Bluegrass Jam Along

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsDave Sinko interviewNews and announcements - Church Street News North Carolina Guitar CelebrationTelluride LineupReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list o...

My guest this week is legendary sound engineer Dave Sinko.Dave joins me to talk about his 17 year collaboration with Punch Brothers, including running their live sound, from using mics and pickups on every instrument, right down to single mic shows (and most points in between).We also chatted about Dave's long standing collaboration with Edgar Meyer, recording some of the most influential records in all of acoustic music, including Uncommon Ritual, plus why building a racing yacht is very sim...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episodeNews and announcements - Church Street News IBMA Industry AwardsMy recent interview with Jim MillsReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list of interviewsPeghead NationUs...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episodeNews and announcements - Church Street News Church Street Blues reissueChurch Street Blues 40th Anniversary Episode part 1Church Street Blues 40th Anniversary Episode part 2Releases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyToy Heart Alison Krauss episodeOther bitsSign up for em...

My guest this week is Stephen Mougin, guitarist in The Sam Bush Band and founder of Dark Shadow Recording.In this episode we talk about Stephen's work as a band coach. We chat about his training as a vocal teacher, what bands should be working on, including how they should be rehearsing, why preparing for the studio isn't really all that different from preparing to play live and how to listen to music in order to learn from it. There are so many fascinating insights that will be invaluable to...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - Church Street News Library of Congress listReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyBilly Strings a capella quertetJacob Jolliff Vera performanceOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 ...

Kristina R. Gaddy joins me again to celebrate the paperback release of her fascinating book “Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History”.We chat about the reception to the book's publication in hardback, what information has come to light since publication, Kristina's hopes that her book will inspire others to pick up where she left off and dig deeper, plus how Beyonce's 'Cowboy Carter', featuring Rhiannon Giddens (who wrote the foreword to Kristina's book) increased the...

**This interview was originally posted in September 2022**My guest this week is Kristina R. Gaddy, who joins us to discuss her fascinating book “Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History”.We chat about how she came to write the book and some of the key discoveries she made along the way, in particular the banjo’s unknown history as an instrument of ritual and rebellion.Kristina’s research in diaries, letters, archives, and art, traces the banjo’s beginnings from the seventeen...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - Church Street News Church Street Blues reissueReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list of interviewsPeghead NationUse the code ‘jamalong’ for ...

My guest this week is Matt Glaser, Artistic Director of Berklee's Center for American Roots Music.Matt joins me to celebrate 15 years of the program, but also to delve into some of the themes of his superb Keynote Speech at IBMA 2023. In the speech, Matt sets out the idea that American music can be seen as one thing, rather than simply a series of genres, and goes on to give countless examples of early musical connections between styles.We chat about his approach, how music educat...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - Church Street News Fretboard SummitRhiannon Giddens on collaborating with Beyoncé on 'Cowboy Carter'Releases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyDavid Benedict ‘How I Transcribe’ Hillary Klug KickstarterOther bitsSign up for emails https://bl...

This week we're jamming along to the classic tune Temperance Reel. This is a performance track, rather than a backing track. It's me playing both tune and backup so you've got a reference to listen to if you're new to the tune, or just want to be able to listen a few times to the whole thing.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done and jam along!If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), head to bluegrassjamalong.com Suppo...

This week we're jamming along to Temperance Reel and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the jam along track where I play backup, followed by the melody then we keep swapping. It's four times through in the key of G at 75 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates o...

This week we're jamming along to Temperance Reel and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play lead track where I play backup so you can work on the tune. It's four times through in the key of G at 75 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes...

This week we're jamming along to Temperance Reel and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play rhythm track where I play the melody so you can work on backup. It's four times through in the key of G at 75 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new epis...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news IBMA ticket infoReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyBob Minner - Sulphur DellOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list of interviewsPeghead Natio...

My guest this week is Lindsay Lou, who joins me to talk about her wonderful record Queen of Time.We talk about the arc of Lindsay's creative journey, from her previous record Southland to this record, and beyond. We also chat about why it's important to know where you came from, both personally and musically, and why that led to Lindsay using interviews with her grandmother on two tracks on the record, plus I got the chance to ask about Lindsay's recent experience of joining the Transatlantic...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Well of Souls - Kristina GaddyReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyPunch Brothers - Just What I NeededOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list of...

My guest this week is Bill Amatneek, who joins me to talk about his fascinating new book 'Discovering Tony Rice.'Bill shares his memories of playing with Tony in the David Grisman Quintet, officiating at Tony's wedding to Leela and spending time with him on the road. He also talks about how an article on Tony turned into a 260 page book and what he learned about Tony from interviewing his friends, musical colleagues and family in the process.It's a fascinating insight into one of the most ext...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Earl Scruggs Music Festival lineupMike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg’s mandolin retreatReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyThe Last Repair ShopOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact...

My guest this week is singer-songwriter, producer, author, and playwright Michael Johnathon.Michael is probably best known as the founder, producer and host of The Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour. He joins me to talk about Woodsongs' extraordinary history, from its humble beginnings in a tiny room with an audience of 12, to being broadcast on 537 radio stations and heard by over two million listeners.We also chat about his SongFarmers project, a global network where musicians become leaders and...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news North Carolina Guitar CelebrationChris Thile’s AcousticampReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyNew Music Streaming BillPitchforkMixmagOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostl...

My guest this week is guitarist Ethan Sherman.Ethan joins me to talk about his new record 'Passages', which is due out on March 8th. We chat about working with producer Wes Corbett on the project, why it was important to write for specific players and how Ethan came to string band music in the first place.We also chat about a wonderful book Ethan co-wrote with Adam Levy called 'String Theories'. I've been working with it for a couple of weeks and it's really inspired me to focus more on where...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Lessons With Marcel Tony Rice videoReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyEarl Scruggs’ D18Other bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list of interviewsPe...

My guest this week is Missy Raines.We talk about Missy's wonderful new album 'Highlander' and her journey from being a bass player to becoming a singer/songwriter and bandleader. Along the way Missy talks about being part of a musical tradition, what that means to her, how working with producer Alison Brown shaped the record and why it felt like coming home to a place she'd never left to begin with.It's a great record and I really enjoyed the conversation.To find out more about Missy, includi...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Song FarmersCasey Driessen’s Blue Ridge Fiddle CampReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyScott Nygaard on playing for people to dance toOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (most...

My guest this week is fiddle player George Jackson.George, originally from New Zealand, now living in Nashville, won the 2022 IBMA Instrumentalist Of The Year Momentum Award.He's played with a wide range of artists with artists such as The Jacob Jolliff Band, Jake Blount, Tall Poppy String Band, The Local Trio, Front Country, Peter Rowan and Missy Raines.He joins me to chat about a fascinating project he's working on with Tristan Scroggins, called The Old Time 100. George and Tristan re...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Steve Gulley Memorial ScholarshipBluegrass Today pieceCrandall Creek websiteNew Mexico Banjo CampDiscovering Tony Rice BookReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyBela Fleck - In Defence of Rhapsody in BlueRichard Davis Fou...

My guest this week is Kyle Tuttle.Lots of you will know Kyle as the banjo player in Molly Tuttle's band Golden Highway, but he also has a fantastic new record called 'Labor of Lust', which he's joining me to chat about in this episode.We talk about the roots of the record, the theme that runs through it, Earl Scruggs' influence on Kyle (and the banjo in general) and using effects on the banjo, both to change the sound in the studio and to get a fuller sound live, particularly as the venues Ky...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Michael Daves Facebook pageBluegrass in La RocheReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyAlex Hargreaves ArtistWorks courseOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 pla...

This is the final episode in the series celebrating Earl Scruggs' 100th birthday. My guest for this one is Jim Mills. Jim is a fantastic banjo player, who spent over a decade playing with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. He's also an expert on pre-War Gibson banjos, so is the perfect person to talk about how the banjos Earl played influenced the sound and, as a result, the type of banjo people look for to this day.If you want to find out more about Jim, including infohon his business b...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news IBMA official showcase Ramble applications Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots FestivalReleases (The Grass is NewThe Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyGeorge Jackson & Tristan Scroggins - Old time 100 Tristan’s InstagramGeorge’s Inst...

This is part 3 of the celebration of Earl Scruggs' 100th birthday. In this episode we're talking about Earl's influence on the younger generation of players and also celebrating his wonderful guitar playing.You'll hear from:Trey Hensley, on Earl being his main influence on the guitar, as well as getting to meet and play with EarlKyle Tuttle, on why no banjo record is complete without a tip of the hat to Earl Scruggs and why Earl is perhaps one of the most imitated musicians in historyWil...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsEarl Scruggs 100th birthday celebration part 1Part 2Releases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list of interviewsPeghead NationUse the code ‘jamalong’ for a free month...

This is part 2 of the celebration of Earl Scruggs' 100th birthday. Earl's influence on bluegrass is huge, as you'll hear from my guests this week.You'll hear from:Jerry Douglas, on Earl being one of the first sounds he heard and why starting The Earls of Leicester felt like a callingAlison Brown on why the timing of Earl's arrival on the bluegrass scene (and the wider music scene) had such an impact on the music, and on Earl's careerTim O'Brien on Earl's role in the development of bluegr...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsEarl Scruggs 100th birthday celebration part 1News and announcements (Church Street News)Earl Scruggs Center - Center Stage showsReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyRachel Baiman BGS piece on Brittany Haas and Punch BrothersTristan Scroggins BGS piece on c...

January 6th would have been Earl Scruggs' 100th birthday. To celebrate Earl and his extraordinary influence, I've been speaking to people who knew, played with and have been inspired by him.This is part 1, featuring three amazing banjo players:Tony TrischkaKristin Scott BensonAlan MundeThey all share their thoughts on Earl and his contribution to music and the banjo, as well as why Earl's music is so special to them. All of these are brand new interviews carried out for these episodes. They'v...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsJosh Turknett interview episodeNews and announcements (Church Street News)Nickel Creek tour datesSore Fingers Summer SchoolReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyTony Rice Church Street Blues vinyl reissueOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong...

For this week's episode I'm doing something I don't normally do - reposting an old interview. In fact, I don't think I've ever done it before. The reason I'm doing it is that so many of us make resolutions at this time of year to practice more, play better or just improve on our instruments. My guest in this interview has some wonderful advice on all of those things. My guest for this one is Josh Turknett, author of the fantastic book 'The Laws of Brainjo - The Art & Science of Molding a ...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsJerry Douglas talks about the Earl Scruggs 100th birthday concertReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistScroll on BuddyNickel Creek - Blackberry SessionOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2024 playlistFull list of int...

January 6th 2024 would have been Earl Scruggs' 100th birthday.I'm putting together a very special set of episodes to celebrate. As part of them I spoke to Jerry Douglas, who's organising a spectacular night of music at The Ryman on Earl's birthday to mark the occasion. This is a taster taken from a much longer chat I had with Jerry. We talked about putting the show together and why he wants to celebrate Earl. The full interview will be released in a couple of weeks, alongside lots of other gu...

It’s almost the end of 2023. Where did the year go?!I’m already working on some exciting stuff for 2024 but, before we head into the holidays, I wanted to have a look back at 2023 on Bluegrass Jam Along as it’s been an extraordinary year.I’ve had the opportunity to speak to some truly amazing guests. You’ll hear excerpts from a few of them in this episode, along with a recap of all the interviews on the podcast this year.You’ll hear from:Sierra Hull on playing with Bela Fleck and the new musi...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church Street News)Peghead Nation - Gypsy Jazz Mandolin Essentials, taught by Aaron WeinsteinUse the code ‘jamalong’ for a free month of any courseDelfest lineupReleases (The Grass is New)Billy Strings live releaseThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyBela Fleck Rhapsod...

My guest this week is Ted Olson.Ted is Professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University. He's also written liner notes and essays for some wonderful projects, including “Doc Watson – Life's Work: A Retrospective,” and the fantastic “Nothing But Green Willow: The Songs Of Jane Gentry and Mary Sands” by Martin Simpson & Thomm Jutz.Ted joins me to talk about three wonderful projects he worked on for Bear Family Records, celebrating three key recording sessions ...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church Street News)Lessons with Marcel - Mickey’s Fiddle Tune Arrangements bookSierra Hull tour datesBilly Strings Europe 2023 Mini Tour DocumentaryReleases (The Grass is New)Rachel Baiman ‘Common Nation of Sorrow’ deluxe editionThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyTri...

This week we've got something I haven't done in a while - a mini jam episode. That means we're playing 3 tunes back to back instead of focussing on just one. The idea is it feels a bit more like playing at a jam session. I know some of you use these tracks to work up to attending a jam so hopefully this will help with that!I've gone for 3 tunes with a more open feel, they're not quite as busy as tunes like Blackberry Blosson. They are:Home Sweet Home in D Red Wing in GPeartre...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church Street News)MerleFest LineupIBMA Emcee masterclassReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyAtkin GuitarsD37 12S model (Instagram link)In My EarsThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalon...

This week we're jamming along to the classic tune Big Sandy River. This is a performance track, rather than a backing track. It's me playing both tune and backup so you've got a reference to listen to if you're new to the tune, or just want to be able to listen a few times to the whole thing.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done and jam along!If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), head to bluegrassjamalong.com Suppo...

This week we're jamming along to Big Sandy River and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the jam along track where I play backup, followed by the melody then we keep swapping. It's four times through in the key of A at 75 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates o...

This week we're jamming along to Big Sandy River and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play lead track where I play backup so you can work on the tune. It's four times through in the key of A at 75 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes...

This week we're jamming along to Big Sandy River and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play rhythm track where I play the melody so you can work on backup. It's four times through in the key of A at 75 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new epis...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church Street News)Energy Curfew Music Hour ticketsReleases (The Grass is New)Kelly Hunt - Ozark SymphonyThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyMandolin CafeIn My EarsThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/con...

This week we're jamming along to the classic tune Home Sweet Home. This is a performance track, rather than a backing track. It's me playing both tune and backup so you've got a reference to listen to if you're new to the tune, or just want to be able to listen a few times to the whole thing.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes - Free fiddle tune chord s...

This week we're jamming along to Home Sweet Home and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the jam along track where I play backup, followed by the melody then we keep swapping. It's four times through in the key of D at 85 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates o...

This week we're jamming along to Home Sweet Home and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play lead track where I play backup so you can work on the tune. It's four times through in the key of D at 85 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes...

This week we're jamming along to Home Sweet Home and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play rhythm track where I play the melody so you can work on backup. It's four times through in the key of D at 85 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new epis...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church Street News)Grammy NominationsReleases (The Grass is New)Catilin Canty ‘Quiet Flame’ video (with Paul Kowert)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyArtistWorks Mandolin Round Table videoIn My EarsThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistOther bitsSign up for emai...

2023 is the 20th anniversary of the release of Mike Marshall and Chris Thile's album of mandolin duets 'Into the Cauldron'.To mark the anniversary and celebrate the album, and the influence it's had on a whole generation of mandolin players, I've put together two very special episodes.This is part 2, featuring interviews with mandolin players who were influenced by and love Into the Cauldron, including:Daniel Patrick (Mandolins and Beer podcast)Jarrod Walker (Billy Strings) Tristan Scrog...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church Street News)Earl Scruggs’ 100th Birthday CelebrationBluegrass Guitar Sicily - With Bryan Sutton and Chris EldridgeReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyAppalachian Mountains and the Scottish Highlands mapIn My EarsThe Grass is (mostly) ...

2023 is the 20th anniversary of the release of Mike Marshall and Chris Thile's album of mandolin duets 'Into the Cauldron'.To mark the anniversary and celebrate the album, and the influence it's had on a whole generation of mandolin players, I've put together two very special episodes.This is part 1, featuring a brand new, in-depth interview with Mike Marshall. We chat about how the record came about, song choices, recording, how they got that amazing reverb and so much more.It was a fa...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Releases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyElderly Instruments named America’s Top Small BusinessIn My EarsBear Family CDsWe Shall All Be Reunited - Revisiting The Bristol Sessions 1927-1928 (CD)Tell It To Me - The Johnson City Sessions - Revisited 1928-1929 (CD)Satan Is ...

This week we're playing another tune back to back at two different speeds - once at 75 bpm then again at 85. We're doing Big Sciota and we're in the key of G.We're using the jam along format - that means I'm kicking off playing backup and you're on the tune, then we swap and go round 4 times. Then, after a quick pause, we do the whole thing again at 85 bpm.Don't forget to grab a chord sheet if you need one from bluegrassjamalong.comHappy picking!Matt Support the Show.===- Sign up to get...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsClarence White Tribute - part 1Clarence White Tribute - part 2Releases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyMandolins and Beer podcastEarl Scruggs bookOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify...

2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Clarence White - one of the undisputed greats of bluegrass guitar.To mark the occasion, and to celebrate Clarence, I've been speaking to people who knew and played with him, as well as musicians who were influenced by his playing.This is part 2, featuring all new interviews with Russ Barenberg, Diane Bouska, Michael Daves and Tim Stafford.Russ produced the first book of transcriptions of Clarence's playing and Diane, who was married to Clarence'...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsClarence White Tribute part 1Sweet Relief Musicians FundNews and announcements (Church street News)Celtic ConnectionsOh, Didn’t They Ramble - Rounder Records bookBlue Ridge Guitar CampCharlotte Carrivick interviewWebAppleSpotifyBela Fleck ‘My Bluegrass Heart’ transcriptionsReleases (The G...

2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Clarence White - one of the undisputed greats of bluegrass guitar.To mark the occasion, and to celebrate Clarence, I've been speaking to people who knew and played with him, as well as musicians who were influenced by his playing.This is part 1, featuring all new interviews with David Grier, who knew Clarence in the final year of his life, and Alan Munde, who played with Clarence in those final months, most famously on The New Kentucky Colonels ...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsIBMA episodeNews and announcements (Church street News)Caitlin Canty and Chris Eldridge - ‘Come By the Highway Home’Nechville Billy Failing banjoSarah Jarosz tour datesReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyEric Skye fiddle tune TABsEric Skye i...

This week's episode is a special IBMA World of Bluegrass 2023 round up.I was incredibly lucky to be nominated for an IBMA Momentum Award for the podcast, so I made the trip over from the UK to Raleigh for the awards ceremony and the conference. While I was there I interviewed a few people, some you'll be very familiar with, some maybe less so, about their experiences of IBMA and what it means to the bluegrass community.My guests include:Alex GrafFred Kosak of Stillhouse JunkiesDaniel Pat...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsIBMA websiteMartin Simpson & Thomm Jutz interviewNews and announcements (Church street News)IBMA music award winnersReleases (The Grass is New)Martin Simpson & Thomm Jutz recordOn The Honky Tonk Highway With The Brother BoysThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistOther bitsSign ...

My guests this week are Martin Simpson & Thomm Jutz, who join me to talk about their wonderful new record 'Nothing But Green Willow : The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry.' The album brings together a selection of British folk songs collected in Appalachia in the early 20th century by Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles. Alongside Martin and Thomm it features a range of incredible artists from both sides of the pond, including Sierra Hull and Justin Moses, Angeline Morrison, Odes...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsBluegrass Jam Along websitePeghead NationUse the code ‘jamalong’ for a free month of any courseNews and announcements (Church street News)Punch Brothers - Energy Curfew Music HourReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyIBMA appAppleGoogleOther b...

My guest this week is James Kee, lead singer and guitarist with East Nash Grass.James chats about how the members first came together via a regular Nashville gig, how that slowly began to turn into a band and also about their fantastic new record Last Chance to Win.You can find out more at the East Nash Grass website, where you'll find tour dates, music, merch and links to social platforms for regular updates.I really enjoyed this one - hope you do too!Matt Support the Show.===- Sign up to g...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsBluegrass Jam Along websitePeghead NationUse the code ‘jamalong’ for a free month of any courseNews and announcements (Church street News)IBMA appAppleGoogleReleases (The Grass is New)Cory Walker - School ProjectThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyLessons With MarcelO...

This week we're playing another tune back to back at two different speeds - once at 75 bpm then again at 85. We're doing Peartree and we're in the key of G.We're using the jam along format - that means I'm kicking off playing backup and you're on the tune, then we swap and go round 4 times. Then, after a quick pause, we do the whole thing again at 85 bpm.Don't forget to grab a chord sheet if you need one from bluegrassjamalong.comHappy picking!MattSupport the show Support the Show.===- ...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsBluegrass Jam Along websiteNews and announcements (Church street News)Brad Farmer scholarship infoReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistFull list of ...

Hi everyone.Not a full episode this week, I just wanted to let you know what's going on over the summer as I'm taking a short break.Happy picking!Matt Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes - Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates: Instagram Facebook - Review us on Apple Podcasts

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsBluegrass Jam Along websiteList of tunes on the websiteNews and announcements (Church street News)IBMA music awards nomineesIBMA industry/momentum award nomineesReleases (The Grass is New)The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyBluegrass Today George Gruhn articleOther bi...

My guest this week is singer songwriter Caitlin Canty.Caitlin joins me to chat about her new album Quiet Flame, produced by Chris Eldridge (of Punch Brothers and Mighty Poplar) and featuring a fantastic band, including Paul Kowert, Brittany Haas, Sarah Jarosz, Noam Pikelny and Andrew Marlin.We talk about working with those musicians, the fact that the record was about to be made when the pandemic struck, how the final record differs from the one it would have been if it had been recorded back...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsBluegrass Jam Along websiteList of tunes on the websiteNews and announcements (Church street News)New Northfield mandolin (and guitar) modelsRon Block banjo appReleases (The Grass is New)Wyatt Ellis ‘Grassy Cove’ videoThe Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistOther bitsSign up for emails ...

This week's episodes were supposed to be a set of backing tracks for Big Sandy River. I recorded them and started editing and they just sounded a bit....well...bad!So rather than put them out, or make up an excuse, I thought I'd share that in the hope it helps a few other people go a little easier on themselves on their bad days. Because we all have them (even Bryan Sutton).It's a short episode but hopefully there's some value in it.That's it - happier picking! Matt Support the Show.===-...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsNew Bluegrass Jam Along websiteNews and announcements (Church street News)IBMA Mystery Merch SaleReleases (The Grass is New)Wyatt Ellis ‘Grassy Cove’ Other bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New Spotify playlistHappy picking.Matt Suppor...

My guest this week is Tim Stafford of Blue Highway.Tim joins me to chat about his new record Guitar Melodies, a wonderful album of guitar instrumentals. We talk about the tunes, the guitars he used, who else plays on the record and why Tim dedicated the album to the memory and legacy of Tony Rice.It's a great record and it's always a pleasure to chat to Tim.Head to Tim's website for more info. You can buy Guitar Melodies from Tim's store.If you don't know the tony_units Instagram account Tim ...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsNew Bluegrass Jam Along websiteNews and announcements (Church street News)Samuel Smith storySamuel’s InstagramListen to ‘In the Springtime’Releases (The Grass is New)Watch Molly Tuttle’s ‘San Joaquin’The Grass is New Spotify playlistScroll on BuddyBela Fleck’s Blue Ridge Banjo CampOther b...

My guest this week is Gabe Witcher.Just a couple of days before we recorded this, Gabe played his last shows with Punch Brothers, the band he was a founding member of and was in for 18 years.We chat about how the band came together, what the early years were like and why now felt like the right time to move on. We also talk about what's next for Gabe, including continuing his work as a producer and arranger.It was a joyous conversation and a real treat to get to be a part of. Punch Brot...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsNew Bluegrass Jam Along websiteNews and announcements (Church street News)Preserve Rockwood campaignReleases (The Grass is New)Dan Tyminski - God Fearing HeathenCaitlin Canty - Quiet FlameBuy the albumListenShannon Slaughter - Hard A’Port The Grass is New Spotify playlistOther bitsSi...

This week we're playing another tune back to back at two different speeds - once at 75 bpm then again at 85. We're doing Blackberry Blossom and we're in the key of G.We're using the jam along format - that means I'm kicking off playing backup and you're on the tune, then we swap and go round 4 times. Then, after a quick pause, we do the whole thing again at 85 bpm.Don't forget to grab a chord sheet if you need one from bluegrassjamalong.comHappy picking!Matt Support the Show.===- Sign u...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Bluegrass Jam Along NewsNew Bluegrass Jam Along websiteNews and announcements (Church street News)IBMA Bluegrass Live!Releases (The Grass is New)Tim O’Brien Cup of SugarTim Stafford Guitar MelodiesWatch Cup O’ Joe Weathered and WornScroll on Buddy David Grisman’s New Smokey Grass BoysOther bitsSign up for h...

My guest this week is Tim O'Brien.Tim has a wonderful new record called 'Cup of Sugar', which I think is as good as anything he's done.We chat about the songs and themes on this record, as well as those on Tim's last album 'He Walked On'. Many of them revolve around connection and understanding other people's stories and experience. Tim is such a fascinating musician and I really loved this conversation. I hope you do too!For more info on Tim and 'Cup of Sugar', and to check latest tour...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church street news)Bluegrass photosScott Simontacchi InstagramTony Rice photoReleases (The Grass is New)Tim O’BrienCup of Sugar pre-order linkTim StaffordGuitar Melodies pre-order linkScroll on Buddy Wyatt Ellis and Free Guitars 4 KidsInstagram postFree Guitars 4 Kids websiteSign up ...

This week we're jamming along to the classic tune Peartree. This is a performance track, rather than a backing track. It's me playing both tune and backup so you've got a reference to listen to if you're new to the tune, or just want to be able to listen a few times to the whole thing.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done and jam along!If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the ...

This week we're jamming along to Peartreeand I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the jam along track where I play backup, followed by the melody then we keep swapping. It's four times through in the key of G at 85 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new ep...

This week we're jamming along to Peartree and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play lead track where I play backup so you can work on the tune. It's four times through in the key of G at 85 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes - Free...

This week we're jamming along to Peartree and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the you play rhythm track where I play the melody so you can work on backup. It's four times through in the key of G at 85 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes - ...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Sign up for email alertsNatalie and Brittany Haas interviewAppleSpotifyTristan Scroggins Facebook pageTristan Scroggins interviewAppleSpotifyThe Grass is New Spotify playlistHappy picking.Matt Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes - Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the B...

My guests this week are Natalie and Brittany Haas, who join me to chat about their great new record Haas.Some of you will be familiar with Brittany from Hawktail and Crooked Still, and Natalie from her long standing musical partnership with Alasdair Fraser. This new record marks their first duo recording, despite them having played music together for most of their lives.It was a fascinating, and fun, conversation - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.Here's where you'll find more info on the...

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Pod newsSign up for email alertsChurch Street NewsTyler Grant ArtistWorks courseWayne C. Henderson Festival and Guitar CompetitionThe Grass is New - new releasesThe Grass is New Spotify playlistTim O’Brien websiteEast Nash Grass websiteNatalie and Brittany Haas BandcampHappy picking.Matt Support the Show.===- Si...

Hi.I've got a Food For Thought episode for you this week. It's been a while since we did one of these, but something that happened last weekend that made me think - so I thought I'd share it.Have a listen and see what my take is. Then head over to Bluegrass Jamalong's Instagram or Facebook and tell us what you think!Happy picking. Support the Show.===- Sign up to get updates on new episodes - Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegr...

This week we're jamming along to the classic tune The Old Spinning Wheel. This is a performance track, rather than a backing track. It's me playing both tune and backup so you've got a reference to listen to if you're new to the tune, or just want to be able to listen a few times to the whole thing.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done and jam along!If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), head to bluegrassjamalong.co...

This week we're jamming along to The Old Spinning Wheel and I've got three brand new backing track episodes for you. This is the jam along track where I play backup, followed by the melody then we keep swapping. It's four times through in the key of D at 85 bpm.Don't forget to check out the other three episodes when you're done.If you want a chord chart (or just want to find out more or get in touch), just head to bluegrassjamalong.com Support the Show.===- Sign up to get up...