic “When You Say Nothing At All,” which topped the charts for Keith Whitley in 1988 and for Alison Krauss in 1995. Four years later, the song also was #1 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand for Irish singer Ronan Keating. Overstreet’s Randy Travis standards—“Forever and Ever Amen” and “On The Other Hand”—and the writer’s own recording of “Seeing My Father In Me” are a few of his many other Country hits that have been covered by Bluegrass and Gospel artists. Tim McGraw, inducted in the Modern Era Artists category, isn’t generally known for recording Bluegrass tunes. But this year, McGraw joined Bob Minner (his long-time acoustic guitarist and Billy Blue Records recording artist) and Lori McKenna in their “Kentucky Bluebird” tribute to Keith Whitley. The song is on Minner’s album “Where The Mountain Meets The Moon.”

In the early days of bluegrass, musicians created festivals so people could have a place to gather and hear them play. Small festivals popped up like mushrooms around the country, and fans traveled to hear their favorite artists. Del McCoury recalls those days, back when he first began to play with Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in 1963. Since then, he’s played on countless stages as he has risen through the ranks of bluegrass royalty. The bluegrass legend hails from York County, Pennsylvania. Del started on the banjo, an instrument he heard Earl Scruggs play, but Monroe quickly transitioned him to the guitar. It wasn’t long before Monroe discovered Del’s exceptional voice and anointed him as lead singer. Monroe mentored Del, providing him with a priceless education in all things bluegrass. It paid off over the years, with Del becoming one of the most recognized and respected artists, both by fellow bluegrass artists as well as artists from other genres. Del has won IBMA Entertainer of the Year nine times, as well as countless other awards, including Grammys, and being inducted as a member of the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. DELFEST In May 2008, the first DelFest was held “on the mountain side” of Maryland. If Del’s name was on it, he demanded that it be a quality festival, presented with integrity and with both the musicians and attendees in mind. Since its beginning, DelFest has been one of the premier string-band events in the country. This year’s DelFest is bigger and better than ever. It will be held May 21 through 24, with incredible music presented on multiple stages. Acts include many legends of bluegrass, along with the new hot names in the genre. ATTRACTIONS There is much more to DelFest than bands playing on stages. While that is the main attraction, there is the opportunity to learn from the masters at the DelFest Academy, there are late-night shows, there is a fun-filled KidZone, a quality vending faire with crafts by area artisans, food and drinks, and much more. https://www.delfest.com/

Twenty-three-year-old luthier Joshua Young doesn't waste time talking about guitar players; instead, he prefers to rattle off about tone, wood, bracing, jigs, and fretboards—and he does so with the authority of a master craftsman. By all accounts, he is the youngest maker of pre–World War II Martin-style replicas today. Take a stroll over to his YouTube channel, and you will see top-notch pickers Brad Paisley, Tommy Emmanuel, and Billy Strings in awe as they test-drive his custom-built D-28s. Putting it simply, he's a rising star in the world of guitar building. Young spoke from his workshop in Rock Island, Tennessee. “I knew I wanted to do something with guitars for a living, and that kind of gave me three options. I could play them, sell them, or build them,” he says, looking back on his guitar-building journey. “I was never dedicated enough to be able to make a living at [playing guitar]. It's such a competitive field—there are no guarantees. Then there was selling guitars, and I did that for a while—like all through my teen years. I probably went through over 100 guitars, buying and selling them.” [laughs] His dream was building guitars “I [contacted] a bunch of different builders because that is what really interested me,” recalls Young. Sharing his preferences, “Not so much the factory-made guitars, but old Martins and the new [guitars] that are being hand built today. Those were two things that I really loved, so I just studied all I could about those.” Young’s friend, guitar craftsman Nathaniel Wright, helps “I called him my luthier's hotline. I would call him when I had a woodworking question. Sometimes I'd drive 25 minutes to his shop, and he would help me fix whatever it was that I couldn't figure out.” Luthiers Wayne Henderson and John Arnold were also willing to teach the aspiring guitar builder. “Wayne Henderson helped me with a lot of my building process, while John Arnold taught me a lot about how wood influences the sound of a guitar,” Young shares. Young sold his first guitar to a friend and renowned musician Shawn Brock. “[The guitar] went to my buddy Shawn, who actually years before gave me a set of guitar tuners for my birthday and said, ‘When you build your first guitar, put these on it.’” Young remembers, “When he got it, he was completely blown away by it.” 2025 Amigo Guitar show “I walked around with two of my guitars and met all these celebrities. People started gathering around me. At one point, Vince Gill came over to play my guitar!” recalls the proud craftsman. Documenting the event, “It launched my social media,” shares Young, whose videos of country and bluegrass artists Brad Paisley, Bryan Sutton, John Nutter (Vince Gill), Billy Strings, and fret master Tommy Emmanuel earned him recognition. “I got all of them playing my guitars!” He adds, “I went from having less than 500 followers on Instagram to, right now, 26,000!” Talking specs “My guitars are mostly based off of 1937 Martin D-28s,” Young reveals. “My bracing template is from Wayne Henderson, and my bracing dimensions are from John Arnold's 1937 schematics that he traced out from his guitar,” explains Young, whose starting price is $7,500. “You can email me on my website at youngguitars@hotmail.com. You can also reach me by phone or text.” Adding, “There’s a $200 deposit to get on the waiting list.” A documentary by Minnesota filmmaker Marko Zitzer “He saw one of my social media videos,” Young says about Zitzer. “He emailed me and said he works for Netflix in Hollywood and that he is making documentaries about small businesses.” “He thought it would be really cool to do a documentary about my guitar building,” Young shares. “Marko will come to my shop, and I will walk him through the process of building a guitar and how I got started. We might have some other guitar players that own my guitars in it as well.” Sharing A moment of gratitude “God has blessed me in every way that is possible!” says Young, expressing joy over his newfound fame. “All I wanted to do was build guitars. I love what I do! To me, this is the best job possible!” www.joshuayoungguitars.com

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 seasonally with creative options alongside beloved classics. Customers frequently share favorites like banana splits, hot fudge sundaes and espresso Oreo milkshakes. Beyond frozen treats, Ellen’s serves fresh soups, green salads, wraps and sandwiches, making it a local favorite for lunch followed by dessert. You’ll often find a lively downtown crowd — families, college students, and visitors — especially on warm summer evenings. The Meadows Original Frozen Custard — Duncansville, Pennsylvania Address: 471 Municipal Drive, Duncansville, PA 16635 Website: https://meadowsfrozencustard.com The Meadows Original Frozen Custard started in 1950 in Duncansville and is one of the oldest frozen custard stands in Pennsylvania. Unlike traditional ice cream, frozen custard includes egg yolks for a richer, smoother texture, and The Meadows uses a recipe developed decades ago that’s still beloved by locals. In addition to cones and cups of custard, the menu features milkshakes, sundaes, arctic swirls, banana splits, root beer floats and smoothies — classic summer staples that have drawn generations of visitors. The original stand has grown into a familiar summer tradition for families and road-trippers alike, with seasonal crowds forming as temperatures rise. Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream — Ceredo, West Virginia Address: 1103 C Street, Ceredo, WV 25530 Website: https://www.austinsicecream.com Austin’s is one of West Virginia’s most iconic small-town ice cream parlors, with roots going all the way back to 1947. Originally started by a local family and passed down through generations, the business has grown over the years while staying deeply rooted in community tradition. The Ceredo location is known for its wide variety of flavors — over 40 at times — including quirky originals like grape pineapple and national award-winning standbys like chocolate and vanilla. Their makers have won numerous ribbons at national competitions, and even dairy-free options such as apple cinnamon oatmeal have taken home honors in recent years. During peak season, families and kids from across the tristate area line up for scoops, and in winter months the shop closes temporarily, reopening in spring to welcome summer crowds. Small Town Scoops — Jonesville, Virginia Address: 150 West Main Street, Jonesville, VA 24263 Website: https://www.smalltownscoops.net Small Town Scoops lives up to its name — a classic Main Street ice cream parlor in Jonesville where locals and travelers alike gather for cones, sundaes, and shakes. The shop’s atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, where neighbors chat over sweet treats and kids linger out front with melting cones. The menu features traditional favorites alongside seasonal specialties, and Small Town Scoops often hosts community events or fundraisers that bring the town together. It’s exactly the kind of place you visit on a slow summer evening stroll, lingering over conversation and your favorite scoop. 404 Café & Creamery — Big Stone Gap, Virginia Address: 404 Shawnee Avenue East, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 Website: https://www.facebook.com/404cafeandcreamery 404 Café & Creamery is a local favorite in Big Stone Gap, a historic small town in southwest Virginia. Known for its hand-dipped ice cream and cozy café atmosphere, 404 blends homemade scoops with a menu of coffee, baked goods, light lunches and soups — perfect for cooling off in summer or warming up during fall. The café has been recognized locally for its quality, and ice cream often draws visitors who combine dessert with other menu items like grilled sandwiches or freshly baked pastries. Hours extend into the evening, making it a popular spot for an after-dinner treat. Aunt B’s Ice Cream — Bean Station, Tennessee Address: 1026 Main Street, Bean Station, TN 37708 Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2666331496985180/ Aunt B’s Ice Cream in Bean Station brings classic roadside parlor vibes to East Tennessee. The shop has a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of serve-yourself cone windows and generous portions that define family outings. Though it doesn’t have a large web presence, local listings and community guides show it serves up all the classics: cones, floats, sundaes, and shakes. Whether you’re cooling off on a summer road trip or picking up a treat after dinner, Aunt B’s delivers the kind of simple, satisfying dessert experience that makes small towns memorable. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams — Athens, Ohio Address: 9 West Washington Street, Athens, OH 45701 Website: https://jenis.com Jeni’s has grown into one of the most respected artisan ice cream brands in the country, but its first shop opened right in Athens, Ohio, where the creative approach to flavor began. Known for thoughtfully sourced ingredients and inventive combinations, Jeni’s blends foodie flair with handcrafted technique. Flavors range from playful, like salty caramel and brambleberry crisp, to seasonal specials that highlight local produce. The Athens shop is a lively stop in a classic college-town setting — perfect for strolling Court Street with a cone in hand and exploring nearby galleries, coffee shops, and bookstores. These seven ice cream and frozen custard destinations aren’t just places to cool off — they’re local traditions, community gathering spots and tasty waypoints on summer road trips. Whether you prefer handcrafted classics, inventive artisan flavors or rich frozen custard, each stop offers its own story and scoop worth tasting.

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 childhood friend, Jimmy Maddingly. “Jimmy and I grew up together.” In addition to Danny and Jimmy, the other OG’s (Original Grascals) were Terry Eldredge, Jamie Johnson, Terry Smith and David Talbot. A few months after they formed The Grascals, they were asked to be Dolly Parton’s opening act and to serve as her backing band on tour. It was the kind of endorsement bands dream of – they had professional respect, they were adored by their fans, and they were celebrated by the industry.   “Dolly is as sweet as can be,” says Danny. “When we were in the studio with her, we’d all sit in a circle and work on a song, then she’d feed us. She made us chicken and dumplings or biscuits and gravy – she’s a great cook.”  It didn’t take long for The Grascals to get recognition in the form of awards. Their blend of modern traditional bluegrass, along with country influences and gospel, earned them plenty of accolades. They were honored on a big scale right out of the gate. Their self-titled debut featured a duet with Dolly Parton on “ Viva Las Vegas .” It won the IBMA Album of the Year, and the band was named IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year. More recognition followed, with two IBMA Entertainers of the Year awards, a Dove award nomination, and three GRAMMY nominations.  The Grascals have shared the stage with many stars and recorded with many more. They have recorded and toured with Charlie Daniels, Tom T. Hall, Kenny Rogers, Vince Gill, The Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones, Hank Williams, Jr., Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner, The Jordanaires, and Joe Nichols.  The band has performed worldwide and for two United States presidents. “We played for George W. Bush at Fort Campbell in Tennessee,” recalls Danny. “We were in a huge hangar with thousands of soldiers both inside and outside. Air Force One approached as we finished a song, and it was inspiring to see all those soldiers turn to watch the President disembark. We also played for a going-away party for the President’s staff at the White House, and the President and First Lady came backstage and talked with us. They were just as friendly and down-home as could be.” The band also played during an ancillary event honoring Native Americans as part of Barack Obama’s inauguration. Playing overseas has been a wonderful experience for Danny and the band. “The most memorable places we went, for me at least, were Japan and Greece. In Japan, we couldn’t communicate with the people because of the language barrier, but they still loved the music. And Greece was so different in culture and lifestyle. I marveled that I was so far from home. In Japan we played a festival with Charlie Daniels, and we were the only bluegrass group. I remember that it was set up like a 90’s festival, and the people there were all dressed in cowboy attire.”  Today, the band members include Danny, Kyle Perkins, John Bryan, Jamie Harper, Kristin Scott Benson, and Jamie Johnson. When asked what keeps them going, Danny emphatically responded, “It’s the love of the music.”  Danny is the only member who has been with the band since its beginning. “Jamie left and returned after eight years. Throughout hard times and adversity, we are all still friends. You have to have a purpose. It’s like a marriage, where it’s not all roses all the time. And when you have six people with six different ideas, you’ve got to know when to give and when to take. That said, it’s never been as easy in the band as it is now. The singing is so good, the music is fun, and everyone gets along. We really have a blast together! This is not a chore for any of us – it is always a pleasure for us to play together.” That camaraderie shows when the band is on stage. A Grascals show is upbeat and light-hearted, yet the music is always on point. Whether it’s at a festival, Radio City Music Hall, or the Grand Ole Opry, every time they walk on stage, they put on the best show possible.  “I have to admit, any time the Opry calls, we are always ready to go,” says Danny. The Grascals have played over 200 times at the iconic venue, and Danny states that the times they have played there are his most memorable shows. “It’s an honor every time we walk out on that stage. I always thought if you got on the Opry, you’ve made it. One very special highlight was playing with Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner the last time they sang together on the Opry stage.”  Danny’s daughter, Jaelee, who is now a member of Sister Sadie, literally grew up in the wings of the Grand Ole Opry. “We used to measure her growth by Little Jimmy Dickens,” he laughs. “But she kept getting taller!” The Grascals have a new album – their 14 th  - coming out this summer on Billy Blue Records. “It’s our first record with Billy Blue, and we are really excited,” Danny says. “That album will include our first single with the label that features Dolly, ‘Broken Angels,’ and a music video with her as well. We have a new sponsor, Hopeless Holler Trading Co., and they are wonderful folks who we are so happy to be partnered with.”  Danny says the band is ready to “run up and down the road in our new ride and keep making great music.”

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 conducts his band coaching session.  “It's one of the favorite things that I get to do in my professional career,” he says. “I started as a music teacher, and I was a choir director for three years before I moved to Nashville to play full time. I love teaching. I don't have a lot of time for it these days with everything else that's going on. So, the band coaching scratches that itch for me in an intensive, focused way.” Often Mougin knows nothing about the band that has volunteered to be coached in the open session. He might stop them before they’ve completed the first line of their song. He may comment on something very specific--the way they use the microphone or explain that fill-in licks should always come between  vocal lines. Other observations are more philosophical. “One of the things that I focus on with all the bands--especially younger bands--is to play it like you love it. Whatever song you're playing, it has to be your favorite song at this moment. Because if you're playing it as if it's not your favorite song, it's going to sound that way.” He also stresses that great musicians are good listeners. “You spend most of your time focusing inward to make sure you're playing the right chords or that you're playing in time or any of those kinds of things,” he explains. “And the real hurdle is the moment when instead of looking in or listening inward, you're listening outward, where what you're doing is basically on autopilot. And all it is doing is reacting to the things around you. And that's when the real music starts to happen.” Mougin can’t recall when he started doing the sessions at IBMA. (“It’s been more than a decade, I think.”) He began working with youth bands and then invited older musicians to take part. In 2023 Fox Crossing Stringband volunteered for the public critique. In fact, banjo/dobro player Cassie Lynn Wright says the band profited from being in front of an audience. “Getting Stephen's ideas in a conference session also allowed us to see and feel the audience's reaction instantly,” Wright recalls. “There’s nothing like the feeling of trying something new, stepping out of your comfort zone, and seeing Mojo and the whole room light up because everyone can feel that it’s working. “After playing together for a while, you naturally settle into certain 'roles' or 'grooves.' Mojo’s coaching made us realize that those are actually all choices, and many of which we’d been making without even realizing it. By suggesting different approaches and explaining the 'why' behind them, Mojo helped us unlock new ideas to improve our music.” Under the Rocks, a band from British Columbia, Canada, participated in last year’s coaching session at IBMA. “I saw Mojo post on Instagram that he was looking for a band for his workshop,” says Chris Baxter, who sings and plays banjo and mandolin with the band. “I DM’d him right away thinking this would be an awesome opportunity to learn some tips from one of the best. Gratefully, he accepted. “I’d met Stephen before, but didn’t really know him. What we got out of it was learning how to be more dynamic in a song during a live performance. We learned small tricks like watching each other's lips while singing so that our phrasing all matched. And playing slow songs with the same energy as ripping tunes. “Going into it I think most of us didn’t really know what to expect. We weren’t apprehensive, rather excited for the opportunity to gain some real skills that would hopefully take our performances to the next level.” Mougin does some coaching sessions during the year between conferences. But his other myriad activities--he recently began hosting “Mojo’s Mixtape,” a weekly show on Sirius XM focused on 1980s and ‘90s bluegrass music --keeps him busy.   “I learned a long time ago the secret to success in the music business is to do a lot of different things, so something's happening all the time,” he says. “I don't have a ton of time for band coaching. It’s not something I've ever really put a lot of effort into advertising or publicizing or trying to market. It's something that folks have seen at IBMA, and they reach out.” And it’s not just new or up-and-coming bands that attend the coaching sessions. Veteran musicians are interested, too. “A lot of times we're talking about basics, but I have professionals who come every year and sit and listen and tell me the things that I reminded them of are not particularly new,” Mougin explains. “But, you know, it's good to have a little-touch up every once in a while on some things that you can think about differently and find ways to improve what you're doing.” https://stephenmougin.com/

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 their lopsided campsite and the single chair they shared all weekend, but that trip set the trajectory. Next, her mother enrolled her in the Grey Fox Bluegrass Academy for Kids, and eventually she picked up the banjo that would become her anchor. “The first song I learned on banjo was ‘Cripple Creek,’” she says, “then ‘Old Joe Clark’ or something. People were super-generous with their time, and with me.” A short lesson with a family friend changed Kater’s direction entirely. She connected instantly with clawhammer banjo, like it was a piece falling into place, and she still talks about it with a kind of awe. The lesson lasted only minutes, but it echoed for years as she shaped her sound. “It changed my life ,” she says. “There was something about learning the clawhammer banjo that just worked  for me. It sparked something. People would come up to me and say they want to learn the banjo. I would say, ‘Great. Do you have three and a half minutes? I’ll teach you right now! ’” Over the past decade, Kaïa Kater has built a reputation as the owner of one of the most distinctive voices in modern roots music, earning a Juno Award for the album Strange Medicine  and a Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Song on The Porter, a CBC dramatic series. Her earlier albums — Sorrow Bound, Nine Pin , and Grenades —garnered nominations for the Polaris Music Prize and wide critical acclaim from NPR, Rolling Stone , and The Guardian , among many others. She has collaborated with revered artists like blues guitar legend Taj Mahal – she’ll be touring with Taj next month -- singer-songwriters such as Allison Russell and Aoife O’Donovan, and jazz drummer and composer Brian Blade, weaving their voices and textures into her expanding sonic palette. International touring, and appearances at stages like Carnegie Hall and NPR’s Tiny Desk, have further cemented her influence. Through all of it, she’s built a catalog that reflects both her restless curiosity and her command of tradition. Early on, Kater’s identity carried the weight of several landscapes. Montreal formed her artistic instincts, Appalachia taught her a musical language, and Grenada offered a family story she didn’t fully understand until she reached adulthood. Asking her father about his past unlocked a history that shaped her perspective. “My dad is from Grenada, and he came to Canada as a refugee in the mid-‘80s,” she says. “He was really quiet about his story. I thought, ‘Hey, I should ask my dad about his experience being a refugee,” and it was really positive. I’ve been going back every couple years ever since.” Kater first stepped onstage when she was around 14 or 15 years old. When she looks back at that teenage version of herself, she recognizes talent, uncertainty, and a kind of wide-open creative energy that is harder to access now that music is also a job.  Her advice to that earlier self comes with equal parts tenderness and grit. “Try to keep that flame of joy alive, of why you do it,” she says. “When it becomes a business, it can become dispassionate. There was this fountain of creativity in that young person I was, and I constantly have to work to get back something that was a lot easier for her back then.” After a pause, she adds: “Oh, and get a good bookkeeper!” Kater’s 2024 album Strange Medicine  grew into a cinematic, textured work, and touring with it has changed the songs in unexpected ways. She never treats the recorded versions as final; she sees them as moments captured before the music shifts again. The live versions breathe differently -- sometimes leaner, sometimes more personal. “When you record the song for the album, it’s really just a snapshot in time of how it exists in that moment,” she says. “The songs, for me, have definitely changed. A good song should stand on its own without all that stuff. I should be able to play any of those songs alone on stage and still have them impact people.” Touring takes Kater far beyond North America, and her European audiences leave an impression. Their silence surprises her, but it comes from attentiveness, not indifference, and she has learned to trust the room’s stillness. “They listen really intently, almost to the point of silence, to the point where sometimes I’m like, ‘My God, do they even like this?’” she laughs. “I think music is valued in a really cool way there.” Writing requires a different kind of environment altogether. She needs the kind of conditions that don’t exist on tour, so when she finally steps away from the road, the songs begin to come together in her mind. “I have to have a lot of silence and boredom and be in an empty room with myself,” she says. “When I’m off the road, I’m writing. A lot of the stuff that I’ve been writing lately is looking back over my youth and memories and family recollections.” Kater will release a deluxe edition of Strange Medicine  in early 2026, adding songs from the same creative period. After that, she will continue shaping a quieter, more introspective record rooted in the vantage point of her thirties. Her music keeps changing because she  keeps changing, and she listens closely to each shift.  And somewhere between dedicated performance and the solitude of writing, Kaïa Kater taps into her original spark, knowing full well that it has never left her.  Visit Kaïa Kater online at https://kaiakater.com .

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. “Originally it was called Bluegrass Circle, and that started in 2012,” Ricci said. “Corey Hemel, who promotes the Outer Banks Bluegrass Island Festival, started it with a friend. He put the website together, opened a store, and ran the festival—but he got really busy and was going to let it go.” Ricci wasn’t having it. “I told him, ‘No, don’t do that. It’s too good of an idea.’ In 2018 he asked if I wanted it, and I said yes. I took over the business and renamed it Bluegrass Road Trip.” The name change wasn’t branding—it was direction. “His idea was a circle of bluegrass people, businesses, and festivals,” she said. “My idea was Bluegrass Road Trip—using the site to plan your road trip to festivals.” That concept now anchors one of the most comprehensive bluegrass resources in the country, built not on automation, but on persistence. “Maintaining an accurate calendar is very time-consuming,” Ricci said. “I go to each festival’s website and verify the dates directly. Right now, the site is updated through the end of May. I started June, but many festivals hadn’t posted their dates yet, so I stopped and waited.” Accuracy, for Ricci, also means confirming survival. “I also have to make sure a festival is still running,” she said. “After COVID, a lot of festivals folded. That’s one of the hardest parts—going to a website and realizing it’s gone.” Her research extends beyond festivals to the artists themselves. “I check artists’ tour schedules—traditional bands and progressive bands—to see where they’re playing,” Ricci said. “If there’s a festival listed that I don’t already have, I add it. I want to make sure everyone is included.” BluegrassRoadTrip.com isn’t built from a desk alone. Ricci is out in the field—tent up, stickers in hand. “I go to festivals, set up a table, talk to people, and give out stickers,” she said. “I tell them, ‘If you know a festival I don’t have listed, email me and I’ll add it.’” She’s clear about the site’s limitations—and its honesty. “There’s a note on the site reminding people to double-check details,” Ricci said. “I’m human. This isn’t an AI thing.” In December, Ricci made a leap that turned a long-running passion into a full-time commitment. “I worked for GSK Pharmaceuticals for 26 years,” she said. “In December, I left my job. Now I’m building a better office, working on the online store, and putting more emphasis on Bluegrass Road Trip because I finally have the time.” Financial sustainability is still evolving. “I’ve been using money from my job,” Ricci said. “What I’m working toward is compensation from promoters and bands for featured links and listings. That’s part of what I’m building now.” But community—not monetization—remains the site’s backbone. “I go to as many festivals and shows as I can,” she said. “I live near Raleigh, so I’m close to a lot of venues and festivals. Since leaving my day job, I hope to travel farther—to Kentucky, Tennessee, and beyond.” That freedom has deepened long-standing relationships. “The first festival I ever went to was the Outer Banks Bluegrass Island Festival in 2012,” Ricci said. “I met Corey [Hemel] in person in 2014, and we became instant friends. He gave me flyers and asked me to hand them out at festivals. That led to meeting promoters, bands, and so many people in the community.” After more than a decade, the biggest shift hasn’t been technological—it’s cultural. “When I started, it was the same festivals every year,” Ricci said. “There weren’t many new ones. After COVID, everything changed. Festivals started appearing and disappearing much more frequently.” That change has pushed Ricci toward documenting festivals as experiences, not just listings. “When I go to a festival, I try to show what it’s really like,” she said. “Is there camping? A pavilion? Is it covered if it rains? I take photos, make reels, and add them to the site so people can see if it’s something they want to attend.” Sometimes, those experiences veer delightfully off the map. “One midnight jam had black lights, and people were marked with designs that glowed,” Ricci said. “Everyone was glowing—it was so much fun.” Another involved floating mushrooms over a crowd. “He tied giant inflatable mushrooms to fishing rods and had us walk them over the audience,” she said. “I thought, ‘Where else do you see something like this?’” Increasingly, the answer is BluegrassRoadTrip.com —now approaching four and a half million total site hits and supported by a Facebook community of more than 73,000 followers. And then there’s Roscoe. “He sat on my desk for years,” Ricci said. “I brought him to festivals, and people started asking for him. Now he’s kind of the mascot.” It’s fitting. Bluegrass thrives on personality, presence, and showing up. BluegrassRoadTrip.com isn’t just a directory—it’s a working archive of how bluegrass actually moves through the world. One road at a time. One festival at a time. One person deciding that something worth loving is also worth maintaining. Go take a look at everything they are doing at www.BluegrassRoadTrip.com

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 Luke Bryan with an original tune she wrote and sang called “String Cheese.” It’s a song that brought Carrie Underwood, also mom to two young boys, to tears on national television.  Hannah shared that she suffered from post-partum depression, and the song was her response to a struggle many mothers battle. She has always been a stay-at-home mom, but after the third child was born, the stress of caring for three little ones was difficult. “I’m 26 years old and had my first child at 19, with the other two following every two years.”   With lyrics like, “I smile because I know/ Meetin’ their needs fills my soul/ And being their momma is who I’m meant to be,” Underwood immediately connected with Hannah’s song. But it was the lyric, “When I’m overwhelmed and touched out/ Here they come climbin’ up on the couch/ Sayin,’ Mama, can you open my string cheese?” that brought Underwood to tears. “Well, that’s about the most relatable song I’ve ever heard,” said Underwood. “You’re one I’m going to be thinking about after you leave here, wondering what you’re going to sing next. I’m rooting for you.” Bryan added, “With that mountainous bluegrass sound you have in there, I kept thinking like Kacey Musgraves in there. I kept thinking, Alison Krauss…and a little Dolly in there…you’re going to be able to move some people. Way to really write the moment you’re in.”  Much like Dolly Parton, Hannah is a true storyteller, sharing her life in songs. “I took interpersonal communication and creative writing in college. I had never written poems, but those classes unlocked something in my brain.” She started writing “String Cheese” after the birth of her third child. However, Hannah emphasizes that her songwriting influences aren’t limited to her experiences as a mother: “I have written songs about things other than motherhood.”   But motherhood has taught Hannah that words matter so much. “As a mom, my words matter to my kids. I have found songwriting to be one of my favorite outlets.”  Hannah’s path to stardom has been a winding one. “My mom is the daughter of Gospel singer Bob Lewis. My parents, Katrina and Gaylon Harper, were in his band. After they eloped in Arkansas, they came off the road to raise a family in Bunker, Missouri. Hannah is one of three children. “I have two older brothers who are both musicians. Dalton and Dillon Harper.” Hannah has lots of ties with the bluegrass world. “I sang on a song with Rhonda Vincent when I was 11.”  Hannah says her dad quit his job to do full-time music ministry, and that’s where she got her start. The family traveled on a 40-foot bus, and the children performed extensively. Dalton played guitar, and Dillon played mandolin. “We played a lot of churches,” says Hannah. “From 2009 to 2016, our livelihood depended on love offerings.” Her brothers are still touring with Hannah today, with Dalton on guitar and Dillon playing bass.  When Hannah got married, she began posting videos of her cleaning house. “I posted a video of me doing dishes at the sink to a 90s playlist, and it went viral.” Surprised that her videos had garnered a following, Hannah did a live on TikTok one night, and a recruiter from American Idol  reached out. Hannah thought it was a joke, but soon realized it was for real. The preliminary Zoom calls went well, and Hannah was on her way. “I said a prayer, ‘ Lord, don’t let me tread on ground not appointed for my feet .’”  That audition video is one of the most-watched American Idol  reels. The judges loved her and unanimously voted to send Hannah to Hollywood. The next television appearance for Hannah was during Hollywood Week on February 24, when she sang Lee Ann Womack’s “A Little Past Little Rock.”  The show’s finale is in May. Until then, she is unable to release anything. “But I can write,” she says. And she is writing. And she is soaking up all she can with her American Idol  experience. “The show has definitely changed my life. So many doors for opportunities have opened. I’m doing things I’ve never done before, like singing in front of vocal coaches and getting feedback. It’s a learning curve, and I’m grateful for it.” Hannah’s husband, Devon, was in law enforcement but is now a stay-at-home dad. “This is something I want to do because I want the opportunity to give my boys the kind of life I had growing up, but in a bigger way. I want to sustain my family and do music full-time.”