Bluegrass came along as a new calling for career musician and classically trained upright bassist Trish Imbrogno. She'd already spent 25 years with her instrument, performing with classical ensembles and symphony orchestras and gracing the stages of prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall.   Even after all that, the allure of roots music caused her to take an unexpected turn.   "I don't think I knew what I was missing until I found it," Imbrogno explained. "When you're in the classical world, the path is very prescribed – hours in a practice room with Simandl and Flesch, mastering solo rep and excerpts, all aiming for that orchestra job with steady weeks and a salary. That was my world for a long time, and I didn't really question it. I didn't even realize there was another way to make music professionally."   That started to shift after Imbrogno began playing with her partner, who's a fingerpicking guitarist in the style of Mississippi John Hurt and Blind Blake. She explained, "We were gigging regularly as a duo, and through that, I found my way into the broader Americana scene."   She was invited to bluegrass night at The Park House, a tiny bar in her Pittsburgh, Penn home base. She said it was so small, she had to lift her hand-carved, one-of-a-kind bass over people's heads "just to squeeze in the back corner." It was a scene of "no mics, beer flying, people jumping around inches from us, and no idea what I was doing…but it was electric and became a weekly thing for five years."   Over time, she started booking so many roots gigs that her calendar was already full; the orchestral work was crowded out. She preferred the more enjoyable bluegrass events.   "I didn't feel burned out preparing that material," she said. "In fact, I was excited about it. Meanwhile, every time I pulled orchestral music out of the folder, I'd sigh. That's when it hit me: Maybe I don't love this the way I thought I did. Or maybe I never really did – I just didn't know any other path existed."   What she found in bluegrass and Americana was connection. "In classical music, you're making this beautiful, intricate art, but the audience is silent, reverent, hands in their laps. In roots music, the audience gives you energy in real time," Imbrogno summarized. "You feel it. They clap, laugh, yell, and come talk to you after the show. It's not always about perfection; it's about people. And I realized I'm someone who needs that."   In addition to her gigging with Pittsburgh-based Sweaty Already String Band, she's just released her debut album, Bluegrass Love Songs, Volume One.  She said it is "built around a bit of an inside joke I've made for years."   Calling something a bluegrass love song is kind of an oxymoron, Imbrogno said. "The melodies might sound sweet, but the lyrics usually tell a darker story. I started saying onstage that I only sing 'Volume One' love songs – the ones where everybody stays alive at the end…these are the heartbreak tunes…getting dumped, cheated on, left behind. Still sad, but nobody gets murdered."   It is with this humor and clear love for bluegrass that Imbrogno was guided in selecting numbers for the EP, which includes songs such as the locally beloved tune "Cherokee Shuffle" and what she described as the "love-hate" song "Clinch Mountain Backstep."   The experienced team Imbrogno assembled for the record includes Murphy Henry (banjo and vocals on one track); Dede Wyland (guitar and harmony vocals); Rainy Miatke (mandolin); and Becky Buller (fiddle). Christopher Henry recorded and engineered the album, with additional recording work by Ben Surratt and Mark Raudabaugh, and mastering by Will Shenk.   Imbrogno is really excited about this deeper new step into the bluegrass world.   "I didn't make this record because I want to be a front person or start my own band. I love being a side person, and I've been fortunate to play on a lot of records across different genres," she said. "But most of those don't show up when you search for me. So, part of this project was about visibility – making sure people can actually find me if they're looking for a bluegrass bass player. And part of it was proving to myself that I could do it."   She acknowledges the inspiring examples set by others and credits her main mentor in the classical world, her bass teacher, Jeff Turner. Imbrogno said she has found inspiration and mentorship in Missy Raines, whom she described as "an incredible player, teacher, and human." She also cited other women of roots music, including Dede Wyland, Becky Buller, Vickie Vaughn, Shelby Means and Molly Tuttle.   While she believes women performers of all stripes are a powerful bunch, Imbrogno attempted–quite thoughtfully–to explain the unique features of being a female bassist.   "The upright does have something special," she explained. "You're basically wrangling a full-sized human when you play it. There's a physicality, a kind of grace-meets-power. And when someone really plays the upright – when their technique is dialed in, especially with a bow – it's like a dance. It becomes an extension of the body. That instrument moves with you. It breathes with you. And that's something you don't get with a fiddle, or a guitar, or even an electric bass."   She said when people see a woman onstage wrangling a bass, they see a "powerful visual of a woman completely in sync with an instrument that takes up space…unapologetically."

After many years on the road—she was with the circus, he hopped freights—husband and wife Keith Josiah Smith and Sparrow Smith, who perform as The Resonant Rogues, have put down roots.   "We live in Western North Carolina," says Sparrow. "It's one of the most beautiful natural places in the world. People can come here from all over the world to experience nature here. We're so lucky to have it in our backyard.”   But as The Resonant Rogues, Sparrow and Keith—sometimes performing as a duo, other times fronting a larger band—maintain a busy tour schedule, playing many songs from their two latest albums, The Magnolia Sessions and the eponymous The Resonant Rogues .   “We love touring for the most part," says Keith. “Like everything else there's things that are not enjoyable, but that's just life. We like traveling and playing music. I feel like going and playing the shows is the easiest part. Everything else is kind of more of the hard work.”   Sparrow plays the banjo and accordion, and Keith plays guitar and percussion. Both sing and are prolific songwriters. Old-time music associated with Western North Carolina is a big part of their musical identity, and being on the move is in their DNA.   “What brought Keith and I together was our love of adventure and our love of travel,” Sparrow explains. “We've done a lot of international traveling through the years. We're really hoping to get back to Europe to tour. We toured Europe three different times pre-pandemic. We also toured Australia, and we’ve been to Alaska four times. We just really love traveling.”   Last winter, Sparrow and Keith made a bucket list trip to South America to explore the music there. Living in the mountains, they feel a kinship with folk music from other countries tied to mountain culture.   “One of my life dreams is to spend more time in Cusco, Peru, up in the mountains and do kind of a musical exchange where I learn music, teach and share music. There's a lot of similar instruments, especially with the accordion and the fiddle. And the people are just so friendly and kind, and the music is so great.”   Much of The Resonant Rogue’s material is either old-time fiddle tunes or original compositions, but the songs may get a widely varied treatment. The Magnolia Sessions album was recorded with just the two playing and singing as they sat under a tree.   “It was right during the pandemic, so it was kind of a neat time for trying new things,” Keith remembers. “And the whole point of it was to do a stripped-down, intimate, simple acoustic set of songs. It was all one take with no break. So essentially, it’s a live album in the backyard.”   On the other hand, their self-titled album has a fuller sound, with electric guitars, percussion, fiddles, and guest vocalists, including Sierra Ferrell.   “That was a really special thing to get to do, and we are really happy with how that turned out sound-wise,” says Sparrow. “We love to dance, we love to make people dance and so being able to do that with full bands and to get drums in there was really a good time. And I'd say that that's true of our shows as well. We go from kind of a string band to a country dance band feel.”   This fall, Sparrow released a solo banjo album, Carolina Mountain , which Keith produced.   “I write a lot of songs, and I had a vision for a banjo-focused record that was about Southern Appalachia and Western North Carolina. It had a very strong sense of place,” Sparrow says. “Honestly, all of them would feel at home on a Resonant Rogues album in some way, but this record was my vision and was all my songs.”   Don't expect to find them there just because they’re firmly attached to their adopted home (Sparrow grew up in Colorado; Keith in Wisconsin). The road beckons.   “We have a pretty big year of Resonant Rogues touring mostly around festival dates, and then we’re going to do a big national album release tour for the Sparrow Smith record,” Sparrow says. “That will be billed as Sparrow Smith and The Resonant Rogues, so Keith will be on the whole tour. We’ll have some other musicians join us for sections of it. We’re going across the South, going up the West Coast and popping down into Colorado. And then probably touring the rest of the country throughout the year with the new record.”   While this pair of seasoned travelers enjoys many experiences touring offers, Keith observes that the bond between performer and audience member drives them.   “I feel like live music shows can be therapeutic for people with our modern lifestyles,” he says. “What probably feels the best to me when I talk to people at the end of a show is when they get something out of it in that human way of connection. I think that's something that you can't get on your phone. You can't get that on social media. You can't get that anywhere else. It really is one of the very few places where you can get that level of connection.”

A native of St. James, Minnesota, who proudly settled in the Tennessee town of Manchester, Becky Buller has been stacking up accolades for years. She’s the first woman to win IBMA’s Fiddler of the Year, and the only artist to take home both Female Vocalist and Fiddler in the same year. Her songs have been recorded on three Grammy-winning bluegrass albums, including Laws of Gravity by The Infamous Stringdusters, The Travelin’ McCourys, and Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway’s Crooked Tree. And in 2023, she was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. But Becky Buller isn’t chasing acclaim. She’s chasing the truth.   Her latest release, Songs That Sing To Me,  arrives on the heels of Jubilee,  a soul-baring song cycle tracing her experience with depression and anxiety during the pandemic years. That project was raw and revelatory. This one glows with perspective.   “Sharing my story, baring my soul to the world by way of Jubilee  was very liberating,” she said. “It literally parted the waters of the musical pool that was coalescing into Songs, leading me to a place of greater peace and abundance.”   The roots of this new album go back to 2022, when Buller first began production—only to hit pause when the FreshGrass Foundation offered her a commission. That commission bloomed into Jubilee, and once finished, she returned to the Songs That Sing To Me  sessions with renewed energy.   “I hear a clear delineation between the two halves of this new album. Once on the far side bank of Jubilee, I dug down deeper, exploring my voice, fiddle, and arrangements in ways I had previously thought beyond my reach.”   And unlike her past solo records—almost entirely filled with original songs—she inhabits someone else’s creations.   “ Songs That Sing to Me  is my first all-covers project,” she explained. “The title actually comes from 'The Magician’s Nephew,' the creation allegory in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series. In it, the great lion Aslan is literally singing the land of Narnia into being. That’s what these songs are doing for me; they continue to inspire and inform my own creativity.”   She and longtime producer Stephen “Mojo” Mougin cooked the soup from a large pot, letting the music shape the sound and the theme.   “Stephen and I always start a new album with a mile-high stack of songs,” she said. “The song choices inform our creative direction—traditional versus progressive bluegrass; old-time; major, minor, modal; to banjo or not to banjo… I love to present a variety of keys, grooves, and subject matter, all in hopes of capturing the listeners’ imagination for the entirety of the album and beyond.”   She didn’t stop at interpreting these songs—she embedded them with the voices and hands of her friends, mentors, and family.   “I absolutely LOVE to collaborate in the studio with my friends and heroes,” Buller said. “The old-timey camp meeting song ‘Camel Train’ screamed The Whites and Ricky Skaggs. Lonesome Jim Lauderdale just about made me weep as we sang ‘Wall Around Your Heart’ together.”   She brought in her daughter Romy for a track alongside Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, and their sons Juno and Theo. Her “Muddy Waters” version featured two sons of The Seldom Scene. And “You Can’t Roll A Seven Every Time” turned into a family affair with her husband Jeff Haley, brother-in-law Timmy George, Mickey Harris (of Rhonda Vincent & The Rage), and Ned Luberecki.   “My fantastic band members, past and present, are all over this record,” she said. “Jake Eddy and Jacob Groupman, guitar; Daniel ‘The Hulk’ Hardin, bass; Wes Lee, mandolin; and Banjo Hall Of Famer Ned Luberecki.”   Inquiring minds can check out the album for a complete list of special guests. And for Buller, who’s spent over two decades teaching fiddle, singing, and songwriting in workshops around the globe—and now serves on the board of the IBMA Foundation—learning never stops. While making this record, she enthusiastically returned to the role of the student.   “Through the course of creating this album, I actually ‘went back to school’ for some fiddle and vocal coaching,” she said. “Thanks to Jason Carter, Michael Cleveland and Aynsley Porchak for added inspiration and taking the time to fiddle ‘nerd out’ with me. Thanks also to my opera-singing cousin, Samantha Friedman, who teaches at Wesleyan College in Macon, GA., for encouraging me to explore and expand my vocal capabilities.”   Songs That Sing To Me  may celebrate the music that shaped her, but it’s also a declaration of where she’s standing now: a veteran artist still hungry for challenge, collaboration, and connection. Make no mistake, Becky Buller still has plenty to say.

"Brian Lillie here, playing some hot rockin' bluegrass hits for ya tonight on the Pickin' and Fiddlin' Show on Torrington Community Radio." Once again, Brian Lillie sings on the air on WAPJ-FM, as he does every Wednesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. The station is in downtown Torrington, Connecticut, and it's the city's only station hyper-focused on the community. The non-profit, non-commercial station was started by dedicated volunteers and is still staffed by volunteers. Listener donations and business sponsors support the station. Depending on what time you tune in to the station, which is also accessible via their website at wapj.org , you might hear classic rock, pop, jazz, soul, country, reggae, blues, or even radio theatre, but the Wednesday evening slot is dedicated to bluegrass, and Brian has made it his mission to bring the best in bluegrass to his listeners, week after week. From old standards to more progressive styles, Brian works to create the ideal mix of music on his weekly broadcast. He even plays a little "bluegrass adjacent" music from time to time for fun and perspective. "To tell you the truth, there is no real plan," he laughs. "It's more intuitive with me. We don't have a program director dictating what I have to play, so it's purely up to me." He has done theme shows, such as playing train or coal mining songs. "I will play bluegrass Gospel before Easter, and on St. Patrick's Day, I'll start with Tim O'Brien's 'The Crossing,' then play a bunch of Irish music. And of course, bluegrass Christmas during the holidays. I do it just because it's fun." Brian grew up in Chicago and listened to the blues while all his friends listened to The Beatles and the Beach Boys. He attended graduate school at Indiana University and stayed to teach high school after graduation. "In 1980, some of my students volunteered at Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom Jamboree, and they got me an armband." The festival spans two weekends with the entire week in between. "I had planned to go one time to see what it was all about, and I ended up going every day. I was completely amazed. They were playing what my mom had once called 'hillbilly music,' and I loved it." Brian saw groups like the McLain Family Band and Birch Monroe, Bill Monroe's older brother. "He was in his early 90s when I saw him," says Brian. "I once saw Birch and Bill arguing, like brothers do, just off the stage. The festival was held on Birch's land, but Bill ran the show. It was probably a little dispute about the festival, but I thought it was fun seeing them interact as siblings at their age." After attending that festival, Brian was hooked on bluegrass. "It was not just the music, but the culture around it. There were bonfires out in the fields, and all the fiddlers would play around one, mandolins would play at another, and so on. Then the stars would come out of their trailers and join them. Everyone was so friendly and accessible. After flying to Connecticut for a wedding and getting a job offer while he was there, Brian picked up stakes and moved to the northeast. He volunteered to work the phones for a fundraiser at WPKN in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and he began hanging out at the station during Chris Teskey's show (Teskey now has a show five days a week on Bluegrass Country  radio). "I eventually started reading news at the station and auditioned to have my own show, but they wanted me to work the 10 pm to 2 am slot, and I had to get up and teach the next morning." He did work his way to being chairman of the station's Board of Directors. After moving one town over, Brian discovered WAPJ. "They played cool stuff, so I contacted them, and they made a slot for me on Wednesdays, and I've been there ever since." I met Brian at the 2024 IBMA "World of Bluegrass" event in Raleigh. Over coffee, we learned that we both loved sharing bluegrass – Brian on the radio, and I writing for The Bluegrass Standard . He was able to attend IBMA for the first time in 2023 after he retired from teaching. "It's been great for the show because I can hear so many bands. It's fun to discover new talent, like a band from Los Angeles called Water Tower ." (I also discovered Water Tower at IBMA and wrote about them for our April 2025 issue.) "Most of the record companies know about us now, so I get new music all the time, which is great. I probably have 3,000 to 5,000 CDs in my closet that I pull from for my show." He keeps music released within the past year separate, as he is a reporting station for Bluegrass Unlimited . Brian also hears both old and new bands at the many festivals he attends. "I have been a judge at the local fire department’s annual pickin' contest for thirty years and also volunteer in the merchandise tent at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival. "I know the artists and their music, so it's a natural fit for me to sell merchandise. My wife and daughter also volunteer, so it's a fun family event." Brian also volunteers at the annual Podunk Festival, which he says is getting better and better each year. Brian hopes to introduce quality bluegrass music to anyone who dares to listen through his radio program. "I tell folks that bluegrass is what country music could be if it were really cool. Big country music artists are usually surrounded by entourages, and they are put on a pedestal. Bluegrass artists are so approachable, and they are such nice people. It's easy to build personal relationships with them, and I've had the honor of making a lot of friends in this industry. I love doing this."

Bridget Lancaster has become a trusted voice in American home kitchens, but her story begins in the hills of West Virginia. Born and raised in Cross Lanes, just outside Charleston, Lancaster grew up in a culture where food was more than sustenance — it was memory, heritage, and community. Today, as co-host of PBS’s America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country, she translates that Appalachian food wisdom for a national audience, showing millions of viewers that good cooking doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Appalachian food has long been overlooked or misrepresented, often dismissed as heavy, rustic, or outdated. But Lancaster embodies a different truth: it is a cuisine of resourcefulness, seasonality, and deep comfort. She recalls growing up on meals like beans and cornbread, skillet-fried chicken, biscuits, and vegetables straight from the garden.  Those dishes, rooted in thrift and tradition, inform the way she approaches cooking on television—not flashy, not trendy, but enduring. When Lancaster talks about the joy of a pot of pinto beans simmering all day or the ease of pulling together biscuits with a few pantry staples, she is channeling her West Virginia childhood. These are foods that stretch to feed a family, meals that emphasize flavor over fuss. Her manner on camera — warm, approachable, and never condescending — reflects how those foods were taught to her: not as culinary performances, but as skills every household needed to pass along. After college, Lancaster cooked in restaurant kitchens in the South and Northeast, concentrating on pastry. She began working as the test cook for Cook’s Illustrated in 1998. She was also part of the launch team for Cook’s Country magazine and led the recipe development. She is now the lead instructor of America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School and has created hundreds of instructional videos. Over the years, Bridget Lancaster has grown into her role as a cook and teacher. As Executive Editorial Director and lead instructor for America’s Test Kitchen’s online Cooking School, she focuses on helping viewers and students gain practical, usable skills in their kitchens. In interviews, she has said that her goal is for people to walk away from each episode with at least one valuable piece of cooking knowledge they can apply at home. Her background comes through in subtle ways. Lancaster brings a refreshing groundedness in a food culture often obsessed with kale salads or avant-garde plating. “I’ve been over kale for a very long time,” she told Boston Magazine with a laugh. “I am very pro collard greens.” The comment may have been cheeky, but it’s also revealing: collards, not kale, were the greens she knew growing up. In voicing that preference, she brought Appalachian taste to the table of American food media. Bridget Lancaster’s cooking philosophy reflects a practical sensibility, with an emphasis on helping home cooks make the most of what’s available. That outlook resonates with Appalachian traditions of resourcefulness and preserving the harvest, where stretching ingredients and finding creative uses for pantry staples are second nature. Even as she has become a national figure, Lancaster remains rooted in a grounded sensibility. On Cook’s Country, many dishes she presents—like buttermilk biscuits—reflect a humble, home-style cooking ethos that resonates with regional traditions. In her co-authored book Cooking at Home with Bridget & Julia, she and Julia offer 150 of their favorite recipes, emphasizing accessible, family-friendly, and comforting meals—qualities often associated with Appalachian home cooking. For Lancaster, food is more than technique; it’s about helping people feel confident in the kitchen. She emphasizes making cooking approachable and practical, guiding home cooks through recipes they can realistically prepare. This focus on accessibility reflects the grounded, home‑style sensibility she developed growing up in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. Bridget Lancaster brings a grounded, practical sensibility to her cooking, emphasizing recipes that are simple, accessible, and family-friendly. Her approach reflects the values often associated with Appalachian cooking—resourcefulness, clarity, and heartiness—while reaching a national audience through America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. In this way, the home-style flavors and sensible techniques she champions carry the spirit of her West Virginia roots into kitchens across the country, leaving a quiet but lasting mark on American home cooking.

Enda Scahill started playing music at an early age in rural Ireland.   “Where I grew up in Galway, on the west coast, most Irish children played the tin whistle in school from age five or so,” he says. “When I was about nine years old, a wonderful music teacher called Bernie Geraghty came to my school. She asked if anyone would like to play the banjo, and my hand shot up into the air. I don’t know why I was instantly attracted to the banjo, and I don’t have a clear memory of where I first heard it. But I remember that day. I was the first-ever banjo player in our village.”   Bernie taught Enda for a few years before Cepta Byrne began teaching music at his school. “Cepta played accordion, but she was one of those beautiful humans who wove magic and joy into music and just inspired me to be creative, brave, and innovative in my approach to Irish music,” Enda says. “She didn’t believe in musical boundaries and thus, neither did I. Cepta is in her 70s now, and almost 40 years later, she’s one of my closest friends and confidants.”   In addition to his music education at school, Enda grew up in a musical family. His older brother, Adrian (who now has two master's and a doctorate in Irish music and lectures on Irish music at a national university), was a huge collector of Irish tunes, even as a young teenager. So he would sit for hours at the piano transcribing tunes he had recorded at local music (jam) sessions. I learned most of my tunes by osmosis from him. Hence, I am still terrible at remembering tune names.”   Enda admits he is not great at studying. “Sitting and concentrating has always been a struggle for me, so I soak up music by listening, experimenting, and lots of playing.” His biggest musical hero was Gerry O’Connor (the first Irish winner of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize, incidentally). “Gerry was so incredibly inventive in his playing, drawing from many different genres and pushing the technical boundaries of the instrument. As a teenager, his music drove me to be better, faster, cleaner, and even more musically experimental.”   A four-time All-Ireland banjo champion, Enda was presented with the prestigious Steve Martin Banjo Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass in 2022. “It came at a difficult time as We Banjo 3 was winding down, and my musical future suddenly looked very uncertain. I’m a firm believer in a higher power or “the universe,” and that felt like a giant cosmic reassuring hand on my back.    He performed with numerous groups before founding “the hottest group in Irish music,” according to LiveIreland , We Banjo 3, with Martin Howley, David Howley, and his brother, Fergal Scahill. “We started We Banjo 3 in my kitchen in 2009 because I was inspired by a photograph I saw of Kris Kristofferson on stage with his head thrown backwards, laughing deeply. Irish music can be very serious, and I desperately wanted to have fun. I also wanted to be a little controversial and poke at the establishment. What better way than a band with three banjos? I was determined to stand out from the crowd. Every other band at that time was some Celtic-sounding word, and I knew we had to be very different. But it was only ever supposed to be a bit of fun on the side. Who knew so many people loved the banjo? People came out in droves. At first, we didn’t have enough music to fill a 90-minute show, so we told lots of jokes and stories to fill the gaps. And audiences loved the show! Looking back, we were running to catch up from 2012 to 2019. It took off like a juggernaut. I think we had reached a level of stability in 2020, having taken on management and all of the support systems that brings. But we know what happened in 2020.”   Over the years, Enda says he has been blessed to play with so many amazing musicians. “Even thinking about it blows my mind. I’ve traded solos with Bela Fleck, Alison Brown, and Jake Workman, and I recorded an album with Ricky Skaggs, Aubrey Haynie, and Bryan Sutton. I could go on and on. Sierra Hull, Sam Bush, Ron Block, even Billy Strings. Sometimes it doesn’t feel real.”   A career high happened a few years ago, when Enda stood on stage in the Sumida Triphony Concert Hall in Tokyo with two of the greatest Irish music bands of all time - Dervish and Altan. “There were 1800 people in the audience, clapping and smiling, and I realized that these bands were the late night, walking home from the session, headphones in (Walkman cassette tape era!) soundtrack to my youth. And here I was sharing a stage, music, laughter, and friendship with my heroes. That moment on stage, my heart swelled and I had tears in my eyes with gratitude for all the gnarly twists and turns of life that had led me there.”   Enda also shared another funny tale: “Way back when I didn’t know anything about bluegrass music, I inveigled myself (through pure brazenness) onto the mainstage at a big bluegrass festival in Ireland. I managed to nab a 10-minute slot between headliners. We went up, blitzed the set, scarpered off stage to a standing ovation, and ran back across the road to the pub where we were hired to play our own gig. What I never realized is that Earl Scruggs and his band were the headliners that night, and after their show, they came across the road and watched the rest of my gig.”   His inspiration changes all the time and many times. “Right now, Bela Fleck is a huge inspiration for this reason - he has constantly innovated, seemingly without any fear of limitations of genre or ability. So, when I’m feeling musically humdrum or technically stuck, I think of Bela. And it lifts me to try different runs or ornaments in the music. I’m probably unusually annoying in an Irish jam session context as I’m then wandering way off the melody of the tune at times.”   Martin Hayes, the Irish fiddler, has also been a huge inspiration. “He communicates something profoundly moving with deceptively simple playing. And a jazz pianist called Kenny Werner. He wrote the book Effortless Mastery . I watched a seminar of his a few years ago. He sits at the piano, and before he plays, he always says to himself, ‘This is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard anywhere in the universe,’ and then plays. Goose bumps every time.”   Now Enda spends time teaching. “I love teaching. I only do things that I’m wildly passionate about. Otherwise, I get wildly bored very quickly! Irish banjo can be a tough instrument. Chris Thile once said that the mandolin is an incredibly inefficient instrument. Well, tenor banjo is that by ten. So I formulated a method of playing that simplifies and describes in detail a pedagogy that works for the banjo. And I’m inspired and excited to help other people become better banjo players and all-round better musicians.”   Enda has a vast online community of students on every continent. “Over 700 currently, and I interact with many of them on a regular basis. Essentially, what I do now is create bespoke high-level, high-tech, multi-camera angle banjo and mandolin lessons . Every lesson is tailored to all levels of ability, from absolute beginner right up to advanced players. I focus on all the various aspects of technique, constantly challenging students to learn new ideas, ornamentation, harmony, and variations. It’s very immersive and comprehensive.”   But there is plenty of music in Enda’s fingers. “I’ve just released the best album I’ve ever made. Bearing in mind several Billboard #1 albums and many Album of the Year awards, I think that is saying something! The Dark Well  is a collaboration with a Swedish harmonic player called Joel Andersson, who incidentally is the number one customizer of high-end harmonica in the world. The album title is a play on the phrase ‘Drinking water from an ancient well’ - the concept of the deep and sustaining heritage of Irish traditional music. However, the banjo and harmonica are new interlopers. We don’t fully belong in this ancient well. We need to dig our own well. It’s dark and sonorous. Full of texture, drones and gravely banjo sounds. It’s truly unique and different.”   Guests on the album include Grammy winner Francesco Turrisi, Ross Holmes from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Andy Thorn from Leftover Salmon and many more. “I’m also touring for the last year with an Italian band called Gadan,  who, if you can believe the irony, now have three banjos in the band. They play a high-energy blend of Irish and bluegrass music. It’s a ton of fun and I’m really enjoying playing with the guys.”

In the four years between albums, a lot has happened for the idiosyncratic, boundary-pushing bluegrass/roots band Nefesh Mountain.   “It's hard to pick up the phone and not just feel constantly affected by this world and this growing tension and divide in our country," says guitarist/banjoist/singer/songwriter Eric Lindberg, who fronts the band with his wife, vocalist and songwriter Doni Zasloff. “There's global things going on and there's wars," he laments.   But the state of the world has not driven them to despair or hopelessness. Instead, it inspired an honest, optimistic, multi-genre double album that showcases top-tier bluegrass musicians and Lindberg's and Zasloff's poignant songwriting.   " Beacons is the name of the album, and the songs are supposed to be 18 little candles," Lindberg explains. "Little beacons of light that are reminders for my wife and I to stick to our own path and to see the bright side and to be grateful.”   Zasloff says Beacons came together quickly in early 2024, though it was a long time between albums.   “Eric looked at me right after New Year's Eve and said we're gonna do this album, and I said ‘Are you crazy? We have three kids. How are we gonna make this happen?’ And then I would say by April we were in the studio making this album, so Eric was on fire and inspired for those three months.”   While previous albums have featured Lindberg’s striking banjo playing, Beacons also allowed him to play the electric guitar, his primary instrument before bluegrass. The musical palette on Beacons  is wider because one disc features bluegrass and the other features Americana music.   “We just decided that this album was bigger than the genre or anything specific and that we were gonna throw out the rulebook,” Lindberg says. “We decided that these songs would really live together on two separate things, paying homage to both the bluegrass that people know us for and that we love, and then also this new direction on the Americana disc that is sort of a blues jazz kind of jam direction.”   Zasloff says she grew up hearing all kinds of music and toured extensively as a performer of children’s music. “I would say meeting Eric really opened the floodgates of bluegrass, and I fell in love with the genre, and fell as deeply in love with it as I did with him, and we started this journey together.”   Nefesh Mountain’s bluegrass music is rooted in the couple’s background and heritage as Jewish Americans. “Nefesh” means “soul” in Hebrew, as Zasloff explained at a recent concert. “We’re just trying to create a little Nefesh mountain universe where everyone is free to be themself and loved for exactly who they are,” she continued.   “On our first album, we recorded some songs that are actual prayers,” Lindberg continues. “We want to do something good for the world. And it sounds a little corny, but when we walk around and when we travel, you can tell people are feeling lonely and a little heartbroken and divided. It's a lonely time, and it's my responsibility to not just write music that is self-serving, but to really try to give something back. And I really feel that's something that being Jewish has always taught me. It's not about us. It's about giving back to our community.”   The bluegrass cuts on Beacons  include A-list musicians Stuart Duncan, Rob McCoury, and Mark Schatz. Lindberg says that over several projects, Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush have become especially cherished collaborators.   “I love those guys with all of my heart,” he says. “I write some challenging stuff at times, and they're always up for it. One of the huge gifts of my life is getting to know them. It's amazing.”   For Nefesh Mountain’s ambitious, year-round touring Lindberg and Zasloff have assembled a collective of gifted musicians who rotate in and out of the band as schedules permit. They’ve recruited instrumentalists who can play all the kinds of music featured on Beacons . It’s the music that they want to play and that their fans want to hear.   “My dream for the band is that there's sort of this kind of blues band rhythm section that on a dime can switch and we’re a bluegrass band,” Lindberg explains. “And then we really get to explore all of those things that I love, and I'm finding that a lot of folks out there really love, too.   “The 18 songs on  Beacons  are about remembering that this life is just yours and that there's no rules,” Lindberg says. “Just follow your own flow of the river, and good things will happen. And for us, it’s been really super exciting to play in this kind of multi-genre format. We're just gonna keep following the river and following our hearts because that’s what’s going to make us happy.”

These restaurants — each deeply rooted in place, culture, and community — achieved significant recognition from the James Beard Foundation in 2025. While none took home the trophy, their nominations spotlight Appalachia’s culinary breadth and rising influence. More than just a nod of approval, these honors affirm that chefs and restaurateurs across Appalachia are creating food that resonates locally and nationally. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Fet-Fisk earned a finalist spot for Best New Restaurant, one of just 10 restaurants across the nation to do so. This Nordic-inspired seafood bar in the city’s Bloomfield neighborhood has quickly gained acclaim for its inventive approach to local ingredients, serving up dishes like grilled cabbage Caesar, spaetzle, and whole branzino, paired with aquavit-forward cocktails and natural wines. With its clean aesthetic and minimal plating, Fet-Fisk stands out for its commitment to technique and precision without pretense. Despite ultimately losing out to Minneapolis’s Bûcheron , Fet-Fisk’s place among the finalists elevated Pittsburgh’s culinary reputation and displayed the city’s potential for boundary-pushing, ingredient-driven cuisine. It also demonstrated that Pittsburgh, long known for its blue-collar food traditions, can support and celebrate refined culinary experiences that remain true to place. Further south in Staunton, Virginia, Maude & the Bear was nominated as a semifinalist in the same Best New Restaurant category. Housed in a lovingly restored 1926 Montgomery Ward kit-house, the intimate space is the latest project from chef Ian Boden, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Housed in a lovingly restored 1926 Montgomery Ward kit-house, the intimate space is the latest project from chef Ian Boden, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Leslie Boden. . The couple has created a space that’s equal parts restaurant and retreat. Guests who dine on Boden’s whimsical, modern tasting menus—featuring seasonal fare sourced from the Shenandoah Valley—can stay overnight at the attached boutique inn, making for a fully immersive culinary escape. Dishes might include dry-aged duck with sorghum glaze or Appalachian heirloom beans plated like fine art. While Maude & the Bear didn’t advance to the finalist round, its nomination marked a significant moment: one of the first times Staunton found itself on the James Beard radar. The recognition underscores the growing sophistication and ambition of small-town dining in Appalachia and affirms that rural settings are no barrier to culinary excellence. Asheville, North Carolina, also made its mark this year. Leo’s House of Thirst, a cozy wine and cocktail bar in West Asheville, was named a semifinalist in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category. Known for its tightly curated list of natural wines, small-batch spirits, and seasonal cocktails, Leo’s has become a haven for wine lovers and curious drinkers alike. What sets Leo’s apart is its sense of place – the wine list leans heavily on producers who prioritize sustainable farming and low-intervention winemaking, while the bar’s menu often features Appalachian touches like pickled ramps, trout roe, and smoked mushrooms. It’s more than a neighborhood bar; it’s a thoughtful expression of the beverage culture emerging across Appalachia. While Leo’s didn’t make it to the finalist round, its inclusion among semifinalists reinforced Asheville’s position as a beverage destination, a city that supports innovation and depth far beyond traditional breweries and distilleries. Even without bringing home any awards, these nominations carry substantial weight. A James Beard nod as a semifinalist or finalist can increase visibility, drive reservations, attract press coverage, and position a restaurant for future accolades. It offers national validation and encourages the region’s food lovers to support businesses defining Appalachian cuisine on their terms. For restaurants in smaller cities and towns, the impact of a Beard nomination can be transformative, helping them attract talent, investment, and a new wave of culinary tourism. This year’s nominees also underscore the range and diversity of Appalachia’s food scene. From the seafood-forward minimalism of Fet-Fisk, to the tasting menu elegance of Maude & the Bear, to the wine-soaked charm of Leo’s, each restaurant represents a different vision of what dining in Appalachia can be. These establishments don’t rely on stereotypes or outdated notions of the region; instead, they expand the definition of Appalachian food, drawing from global influences while remaining grounded in local sourcing and storytelling. The region is not simply adapting to national trends but helping to set them. The path to top James Beard honors is often incremental. Today’s semifinalists become next year’s finalists; next year’s finalists may go on to win. The attention gained from one nomination can ripple outward for years. Whether that ultimate win happens in 2026 or beyond, what’s clear is this: Appalachia is no longer on the sidelines of the national food conversation. It’s in the room. And the food it’s bringing to the table is thoughtful, rooted, ambitious and worth celebrating.

There’s nothing better than a good story, and the storytelling is strong on St. Simons Island, Georgia. It’s a story of a resilient ministry, touching the lives of hundreds of thousands of visitors, if not millions. It’s a story about nourishing souls and delivering respite.   The story's main narrative centers on Epworth By The Sea, a nonprofit conference, retreat and vacation center on St. Simons Island. For 75 years, the center has hosted large events such as Bible study groups, government, law enforcement and military groups, corporate meetings and conferences, family reunions, choir retreats, children’s camps, ladies' and men’s civic groups, and more. It also functions as a hotel for individual visitors.   “We have 100 acres of beautiful retreat center,” explained Tiffany Flavell, who manages Epworth’s sales and reservations. “You can have your activities on the Golden Isles of Georgia. This area is called the Golden Isles because we have the most beautiful golden marshes.”   As a premier conference center on the coast of Georgia, Flavell said they host several hundred groups a year, “and roughly 100,000 visitors a year. We also function as a hotel. We are in our 75th year this year.”   For 25 of those trips around the sun, Flavell has devoted her time, heart, and soul to Epworth, which she believes in wholeheartedly.   “Epworth is a hospitality ministry,” she explained. “We all take our personal ministry seriously. We have a wonderful staff that has servants’ hearts.” In short, they are here to serve.   “We’re affiliated with the Southern Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church,” she explained. Some nonprofit work is about giving life experiences to those with limited opportunities to live fulfilling lives. One example is Miss Ella’s Camp for Special People, an annual special needs adult camp.   “It is their time to be with other people, to socialize. Most of them live in group homes or with elderly parents.” Flavell said the respite granted to caregivers during camp time – and the opportunities to socialize for camp participants – become landmark, life-enhancing events for the campers.   There’s also a children’s summer camp, and the nonprofit raises funds to help families who can’t afford to give their kids this experience. Flavell said the center emphasizes Christian values and charity but welcomes religious or secular groups; everyone is welcome.   The storytellers illustrate and expand this great 75-year Epworth By The Sea story. Once a year for 11 years now, professional tellers of tales have descended upon the retreat center both to share stories and to live out new experiences. They come for the St. Simons Storytelling Festival, happening next from February 13 through 15, 2026. Storytellers Flavell described as “world-class” will present their stories and share meals and social time with attendees. It’s a time for entertainment, learning, and forging new connections and new life experiences. It’s a time for reveling in storytelling as an art form and observing masters. Flavell said, “The fellowship of it is really spectacular.”   “February is wonderful here on the Island,” she said about the month the annual event is held. “A lot of times, you can even go to the beach.”   As far as facilities go, Epworth offers five different motel buildings with a total of 235 rooms, with some located on the Frederica River; 22 youth-style bunk cabins; 35 meeting rooms of various sizes; an onsite museum; bike rentals; tennis courts; pickleball courts; bonfire pits; a large athletic field for soccer and other sports; and more. There are also two piers, where Flavell said people can do a bit of saltwater fishing.   Find out more about the center by visiting Epworthbythesea.org and the storytelling fest by visiting Stsimonsislandstorytellingfestival.com .   Although most stories eventually have an ending, staff and volunteers hope the center’s story continues. Flavell is doing her part to ensure Epworth continues to do good work in another 75 years.   “I love sharing Epworth by The Sea with everyone, however I can,” she said. “We are here to serve.”

Nashville isn’t one size that fits all, with maverick singer and musician Joel Timmons, whose solo debut, Psychedelic Surf Country, mixes barroom honky-tonk with a Psychedelic surf vibe. “I watched the ‘cowboy-fication’ of myself,” says Timmons, describing his five-year stay in Nashville. “I felt like I walked back into 1958. It’s just a level of commitment to that period of music and that style of dress they really hold on to.” The Charleston, South Carolina, native says “East Nashville Cowboy” is “autobiographical.” “I enjoy using humor in my writing even when talking about serious stuff and real feelings. I definitely admire people like Roger Miller and Frank Zappa. “The song isn’t meant to be a teardown,” explains Timmons about Nashville’s modernized culture. “That’s the juxtaposition of the whole thing: it's 1958, but we’ve got Ubers and we’ve got fancy coffee.” Despite recording in Nashville, Timmons says there was no demand to make Psychedelic Surf Country a country album. “There’s all the best fiddlers, all the best steel players and all the history and recording studios there, but I didn’t take it as pressure to make a country record. I took it as an opportunity to explore that sound with some of the best in the game.” Timmons says dating his future wife, then a Nashville resident and Grammy Award-winning bluegrass singer Shelby Means, drove him to leave Charleston.   “[Shelby] said, ‘You know this isn’t working. Either I move to Charleston, or you move to Nashville. And I’m not moving to Charleston!’ It was definitely a move for love.” [Laughs.] Timmons, who performs with singer-songwriter Maya De Vitry and his hometown band Sole Driven Train, says he and Shelby were a perfect match. “We started singing together, which became our duo, Sally & George. It was a natural vocal blend. Both of us were choir kids, so we knew about cutting off words together and opening up our vowels in the same way.” The couple collaborated on his song “End of the Empire.” “[Shelby] wrote the first lyric with the melody. We were down in the Virgin Islands. She was floating in a little dinghy in the channel, and I was out over the reef surfing. When I got back to the boat, she sang the melody to me. That song was one that I didn’t really know what I was writing about. I didn’t have a plan; the words just fell out and felt right.” Timmons, an ardent surfer, felt homesick in Nashville. “I did feel landlocked,” explains Timmons, who moved back to South Carolina with his wife, Shelby. “I loved the community; I loved the way [Nashville] made me a better musician and a better writer. I just missed the ocean so much.” He describes the benefits of surfing. “Surfing helps me stay connected. It’s been a lifelong pursuit. I have been playing in the ocean longer than I have been playing on the guitar. It helps me find clarity, peace and my mental space.” The surfing singer-songwriter explains why he chose Maya De Vitry to produce Psychedelic Surf Country . “We moved to Nashville at about the same time, and I was a fan of [her band] The Stray Birds,” says Timmons, who was impressed by her work. “I just knew that she would help bring other people into the project that could help bring things out of me.” Psychedelic Surf Country isn’t like The Grateful Dead. “Live, we let things stretch out a little bit for more of that jam band kind of feeling.  Some of the guitar tones are kind of spacy, but most of the song lengths are under four minutes—it’s not exactly a whole psychedelic trip in there.” Going on, “For me, psychedelics in music is about dissolving the genre lines. You know, is it country, is it rock, is it folk?” Timmons feels that anything is possible. “It’s really an exciting time, because there is a lot of potential and uncertainty between my record, Shelby’s record, Sole Driven Train and Maya De Vitry—and whatever else we cook up!” Timmons teases the idea of recording a more traditional style album. “I am kind of interested in going real acoustic with some of my [songs]. Being around Shelby and all her bluegrass buddies inspires me to make some string band music. But it took me forty-five years to make Psychedelic Surf Country,” Timmons jokes. “By the time I’m ninety, I’ll have my second [album].”

Offering a blend of folk, old-time, and bluegrass, Florida-based Americana ensemble Remedy Tree seems to enjoy a busy year. Having just released a new album in September, this ‘tree’ is growing, expanding its canopy of music and laying down fresh new roots across the worlds of Americana and bluegrass.   Gabriel Acevedo formed Remedy Tree along with his wife Abigail. According to Acevedo, the past few months have been quite rewarding. Their single, “Beyond What I Can See,” debuted at #9 on the Bluegrass Today charts.   “We’ve already sold out two listening rooms, and we’re doing really well. We just played at The Station Inn,” he said, calling that gig at the legendary Nashville venue “an absolute highlight of our career.” They were also selected as a 2025 IBMA Ramble Showcase Artist.   “Our Spotify has blown up compared to what it used to be,” he said, “and we’re just glad to be here. 2025 has been a great year.”   Remedy Tree was formed in 2015. Acevedo described its inception as “a little folky kind of indie folk project.” Over time, he said they just started “going toward bluegrass.”   “We added a banjo in the band, and that took us even more toward a bluegrass trajectory.” Acevedo said, adding that he also started studying bluegrass music and attending bluegrass festivals.   “Of course, it’s a modern Americana type of band. It’s not full bluegrass all the time, but it definitely has extreme roots in bluegrass,” he explained.   The band’s name is a combination of ideas that work well in conjuring what the genuine music of Americana is supposed to be all about.   “I was just putting words together randomly, and that one just kind of stuck with me, because our music is very healing. It’s very positive music,” Acevedo said.   “We don’t do a lot of gospel,” he added, “but a lot of my lyrics have that message in it, and it's a message of hope. So that’s where the ‘remedy’ part came from. The ‘tree’ part…I think it was just kind of an artistic decision.” He said it’s given the whole project an “earthy” vibe.   When asked about what inspires the lyrical content of the group’s music, Acevedo said his writing is usually triggered by “waves of raw emotion.” These waves serve as inspiration. They’re often feelings associated with real-life events, and they’re pretty personal feelings.   He said the writing is “often infused with themes of chasing dreams and persevering,” with “love songs here and there.” “For the most part, the songs are about life,” he said. “You know, one of our mottos, which was the title of our last album, was ‘Love the Journey.’ And I really think that is the theme of the band, just loving the ride that life is – the ups and downs, and everything you learn, and everything in-between.”   Most performers can relate to the challenge of corralling the will to strive and move forward. Perseverance is a lifestyle for most who want to make a career as a performer.   “I always dreamed of having a band, and making a living, making a life, with the music. There’s always a part of you that says, this feels impossible .”   He said you keep going anyway. You persevere.   “And you keep improving the things you need improving on, and before you know it, you look back and realize how far you’ve gotten,” he said.   Acevedo's plan for the coming years is to “keep expanding our audience and growing, playing bigger festivals and venues, and just capturing more people into our remedy tree movements.”   Acevedo described a dynamic—a special communication with the listener—that inspires him to continue on the path.   “When there’s one person, you know, singing along in the audience…I always lock in with that one person, and it’s just…I appreciate that so much. It’s very humbling to see.”   While those special moments are a big reward, the overall journey sounds like a blast. For Acevedo, the main goal is as simple and understandable as any. He said Remedy Tree wants to “have a good time with it, have fun with it, and see where it leads.”

The label/studio name came to him one hungry morning. “I was eating a biscuit for breakfast, and then I thought, what about Sound Biscuit?” explained Sound Biscuit label/studio founder Dave Maggard.  “For some reason, it just stuck,” he said. Later, he discovered that biscuit  was also slang in the vinyl era for the pucks used to press records. “Making a record was making a biscuit,” Maggard added. “It worked out well. I’ve had so many people that I’ve given shirts or hats, and they come to me, and they say, ‘What’s a Sound Biscuit?’” Maggard said, usually answering the question at least four times a day. “I’ve got an old ’55 panel truck with Sound Biscuit  written on the side, and people will literally pull up beside me, roll down their window and want to know what a sound biscuit is.” A name that was once a spur-of-the-moment idea has created a titan in Bluegrass recording. Just off a winding stretch in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, nestled near the wooded hush of the Smoky Mountains, sits a recording studio where songs are crafted with grit, warmth, and a little magic. This place is Sound Biscuit—a Grammy-nominated recording studio and record label that doesn’t merely record music. It cultivates, nurtures, and sends it out into the world wrapped in heart and purpose. At the heart of it all is Dave Maggard, a man whose roots run deep in mountain soil and musical tradition. He’s not the guy who followed a business plan—he followed a calling—one that started decades ago when bluegrass legends were just neighbors stopping by for breakfast. “I have loved music my whole life,” Maggard said. “As I was growing up, I went to see J.D. Crowe play at the Great Midwestern, Louisville, Kentucky, in 1975. I had to sneak in. I wasn’t old enough to drink beer.” Maggard grew up in a scene where Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs, and Keith Whitley weren’t icons yet—they were just guys trying to catch a meal and a break. “They were nobody back then. They were just old bluegrass musicians trying to get fed, trying to get to the next show,” he said. After years of making music for beer money on the sidewalks of Gatlinburg, Maggard detoured into woodcarving, traveling as a sculptor and artist. But in his fifties, he circled back to the sound that never left his bones. “I went back to school at the Recording Workshop in Ohio. I wasn’t looking for another career, I just wanted to understand the process,” he said. “When I got out, I thought, I gotta do something with this knowledge.” That knowledge fueled the early incarnation—one room and an ISO booth—and evolved into a top-tier facility capable of everything from basic tracking to full album production, post-production mixing, ADR, voiceover, and audiobook work. Not to be limited, Sound Biscuit has partnered with Warner Bros. Studios for real-time voiceover and ADR recording. That alone would be enough to set Sound Biscuit apart, but the technology is only a tool here. The real power lies in how Maggard uses it—to create moments, to guide careers, and to make music that matters. The label's turning point came in 2018 when a few members of The Po' Ramblin' Boys showed up at Sound Biscuit to borrow mic stands. “They wanted to do a gospel album, so I said why don’t you do it on a label? Let me start a label, let’s do Sound Biscuit,” Maggard said. That album, God’s Love Is So Divine , was deeply personal and beautifully crafted. Their next project, Toil, Tears & Trouble , landed a Grammy nomination. “That trajectory to a Grammy was so outside my thought pattern,” he said. “That was a real ‘wow’ moment.” What followed was a string of collaborations with some of the most respected names in bluegrass and country, including Doyle Lawson, Dale Ann Bradley, and Bobby Osborne. “Getting to work with Doyle Lawson doing his final album – what a privilege to be able to do that,” Maggard said. Maggard’s approach to talent—whether rising or seasoned—is the same: respect the story, support the soul. He has a particular fondness for working with newcomers. “I love working with someone who doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing and helping them understand what they need to do,” he said. “They’ll either walk outta here and go, ‘I don’t want to do this for a living,’ or ‘this is a challenge, and I really want to go for it.” To meet the needs of these emerging voices, Sound Biscuit is preparing to launch Gravy Records, an imprint designed to guide young artists through the maze of copyrights, studio processes, and artistic development. “We’re laying the groundwork for a new leg of Sound Biscuit specifically designed to work with emerging artists… people that need that next step of help,” Maggard said. “We’ve already signed four stellar artists. Killer. We’re so excited.” Despite its roots in bluegrass, Sound Biscuit doesn’t limit itself to one sound. The studio has recorded in nearly all genres. “We don’t just do bluegrass. We’ve worked with didgeridoos and bagpipes,” he said. “Bluegrass picked me with The Po' Ramblin' Boys. It wasn’t like I went out and solicited bluegrass. It just came to me and I went with the flow.” Maggard's belief in music as community is baked into everything Sound Biscuit does, from Kids on Bluegrass sponsorships to establishing a scholarship at East Tennessee State University. “That’s one of our main emphases,” he said. “We auctioned off a guitar last year to help raise funds.” And it doesn’t stop with donations, he’s always ready to open the studio doors when a young player needs a leg up. That generosity of spirit extends into sessions that become legends. One day, Doyle Lawson, Phil and Matt Ledbetter, Tim Stafford, Barry Abernathy, Jason Moore, and Jim Van Cleve came together to record “Resurrection Morning” for the family of the late Steve Gulley. “We recorded Resurrection Morning here, which Vince Gill was on,” Maggard said. “We did the base here. And all these people, all of them, loved Steve.” With every passing year, Sound Biscuit’s catalog grows, but the intention behind each note defines the label. “What I do with the label is really give them a resume and an opportunity,” Maggard said. “It’s not about me making money for the company.” For Maggard, it’s about legacy and creating something lasting for the people around him. He doesn’t advertise or chase clients. Instead, Sound Biscuit attracts people by simply being a place they want  to be. “I want to create something that is interesting and so attractive that people want to be a part of it,” he said. “I want to work with people who want to be here. Maggard’s focus is clear: create an environment where his team—and the artists they serve—can live full, meaningful lives doing what they love. And Dave doesn’t waste a second. He pours that time into building Sound Biscuit not just as a studio or label, but as a platform for others to thrive. His life philosophy came into sharp focus during a conversation where a colleague demonstrated a perspective he had concerning, well, life. “I was getting ready to make a big investment,” he said. “I'm looking at this investment, and the guy looks at me and says, ‘Let me show you something.’ He took out a measuring tape, held one end, and then handed it to me. ‘Now go to 76 [inch mark on the tape].’ I went to 76 and he said, ‘Now, the average life expectancy of a male in the United States is 76. Okay, where's your number?’ And I'm looking at 68 and it's like, right there, close to me, and I look at where he's standing [at zero]. And you realize where you've been and what you've enjoyed, and then you look at what you've got left.” “I want to create something that’s going to outlive me,” he said. “That’s going to provide Shane, Keith... and whoever we hire... the opportunity to do what they love. But also, if Shane’s got his kid’s soccer game, I think you need to go be there. Priorities should be their families and their lives. The happiness of being with family, that’s important.” And that’s what makes Sound Biscuit a living, breathing testament to the idea that making music and making a life can—and should—go hand in hand. In a world full of noise, Dave Maggard has built a place where sound has meaning, and every moment counts. The great songwriting icon Warren Zevon, in his last days, was noted to say, “Enjoy every sandwich.” To that end, Sound Biscuit fills the belly, the ear, and the heart.