July 2020
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July 2020
Searching For Secret Heros
By Edward Tutwiler
We
are always on the hunt for stories about that genre of roots Americana music known as the blues. On that note, a press release from Gary Atkinson of Document Records Ltd. recently landed on the publisher’s desk telling about a project that his company is releasing. This project is titled, Searching for Secret Heroes and its focal point is an unreleased (until now) documentary film about the life, times and music of black blues artists in the mid 20th century southern US. The film is titled, The Blues, and was created by Samuel Carter and Ann, his wife. Samuel Charters is known as a widely published author on the subjects of blues and jazz as well as a music historian, writer, record producer, musician, and poet. Ann Charters is a retired professor of American Literature at the University of Connecticut. She is also a writer and editor of note.
Making the Movie As Charters told Atkinson the story, he became interested in the every day life of southern African American blues players and discovered that there was little documented material available. Without any real film making experience, he armed himself with an audio tape recorder, a used 16 millimeter film camera and cans of color film; and he and Ann headed south from their New York City home in the summer of 1962. Their goal was to visit several blues artists, which Charters had recorded and written about in the late 1950s, and to make a film record of their home life and some field recordings of them playing the blues in their home environment. What they encountered was the racism and meanness that was part of everyday life for black people living in the segregated south, in the early 1960s. Needless to say, the couple was
ill prepared to face these bitter truths, and the encounter, left them shaken and shocked. Charters first took his exposed film to a New Orleans lab for development then returned home to New York with the raw developed footage. Over the next several months, Charters spent long nights in a small editing suite, just off Times Square, which he had been given access to for free—free because he could only use it through the night. He managed to edit the raw footage into a coherent motion picture that could tell a story. The Charters could only afford to have six prints made. One or two copies ended up with Universities and he kept a copy for himself. In the interviews on the DVD, Charters did not mention anything about distribution. It appears he did not give that thought any consideration. He mentioned that he and Ann first viewed the completed work together in a private studio and later showed the film to some friends in small group settings. Plus, he made a few copies available to some universities. The film eventually dropped from circulation despite its obvious cultural importance. And the universities apparently lost or mislaid their copies. Charters later lost his only personal copy. Thus the film, The Blues, was considered lost forever.
The soundtrack, however, did survive. The LP record of the sound track eventually made its way to England where it introduced those blues greats from the 1930s (such as Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis and Pinkney (Pink) Anderson) to an emerging English blues/rock culture.
Later in Life Charters went on to write many books and essays about jazz and blues during his life. He was a Grammy Award wining record producer. His classic book of blues literature, The Country Blues, was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1991. Charters passed away in 2015. His widow, Ann Charters lives in Connecticut
Enter Document Records Mr. Gary Atkinson and his wife Gillian own Document Records— a respected independent record label located in Bladnoch, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK. Document Records specializes in reissuing vintage blues and jazz recordings. Gary Atkinson tells the story of how many years ago he purchased an LP record that contained performances by some unknown blues artists. The record was produced by Sam Charters. Atkinson said that the name was familiar to him as he had purchased several books and records that Sam Charters had compiled—all relating to the blues in particular the early recordings of the 1920s and 30s. The record that Gary purchased, was a soundtrack to the film that Charters produced in 1962, called, The Blues. continued
Americana Rhythm is published six times a year. All correspondence should be sent to PO Box 45, Bridgewater VA, 22812 or CONTRIBUTORS email to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copies of Americana Ed Tutwiler Rhythm are made available free at various pick up locations within Wayne Erbsen the publication’s region. Subscriptions are available inside the United Donna Ulisse States (only) for $24 US currency made payable by check or Mike Aiken money order sent to, Subscriptions at PO Box 45, Bridgewater, Andrew McKnight VA, 22812. Foreign subscription requests should be sent to Emily Kresky greg@americanarhythm.com. Copyright 2019. All rights reDon Brown served. Reproduction of any content, artwork or photographs DISTRIBUTION is strictly prohibited without permission of the publisher or origi- North River Publishing Integrated Music Media nal owner. All advertising material subject to approval. PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Greg E. Tutwiler Associate Editor Ed Tutwiler MARKETING & PROMOTION Mark Barreres (GrassRootsNetworking.com) Letters, Comments, Suggestions ADVERTISING greg@americanarhythm.com Business office 540-433-0360 www.americanarhythm.com advertising@americanarhythm.com
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July 2020
Heros, Continued from page 3 Gary went on to say that sometime in the fall of 2012 during an ordinary day at the studio, Gillian Atkinson stepped outside for a break and encountered a lady standing nearby. They spoke, and the lady mentioned that she was on holiday with her husband and father-in-law who was meeting a bookseller at his storage unit to pick up a book purchase. Upon being asked, Gillian told the folks that she worked in the record company that she had just exited and that they (Document Records) deal with vintage, black American blues music, plus gospel, jazz etc. The lady then mentioned that her farther-in-law had written books about and produced records on the same subject and that his name was Sam Charters. Of course, Gillian knew the name and quickly introduced him to Gary. Sam Charters had certainly heard of Document Records and the two marveled at the coincidence of Charters, some 4000 miles from his home in Connecticut, was unknowingly walking around, outside of the Document Records building. In the course of a short afternoon visit, Atkinson told Charters of that long ago LP purchase and asked of the accompanying film. Charters told him that after years of being lost, he had just found it only a week or two before coming to England. He said that there was a problem with the film’s color. Gary told him send to a copy of the film to them and that his son, a film maker, could correct the problem. Sam said that he and Ann would bring the ûlm themselves. In Gary Atkinson’s words, “A year later Sam and Ann visited and within a few moments, my son corrected the color. During their weeks stay with us, at our house in Scotland, I asked Sam more about the making of the film and then had the idea of ûlming an interview of both Sam and Ann and having them describe the making of his film, the preparation for the trip,
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their experiences, the artists shown in the film, how they felt as they left the area, and what their thoughts were about finally getting to view their efforts.” Ultimately, the folks at Document Records combined this interview segment with the restored copy of the film, The Blues, onto a DVD. They also bundled the DVD with a CD of the music from the film, including unreleased recordings which never made it to the film; and added an informative, illustrated booklet telling about the project; and titled the bundled project, Searching for Secret Heroes. We asked Gary about the title. He told us, “It was me who chose the title. The phrase came out of one of the interviews with Ann. On watching the interviews you would see and hear Ann explain the mood and interest of their friends and peers in the 1950s and at the time of Sam coming up with the idea of the film. She tells of how Beat writer and poet, Allen Ginsberg, had said to Ann, when she explained about Sam’s work, ‘I know what you are doing. You are looking for America’s secret heroes.’ This kept coming into my mind as I worked on the project until it became a natural fit.”
If you are a fan of the blues genre of music, Searching for Secret Heroes by Document Records is a must have for your music library. It is exclusively available for purchase on the web site: https:// thedocumentrecordsstore.com/ product/sam-charters-searchingfor-secret-heroes/ To whet your interest, you can view a trailer of the DVD at: https:// vimeo.com/411380834/d3e24f05cf
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July 2020
By Wayne Erbsen
What to Say While Tuning a Banjo Did you hear about the guitarist that was so far out of tune that the banjo player noticed? Q: What does a banjo sound like when it’s completely in-tune? A: No one knows. You can tune a banjo, but you can’t tuna fish.
Q: If you drop a banjo player and a mandolin player off a tall building who hits first? A: The mandolin player - the banjo player has to stop to tune. Banjo Player: A person that spends half of his time tuning and the other half playing out of tune.
While using a clip-on tuner: Hang on, I’m just checking on the football score.
atmospheric pressure. Please hold your breath for the duration of the show.
What’s the difference between an onion and a banjo? Nobody cries if you cut up a banjo.
I’m going to take a few minutes to tune up. It’s not for me; I’m tone deaf, but there might be some musicians in the house that I hate to offend.
If I ever get this thing in tune I’m gonna join a better band! Hey, tune that thing! It’s startin’ to sound like jazz. Sorry, I can’t tune up.......I forgot my hammer!
It was in tune when I bought it. How can you tell if a banjo player is sitting in a level spot? The drool drips out of both sides of his mouth. I can’t remember - do I have to have the pegs in line with the strings or at right angles? Q: How do you get 5 banjos in tune? A: Burn 4. Do you know the difference between a bluegrass band and a rock band? A rock band plays all night without tuning.......and Bluegrass band tunes all night without playing. If I ever get this thing in tune, I’m gonna have it welded.
My banjo’s so far out of tune I may have to send it back to the factory.
We’ll be back in a couple of hours folks, while the banjo player tunes up.
I suffered for my music...now it’s your turn! Somebody put one of my strings out of tune and won’t tell me which one. My strings are still adjusting to the time zone. Let’s take a vote...Who thinks it’s in tune? Tuning is like aircraft maintenance ... it’s worth waiting for.
What’s the difference between a chainsaw and a banjo? You can tune a chainsaw.
I don’t know what’s wrong with this banjo, it was in tune when I bought it!
A guy once tried to sell me a banjo and used as a selling point the fact that he just had it tuned.
Banjo tuning is an oxymoron.
My wife says I spend half my time tuning and half my time playing out of tune.
What’s this ‘tuning up’ thing everyone’s talking about?
That’s the last time I’m buying strings from Chef Boyardee!
Ladies and gentlemen, my banjo is tremendously affected by
I just washed my ears and I can’t do a thing with them
of Appalachia yet had to migrate to southern Ohio to survive. The story is centered around an old fiddle that migrates through five generations of the Abner family from 1932 in Jackson County, KY to a modern day stage in present-day Cincinnati, OH.
music. Appalachians have long been misrepresented in film and popular culture; we hope our film will help shift this paradigm by revealing the great contributions Appalachians have made to society through their hard work and resourcefulness.”
The film uses the story of this old fiddle’s journey to give insight into the lives of thousands of Appalachian families who either stayed behind or chose to migrate to an alien land that was full of challenges to overcome. The triumph in it all is that these folks did overcome those challenges and forged a new life without forgetting the old one they left behind.
He went on to write, “We’re part of a grassroots movement encouraging Appalachians, both in Appalachia and in the places their families migrated, to embrace their amazing heritage. We’re doing it though the music that has had a resurgence of popularity in recent years. Musicians and fans of traditional Appalachian music of all ages will experience the substance and special meaning of the music as it was passed down over the generations to today’s stages, porches and media devices.” It is important to note the music that one hears in The Mountain Minor is
Remember, if you play out of tune, it sounds like there’s more of you!
By Edward Tutwiler
Not long ago, we here at the editorial office became aware of the existance of an independently produced film that
A Yankee asked an old mountaineer how long he’d played the banjo. “65 years tuning and 5 year playin.’”
What’s the difference between a 1957 Chevy and a five string banjo? You can tune a chevy!
Appalachian Story In Film If you, like me, are one of those folks who grew up on the side of a wooded Appalachian Mountain ridge or in one of the dark sheltered valleys that lay between those ridges, you most probably have secrets, haunting stories, and obscure memories lurking in the recessed corners of your mind. It is these unique and special curiosities that make us who we are— Appalachian-Americans. I also wager you have an ear for those haunting melodies that our elders teased from a beat-up old fiddle or guitar and you also half remember the words to a strange ballad someone’s grandma sang.
We tune because we care!
Not even Earl can’t tune like that!!!
I use a capo so I can play out of tune in any key.
I’d like to play you a traditional Chinese folk song I learned many years ago. It’s called “Too-Ning.”
I have the incredible talent for singling out the one string that’s out of tune and tuning the other 5 to it.
tells a story similar to one many of us could tell should we try. I was quite intrigued, and did a bit of research and was excited with what I found. Let me tell you a bit about this delightful movie. The movie is titled, The Mountain Minor (as in the minor musical key), and it tells a multigenerational story about Appalachian life gone by and still here today. The highlight of this story is that it is wound and laced with authentic mountain music. While not a true biographical story, the writer and director of the film, Mr. Dale Farmer, used his personal memories and family lore to depict a story of struggle and love for family that transcends the many generations of the Abner family who lived in the hills
Mr. Farmer wrote in his blog post, “Appalachians who migrated to urban centers for work in the 1930s-1960s became the heart of the working middle class. And they brought with them a most valuable resource—their
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July 2020 Donna Ulisse won the 2016 IBMA award for Songwriter of the Year, and the 2017 award for Song of the Year. Her single “It Could Have Been The Mandolin” from the album Hard Cry Moon topped the Bluegrass Unlimited chart at #1 for two months in a row in 2016 while the album topped the Roots Music Report chart at #1. Her 12th career album, Time for Love, released on November 1, 2019.
If COVID19 Were A Song The unexpected arrival of a bonafide, worldwide pandemic still has the music industry reeling. So, would Covid 19, the song, be a reel? No, I’m sure no one would be whooping it up and swinging their partners around because, well, how could we with the whole six feet distancing we are all trying to practice these days? The genre of Bluegrass music is where I live and sing and is suffering and looking pretty high and lonesome right now. The festival circuit has come to a screeching halt just as the season was ready to blossom. The silence in the fields and campgrounds is deafening and not likely to crank back up anytime soon. Someone ask me in an interview recently how this virus was impacting me and my livelyhood and I simply said it is devastating. So, maybe Covid 19, the song, would be a sad, country tune? No way! Those songs would only make me want to go to a bar and hear ‘em on a jukebox and that can’t happen because they are all shut down.
As the whole quarantine began I gave myself a challenge to write fivegratitudes a day on my facebook page as an attempt to spread positive vibes out to my fans. I thought I would be writing them for 14 days. As I write this article I am now on day 61 and wondering how I got myself into this commitment. So, maybe Covid 19, the song, would be a grateful gospel number. Probably not. I’m drawing a blank as to who might be grateful for this illness.
Rescheduled til August 26 - 29th, 2020
My husband, my band, and myself make our living by hitting the stages across our country and the world and we have had to watch show date after show date cancel. We move our products; Cd’s, tee shirts, etc., by selling at the shows, so, that’s not happening right now! We create our new cd projects by gathering in studios, sometimes small studios and with the scare of being too close in tiny quarters, the session work has fallen way off. If most of the artists are not making records right now then that means they are not asking for songs...so...the songwriters cannot pitch the songs they are writing because no one is recording. If the songwriters can’t get their songs cut, then the publishers are not able to collect royalties. If sessions and shows are not happening then the record company takes a loss. It’s a huge domino chain, and I know I am leaving so many elements of the music business out but I’m pretty sure you are getting the dismal picture. So, would Covid 19, the song, be a 14 stanza bluegrass ballad? I’m guessing none of us could stand to listen to 14 verses about this sad state of affairs.
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I am making a little hay while the sun is shining and writing songs like crazy. I am also enjoying the time at home. We planted a big garden this year and I wanted to learn to can vegetables. We have really been working on our land, grooming the lawns and working on our barns. Then another extraordinary thing happened a few weeks ago. We were hit by a tornado. We lost one barn completely and half of the other. 7 trees fell and our lovely covered patio was damaged. Because of the previous large tornado that swept through Tennessee right before the shutdown and the lovely addition of Covid, getting an adjuster and dealing with our insurance has been a really long process. So, would Covid 19, the song be a melancholy jazz number, complete with rambling notes and saxophone honking out the frustration I’m feeling? I think not! We lived! Our house kept the roof on it and our Martin guitars are SAFE!
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July 2020
I’m mighty afraid we have not begun to see the fallout from this pandemic. There is no question that it’s a dangerous virus and many people have lost their lives. The fear factor to those of us with
Bum ba ba ba bum (the classic blues intro, you know the one) My momma done told me The Covid could kill me But she didn’t mention it would be a hundred ways Chorus: Covid Nineteen So hard and so mean If you don’t see me around
underlying health issues is off the charts and continuing to cause concern. The reopening of our country is going to take awhile. The livelihoods of so many have been greatly affected as Covid continues it’s unseemly hold on our world. Therefore, I think Covid 19, the song, would be a straight up blues song...probably something like this...
it’s cause I’m hiding in my house And I ain’t comin’ out ‘til it’s gone (big ending) The Covid Nineteen Blues are hangin’ on! Mic drop, done!
Donna Ulisse donnaulisse.com
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July 2020
In the time of Covid-cancelled tours and shows, I am on our floating home, Ocean Girl, considering what to write for an ‘on the road’ article. Time to tap the well of past experiences. Some years back Amy and I were in the Canary Islands, off Spain. We were waiting for a storm to blow itself out to start sailing across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. (Background: Amy and I are both captains, have lived and cruised our sailboats long distance for 25 plus years, performing to pay the way). I was sitting in the cockpit playing my guitar, minding my own business, when this guy rows up in his dinghy and knocks on the hull. I look over the side and say ‘Hey man, what’s up?’ This guy says, ‘I see you are a
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musician. So am I.’ This was my first meeting with ‘Hurricane Bob’. I tied off his dinghy, invited him on board, and we start talking music. It turns out he is also from the States, the Florida Keys, and he is a keyboard player. Turns out he is also waiting out the weather to head for the Caribbean, cruising on his sailboat with his wife and eight year old son. The conversation continues back and forth about the styles of music we play, the bands we’ve played in and the solo gigs we have had along the way. We find we know a lot of the same music, wish each other safe passages and that was that.
To The Same Island Unbelievably, we both were headed to the same island - Antigua - and the
anchorage, English Harbor. Pretty freaky considering there are a lot of islands in the Caribbean! Especially when you factor in that from Gran Canaria to Antigua is roughly 3000 nautical miles of open ocean. It took us 24 days to cross the Atlantic, riding the tradewinds all the way. This is not a Sunday afternoon type of adventure. This is more of a ‘better take this really seriously in case something goes wrong’ kind of trip. What can go wrong? Well, weather, running out of freshwater, one of us gets sick or injured (no one to call), we hit something, have a rigging failure…on and on. Ok, so why do we do it? Being thousands of miles from any land on your own small boat is an amazing feeling. The night sky at sea with zero light pollution is almost indescribable. The feeling of freedom and complete responsibility for yourself can be addicting. It is not for everybody. If you make prudent decisions putting your boat together and then while navigating and sailing, you will get to your destination. If you make poor decisions, there is a good chance you will not, and a chance you will die. The challenge is invigorating and lets you know you are alive.
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This 24-day voyage brought squalls but most of all, magnificent tradewind sailing with gentle 15 - 18 foot swells. The sea sets up its own rhythm. From wave top to wave top is the wave period. This period runs in seconds and is influenced by wind strength and duration. I find it can turn into beats per minute. It was on that trip that I wrote Find Me to the swell period. We spent Christmas and New Year’s at sea. On Christmas Day, we saw a freighter, it stopped and the crew wished us a Merry Christmas and wanted to see if we needed anything, water, fuel, food? The Captain was Russian and talked of his small sailboat at home. He offered to call my father to tell him we were ok and to give him our lattitude and longitude position. That was a huge Christmas gift, maybe our favorite, as we did not have any long range communication on board.
Making Music, Making Money Throughout the sail my thoughts drifted to making music, making money when we made landfall, and how Hurricane Bob and the others we knew were doing. We made landfall in English Harbor, Antigua 24 days later. I loved it. Instantly! It offers a
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well-protected anchorage, tropical foliage, rocky hills, and a strong Rastafarian culture. We dropped the hook (anchor) and cleared Customs. My first morning ashore was a Wednesday, we were out for a walk and came across this very cool, colorfully-painted, outdoor bar with a nice stage. There was a gentleman raking the sand who looked to be the maintenance man but turned out, to be the owner. I asked if he booked music and said my band had just sailed in. (Hurricane Bob, that is.) He asked about musical style, instrumentation, compensation etc. He booked us for Friday and Saturday night, just two days away! In twenty minutes ashore I had a gig!
But, hmm. I just booked a duo and the other half of this duo I had met only once, one afternoon, across an ocean, in a different country, about a month
before. I saw Bob’s boat in the anchorage when we sailed in, so I knew he was there. I took my dinghy to his boat, knocked on the hull and said, ‘Hey Bob, good trip? I just booked us as a duo starting Friday night…you up for it?’ He got a big smile and said, ‘Hell yeah.’ We rehearsed the next two afternoons. This started a season of us playing the Tiki-bar circuit and saving up much-needed funds. Odd as it is we have now come full circle. With all this Covid-19 and loss of gigs, Amy and I are starting up a streaming concert series live form the cockpit of our boat as we travel. You are invited to join us. Sign up for our newsletter at mikeandamyaiken.com. Subscribe to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/ mikeandamyaiken. Catch a taste of our first ‘on the hook’ video on facebook.com/mikeandamyaiken. ‘Like’ us while you are there. Thanks. Looking forward to meeting you virtually from wherever we may be. Stay safe out there. Smooth sailing!
Appalachian ontinued from page 5 authentic. The film draws together a cast of professional musicians with deep ties to bluegrass and old-time music; as well as deep ties to Appalachia as well. The film tells a heartfelt story but it is the music that binds the tale to our hearts. Farmer also wrote in his blog “Although The Mountain Minor isn’t the literal story of any one of my grandparents, it is based on thousands of true stories of Appalachian migration, my grandparents’ included. Many of the very stories my grandparents told me as a child, and some of my own experiences with my grandparents have found new life in this film.” Visit www.themountainminormovie.com to read Mr. Farmer’s complete back-story on making the film and his very interesting blog material. There are many screenings of The Mountain Minor scheduled throughout the region. Please, check the current screening schedule on the WEB site to locate a showing near you. You may also wish to contact: Dale Farmer, Writer/Director, at dale@themountainminormovie.com; As with any labor of love, this is a truly independent film made by Appalachian musicians about Appalachian musicians. The word independent means that the principals involved with this film project are self-financing the project. This is not an inexpensive endeavor. The good news is that since the film concept demonstrated a benefit to society with a positive message and goal to inspire young musicians and the people of Appalachian to embrace their music and culture, the project qualified for a From the Heart Productions’ nonprofit sponsorship. Thus any donations to belay the costs associated with the film are tax deductible. If you are a child of Appalachia, or maybe just have a kinship through the music, you might feel a tug to help. If this be the case, click on the donate button on the web page to learn more about giving options
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July 2020
The Queen Flat Picking; Rebecca Frazier Virginia native Rebecca Frazier is perhaps best known for her work with her bluegrass band, Hit & Run, which made history as the only band to win competitions at Rockygrass (2002), Telluride Bluegrass Festival (2003), and t h e S P B G M A B a n d Championship in Nashville (2005). Yet her story is not your typical mountain or mountain valley upbringing with late night jams and weekend music parties that are common stories among bluegrass entertainers. Rebecca’s childhood was more suburbia. “I was just like every other kid,” she said. “I did a ton of sports. I did art. My mom was an artist and an oil painting professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. She had an art studio, and I even thought I might like to be an artist one day. I was doing that a lot, and writing a lot. I was really into writing in my diary, writing short stories, writing fiction. I even won
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By Greg Tutwiler
some awards for fiction and nonfiction in college at the University of Michigan. So there was a time I thought I might pursue that.”
The Trail Of Music There was something about music that was a constant staple in her life, even when she seemed disinterested. “There’s a part of music where it’s kind of formalized in you as a child. Your parents put you through lessons, or maybe you do choir in school. My mom put me in piano when I was five. But I wasn’t the best student. I remember gazing out the window ... so rude to my teacher, now that I think about it. And now that I’m a piano teacher, teaching little kids, I realize how hard it is to teach a kid who’s not trying hard
to learn, you know? Still it’s a base. It sticks with you. And I did eventually take to the piano. I got way into it around the fourth grade and played every single after day school after school. Lessons are like math homework; you just have to do it.”
Rebecca spent a lot of time singing too. “I went to a Christian Episcopal school and we had a lot of choirs. I was also lucky enough to go to this six week camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains called Camp Shenandoah. There was a ton of
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music there, and a lot of singing. I think camp is such a great experience for a little kid. The music took on a new meaning there for me. We were learning more of the folk tradition type songs. And I was also elected songwriter, which really boosted my confidence. I didn’t ask to be, I was nominated, and elected. Part of the job of song leader was to write lyrics. So I was thrown into this without really knowing that I even wanted to.” “I remember my dad had a bunch of old records around the house that we always listened to,” she said. “So, not only was I listening to Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Madonna’s Like a Virgin, we were also listening to Simon and Garfunkel, and the Who, and Carole King – all of the stuff from his generation. We would sing along doing all the harmony. It was just another component for me. I didn’t know that it was anything special to sing a harmony, we were just having fun.”
Bringing It All Together With that as the backdrop for her childhood, she went off to college major in Literature, but also with a double majoring in music. “As school progressed, I was really feeling the music more,” she said. “And here’s probably where the spark occurred, where I got to have a little clarity on the path, because I was interested in so many different things, I had a hard time prioritizing. I knew I wanted to be in some sort of band or group, but I didn’t know how to find one. I had always felt more like a dabbler on guitar. I would
learn the specific songs; but only the songs that I could play. I wasn’t way into the guitar like it was my only thing. I had taken lessons on and off throughout high school. I even led a singing group in high school, and I would accompany them with the guitar; However it didn’t occur to me that I could improvise, or pick solos.” “In college though, I stumbled into this group that was heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, and the Grateful Dead, and Neil Young; all music that I’d grown up with and just loved. And these guys were all literature majors, or working on an art major, but also played music. And we just clicked, and we started playing gigs. I even dabbled a little bit on banjo playing with them, and we did a lot of harmony. That was about when it clicked for me, that this is how I wanted to spend my focused energy. I loved how it was non static, how there was such a communicative aspect to it. It just clicked.” Rebecca eventually found her way to Colorado and formed the band, Hit and Run, with her then husband, John. They recorded two albums, and graced stages of prestigious festivals and venues in 42 states and Canada, winning awards and making a lasting impression everywhere they went. She also gained notoriety as the first woman ever to appear on the cover of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. They migrated to Nashville in 2007, and soon after, John got continued on page 19
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July 2020
Thanks to our partnership with ReverbNation (www.reverbnation.com) we are honored to give you a peak at a few of the nation’s hardest working indie artists. Each month we select one entry to showcase for you here. Enjoy! THIS MONTH’S FEATURE:
By Greg Tutwiler
Addison Johnson
www.addisonjohnson.com Ready To Get Back Like all musician’s, the quarantine arrested Addison’s career, but he’s been taking advantage of the extra time. “I have been playing music and touring full time for several years now, and can’t wait to get back on the road. Like most artists, I’ve done some live streams and offered new merch, but I’ve tried to focus on writing and continuing the work on my upcoming record. Aside from that, I have enjoyed having some extra time on the water doing some bass fishing,” he reflected.
FEATURE ARTISTS “Country music is not just about pickup trucks,” says Addison Johnson. The lyrical depth of a song matters to Addison, and to that end, his approach is to take every listener of his music on a journey reliving personal life experiences he’s written about along the way. This Nashville Singer Songwriter has his roots not only in country, but also enjoys spinning yarns with the Americana, Bluegrass flavor as well. His most recent album, Cherokee Blues, debuted at #5 on iTunes’ Country Charts. The Greensboro, NC native enjoys blending genres to revive the sounds, feelings and content associated with industry’s pioneers.
Influences Old and New Addison says music legends such as George Jones, Lefty Frizzell and Waylon Jennings have greatly inspired his music, but current artists like Alan Jackson and Sturgill Simpson also play a significant roll in the inspiration of his songs and sound. “My grandparents were really into old country music,” Addison told us. “So I was exposed to George Jones and Merle
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Nearly Ready Haggard, although I’m not really sure where the actual inspiration to play music came from. They gave me a guitar when I was four, and even put me on the karaoke stage at that age,” he recalls. Addison started writing songs at 16, and even felt passionately interested, but didn’t get serious about pursuing the craft professionally until he was a little older. “I was never naturally gifted with playing the guitar,” he recalled, “but I was so interested in old records and music that it led me to give writing a try, and that’s when I found out what actually came naturally to me.” Addison has become an experienced performer and songwriter. He has been acknowledged for his ability to develop a hook when writing a song, while focusing on the story-telling emphasis of the genre’s past. By using his ability to set up a song with a back-
story, he builds a connection with his audience. It makes each person feel as though he’s speaking to them one-on-one. Although Addison doesn’t have an exact science for his songwriting, it generally seems to come out right anyway. “It’s always random for me,” he exclaimed. “But the lyrics seem to come to mind before the melody, and I build the song from there. Some of the songs I’m most proud of were born behind the wheel of my truck.” “I think country music has produced some of the best story tellers of all time over the years,” Addison said. “As a genre, we’ve gotten so focused on the quick hook and a quick buck that every song sounds the same. I still believe Nashville has the most talented song writers anywhere in the world, but they are handcuffed by what’s popular on radio.”
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Addison says his upcoming album for 2020, Dark Side of the Mountain, his third studio project, “is a better reflection of who I am as an artist, and what fans can expect from me going forward.” The new single, “Rollin’ Stolen,” is set to release this summer. “I’ve been fortunate to play in many states and venues, making new friends and fans across the world,” Addison observes about his career so far, “but having an opportunity to sit behind the microphone at the Grand Ol’ Opry’s mothership station, 650WSM, where so many legends have sat before, was a humbling and amazing opportunity.” “Continuing to advance and grow as an artist and a songwriter is most important to me. My goal is to just build on my experiences to bring better and better content with each release.”
July 2020
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July 2020
Listen to the expanded interviews at www.spreaker.com/show/ americana-music-profiles, or search Americana Music Profiles in iTunes!
Andy Penkow Sydney Australia singer/songwriter Andy Penkow has received quite a bit of acclaim in his professional musical career. A student at the JMC Academy in Sydney, he received and advance diploma in popular music and performance. He was a member of the SBS Choir and a regular member of the southern school’s regional performing ensemble. “I’ve been surround by music my whole life,” Andy said recently. “My parents had a really interesting record collection when I was growing up, which really stuck with me and has guided my musical influences along the way.” Andy’s been performing for nearly 20 years in Australia. In 2001 he appeared on the Australian Television show, Pop Stars, making it to the top 20. His debut CD, Sad Love Songs, was released in 2018, with the single, “Drowning in the Whiskey” reaching #10 on the Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart. A second single, “Sad Love Songs,” debuted at #6 on the Oz Country Down-under charts, and a third, “Keep us Apart,” entered the Tasmanian charts at #28. Andy works by day in the audio industry but says he’d love to play music exclusively. “My goal in life is to make a good living out of music,” Andy shared, “and get my music out there as well, of course.” Andy says that many artists actually cross genres in order to try to maintain status. “I sing quite a bit of blues music as well,” he said, “and lots of Alternative Country stuff too.” Andy’s new EP, Chasing the Sun, is set for release at the end of July, 2020. The pre-release single, “Chasing the Sun,” debuted at #13 on the official Tasmanian top 40 charts and is seeing good chart action elsewhere. Andy is a 2020 nominee for the APRA AMCOS TSA – New Songwriter of the Year award, and the single, “Drowning in the Whisky,” won the 2019 Purple Guitar Award, awarded by Kaz Johnson for best whiskey song. Andy is also a finalist in the 2021 ICMA Australia awards
Lauren Calve
Daryl Mosley Daryl Mosley may be from a small town in Tennessee, but this Waverly native is no small time artist. Throughout the 90s, he toured as the lead vocalist for the bluegrass group, New Tradition before joining the Osborne Brothers in 2001. In 2010 he helped form the quickly celebrated grass act, The Farm Hands. Now, in 2020 Daryl takes the helm as band leader for his own new solo project. Daryl heralds the community he’s from as advantageous. “We’re about an hour from Nashville and an hour from Jackson, so our community still has the hometown feel about it,” he said. “Things haven’t changed that much around here - very Mayberry like - a peaceful place to headquarter from.” Daryl’s mom sang and played guitar when he was a kid, and he credits her influence as waking up the musician in him. “When I was an early teenager, I started learning to play on her guitar,” he recalled. “The other thing we have in our little county here is Loretta Lynn’s ranch. I even went to school in first grade with her twin daughters. When I was a teenager, I went to work out at her ranch; that was my first taste of being on stage and learning how to be in front of an audience.” Daryl recalls a conversation with Loretta one day that charted the course of his future. “She said to me; ‘Darlin’ do you write songs?’ To which I said no. and she said, ‘Well honey, you need to learn to write. A lot of people can sing ‘em, but the good ones can write ‘em too.” “I’ll never forget that,” he said. “And at that point I started really pursuing the craft, and learning what makes a good song. And that truly changed my life.” The Secret of Life, Daryl’s first solo record, is out now on Pinecastle Records. It is an impressive collection of originals, served up pure and honest; A collection of authentic short stories told from the heart of a seasoned song writer
Lauren Calve started singing and playing guitar when she was 15 years old. Her love and fondness of Americana grew out of family gatherings around the dinner table where they’d tell and repeat old stories while drinking scotch. “It’s because of this family tradition that I’m innately drawn to stories,” she exclaimed. “My uncle calls me the archivist of the family. I genuinely love engaging with people to learn about their own family stories. It’s with that same enthusiasm passed down to me from my family that I approach my songwriting.” “At my core, I love learning,” she said, recalling her college days, nose buried in books; ”And I’ve always been a curious person too. I’m just drawn to stories, and it’s what I love writing about the most.” Calve graduated from college with an art degree, but it was during a time of recession in the US and she found it was difficult to find a job. A college friend decided to teach English in South Korea and invited Lauren to join her. She jumped at the chance. Her next adventure found her in Wyoming working on a dude ranch, and it’s there where she began to explore sharing her voice with others. Feeding her love of the West, that experience set the stage for what was ahead musically for Lauren. The Northern Virginia native moved back to the D.C. area and began to pursue life, and her musical career. Lauren is a design patent examiner for the USPTO (Patent and Trademark Office), by day, and a singer/ songwriter by night. Her latest EP, Wildfire, finds Lauren exploring imagery and meter as she writes about complex issues that matter to her. Her authentic styling is rooted in blues and Americana, personified by innovative melodies, and arrangements. “Blues music is probably my biggest influence,” she said. ”It moves me in ways hardly anything else does. I’m drawn to and try to emulate its simplicity, searing electric guitar lines, and emotive vocal style.” My dad always says, ‘what you see is what you get,’ My songwriting is no different.”
To find out more, visit www.darylmosley.com
To find out more, visit. www.andypenkow.com
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To find out more, visit www.laurencalve.com
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July 2020
Listen to the expanded interviews at www.spreaker.com/show/ americana-music-profiles, or search Americana Music Profiles in iTunes!
Peter Fand
Kristian Montgomery
Timothy Scott Williams
Singer/songwriter Peter Fand is the mandolinist and lead singer for the band, Tin Toy Car. This Las Vegas based Americana band was formed in 2016 with their initial CD, Falling, Rust and Bones, starting out at #17 on the AAA music charts. “We had some initial success with our first album,” Peter recalled, “But right after it came out, I went on tour for a year with a traveling Cirque du Soleil show, and that kind of stalled our momentum.” Peter is a seven year veteran with Cirque as an original cast member of their production, Zarkana. Peter continues to appear in several ensembles around Vegas but it’s his work as a member of Tin Toy Car that gives him his outlet for performing roots oriented music. Peter says that music has always been part of his life, and he was inclined to do so from that day at four years old when his dad passed down his old guitar. Peter eventually began studying international music, which led him to travel to West Africa. “I went really deep into the West African musical instruments, including percussion, and toured with those guys for a while, playing in a bunch of ensembles that featured a lot of traditional West African music. I look at that moment as being the beginning of my real music education,” Peter said. “Tin Toy Car emerged when I was working in Cirque with a couple of musicians that I regard as some of the people I most enjoy making music with,” Peter said. As the band began to play more shows, support for their efforts from fans became evident. When Peter returned from his Cirque tour, he began composing songs for what would become their next project, Hello Pariah, due out May 15th, 2020. “It’s a bluegrass ensemble minus the banjo, and we added a drum set to that, which immediately makes it an alternative, Americana kind of thing,” Peter said.
Timothy Williams grew up in North Carolina, his wife Sarah on the North Shore of Chicago. Her music exposure was the Great American Songbook as her dad sang and played the piano when she was a young girl. Tim grew up listening to classic country while his uncles worked on cars. “My parents said I was drawn to music from a very young age,” Tim recalled. “They said I’d hear music and be almost mesmerized.” In his later high school years, Tim got a guitar and took to it right away, eventually playing out in public in his late teens and into college. Although no one in his family played music, Tim says, “They supported me all the same.” Sarah relocated in her 30s to North Carolina as a career move. Tim was working for the postal service by day, and sharing his musical talents with folks in the night life scene after work and on weekends. The two met on a dating site in 2007, and Sarah recalls previewing his music before they went on their first date. “I didn’t want to pretend to like something,” she mused. “And fortunately I did like his music, and I liked him once I met him too, so it was all good.” Early in their relationship Tim shared a half finished song with Sarah while she waited in the car for him to run an errand. When he returned, she had finished the song. “When I looked at it, it really fit well with what I had before,” he recalled. “It was one of those ‘hmmm’ moments.” These days Tim and Sarah enjoy writing songs together often; Tim providing the melodies and the two of them sharing the lyrical duties. It’s an effective pairing that has provided rich songwriting depth. Tim’s new CD, Dreaming Small, is deep in story content. For instance, the song, “Down Low,” about a coalminers desire for a better life for his children, was a 2019 IBMA Songwriter Showcase selection. The other four original cuts are equally compelling.
To find out more, visit. www.peterfand.com
Kristian Montgomery works in the construction industry, when he’s not out sharing his music. Although he was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, when he was a young boy, his family moved to New England where his dad worked as a fisherman. He spent some time living with his grandparents, where he went to church with his g r a n d m o t h e r. “That’s where I got exposed to music and capitalism,” he laughed. “My Reverend was a former professional tenor for the Boston Pops – He had an amazing voice – he walked past me during one of the services and heard me singing next to my grandmother, and suggested that I sing in the choir. My grandmother would bribe me five dollars for singing a solo – to help me get my confidence of course,” Kristian said. Kristian recalled a moment when he was a little older, after singing The Lord’s Prayer; “I just remember opening my eyes and seeing a lady just staring at me, and realizing that I was onto something,” he quipped. Kristian never looked back after that moment, honing his singing and songwriting craft on his way to being nominated for the Boston Music Award for best male vocalist, as a rock singer. He traveled to Nicaragua, and then to Denmark, the home land of his father, as he chased life and continued to develop his music. Coming back home again, life threw Kristian a few curve balls, but even those impacted the direction of his music. He commented about that season of life recently; “When your world is taken away, it’s like watching a ship sail further and further away from you. You’re far apart, but if you put your feet in the water you’re still connected.”
To find out more, visit www.kmwkb.com
To find out more, visit www.tsunes.com
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July 2020
Tyler Grant: Flatpicking for the People in the Quarantine Era By Rebecca Frazier California native Tyler Grant is widely known in the jam band world for his work with multiple outfits including Grant Farm and Emmitt-Nershi Band, fronted by members of Leftover Salmon and String Cheese Incident. While his electric guitar work compellingly reflects classic influences such as Jerry Garcia, his award winning flatpicking guitar styling has placed him in a class of his own. He’s spent his adult life honing his skills and interpretation of this uniquely American style of guitar playing. Grant took home trophies across the U.S. at cutthroat guitar competitions, culminating in his becoming the National Flatpicking Champion at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas in 2008. His hard work and dedication have resulted in 11 studio albums, a busy workshop schedule, and a high profile touring history. Yet when the COVID19 quarantine clamped down in mid-March and most musicians were staring at empty calendars, Grant didn’t let grass grow under his Martin D-28. He launched a series of Facebook guitar-focused livestreams to share his music and instructional abilities with those stuck at home. Grant admits that at first he thought the quarantine would be
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a “welcome break.” Then he realized he wanted to establish an online concert community as soon as possible. “Now, even more so than an opportunity to stay relevant and make a living, it seems like a service to the
a dance-style breakdown or fiddle tune.” Doc Watson and Tony Rice are good examples, he adds. “I believe flatpicking music is its own genre. It blows my mind that it’s not in the Webster’s Dictionary yet!” Tyler narrowed his focus to flatpicking after graduating from California Institute for the Arts (CalArts) in 2000. “CalArts was a broadening experience. I learned about styles from flamenco to Bulgarian folk music, but after college I realized I’m going be happiest if I pursue this thing that I’m culturally connected to, that I can do convincingly.” He attended his first bluegrass festival in Colorado in 2002 and was hooked. “There were people my age jamming all night and having fun. They were all inspired. I was so fired up I couldn’t sleep for days afterwards.”
community,” Grant explains, expressing his passion for music and flatpicking, in particular. And what is flatpicking, exactly? “Flatpicking is the style of guitar associated with bluegrass music primarily, and it’s a sub-genre of old time and classic country music,” Tyler says. “There’s rapid technique with the propulsion of
Now Tyler is a regular performer on those festival stages, inspiring others to follow in his path. Appearing relaxed and professional, he’s developed confidence through years of intentional practice. “I did a lot of inner game work: tons of meditation, gratitude journals, faith and confidence that it’s going to happen,” he explains. “I’ve spent time facing my fears as much as possible—doing the contests, doing the performances. My advice to other musicians: put yourself on the spot, observe what
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happens, and try to draw your own lessons from that.” He advises new guitarists to practice scales along with ear training to become fluid as improvisers. “You conceive of a solo in your mind and then play that exact thing with your hands. Don’t hunt and peck. Conceptualize, then play it perfectly the first time.” He practices by improvising on his repertoire for at least an hour per day, and he teaches these skills in his workshops and online streams. On Friday nights, Tyler performs a solo acoustic and electric concert; while Saturdays bring a two-hour instructional “Guitar Workout,” and Mondays are allotted for “Play Along Jams,” which are a weekly highlight for many homebound musicians of all skill levels. Streams are no cost and are publicly accessible at www.facebook/tylerguitar. Music fans and players may tune in to Grant’s offerings for the foreseeable future, he says. While the virus has created a new online landscape for live music by necessity, will Grant continue his popular series once we’re all allowed to leave the house? “There are so many unknowns, but I hope we’ve all found an alternative medium that can sustain itself and that we can all sustain each other through this [period]. But I also really hope we can all get out and play gigs again. The future is wide open right now.” All virtual dates listed on Tyler’s website at www.tylergrant.com
July 2020
And because he was playing so much of the Gypsy Jango stuff, it was inspirational. It made me want to grab my Clarinet again.”
By Greg Tutwiler
The Vignatis Gypsybilly Sound Fabrice Vignati grew up in France listening to and playing the rich French cultural music, growing to love Gypsy Jango, and Jazz, and even the revival of the Rockabilly sounds in the 1980s. Tracy grew up in Georgia exposed to country and rural cultural music as well as developing a love for Jazz. “When I was 13 or 14, I got a job singing at a little amusement park in Georgia where I learned a lot of country songs,” Tracy recalled. The two met while playing together in a Big Band and immediately hit it off. The romantic sparks quickly grew into collaborative sparks musically as well. “We had played in the band for about a year, then all of a sudden, we just took to each other,” Tracy recalled. They each had respective separate musical stuff going on, but it wouldn’t be long before the pursuit was
recalled. “But over time I got more comfortable with the blending and it became obvious that we were on to something.” The result was a fusion of American and European musical traditions they’ve coined, Gypsybilly. According to the article penned by Fabrice and Tracy, Gypsybilly “is a blend of English and French vocals with Gypsy orchestration including acoustic guitar, clarinet, accordion and violin, swingin’ drivin’ rockin’ drum beats, with modern/vintage instrumentation of electric guitar and upright slap bass as used in Rock-a-Billy. In addition, the Southern twang of honky tonk-esque piano and pedal steel season the overall sound.”
mutual. “Jazz wasn’t growing enough for me,” Tracy remembered. “So we decided to just see what we came up with.
In 2009 they finally got their musical minds together, and the mojo just flowed. “It was a progressive approach,” Tracy
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Now playing as The Vignatis, this Los Angeles based ensemble is set to release their fourth collection of original GypsyBilly music. Red, White, and Blue is appropriately set for a July release. For more information, visit www.thevignatis.com
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July 2020
Music From The National Scene
Music From Your Neighbors
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elcome to the Summer edition of SPINS! Wow! Who could have predicted 2020 would roll out like it has. But you know what? The music must continue. It’s still the universal language. And as long as they keep making music, we’ll keep telling you about it! So check these out! And please tell ‘em we sent you. And, support your favorite musician so they can keep making the music! Got one you want us to consider? send it to: Uncle Woody The Spin Doctor PO Box 45 Bridgewater, VA 22812
Bluegrass 2020 Instrumental www.pinecastlemusic.com Scott Vestal fronts this 25th anniversary marker from Pinecastle Records. It’s filled with 10 classic approachs and fresh-take tracks made famous by bluegrass legends Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs
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Gary Brewer and The Kentucky Ramblers 40th Anniversary Celebration www.brewgrass.com
Not many can celebrate 40 years of making music - hats off to Gary Brewer for arriving at that milestone. Special guests Sam Bush, Russell Moore, Dale Ann Bradley and more join in
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The Harmed Brothers
Frank Renfordt
Across The Wave www.fluffandgravy.com
The Cumberland River Project
Across The Wave is the fifth CD for this Americana rock oriented group. Ray Vietti and Alex Salcido hooked up over 10 years ago recognizing their mutual vision for music. Has a groovy 70s Springsteen vibe; good summer tunes
www.cumberlandriverproject.com
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JB & Jamie Dailey
High Fidelity Banjo Player Blues
The John Heartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 1
www.anachristinacash.com
Step Back In Time www.pinecastlemusic.com
www.highfidelitybluegrass.com
www.pinecastlemusic.com
Daughter-in-law of the famed Johnny Cash, Ana’s CD was recorded at the famed Cash Cabin. Aside from the two covers, Ana co-wrote every song on this, her second English speaking full length CD. A talent in her own right, her cover of “Shine,” is tops
Jamie Dailey has earned his place in the bluegrass industry as one of the finest vocalists. Winner of countless awards, Jamie took the opportunity to record a set with his father, JB, who suffers from Parkinson’s. It’s JBs debut release. Nice job
Banjo Player Blues marks the second album for High Fidelity on Rebel Records. It’s a tribute to their love for tradition, brother duets, harmony, gospel music, and banjos. Their musical influences shine through on this sharp collection
Who doesn’t love a John Herartford tune? From a collection of over 2,000 recently discovered fiddle tunes, Fiddler Matt Combs spent months researching them and John’s journals to produce a new collection for all to enjoy. So exciting!
Wendy Burch Steel & Redwood
The Wildmans www.thewildmans.net.
Joe Edwards Keep On Running
Steve Thomas and The Time Machine All Of These Years
Ana Christina Cash Shine
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In Flight www.wendyburchsteel.com
Wendy Burch Steel is a published poet and award-winning songwriter. With her band, Redwood, they serve up some tasty bluegrass, oldtime, country, folk tunes on their new collection, In Flight, featuring all original songs
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Although this group has been pickin’ and jammin’ at conventions and jams for over a decade, this is their debut CD, and some say it’s about time. Fans have been clamoring for year. They are one of the up and coming Americana roots acts on the road today
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www.tinymountainrecords.co.uk
Whoever says European roots/folk artists can’t hang with their American counterparts hasn’t heard Joe Edwards. Actually one of current favs at the moment, Keep On Running has that deep woods, smokey blues vib goin’ on. We dig it
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Nate Lee Wings Of A Jetliner www.thenatelee.com IBMA award winning instrumentalist Nate Lee puts his own stamp on bluegrass music with his latest release, Wings Of A Jetliner. When Nate is not working on his own music, he is an integral member of the Becky Buller Band
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New Reso Gathering www.pinecastlemusic.com
www.stevethomasmusic.net
Although it’s his debut CD, fans of Steve Thomas know he’s no stranger to bluegrass music. Steve’s been at it for 38 years, playing with Del McCoury, Aaron Tippin, Barbara Mandrell, and Kenny Chesney just to name a few
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You can send new Americana CD releases for consideration to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812
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German songwriter Frank Renfordt serves up his rendition of Americana, Country Blues flavors in this new collection. Singer Dave Demay brings the project another dimension. Very nice
Legendary Tim Graves is behind this project, assembling some of the finest resophonic guitar/ dobro players in the business into one project. Fred Travers, Justin Moses, Greg Booth, Greg Blaylock, and Brent Burke are just some of the featured artists
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July 2020
Cover Story continued from page 11 invited to join the John Cowan Band, and as Rebecca recalls, “The timing was right. I was daydreaming about starting a family. I knew I couldn’t make the leap into motherhood while living on the interstate and at festivals.”
The Music Continues Hit & Run continued to tour part time, and Rebecca continued her studio work, including as a featured performer on Curb Records’ 2012 release, The Last Ride, the soundtrack for the 20th Century Fox movie. Rebecca continued to play and write in her spare time and in 2013 released her engaging and transparent CD, When We Fall. Dan Miller, publisher of Flatpicking Guitar wrote, “Rebecca has worked incredibly hard…to get where she is today. And although she has achieved great success, she continues to be very passionate about her music and her guitar playing. I predict that many will point to Rebecca
as a role model, inspiration, and guitar hero. Her journey is one that should serve to inspire any guitar player, singer or songwriter.” Bluegrass Situation called her CD the Best Bluegrass Album of 2013. In 2017, Nashville Scene called her, ”a genuine triple threat as singer, songwriter, and flatpicking guitarist.” Paste Magazine included Rebecca in their piece titled, “7 Women Smashing the Bluegrass Glass Ceiling.” She was the first woman to be nominated for Guitar Player of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) in 2018, and was nominated again in 2019. She is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on her next solo project. With no specific date yet for the debut, it’s a safe bet that whenever it drops, it’s going to make a huge splash from day one. Rebecca’s attention to detail and desire to only share something with her fans that she’s proud of, makes us that much more excited to hear the final product
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Summer SPECIA L: 2 Years for $32.00 Send us your name and address along with your check or money order for $18 made out to Americana Rhythm, to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812. (PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY) You can also subscribe Via PayPal on line at www.AmericanaRhythm.com
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