As we ease our way toward the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026, it’s worth pausing to reflect on the profound sacrifices that birthed our nation. On July 4, 1776, 56 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to adopt the Declaration of Independence, a bold assertion of liberty that ignited a revolution. […]
Opening new music is like unwrapping a present—you never know what delights await, but in bluegrass, it’s often a blend of tradition and fresh energy. Two recent projects exemplify this: Junior Sisk’s lively It’s All Fun and Games and Shawn Camp’s upcoming tribute The Ghost of Sis Draper. Both honor the genre’s roots while delivering something new for […]
Music has always been a source of respite, offering an escape from daily life, even if just for 3.5 minutes. It weaves a soundtrack into our lives from the moment we grasp its power to touch us. The rhythm, lyrics, and melodies resonate deep within, from the toddler clapping along as a parent teaches a […]
Life can change in an instant—a friend’s sudden passing or a loved one’s terminal diagnosis forces us to confront our fragility. Whether it comes from natural causes, an accident, or intent, death is part of life’s path. Over time, I have lost parents, relatives, close friends, and acquaintances. Depending on their closeness, the impact on […]
As I glanced up from the worn linoleum floor, the air thrummed with the pulse of strings. Three fiddlers, two guitarists, and a banjo player surrounded me in their ladder back chairs, their notes weaving a spell that held me captive. I was a young fiddler then, hanging on every phrase from Gordon Tanner, Paul Jordan, and Dallas […]
The 2025 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards are fast approaching, and the organization recently unveiled nominees for its awards, Hall of Fame inductees, and Distinguished Achievement Award honorees. Selected for induction into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame were two groups that shaped my formative years: Hot Rize, an innovative Colorado band featuring Pete Wernick (aka […]
For centuries, dedicated men and women have toiled to cultivate crops that sustain life, their labor enriched by nature’s gifts—fish from clear streams, game from dense forests, and wild greens, fruits, nuts, and berries. Fertile land, the backbone of survival, has always been a prize. Before America’s founding, monarchs granted such land to loyal allies […]
Doodle and the Golden River Grass Georgia Music Hall of Fame Exhibit in 2003. (Photo: Peach Picked Publishing) A Zippedy Doodle Day: An Appalachian Musical Legacy Welcome to A Zippedy Doodle Day: An Appalachian Musical Legacy, a historic string band album and documentary, led by Randall Franks, who honors Doodle Thrower and the Golden […]
The open road has always stirred my soul. As a boy, nothing matched the thrill of our family’s two-week summer vacations. We’d pile into our mint-green Chevrolet F150 pickup, its matching camper gleaming under the sun, and set off into the unknown. Whether it was camping in the Smoky Mountains, marveling at Niagara Falls, or […]
As a child, I discovered the joy of performing—school plays, choral programs, and later, orchestra. I played a goldfish in a shimmering lamé suit my mother sewed, wore a Bavarian costume for a Christmas play, and mimicked accents from German to Scottish with ease. Singing came naturally, my boyhood voice clear and pure until puberty […]
