When it comes to the preservation and perpetuation of bluegrass music in the 21^st century, Del McCoury is the leading force and signature face of its strength and survival moving forward.

With my feet dangling out of the back window of the truck, a cool morning breeze rolled through the Tacoma and woke me up. The first thing I saw was the silent pond below the vehicle, a handful of small tents situated around the body of water.

Folkmoot USA, North Carolina’s Official International Festival, returns with Folkmoot Summerfest July 22-25. The theme of this year’s festival is focused on American cultural diversity in music and dance. 

If you think it’s hard to sum up what, exactly, Hillbilly Jam  is, you’re not alone. 

If the old adage, “obstacles are opportunities,” rings true, then Art Alexakis might just be the definition of an opportunist. 

In the annals of country-rock history, a handful of acts were able to ride the line of mainstream radio success, all while breaking new ground in fusing the respective genres. Like a buckin’ rodeo bull, these bands straddled the sounds of honky-tonk twang and razor-sharp electric six-strings. 

By Daley Hooten • Rumble Contributor | On June 11, Welsh pop singer Marina released her latest album, “Ancient Dreams In a Modern Land,” and announced her upcoming tour in 2022. I had been signed up to receive newsletters from her, so as soon as I got the news I jumped on my laptop, turned up the volume and jammed out for the next hour. 

A blend of jazz-fusion, bluegrass and avant-garde folk music, the Jon Stickley Trio is at the core of the current acoustic movement that’s been roaring through the national and international scenes over the last decade. 

Leaving his hometown of Syracuse, New York, in 1988, singer-songwriter Martin Sexton hit the road — in search of not only himself and his place in the world, but also his audience, too. 

In its 14 years together, Haywood County’s own Balsam Range has risen into the upper echelon as one of the marquee acts in the national and international bluegrass scene — this once in a generation blend of songbird harmonies and lightning fast finger pickin’.