At present, Gina Furtado is most known for her banjo work with Chris Jones and the Night Drivers. That’s all about to change as she sets out this summer on a solo career with her own band. She’s as innovative with her songwriting as she is with her banjo playing. She released her debut album, True Colors, in September 2017, ...

Singer Songwriter Maureen Toth was born and raised in Huntington Station, New York. After high school, she attended Boston University where she studied voice in her spare time, falling in love with that form of expression. She eventually ended up in Los Angeles for work, but continued to pursue her interest in music. “Soon after I started playing guitar I ...

It’s almost here! One of the larger, perhaps more popular roots music festivals in Virginia is about to happen. Beginning Friday, July 12th, 2019 several thousand music fans will make their way to the unique festival grounds of Natural Chimneys Park in Mt. Solon Virginia, for the Red Wing Roots festival hosted by the Steel Wheels band. Nestled in the ...

I first got dialed into Elizabeth Cook – literally – as a regular listener to the Outlaw Country radio station on Sirius XM radio (channel 62). Cook has been a daytime host of her own radio show, Apron Strings, for over 10 years. Her freeform approach and her candid commentary is a hit with many listeners. She often talks about ...

The Fayetteville, Arkansas trio of Greg Bucking – Guitar, Joe Credit III – Mandolin, and Garrett Jones – Bass, better known as The Vine Brothers have been trekking the country for the past six years from the East Coast to the Rockies, bringing their brand of Americana, Folk, and Bluegrass to captivated audiences everywhere. They were named Americana Group of ...

Guitars As Traveling Companions This piece brings me to thinking about my life and its relationship with guitars. I am getting ready to sail a 53’ sailboat to Bermuda and am trying to decide which of my guitars to take with me. To go weeks without playing is unthinkable and makes me twitch. A guitar has got to be on ...

Every year, at the famed Merlefest, songwriters enthusiastically via for a chance to compete for the crown as the best songwriter at the Chris Austin Songwriting contest. Now in its 27th year, the contest allows up-and-coming songwriters to perform for a panel of music industry professionals and serves to give talented songwriters exposure. In the Bluegrass category this year, Tellico’s Anya Hinkle took ...

On Friday, May 24th, 2019 a special wedding took place – which was the kickoff to the Chantilly Farm Bluegrass & BBQ Festival held on Memorial Day weekend. It’s truly a “bluegrass love story.” In 2018, two long-time supporters of the festival, Grace Butler and Jamie Hart, shared one of the most special moments of their lives with festival fans ...

“An unspoken tradition is not a written law. It’s a deep understanding shared between people, rooted in the past, and grown by human connection and emotion. One forms through experience and creates a way to pay homage to what’s come before, while allowing for forward motion,” reads the opening lines to a press release from Western North Carolina’s bluegrass band, ...

Jim and Lynna Woolsey from Southern Indiana have been playing music together for over 30 years, but it took a 2014 project for Jim to finally convince Lynna to record a CD with him. Jim, the songwriter, had been writing music for a long time but it was always a life long dream to actually record a CD of his ...