THE LONG HAUL: Why Are Musicians Such Coffee Snobs?

  Have you ever offered a musician some perfectly good coffee-maker coffee, only to have them turn up their snotty noses at it, and go pay $5 for a latte down the street? We all know that said musician could […]

THROUGH THE LENS: DelFest 2023 Connects Bluegrass’ Rich Past With Its Vibrant Future

  Over Memorial Day weekend, bluegrass fans from all over descended on the Cumberland, Maryland, for the 15th edition of DelFest. Named for and presided over by the legend himself, Del McCoury, DelFest has cast a wider net than just […]

BONUS TRACKS: Changes to the Punch Brothers Family and Willie on the Big Screen

  The Punch Brothers announced Thursday that fiddle player Gabe Witcher is exiting the band. Witcher, a founding member who’s been part of the group’s lineup for its entire 18-year history, “has decided it’s time for the next step in […]

THE READING ROOM: ‘Why Tammy Wynette Matters’ Considers Her Life Hand-in-Hand With Her Work

Tammy Wynette sang some of the saddest songs in country music: “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” “Apartment No. 9,” “I Don’t Wanna Play House.” Wynette’s vocals waver on the edge of breaking as they wring deep emotions from listeners. When Wynette modulates her vocal […]

THROUGH THE LENS: Festival Fun at High Water and Stagecoach

  This week the column reports from two roots festivals held last month in opposite ends of the country: High Water in North Charleston, South Carolina, and the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California. High Water took place at the picturesque […]

BONUS TRACKS: Tina Turner’s Country Side, Women on Country Radio, and More

  I think just about everyone in the world stopped and sighed when we heard that Tina Turner had passed away this week. Tributes poured in for the “Queen of Rock,” and that she most definitely was. But it caught […]

THE LONG HAUL: The Best Songs to Listen to on a Late-Night, Post-Gig Drive

  Every once in a while, to facilitate the next day’s commute, to get to the cheaper hotel rooms, or to get to my own bed, I might opt for a 2-3 hour drive after a gig. This means starting […]

THROUGH THE LENS: DelFest Dishes Up the Best of Bluegrass and Beyond

  DelFest’s 15th installment begins this Thursday. DelFest was created by and named after Del McCoury who, having won 31 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, including nine for Entertainer of the Year, is the undisputed the king of bluegrass. […]

BONUS TRACKS: AM Radio’s Fading Signal, Blues Music Awards, and More

  I gasped when I saw the headline about carmakers starting to phase out radios that can receive AM signals, but I don’t know why. I listen to plenty of FM radio in my car, as well as the occasional […]

THE READING ROOM: Chicago’s Central Role in Shaping Roots Music

Describing Chicago, Saul Bellow once wrote, “Provinciality is not altogether a curse, we gain from our backwardness.” Chicago wears the mantle of the Second City, taking a back seat to New York in almost every category including theater, cuisine, and […]