Specials

IBMA Dark Shadow Special – Becky Buller, Ben Wright (Henhouse Prowlers), Rick Faris & Jana Mougin

This week's episode is another special recorded at IBMA's World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga. I have four shorter interviews for you, each with someone connected to Dark Shadow Recording. First up is Becky Buller. Becky came onto the podcast in August of 2024 to chat about her record Jubilee. This time we're talking about her…

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Celebrating IBMA World of Bluegrass as it Prepares to Move to Chattanooga in 2025

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…

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Celebrating 50 years of the David Grisman Quintet – part 3 David Grisman

We'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…

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Celebrating 50 years of the David Grisman Quintet – part 2 Todd Phillips

We'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…

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Celebrating 50 years of the David Grisman Quintet – part 1 Darol Anger & Mike Marshall

2025 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…

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Celebrating ‘JD Crowe & The New South’ at 50 with Tim Stafford (Rounder 0044)

My guest this week is Tim Stafford, who joins me to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the best loved and most influential albums in bluegrass. 'JD Crowe & The New South' was recorded in January 1975 and released in August the same year. Tim joins me to chat about what makes it such…

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Celebrating ‘Phillips, Grier & Flinner’ with Eric Skye

My guest on the podcast this week is Eric Skye, who joins me to celebrate the album 'Phillips, Grier & Flinner'. Released in 1999 on Compass Records, it marks the first collaboration between bassist Todd Phillips, guitarist David Grier, and mandolinist Matt Flinner and features three original tunes from each. We chat about how Eric…

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Sarah Jarosz – Blue Heron Suite Reissue Special

My guest this week is Sarah Jarosz. Sarah joins me to talk about one of my favourite albums, 'Blue Heron Suite', which is getting a physical reissue on November 22nd. We chat about how the record developed out of a FreshGrass commission, what that process was like, the central themes that underpin the album, the…

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Bryan Sutton – Hurricane Helene Fundraiser

This week I'm joined by bluegrass legend Bryan Sutton for a very special episode to benefit the IBMA Trust Fund and help people suffering the devastation of Hurricane Helene. In the run up to recording the episode we asked for questions for Bryan for Bluegrass Jam Along listeners – in this interview you'll hear me…

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Announcing the Bryan Sutton & IBMA Hurricane Helene Fundraiser

This week's episode is about a very special fundraiser I'm putting together. I’m working with Bryan Sutton to raise funds to help people suffering the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene. Bryan is from Asheville, NC, one of the cities hit hardest by the hurricane, so this cause is very close to his heart. We’re putting…

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