This week we're celebrating IBMA World of Bluegrass as it prepares to make the move to Chattanooga after a successful decade in Raleigh. First I'll be talking to former IBMA Executive Director, and current board member, Paul Schiminger about the history of World of Bluegrass, how it started, the various cities it's been hosted in…
Read MoreWe're celebrating 50 years of the David Grisman Quintet with a special set of 3 episodes. This week is part 3, featuring the man himself, David Grisman. I chat to David about how the Quintet came together and developed over those early years, how it built on the work he'd already done with The Great…
Read MoreWelcome 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) Tony Rice Backwaters re-release Del McCoury Pickin’ Party Bluegrass at the Ryman Releases (The Grass is…
Read MoreWe're celebrating 50 years of the David Grisman Quintet with a special set of 3 episodes. This week is part 2, featuring Todd Phillips, who was in the band before it was even a band! We chat about how he got to know David Grisman and how, through taking mandolin lessons from him, they started…
Read More2025 marks 50 years since The David Grisman Quintet first got together, an event that changed string band music forever. The DGQ played a huge part in the careers of some incredible musicians, including Tony Rice, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger and Todd Phillips, as well as including collaborations with Stéphane Grappelli. Their first record, The David…
Read MoreWelcome 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 Bluegrass Live – lineup and tickets Releases (The Grass is New) Acoustic Disc Frank Wakefield…
Read MoreMy guest this week is Bob Minner and we're celebrating one of the most iconic flatpicking records of all time – Norman Blake's 'Whiskey Before Breakfast'. We chat about Bob first hearing this record and why he loves it so much; its place in the flatpicking repertoire; the gear Norman used (including guitars, picks and…
Read MoreWelcome 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) Romp Festival lineup and tickets Bluegrass Hall of Fame gigs Green Mountain Lineup Hardly Strictly Bluegrass…
Read MoreMy guest this week is Wayne Erbsen, professor of old-time and bluegrass music at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Wayne joins me to talk about half a century of writing about old-time and bluegrass music, including his latest book Southern Mountain Music: The Collected Writings of Wayne Erbsen. Over the past 50 years…
Read MoreWelcome 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 on Hudson lineup and tickets IBMA WOB tickets IBMA International Stage applications Note – the…
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