Americana Music Magazine – Bluegrass, Roots, Folk, Blues, and Old-Time

By Greg Tutwiler SavingCountryMusic.com said this about our feature artist, the Hackensaw Boys; “Before string bands were a “thing” in popular culture, there was the Hackensaw Boys. Before The Avett Brothers were selling out arenas, before Mumford & Sons were becoming the biggest band in music in a given year, before everybody and their brother was growing a beard and ...

With the many choices available these days for music festival options, it’s so hard to pick just one. I’m happy to say we were delighted with our choice to spend the day at the Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, VA at the Dinwiddie Music Festival recently. (Thursday, June 9th) Allen Carpenter, festival promoter, has a fantastic location for the three day event. The ...

Music is life, and life is sweet. A rich tapestry of music and the soul from the pews to Panama. Being a working artist is rarely dull. I am fortunate that I get to do a lot of different things in music, as I’m not the sort who is deeply satisfied with doing one thing repetitively. This last month has ...

The Travelin’ Hilllbillies make their home in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Their sound, heavily influenced by the folk rock sounds of Jerry Garcia, this four piece ensemble craftfully blends the grittiness of southern rock with the traditions of bluegrass, folk and country, along with just the right rock and roll lick or two thrown in for good measure. Daniel ...

Rob Smith and Kristin Kay Smith make up the duo of Carrington Kay. We recently visited with Rob and Kristin, and we’re excited to help them share their brand new CD, Shine Through. Rob, is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Music and has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in music, including Sugar Ray, ...

New Orleans, Louisiana is once again home for folk/blues/jazz artist Ted Hefko. After a stint in Brooklyn, Ted and his group, The Thousandaires, are bringing his originally penned stories to life with the “spontaneity of jazz, the bare-bones sensibility of early folk and the vibrancy of New Orleans.” The guitarist/tenor sax/clarinet is also excited about his new CD, Distillation Of ...

A few years ago I encountered a lady in Paint Bank, WVA who crafted string music instruments from the most unusual of found household objects. Her creations were realistic banjo and guitar type instruments, and when amplified and played by a good picker, were surprisingly easy on the ears. I considered her creations unique until someone recently asked me if ...

If you have a strong interest in the roots of bluegrass music, you might consider a trip this summer to Owensboro, Kentucky. It is not only home to the International Bluegrass Music Museum (IBMM), but also plays host to the River Of Music Party (ROMP), sponsored by the IBMM. Originally held on the banks of the Ohio River,  ROMP is ...

Broken Arrow, OK is home for Mark and Shelly, a.k.a., The Dusty Pearls. Their debut, self titled, full-length album, is out and the critics are pleased. Michael D. Smith of Wordkrapht.com says, “Doubtless they will be compared to The Civil Wars if their following continues to grow but unlike other male-female duos The Dusty Pearls deserve that compliment,” Happenings at ...

For many folks along the East coast, summertime means a trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, commonly referred to as OBX. It’s a strip of land sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and the Currituck Sound on the other. The area is historically noted for many things including the Birthplace of Flight (Kitty Hawk), the Lost ...