Americana Rhythm Music Magazine Issue #109

Life’s Ever Changing Tempo

Changes in plans and directions are acommon occurrencefor alifeonthe road, and you needto be ableto flow, roll,andtumblewithit. Someofthese changes aresubtleand the ripplecreated is small, and some (like in the following story) are huge!

Forthoseof you unfamiliar withAmy and me, weperform asamusicalduo (sometimes afullband). Our identity, our brand, our music, and live presentation, is MikeandAmyAiken. So if something seriously happens to one of us, getting a sub and having the show just go on doesn’t happen. Yes, this is the lead-in, and set up for thefollowingarticle,andwithallgood stories (and songs) thereis a mix of discomfort, and saving graces. So read on.

As you might guess,Amyand I spend alot of our timeon the go, as welive in France about half the year. Some weeks ago, wewereoff hiking in the FrenchAlps in theareaof Lake (Lac) Annecy. A very beautiful area, magnifique, to say the least! It was an areaunknown to us, and wewere excited for our fist visit. In the midst of this mountain beauty and splendor, Amytook aseriousfall,breaking three bones in herleft ankle,leaving her foot not attached to any bones in her leg. Now remember;Amy isourdrummer. NotGood!

Tragedy On The Trail

This was on a Sunday to complicate matters abit. Shewas inimmensepain as you can imagine. The immediate question was; how to get her off the mountain,to aroad, and get to where

we left our van, to find a hospital. (This is the part of the story where your faith in peoplegets renewed.) It just so happened that a family came hiking by and stopped with concern to see if they could help us. The gentlemanhelpedmecarryAmy down to a place along the road, where his wife stayed with Amy while we walked tohis car so he could take me to find our van. Whilethis was going on, avery elderly and veryfit woman hiking through stopped to see if she could help. (As it turned out, Amy hadseenthispowerhousehikerearlier inthe day andsaid, ‘that’s who I want to be when I get older.’) WhileI was off looking for ourvan, the hiker told Amy she lived next door to a very good hospitalin Annecy and wecould follow her to the emergency room.

behindthosedrums.The doc saysshe should get fullrange of motion back, it’lljust take time.

PositiveOutlook

I always try to bring you a positive message with a hopeful outlook. Freak accidents are truly that, and somehow we must always be prepared for our little plans to come to a screeching halt. Over the years we’vebothplayedshowssick asdogs. I once was attacked by a junk-yard German shepherd who latched on to my right hand. After the ER and stitches,I played thatnight’s show by wrapping alot ofgaffers tape around my pick so I could hold it. I wasn’t

After I brought ourvan back and we loaded Amy in it. we did just that.After 40agonizing minutes of tiny switchback, barely two lane, hair-pin turns down themountain that were killing Amy’s ankle, the woman lead us right to the front door of the ER. We rushed in, had X-rays, learned the extent of the damage, and had it stabilized. This led to emergency surgery two days later.

Americana Rhythm is published six timesa year.All correspondence should be sent to PO Box 45, BridgewaterVA, 22812 or email to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copiesof Americana Rhythmare madeavailablefree at variouspickup locationswithin thepublication’sregion. Subscriptionsareavailableinside theUnited States(only) for $24 US currency made payable by check or money ordersent to, Subscriptionsat PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812. Foreign subscription requests should be sent to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content, artwork or photographs isstrictly prohibited without permission ofthe publisherororiginal owner. All advertising material subject to approval. PUBLISHER/EDITORINCHIEF

GregE. Tutwiler

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CONTRIBUTORS

EdTutwiler

Wayne Erbsen

DonnaUlisse

MikeAiken

AndrewMcKnight

Dan Walsh

Rebecca Frazier

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North RiverPublishing Integrated MusicMedia

Letters, Comments, Suggestions greg@americanarhythm.com www.americanarhythm.com

Remember,thiswasa Sunday, and the rockstaranklespecialist surgeonwas not in, and he was the one that was needed. Well 12 screws and two plates later, Amy started the healing and recovery process. For starters, shecouldn’tputany weight onher leg, and had to keep it elevated for 45 days.

Of the faith in people part of this, in theemergencyprocess of gettingAmy to medicalattention, I never even got thenames of the folks whohelpedus. They just showedup and werethere. I hardly got the chance to say thank you (Merci beaucoup) to this beautiful family, and to the intrepid trekker with her little Jack Russell. I wish Iknew who they wereso Icould express our gratitude. So this is a general shout out to the universe, hoping goodwillwillfind thesefolks.

Thank you!

That’s what’s upat themoment.Amy is doing her best to lay low (not easy for her), and waiting for the day to be able to walk on her own, and get

good, but I didn’t miss the show. If you’re on the road long enough, we all eventually have these kinds of stories. But Amy’s accident is on a whole different level. Of course we had to cancel some shows. Among them, wearesad to say, is the Grace Bailey friends and fancruisein Maine. We hate to have to do that, but we had no other option. We will look forward to resuming it next year.

Soasthesaying goes,‘when one door closes, another opens,’ we found an unused industrialspacein St Jean de Losne, and aretransforming it into a rehearsalandworkstudio.Iamwriting this from that space now, the first work to comeout of it! I am planning on takingthe timeoff the road to help Amy get back on her feet (bad pun), to write, and get ready to get back out on the road.

Once again thanks to all those who helped us getAmy off the mountain, to an amazing surgeon, and to the owners of H2O Marina France, who have set us up with this spaceto turn into a studio. Human kindness abounds when you least look for it!

Take care of each other, love to y’all from both of us!! Mike &Amy

ALegacy Of StringAnd Soul

I recently returned from agreat five days of Americana string music performances put on by someof my favoritebluegrassbands. Thesecrowd pleasing groups featured mandolin players who were at the top of their form whether chopping percussion licks in the background or taking off on soaring lead runs. It certainly seems that a bluegrass band is not completewithout a hot picking mandolin player—but why amandolin?

Here we go again leading you dear readers down someunknown path of string music lore. I decided to doabit of research to see if we could shed somelight on this question.

Wewillstart with adiscussion about the instrument itself. In17th-century Italy, instrument makers evolved the originalmandolin designfrom thelute family.This instrument was knownas the Neapolitan mandolin and it was characterized by abowl-shaped back and eightmetalstrings arranged infour pairs. The instrument was designedto be played with aplectrum to produce bright,percussivetonesandwas used in classicalmusic and romantic compositions. This Neapolitan mandolin gained popularity throughout Europe during the 18thand 19thcenturies, and was featured in operas and chamber music.

By the late 1800s, mandolin orchestras had formed across Europe and began spreading to the United States. American audiences tuned in to the mandolin’s melodic potential and becameintriguedbyitsdistinctive sound. The instrument itself begin showing up inthe US as European immigrants, particularly Italians, brought their instruments andmusicaltraditionswith them.

Revolutionary Changes

OrvilleGibsonrevolutionized the mandolin in the late1890s by introducing violin-making techniques, which resulted in a new style of mandolin— the arch-top or carved-top mandolin. This design featured a flat or slightly arched back instead of the traditional bowl-back design. The Gibson redesign allowed for greaterprojectionand volume making the instrument more ideal for ensemble playing. In the 1920s, instrument designer, Loyd Loar, introduced severaltechnicalinnovationsthatfurther refined themandolin design. This Gibson/Loar design mandolin surged in popularity largely dueto touringmandolinorchestras and vaudevilleacts.

ByEdwardTutwiler

Aggressive marketing by the Gibson Company and other instrument makersalong with aready supply through mailorder catalogs led towidespread availability of the instrument. Thus, massproduction and aggressive sales

if BillMonroe hadnot persevered, the mandolin might never have achieved its centralroleinthe bluegrass genre. Through his performances on the Grand OleOpry, he exposed vast audiences to his mandolin-centric bluegrass music thus inspiring many aspiring ruralmusicians to pick up the instrument.

Expanding The Technique

Beyond Bill Monroe, many notable musicians haveexpanded the roleand technique of the mandolin. Jesse McReynolds developed across-picking style that brought a distinctive, harp-like sound to the instrument. David Grisman fused bluegrass with jazzand classical elements, to create a genre that he called Dawg music. SamBush, apioneer of new-grass,introduced rock and funk influences while maintaining the mandolin’s traditional roots. Ricky Skaggs, who bridged traditionalbluegrassandmainstreamcountry,kept themandolin visibleinNashville.Chris Thile, of Nickel Creek fame, is considered oneof the greatest living mandolin players. TwotimeGrammy nominee SierraHullhas reachedthepinnacleof bluegrass success on the mandolin.

out auniqueplacein acompletelydifferent musical genre by become a defining element of American country and bluegrass music. This is because in a bluegrass band, the mandolin serves several important functions. It provides the rhythmic short, percussive chordson the off-beats— the chop that one hears often, which helps keep musical time. It can take on melodic andsoloing roles by delivering lead lines that can be fast and complex improvisations. The mandolin’s sonic range fills the slot between the guitar’s lower registers and the fiddle’s higher range.

The mandolin’s journey from Italian classical orchestras to Appalachian mountain string-music is atestament toits adaptabilityand enduring charm. Through theskilland artistry of musicians like Bill Monroe and countless others, the instrument has become a cornerstone of the Americana string music genre. The mandolin’s abilityto blend rhythm, melody, and harmony makes it uniquely suited to the demands of string band traditions. Today, whetherplayed onafestivalstage or acabin porch, the mandolin rings with a spirit that is both timeless and distinctlyAmerican.

efforts, even in smalltowns throughout the south, made the instrument both available and appealing to amateur musicians.

The mandolin’s rise to popularity in the rural south was gradual. The orchestraltrend faded in the cities, and many mandolins became surplus— especially the older, bowlback style units (sometimes known as taterbugs).Theseolder design instruments then became affordable for ruralAmericans and gradually found a place beside the fiddle, banjo, and guitar in oldtime string bands. Becausemusicians could tunethem like afiddleand they produced clear, ringing tones,they fit naturallyinto existing string-band formations, and complemented lead fiddleparts.

When old-time music morphed into what eventually became known as bluegrass music, the mandolin came right along in the arms of one Bill Monroe. The reason he was hanging onto amandolin wasthis:Billwas the youngest of severalmusicalsiblings. Hisolder brothers had alreadyclaimed the fiddle and guitar, leaving only the mandolin for Bill to play. Nevertheless, despitebeingthe less sought-after choice, Billturned necessity into opportunity. In hisyouth,Billpracticed the mandolin relentlessly and ultimately transformed it into the defining voice of bluegrass. Chances are

Themandolin, despitehaving European origins in classicalmusic, has carved

Tooling Down The Highway

Thesound of fourwheels rollingover patched roadwork is as familiar as my own breathing to my ears.You see, I am a professional traveler by trade; becauseof ourmusic life, spendingas much timeon ablacktop as I do, and on my beloved Wee Farm in Tennessee. Timeinsidemymind isaconstant road partner and a blessing to any imagination. This very moment finds melooking over at Farmer Rick, my husband, andbestfriend,who is guidingus toournextdestination. Thesun is shining bright, sending so much warmthandcomfortthroughthewindshield.

Wearecurrently followingan eighteen wheeler, who has anempty trailer bed, so he has alittlespeed becauseof the light load (teehee). The writerin meis imagining thetrucker as ahardworking family man, heading home after a

weekend run. I can almost seesmall children running in bare feet off the front porch, squealing with delight as they spy their daddy turning that rig into the sidedrive. Icanalmostsmella Sundayroast cooking,thescent wafting through the doorway as the trucker’s beautiful wife comes out waving her hand in asweet welcome home. Iknow, sappy, but thebest part of what I do is dreamingthesestories up and setting themto melody.

I think we are somewhere in South WestGeorgianow,toolingalongaback road. The countryside rolls right beside us and engages my inner Van Gogh.Atleastamilliontimesoverour travels, I have wished I could capture these beautiful vistas with a paint brush.Oh,tohavethesightsI’ve seen foreveroncanvas,hangingonourwalls at home. It’s a constant reminder of our country; so gorgeous, soulfilling and breathtaking. Thesearethescenes filling up mysong lyrics and imagina-

tion. How couldIeverrun outofthings to writeabout?

Sometimes welookfor the roads less traveled, hopping off the interstates. Yes, it might add to our travels, but when it’s justmy honeyandI,without ourband,weliketo kick back andnot let time be our guide. The seasoned travelers we are, we love taking the opportunity tostop insome charming town inhopesof findingagood countrydiner.Without fail,my farmdarling will suggest strolling around an old cemetery after weeat, wherewewill walk around and wonder who the names on the weathered tombstones are, making up stories aboutwhat they mighthave been in life.Thereiscomfort to be found inthosequiet places, and I love that strangers like us can pay tributeto strangers long gone.As wehold hands, oneof us willsay, we hopeourheadstoneswillsomedaycreatethe samemystery to somefuture strangers.

We will drive today until we grow weary, and then we willstart looking foran exitwith anicehotel. I lovehotelrooms; I always have. Talk about being right whereI am supposed tobe

in my life, doingwhat I was meant to do; it’s truly aGod thing. Thereis always agamblewhen itcomesto hotel rooms, sobeingthe professionaltravelers weare, thereareprovisions we carry to lower the odds of abad hotel experience.Packedin our travelhouse on wheels is acoffeemaker and good coffee, afiltered water pitcher, amattress cover, sheets and our own pillows, our own towels,toilet paperand an assortment of non-perishable snacks. Of course we overstock for any realmistakes, likemedication and contactlenses. Therehavebeenregrets inthepast that havebecomeourgreatest teachers, lessonswewillneverforget. My husband used to rollhis eyes when I started insisting on all these extras untilweneededthem, andthen suddenly, I was a genius, and I love being calledthat,lol.It ismoreloading and unloading but in the end, it’s all about comfort.

I hope you have enjoyed ourroad trip together. As I am winding up this article, Rick has just gotten off the four lane andontoatwolane,withthemost beautifulfarms stretching outforever. It’s paradisehereon earth as the road winds on. Lord,this world is glorious!

Donna was the IBMA Songwriter of the year for 2016, And 2017 Song of the Year winner. She was also the 2018 SPBGMA Songwriter of the year.

Nu-Blu, A Style All Their Own

Fellow musicians, Daniel and Carolyn (Routh) met each other near the end of 2000. They found a synergy playing music together, which led to the formation of a Christian contemporary band in early 2001. “We got to be good friends through practices, and gigging, and all that really cool stuff that comes along with it,” Carolyn told me recently. “We actuallydid that for a good while. (The name of the band; Faithful Journey). Occasionally we ventured into a little bit of Christian rock, and just really enjoyed that style of music.”

At that time, at least there in central North Carolina where they lived, that style of music would pigeon hole you; “into thisweird place,” Carolyn recalled, “because of the churches around here. Many didn’t want drumsin their church. (We hadn’t reached the praise and worship stage of life yet.) They wanted the more traditionalgospel music, andso they

didn’t reallywant us to playthere, because we weren’t doing thetraditional Christian music, like hymns, and what I like to call, sometimes, elevator Christian music. So the kind of music we loved, and were so passionate

By Greg Tutwiler

and things like that, and there were a few churches that embraced us for sure, but we just we didn’t get to playa lot otherwise.”

Finding Their Groove

They stuck with it, though, because they loved what they were doing. But then they lost a drummer, and replaced him, and then lost their second drummer, and replaced him; and then they lost that drummer. “It just became this long line of frustration,” Carolyn recalled. “So Daniel and I sat down and rethought about what we were doing. Both of us loved classic rock. It was a big thing for us, so wedecided to shift the band around and play classic rock. That was a blast, but we found out real quick that smoky little dive clubs were not where we wanted to be.”

about; we just didn’t get to play much. Places, like coffee houses, andclubs; didn’t want you to play either because you were singing about Jesus. So we ended up playing a lot in the living room. We played some Relay for Life events

So they formed Nu-Blu; a contemporary bluegrass band that leaned into the music they loved, but wrapped it up in thetradition theyweresurrounded by there in central North Carolina. Carolyn grew up around Bluegrass, and Daniel was in a Bluegrass band.

But obviously it wasn’t the first thing on their radar. “I really wasn’t fond of it at all, at first,” Carolyn remembered. “I just didn’t care for it. I was too busy listening to rock and roll, or doing Broadway shows at my school, or singing in some choir somewhere. I just wasn’t into it.”

But her experience of a polished contemporary bluegrass band one evening at a bluegrass festival changed everything. “Daniel andI went to BassMountain Bluegrass Festival one evening,” she recalled, “and The Lonesome River Band was playing. John Wade was the bass player at that time, and he was a good friend of ours, so we had gone to see him play. I didn’t even know who Lonesome River Band was. I’m ashamed to admit that now,” she laughed. “But I just didn’t, (sorry Sammy). When they tookthe stage it was like arock concert with different instruments. That’s what it felt like to me. It was just backto back, one good song after another. Everything really moved. It just blew me away, absolutely blew me away. I’ve been sayingfor manyyears, that it’s because of Sammy Shelor that I’m doingwhat I’m doing right now.”

Almost Didn’t Happen

As the band was getting off the ground, Carolyn had two strokes in November, on Thanksgiving weekend, that threatened to change everything. As she began to get her health back and work to continue their dream, that festival experience helped remind her of who they wanted to be. “It was after that when I startedplaying bass,” Carolyn said. “It became therapy for me; not only mentally, but also physically, and for dexterity in my hands too; because I had lost the use of my right side. So that was reallygood exercise for helping me get strength back in my right hand.”

Of course Carolyn recovered, and the dream of turning their vision into reality continued. “I fell in love with bluegrass music once I realized how it could be,” she said. “I started going backwards

andre-listening to someoftheold traditional music, and finding some really, really good, iconic, traditional bluegrass. That just enhanced my love for it; knowing where it came from and how it all started, and seeing how it’s progressed. When it came to us, those people likeBill Monroeparticularly, all the music that he’s written, he wrote about the life that he was living. And that’s what’s so special to me. You listen to his music and it takes you back and to another time, and to another circumstance, through somebody else’s eyes. I think that’sreally remarkable, that you can be transported back there within one song. Today our experience is different. We live in a different world. Everything has

changed. So what we’re doing now, what we’re writing about, what we’re performing, is what we’re living, now. It’s about our life experience, and what’s happening to us, and to our friends and neighbors, andso it’sour new tradition.”

A Winning Formula

And that formula, that mind-set about themusic that Carolyn and Daniel are making with their band Nu-Blu, (along with the help of band mates, Austin Hefflefinger, banjo, guitar, and vocals, and Justin Harrison, mandolin, fiddle, and percussion) has worked, and is working. The 20 years of hard work and staying true to their vision has paid off. They’ve released seven albums with multiple charting singles since2010, allwhile Carolyn navigateslife as a stroke survivor and with Type I Diabetes as a traveling musician. She and Daniel are thepermanent hostsof Bluegrass continued on page 11

Train, Train, Take Me On Outta This Town

My string-music loving mother had a wind-up gramophone and a stack of old 78 records, and she let me turn that crank and play those diskswhenever I wanted to do so. Most of the songs were not to my taste but a few were songs about trains, and train disasters such as The Wreck of the Ole 97, Casey Jones, and others. These early song memories coupled with remembering a smoking, roaring, rumbling, clanking steam engine pulling freight cars past my late 1940s school house every morning. It left me a with life-long affection for train songs.

Fast forward to now and to the emersion into the Americana string-music scene that we here at AR dive into each issue. Upon examination, wefind that trains, railroading and aspects thereof are a prevalent subject in the lyrics of early country music and in both classic and current bluegrass songs. Like so many of the subjects we have stumbled into over the years, we wondered the why of trains and country music and thought you might have wondered also.

Why A Train Theme

Sincethe dawn of recordedcountrymusicand theearlyradio play of such, trains have long been prominent themes in country andbluegrass music, particularly in those regions of the eastern mountains and the southern delta. Several reasons account for this prominence and these include socio-economic factors, a sense of adventure and progress, escape from oppression, and feelings ofloneliness andlonging.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, railroads revolutionized transportation, commerce, and migration in the United States, particularly in the rural and impoverished regions of the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi Delta. For mountain communities, trainsrepresented vital links to the wider world, enabling the movement of goods like timber, coal, and agricultural products to distant markets. In the Delta, railroads facilitated migra-

tion that allowed folks to seek better opportunities elsewhereyet stillstay connected to their roots.

While the expansion of the railroads brought economic development, it also brought change and upheaval. As humans have always done, they reflected this sense of change in the music of the time. In these regions, trains fostered a feeling of progress and modernity and lent a spirit of adventure and new opportunities. The train became a symbol of excitement and hope, and many saw this as a way to chase economic betterment and songwriters expressed this feeling in the words of a song.

Earlycountry and bluegrass musicians often sang about the thrill of riding the rails. They used the sound ofa train’s whistle and the clatter of its wheels to capture the sense of moving forward and embracing the future. The flip

side of this is trains also served as symbols of escape and liberation from oppression as they offered folks a way to leave difficult circumstances and seek new lives away from hardship.

Breaking Free

Many of the early rural communities ofAppalachiaand theDelta faced economic hardships, social restrictions, andracial discrimination. Railroads provided a means for marginalizedgroups to break free from their confined existences. Blues and folk songs often used the imagery of a train as a way to express longing for freedom, whether from poverty, social injustice, or personal struggles. Within the framework ofa song, therhythmic, repetitive sound ofthetrain whistleandthe steady sound ofthe steam engine became musical symbols of hope and resilience.

By Edward Tutwiler

Train songs often evokedthe emotions of loneliness and longing inherent in manyruralandworking-class communities. While railroads linked distant towns and regions, they also represented separation, homesickness, and the transient nature of life. Many country and bluegrass songs invoke the imagery of trains as a reflection ofseparation. They sing offamilies torn apart, ofindividuals leaving home, or folks departing for distant places. For many, the mournful sound of a train whistle by night evokes feelings of yearning and the emotions of leaving loved ones behind. One can hear such themesvery clearly in the lyrics of the Appalachian ballads and Delta blues

African American musical traditions also played a role in shaping the themes of trains in early country music. The writers and players of Bluesand work songs, which originated in the Delta region, frequently used train imagery to reflect the longing in the lives of black workers and prisoners. Such songs expressed aspiration, frustration, and adesire for freedom, which translated into the broader musical landscape that influenced countryand bluegrass musicians. The shared themes of struggle and hope connected black and white rural communities through shared musical expressions, and thussolidified the train’s symbolic importance in song.

What They Said

To sum up our little study on trains in string music let us lend a real-life prospective by finding out what some well respected members of the Americana string-music community have to say on the subject.

Ms. Donna Ulisse is an IBMA award wining songwriter of the year, asinger, andan author who has written manygreat songs for her own recordingsandfor many other folks as well. Here are Donna’sthoughts about trainsin country and bluegrass music, “Train songs have lots of reasons

continued on next page

for being part of our music! One reason isthe soundofa train coming down the track; rhythmic and moody, with a lonesome whistle blowing through the mountain passes…can it get anymore high and lonesome than a coal train during the eerie hours of a day coming on across theridge?Also, those iron wheels clicking across the ties can inspire a full on mountain jig! Honestly, as a songwriter, I can think of a million ideas about a train, it’sa huge canvas of inspiration about leaving or longing or coming into a station. Holdon, I’mgoingto run and write a train song right this second.”

Mr. Tim Stafford is a Grammy winningandIBMA songwriter of theyear, aguitarist, author, singer, and member of Blue Highway since 1994. Tim has this to say about train-centric country and bluegrass songs, “It seems like an anomaly that bluegrassmusic has so many modern songs about trainswhen they’ve progressively disappeared from American discourseover the last 75 years. Blue-

grass is still a tradition-centered genre, so this could be due to the centrality of the train in early Bluegrass music and its connection to the coal culture of many ofthe regions insidethe bluegrass heartland of Southwest Virginia, Southern West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and East Tennessee— the first great market for the music. It is also related to the nostalgia present in modern bluegrass for bygone things, and especially thetrain, which wasan American symbol for freedom among other things. Bluegrass intersects with trains in a number of ways, including the rhythmic feel and speed of locomotives, the fascination with history and the lure of bygone times, and a general connection to rural life and the importance of trains there.”

Wow, readers! There is nothing more that I can add to those fine thoughts except this, “I hear that train acomin’, a comin’down the line...”

Nu-Blu Continued

Ridge TV, now in its 25th year. Their current album, Where You’ve Been has produced five charting singles into the top 10, and the #1 video of the year for “Horses Thieves and Moonshiners.” They’ve been nominated for nine Josie MusicAwards, including group of the year!

tell the story, but I haven’t lived the story. So we talked to thewriters, and they very graciously turned it around for us, into a third person retelling the event, which I felt a lot more comfortablewith.”

You can find out more about NuBlu on their web site at www.nu-

Their latest single and video tackles a subject that is a matter of the heart for them – domestic violence. The song, “Nobody’s Business But The Moon,” “was a totally different field for us,” Carolyn shared, “rape, and being able to portray it in a video without stepping too far over that line was a challenge. When wegot that song it was written in the first person, and I couldn’t do that. That was not my experience in life. I can

blu.com, or listen to theexpanded interview on Americana Music Profiles.

Music At The Pond House Concert Series

By GregTutwiler

One really important aspect of house concerts but really not music related, stands out for David. “It brings together asense of community among folks regardless of their age, socioeconomic status,etc. Somefolks who attend werealready friends, butmany

HowIt AllWorks

Americana Rhythm was essentially established out of my experience at Merlefest over 20 years ago. It was one of the most amazing gatherings of live music I had ever attended. Not long after launching the magazine, we became immersed in the Bluegrass and Americana / Roots music communities through organizations like IBMA (International BluegrassMusic Association), AMA (Americana Music Association), and Folk Alliance. There was this term we kept coming across; House Concerts. The concept fascinated me, and I quickly learned of its value to the preservation of live music for the touring musician. We felt it important enough to at least once a year, bring it to your attention as a fantastic way to help the rising musician share their art with an attentive group of listeners.editor

I reached out to my new Virginia music friends, David and Margie Koogler, who havebeen hosting their own version of one of these gatheringsfor severalyears now, to help me tell the story again about privately hosted, home based concerts, and how you can facilitateyour own.

WaylonDid It

50 years ago Davidand Margie’s first (blind) datewas to aWaylon Jennings concert in Salem, VA. Their love of live music became a theme of their marriageover thecomingyears. Their all-timefavoritelive music venuewas TheAshlandCoffeeandTeacompany in Richmond, VA.“Wewould gomultipletimes amonth – the lineup of independent touring artists they hosted from Nashville, Austin, and all over the country and Canada was amazing,”David told me.

It was on a business trip to Austin, TX where they first experienced a house concert though. “We were looking for avenue to seeour favorite Austin-based singer songwriter, Jimmy LaFave. He was playing a house concert while we were there, and his websitehad an emailaddress to contact to get an invitation to the show.Wereceived an inviteandwent to the houseconcert that evening and it was really cool,”he said. “I began telling Margie weneeded to host live

music at our home and invite family and friends. She was not as enthusiastic about the ideaas I was, but she was agood sport and agreed to give it a try.

The Kooglers hosted their first live musicevent around2010, featuring a local musician friend. “We paid the musicians and invited about 50 family,friends, andneighbors tojoin us in ourbackyardforapicnicand livemusic,” David recalled. “It was a great success and folks wereasking when wewould do it again.”

Finding Their First

David and Margieattended their first Red WingRoots MusicFestivalin July 2013. One of the artists they enjoyed themost thatyearwas, Jonathan Byrd and the Pickup Cowboys. “Jonathan mentioned from the stage that he wouldbe playing next,inourarealater that fall, at the Village House Concert Series in Palmyra, VA. Wewere able to find the hosts of that series and get an invite the show – that was the game-changer for us. We knew then that wecould successfully host independent touring musicians, and we felt we had a enough music friends who would attend and financially support the artists.”

“One of the important things we borrowed from their house concert series was the date and time to host shows – midday afternoon on Sundays. We have found that is a good day oftheweekfortouring musicians, and also for our music friends to attend. We have hosted a couple of shows onSaturday butnearly allhave been on Sunday afternoons.”

others find us through an artist they like who we are hosting. And the minute they walk into our home or backyard, theyfeelwelcome, notlike they are among strangers. They enjoy socializing with other folks who have similar music interests at our events, and wehave essentially created a community of music lovers who look forward to coming to our shows.”

David and Margie hosted their first house show with a touring singersongwriter from Nashville was (Stephen Simmons) March 23,2014. “We set up chairs in our basement (which is a cool space with lots of musicmemorabilia) andhad about 25 people attend. Folks loved the show and wanted to know when we were holding the next one. Wethen joined an online forum called Concerts In Your Home, which provided a lot moreguidance ondoinghouseshows.

After their second show in March 2015, the houseshows weregaining popularity and they needed more space; “So wemoved upstairs to the great room in our home. By removing furniture and bringing in folding chairs, we could accommodate an audience of about 45 people. We hosted afew showsthis way,andthen Margie and I decided it would be easier to hold events outside, in our backyard, instead of moving allofthe furniture and chairs. I wanted a traditionalstage,but wecompromisedon anice wooden pavilion from Costco that we installed on an elevated wooden deck or platform – so this doubles as anicestage for live music and as apicnicpavilionat other times.”

David shares their process Shows are by invitation only. Over time we have developed an email invitation list of more than 200 music fans who have attended at least one of our shows. Regulars often ask us if they can bring a friend, so we add them to our invitation list for future shows.

After we book an artist, we send an email invite several weeks in advance and ask folks to RSVP if they want to attend.

We ask that all adults who attend make a donation. ALL of it goes to the band. The suggested donation varies by artist, and the number of people in the band, but the current going rate is in the $25 - $30 range per person. Our audience members often donate more than we suggest. This is comparable to or less than what a commercial venue would charge, and there are no ticket service fees, food and drink minimum charges, etc.

We generally provide the PA system, which we boughtused a few years ago. A couple of bands have brought their own PA. One band needed a more complex setup, so I borrowed a sound system from a neighbor. We have only had to a hire a “sound guy” one time. The musicians have been great about using our PA, and fine tuning the sound themselves.

Our guests are invited to bring any food or drink they would like. Our grandkids usually havea snackshack,with drinks and treats, like homemade cookies and fresh made popcorn.

We provide meals to the performers –depending on their arrival time, we may have a pre-show meal and another meal later in the day after the show.

The performers are invited to stay overnight – we can accommodate several overnight guests. Some, but notall take us up on this. If they stay overnight, we provide breakfast the next morning.

A few years ago we joined Folk Alliance International and became an OfficialHouseConcert, as authorized by Folk Alliance. They have guidelines we must follow, which have been agreed to by ASCAP and BMI, so house concert hosts are not subject to any fees. Our process for hosting house shows comply with these guidelines.

Find more about this event at FaceBook.com/musicatthepond

By GregTutwiler

Dogwood Creek Songwrting Collective

FEATURE ARTISTS

Sylvester, Georgia songwriting friends, Jay Short, and Stephen Williams, originally started the band Dogwood Creek, which eventually became a project, rather than a traditional band. As the creative juices flowed, it evolved into a collaborative space, a revolving door so to speak, of musicians, songwriters, and friends coming together to make music. It is now recognized as the Dogwood Creek Songwriting Collective, anchored by a core songwriting team known as the “Vision Casters,” made up of Jay Short, Gary DiBenedetto, and Henry McGill. This group writes across multiple genres’ and collaborates with a variety of vocalists, with members spread throughout South Georgia.

“As we grew, we realized we needed a variety of vocalists to cut demos of our songs,” Jay recently told us. “That idea evolved into the Dogwood Creek Songwriting Collective—a hub where we can showcase all of the music we write and record with our team of artists in one place. Beyond our own work, we also co-write with our artist members, and release music under several independent names. Dogwood

Creek Band is now just one branch of what we do, but the collective itself functions more like a hub for multiple artists.”

While the collective doesn’t formally manage artists, they support them by providing songs, demos, and publishing/copyright administration. The artists handle their own promotion, while we pitch songs to other performers and for sync placements. Essentially, the collective is a home base where all of their songs can be showcased together.

Jay remarked, “We’re always open to working with talented vocalists and artists interested in cutting our songs. Anyone interested can reach out through the contact information on our website.”

“For us, it’s allabout the song. Our mission is to keep writing strong material and to help the artists we work with bring those songs to the public—whether through performances, streaming, or sync opportunities.”

Presently, the different entities they are releasing songs through are Dogwood Creek Band –Country/Americana with Stephen Williams on vocals; Dallas Rodgers – Traditional Country; Willie McGill – Modern Country with a touch of Rhythm & Blues; and Surrender – a Contemporary Christian band, coming soon.

Dogwood Creek has released two albums and several singles. You can check out their latest album here: I’d Do It All Again, Dallas Rodgers has released multiple singles, with a new one (“The Game”) coming out 8/29/25, followed by an album later this year. Willie McGill is releasing singles, with his latest, Do You Ever Drink About Me, out 9/5/25.

They call the core writing team, The Vision Casters, and is currently made up of, Jay Short –Songwriter, guitarist, business side (copyrights, pitching). I’ve played in bands off and on since college and also run a family business. Gary DiBenedetto – Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer/

engineer. He owns Studio D in Moultrie, GA. Gary began his career playing steel guitar with The Happy Goodman’s in the late ’70s, later working in Nashville as a studio musician and producer for many years before returning to South Georgia. Henry McGill –Songwriter, guitarist, vocalist. He also records and performs as Willie McGill, a country-blues artist who begins live shows this fall. Henry is also the vocalist on the unreleased demos for our Christian project, Surrender.

Beyond the core team, they collaborate with artist members, Stephen Williams – Lead vocalist for Dogwood Creek Band, which plays select live shows; Dallas Rodgers – A rising country artist whose band plays across Georgia and occasionally in Nashville; and Willie McGill– Launching live performances this fall.

Listen to the expanded interviews by searching Americana Music Profiles on all of your favorite Podcast platforms!

Andy BAnd

SoulFolk

Andy Bernstein (AKA Andy B) is a veteran of theNew Brunswick, NJRoots Rockerscenefrom the mid-80s as the primary singer/songwriter for the six-album VooDUDES. “New Brunswick had an incredible music scene,” he reflected. “The downtownarea hadgonetopot, andtheonly people that went there at night werethe people that were into music. Bands like the Smithereens launched from here.”

Digney Fignus

Originally gaining attention as the front man for Boston punk trio, The Spikes, in the early ’80s, Digney Fignus, is agenre-defyingAmerican singersongwriter, bandleader, and producer,whosecareer has taken him from the underground punk clubs of Boston, to the top of thenationalAmericana charts.

Tim Tye

Dayton Ohio native, guitarist, Tim Tye, has been honinghis music craft sincehis high schooldays.

Andy is now into histhird album from his solo career. “I did thefirst one independently,” he said. For his second effort he cut, My Roots Are Showing , which earned himaninvitation to perform at the 2019 Texas IndieFest, andAustin Music Week (SXSW), and the attention of a record label for his second project, Look What TheCat Dragged In. It included SoulFolk, which was the name he gave the group of players featured on theproject– and serendipitously described the vibe of his music. “I named the band that becausemy songwriting really is based in the British pub rock vein of the early and mid 70s. It’s taking things from different elements, different roots music mostlyAmerican,andcoalescingit into your own style.”

For Andy’s most recent project, Tellin’ Myself Weird Li’l Stories, he has a distribution deal with DECARecords. The project includes eight originals,aMotowncover andatraditionalrendition of “HouseOf The Rising Sun.”

“My brother, Bob, who is basically a studio pedal steelplayer on the west coast – you hear him in a lot of movies, you just don’t know who he is – He used to make fun of me. Whenever I was playing as akid, I would go into this zone, and he would say, ‘what wereyou thinking about?’

I would respond with, ‘I was telling myself these weird little stories to evoke emotion.’ So anytime we were together and I might get lost driving or something like that, Hewould say, ‘What, areyou telling yourself weird littlestories again?’

To find out more,visit http://www.reverbnation.com/andyvoodude

Digney grew up in Lexington MA, and currently resides in Cape Cod. He confessed, “I started out singing in the choir, that’s not exactly the punk scene,” he quipped. “In high school, I started playing in bands and doing allthat kind of stuff.”

In his adult life, Digney found himself the owner of the number one club in the Boston music scene, Streets, as wellas performing in his own band that eventually landed aColumbiarecord deal. Thatband was awinner of the MTV Basement Tapes competition withtheir quirky little video for, “The GirlWith The Curious Hand.” “It was a very exciting moment in my career, I gotta tellya,” he said.

A fan of Americana traditions, his styleleans hard in that direction, as evident onhis first three albums; Dark Stretch, A Few Good Years, and the third project, Last Hope For The Modern World

Moving forward, the bandeventually dissolved and Digney found himself the winner of a songwriting challengethat earned him somerecording timeas a prize. “I madean EP that ended up getting nominated for aNew Englandcountry music record of the year – I rememberthinking, ‘how did that happen?’ He was mostlywriting on an acoustic guitar at that time, due to lack of studio space. Butthat evolvedhis sound enough toinitiateagenre’ shiftfor his music.

His latest release, Black and Blue – The Brick Hill Sessions, is acollection ofsongs recorded over six years, and marks hismost adventurousand lyrically resonant work to date. “It recently took abig jump ontheAmericana charts,”Digney commented. “I recorded this oneover asix year period. I moved to the Cape about 10 years ago – and discovered a terrific amusic scene; a lot of festivals, especially in the summer time. I also found aterrific littlestudio. So whenever I had enough music I would go over and record another song.”

To find out more,visit www.digneyfignus.com

“Likemost musicians, when I wasin high school, I got aguitar,”Tim recalled. “Iwas inafew bands through out that time as well.”As lifeoften goes, priorities shift, and for many, adult lifecalls. Tim went off to schoolto becomealawyer. “I always kept a guitar, and kept writing songs,” he said. “Then in 2009 I met a guy who told me that he had just recorded an album of original songs. I thought, ‘man, I’ve got a lot of original songs, maybe I ought tolook into this.”

Pursuing conversations uncovered another musician ortwo, and asound engineer. “At first, I was just goingtorecord afew songs,butbeforeI knew it, I had 11 in the can,” Tim remembered. “So I packaged them up and issued, Dark Stretch Of Road.”

Tim hadso much fun, he did itagain, and then, he did it again. “And, we just dropped another one, Just Before Dawn, which, to some extent, is a compilation of olderstuff, and thennew stuffthat’s never been on an album,” he said. “It was just a thrilltohear my stuffbeprofessionally performed.”

“Thefirst two,honestly,I justsentthem to friends andhanded themout –I didn’t reallydo very much topromotethem. ThenIgotputintouchwith MTS Record, and Mike Stover began pushing my material out to his various outlets. I submitted my albums to the ISSAAwards in Atlanta and the JoseAwards – they were both nominated for album of the year! I never thought I’d be at the Grand Ole Opry as a nominee,”he said.

To find out more, visit www.midnightskymusic.com

Listen to the expanded interviews by searching Americana Music Profiles on all of your favorite Podcast platforms!

Kim Edwards

Kim Edwards resides in the littlevillage of North Hampton, PA,“for reference, if you listen to Billy Joel, it’s nearAllentown,”she clarified. The now stay-at-home mom said she’s, “always been doing music, off and on, for the last 15 to 20 years. It certainly ebbs and flows, but with this new album coming out, it’s flowing a little more right now,” Kim laughed.

Kim started playing piano when she was in kindergarten, just learning the basics, but didn’t really love it until her early teens.

“You start to recognizethings youwanttoplay, and they start coming a little easier, then you start wanting to practice becausetheresults come quicker,” she said.

For a long time Kim thought she wanted to be a filmcomposer. “I justlovedallthesemoviescores I heard. Then around 14 or 15 I started writing songs, and adding words, and it just snow balled from there.”

In 2012 Kim released her first fulllength album, Wanderlust, and followed that with afew singles, before dialing into this latest project, Vignettes Thisis the most personalandfully realized project of her career, co-produced by Jared Salte. The album serves as a dream fulfilled, as “each song has its own specialplace in my heart,” she says. “There’s not asinglepiece of filler.”

“Someof the songs areas old as 2012,”she explained. “Idon’tknow that I ever intended onputting out a concept album, but it kind of became that. They aresort of the odd balls that didn’t really fit on other projects, butI always loved them. They are really a bunch of story songs – that’s the best way to put it.”

Kim has entered into a reflective new chapter in her life, realizing that in a world obsessed with virility and speed,artistry rootedin depth, patience, and honesty endures. Her music offers a quiet refugefor the reflective listener.

To find out more,visit www.kimedwardsmusic.com

Ken Holt

Ken Holt lives in the sleepy little beach town of Satellite Beach, FL. The son of a US Marine, he was born inJacksonville, FL, then moved around a bit growing up before settling down and serving 20 years as ayouth pastor in the Presbyterian Church.

Beforethat, in themid 70’s andearly 80’s, hewas a bass player for a fairly successful New England based band, The Blend, which released two albums and toured successfully with bands like The Who, ZZ-Top, Hall & Oats, 38-Special, Loggins and Messina, The Outlaws,CharlieDaniels, Foghat,and more.

Eventhough he eventually found himselfworking in the church, “music is what I do,”he said, “yesterday, today, and prayerfully, tomorrow.”His recent solo project, Shades of Light, has produced two top ten singles on the indiecharts in both the country andAmericana genres.

“I’ve always done music in someform,”Ken said. “I played my first club date when I was a junior in high school, at 16 years old, in Jacksonville, playing the Navy NCO Club. And I’ve played music in some form my whole life ever sincethen.Even in the church –music is a great resonator – especiallywithyoungpeople. Sooneof thefirst things I always did when I went to a new church, was start a band,” he recalled.

Because of all of the various iterations of music Kenhasparticipated, hesaid; “now my musicblends together andAmericana is what describes it. Daily, youwillfind merefininglyrics,tryingout new song arrangements, recording tracksin my homestudio, andrehearsing withmy current duo,The Promise.”

Ken is continuously writing and says he has six or seven songs already written for the next project. “The writing piece is always there, it’s an ongoing thing,”he said. “That’s thefun pieceof the puzzle, that creative piece.”

To find out more,visit www.kenholtmusic.com

Shannon Hudson was born in Wisconsin, moved to Houston, and went to college in Southern California, before settling in the Austin, TX areain 2007, where he currently resides. Hestarted playing piano in 4th grade, but it was during his sophomore year in college that Shannon lived in Germany. “My Grandmother bought meaguitar so I could have an instrument to play while I was over there,” Shannon recalled. “I’d sit in the walk-in closet of a room that I shared with three other guys and strum untilI couldn’t feel my fingers anymore. I learned to play alot of songs with threechords in them,and startedwriting my own songs aswell.”

“Before I can even remember, I always had the singing music thing going on,”he said. “I’m not from a long line of musicians, but I’m certainly from a long line of music lovers. My parents are big fans of the late50s and early 60s rock music. Infact,mymom’s firstcousinwas EddieCochran. I have an autographed picture he signed to my mom, ‘to acoolcousin.’I grew up onBuddy Holly and The Big Bopper.”

Inhis20s,heformed abandwith his brother. They played ahandfulof clubsin LosAngeles, andtook an extended vacation tour that included playing shows around the country while staying at a number of KOAcampsites.

Shannon released his first solo album, Run Into theArrows, in 2022. Over thepast two years he’s recorded four albums which are going to be released methodically over the next few years beginning in September, 2025. Signal and Noise, Ghost of Truth, Flowers to Make You Smile, and Long Distance Goodbye, are actually availablenow for listening at Shannon’s web site. All of the albums will be available as a CD or download, and Run Into The Arrows and Signal And Noise are also on Vinyl.

To find out more, visit www.shannonhudson.com

Shannon Hudson

DocWatson;ALifeInMusic

Charlie Young, a writer, a fan of great music, and a friend of Americana Rhythm will ocassionaly bring a neat story to our attention. The following is one of those we thought you’d be intersted in as well.

Eddie Huffman, a long time Greensboro, North Carolinamusic journalist, previously penned the definitive John Prine biography, “John Prine: In Spiteof Himself,” for the University of Texas Press in 2015. Following the success of that book, an editor at the UniversityofNorth CarolinaPress contacted Huffman about researching andwritingabiography of North Carolina’s own beloved Americana music titan, Doc Watson.

Over five years in the making, “Doc Watson: ALife in Music” is another captivatingbiography of a groundbreaking musician, an incredibly influential folk singer andguitarist so significant there’s a statue of him playing guitar

while seatedon a bench in Boone, NC.

Marty Stuart, another groundbreaking music legend says, “Eddie Huffman has done a beautiful job of bringing [Doc Watson’s] story to life.” I agree,

Huffman conducted dozens of interviews while researching the book, andhe also spent countless hours digging through magazine andnewspaper articles about Doc while tracking down relatedcontent in books and liner notes from recordings.

The author also listenedto recordings of radio broadcasts, podcasts, and watched videos of Watson performances and interviews. As musician Robbie Fulks puts it, “The research is scrupulous, and thestorytelling is richly imaginative.”

Myfavorite part of the book isthe narrative about Doc’s life as a

By Charles Young

of strangers to help him on his way. Tours improved dramatically bythe 1960s, when Doc and his son Merle traveled extensivelyand even touredto Africa through the State Department. The duo became popular on the folk festival circuit in the 1970s up until Merle’s death due to an overturned tractor in 1985. Merle isperhaps bestknown for the annual MerleFest music festival that honors his memory, and the story of that festival gets extensive coverage in the book.

touring musician, from his first tour, when the blind musician traveled alone by bus for a concert appearance away from home, and relied on the kindness

The book offers some sad stories but also good comic relief, all woven together likea great novel. It also includes a wonderful assortment of previously unpublished photos along with a detailed index and bibliography. Longtime devotees and casual fans alike will enjoy thejourneyEddie Huffman offers in this definitive biography. Doc Watson lives in these pages.

Here are the 2025 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Nominees:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Alison Krauss & Union Station Appalachian Road Show

Billy Strings

East Nash Grass

The Del McCoury Band

SONG OF THE YEAR

5 Days Out, 2 Days Back –Alison Brown, Steve Martin, Featuring Tim O’Brien

Songwriters: Steve Martin/Alison Brown

Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West Label: Compass Records

Big Wheels – Authentic Unlimited

Songwriter: Jerry Cole

Producer: Authentic Unlimited Label: Billy Blue Records

Coal Dust Kisses – The Grascals

Songwriters: Susanne Mumpower/Jerry Salley

Producer: The Grascals Label: Mountain Home Music Company

My Favorite Picture of You – Darin & Brooke Aldridge

Songwriters: Darin Aldridge/Brooke Aldridge/Dennis Duff

Producers: Darin Aldridge/Mark Fain Label: Billy Blue Records

Outrun the Rain – Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland

Songwriters: Terry Herd/Jimmy Yeary

Producers: Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland Label: Fiddle Man Records

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Arcadia – Alison Krauss & Union Station

Producer: Alison Krauss & Union Station Label: Down the Road Records

Carter & Cleveland – Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland

Producers: Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland Label: Fiddle Man Records

Earl Jam – Tony Trischka

Producers: Tony Trischka/Lawson White Label: Down the Road Records

Highway Prayers – Billy Strings

Producers: Billy Strings/Jon Brion Label: Reprise Records

I Built a World – Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Producers: Brent Truitt/Bronwyn Keith-Hynes Label: Sugar Petunia Records

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Alison Krauss & Union Station

Authentic Unlimited

Blue Highway

Sister Sadie The Del McCoury Band

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Billy Strings

East Nash Grass

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway The Travelin’ McCourys

GOSPEL RECORDINGOF THE YEAR

BlueCollar Gospel – Jerry Salley Featuring TheOak Ridge Boys

Songwriters:RickLang/Bill Whyte/Jerry Salley

Producer: Jerry Salley Label: Billy BlueRecords

Dear Lord – Darin & BrookeAldridge

Songwriter: Daniel Davis

Producers:Darin Aldridge/Mark Fain Label: Billy BlueRecords

EvenBetter WhenYou Listen – Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers

Songwriters: Rick Lang/Mark BonDurant

Producer: Joe Mullins &The RadioRamblers Label: Billy BlueRecords

He’sGone– Jaelee Roberts

Songwriter:Kelsi Harrigill

Producer:Byron House Label: Mountain Home MusicCompany

Wings ofLove –Authentic Unlimited

Songwriters:Jesse Brock/Stephen Burwell/Jerry Cole/Eli Johnston/JohnMeador

Producer:Authentic Unlimited Label: Billy BlueRecords

NEWARTIST OF THE YEAR

AJ Lee & Blue Summit

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Jason Carter

Red Camel Collective

Wyatt Ellis

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Billy Strings

Dan Tyminski

Del McCoury

Greg Blake

Russell Moore

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

AJ Lee

Alison Krauss

Brooke Aldridge

Jaelee Roberts

Sierra Hull

BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Alison Brown

Gena Britt

Kristin Scott Benson

Ron Block

Tony Trischka

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Barry Bales

Mike Bub

Missy Raines

Todd Phillips

Vickie Vaughn

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Jason Carter

Maddie Denton

Michael Cleveland

Stuart Duncan

RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Andy Hall

Jerry Douglas

Justin Moses

Matt Leadbetter

Rob Ickes

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Billy Strings

Bryan Sutton

Cody Kilby

Molly Tuttle

Trey Hensley

MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Alan Bibey

Jesse Brock

Ronnie McCoury

Sam Bush

Sierra Hull

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

5 Days Out,2 DaysBack –Alison Brown & Steve Martin

FeaturingTimO’Brien

Songwriters:Steve Martin/Alison Brown

Producer:Alison Brown/Garry West

Videographer:Joseph Spence Label:Compass Records

AMillion Memories(ASong for Byron) – Darin& BrookeAldridge

Featuring Vince Gill

Songwriter:Vince Gill

Producer: Jenny Gill

Videographer: Travis Flynn

Label: Billy BlueRecords

BigWheels– AuthenticUnlimited

Songwriter:Jerry Cole

Producers:Bryce Free/KyleJohnson

Videographer:Bryce Free Label: Billy BlueRecords

GallowsPole– Appalachian Road Show

Songwriter: Traditionalarr. Barry Abernathy/JimVanCleve/Darrell

Webb

Producer: Steve Kinney

Videographer:Steve Kinney

Label: Billy BlueRecords

TennesseeHound Dog – TheGrascals

Songwriter:Felice Bryant/Boudleaux Bryant

Producer: Ty Gilpin

Videographer:Nate Shuppert Label: Mountain Home MusicCompany

TheAuctioneer – The Kody Norris Show

Songwriters:Leroy Van Dyke/Buddy Black

Producer: James Gilley

Videographer:Nate Wiles

Label:Rebel Records

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR

Bluegrassin the Backwoods –JasonCarter & Michael Cleveland

Songwriter: Kenny Baker

Producers:Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland

Label: Fiddle ManRecords

TheDrifter – Danny Roberts

Songwriter: Danny Roberts

Producers:Danny Roberts/Andrea Roberts

Label: Mountain Home MusicCompany

ADrive atDusk– AuthenticUnlimited

Songwriter:Jesse Brock

Producer:Authentic Unlimited

Label: Billy BlueRecords

Kern County Breakdown – Jason Carter & MichaelCleveland

Songwriter:Buck Owens/Don Rich

Producers:Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland

Label: Fiddle ManRecords

Ralph’s Banjo Special –Kristin Scott Benson, Gena Britt &Alison Brown

Songwriter: Ralph Stanley

Producer:Alison Brown

Label:Compass Records

Nota completelist visit www.ibma.org for more

It’s All Fun And Games

Junior Sisk’s bluegrass blood runs deep and authentic in the Blue Ridge Mountains, of Virginia. His loyalty to the traditional bluegrass sound throughout his career makes him one of the most admired voices in bluegrass music today, and where he met Wyatt Rice. This eventually became his first touring band, Wyatt Rice & Santa Cruz. He then formed the first version of Ramblers Choice before spending a short stint with the Lost & Found. From there, hewas amember of Blue Ridge for four or five years before taking a short break from the road.

When he came back out, it was as Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice. “We did that until about 2008 or so,” Junior recently shared with us. Their 2011 album, Heart Of A Song, was a breakthrough moment for the band, earning them IBMA Album of the Year, which began a string of awards, including IBMA Song of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.

Around 2008, they changed it to the Junior Sisk Band which is what they’ve been ever since, a little over 40 years, impressively, withthe past 30 as a full time traveling band.

Junior recently signed with Turnberry Records to launch his latest album, It’s AllFunandGames Additionally, just a few years ago he invited Heather and Tony Mabe to be a part of this band. “They play and sing so well together,” he told me. “When we’re not on stage,

their set of a little more progressive style of bluegrass. As Junior considers cutting back in the next couple years, he plans to keep recording, and they perform some select dates with the Red Camel Collective still standing in as his band.

The recent album on Turnberry has already produced two very successful singles, “Sweeter Than Tupelo Honey,” and, “Where Love Goes to Die.” This new project offers a fresh dose of high-octane bluegrass that proves tradition never goes out of style.

they’re always pickin’ anyway, and I suggested recently, ‘ya’ll need to be thinking about doing something on your own because I’m not going to be onthe road a whole lot longer. So they came up with some songs, and came up witha name (RedCamel Collective) and got a record deal, and cut an album. They’re wonderful.”

Junior said he’s actually pushing some double bookings with them as his band, then they come back and do

Handing Over The Reins

Mountain Fever Records announces the retirement of its founder and president, Mark Hodges, marking thecloseof an era for one of the most respected labels in bluegrass and acoustic music.

In 2008 Mark Hodges founded Mountain Fever Records in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Willis, Virginia. It was a passion project fueledby his love of bluegrassand roots music. Known for his passion, vision, and unwavering dedication to quality, Mark cultivated a roster of award-winning artists while also supporting the careers of rising talents. What started in a small recording studio, quickly grew into a nationally recognized label, celebrated for its high-quality recordings, artist-first approach, and balance oftradition and innovation. Over the years, Mountain Fever has released acatalog ofchart-topping singles and albums, earning IBMA, Dove and SPBGMA honors, and became a trusted home for both legendary names and emerging voices.

“Starting Mountain Fever Records was one of the most rewardingjourneysof mylife,” said Hodges. “I’ve hadthe privilege of working with extraordinarymusicians, songwriters, andindustry friends who have become like family. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who believed in the label and helped us grow into what it is today and I have to extend my thanks to the people that had my back through the years: Melody Cochran, Sammy Shelor, Kimberly Williams, Penni McDaniel, ShariLacyandMissy Delgado.As I step into retirement, I look forward to fishing and woodworking and spending time with family and enjoying music from the other side of the stage.”

Fromits earliest releases with artists like The Spinney Brothers, Nothin’ Fancy, Michelle Nixon, and Volume Five, to breakout successes with bandssuch as Junior Sisk, Amanda Cook, Mason

Via, East Nash Grass, and many more, Mountain Fever hasconsistently delivered music that resonates deeply with fans and critics alike. Today, its roster stands as one of thestrongest and most diverse in modern bluegrass, carrying the label’s reputation for excellence around the world.

In a move that reflects both his confidence, and his deep care for the label’s future, Hodges has handed the ownership of Mountain Fever Records to Amanda Cook, the label’s current Chief Operating Officer, and acclaimed bluegrass artist. Cook, who has worked closely with Hodgesover thepast several years, brings both industry expertise and an artist’s perspective to the role, ensuring that Mountain Fever will continue to thrive while, stayingtrue to its founding vision.

”I could never in a million years findanyonewho would takecare of thisbusiness and care as much about it asI have,” addedHodges. “Amanda has the passion, integrity, and leadership to guide the labelinto its next chapter. I know the music is in good hands.”

Cook shared her gratitude, saying, “It’s an incredible honor to continue what Markhasbuilt. His belief in artists, his dedication to quality, and his love for this music set thestandard. I lookforward to building on that foundation andsupporting our roster ofmusicians in the years ahead.”

Fans, artists, and colleagues alike celebrate Mark Hodgesfor his significant contributions to the music industry and wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement. Meanwhile, under Amanda Cook’s leadership, Mountain Fever Records looks to a bright and exciting future.

For more information about Mountain Fever Records, visit mountainfever.com.

ThankfulAnd Blessed

Joe Mullins started playing banjo professionally in 1982, the same year he was first on the radio. “I bought my first radio station in 1995—just over 30 years ago,” Joe Said. “By 2004, I was fortunate to haveacquiredtwo additionalOhio radio stations, creating a regional network. Three decades later, I have added FM coverage to all of the originalAM stations that make up Real Roots Radio, and we live stream our programming, too.”

After nearly two decades of touring full-time with his band, The Radio Ramblers, Joe has decided he will step away from life on the road in early 2026. Though his touringcalendar may be winding down, Mullins isanything but done. As he looks forward to turning 60 later this year, he is reflective on a journey filled with music, family, radio, and gratitude.

Though music was always a major part of Mullins’ life, touring full time wasn’t the original goal. “I wasso fortunateto launch a great band back in 2006, because of opportunities generated by my Ohio radio stations,” he said. “By 2009 and 2010, we were doing 40 dates a year. After our 2nd and 3rd albums were circulated, I bought the first bus when the schedule increased to 80 dates in 2011. Except for 2020 with the pandemic, we have been fortunate to maintain a wonderful calendar of appearances, while I am still managing the radio network. I was 40 when the band started, and my kids were entering high school.”

“Now I’m a grandpa––a grandpa so grateful for the music, miles and memories!”That sentiment runs deep in the band’s most recent Gospel album that dropped in March titled Thankful and Blessed. The title, Mullins says, captureseverythingthisseason of life means to him.And while this

marks a major shift, Mullins is clear: “I ain’t retiringor dying! I’m just getting off the road.

The current Ramblers lineup is SO talented—Jason Barie, Adam McIntosh, ChrisDavis, and Zach Collier will stayin demand in every capacity, and they need to be on stageor in the studio as much as possible. So, pulling back or slowingdown wasn’t the best option. After releasing fiveJMRR albums since the pandemic, plus theIndustrial Strength Bluegrass album—that’s six albums in the past five years—I feel like it’s a good time to slow down asI turn the Big 60.”Fanswill have plenty of opportunities to catch the band throughout the remainder of this year, and they can still hear Mullins daily on Real Roots Radio, where his voice continuesto bring bluegrass and real country music to listeners across world. He remains dedicated to producing award-winningeventsthrough hisIndustrial Strength Bluegrass festivals, which have become cornerstone celebrations of traditional music and culture.

And while the tour bus may be parked, Mullins isn’t done creating—he’s already got a few special projects up his sleeve for the studio, where he plans to continue collaborating, recording, and preserving the music he loves.As Mullins embraces this new chapter, his impact on bluegrass and roots music remains undeniable. With a rich catalogof music, a thriving radio network, and an enduring legacy of heart, talent, and community, Mullins leavesthe road exactly as hetraveled it—thankful and blessed.

For more information on Joe Mullins, Real Roots Radio, and Industrial Strength Bluegrass, visit www.realrootsradio.com and www.industrialstrengthbluegrass.com.

The 24th annual Americana Music Associationawards willhonorsdistinguished members of the music community onSeptember 10th,2025 at the Ryman auditorium in Nashville, TN. Sixmember-voted awardsandseveral LifetimeAchievementAwards willbe handed out while over 2,000 artists, music-loving fans and entertainment industry executives look on.

The Honors & Awards have featured many amazing moments over the years. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash’s last live performancetogether was during the award show. Artists such asAllison Russell, BonnieRaitt, Brandi Carlile, Joan Baez, Noah Kahan, Robert Plant, and Rosanne Cash have brought our audiences to their feet.

The nominees for 2025include: Artist of theYear Charley Crockett, SierraFerrell, Joy Oladokun, Billy Strings, and Waxahatchee.

Album of theYear

Lonesome Drifter - Charley Crockett, Foxes in the Snow - Jason Isbell, ManningFireworks - MJ Lenderman, South of HereNathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and Woodland - Gillian Welch & David Rawlings.

Song of theYear

“Johnny Moonshine”- Maggie Antone, “Ancient Light” - I’m With Her, “Wristwatch” - MJ Lenderman, “Sunshine Getaway” - JD McPherson, and “Heartless”Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.

Duo/Group of the Year

Julien Baker & TORRES, Dawes, Larkin Poe, The Mavericks, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings.

Emerging Act of the Year

Noeline Hofmann, MJ Lenderman, Medium Build, Maggie Rose, and Jesse Welles.

Instrumentalist of theYear

Fred Eltringham, Alex Hargreaves, Megan Jane, Kaitlyn Raitz, and Seth Taylor.

Over 350 Interviews Listen on your favorite stream

https://bluegrasscountry.org/festivals/

MusicFromYour Neighbors

Loving this Fallweather! And music conference seasonhas arrived. Hello IBMA and AMA fans. Whata greatyear forBluegrass, Folk, Roots, and Americana music! We are presentlyhanging outinChattanooga, TN attheIBMAconference - come see us this week! (9/15 - 9/20)

Inthemeantime, here’s a fresh batch of bands to check out and keep aneye on!

As always, thanks for taking afew minutes tocheck out all this great new music! Buythe ones you like. Support your favorite musiciansothey can keep making new music for you! Oh, andtellthemWoody sentya.

Checkout somedeeper storieshere:

Got one you want us to consider?sendit to: Uncle Woody The Spin Doctor, PO Box 45 Bridgewater, VA 22812

Mike Henderson Last Night At The Bluebird www.mikehenderson.com

Mike Henderson was amultiaward winner including a Grammy. He had a monday night residency at the Bluebird in Nashville for 30 years.Sadly, he passed in 2023.Thisisacollectionfrom those shows. Wow!Love it.

Moonrisers Harsh & Exciting www.moonrisersband.com

GuitaristLibbyDeCampand drummer Adam Schreiber teamuponthisuniqueinstrumental approach. “It reads morelike a landscape,”said DeCamp. They find inspiration from latenineteenth writers.Thecomboisfacinating.

Briscoe Heat Of July www.briscotheband.com

Philip Lupton and Truett Heintzelman make up the Texascountryfolkrockband, Briscoe. Their new CD,Heat OfJuly, is full ofharmonica, stomping drums, thumping guitar, uplifting banjo, and a whole lotta fun.

Rrinaco Little Songs www.rrinaco.com

Thisisthe debut albumforfiddler/singer Corrina Rose Logston Stephens, formely withthebandHighFidelity.Although alittleout ofthemain stream, hermusic is steeped in culture. “It’s time to share my songs,”she said.

RaggedUnion Pyramid Stairs www.raggedunionbluegrass.com

Colorado’s Ragged Union Bluegrass offers it’s fourth installment of their brand of grass - recorded in a 100+ yearoldvacantchurchinNew York. They call it “bluegrass and beyond.” Thatworks. It’s a little of this and a little of that, butit’sone good soup.

WildMountainMystics Fire & Honey www.wildmountainmystics.com

Fire & Honey is the long awaiteddebutfrom theAmericana Roots duo known as Wild Mountain Mystics. Dubbed, “WhereAppalachia meets Woodstock,” it’s one ofmy newfavs.It’s full offun, happy vibes; rooted in front porch tradition.

The Far West Everything We Thought We Wanted www.ashleighgrahammusic.com

It’s the third album from this California basedAmericana ensemble. Rootedin70srock traditions, TheFarWestdraw on folk, country, soul, and even alittlepsych vibe to create their unique, groovy sound.

Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band I Still Remember June www.cryingunclebg.com

The duoofbrothersMiles and TeoQuale make up the foundation of the Crying Uncle BluegrassBand.They’vebeen grabbing headlines since 2016,including an IBMA Momentumawardin 2022.Their latestwill prosper.

LarryKeel & Jon Stickley self titled www.larrykeel.com

Individually,they’veeachbeen called one of the finest flatpicking guitarists of this generation. This project is a celebrationoftwo ofthegreatest playing guitar - together! Could it become a classic? Worthowningitforsure.

Bill Scorzari

Sidereal Days (Day1) www.billscorzari.com

Bill is often refered to a writers writer - it’s a blend of prose and poetry put to music. With a voice so distinct, it’s hard not to want to listen to the whole CD in one setting to try to absorb the various layers of music taking place all at once.

Long JourneyHome

A Centry After the 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention www.folkmusic.com

John McCutcheon brings together a host ofnoted musicians to re-create the 100 yearold,iconic MountainCity Fiddlers Convention. “It was like the Woodstock ofearly countrymusic,”McCutcheon said. This is good stuff.

Joselyn &Don Lost and Found Highway www.joselynanddon.com

With that delicious 70s FleetwoodMacflavor, Joselyn & Don blend Laurel Canyon Folk, soul, alt-country, and classicAmericana to form a uniquevibethat’salltheirown. “This record is about the moments between the milestones.”We loveit.

www.oldtimetikiparlour.com

This is the sixth album from oldtime musicians Jason Cade andRobMcMaken. It’s a compellingapproachtothe archaic fiddle traditions of Southern Appalachia. The band was so happy with the album it became their first Vinyl release.

Hog-Eyed Man Across The Sea

Music From Around The World

HeartfeltNewSingle“OrphanTrain” Award-winningProducerandHit

Songwriter BrentMaherTeamsWithBluegrassGreats

TreyHensley,RobIckesandTammyRogers Staff

With seven Grammy award-winning records to his credit, Brent Maher has becomeoneof Nashville’s most acclaimed songwriters, engineers, and producer. Now, Maher can add “author” to his list of titles with the completion of his first work of historicfiction.Foranartistwho’s made his bonesinmusic, however,this new literary work is not completewithout acompanion soundtrack. The result is Night of the Orphan Train –AMusical Novel, perhaps the first of its kind.

Maher was inspired while returning home to Tennessee from a trip to Colorado with his wife. The couple spotted a road sign for The National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia, Kansas. Maher’s interest was piqued.

“We saw a road sign on Interstate I70 with a picture of this littleorphan child dressed in 1900’s clothing and big letters reading “Exit Here Concordia Kansas” to visit the Orphan Train Museum,” Maher says. “We didn’t stop but my wifewent to thewebsiteand wespent the nextday and a half reading about part of our Country’s history wehad no knowledgeof. I started the song in the car and that put me on a journey that I never expected.”

What Maher discovered was a slice of American history. Between 1854 and 1929, more than 250,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless childrenwererelocatedfrom cities like New York to rural towns across America. The Orphan Train Movement remains a significant yet often overlooked chapter in U.S. history.

Moved by the details of this moment in history, Maher set out to tell the story through ablend of originalmusic and narrative,following threefictionalchildren from age 11 into their 20s.The result isNight of the Orphan Train – A Musical Novel, a unique fusion of historical storytelling and Americana, Bluegrass, and classic melodiccompositions.

“After becomingawareof the Orphan Trains and apart of ourcountry’s history that I’dbeencompletelyunaware of,I started writing thesong “Orphan Train.” In the writing, the orphans Caroline, Jacob and Billy came into being. I’d never really written astory

song beforeandthe moreIwrote,the morethe story juststartedto evolve,” Maher says. “Still, I wasn’t thinking of continuing the story until friends kept at me to develop it into a musical. So, as I continued with thestory, the songs almost wrote themselves. Creating amusicalnovelwas quitethe journey.”

Maher’s Moraine Music Group recentlyreleased aheartfelt new single, “Orphan Train,” written by Maher, and Grammy award-winning artists Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes. “Orphan Train,”the powerfullead single from Maher’supcoming projectNight of the Orphan Train – A Musical Novel, is distributed by ONE Audiobooks. The song serves as an overturefor the audiobook and original soundtrack. A music video was directed by Roger Pistoleand is availablenow.

“Orphan Train” brings together the talents of Hensley (vocals, guitar), Ickes (Hawaiian guitar, vocals), and Tammy Rogers (fiddle, vocals), with Marc Rogers on upright bass. The song and video pay tributeto the Orphan TrainMovement.

“During thetimeIwas writing ‘Night of the Orphan Train,’I was working with Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes on their album,” Maher notes. “I actually finished the song with them so it wasonly naturalthat theyshouldperform it. I’ve always been a fan of Tammy’s playing and singing soI was sohappy that she was availableto sing thehighharmonyandplay on thetrack as well.”

For their part, the other artists were equally moved by the project.

”Working on ‘Orphan Train’was an emotionalandcreative experiencethat resonated with all of us,” said Trey Hensley.“Brent’s vision for telling this story through both music and narrationmade it one of themost meaningful projects I’ve ever been part of.”

RobIckesadded,“The Orphan Train project allowed meto dig deep into a part of history that really moved me. WorkingalongsideTrey, Tammy,and Brent, we created something truly special.”

”The story behind this project is incredibly powerful,” said Tammy Rogers. “I’m honored to have contributed my fiddle playing to such a movingmusicaljourney.”

The audiobook, Night of the Orphan Train - A Musical Novel, has a release dateof October 17, 2025, and theoriginalsoundtrack willfollow on November7, 2025.

The original soundtrack includes the vocal talents of Maher, Hensley, and several other vocalists, including Brooke Spencer, the French Family band, Mike Plume, Shannon LaBrie, JoeRobinson,Jason Eskridge, Gareth Dunlop and HannaHolbrook.

Maher’s accomplishments include over 20 #1 singles and a wide array

of platinum and multi-platinum selling albums. He has worked with such iconic artists as Ike & Tina Turner, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, The Judds, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and Taj Mahal. In addition, Maher worked withLaineyWilson,JellyRoll and others while producing the 2023 “A Tribute to the Judds” album. In 2025Maher’s 1979hit song, “Lesson in Leavin’” was once again released as a duet by Sierra Ferrell and Nikki Lane, and his song “Why Not Me”is featured in the 2025 season of The Bear on FX/Hulu.

November is NationalOrphanAwareness Month, a time to focus on the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide. It’s a month wherevarious organizations and individuals highlight the plight of these children and advocatefor their wellbeing.Akey event during this month is Orphan Sunday, which falls on the secondSunday inNovember, and is a day dedicated to raising awareness and support for orphans and foster children.

A percentage of proceeds from this project will benefitYouth Villages of Middle TN, which is part of nationally recognized non-profit organization focused on providing servicesforchildren in foster care, group homes and teens aging out of foster care. assets PLAmedia.com