Tips about mandolin solos from Jesse Cobb
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Podcast
About Jesse Cobb
Currently Jesse Cobb plays mandolin with the Infamous Stringdusters. An experienced picker in the Nashville scene, Jesse has served a stint with Grand Ole Opry member Mike Snider, performed with Jim Lauderdale, Melonie Cannon, the Fox Family, Valerie Smith and Lee Ann Womack.
The Infamous Stringdusters have a new self-titled album which will be released on June 10th on Sugar Hill Records, on which Jesse wrote the instrumental, Golden Ticket.
Photo by Kristen Barlow.
Tips about singing from Kathy Mattea
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Kathy Mattea
Singer-songwriter Kathy Mattea has recorded many classic hits such as “18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses” and “Where’ve You Been.” She’s won two Grammy awards and was named the CMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year in 1989 and again in 1990. Kathy says her new album, Coal, has offered her a “re-education” in singing, while paying tribute to the people and places of her native West Virginia. In a recent visit to our studios, Kathy shared advice on how to sing with feeling. Photo by James Minchin.
Tips about performing from Wayne Taylor
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Wayne Taylor
Little did Wayne Taylor ever dream when he learned to play guitar at age 9 in Maiden, N.C. that music would lead him to the sea and a career with the U.S. Navy. His first enlistment (1974-78) took him to Midway Island and Yokosuka, Japan. He attended the School of Music in Little Creek, VA. and was assigned as the lead vocalist and guitarist with the Seventh Fleet’s “Orient Express.” Wayne then earned a Bachelor’s degree in music at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. In 1987 Wayne re-enlisted and launched a new career as the guitar player and lead vocalist with the U.S. Navy’s Country Current band. He retired in March 2008 with 24 years and 7 months of service. He has a new CD, “Dear Mom” and is currently playing with Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie Band.
Tips about back-up guitar from John Schwab
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About John Schwab
John Schwab has been playing guitar since he was 13, but in the early 1970s he got bitten by the old-time music bug, and he’s been hooked ever since. Over the years, he’s been a member of the Hoover Uprights (winners in 2001 and 2003 of the traditional band contest at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival, in Clifftop, WV), the Mostly Mountain Boys, the Wabash Cannibals, the Old-Time Wall of Sound, and the City Ducks String Band. He’s played for loads of dances all over the Northeast, from Boston to Charlottesville and points in between. In recent years he’s taught backup guitar at Fiddle Tunes, Augusta, and Mars Hill. John’s latest recordings are with the Hoover Uprights (”Known for Their Reputation”) and Paul Brown (”Red Clay Country”), both on the 5-String Productions label.
Tips about professionalism from Ike Sheldon
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Real Audio
Podcast
About Ike Sheldon
The self-described wise cracker, vocalist and lead guitar player for The Wilders, Ike Sheldon was born outside a little town in southern Missouri called Phillipsburg. A childhood filled with diverse musical interests led Ike to college in Liberty, Missouri, where he “dressed funny and learned how to sing opera”. But even in the classical atmosphere of college, country music still spoke to him, when he would get homesick or blue, he would take refuge in a tape of country music he made from his folks’ records. After college Ike played in “nerdy pop” bands with Tom Livesay and “Country Giant” Jeff Clayton Brown. Eventually, jams sessions in Kansas City led him to team up with fiddler Betse Ellis and mandolin and slide guitar player Phil Wade. In 1996, they formed The Wilders along with bass player Nate Gawron.
Tips about inspiration from Casey Driessen
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Casey Driessen
Fiddler Casey Driessen started young. Encouraged by his father’s love of music, Casey held his first fiddle at the age of six. Suzuki lessons gave way to instruction and guidance from Darol Anger, Vassar Clements, Byron Berline and a host of others. Four years at the Berklee College of Music under the tutelage of Matt Glaser proved to the young musician what he already knew- that a professional music career was to be his path. Steve Earle took Driessen on his first road gig- with his venerable Bluegrass Dukes. Tim O’Brien took the young fiddle player on full-time shortly after he moved to Nashville. Since, Driessen has worked with Darrell Scott, Béla Fleck, Jim Lauderdale, Lee Ann Womack, Mark Schatz, and John Doyle. Most recently Driessen has completed an instructional video (showcasing his signature rhythmic “chop†style), toured China and Tibet on an embassy sponsored excursion, and recorded on the soundtrack for Walk the Line, the Johnny Cash movie. Currently, Casey is appearing with the Tim O’Brien Band, Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet featuring Béla Fleck & Ben Sollee, Darrell Scott, and Frank Vignola. On various occasions, you may find him touring and performing music from his Grammy Nominated debut record, 3D, with his own band, The Colorfools. Photo by Laura Crosta.
Tips about singing from Larry Stephenson
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Larry Stephenson
Singer and mandolin player, Larry Stephenson began his musical career while in his early teens when he and his father, Ed Stephenson formed Larry Stephenson & The New Grass in Larry’s hometown of King George, Virginia. He began performing professionally with Bill Harrell & The Virginians during January 1979, playing mandolin and singing high lead and tenor. In June 1983, he moved to a similar role as a member of The Bluegrass Cardinals, remaining until October 1988, when he organized The Larry Stephenson Band. Larry has been recording for the Pinecastle record label since 1989. In 1992, Larry moved to Nashville and made several guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. In 1996, Larry was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2001, 2004, 2005 & 2006 he won the “Contemporary Male Vocalist Award” at the SPBGMA Convention. In 2006 Larry released the album “Life Stories” with guest artists Missy Raines, Shad Cobb, Rob Ickes & Jimmy VanCleve. His most recent gospel album, “Thankful” was released on Pinecastle records this month.
Tips about playing and singing from Paul Brown
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Paul Brown
Paul Brown is not only one of today’s most sought after old time banjo players, he is a fine fiddler and singer. Paul started playing banjo at age ten, and spent years learning music from some of the last fiddle, banjo, and guitar players to emerge before the age of radio and recordings. He plays primarily old time tunes from northwest North Carolina, and central and southwest Virginia. Some of the songs came from his mother, who learned them in the 1920s and 1930s from older musicians near Bedford, Virginia. He studied banjo intensively with the late Tommy Jarrell of North Carolina. He’s played with a long list of outstanding old time groups including, the Bent Mountain Band, Benton Flippen, and the Smokey Valley Boys. Paul has produced numerous acclaimed recordings of traditional musicians. Today he plays with Terri McMurray and John Schwab in the Mostly Mountain Boys, and with the Toast String Stretchers in North Carolina. He’s performed and presented at traditional music camps and festivals since the 1970s. His day job? Paul is a newscaster at NPR’s Washington, DC headquarters.
Tips about bow rosin from Lisa Ray
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Lisa Ray
Lisa Ray of Blue Eye, Missouri plays fiddle for the band Cedar Hill. She grew up in an Ozark musical family living on the Missouri-Arkansas border. She began singing in church at age three, and by age nine was playing both guitar and fiddle. She formed her own band while in her early twenties. Her group known as Lisa Ray & Old Town, became a national touring group. Further, Lisa’s songwriting expertise, begun in her teens, paid off in 2001 when she had a # 1 song on the Bluegrass Gospel charts. Lisa is happily married to Keith Ray and she has two step-sons Aaron and Adam. Cedar Hill’s latest album, Poverty Row, is out of Blue Circle Records now.
Tips about learning an instrument from Barrett Smith
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Barrett Smith
Barrett Smith plays bass in the band Town Mountain and lends his baritone vocals to their three-part harmonies. Barrett is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, and graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a major in classical guitar performance. He has toured extensively across the US, as well as Europe and Asia, as a singer and multi-instrumentalist. He now lives in Asheville where he offers private music lessons, makes music for a living, and smiles a lot.
Tips about composition from Tony Trischka
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Tony Trischka
The avant-garde banjo stylings of Tony Trischka inspire a whole generation of progressive bluegrass musicians; he is not only considered among the very best pickers, he is also one of the instrument’s top teachers. A native of Syracuse, New York, Trischka’s interest in banjo was sparked by the Kingston Trio’s “Charlie and the MTA” in 1963. Two years later, Tony began his career playing with numerous groups including the Down City Ramblers, Breakfast Special, and Monroe Doctrine. Beginning in 1978, he played with artists such as Peter Rowan, Richard Greene, and Stacy Phillips. From 1983-1989, he recorded with his group, Skyline. Tony has recorded over 15 solo albums on Rounder Records and was most recently awarded Banjo Player of the Year in 2007 by the IBMA as well as Recorded Event of the Year and Instrumental Album of the Year for his album “Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular”. A new album, “Territory”, is due out on Smithsonian Folkways Records in March.
Tips about sound reinforcement from Andy Hall
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Andy Hall
Based in Nashville, TN, Andy Hall plays resophonic guitar, guitar and sings lead, tenor and baritone. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA with a degree in Music Production and Engineering. In addition to his current role in The Infamous Stringdusters, Andy has shared stages in the past with many performers including Dolly Parton, Ronnie Bowman, Charlie Daniels, and Rebecca Lynn Howard.
In 2007 Andy won three IBMA awards with The Infamous Stringdusters (Best Album, Emerging Artist and Song of the Year) for their debut effort, Fork In The Road. Sugar Hill Records recently released Andy’s 2nd solo album, The Sound of the Slide Guitar. The album is available digitally and the finished copies are available exclusively from the artist. Photo by Scott Simontacchi.
Tips from Alan Jabbour
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Alan Jabbour
Alan Jabbour was a violinist by early training, he put himself through college at the University of Miami playing classical music. While a graduate student at Duke University in the 1960s, he began documenting oldtime fiddlers in the Upper South. He relearned the fiddle in the style of the Upper South from musicians like Henry Reed of Glen Lyn, Virginia, and Tommy Jarrell of Toast, North Carolina. He taught a repertory of oldtime fiddle tunes to his band, the Hollow Rock String Band, which was an important link in the instrumental music revival in the1960s.
After receiving his Ph.D. in 1968, he taught English, folklore, and ethnomusicology at UCLA in 1968-69. He then moved to
Washington, D.C. He was head of the Archive of Folk Song at the Library of Congress 1969-74, director of the folk arts program at the National Endowment for the Arts 1974-76, and director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress 1976-99. Since his retirement, he has turned enthusiastically to a life of writing, consulting, lecturing, and playing the fiddle.
Tips from Phil Leadbetter
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Phil Leadbetter
Phil Leadbetter was a member of JD Crowe & the New South for 10 years, and also a founding member of the bluegrass band Wildfire where he recorded 3 highly acclaimed CD’s and remained for 6 years. He has received many SPBGMA and IBMA Dobro Player Of The Year nominations in various categories. In 2005 he was awarded “Dobro Player of the Year†at IBMA. Currently he is playing with the bluegrass super-group Grasstowne.
Tips on singing from Doyle Lawson
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Doyle Lawson
Doyle Lawson began his career as a musician by playing alongside some of the most influential figures in bluegrass including the Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys, and Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys. In 1979 Doyle put together Quicksilver out of a desire to form a group that would have “his sound”. Doyle has won the IBMA award for Gospel Recorded Performance of the year five times, Vocal Group of the year seven consecutive times, and in 1998 his group was the first bluegrass band invited to perform at the National Gospel Quartet Convention in Loiusville, Kentucky. He has received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as numerous other honors.
