Fenton, Michigan’s Rackham Park was the site of the inaugural Fenton Bluegrass Festival. The Fenton Council for the Arts has received grants that allowed this free show to happen. Fenton is a relatively small town in southeast Michigan. It is home to some of the area’s top bluegrass musicians. The festival showcased four Michigan bluegrass bands and four area individuals.

Julia Blanchard led off the show. She is a young singer/songwriter that put on a good show.

Blueroads is a relatively new band. They cover the spectrum of bluegrass from traditional to contemporary. 

Ethan Stang is a highschooler who has developed his own style of both singing and songwriting. He also put on a good show.

Harbourtown has been part of the regional scene for many years. It is led by Marshall Bluegrass promoter Jeremie Cole. 

Millie Grasso was accompanied by Lainey Parker. Millie is a self-taught guitarist and songwriter. She and Lainey did original music.

The Northwoods Ramblers came next, founded by Aaron Smith. They play a mix of good bluegrass music. 

Pat Parker gave the audience a full dose of his original music. 

Fenton-based Michigan Bluegrass Band closed out the show as the sun went down. Band leader, John Coffey, is a life-long Fenton resident.

A large crowd enjoyed an afternoon and evening of some of Michigan’s top musicians. Two southeast Michigan bluegrass icons were on hand for the festival. Virgil Shouse and Wendy Smiith combine for 185 trips around the sun and over 140 years playing bluegrass music.

Everyone expressed hope that this festival continues and grows.

Support your local music venues.

The post Inaugural Fenton Bluegrass Festival appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

This newest track is the band’s cut of Louisiana Saturday Night, a 1981 hit for Mel McDaniel that had been previously recorded by Don Williams, and written by his longtime collaborator, Bob McDill. The song had seen an earlier bluegrass take when the Heights of Grass included it as the title cut on their 1979 album with Outlet Records.

Now it gets the Country Grass treatment, sung by Allen Dyer, who also plays guitar and sings with Lorraine’s Carolina Road band. He is supported by bandmates Kent Dixon on mandolin, Garrett Newton on banjo, Tim Tew on guitar and reso-guitar, Matt Hooper on fiddle, and Jordan on bass. Tim and Allen add the harmony vocals.

It makes for a nice cajun-influenced, fiddle-fueled grasser. Have a listen.

Louisiana Saturday Night is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

The post Louisiana Saturday Night from Lorraine Jordan & Country Grass appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

The resonator or resophonic guitar was so synonymous with the Dobro company in the 20th century, that for many years every such instrument was tagged as a “dobro,” regardless of the manufacturer. That still holds true today, when the instrument is widely described as such among players.

In short, what is referred to as a “dobro” is a wooden-bodied guitar, typically with a squared-off and much thicker neck, and a resonator installed in the body. The resonator is essentially an aluminum speaker cone driven by the vibrations of the strings by a bridge that is mated with the center of the cone. Some are strung like a regular guitar, but most have the strings raised considerably off the fretboard, and are played with a bar or slide.

The Dobro brand is now owned by Gibson, who manufactures under that trade name, but there are many other fine builders of high-quality, professional-grade resophonic guitars all over the world.

The Resonating Heritage web site (dobroheritage.org) is a project of Peter Gašpar and Henrich Novák, which has as part of its mission to have the the resonator system of acoustic musical instruments officially added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Slovak Republic.

They plan to trace the heritage of the instruments from the Dopyeras forward, and are asking for assistance from resonator guitarists, fans, and historians worldwide. On the site are links to submit video tributes in support of this effort, and to share the site with your friends and followers.

Best of luck to Peter and Henrich in having the Dobro guitar so recognized in the Slovak Republic!

The post Resonating Heritage site goes live 100 years after Dopyera patent filed appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Wanda was a talented singer in her early life. She performed as Wanda Rhorer & the Kentucky Five and had a faithful following around the Lexington, Kentucky area. 

After marrying Larry and relocating to Nashville, Wanda became a regular fixture at the world famous Station Inn. With Cord playing on Sunday afternoons and Monday nights, Wanda had her own favorite table where she sat and welcomed longtime friends and newcomers to the venue.

This writer was deeply moved by Wanda’s passing. As an occasional attendee at the Station Inn, Wanda was always present to welcome me, my husband, and late mama with a smile, a seat, and a “thing” of popcorn. She will be sorely missed by her Station Inn family.

LuAnne Smith, wife of former Grascals member Terry Smith, shared…

“I met Wanda about 1990 when she was pregnant with their only child, daughter Kelvey. She was a Kentucky Wildcats fan and loved her family.

Cord’s song, Old Richmond Road, he wrote for Wanda and it pertained to Wanda’s history. Her daddy, James, had the Rhorer Store on Old Richmond Road in Clays Ferry, Kentucky.”

The music video contains many meaningful old family videos including the Cordles’ wedding photos.

Wanda is survived by her husband of 44 years, Larry, their daughter Kelvey Wiegand (Josh), and two granddaughters, Jensyn and Brynley.

Kelvey shared…

“My mom loved music, and singing was her passion. Her voice was her gift and it captivated everyone that was blessed with the opportunity to hear it. Music created and bolstered powerful bonds in my mother’s life. Music also facilitated lifeline friendships, thrilling adventures, and eventually led her to my daddy.

My mama was a fighter. Her last five years on earth were riddled with cancer, surgeries, sepsis…the list goes on and on. But she wanted to be here with my girls and she fought and fought and fought. I’m so glad that she can finally stop fighting. Her suffering is over and she has been made whole again in Jesus. She is now truly at rest. She is with Jesus. Hallelujah! I will never stop missing you while I am here on earth, but I will see you again.”

Services will be held at Durbin Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, where Wanda and Larry were married (September 26, 1982). Visitation is Monday, October 12, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, October 13, at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at the Bryant/Cordle Family Cemetery in Blaine, KY.

R.I.P., Wanda Cordle

Thanks to LuAnne Smith for her invaluable input. We will all miss sweet Wanda.

The post Wanda Cordle passes appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

It says a lot thatTurning New Ground, their fifth studio album and first for the Mountain Fever label, has been out since July but is still producing strong new singles. The latest, Heartbreak Express, recently debuted here at Bluegrass Today. Written by Paula Breedlove and Brad Davis, it’s a hard-driving train song bookended by moody, expressive Dobro licks, and features Katelyn Ingardia singing in her lovely and clear voice about a failed relationship that has her on a train “forever going nowhere.”

Katelyn provides the lead vocals throughout the album and wrote six of the tracks. She has a light, graceful style reminiscent of Julie Elkins (of New Vintage and Kane’s River). Her singing is especially compelling on her self-penned Dark Rolling Deep and Cory Warton’s melancholy Reaping the Blues, both of which you may have heard on satellite radio. With beautiful melodies and well-crafted lyrics, they are highlights of this album.

Jeff Partin’s excellent Dobro and lead guitar work gives the band much of the modern part of their sound, while Jacob Carroll plays the muscular banjo that keeps it bluegrass. David Heavner on mandolin and bassist Chris Williamson (a founding member of Volume Five) team up to provide a solid, driving foundation.

Two more catchy singles share a single outlook: Living on the Backline is a breezy, upbeat number expressing gratitude for a simple childhood, while Just Country keeps the theme going with fond memories of home.

The Gospel Way, written by Rick Lang and Lynne & Jim Woolsey, is a vocal trio firmly in the classic bluegrass gospel style, backed by nice Scruggs-style fingerpicked guitar and mandolin. The song just re-entered Bluegrass Today’s Gospel chart this week at #3 after earlier reaching the #2 spot.

Cold Water is sweet and sad enough to sound like it might have come from an early Alison Krauss album, but was actually also written by Katelyn. It is not to be missed.

Turning New Ground was co-produced by Katelyn and Jeff, with Jeff also doing a great job with the engineering. The resulting album is a strong statement of Backline’s considerable talent as they blend old and new, hard and soft, to create their own engaging signature sound.

The post Turning New Ground — Backline appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Now, Gover has partnered with eastern Kentucky artist Jeff Chapman-Crane to pair her lyrics with his beautiful illustrations, resulting in a children’s book published last month by the University Press of Kentucky.

The song was inspired by time Gover spent as a child with her grandmother, who lived in Clay County, KY, near the titular Red Bird River. The lyrics speak of experiences very familiar to those who grew up in Appalachia and other similar areas – making quilts, baking biscuits, frying apples – and capture both the daily life and joy of a rural existence.

Chapman-Crane and Gover worked closely together on the illustrations, with the paintings offering vivid images that help bring the song’s lyrics to life. Southeastern Kentucky author Anne Shelby served as the model for Gover’s grandmother, while Gover’s young son stood in for “young Carla.” One thing that really stands out about the paintings is the small details that pop out the more you look at them – small redbirds hidden throughout the book in kitchen canisters, the patches of a quilt, and the grandmother’s apron, to name a few; wall decor that will immediately transport you back in time to your grandparents’ house; a coal oil lantern on the mantel; all placed just so to capture a specific moment in time.

My wife recently purchased a copy of the book to read to our son, but she and I have been just as enamored with it – if not more – than he has. It’s an excellent addition to any child’s – or any adult’s – library.

Me and the Red Bird River is available for purchase from many popular online book retailers. For more information, visit Carla Gover online.

The post Me and the Red Bird River by Carla Gover appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Mulder was introduced to the notion of recording this song by Dudley Connell, who had produced the prior project from Midnight Run. Ultimately, they dropped it from the record because both felt the song needed another verse.

Seth says that the idea stayed in his head.

“I’ve always loved the song and wanted to record it, so when we started working on this album, I knew it was time to come back to it.

I already had the uptempo arrangement laid out in my head, and the rest of the band really helped bring that vision to life in the studio. I still didn’t have the lyrics to the new verse finished, and I ended up writing the second verse in the studio right before we recorded the vocals.

It was one of those songs I’d been holding onto for a long time—it just didn’t feel complete until now.

I hope y’all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it for you!”

With Seth on mandolin and lead vocal, with support from Anthony Howell on banjo and rhythm guitar, Carter Lester on lead guitar, David Mansfield on fiddle, and Carter Eddy on bass. John Meador adds a tenor vocal, with Howell on baritone.

Check it out.

I’m on My Way Back Home Again is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

The post I’m on My Way Back Home Again from Seth Mulder & Midnight Run appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

He was a member of the band during the 1970s along with Roy Lee Centers on guitar and lead vocal, Curly Ray Cline on fiddle, and Jack Cooke on bass. A number of albums were recorded with him on guitar during his three year tenure, 1972-1975.

Lee, who went by Rick in his later years, was also a member of Raymond Fairchild & The Maggie Valley Boys. He came into Raymond’s band after the departure of the Crowe Brothers in the early 1990s, staying about three years.

The Fairchild family left this lovely tribute to Lee online.

The bluegrass world lost a powerhouse with the passing of Ricky Lee. For those who truly know the history of the music, Ricky wasn’t just a guitar player he was the engine.

Before he brought his distinct acoustic drive to Raymond Fairchild and the Maggie Valley Boys, Ricky was cutting his teeth on the biggest stages in bluegrass. In the 1970s, he held down the guitar slot for Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys.

Standing beside Ralph Stanley meant you had to have flawless timing, a deep respect for the old-time mountain sound, and a right hand that never quit. Ricky had all of that and then some. His flatpicking and rock-solid rhythm on classic Clinch Mountain recordings helped define an era of Stanley tradition.

When he teamed up with Raymond Fairchild, it was a match made in mountain music heaven. Matching Raymond’s blistering, iconic banjo style required a guitar player who could not only keep up but lay down a foundation like concrete. Ricky did exactly that. Together, they traveled countless miles. They didn’t just play the music; they lived it.

Ricky Lee was a musician’s musician. He didn’t need flashy tricks because his tone, his drive, and his timing spoke for themselves. He belonged to a rare breed of pickers who understood that bluegrass isn’t just about speed, it’s about soul, honesty, and holding down the groove for your brothers on stage.

Rest easy, Ricky. The music you made with Ralph, Raymond, and so many others will keep ringing through these hills forever.

We send out our condolences to all of Ricky’s family and friends.

In accordance with his wishes, Lee’s remains have been cremated.

A celebration of Rick’s life will be held on Saturday, October 10 at the Arritt Funeral Home in Covington, VA, starting at 2:00 p.m. His family will receive visitors at the funeral home at 1:00.

R.I.P., Rickey Lee.

The post Rickey Lee passes appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Unlike many similar events in the region, the Mountain City convention blends a traditional bluegrass festival with the competition, and the 2026 running featured music on Friday, October 3, from Denim & Plaid, The Kody Norris Show and Lonesome River Band. Saturday during the day saw the many contestants cross the stage, before performances by Remedy Tree, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, and Riders in the Sky.

The top award of Grand Champion Fiddlers went to 16-year-old Hollace Oakes of Snowville, VA, who competed last year in the youth division, taking second place.

Well done, Hollace!

The complete list of winners includes:

Youth Guitar

• 1st Place: Zane Lewis — Shady Valley, TN
• 2nd Place: Isaac William Eggers — Zionville, NC

Youth Banjo

• 1st Place: Isaac William Eggers — Zionville, NC
• 2nd Place: Jase Owen Smith — Gaffney, SC

Youth Mandolin

• 1st Place: Isaac William Eggers — Zionville, NC
• 2nd Place: Jeremiah Bates — Hartsville, TN

Youth Fiddle

• 1st Place: Macy Stevens — Granite Falls, NC
• 2nd Place: Hank Russell Norris — Elizabethton, TN
• 3rd Place: Jeremiah Bates — Hartsville, TN

Youth Band

• 1st Place: Hail Mary
• 2nd Place: Stateline Ramblers

Folk Song

• 1st Place: Chase A. Willis-Johnson — Todd, NC
• 2nd Place: Ava Burck — Boone, NC
• 3rd Place: Audrey Neal — Johnson City, TN

Adult Guitar

• 1st Place: Hudson Mikeal — Crumpler, NC
• 2nd Place: Alex Edwards — Johnson City, TN
• 3rd Place: Grayden Shepherd — West Jefferson, NC

Adult Banjo

• 1st Place: Griffin Domby — Kingsport, TN
• 2nd Place: Claire Childress — Wise, VA
• 3rd Place: Ashton Moore — Enterprise, AL

Adult Mandolin

• 1st Place: Charlie Tolbert — Purlear, NC
• 2nd Place: Hudson Mikeal — Crumpler, NC
• 3rd Place: Claire Childress — Wise, VA

Adult Fiddle

• 1st Place: Hollace Oakes — Snowville, VA
• 2nd Place: Cody Bauer — Knoxville, TN
• 3rd Place: Asa Nelson — Johnson City, TN

Adult Band

• 1st Place: Buffalo Mountain Boys
• 2nd Place: The Mountaineers
• 3rd Place: Briar Creek Boys

Congratulations, one and all!

The post 2026 Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention winners appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Though that much of their lives are similar, the two come from widely different backgrounds, and came to bluegrass by different routes. Stephen is a native New Englander, growing up in rural Massachusetts, where he played whenever and wherever he could on multiple instruments as a teen. After college he worked as a school music teacher until the Sam Bush gig brought him to Nashville for good in 2006.

Jana, meanwhile, was growing up in Slovakia where she trained as a classical vocalist. Once exposed to bluegrass, she fell hard, and joined the influential Czech/Slovak band Fragment as bassist and singer in 1993. They had a celebrated career across Europe, and in the US, recording eight album during her 12 years with group. She and Stephen married in 2006 and she moved to Nashville as well.

For years the Mougins mostly sang together informally, but recently decided that they should do so as Dark Shadow recording artists, so they signed themselves, and we have been graced with some terrific music as a result.

Their new single is called There’s No Reason To, one written by Rick Lang and Lincoln Meyers. It tells of love and loss, with the ultimate lesson which Jana describes thusly:

“I love the message of this song. ‘It’s better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.’ I hope it inspires a strong commitment to love without fear or apprehension.”

Stephen and Jana sing this charming song as a duet, with support from Stephen on guitar, Kyle Triplett on banjo, Scott Napier on mandolin, Christian Sedelmyer on fiddle, and Byron House on bass.

Give it a listen.

There’s No Reason To is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct or Get It Played.

The post There’s No Reason To from Stephen & Jana Mougin appeared first on Bluegrass Today.