The young ladies of Pakistan’s Fatima Jinnah Women University could not compose themselves. Word had rippled across campus that an all-female band from America was setting up in the assembly hall, and when the students got there and found the […]
A friend once turned to me after a set at Merlefest and said “Ooh, I had a Merlefest Moment.” And I said, “Oh wow, you have those too?” It put a name on something that had been happening to me […]
On January 26, 1788, a cadre of British sailors and naval officers rowed ashore in a bay they’d named Sydney and claimed the Eastern seaboard of Australia in the name of the King of England. Ah, imperialism. Life was so […]
(cross posted from String Theory Media blog.) I saw Doc Watson for the last time in late July of 2011 at the Ryman Auditorium, a place I’d seen him perform magnificently on at least two prior occasions. The venue was […]
“It’s like something you’d dream up. It doesn’t seem real, but it is. And there’s a chandelier to boot.” These were the words from a dazzled and dazzling Sarah Jarosz as she took a pause from her music last Saturday […]
The sweeping documentary Give Me The Banjo premieres this week (Fri. Nov. 4) on PBS. And the filmmakers must be wishing they could keep adding scenes right up to airtime, because the banjo just keeps making news. America’s quintessential instrument is on […]
A simultaneous post from my String Theory Media blog. On Thursday night at the International Bluegrass Music Assn. Awards at the Ryman Auditorium, on the very stage where the music was introduced to the world, Del McCoury was inducted into IBMA’s […]
This original post and reports from all MCR shows can be found HERE. The end of a season on Music City Roots (we just wrapped our SEVENTH) is always a catharsis. We know we’ll miss gathering at the Loveless […]
In keeping with my oft promised, but ne’er delivered, intent to cross-post my weekly reviews from Music City Roots, here are notes from Wednesday’s show: Kelsey Kopecky, one of the two main singers in the Kopecky Family Band (and […]
This essay is reposted from my blog String Theory Media. The opinions expressed are entirely my own and do not reflect official views of the IBMA. Oh, bluegrass. Shaking head and sighing gently. The music that analyzes itself within an […]
