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photo: Tessa Brancato
Keith Barnacastle • Publisher
Our Staff
Richelle Putnam • Executive Editor/Writer
Richelle Putnam holds a BS in Marketing Management and an MA in Creative Writing. She is a Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) Teaching Artist, two-time MAC Literary Arts Fellow, and Mississippi Humanities Speaker. Her fiction, poetry, essays, and articles have been published in many print and online literary journals and magazines. Among her six published books are a 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards Silver Medalist and a 2017 Foreword Indies Book Awards Bronze Medal winner. Visit her website at www.richelleputnam.com.
Rebekah Speer • Creative Director
Rebekah Speer has nearly twenty years in the music industry in Nashville, TN. She creates a unique “look” for every issue of The Bluegrass Standard, and enjoys learning about each artist. In addition to her creative work with The Bluegrass Standard, Rebekah also provides graphic design and technical support to a variety of clients. www.rebekahspeer.com
Susan Woelkers • Marketing
Susan traveled with a mixed ensemble at Trevecca Nazarene college as PR for the college. From there she moved on to working at Sony Music Nashville for 17 years in several compacities then transitioning on to the Nashville Songwritrers Association International (NSAI) where she was Sponsorship Director. The next step of her musical journey was to open her own business where she secured sponsorships for various events or companies in which the IBMA /World of Bluegrass was one of her clients.
Brent Davis • Contributor
Brent Davis produced documentaries, interview shows, and many other projects during a 40 year career in public media. He’s also the author of the bluegrass novel Raising Kane. Davis lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Mississippi Chris Sharp • Reviewer
Singer/Songwriter/Blogger and SilverWolf recording artist, Mississippi
Chris Sharp hails from remote Kemper County, near his hometown of Meridian. An original/founding cast member of the award-winning, long running radio show, The Sucarnochee Revue, as featured on Alabama and Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Chris performs with his daughter, Piper. Chris’s songs have been covered by The Del McCoury Band, The Henhouse Prowlers, and others. https://mississippichrissharp.blog
Susan Marquez • Journalist
Susan Marquez is a freelance writer based in Madison, Mississippi and a Mississippi Arts Commission Roster Artist. After a 20+ year career in advertising and marketing, she began a professional writing career in 2001. Since that time she has written over 2000 articles which have been published in magazines, newspapers, business journals, trade publications.
Kara Martinez Bachman • Journalist
Kara Martinez Bachman is a nonfiction author, book and magazine editor, and freelance writer. A former staff entertainment reporter, columnist and community news editor for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, her music and culture reporting has also appeared on a freelance basis in dozens of regional, national and international publications.
Candace Nelson • Journalist
Candace Nelson is a marketing professional living in Charleston, West Virginia. She is the author of the book “The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll.” In her free time, Nelson travels and blogs about Appalachian food culture at CandaceLately.com. Find her on Twitter at @Candace07 or email CandaceRNelson@gmail.com.
American Musicological Society
by Susan Marquez
The end of the New York Musicological Society in 1934 resulted in the beginning of the American Musicological Society (AMS). When the New York organization disbanded, several of its former members met under the direction of Gustave Reese, a young faculty member at New York University. The group was a mix of scholars, teachers, and performers who wanted to grow and strengthen the study of music as an aspect/element of culture (i.e., musicology) with its history, economies, sociologies, material cultures, etc. They decided that day, on June 5, 1934, to create the AMS and to elect Professor Otto Kinkeldey of Cornell as its president. Richard Crawford, president of the AMS in 1984, wrote about the event in an essay to commemorate the organization’s fiftieth birthday.
“The field of musicology was still nascent then, and as it developed and gained legitimacy, the Society grew,” explains Siovahn A. Walker, PhD, MPA, who serves as the R.F. Judd Executive Director of the American Musicological Society, Inc. “That is why and how the AMS started.”
Now, 90 years after that fateful meeting, the AMS is going strong under Walker’s leadership. Based in New York, the Society is dedicated to advancing the study and teaching of music through a broad array of programs, including grants, fellowships, awards, publications, and events.
“What we do today is much more expansive and testifies to the huge importance of music -- all types of music -- in culture and everyday life,” says Walker. “Basically, we give away money for research, teaching, publication and performance; we convene
meetings and conferences in music studies where people teach, learn and connect; and we try to find engaging ways to deliver accurate information about music history, repertoires, and cultures that comprehends the full complexity and diversity of music and sound, including the ways that different musical cultures have influenced each other or become intertwined.”
Walker states she is not an academic but a humanist and historian by training. “I have an MPA and a business degree in running nonprofits.” She is not a musician but admits to playing the viola “badly.” Entering the nonprofit world, Walker worked for several organizations before starting a consulting business for nonprofit management. One of those organizations was the AMS.
The unexpected death of the previous executive director, Robert Judd, left the AMS in a lurch. “He had been with the AMS for twenty years. The Board asked if I would step in as interim director, which I did. Then the pandemic hit.”
The organization made it through, and during that time, Walker realized that she was working with a group of “lovely people.” She explains that it’s not all about getting on stage and performing in the musical world. “Many musicologists are also performers, but many also study how music has developed over time, how instruments were developed, the economic impact of music, music industries, and social structure. Really, it’s everything about music, and there is always some kind of interpretive content.”
Walker talks about music as an experiential art and says that music is essential in this complicated political moment. “We can connect people and tell our history through music.”
The AMS is a nationwide organization with 15 chapters in different regions of the country, many of which hold public lectures and events. Membership in the AMS is heavy with people who are academics in one way or another. “There are a lot of members who are in music study or music history departments at universities and conservatories. We also have students who are interested in musicology.
As part of “Many Musics of America,” a project of the AMS, the Kennedy Creek Old Time Music Festival is held each fall. This year’s festival will be held September 5 through 8 at Kennedy Creek Resort in Suches, Georgia. “It’s a wonderful event,” says Walker. “We got involved three years ago as a sponsor, and now it is part of our Many Musics of America series. The festival will have workshops and performances, with something for music scholars and the general public.”
The AMS also holds an annual meeting, which will be held this year on November 14 through 17 in Chicago.
www.amsmusicology.org
Crooked Still
by Susan Marquez
Crooked Still is one of those bands that can’t be put in a specific box. A string band, but not in the traditional bluegrass sense, their style has been described as progressive bluegrass, folk-country, and even Americana. They have a unique way of continuing the bluegrass tradition that began with Bill Monroe and Jimmy Martin.
While they use the traditional stringed instruments commonly found in bluegrass music – the original lineup was vocals, bass, and banjo - adding a cello created a different dynamic, and that’s exactly how the members of Crooked Still like it. A fiddle has been added to the current lineup.
The band began in 2001 when Aoife O’Donovan and Corey DiMario were classmates at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Rushad Eggleston, who attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, soon joined them, followed by Greg Liszt, the only non-musical student in the bunch, who had earned a doctorate in biology from MIT.
Crooked Still had a loyal following in Boston-area clubs, and local music journalists began to take notice, giving them great reviews. The Boston Globe raved about the band, saying Crooked Still is “the most important folk group to emerge from Boston since the early 1960s.” It wasn’t long before they began playing festivals, including huge events like the historic Newport Folk Festival and the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.
The band gained a reputation as equal parts musical innovators and cultural ambassadors. They thrilled audiences with their high energy on stage combined with an old-time mountain soul. Their technical skill and unusual instrumentation (that cello!), along with their innovative acoustic style, helped them stand out.
Ben Levin with Good Harbor Music manages the band. “Rushad left the band at the end of 2007 to pursue his own music,” says Ben. “Brittany Haas and Tristan Clarridge joined the band in January 2008, and the lineup has remained the same since.” The band comprises Aoife O’Donovan, Greg Liszt, Corey DiMario, Brittany Haas, and Tristan Clarridge.
Aoife, an American singer with a crystal-clear voice, is the lead singer for Crooked Still. She is also a Grammy award-winning songwriter. An accomplished musician, Aoife has performed with traditional orchestras, including the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Kansas City Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, and the Utah Symphony Orchestra. She co-founded the powerhouse female folk trio, I’m With Her. She has also recorded, collaborated, and/or toured with artists including Jim Lauderdale, Sara Watkins, Chris Thile (with both Nickle Creek and Punch Brothers), Greensky Bluegrass, Kronos Quartet and Yo-Yo Ma. Aoife has also recorded many albums on her own.
Greg Liszt is the band’s banjo player. He is also an associate professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Greg has created a unique four-finger picking style, and in addition to his work with Crooked Still, he is a member of the Seeger Sessions Band and the Deadly Gentlemen, recording with both bands as well as with Bruce Springsteen.
Corey DiMario plays double bass with Crooked Still, bringing a diverse musical background to the band. He has performed extensively with fiddler/singer Lissa Schneckenburger and the Brittany Haas/Dan Trueman Band, performing old-time and Scandinavian music. He has also played in Bela Fleck’s house band for his New York
Banjo Summit. Corey’s home base is Brattleboro, Vermont.
Northern California native Brittany Haas is regarded as a world-class fiddle player – one of the most influential of her generation. She grew up attending string camps, releasing her first album at age seventeen. She is a sought-after session musician and has performed on Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live as part of Steve Martin’s bluegrass band. She has also performed with Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn, The Waybacks, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Tony Trischka. Brittany currently resides in Nashville and shares her passion for music at string and fiddle camps worldwide.
While Tristan Clarridge is a five-time Grand National Fiddle Champion, he plays cello with Crooked Still. He began his music studies at the age of two. He comes from a freespirited family who lived in a tepee in the mountains of northern California. He was homeschooled, and the family traveled great distances for young Tristan to attend music camps. He now directs the Shasta Music Summit with his sister, Tashina, and teaches at other music camps and workshops along the West Coast.
The band celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of its album Shaken by a Low Sound (initially released in 2006) in 2001. Each song on the album is a delight – as is evidenced by “Railroad Bill.” Ben says the band doesn’t have any new releases coming up, but they will be headlining at the Green Mountain Bluegrass Festival in Manchester, Vermont, on August 18. “Brittany will be touring with Hawktail and Punch Brothers over the summer, and Aoife will tour with Hawktail this summer and fall.”
Downey Chase: the Folk Side of Nick Lussier
by Kara Martinez Bachman
Colorado-based Downey Chase reflects the rich landscapes and clear skies of the Rocky Mountains. A new single – “I Spin” – marks the beginning of Downey Chase. The moniker defines a solo breakaway project by musician Nic Lussier. A member of the indie rock group The Brazen Youth, Lussier finds time to tour with the band while pursuing his own quieter folk vision.
“I’d classify my music as folk because it’s what comes from the deepest parts of my soul. Hope that’s not too corny,” Lussier said. His upcoming Downey Chase EP includes songs he said “felt so simple and natural while writing.”
“All I was trying to do was capture whatever I was feeling without any masks, shiny things, or grandiosity,” he explained. “To me, that’s what folk is.”
Lussier said his biggest influences for Downey Chase have been Bob Dylan, Adrianne Lenker and Gregory Alan Isakov.
“They’ve set a standard that I feel I’ll never live up to,” he confessed, “but will keep me going forever because I know that such a high level of beauty can be created.”
Lussier tried to record music that reflects that beauty, which is available in ample supply in Colorado.
“I recorded this EP from a closet in my apartment here in Boulder,” Lussier said. “I’d often go for a run or a drive in the mountains when I’d want to listen back to my mixes. Most of these songs are inspired by little ‘Colorado moments,’ too.”
He said the new single was “inspired by a trip my partner and I took to the Sand Dunes back in September. It’s considered an International Dark Sky place, with some of the best star views in the world. Lucky for us, the night we camped was a new moon. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”
Before tackling solo work, Lussier put out several records with The Brazen Youth and “toured all over the country.” He sees that band’s tone and sonic quality as quite different from that of Downey Chase. This venture allowed him to do something new.
“I’ve always felt this strong connection to folk music and the lifestyle it promotes, but I’ve never seen The Brazen Youth as a ‘folk’ band – we hover more in the indie-rock sphere,” he explained. “It’s been a dream of mine to put music like this out – something that feels deeply personal and uninhibited.”
Lussier has been involved with music since childhood.
“I grew up singing with my family and playing guitar. As a kid, I spent a lot of time gigging around town with my [The Brazen Youth] bandmate, Charlie. We’d play at farmers’ markets, town events, and birthday parties – whoever would let us play, really. He used to play a singing saw and keys, and I’d sing and strum the guitar and pedal away at a kick drum.”
He’s spent the last seven years traveling with The Brazen Youth, but now, an additional
chapter will be added to his ongoing journey.
“This new project has been a big challenge for me,” he said, “forcing me to rely on myself playing instruments I’m not too comfortable playing, like piano, mandolin and banjo.”
The new single, “I Spin,” features Lussier’s brother, Joe, who performs under the stage name of “Shower Beer.”
“He guided me through this song and played banjo on it,” Lussier said. “Carson McHaney, a fiddler who also lives in Colorado, really brought this song to life with his additions. I gave him such a mishmash of thoughts, and he took them, polished them, and added something beyond my wildest dreams. Anna Frick, over at Ally Sound in Longmont, Colorado, mastered the track.”
Lussier said a few more Downey Chase singles will be released over the summer, and the full EP is expected to be released sometime in autumn.
GINA FURTADO
by Susan Marquez
As a child growing up in Front Royal, Virginia, Gina Furtado was surrounded by music. “My mom was a little bit musical,” she says. “She always loved music, and she got me and my siblings started in classical music early – I started playing piano at age five. We were homeschooled, and our main focus was music. We all started with the Suzuki method.”
Gina’s musical direction took a turn when she discovered the banjo at age eleven or twelve. “I started doing fiddler’s conventions, like Galax Old Fiddlers Convention and became a bluegrass superfan. I loved the focus of the conventions – jamming at campsites and competing.”
Soon, Gina and her siblings received invitations to play up and down the eastern seaboard from Virginia to Florida. “I got really serious about banjo and took lessons from Murphy Henry, which was wonderful.” Gina began earning ribbons at fiddlers conventions and building a solid reputation in the regional bluegrass scene.
Gina didn’t plan on becoming a professional musician. “It just sort of happened,” she laughs. “When I was 16 or so, I began playing professionally. I was getting some pretty good-paying gigs. I played with a local group, and we played for parties and weddings, that kind of thing.” She played in several regional bands, including Blue Light Special, New Girls Nite Out, On the Run, and Bud’s Collective. “I decided I was going to buckle down and do this. That’s when I started playing with Chris Jones.”
Gina began contacting people she knew, asking if they might need a banjo player. “I spoke with Jon
Weisberger, who played with Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, and as it turned out, they were looking for a banjo player.” Playing with Jones gave Gina international touring exposure.
Her talent has been recognized with awards and media exposure. When Gina’s album True Colors was released in 2017, it debuted at #13 on the Bluegrass Billboard charts, with two number-one songs on the Bluegrass Today charts. In 2017, she was featured on the Banjo Newsletter cover and was nominated for the IBMA Banjo Player of the Year in 2018.
The Gina Furtado Project, the band she fronted as a singer, songwriter, and banjo player, heavily emphasized original, catchy, and relatable material that spanned from bluegrass to gypsy jazz, swing, and beyond. “We still have several tracks recorded that have not yet been released.”
In addition to performing, Gina was a much sought-after teacher for online banjo lessons from her home in Winchester, Virginia, and she taught at many banjo camps. These days, she keeps a full calendar with dog training. “I adopted a basket-case dog that required extensive training. I worked with her, and now she is awesome. I have now started training dogs for other people.” That lifestyle suits her since she has three children. “Traveling is hard to do with a family.”
Gina says she still finds time to write. “It’s important for me to write. Whether it’s journaling, poetry, or songs. The words help make sense of things to me.” While stepping back from music to be with her family, Gina says she hopes to return when the time is right.
As part of “Bluegrass Queen,” Rhonda Vincent’s band—The Rage—upright bassist and multi-instrumentalist Mickey Harris has spent most of a lifetime doing what he loves. Tennessee-steeped and family-band-raised, Harris is making music, seeing the world, and doing exactly what he loves: Plucking out those deep-down notes that bring depth to bluegrass.
He came to it because his grandfather needed a bass player for his band, and he looked to his family to fill that void. Harris said they were just a small local band that played at the VA and churches.
“He bought my first bass for me,” Harris said. It was an electric bass, and he was just nine years old. “I started upright bass at 12.”
He made the switch because his great aunt—also a performer with a band—played the upright. It always intrigued the young Harris. When he was in the room during a gig, Harris said he’d “always sneak over there and play it.”
While playing in both family outfits, he focused on the Tipton Family Band.
“I also played mandolin in my family’s band,” he said. “We played a lot of bluegrass and gospel shows in middle Tennessee.” Harris is also adept at guitar and dobro.
After performing with several other bands, he eventually landed with Vincent, where he’s been for over twenty years.
“I met her through other bands I was with,” Harris said. “We had done some festivals and bluegrass cruises together.” He started filling in at the end of 2001 and did a European tour with her that summer.
“We got along great, so I took the job full-time,” he said. “We’ve been to all 50 states and a lot of foreign countries. We’ve seen a lot of countryside together. We’ve rode a lot of miles together.”
“Rhonda’s been great,” he continued. “Ever since I’ve been in the band, she’s also sung on every record I’ve made. We’ve done some duets, and she’s done some harmony vocals.”
Here, Harris references his own recordings. There are six of them, and all are available at MickeyHarrisMusic.com.
Besides touring with Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, he sometimes finds time for extra outings.
“I occasionally may do a show at the Station Inn [in Nashville] with some of our band members. We just do things for fun occasionally,” he said.
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Harris said he does somewhere between 120 and 140 dates a year with Vincent.
“We’ve also added a lot of Grand Ole Opry dates because she’s a member now,” he added.
Harris had some advice for aspiring bass players. To him, becoming great is about educating oneself and simply…paying close attention. He said this is exactly how he learned long ago: by being a keen observer of others he admired.
“I used to go down to the Station Inn and watch Mike Bub play,” he said of one of his main inspirations during his teen years. Bub would play regularly at a Tuesday night jam session. Another influence on Harris was middle-Tennessee-based bassist Phil Wimett.
“He was great. He was a big influence on my playing as a young kid. He was very entertaining,” Harris laughed.
Another person he watched closely in his youth was “Cousin” Jake Tullock, who played with Flatt & Scruggs: “He was always one of my favorites.”
“Just sit and listen and watch,” he advised youngsters just starting out. Yes, playing and rehearsing are important. Of course. An even bigger part of the success equation, however, involves having the humility to follow in the footsteps of others, to give credit where credit is due, but then build upon what you’ve learned. Harris believes that’s the thing that makes or breaks someone who wants to play professionally someday.
Harris found mentors in people who had mastered the bass, and it helped him to master it as well. These are wise words of advice.
“That’s exactly how I learned. Listen to the notes they’re putting in, but especially to what they’re leaving out,” he laughed. “I don’t like to over-play, especially over the melody.”
The knowledge of when to come forward and when to pull back has always been – and always will be – the mark of a seasoned professional.
Mark & Maggie O’ Connor
by Jason Young
Kicking off their tour, contemporary bluegrass fiddle player Mark O’Connor and his wife, Maggie O’Connor, took the stage with a sold-out performance at the CSI Fine Arts Center in Twin Falls, Idaho. “We started our pre-release gigging,” says the Grammy awardwinning couple promoting their new album Life after Life.
“People in Idaho responded to these new songs they haven’t heard before,” says Mark, excited about the show’s turnout. “I have to pinch myself that we came up with this recording,” the former Grand Master Fiddle Champion admits. “People are not recording as much anymore. Most people are doing singles or EPs. I can totally see why, because the whole music industry is turned upside down. There are no CD stores anymore.” Reuniting with the guitar and mandolin, the renowned violinist reminds some of his older fans that he is still a picker.
“For a long time, I didn’t play the guitar or mandolin at all,” says Mark, who replaced guitarist Tony Rice in the David Grisman Quintet. “I laid off for twenty years. People might not remember I played these instruments.”
His wife and music partner, violinist/lead singer Maggie O’Connor, says forming the Grammy Award-winning Mark O Connor Band in 2017 helped re-sharpen Mark’s playing. “When we had our [family bluegrass band], we got our feet wet with all these instruments again.”
“I’m probably playing guitar only because of Maggie’s encouragement,” explains Mark, a two-time national guitar flatpick champion. “It took me months to get my calluses back [laughs]. I still feel like I’m learning every day I pick up the instrument.”
Writing songs during their weekly live stream called Mondays with Mark and Maggie, the couple could experiment in front of a live audience. Maggie recalls, “The pandemic gave us the opportunity to have that extra time for creativity. We did seventy Mondays in a row because we didn’t know how long the pandemic would last. We ran out of our repertoire, fast, and we needed to expand!”
Mark has a name for their style of music, “We’re building our brand and calling our music Americana Bluegrass,” says the multi-instrumentalist, adding, “We’re tapping into the Americana style, but we are using a lot more poetry in our lyrics.”
“They are kind of pleasantly surprised,” says Maggie about their fans, “because they didn’t realize we sang.” As a duo, Mark and Maggie are known for virtuosic fiddling. Mark adds, “We sang some on The O’Connor Band stuff. Maggie was singing some lead in that group, and now on this album, she is singing all the lead.”
Talking about some of the highlights on Life after Life, Mark announces, “We do the Stevie Wonder song ‘Love is in Need of Love Today,’ from [his] Songs in the Key of Life album. We turn it into our Americana Bluegrass.” Mark describes the arrangement, “You hear the acoustic guitar, the mandolin and the fiddle, and then all of a sudden, these strings come in.”
Maggie includes the Dolly Parton song Wildflowers. “I really liked the song and the fiddling on it,” adding that she was surprised to discover Mark played on the original. “That was back in 1987 on the trio album,” remembers Mark, “All these years later, we are looking for a few songs to sing by greats like Dolly Parton, and Maggie landed up on ‘Wildflowers.’” Maggie shares that she loves the song’s message. “It’s such an empowering song for women.”
Although Mark’s collaborations with country stars Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, and Steve Wariner on the hit song ‘Restless,’ along with Nashville sessions work, placed him at the center of Music City, it was a new musical idea that opened the next chapter of his life. Mark explains, “I wanted to expand my horizons and had the musical talent to explore new environments, so I started writing concertos and full-length symphonies. What was great is the Nashville Symphony embraced it.” The former Nashville sessions player describes the situation: “Here I am, a bluegrass and country type fiddler, and I’m coming up with pieces like the ‘Fiddle Concerto.’ They ended up premiering my next three or four major pieces.”
Maggie shares that starting as a musician, she was inspired by Mark’s work with cellist YoYo Ma.
“His projects with Yo-Yo Ma showed me that you can do different styles of music.” Maggie explains, “You can have that bluegrass-Americana background and do classical and create something new with it. Mark crossed that bridge and opened doors for everybody.” Mark says he is still inspired to try new things. “I love piano, and I have written a lot for piano, so I think that could be a future project. I have always been involved with crosspollinating to the extreme.”
by Kara Martinez Bachman
Touring and session bass player Mike Bub has done a lot over his decades in the business. From playing on Molly Tuttle’s first Grammy-winning album – to spending 13 years touring with Del McCoury – to even performing with classics of the past, such as Bill Monroe – Bub has had a full and impactful career in bluegrass.
“As a bass player, people are drawn to it like a moth to a flame,” he said, recognizing the unique role the upright bass plays visually and sonically onstage.
“It sort of stitches everything together,” he said, of the way the deep undercurrent of his instrument unites the whole composition and, in a way, guides it.
“You can kind of change the feel of a song by playing long notes or short notes,” he said. “You have to be intuitive.”
When Bub first hit the stages in Nashville, he played bass, but it wasn’t his main instrument at the time.
“I started out as a banjo player, which was my primary direction,” he explained. “I really arrived in Nashville as a banjo player. I ended up getting more work playing the bass; I don’t really know why.”
He’d eventually become bass player for Del McCoury, where he remained for 13 years. From then on, it was bass all the way. He said his fingers are so accustomed to bass today that they don’t want to acquiesce when he picks up the banjo.
When he made the transition, Bub said he “knew the repertoire already from playing banjo,” which gave him an edge in mastering his new role. “It just gives you an awareness from the other perspectives.”
Although he also plays electric, Bub said upright bass is where it’s at.
“I have two primary instruments that I play. I have a ‘50s S-model Kay bass and a late
1930s American Standard. I go back and forth between the two, depending on what the music is. I just like playing solid, country, bluegrass bass.”
In addition to Tuttle’s notable album, Bub has been an in-demand studio musician, and his work can be heard on the first record of Wyatt Ellis, “Purgatory” by Tyler Childers, and the Sturgill Simpson bluegrass albums. He’s been featured on “four or five” Tim O’Brien records and has done studio work for Marty Falle, Daniel Crabtree and Donna Ulisse. The names are many, and making records fills the time when he’s not performing locally or touring on the road. In addition to his lengthy stint with Del McCoury, he’s done some touring with Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley and has “played on all of their albums.” This year, he’ll be touring with Peter Rowan and Tim O’Brien.
“I play every Monday night at the Station Inn with a band called New Monday,” he said of one of the most prominent live music spots in Nashville. New Monday joins Val Storey, Carl Jackson, and Larry Cordle for some “country, bluegrass and swing instrumentals.”
“This is what I’ve wanted to do my entire life since the time I was 15 at my first bluegrass festival,” Bub said.
He considers himself fortunate that he arrived on the scene when the pioneers of the bluegrass genre were still around. It was near the end of their performing days, but Bub got to the scene at just the perfect moment.
“It was a time when all the first-generation bluegrass musicians were still alive and kicking,” he said. Bill Monroe. The Osborne Brothers. Jim & Jesse.
“I was really here at a prime time to get to see – and play with – some of these guys,” Bub said.
At this point, decades in, the musician looks back at a fulfilling life in the business. He said he’s gotten to a pretty good place.
“It takes that long to elevate yourself where you can make a pretty good living,” he said, of the years he’s spent on the road and in the studio. However, is there anything else he’d like to do? Any stages he’d like to appear on that he’s not tackled thus far?
“The summer I left Del [McCoury], they were booked at Carnegie Hall and Newport Folk Festival,” he said. Bub just missed being onstage at those coveted venues. “But I have this saying…if you stay in the business long enough, you’ll play them all.”
Sounds as if he plans to “keep on keeping on” with his plucking and strumming, so there’s no doubt he’ll eventually “play them all.”
They met and spent their formative years in a remote part of Canada best known as the home of famous folk singer Ian Tyson, a popular brand of beef jerky, and resourceful and independent ranchers. Craig Bignell and Suzanne Levesque, partners in marriage and a musical duo called Over the Moon, exemplify the spirit of their cherished Alberta home in everything they do.
“We’ve certainly got an independent attitude,” says Bignell. “We do everything ourselves, from working on our own cars to rebuilding our own house and even a theater. And we produce and record all our own stuff at home. We’re doing everything ourselves and just learning as we go.”
And it seems to be working for this genre-defying Americana/old-time/bluegrass/swing/ original song duo. They even include re-imagined big band tunes in their sets. Their latest album, Chinook Waltz, received enthusiastic reviews and a Juno award nomination. They’ve toured China, where they marveled that every audience knew--in English--the words to “Country Roads.” Last February they played once again to passionate audiences at Folk Alliance. There’s a new album in the works. And they’ve just completed a twomonth tour of Europe.
Though they have long been professional musicians, Over the Moon is their first time in the spotlight. Levesque grew up in a musical family and spent years playing with her mother in The Travelling Mabels, a popular Canadian act. She’s played upright and electric bass and sang on countless sessions with many performers. Bignell made a living as a percussionist, and for years, he recorded drum tracks for others, appeared on demos, and toured, perhaps most notably, with fiddler Vassar Clements, banjo phenom Scott Vestal, and former Newgrass Revival member John Cowan.
“One day, I told John that I played banjo too, and he wouldn’t believe me,” Bignell recalls. “So he said, ‘Next rehearsal, bring it down.’” That’s what Bignell did, and when he kicked off “Rose of Old Kentucky,” he got an interesting response. “They just laughed their heads off. They couldn’t believe it. A Canadian drummer played banjo!”
Bignell and Levesque first played together at a party in Calgary about ten years ago and discovered they made beautiful music together—literally and figuratively. The chemistry led to marriage and a new musical direction.
“We were playing together in our living room and practicing and thought maybe we should try getting gigs and actually being legitimate,” Levesque says. “But neither of us had ever had our project. We’ve always been backup musicians.”
“And we had never had to talk on stage or anything, which was so scary for us,” Bignell continues. “The first show we did, my fingers were shaking. I could hardly move. And after that night, Sue said, ‘I’m never doing this again!’”
And yet they were undeterred. Now, Bignell does most of the emceeing and plays guitar,
banjo, and sings. LeVesque sings lead on most songs and plays guitar and bass. They’re also both talented songwriters. Their first co-write--a song called “Over the Moon”--not only became the name for their act but also reflects their good nature, humor, and love for their home in rural Alberta.
“We like to write about stuff that matters to us,” Bignell explains. They write about Candia ranch life and its remarkable characters. In “John Ware,” they tell of a formerly enslaved South Carolinian who rode the range after emancipation and eventually ended up in Alberta as a successful and respected rancher. “That’s a true story,” Bignell says. “When he died, more people came to his funeral than ever before. So he’s a big hero here.”
Other songs are autobiographical. In “I’m Not Cool,” Bignell sings about being unnoticed in the music world until he finds his sweetheart.
Their latest project is renovating an old movie theater in the small town of Hardisty. They hope it will become a showcase for the music they love. “I don’t know what to call our kind of music,” Bignell admits. “It’s a fairly rural based sounding music. We really like acoustic music. And we obviously like bluegrass and old time and swing. We figure we can invite people to perform there. And we also want to use it as a recording studio because it sounds amazing in there.”
Whether they’re on the road, recording an album at home, or renovating the Bird Dog Theater, Bignell and Levesque cheerfully share their real-life adventures in story and song—even when the adventures are traumatic, such as when their truck was stolen at Folk Alliance in Kansas City.
“But you know what? People that follow us on Facebook, that’s what they like-- all the stuff that happens to us,” Bignell says. “They can read about it in the safety and comfort of their own home. And they follow us all over the world wherever we go. There’s always weird things that happen to us wherever we go, and that’s what they like. We never post stuff like, ‘Hey, look at us. We’re cool.’ Because we’re not. We just tell stories about what happens.”
FAN ALLIANCE
by Susan Marquez
Identifying a problem is the first step to finding a solution. That’s what Donald Cohen did when he created The Fan Alliance. “I have always been a music fan, and like many, I stream music to listen to some of my favorite artists. One day, I was listening to music on Spotify and began to wonder if doing so was actually hurting the artists.”
After doing his research, Donald identified the problem for artists as threefold:
Streaming music for free has replaced purchasing albums. Because of that, artists must look to other revenue sources, including touring and selling merchandise, and depend on direct support from their fans. And touring is tricky – it’s not unusual for a touring artist to do 150 shows a year, and with the high travel cost, they can lose money on a tour.
ticket price, and predatory resellers buy up the best inventory to resell for profit. Some of the worst offenders sell “speculative tickets” – or, in plain speak, tickets that don’t exist. That is money fans want to go to the artists to offset the high cost of touring.
Because of these problems, artists are having an increasingly difficult time earning a living creating, recording, and performing their music.
Artists regularly see their music shared without adequate – and sometimes even no - compensation. Tech companies are shielded from responsibility by the existing laws. Payment rates from digital platforms, including Spotify, YouTube, and others, are far too low.
And finally, hidden ticket fees and predatory resellers hurt artists and fans. Promoters, ticket companies, and venues often add high costs on top of the concert
“That’s where The Fan Alliance comes in,” says Donald. “We can help.”
Donald says that many fans don’t understand that artists are people who have families, mortgages, and bills and that if they aren’t touring and selling merch, they aren’t making money.
“I did a workshop for fans in 2018 or 2019 on the working life of musicians.” Joining Donald on the panel were members of the folk-pop band Birds of Chicago and singersongwriter Amythyst Kiah.
A few years ago, Donald met Roseanne Cash, who sat on the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) board. She introduced him to the executive director of the ARA in Washington, D.C. “We said we can be helpful on some of the issues that artists have today, whether that is updating copyright protections or other policies that could raise incomes for artists. I saw the need for a fan organization, and that’s what
I did. I created The Fan Alliance.”
The organization is volunteer-run and operates from Donald’s home in Los Angeles. “I worked with a website designer to get our website up and running and we talked to more artists about how Fan Alliance could help artist-led initiatives. When we launched, I emailed my personal lists, including artists like Rhiannon Giddens and others. Rhiannon posted about The Fan Alliance on her social media, and it took off.”
The Fan Alliance deals with issues including artificial intelligence through the Human Artistry Campaign, which supports the No AI Fraud Act; ticketing reform through Fix the Tix, a campaign that supports bills to reform live event ticketing; and streaming royalties. It recognizes that while creators have little power standing alone, collectively, they can negotiate on a level playing field to secure fair licensing rates for their work.
Simply put, The Fan Alliance exists to add the power of fans to support these and other projects to help music creators – and the entire independent music ecosystem – so they can earn a decent livelihood to create and share the music. The Fan Alliance works to build a network and community of fans that can work together to pass new laws and industry practices that will create a fair, sustainable ecosystem for artists.
The Fan Alliance launched in November 2023, and Donald continues to spread the word and learn about the issues facing artists, songwriters, independent music venues, and others who are part of creating a vibrant music scene. He attended the National Independent Venue Association conference in New Orleans in June to learn about the challenges independent venues face while working to keep their doors open. “It’s hard for artists to reach new audiences these days unless they
tour. They are like all workers; they need places to work, and venues need workers (aka artists) to fill seats. It’s simple: music needs fans, and fans need music. Our goal is simple. We believe that there are a lot of people who would do better if they were better educated on this topic. We want to encourage those fans to be actively involved in helping support the artists and the entire independent ecosystem.”
The only requirement to join is to agree with The Fan Alliance’s pledge to be a music fan who supports the future of music. Members support fair pay for all music creators, fair compensation, transparency, and accountability for artists from online platforms, the rights of artists to control and receive compensation for the use of their work, and efforts to ensure that live music is a fan-friendly concert experience free from predatory ticket selling prices. To join The Fan Alliance, visit their website at thefanalliance.org.
Wood Box Heroes Brings Experience
and Realness
by Kara Martinez Bachman
Members of the Wood Box Heroes are no strangers to performing with the biggest names in the music business. While this fresh outfit doesn’t yet have longevity, the individual band members definitely have high-profile experience and playing chops. If all goes as planned, referring to them as a burgeoning super-group wouldn’t be wrong.
Banjo player Matt Menefee plays with the ultra-popular Mumford and Sons. Jenee Fleenor has played fiddle for George Strait, Blake Shelton and Larry Cordle. Bass player Barry Bales gigs with Alison Krauss. Last but not least, lead guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Josh Martin has played on recordings of Willie Nelson.
Based in Nashville, Martin said he’d been gigging up in Michigan during summers and “always took a bluegrass band with me to play my country stuff.” This particular configuration seemed somehow…right.
“It was so much fun…it just kind of fell together real naturally,” Martin said.
The band’s name seems to be a source of amusement. He laughed when telling its story.
“It kinda fell off the tip of my tongue one day,” he recalled. They kept toying with name ideas, and someone would inevitably bring up the phrase “Wood Box Heroes” again and again. They liked the words, but the story of the name’s symbolism sort of came retroactively.
“We were asking ourselves: What does it mean?” Martin laughed. In the end, they came to a consensus on how it related to their stringed instruments. “All the heroes we looked up to were making music on wooden boxes.”
“Towards those heroes,” Martin continued, the band has “a reverent mindset…but also a kindred spirit mindset.”
He said taking in a live performance will be more instructive than simply listening to recordings. This is true of almost all music.
“Any time we’re out close to y’all, definitely come out to experience it,” he said, speaking directly to readers of The Bluegrass Standard. “Get to a live show if you really want to dive into what the band is all about.”
In its second year, Wood Box Heroes has tripled the number of public appearances but still aims for a measured approach that focuses on quality rather than quantity. Last year, they did about ten gigs, and this year, they are scheduled for about 30. In May, they appeared onstage at the Grand Ole Opry.
“We wanna go play places that make sense and are conducive to what we do,” Martin explained.
What they “do” is meld “an eclectic array of sounds” from country, bluegrass, blues, jazz, rock and classical.
As a songwriter, Martin said he focuses his writing on things that are “real.”
“The real world,” Martin said, of what inspires his lyrics. “Living…going through this thing that we call living, and relating and sympathizing with others…giving somebody else an opportunity to see they aren’t the only one to have a situation go down. At its core, it [music] is how we make sense of things.”
This writing—and the group’s musicianship—are showcased on the band’s first album, the June release titled “444.” They’ll spend time performing to support the record, but it sounds as if they’re not content to sit for long before bringing more new music to the table.
“We’re chomping at the bit to get back in the studio,” Martin said, explaining that he’s written quite a bit that’s sitting waiting in the hopper. “We probably have five albums already of songs.”
Martin sets his hopes high; he believes this group can become the next big thing. He said after several experiences of being part of various projects, this one feels…different. He “knows” that things are clicking into place and ready to fly (or, as he laughed about it, “the key is in the lock and turning.”)
“In a band situation, it’s a ‘feeling’ type thing,” he said. “I truly think that this group of musicians – the caliber of it – I think it can go as far as we are able to take it.” If Billy Strings can do it, so can Wood Box Heroes.
“Billy’s taking it to the arenas and selling out every show,” Martin said. “Something happened in the psyche of the whole world during the pandemic that made them yearn for something real. Billy’s giving it to them…and we can, too.”
Treat Someone - Or Yourself - To These Appalachia-based Goodies
by Candace Nelson
Whether you have a birthday, anniversary or housewarming party coming up, these Appalachian gifts help you share your love for the region with the recipient.
Appalachia is home to various unique food brands that reflect the region’s rich culinary traditions and artisanal craftsmanship. Here are some foods from Appalachia that make excellent gifts:
1. Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill
Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill in Tennessee produces high-quality sorghum syrup using traditional methods. The family-owned operation has been crafting this sweet, molasseslike syrup for generations, making it a wonderful gift for anyone who appreciates traditional Appalachian flavors.
2. Broadbent’s Hams
Located in Kentucky, Broadbent’s Hams is renowned for its country hams, bacon and sausage. Their dry-cured, aged hams offer a savory taste of Appalachian tradition, perfect for the carnivores in your life and those who enjoy artisanal charcuterie.
3. Yoder’s Apple Butter
Yoder’s Apple Butter, produced by the Amish community in Ohio, is a staple in many Appalachian households. Slow-cooked and spiced to perfection, it is a delicious spread for toast, biscuits, and more, offering a comforting taste of home.
4. Shady Grove Botanicals
Shady Grove Botanicals in North Carolina offers a range of ramp products, including ramp salt and ramp-infused oils. These wild leeks are a prized ingredient in Appalachian cuisine, and their products capture the unique flavor of this seasonal delicacy.
5. The Old Mill
The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, provides stoneground cornmeal and grits, essential ingredients in many traditional Appalachian dishes. Their products are milled using time-honored techniques, ensuring a superior taste and texture.
6. Blue Smoke Salsa
Blue Smoke Salsa, based in Ansted, West Virginia, offers a range of salsas made from locally sourced ingredients. Their salsas come in various heat levels and flavors, from mild to extra hot, and even include unique varieties like black bean and corn salsa. These salsas are great for anyone who enjoys bold, fresh flavors.
7. Meadow Creek Dairy
Meadow Creek Dairy in Virginia is known for its artisanal cheeses, such as Grayson and Appalachian, which have garnered national acclaim. These handcrafted cheeses reflect the region’s terroir and make a luxurious gift for cheese lovers. “Each of our cheeses has its own original recipe and its own specialized make process; our seasonal raw milk means no two makes are the same. Unwavering attention to detail, decades of cheesemaking experience, and our hand-picked, dedicated team of cheesemakers keep our cheeses at a consistent level of excellence. Still, every day brings something new to learn,” reads the website.
8. Dancing Bear Apiary
Dancing Bear Apiary in North Carolina produces wildflower and sourwood honey, both known for their distinctive flavors. Their honey is a delightful natural sweetener and a lovely gift for those who enjoy a little sweetness. Raw honey varietals include wildflower honey, orange blossom honey, buckwheat honey, basswood honey and berry blossom honey.
9. J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works
J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works is a family-owned company in West Virginia that produces small-batch, hand-harvested salt from an ancient ocean trapped below the Appalachian Mountains. This gourmet salt, known for its purity and rich mineral content, is perfect for food enthusiasts and home chefs. Their products include finishing salts, flavored salts, and bath salts, all beautifully packaged and ideal for gifting. Finishing salt varieties include ramp, applewood smoked, bourbon smoked, mushroom herb and ghost pepper.
10. French Broad Chocolates
Based in Asheville, North Carolina, French Broad Chocolates creates artisanal chocolates using local ingredients and sustainable practices. Their bean-to-bar chocolates and truffles are an indulgent treat and a perfect gift for anyone who appreciates fine, handcrafted confections. Some of their signature bonbon flavors include fresh raspberry, wildflower honey caramel, lemon cheesecake, hazelnut crunch, cafe au lait, rose, cardamom, and pistachio.
11. Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory
Located in Yazoo City, Mississippi, the Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory produces one of Appalachia’s gems: cheese straws. Cheese straws are “a delectable combination of perfectly aged cheddar cheese, flour and spices shaped into narrow ‘straws” which we bake to perfection to create a crispy snack-of-art,” according to the website. In addition to the classic cheddar flavor, the business offers many more, including lemon, sriracha, sea salt caramel, peppermint cookie, red velvet, three cheese, cinnamon pecan and toasted almond.
These are just a handful of the delicious delicacies that are not only delicious and unique but also embody the rich cultural heritage and artisanal spirit of Appalachia. Each item offers a taste of the region’s traditions and makes a thoughtful and memorable gift.
