Is oldtime out of tune?
Whether we admit it or not, almost all of us have had that moment of listening to an oldtime fiddler – it's almost always the fiddler – and cringing. "Oh good...
Get Up in the Cool: Interview with Cameron DeWhitt
How did Get Up in the Cool get started?
I listen to podcasts constantly, and I have for years. I got my first smartphone and then it was...
Strum Machine or How to Have Fun Practicing
For most of us, the best part about playing oldtime is playing music with other people. It is a rare joy of human existence to connect with others as we sound...
One in every pocket: the rise of the harmonica in old-time music
“It has changed a lot, but it shouldn’t have changed. It should be the same all the way through, ’cause people that comes to see the Grand Ole Opry, they’re coming to see –...
Katherine Jackson French: Kentucky’s Forgotten Ballad Collector
Congratulations on publishing your new book, “Katherine Jackson French: Kentucky’s Forgotten Ballad Collector” (University Press of Kentucky). Who was Katherine Jackson French?
Katherine Jackson French was a remarkable...
“The Mountain Minor” Movie Review and Interview
The Mountain Minor is a fictional film to be released in October 2019 that tells the interrelated stories of oldtime music, family, place, and history in the Appalachians.
Banjo Roots and Branches: Exploring the African Roots
This is post 1 of 4 in the series Banjo Roots and Branches.
When I started learning how to play the banjo in 2006, I...
Oldtime in the Golden Age of Instagram
When fiddler George Jackson first saw a banjo player post an Instagram video of themselves playing “Dorrigo”, an original tune off Jackson’s new record, he was flattered. He didn’t expect that...
Review: Bartlett Fiddle Mic
Quick Summary
If you're looking for the Goldilocks of fiddle microphones, then the Bartlett Fiddle Mic might just be it. There are many cheaper mics and pickups, there...
A Reasoned Defense of Notation in Oldtime Music
There is some controversy in oldtime communities around the use of musical notation – both tablature and standard notation – in learning tunes. What role does notation have? Is it ok...
