Summergrass is the premier Southern California bluegrass festival held every August since 2003—except of course last year, which was canceled due to covid. But, good news—Summergrass is on schedule for August 20-22 of 2021. The 2021 festival features the Lonesome River Band, Bluegrass, Etc., the ‘Po Ramblin’ Boys, and High Fidelity with more to be […]
We are coming up on a full year of dealing with Covid. Bands have been unable to perform live. Venues are shuttered. Agents, publicists, side players, music shops, instrument repair shops, music newspapers (including the Troubadour!) suffer, as do all those engaged in the music world for a livelihood. Here in San Diego’s bluegrass world […]
Tony Rice died in December at the age of 69. He is considered by many to have been the greatest and most influential guitar player in bluegrass history. From his obituary in the New York Times: Mr. Rice left his mark on a host of prominent musicians, including his fellow newgrass innovators Mark O’Connor and […]
2020 has been a tough year for everyone. In our bluegrass music world, festivals were canceled, jam sessions suspended, concerts foregone, and the economic fiber of the music world, including this newspaper, stretched terribly thin. There were some highlights though, reminding us of the positive camaraderie that can be built through music and of the […]
Last month we covered the sad end of KSON’s Bluegrass Special Radio Show hosted by Wayne Rice, which had been running for 43 years. We noted the irony that the show was cancelled by corporate headquarters at the same time that Wayne Rice was awarded IBMA’s highest award—the Lifetime Achievement Award. Well, the show is […]
KSON’s Bluegrass Special radio show, hosted by Wayne Rice for the last 44 years, is no more. May it rest in peace and may all who cherish bluegrass music remember it fondly, with thanks to Wayne for a long and memorable run. The corporate parent of KSON unceremoniously notified Wayne in early September that the […]
Bluegrass music was started in the 1940s by Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys. This great group is still the gold standard for bluegrass music today. At that time the vast majority of bluegrass music players, and all the stars, were men. The women were few and far between and almost always relegated to playing […]
IBMA. IBMA stands for the International Bluegrass Music Association, which is the nonprofit trade organization supporting and promoting all aspects of bluegrass music, both in the U.S. and internationally. Among other activities the IBMA conducts: Awards Shows. IBMA runs the annual IBMA Awards Program, which every fall—through member voting—selects the best of the best from […]
As we all struggle unable to attend outdoor festivals and concerts, as we miss our regular jam sessions, and are sick and tired of practicing at home alone, what’s to do? Here are a few thoughts: Pick topics in bluegrass that you’ve always known you should know more about but never got around to. Calendar […]
