Bluegrass and Folk Reviews

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: Little Known Facts: They have received considerable sponsorship of the National Endowment for the Arts. Larry began playing bluegrass when he was only 12, and his first band was Bud Rose and the Country Tune Twisters from Elizabethton, Tennessee. He also played with the legendary Jimmy “Ol ...

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: Dead Men’s Hollow gets their band name from a rowdy, shady Virginia area of saloons and pawn shops after the Civil War. Formed in 2001, the band’s “acoustic Americana” emphasizes old-time (“Cuckoo,” “Old Yeller Dog”), go ...

2006-12-31 by Bob Cherry: Songwriter and musician Joe Ross has put together another fine collection of his original songs that span a nation and time as they reflect on life and living. From the logging of large timber in the Oregon range through the flight of the Spirit of St. Louis and just Somewhere Down the Road, The Sp ...

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: “Borderline” keeps the good-time vibe going that the Moon Mountain Ramblers established with their self-titled 2004 album. Playing all original music, influences include David Grisman, Del McCoury, Doc Watson, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Beatles. Their self-describe ...

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: With only three years under their belts, this road-tested Kentucky bluegrass band may be chasing dreams, but they clearly have the talent to go far. Their second album release is a profound treatise of bluegrass comprehension with many standard themes ­ outlaws, cheating, a Civil War story, mining, ...

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: The Andy Rau Band celebrates 20 years in existence this year (2006), and “Higher Ground” is their fifth album. Shortly after being introduced to their music in the early 1990s, I invited them to Oregon to perform at the Myrtlegrass Festival. They were a nice addition to the lineu ...

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: Who They Are: A unique and rambunctious stringband, from Kansas City, that formed in 1996 What They Do: Good old-time all-American country honky tonk Little Known Facts: Betse Ellis grew up playing classical music, but listening to The Who, Talking Heads, The Police, and other punk/new wave group ...

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: Who They Are: An energetic, enthusiastic bluegrass quartet that combines originals with material tapped primarily from the late-70s and early-80s What They Do: Roadside Cafe is a powerful quartet of bluegrass vets keeping a certain era of bluegrass still fresh and vibrant. Little Known Facts: Band ...

2006-12-31 by Joe Ross: Raymond Fairchild has a long and successful affiliation with the Rural Rhythm record label that was originally formed by Uncle Jim O’Neal in 1955 in Arcadia, Ca. Fairchild’s “King of the Smokey Mountain Banjo” landmark album had 31 tunes on it and was cut at a ...

2006-12-26 by Marc Bee: Todd Taylor "The Banjoman" has a new CD out. It's called "3-FIVE-N" and it is why this Grammy Nominated artist is the two time Blades Of Blue Artist of the Year! The title track is a superb blend of real bluegrass feeling and amazing banjo playing. Todd truly has no equal when it ...

2006-12-26 by Gracie Muldoon: Fresh off the presses, this new release by Todd Taylor Banjoman ~ Extraordinaire - has already garnered the famous, ultimate picker 7 Grammy Nominees! I heard the title track for the first time last week - and all I could do is shake my head. How does he do that? 3-Five-N has got all the hot licks y ...

2006-09-15 by Eliza Davis: The John Cowan Band's new release, "New Tattoo," is definitely worthy of a listen--or ten. The title song, "Carla's Got A New Tattoo," is true bluegrass, but there's also a slight haunting lilt to parts of it. It's a fun song and will definitely have your toes a'tappin'.Love th ...