Bluegrass inventor Bill Monroe (Sept. 13, 1911-Sept. 9, 1996) Springs a Surprise
I interviewed Bill Monroe -- born 102 years ago today -- between his sets at Summerfest in 1981 for The Milwaukee Journal. He is credited for inventing bluegrass in 1939 when his Bluegrass Boys auditioned at the Grand Old Opry and caused a high, lonesome stir that has never quite died down,
Jason Molina & The Spineriders' "Hello Future Tinglies"
Jason Molina was from Lorain, Ohio. He became well known performing and recording as Songs: Ohia, as a solo artist and with a revolving cast of musicians. Beginning in 2003, he recorded either under his own name or with a stable line-up of band members as the Magnolia Electric
Concert Review: Amanda Shires & Jason Isbell, Live at Neumos, Seattle, 9/10/13
As their North American tour stopped in Seattle last night, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires again proved themselves to be the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill of alt-country. (Granted, the duo is infinitely more talented than Nashville's Celine Dion and her spouse, whose inane "Truck Yeah&
CD Review: Left Lane Cruiser – Rock Them Back to Hell!
Freddy J. IV and Brenn Beck of Indiana’s roots rock and hillbilly blues duo Left Lane Cruiser are back with a follow-up to their 2011 release “Junkyard Speed Ball,” titled “Rock Them Back to Hell!” Still on Alive Records, this brand new full-length by Left Lane Cruiser
Gay Traditions: Singer/Harpist Seumas Gagne on Being Gay in Gaeldom
Seumas Gagne is a well-known Scottish-American harpist and singer in Seattle, Washington, a community-organizer who's been happy to set up concerts and workshops in his home for visiting Scottish traditional artists and a passionate supporter of the Scots Gaelic language, though he lives far from
Kelly Joe Phelps: A Pilgrim’s Year
Kelly Joe Phelps has just returned from California, having played his first show since the diagnosis of ulnar nerve damage, eight months ago. At the end of the week he picks up where he left off last January, touring Great Britain for a month with Brother Sinner and the Whale,