![SPOTLIGHT: The Magic of Our Little Blue Earth [ESSAY]](https://storage.ghost.io/c/18/d0/18d08e58-3b1b-4720-ae25-a31b44e69d4b/content/images/size/w720/2025/05/Kristina-Murray-Spotlight-5.jpg)
THE READING ROOM: The Best Music Books of 2025 So Far
We’ve made it almost halfway through 2025, and it’s been a hell of a ride so far. We live in a world marred by fear, division, hate, deceit, inequity, loss, death; the litanies of woe and hopelessness very often drown out the voices of hope. Where can we
NO DEPRESSION SESSIONS at MerleFest: Woody Platt & The Bluegrass Gentlemen
No Depression set up the "studio" at the 37th annual MerleFest for a dozen sessions with legends and legends-in-the-making. The festival was founded in 1988 in memory of Doc Watson’s son Merle, and features “traditional plus” music, meaning a broad range of styles from
FOUNDERS KEEPERS: Amble basks in Reverie, and old faves deliver the goods
Most of the time I focus these columns on recent releases by artists I’ve written about for years, sometimes decades. There’s plenty of that this month as well, but out front we have the auspicious debut album from a brand new Irish trio called Amble. Beyond that are
ALBUM REVIEW: The SteelDrivers’ 'Outrun' Serves Up Murder and Mayhem
Over the past twenty years together as a band, the SteelDrivers have undergone a few personnel changes, while retaining their unique sound and identity in the bluegrass world. Having landed on a strong combination of players, they create a sound that respects the tradition while infusing their music with the
FreshGrass | Bentonville 2025 Shines in its Fifth Year
The FreshGrass Festival has made it to the half-decade mark in Bentonville, Arkansas. Initially conceived as an extension of the original FreshGrass | North Adams, the Northwest Arkansas event has taken on its own features at The Momentary.
This year's event featured a number of familiar faces: Béla
THROUGH THE LENS: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2025
Spread across 14 stages the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 24–May 4, 2025) transformed the New Orleans Fair Grounds Race Course into a sprawling celebration of every style of American music. 5,000 musicians gave their all to nearly half a million fans, which is in itself