Bluegrass Jam Along Interviews

This week's Bitesize episode comes from a fascinating conversation I had with Tristan Scroggins in 2021.In this section Tristan reflects on what it means to come to bluegrass as an 'outsider' and how culture and connection aren't just about geographical borders.Growing up in New Mexico, despite learning traditional bluegrass from his father, Tristan felt a disconnect from the roots of the music. Later, when he moved to Nashville, he found himself wondering exactly why he loves bluegrass so much. Whether we're taking about European festival fans reacting to bluegrass (and the culture they perceive accompanies it), or the generation of northern and western musicians who came to bluegrass in the 1960s and 70s as a result of the folk revival, there's a common thread of music transcending boundaries. As a Brit coming to this music from outside both the region and the culture, yet feeling like I somehow belong, I find these conversations fascinating.You can hear my full interview with Tristan on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.For more on Tristan, head to tristanscroggins.com or follow Tristan on Instagram Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Missy Raines and we're talking about one of her all time favourite records - The Seldom Scene's Act TwoWe talk about how Missy grew up listening to The Country Gentlemen and The Seldom Scene, thanks to her parents' love of bluegrass, and how the band played a formative role in her early musical life, in particular how Tom Gray influenced her to become a bass player.We also discuss the shift that was happening in bluegrass and string band music in the early '70s and what made The Seldom Scene different, as well as the role the Washington DC area played in bluegrass becoming urban music, not just a rural tradition.Missy also shares her experience of getting to sit in with the band and what made their live shows so special.This was a fantastic conversation to get to be a part of.You can hear my previous interview with Missy (Missy Raines - Standing Gently on the Shoulders of Tradition) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.For more info on Missy, check out www.missyraines.comYou'll find info on The Seldom Scene at www.seldomscene.com Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to the June 2026 Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements (Church Street News)Craft Recordings Boone Creek reissue (preorder)CDLPDownloadGabe Witcher's Gig Ledger Pro app51st Annual Father's Day Bluegrass FestivalMarcel Ardans' Winfield DocumentaryFly in FestivalOften Herd tour datesScroll on BuddyPunch Brothers play Star WarsOther bitsFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guests on the podcast this week have an astonishing 24 Grammy awards between them and they represent two musical world I love - the first is bluegrass and string band music and the second is opera.Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck join me to chat about their wonderful new collaboration The Fiddle and the Drum, a project which explores Renée's long-held love of American folk and Appalachian music. The album includes guest appearances from several musicians from in and around the string band world, including Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Aoife O'Donovan, Sierra Hull and Sarah Jarosz.We chat about the role folk music played in Renée's upbringing, the similarities and differences between roots music and the classical world, how the record came together, why folk songs are so powerful and what it means to be an eclectic artist over the course of a long career (plus much more).This was a wonderful conversation to get to be part of. Thanks to Renée and Béla for taking the time to chat and particular thanks to Collin Citron for helping make this happen.You can find out more about the project and order copies of the record at reneefleming.com, along with info on live dates for The Fiddle and the Drum and the project Renée mentions, Music and the Mind You'll find info on Béla at www.belafleck.com, including BEATrio and the collaborations with Toumani Diabaté, Zakir Hussain and Chick Corea mentioned in the episode. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Tim O'Brien and he joins me to chat about 'The Tim O'Brien Songbook', a handpicked selection of 40 of his songs, complete with notation, chords, Nashville number charts and thoughts from Tim on singing and songwriting.We talk about Tim's journey from being an instrumentalist, to a singer, then a songwriter, and some of the key points along the way, as well as how he set about choosing the songs for the book. He shares his thoughts on co-writing and why songs don't always need an introduction, plus some insights into his process and what he's learned over several decades as one of the best loved singers and songwriters in the acoustic world.You can buy the songbook (along with many of Tim's recordings) via Tim's website, where you'll also find tour dates and links to his social channels. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Sierra Hull and we're chatting about her instrumental project The Movements.We talk about how the piece came about, as the result of a FreshGrass Concerto commission, how she approached writing the piece, with and for her current band (Avery Merritt, Erik Coveney, Mark Raudabaugh, and Shaun Richardson), and the challenges presented by releasing a project like this. We also discuss how the piece has developed since it was first written and how she and the band incorporate it into their live shows, as well as what it was like going back into the studio to record live, filmed performances of the tracks.It's a wonderful piece of music and, as always, it was a treat getting to chat with Sierra.Find out more and order copies of The Movements at sierrahull.comCheck out Sierra's YouTube channel to watch live studio performances of The MovementsFor more on FreshGrass you can hear Oli Chanoff talking about the FreshGrass commissions program and some of the wonderful music it's produced.To hear my previous interviews with Sierra, check out these episodes:Sierra Hull - A Tiptoe High Wire (2025)Sierra Hull Interview (2023)Sierra Hull Returns (2024) Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is John Reischman and we're talking about his fantastic record The Salish Sea, recorded with his band The Jaybirds.We chat about the band's long history together and the journey behind this record, including the Freshgrass Concerto Commission that led to the title track. John also shares his memories of first meeting Tony Rice and how he came to play with The Tony Rice Unit in the 1980s, including recording the albums Still Inside  and Backwaters.You can find out more about John and buy copies of his records at www.johnreischman.comBackwaters is now available as a remastered vinyl and download through Craft Recordings Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest on the podcast this week is fiddle player Andy Leftwich and we're chatting about his new album Aced.Andy talks about his love for instrumental music, including how hearing Mark O'Connor's The New Nashville Cats as a child inspired him. He also talks about contest fiddling and his 15 year stint with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, alongside Cody Kilby, who features on Aced as well as its predecessor The American Fiddler.After a decade and a half with Ricky, Andy chose to step away from Kentucky Thunder to focus on music in the ministry. We talk about the role that plays in his life and the records he made during that period, as well as the project that eventually turned into The American Fiddler and how that then led to Aced.For more on Andy, including details of how to buy any of the albums we discuss, head to andyleftwich.com Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsRecent interview episodesAppleSpotifyNews and Announcements (Church Street News)Todd Phillips fundraiserNorth Carolina Guitar CelebrationCraft Recordings Tony Rice reissueReleases (The Grass is New)Punch Brothers - New Bike videoJarrod Walker - NighthawkI'm With Her - Sing Me AliveScroll on BuddySierra Hull Movements videosMovement 1Movement 2 Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

In early April I got the chance to go and hang out at SoreFingers, the UK bluegrass and old time camp, for a night. I'd recently interviewed John Wirtz about Sore Fingers' 30 year history for the podcast (link below) and he invited me along to meet the staff and tutors, hang out and watch some music.While I was there I got to interview Michael Daves and Tony Trischka (links to their episodes also below), but I also took the opportunity to wander round, mic in hand like a roving reporter, and just chat to people.In this episode you'll hear from John Wirtz about Sore Fingers' recent venue move and how they're settling into their new home, as well as from other members of the team, including some of the people who facilitate the camp's wonderful scratch band programme.I also talked to some of the tutors, including Tony Trischka, who's taught at Sore Fingers a couple of times before, and Michael Daves and Stephen Mougin, who were both first timers.I couldn't miss the opportunity to chat to some students too, including Sore Fingers veterans and first timers.For more info on Sore Fingers, check out www.sorefingers.co.ukHere's my earlier interview with John WirtzHere are the interviews I did at Sore Fingers with Michael Daves and Tony TrischkaThis is the Stephen Mougin episode on band coachingYou can find out more about Paul Armer via his Instagram Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Tony Trischka returns to Bluegrass Jam Along to talk about his new record Earl Jam 2, the follow up to the first volume of a fascinating project that began when Tony was sent a thumb drive of recordings of Earl Scruggs and John Hartford jamming together at home.Volume 2 also has a great line up of special guests, including Billy Strings, Bruce Molsky, Molly Tuttle, Del McCoury, Sierra Ferrell and Sister Sadie.Tony tells the fascinating story of how Farayi Malek ended up adding vocals to one tune, after Alison Krauss had done the scratch vocal but wasn't well and couldn't record the final vocal.As with volume 1 it's a great record, full of variety and superb performances.You can hear more in my conversation with Tony about Earl Jam Volume 1 For more info on Tony and to buy both records, visit www.tonytrischka.comThanks to Sore Fingers bluegrass and old time camp for inviting me down to record this interview while Tony was there teaching banjo! Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Michael Daves and we're chatting about the superb new record he has out with Jacob Jolliff, We Like Jim & Jesse!The record, released on Michael's own label Wild Geranium Records, celebrates the music of first generation bluegrass legends, brothers Jim and Jesse McReynolds.Michael talks about meeting Jesse in 2019 - he was 90 or 91 at the time and still writing new tunes every day - and how that sparked the idea for the record. We also chat about Jesse's unique contribution to the history of bluegrass mandolin, how one of their biggest hits was written on the spot in response to an argument and why Jim and Jesse's vocal blend is every bit as important to their sound as Jesse's mandolin playing.We also talk about Fables, Michael's recent release that pays tribute to a very different act...R.E.M.This interview was recorded at Sore Fingers, the wonderful UK bluegrass camp that runs every Easter (and has for the past 30 years). Later this week I'll be bringing you an interview with Tony Trischka, also recorded at the camp, plus a special episode celebrating Sore Fingers.You'll find Michael and Jacob's record on Bandcamp, where you'll also find Michael's R.E.M. tribute Fables Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest on this episode is Bryan Sutton.We're talking about Bryan's new project From Roots to Branches, the follow up to his 2006 album Not Too Far From the Tree, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.The new album features a series of duets with musicians from the wold of bluegrass and beyond, plus a couple of unreleased tunes he recorded with Doc Watson and Tony Rice.We chat about the original idea behind Not Too Far.... and how the new project differs; who Bryan chose to record with this time (including Billy Strings, Chris Eldridge, Sierra Hull, Trey Hensley, Joe Bonamassa and more); why he's choosing to release it as a series of tracks over several months, before putting the full album out, and how it feels to have gone from recording with his heroes to taking on the mentor role for the next generation of flatpickers.You'll find all the tracks released so far on Spotify, Tidal and all other streaming platforms. There's a great video for The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap on YouTube.You can get bluegrass guitar lessons from Bryan Sutton on ArtistWorks (I can highly recommend them).Oh, and Bryan wrote and recorded the cool theme tune you'll hear on this episode too! Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

In this bonus episode we're celebrating Tony Rice's best loved albums....as voted for by you!I put out a poll over my social channels as well as some popular Facebook groups and subreddits and collated all the responses.The rules were simple - just pick one album each for these 3 categories:1. Tony Rice/Tony Rice Unit album2. Album where Tony’s named as one of the artists (e.g. Blake & Rice/ Skaggs & Rice/Tone Poems)3. Any album Tony plays on but isn’t named as an artist (e.g. DGQ, Bluegrass Album Band, JD’s 0044….or anything else)I had over 400 votes in total. In this short episode I reveal what won in each category, what the most popular album was overall and also what pickers like Chris Thile and Trey Hensley chose as their favourites!See the full listYou'll find links to previous podcast episodes celebrating Tony Rice on bluegrassjamalong.com Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Thomm Jutz.We're talking about Thomm's fascinating new project Ring-a-Bellin', an 18 track album and, for those wanting to dive even deeper into the process behind this new release, a beautiful, hardback Ring-A-Bellin’ companion book, which includes the stories and inspiration behind each song. Thomm talks about the idea behind the record; his unique approach to music, creativity, and life; how imagery, psychology, and tradition inform his work and the importance of process, authenticity, and staying true to your artistic journey.In this episodeThomm explains: The concept behind his album, and the companion book of artwork and essaysThe influence of analytical psychology, alchemy, and symbolism on his songwritingHis love of of organic, live recording techniques versus layered, processed musicHis thoughts on the role of tradition in American and Irish folk music, and the importance of maintaining a connection to old instruments and stylesWhy he sees song creation as an alchemical journey from chaos to clarityHis views on technology, AI, and their impact on the authenticity of musicHow time and place influence his songwritingThe parallels between craft, process, and the deeper spiritual aspects of musical creationAbout ThommThomm Jutz is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, producer, guitarist, and media composer and veteran of the American Roots Music scene, with over 25 years' of experience in the industry. His latest project, Ring-a-Bellin' combines an 18-song album with a beautifully illustrated companion book, providing a multi-dimensional experience that captures the essence of his artistic process and journey.Recent work includes Nothing But Green Willow: The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry (2023, with Martin Simpson), a transatlantic exploration of the women who contributed to Cecil Sharp’s folk song collection, featuring Sierra Hull, Odessa Settles, Angeline Morrison, and Tim O’Brien.Resources & LinksThomm's WebsiteInstagramFacebookThomm Jutz and Martin Simpson discuss Nothing But Green Willow on Bluegrass Jam Along Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Alex Graf and we're talking all things Manzanita.Alex made the shift from a more jazz based background to flatpicking a few years ago and Tony Rice's Manzanita became one of the absolute cornerstone records for him on that journey. We talk about why it became so important, what Alex learned from Tony's playing on the record and why he still finds something new in it every time he listens.You'll hear about:How Tony's jazz influences shaped his approach to guitarThe importance of musical conversation between band members on ManzanitaThe myths and legends that surround Tony's albumsHow Tony Rice's approach to chord voicings was inspired by jazz piano legend Bill EvansHow reinterpreting melody, rather than just blowing through the changes, keeps music freshand much more.To find out more about Alex, including his great teaching resource Alex's Acoustic Club, head to alexgrafmusic.comFor news, updates and great free content on improving your playing, check out Alex's Instagram and YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsBrad Kolodner interviewBill Nowlin interviewReleases (The Grass is New)Del McCoury Band with Peter Rowan & David Grisman Michael Daves & Jacob JolliffTony Trischka Earl Jam 2Blue Highway - Live at ETSU! A 30-Year Retrospective (preorder)Jesse ApppelmanOther bitsThomm Jutz/Martin Simpson interviewFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Bill Nowlin, co-founder of Rounder Records.Bill joins me to talk about Rounder's extraordinary 50 year legacy as one of the most important, influential and best loved independent labels in American roots music.We chat about how Rounder started, after Bill was randomly assigned Ken Irwin as his college roommate, and how, along with Marian Leighton Levy, they grew Rounder from a small enterprise releasing a couple of records a year into a successful label, responsible for the career of one of the most awarded artists in the history of the Grammys. Bill shares how they discovered Alison Krauss, via a demo tape she wasn't even the lead vocalist on, and subsequently signed her when she was just a teenager. We talk about how Alison's success, along with that of other artists like George Thorogood, helped Rounder establish themselves and how Rounder managed to position themselves at the forefront of industry developments, including releasing the first ever bluegrass CD.We also chat about some of the iconic records Rounder put out over the years, from artists like JD Crowe, Norman Blake, Tony Rice, Tony Trischka and Alison Krauss, and how the founders eventually decided to sell Rounder. That led to a new label, Down the Road Records which, in a lovely full circle moment, put out Alison Krauss and Union Station's return to bluegrass 'Arcadia' in 2025.This was a fascinating conversation about a fascinating legacy.If you want to hear more about Rounder's history, I can highly recommend Bill's book Vinyl Ventures: My Fifty Years at Rounder Records and David Menconi's Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest on the podcast this week is Brad Kolodner.Brad is a fantastic clawhammer banjo player. As well as his solo records - 'Chimney Swifts' and the recent album of solo gourd banjo tunes 'Old Growth' - Brad also plays with the band Charm City Junction, as a duet with fiddler George Jackson and with his father, Ken, as part of Ken & Brad Kolodner.He's also an award-winning radio broadcaster for Folk Alley and Bluegrass Country Radio, jam leader, festival organiser, community builder and ambassador for old-time and bluegrass music, as well as serving on the board of the IBMA.We chat about Brad's route into old-time music - which took longer than you might think, given his upbringing - as well as his love of gourd banjos, the different projects he's involved with and why community and connection is so important as a musician.Check out bradkolodner.com for more info.The tracks played in the show are:Chimney Swifts - Brad Kolodner (Chimney Swifts)Shakin' Down The Acorns - Ken & Brad Kolodner (Stony Run)Red Prarie Dawn - Brad Kolodner (Old Growth)Grigsby's Hornpipe - George Jackson & Brad Kolodner (Shady Lane)Check out Brad's website or Bandcamp page to buy his releases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is John Wirtz.John, along with his partner Moira, runs Sore Fingers, a UK bluegrass and old time music camp that celebrates it's 30th anniversary this year.John joins me to chat about how the camp started up and how it's grown over the years to play a major role in the UK and European bluegrass scenes. We talk about some of the extraordinary tutors who have travelled across the Atlantic to teach at Sore Fingers over the years and how they've helped thousands of people develop their musical skills, whilst helping to shape a community in the process.2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the first event and this year's courses feature some wonderful tutors, including Tony Trischka, Michael Daves, Jacob Jolliff, Mike Compton, Stephen Mougin and Becky Buller.For more info, visit the Sore Fingers site at www.sorefingers.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Ted Olson interviewDoc Watson 100th Birthday Celebration - part 1 - part 2News and announcements - church street news Punch Brothers tour datesScroll on BuddyAtkin Guitars pallet guitarJude Rogers - The Sound of Being HumanBrittany Haas w/ Paul Kowert & Mike Gaisbacher - Impromptu SessionsOther bitsFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Ted Olson, professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University.Ted joins me to celebrate the Rich-R-Tone record label and it's offshoot Folk Star. Rich-R-Tone was founded in 1946 by James Hobart Stanton who, in Ted's words, "was probably single-handedly the most important documentarian of Appalachian music."Ted has extensively researched Stanton and the Rich_R-Tone label for a project he co-produced for Bear Family Records - The Rich-R-Tone/Folk Star Story: Appalachia On Record, 1946-1954. Featuring 317 expertly remastered recordings spread over 12 CDs and including a 144-page hardcover book, this set, produced by Ted Olson, Matteo Ringressi, and Richard Weize, features newly researched liner notes and a complete discography. Many of these recordings are incredibly rare and are taken from 78 rpm discs held in private collections.We talk about Stanton's background in jukebox repair and distribution and how that helped shape his vision for the label; why both place and time are so vital in this particular story; the importance of Rich-R-Tone being a label based in Appalachia, rather than being a major label coming to the region just to record local talent and how Stanton played an important role in The Stanley Brothers' career. It's a fascinating story and one I knew very little about before my conversation with Ted, who was a pleasure to chat with as always.During the conversation we play excerpts of three tracks from the box set. You'll hear (in order):The Stanley Brothers - Molly and TenbrooksWilma Lee Cooper - The Tramp on the StreetThe Caudill Family - Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body DownFor more info on the box set visit Bear Family RecordsTo hear my previous interviews with Ted, check out the two episodes below:The Bristol Sessions and BeyondDoc Watson's 100th Birthday Celebration (featuring Happy Traum, John McEuen from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, T. Michael Coleman, Jack Lawrence, Lindsay Craven of MerleFest and Ted Olson) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest on this week's Bitesize episode is Sara Watkins, who joins me to talk about I'm With Her's Grammy winning album 'Wild and Clear and Blue'. It's an album I really love (and a conversation I loved too) and I wanted to put something out to celebrate not only the Grammy win, but also the Grammy they won for the opening track 'Ancient Light'.Sara talks about the process behind writing the record, which began to take shape shortly after the pandemic, why collaboration was so important and the central themes that emerged during the process. We also talk about community and connection in music and how the line between audience and stage is a little thinner in folk music than for some other formats.This comes from a longer conversation we had in 2025. You'll find the full interview with Sara here.Sara also mentions an interview I did with her bandmate Sarah Jarosz, about her album 'Blue Heron Suite'.For more info on I’m With Her, including upcoming tour dates and to buy I’m With Her vinyl, CDs and merch, visit imwithherband.comFor regular updates follow Sara on Instagram and Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Chris Thile’s AcousticampTony Trischka’s New York Banjo NightBruce and Darol’s Great Big Fiddle HangSore FingersRockygrassReleases (The Grass is New)Bryan Sutton/Billy Strings videoAlasdair Fraser & Natalie HaasTony Trischka Earl Jam 2 (preorder)Della MaeScroll on BuddyWillie Nelson (preorder)Other bitsFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is sound engineer Dave Sinko, who returns to chat about The David Grisman Quintet.We've talked about that record a lot on the podcast, but this is less about the story behind the album and more about how it influenced Dave and informed the way he approaches recording. In his words 'it changed my life.'We chat about his subsequent work with members of the DGQ, including Grisman himself, and recording Tony Rice for a project with Alison Brown. We also discuss how that first DGQ record set the standard for what acoustic instruments could and should sound like, the contributions Bill Wolf and Bob Shumaker made to recording acoustic music and how Dave approaches miking instruments, based on what he learned from the first DGQ album, including on Chris Thile's latest Bach album, an extraordinary and challenging project to work on.I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Tony Trischka, who returns to chat about the New York bluegrass scene in the early 1970s.New York and the surrounding area played a huge role in the development of bluegrass and in the genesis of what would become known as New Acoustic music. Tony talks about the early days of his career, including the bands Country Cooking and Breakfast Special and the overlap between that scene and the birth of Rounder Records. We also chat about some of the musicians who came out of the New York scene in the 1960s and 70s, including David Grisman, Andy Statman, Stacy Phillips, Russ Barenberg and Bela Fleck, and how those players began to collaborate with the musicians emerging from the San Francisco Bay Area and Nashville scenes.Tony also talks about his early solo albums, including Banjoland, Hill Country and (a personal favourite of mine) A Robot Plane Flies over Arkansas.It was, as always, a treat chatting with Tony. I hope you enjoy this one.If you missed the David Grisman Quintet episodes we mention, you'll find them here:Part 1 (Darol & Mike) - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/celebrating-50-years-of-the-david-grisman-quintet-part/id1556697198?i=1000711133817Part 2 (Todd) - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/celebrating-50-years-of-the-david-grisman-quintet-part/id1556697198?i=1000712407689Part 3 (David) - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/celebrating-50-years-of-the-david-grisman-quintet-part/id1556697198?i=1000713402530 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Kristina R. Gaddy, who returns to chat about her new book, a collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens, called Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo.The book picks up on the research Kristina did for her previous book Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History (you can hear our conversation about that here). Crucially though, this volume doesn't just present a series of tunes as research pieces, it includes both banjo transcriptions and standard music notation, so people can play the music and give it a place in the current repertoire.We talk about why so little music was collected from black people in the Americas (fewer than 10 songs before 1861 were collected in the United States that we definitely know are from Black musicians); why these tunes were collected and how; how the way they were collected (and who did the collecting) shaped what was gathered and much more.As always, it was fascinating talking to Kristina.You can find out more about Go Back and Fetch It (and buy the book) via the University of North Carolina Press.For more on Kristina and updates on her research, follow her on Instagram and Substack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Pod newsHighlights from the first 500 episodesInspiration for Musicians episodeNews and announcements - church street news Dawg at 80 on NugsBilly Strings Tiny Desk ConcertNPR Tiny Desk ContestOld Settler’s Music FestivalReleases (The Grass is New)Sam Grisman ProjectCarolina Chocolate DropsAlasdair Fraser & Natalie HaasMichael Daves EPScroll on BuddyIs Bluegrass Too Fast?Other bitsFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

If you were listening last week, you'll know that my interview with Trey Hensley about Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall was the 500th episode of Bluegrass Jam Along.To celebrate I thought I'd put together an episode with a few of my highlights and favourite moments from those first 500.You'll hear from:Alison Krauss, on two different car journeys with Tony RiceWyatt Rice, on recording Church Street BluesBryan Sutton, on the journey all musicians go onGabe Witcher, on leaving Punch BrothersBrittny Haas, on joining Punch BrothersChris Eldridge, on Bela Fleck's Drive albumBryan Sutton (again), on Doc Watson and his influenceSarah Jarosz, on her album Blue Heron SuiteSara Watkins, on I'm With Her's Wild and Clear and Blue and Mike Marshall, on playing with Tony Rice and what he learned from other musiciansThis journey has been a lot of fun and I can't wait to get stuck into the interviews I already have lined up for the next set of episodes.Thanks to all my guests and to all of you who've listened over the past four and a half years.If you want to hear a bit more about my journey with the podcast, check out this interview I did with Daniel Patrick from the Mandolins and Beer podcast.Finally, if you know anyone who you think would like this episode, please share it with them!Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to the 500th episode of Bluegrass Jam Along!My guest this week is Trey Hensley, who joins me to celebrate the very first record he bought - Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall.This historic album was a pivotal moment for bluegrass and also served as a personal intro to the music for many fans.We chat about why Flatt & Scruggs' performance at Carnegie Hall, on December, 1962 was groundbreaking, the initial skepticism from the press, the audience's enthusiastic reception and some of the famous (and soon to be famous) face in the crowd on the night.We also talk about the pivotal role Lousie Scruggs had, not just in getting this performance recorded, but in putting Flatt and Scruggs (and bluegrass music) in front of a new, younger audience.This one was a real treat!For more info on Trey check out www.treyhensley.com===If you're a Flatt and Scruggs fan and missed the Earl Scruggs 100th birthday episodes I put together last year (including Trey as a guest!) you'll find them here:Earl Scruggs 100th Birthday Tribute:Part 1 - Tony Trischka, Kristin Scott Benson and Alan MundePart 2 - Jerry Douglas, Alison Brown and Tim O'BrienPart 3 - Trey Hensley, Kyle Tuttle (Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway) & Willow OsborneJim Mills on Earl Scruggs and pre-War Gibson banjosJerry Douglas celebrates Earl Scruggs' 100th Birthday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

This week's Bitesize episode celebrates one of the most important dates in bluegrass music - December 8th. The main reason this date is so important is that it marks the first time Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe at The Opry, on December 8th 1945, leading many people to describe it as 'the birth of bluegrass'. That makes 2025 the 80th anniversary of bluegrass!Fast forward to December 8th 1962 and we have another Flatt and Scruggs milestone - their performance at New York's Carnegie Hall, which was released the year after as Flatt and Scruggs Live at Carnegie Hall, a record that went on to become a firm favourite of bluegrass fans the world over.To celebrate that record, I'll be joined by Trey Hensley in the next episode of the podcast...which is also Bluegrass Jam Along's 500th episode! If you missed the Earl Scruggs 100th birthday episodes I put together last year, you'll find them here:Jerry Douglas celebrates Earl Scruggs' 100th BirthdayEarl Scruggs 100th Birthday Tribute:Part 1 - Tony Trischka, Kristin Scott Benson and Alan MundePart 2 - Jerry Douglas, Alison Brown and Tim O'BrienJim Mills on Earl Scruggs and pre-War Gibson banjos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news European Bluegrass Summit registrationAlison Krauss & Union Station - Live - vinyl reissueBela Fleck Jingle All the Way tour dates and vinyl reissueIBMA Webinar-- Thursday, December 4, from 12-1PM EST-- From the Table to the DSPs and Back Again: How To Make Money Without Selling Recordings-- Zoom link to joinReleases (The Grass is New)Hildaland (Bandcamp)The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist (Spotify)Scroll on BuddyBéla Fleck's My Bluegrass Heart & Punch Brothers - Holiday Medley (live)WatchOther bitsThe Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is David Grier, who joins me to celebrate the classic album 'The White Brothers - Live in Sweden' (recently remastered and reissued in an expanded form as 'The New Kentucky Colonels - Live in Sweden').We talk about what makes this recording special, including the fact it was recorded live and never intended for release, and why Clarence and Roland had such a unique approach to music, particularly when it comes to their joint sense of timing.David also shares his thoughts about why bluegrass picking should be about more than just playing licks over chords and why true artistry often gets lost, as well as calling out some of the current players he loves.This was a fascinating conversation that started as a celebration of a classic album but widened out to being about what making music is really all about.If you want to hear my previous interview with David, which came from a two episode special to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Clarence White's death, you'll find it here.To buy the reissued CD, and for lots more info on Clarence and Roland, visit rolandwhite.comDon't forget to check out www.davidgrier.com for more info on David and to buy his CDs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

In an age where pop culture dominates the airwaves, understanding the rich variety of music beyond the mainstream becomes increasingly important. In this week's episode, journalist and broadcaster Craig Havighurst joins me to talk about his new book "Musicality for Modern Humans," his journey of exploring musical literacy and the importance of 'listening for' something in music. Craig began his journey into music journalism in his late teens, driven in part by a curiosity about why Americans listen to some kinds of music more than others and why certain genres, such as bluegrass, jazz and classical, seem to have become marginalised. A pivotal theme in his book is the idea of musical literacy. Craig explains why understanding music isn't just about formal education or knowing historical context; it’s about engaging with music on a personal level. We also chat about why bluegrass is such a successful model for nurturing musical appreciation; how the bluegrass community fosters a culture of amateur musicianship, where fans feel connected to the music-making process, and why this relationship between artists and audiences creates a unique environment that encourages exploration and appreciation of the music."Musicality for Modern Humans" remind us of the importance of musical literacy and the value of diverse musical experiences but, more than anything, of the fact that listening deeply to music brings huge rewards.For more info on Craig and to buy the book visit www.craighavighurst.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Eddie Barbash.We chat about his unique journey as a saxophonist who has embraced the world of fiddle tunes. He shares insights into the challenges and joys of transitioning from jazz to fiddle music, the intricacies of improvisation, and the importance of social music-making. Eddie also talks about his three year journey playing with Sierra Hull and the recording process for his new album 'Larkspur', including why he chose to use film as a starting point for the tracks, his reasons for choosing to record solo versions, rather than collaborate, and the role of the natural environment in which it was recorded. This was a fascinating conversation on many levels, which not only gave me an insight into how other instrumentalists think, but also helped me see bluegrass and string band music from a new perspective.You can watch the videos on Eddie's YouTube channel For more info on Eddie and his musical projects, visit www.eddiebarbash.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Old & In the Way Live vinyl releaseCraig Havighurst bookBlue Ridge Guitar CampReleases (The Grass is New)Buy the records mentionedAlison Brown & Steve Martin album (Compass Records)Wes Corbett - Drift (Bandcamp)I’m With Her/Iron & Wine (Bandcamp)Caitlin Canty (Bandcamp)Ben Garnett (Bandcamp)Darol Anger (Bandcamp)The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist (Spotify)Scroll on BuddySierra Hull Gibson signature mandolinChris Thile interview with Rick BeatoOther bitsThe Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

This week's Bitesize episode features a conversation I had with Chris Eldridge from Punch Brothers and Mighty Poplar celebrating Tony Rice's classic album Church Street Blues.Chris talks about Tony's ability to combine big musical gestures with intricate detail, how other musicians played better when they played with Tony and why you should listen to Church Street Blues on vinyl, if you can find a copy (but why that's not necessarily true of other albums).This extract comes from a two part special I put together celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release ofChurch Street Blues in 1983, including in-depth interviews with Wyatt Rice, Alison Krauss, Tim Stafford, Bryan Sutton and many more. I've included links below to those.- part 1 (Tim Stafford, Wyatt Rice, Mike Marshall, Alison Krauss, Bryan Sutton, Chris Eldridge & Caroline Wright)- part 2 (Bob Minner, Jake Eddy, Justin Moses, Marcel Ardans, Scott Nygaard, Jason Keiser & tony_units) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Darol Anger, who joins me to discuss his new album 'Diary of a Fiddler 2 - The Empty Nest'.We chat about the original 'Diary of a Fiddler', released in 1999, and how the second volume celebrates and deepened Darol's connection to the fiddle community, in particular the players he's taught, mentored and collaborated with since the first record came out.Darol explains why this project felt like a purposeful completion of a long process, which began with that first record. We also talk about how the landscape of fiddling has been transformed by fiddle camps and music schools like Berklee, where Darol taught and first met several of the players on this record.We also discuss the development of rhythmic accompaniment on the fiddle, which was still relatively new in the 1990s, how the pandemic inspired a joyful collaborative project that kicked this new record off, how Darol's move to Nashville connected him to a wider community of fiddlers and why 'Diary of a Fiddler 2' feels like the clearest expression of any musical legacy he might leave.Any opportunity to talk to Darol is a treat and this one was no exception. I always come away from a conversation with Darol feeling like I've learned something and with a smile on my face. I hope you enjoy it too.You can buy 'Diary of a Fiddler 2' (and Darol's other releases) via his Bandcamp pageDarol also has a great fiddle course on ArtistWorksMatt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

This week's episode is another special recorded at IBMA's World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga. I have four shorter interviews for you, each with someone connected to Dark Shadow Recording.First up is Becky Buller. Becky came onto the podcast in August of 2024 to chat about her record Jubilee. This time we're talking about her album of covers Songs That Sing Me and the role music has played in her life. I also chat with each of my guests in this episode about the importance of IBMA's World of Bluegrass to them as an artist or industry figure.Second is Ben Wright from Henhouse Prowlers, chatting about the band's 21 years together and their 10th record Unravel, as well as their non-profit work with The Bluegrass Ambassadors and why cultural diplomacy is more important now than ever.Up next is singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and luthier Rick Faris. Rick was IBMA's Songwriter of the Year in 2024 and we talk about writing, including his long standing collaboration with Rick Lang, who co-wrote several track's on Rick's new record Life's Parade, plus the guitar building community and his work at Kentucky Guitar Works.Finally I chat to Jana Mougin, who runs Dark Shadow Recording alongside her partner Stephen Mougin, IBMA's Recording Engineer of the Year for 2025. We talk about running a recording company, how Dark Shadow works with their artists as a family and the opportunities IBMA provides for networking and connecting with people.These were fun to do - I hope you enjoy them.For more info, visit https://darkshadowrecording.com  and check out their online store to buy any of the albums we talk about in the episode.You'll find more info on the individual artists here:Becky Buller - website / Instagram / FacebookHenhouse Prowlers - website / Instagram / Facebook / Bluegrass AmbassadorsRick Faris - website / Facebook / Kentucky Guitar Works Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Pod NewsSara Watkins interviewNews and announcements - church street news List of IBMA Award winnersReleases (The Grass is New)Alison Brown & Steve Martin album pre-orderPre-order Wes Corbett - DriftVinyl reissuesAlison Krauss - LiveTony Rice - BackwatersThe Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistScroll on BuddyBilly Strings IBMA Keynote (from 47:31 in)Other bitsThe Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Maddie Denton, fiddle player with East Nash Grass.I caught up with Maddie at IBMA World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga, the day after she was named IBMA's Fiddle Player of the Year!We chat about East Nash Grass and their wonderful new record 'All God's Children' and about musical communities, collaboration (both within the band and with other people) and why Maddie sees music very much as a team sport.I really enjoyed this one (and it's always a treat to get to have a conversation face to face for a change!)For more info visit eastnashgrass.com and maddiedentonmusic.com and follow Maddie on InstagramHappy picking,Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Ben Garnett, chatting about his superb new record 'Kite's Keep'.The album features a core band of Ben, Brittany Haas and Ethan Jodziewicz, with guest appearances from Darol Anger, Paul Kowert and Chris Eldridge, who also produced the record. We talk about Ben's background, initially in electric guitar, and the influence his cousin Andy Timmons had on him as a mentor, before Ben started exploring acoustic guitar and how that led to him moving to Nashville, with Chris Eldridge becoming his second big mentor.We also talk about how the album came about and Ben's world building approach to making a guitar record.'Kite's Keep' is a fascinating record and I loved this conversation.You can pre-order and pre-save the album on various platforms.For more info on Ben, including upcoming tour dates, check out bengarnett.netMatt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Alison Brown.Alison was the first woman to win an IBMA award in an instrumental category, winning Banjo Player of the Year in 1991. She's also a sought after producer, with credits including Dale Ann Bradley, Peter Rowan, Missy Raines and Bobby Osborne and she spent three years as a member of Alison Krauss's band Union Station.She joins me to talk about another long standing project, Compass records, the label she co-founded in the '90s with her husband Garry West.We talk about Alison's background and how Compass grew from a sketch on the back of a napkin to being one of the most celebrated independent labels in roots music. We also discuss how the music industry has changed over the three decades Compass has been around and what that means, for the label and for artists.We also pick out a few of Alison's favourite releases (and mine!) and chat about what's next for her, including presenting the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards with Steve Martin, who she has a new record with, due out in October.Over the course of the episode there are excerpts from some of the albums we discuss. You'll hear (in order of appearance):- 'Paint it Shut' - Phillps, Grier and Flinner- 'Weetabix' - New Grange- 'Longhair Bluegrass' - Robbie Fulks- '5 Days Out 2 Days Back' - Alison Brown and Steve Martin, feat. Tim O'BrienFor more info and to buy Compass releases, visit the Compass Records websiteHere's the episode of the podcast celebrating Phillips, Grier & FlinnerHappy picking,Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Ethan Setiawan.Ethan's new album Enyclopedia Mandolinnica is a collection of duets and trios featuring some of Ethan's mandolin heroes and contemporaries, including Mike Marshall, Caternia Lichtenberg, Jacof Jolliff, Matt Flinner and more.Recorded over the space of a year, the album showcases a wide range of styles and dynamics and sits comfortably alongside classic duet records like Into the Cauldron, Diary of a Fiddler and Not Too Far From the Tree.We chat about how the project came about, what the recording process was like and how Ethan approaches the writing process. It's a fascinating record and we had an equally interesting conversation!For more info and to buy the record, visit Ethan's website and BandCamp pageHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Hi everyone. This is a very short episode just to update you on a couple of bits and let you know about some changes coming to the Bluegrass Jam Along podcast over the coming weeks.There's some really exciting content coming your way but the format will be changing a little (I explain why in the episode).That's all, folks.Happy picking,MattSupport the show===Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Fretboard SummitAlison Brown Banjo BasecampBela Fleck banjo raffleReleases (The Grass is New)Infamous Stringdusters websiteMichael Daves’ BandcampThe Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistScroll on BuddyDonate to the Mandolin CafeOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest on this week's bitesize episode is Gabe Witcher. This extract comes from a longer conversation I had with Gabe in June 2023, directly after he'd played his final shows with Punch Brothers at Telluride.Gabe talks about first meeting Chris Thile at a festival when they were kids; playing football together before they even got round to jamming; how they found the rest of the band that became Punch Brothers; their first shows together in New York City and how the emotion of playing the tunes they worked on back then hit him in those final Telluride shows.Here's the full 2023 interview with Gabe if you want to hear the whole conversation.Happy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest for this week's Bitesize episode is Jarrod Walker, best known to most of you as the mandolin player in Billy Strings' band.This is a segment of a longer interview from 2022. In this section Jarrod talks about getting the gig with Billy, how it was both the most progressive and the most traditional gig he'd had, learning to play plugged in and experimenting with pedals.The full interview (link below if you're interested) covers much more, including what Chris Thile taught him about learning fiddle tunes, how he almost ended up selling instruments for a living rather than playing them and going from landscaping one day during the pandemic to playing a live streamed gig at Red Rocks the next.To connect with Jarrod and find out where you can catch a show, check out the links below:Jarrod's FacebookJarrod's InstagramBilly Strings' websiteHere's the full interview with Jarrod.Happy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.News and announcements - church street news Joe Brent Adhyâropa Records interviewJD Crowe and the New South reissueTim Stafford JD Crowe interview episodeEarl Scruggs Music FestivalSierra Hull Tiny Desk ConcertReleases (The Grass is New)Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton Live at the LegionThe Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistOther bitsSign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlistFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook

My guest this week is Joe Brent, founder of Adhyâropa Records.So many of the guests I've had on the podcast have released their albums through Adhyâropa and I was fascinated to find out more about the label.We talk about why Joe set up the label in the first place, the reasons why it's almost impossible for musicians to make a living today, how Adhyâropa is trying to change that and why, in the end, it's just about helping people put out good music.There's so much to learn in this one, whether you're a musician trying to navigate building a career or, like me, you're a fan who wants to understand how musicians get paid and what we can do to support our favourite artists.There's something in this episode for everyone.For more info on Adhyâropa, to submit your project or just to contact Joe, visit  www.adhyaroparecords.comTo buy music, visit Adhyâropa's Bandcamp storeI loved this conversation - I hope you enjoy it too.Matt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks- Sign up to get updates on new episodes- Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook