Send us a text Vickie Vaughn plays bass for the multi-awarded bluegrass band Della Mae. They will be touring soon, performing a tribute to Hazel Dickens. Vickie is an in-demand studio musician in Nashville, and fronts The Vickie Vaughn Band. Her second album gets released in November. She was classically trained as a singer, and sings lead in her band. She also toured and sang harmony for years with country music star Patty Loveless. Vickie is an eloquent voice for women in bluegrass an...

Send us a text Maddie Denton is a young fiddle player, singer and songwriter based in Nashville. She's been with the hot young band East Nash Grass for 7 years. During that time she taught high school biology, coached their golf team, and also played with the Dan Tyminski band for 4 years. Now she's a full time musician, touring and recording with East Nash Grass. Lots of stories, from her youth winning Texas fiddle contests, making the somewhat difficult transition to bluegrass (tough ...

Send us a text Brenna Macmillan is a young singer, songwriter, banjo player, studio musician and band leader living in Nashville. From Kentucky, her story is fascinating and unusual. Home schooled with 12 siblings, nine of whom were Liberian war orphans adopted by her parents, she and her brother performed as the duo Theo and Brenna for many years, even as she worked full time, went to college, and became a chemist. Her first album was released to great acclaim last October. She is now devoti...

Send us a text Shelby Means played bass for Della Mae, and currently plays bass and sings with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway. Her debut, self titled album comes out May 30, 2025. She sings lead, and wrote almost all the songs. We spoke at length about her bluegrass upbringing, her love of singing and songwriting, how she gets inspiration from Missy Raines, Molly Tuttle and Bronwyn Keith Hynes, and her views on playing the bass. Her bucket list singing partner might have been Billie Ho...

Send us a text Grant Gordy is one of the most inventive and brilliant guitarists in acoustic music. After six years with the David Grisman Quintet, he plays with Mr. Sun, as a duo with guitarist Ross Martin, and with his own group feat. Alex Hargreaves and Dom Leslie. In our chat Grant talks about fatherhood, bluegrass, jazz, Charlie Parker and Tony Rice, his approach to soloing, the importance of rhythm, his sense of humor, and a lot in between. A unique and wonderful guy and musician.

Send us a text Richard Greene, one of the most innovative and influential fiddle players of all time, grew up in L.A. and studied classical music until his encounter with the pyrotechnic fiddling of Scotty Stoneman. With Bill Monroe, he invented the fiddle chop. With Seatrain he became the first rock musician to play electric violin. He was a member of the legendary band Muleskinner, with Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Bill Keith and Clarence White. His advanced techniques influenced every fiddl...

Send us a text Fiddle star Tammy Rogers has been a huge force in country and bluegrass, from her early days touring with Trisha Yearwood and Patty Loveless, through her twenty years with The Steel Drivers. Also a fine singer and songwriter, she has a great love and admiration for the music, which comes through loud and clear in her words and her playing. A real treat to talk to.

Send us a text Mason is a talented young singer/songwriter/guitarist, who just left Old Crow Medicine Show after three years, to pursue his own music. He's written songs for Molly Tuttle, Del McCoury and Sierra Ferrell, was a contestant on America Idol, and has a fantastic voice and stage presence. He will be a big star in bluegrass, country, or whatever he chooses. Nice to catch these young guns on the way up!

Send us a text From JD Crowe and the New South, to the Dan Tyminski Band to the Seldom Scene, Ron is a monster on both banjo and fiddle. Winner of IBMA fiddle player of the year and banjo player of the year, he's the rhythmic backbone that most other bluegrass players only aspire to. Ron is a thoughtful and I would say spiritual guy, who values giving more than receiving, both in life and in music. A true Renaissance man, he also builds and repairs instruments, gardens, and enjoys working his...

Send us a text 50 albums, a Grammy, 7 Grammy nominations. Bands: Bill Monroe, Muleskinner w/ Clarence White and David Grisman, Old and in The Way with Vassar Clemens and Jerry Garcia, Seatrain w/ Richard Greene, Earth Opera, Peter Rowan Quartet w/ Tony Rice, on and on. Wrote "Midnight Moonlight", "Panama Red", "The Walls of Time", "Land of the Navajo", and "Free Mexican Airforce". At age 82, he is a cultural force almost unmatched in American music, and a wise and joyful human being. It...

Send us a text Half of the illustrious folk duo with with Marcy Marxer, Cathy has close to 40 albums, 14 Grammy nominations, and 2 Grammy awards. She has collaborated with everyone from Pete Seeger and Tom Paxton to Ella Jenkins and Rhiannon Giddens. From folk music, bluegrass, country, and children's songs, to festivals, camps and worldwide tours, she's done it all, on almost every instrument. Truly a huge, positive force in American roots music!

Send us a text What a year! Bronwyn got engaged, married fiddler Jason Carter at the Grand Ol' Opry, won a Grammy with Molly Tuttle, almost won a 2nd Grammy for her album I Built A World, moved to a new home in Nashville, is working on a second album as band leader and lead singer, is writing songs, preparing a big tour leading her own band in 2025, as well as touring with Molly Tuttle! She was my first podcast guest exactly one year ago, and I thought it would be fun to catch up. And it cert...

Send us a text After two years of touring nationally with Peter Rowan, banjo player Max Wareham recorded his own album, "Daggomit!", coming out Feb 21, 2025. The album features Chris Eldridge and David Grier on guitar, Laura Orshaw on fiddle, Chris Henry on mandolin, Mike Bub on bass, Larry Atamanuik on snare drum, and guest singer and producer Peter Rowan. Max has also written a fascinating book about Bill Monroe's unsung banjo player Rudy Lyle. An insightful and delightful conversation!

Send us a text Alice Gerrard is truly a legend in the traditional American music world. At age 90, and sharp as a tack, she recounts stories of her music and friendships with Hazel Dickens, Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, Ola Belle Reed, Mike Seeger, Dock Boggs, Ralph Rinzler, Tommy Jarrell, and on and on. I will have her on again real soon! So much more to talk about.

Send us a text Sierra Hull, at age 33, is an iconic performer. Beginning as a kid in bluegrass, she has forged a strong and unique identity through collaborations in all genres of music and with all types of amazing musicians. With several Grammy nominations, and too many IBMA awards to count, she embarks this spring on a mega tour with Billy Strings, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. We are lucky to catch up with her!!

Send us a text Mandolinist, band leader, singer, songwriter, teacher, and now father, Joe is the hub of bluegrass in New England. He has played with, and taught, virtually all the young stars of contemporary bluegrass. In our interview, Joe talks about many of his contemporaries, his mandolin playing and singing, teaching, and of course how it feels to have a baby daughter at home.

Send us a text Bluegrass icon Larry Sparks started playing guitar with The Stanley Brothers in 1965, at age 17. He talks about his 61 years in the bluegrass business, with many memories of Carter and Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, his approach to singing, and his beloved 1954 Martin D-28 with the distinctive double pickguard. What a thrill for me to talk with one of my bluegrass heroes!

Send us a text A fascinating chat with bluegrass guitarist and singer Michael Daves. He talks about his partnership with pal Chris Thile, his exposure to jazz with college mentor, saxophonist Yusef Lateef, the amazing fiddle playing of Brittany Haas, as well as lots of talk about bluegrass guitar, past and present, and much more. Too much for one interview, I'll have to have him back!

Send us a text Bassist Ronnie Simpkins, brother of fiddler Rickie Simpkins, has been a crucial member of several major bluegrass bands, including The Virginia Squires, The Tony Rice Unit, and currently The Seldom Scene. We talked about his musical upbringing, playing the bass "in the pocket", and of course many memories and stories about performing, travelling and recording with Tony Rice. Ronnie is an insightful and delightful conversationalist!

Send us a text The second part of my interview with bassist, record producer and songwriter Jon Weisberger. He talks in detail about songwriting, co-writing, the Nashville music scene, and the specific responsibilities of being a record producer. He is a fountain of wonderful information about music, and we could have talked for hours.