News/Thoughts

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Shotgun Holler

Booneville, KY is home to the up and coming bluegrass group Shotgun Holler. Their debut album, Loaded, leaves no doubt, they are five guys bent on gentlemenship as well as musical mastery. With an appearance on CMT, and quick airplay attention to their early release, version of the Guy Clark/Darrell Scott tune “Out in the Parkin’ Lot,” Shotgun Holler has ...

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Sugar Lime Blue

Sugar Lime Blue packs a strong Americana punch with their CD, Move That Earth. Led by sultry vocalist Ashley Beth, the quintet from Lebanon, TN is making strong end roads in the Americana/Roots music scene all across the region. Ashley is joined by, David Beth on lead guitar, Russ Dean on vocals, Eric Campbell on drums, and John Simpson on ...

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Behind The Song

By Wayne Erbsen While working on a recent fiddle book, Bluegrass Jamming on Fiddle, I was reminded that “life just ain’t fair.” Not to fiddlers, anyway. Bluegrass guitarists proudly display their “boom-chick.” Banjo players strut their “vamp” or “chunk.” Mandolins show off their “chop.” Basses seem content to stay in the background with their “thump, thump, thump.” But what do ...

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I Like It Like That

By Kaye D. Hill The more things change, the more they stay the same.  I’ve heard this quote since I was knee high to a grasshopper, but never really understood the meaning of those words.  Recently I was asked if I thought bluegrass music was changing, and I began to ponder what bluegrass was years ago, and how it may ...

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Scott Parmer

By Greg Tutwiler Singer/songwriter Scott Parmer hails from Lancaster, PA. While this lead vocalist/front man is also an established drummer and guitar player, his current pursuit is “becoming a top shelf lyricist and songwriter.” Scott’s original material has been gaining high marks from listeners all across the folk/Americana scene as well as all age ranges. And his opening act credits ...

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A Passion For The Craft

By Greg Tutwiler Perhaps you’re lucky enough to listen to WAXM FM Bristol TN, “The Bluegrass Show” every weekday from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Or maybe you’ve tuned into the popular public television broadcast series, Songs Of The Mountains on PBS. Or, perhaps you get your fix by listening to the syndicated radio show, The Tim White Bluegrass Show, on ...

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Sideline Success

By Greg Tutwiler According to Webster’s dictionary, one meaning for the word sideline is “a job that is done in addition to your main job.” For the guys in the band Sideline, that’s exactly what it meant, at least in the beginning. But now, for Steve Dilling, Jason Moore, Skip Cherryholmes, and brothers Brian and Nathan Aldridge, it’s sideline no ...

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Life Continues To Teach Me

By Donna Ulisse Life continues to teach me how to write songs with every breath I take these days. I don’t know if it’s my age or being so tuned into my thoughts and surroundings because of my songwriting, but I am more aware and consciously choosing to stay in a state of gratitude and awareness. By making that effort ...

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Coffee House With A Mission

After attending a weekend music festival, we head home remembering our favorite acts and discussing with our fellow travelers every aspect of our enjoyable experience with no thought as to what the members of the bands might be doing next. I can not speak for every string-music band, but I can sure tell you where Lorain Jordan and members of ...

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The Roadhouse Clams

The name Road House Clams invokes visions of a Jimmy Buffet style rock band at a local sea side fish house, right? The Clams, fronted by vocalist/guitarist Rik Ferrell, have their roots along the fertile musical soil of Maryland’s eastern shore. Rik and the band feature that juke joint punch, riddled with clever lyrics, and tight harmonies. Original tunes like, ...

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