All posts filed under: Bluegrass Music

I grew up with Flatt & Scruggs and WSM’s Martha White show on the radio every morning, but truly went down the rabbit hole the first time I placed the needle on side 1 / track 1 of the “Circle” album

Chinese Bluegrass

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I thought is was appropriate – on the morning after Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics – to post something about China.  Luckily, the Bluegrass Blog helped me out, with this recent post and video about Mei Han’s Red Chamber playing Katy Hill along with mandolinist John Reishman.  So from Durango, Colorado – which has its own strong bluegrass community (I just missed seeing Tim O’Brien who plays in town next week) – I’ll pass along this post in the Olympic Spirit.  The bluegrass enthusiasts among the readership will enjoy, and the others may find it mildly amusing. More to come… DJB

Lovell Sisters at Strathmore Music Center

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It was a beautiful evening in Bethesda, Maryland as a few hundred fans stretched out on the lawn in front of the Strathmore Mansion with picnics in hand to enjoy a free concert by the Lovell Sisters Band.  This band of three young sisters from Georgia played two spirited sets bringing together bluegrass and country classics with some very tasteful original music.  All three sisters – Jessica on fiddle, Megan on Dobro, and Rebecca on mandolin and guitar – are excellent instrumentalists and the harmony singing is as good as expected from three musical siblings.  While all three sisters had their moments, the standout for me was the youngest, Rebecca – the writer of much of the original material and the owner of a nice bluesy voice that will only get better as she matures.  She also played some spirited mandolin breaks, trading licks with guitarist Matt Wingate.  During the concert I turned to my wife and said “that guitarist is good,”  so I wasn’t surprised to find out later that he is a former Merlefest guitar …

MVYRadio – A Wonderful Source for Good Music

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I discovered MVYRadio (Martha’s Vineyard Radio) when I was unable to attend the 2008 Merlefest Celebration in Wilkesboro, NC.  Remembering their advertisements at previous Merlefest events, I checked them out online and found they were streaming live from the festival and had a rich archives of performances from past years.  Check out the archives section and you’ll find performances from a number of great festivals. Recommended! DJB