Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Bluegrass Jam Along
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Thile - The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers | 17 Oct 2026 | 00:55:28 | |
My guest this week is Chris Thile and he joins me to chat about The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers. We talk about how the album came together and why, after 20 years as a band, it's only now they've got round to making a fully instrumental record. Chris also tells me how Brittany Haas joining the band and their first project together, Energy Curfew Music Hour, sowed the seeds for the album and why not having vocals on it left space for instrumental voices to shine. Chris also talks candidly about why he didn't feel like writing lyrics right now was the right thing and how the tunes on this record grew out of musical nuggets, with each then being explored by the band and shaped in whatever way that particular idea needed. We also explore the overarching narrative of the record, how that came together and the band's approach to reimagining the traditional tunes on the album, treating them as though they were new material and giving them the same level of exploration and development as the original tunes. It was a fascinating insight into creativity, artistic process and how one of my favourite bands goes about making a record. I thoroughly loved this conversation. You can buy The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers (and some cool related merch) via Punch Brothers' online store. For info and updates, follow Chris Thile and Punch Brothers on Instagram. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Matt Combs - Fifty Years of Clown School | 14 Oct 2026 | 00:48:12 | |
My guest this week is fiddler, string arranger, composer and session musician Matt Combs. After decades working in the service of other people's music, including a stint in the Opry house band, Matt has just put out his first solo record 'Fifty Years of Clown School.' We chat about why now felt like the time to put out his own record, as well as the reasons why he shelved a previous project he'd already recorded, and what he learned in decades of playing and arranging for other people. We also talk about how the tunes for this project grew out of his daily, meditative slow practice sessions, how John Hartford helped him understand his own creativity and why Beethoven's Ninth Symphony became a model for what he was trying to achieve on this album. It was a thoughtful, wide ranging and fascinating conversation and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. For info and updates on Matt follow him on Instagram. You can buy Fifty Years of Clown School on Bandcamp and learn more at mattcombs.com === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Kristy Cox - Turning Heartbreak into Hope Through Songwriting | 30 Sep 2026 | 00:31:52 | |
My guest this week is singer-songwriter Kristy Cox and we're chatting about her brand new album 'Winds of Change', due out on October 9th. Kristy explains why this record is her rawest and most personal yet and how, through her long term collaboration with producer Jerry Salley, plus her co-writers on the album, she created a journey that took heartbreak and turned it into hope. We also chat about her background growing up listening to bluegrass and country in Australia, before moving to Nashville when she was offered a record deal. Kristy is also now on the board of the IBMA and is passionate about connecting the international bluegrass communities around the world and 'putting the I in IBMA'. This was a great conversation. You can find out more about Kristy at kristycox.com - follow Kristy on Instagram for regular news and updates. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bertolf - From The Netherlands to Nashville (and Back Again) | 23 Sep 2026 | 00:48:48 | |
My guest this week is Bertolf Lentink, better know as simply Bertolf. Bertolf grew up listening to bluegrass at home in the Netherlands with his parents and learned to play guitar with his father. Then he discovered other bands, including the Beatles and Radiohead, and began writing songs of his own. After several albums in a pop/rock, singer-songwriter vein, he was drawn back to his initial love of bluegrass and decided he wanted to make a bluegrass record. Bluefinger was recorded in Nashville with string band legends including Jerry Douglas and Stuart Duncan, and featured a selection of Bertolf's existing songs, alongside some newly written instrumentals. When Bertolf returned to the Netherlands and began touring the music with a local band, he decided he wanted to follow it up with Bluefinger 2, this time featuring all new songs and his touring band. We chat about how Bertolf came to love bluegrass, what music was playing in his house as he grew up and what ultimately drew him back to the music after building a successful career. He talks about the conversation that planted the seed of an idea for Bluefinger, how the record came together and how it felt coming back to the music he loved as a child. This was a fascinating conversation and I'd urge you to go and check out both records, as well as Bertolf's other work. You'll find more info at https://bertolf.nl and you can follow Bertolf on Instagram for more regular updates. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Julian Lage on World's Fair, Playing Solo and the Art of Interpretation | 16 Sep 2026 | 00:31:22 | |
My guest this week is Julian Lage and we're talking about his extraordinary solo guitar album 'World's Fair'. Julian will be known to many of you as a jazz player but is also widely known in the bluegrass and string band world through his wonderful duet records with Chris Eldridge of Punch Brothers and Mighty Poplar. In fact, Julian's first recording was an acoustic duet with David Grisman as part of the 'Dawg Duos' album. Julian talks about the challenges and opportunities of playing solo, how he approached making this particular record, why he threw away his first attempt and what he learned about his own playing from making 'World's Fair'. We also discuss the role acoustic music has played in his career, why being able to interpret song and tunes is so important and how playing music socially in New York with singer songwriters gave him the seed for what turned into 'World's Fair'. You can buy the 10th anniversary vinyl and CD reissues of 'World's Fair' and the accompanying songbook via Julian's store. Follow Julian on Instagram for regular updates and news. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - September 2026 | 09 Sep 2026 | 00:10:32 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. Pod news News and announcements - church street news Releases (The Grass is New)
Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Sean Sullivan - Capturing More Than Just Music | 26 Aug 2026 | 01:08:30 | |
My guest this week is 5 time Grammy award winning engineer, mixer and producer Sean Sullivan. Sean has worked with dozens of artists, including Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, The Steeldrivers, The Del McCoury Band, Michael Cleveland, Andrew Marlin, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway and Mighty Poplar. We chat about his route into recording and how he only came to love string band music when he started working on it. Sean also talks about what he learned in his time at The Butcher Shoppe Studio, owned by John Prine and producer David Ferguson, and his current studio, The Tractor Shed. We also talk about what's really important in music, Sean's approach to working with artists and why, sometimes, the best sounding records just aren't the best records. Follow Sean on Instagram or check out www.seansullivanaudio.com to keep up to date with what he's working on. You can find out more about The Tractor Shed at www.tractorshedstudio.com === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Lindsay Lou - Bluegrass Women | 19 Aug 2026 | 00:35:12 | |
My guest this week is Lindsay Lou. I chatted with Lindsay a while back, about her record Queen of Time. This time we're talking about her brand new record Bluegrass Women. Lindsay reveals how the project came about and why she wanted to make a record celebrating the contributions of women to bluegrass. We talk about the musicians on the record - including Sarah Jarosz, Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle, Laurie Lewis and Alison Brown - and why mentorship and multi-generational music making are so important. We also chat about the importance of vocal harmony and how Bluegrass Women was a natural progression from Queen of Time and its predecessor Southland. Here's some info on where to buy or stream Bluegrass Women You can check out the harmony singing lessons mentioned on Lindsay's Patreon page. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - August 2026 | 13 Aug 2026 | 00:11:26 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and announcements - church street news Releases (The Grass is New)
Scroll on Buddy Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Repost: Brittany Haas on joining Punch Brothers | 29 Jul 2026 | 00:34:37 | |
To celebrate Punch Brothers' new record, The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers, I'm reposting a fascinating conversation I had with Brittany Haas after she joined the band. This is the first Punch album with Brittany in the line-up so I thought it would be fun to listen back and hear how she joined the band and what her first shows were like. I'd interviewed Gabe Witcher a few days after he played his final shows with Punch Brothers at Telluride and, almost exactly a year later to the day, I spoke with Brittany to chat about joining the band as his replacement. Brittany had just played with Punch Brothers at Telluride, so there was a lovely symmetry to it. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Jerry Douglas - Celebrating Boone Creek | 22 Jul 2026 | 00:36:49 | |
My guest this week is Jerry Douglas and we're celebrating the reissue of Boone Creek's first album. Boone Creek has a fascinating story behind it, which we covered in last week's interview with Scott Billington, who put together the reissue for Craft Recordings. In this episode I chat with Jerry about the place Boone Creek had in his career, his memories of the original sessions and what the band were trying to achieve, what it was like to hear the lost tracks for the first time in 50 years and how playing in Boone Creek helped shape the musician he is today. As always, Jerry was warm, funny, generous and full of fascinating insights. It's always a treat when I get to chat with him. You can buy Boone Creek from Craft Recordings on vinyl, CD or digital download Follow Craft on Instagram or Facebook to keep up to date with new reissues of classic roots music. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Scott Billington - Reissuing Classic Bluegrass Albums for Craft Recordings | 15 Jul 2026 | 00:48:34 | |
My guest this week is Scott Billington. Scott is a Grammy winning record producer, an author, a record company exec and a musician. But what we're chatting about in this episode is a fascinating story about a pivotal string band album and it's journey to being reissued with extra tracks that went missing for decades. The record in question is Boone Creek's debut album Boone Creek, from the band Jerry Douglas and Ricky Skaggs formed after they left J.D. Crowe and the New South. Scott talks about how the album was recorded and how, at the time, Rounder felt it was too progressive, and asked the band to go back into the studio and record some additional tracks. After the album was released, the original tapes went missing and Rounder were keen not to reissue it on CD or streaming services until they'd been found. As a result, the record disappeared from circulation for years. This was a fascinating conversation about a fascinating project, as well as Scott's long association with outstanding American roots music. You can buy Boone Creek from Craft Recordings on vinyl, CD or digital download Follow Craft on Instagram or Facebook to keep up to date with new reissues of classic roots music. For more info on Scott, including links to buy his book Making Tracks: A Record Producer’s Southern Roots Music Journey, check out www.scottbillington.com Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - July 2026 | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:13:13 | |
Welcome to the Bluegrass Briefing for July 2026, your monthly look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass and beyond. Releases (The Grass is New) Scroll on Buddy
=== Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bitesize - Tristan Scroggins on Authenticity and Identity in Bluegrass | 25 Jun 2026 | 00:16:03 | |
This week's Bitesize episode comes from a fascinating conversation I had with Tristan Scroggins in 2021. In this section Tristan reflects on what it means to come to bluegrass as an 'outsider' and how culture and connection aren't just about geographical borders. Growing up in New Mexico, despite learning traditional bluegrass from his father, Tristan felt a disconnect from the roots of the music. Later, when he moved to Nashville, he found himself wondering exactly why he loves bluegrass so much. Whether we're taking about European festival fans reacting to bluegrass (and the culture they perceive accompanies it), or the generation of northern and western musicians who came to bluegrass in the 1960s and 70s as a result of the folk revival, there's a common thread of music transcending boundaries. As a Brit coming to this music from outside both the region and the culture, yet feeling like I somehow belong, I find these conversations fascinating. You can hear my full interview with Tristan on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. For more on Tristan, head to tristanscroggins.com or follow Tristan on Instagram === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Missy Raines on The Seldom Scene Act Two | 17 Jun 2026 | 00:35:01 | |
My guest this week is Missy Raines and we're talking about one of her all time favourite records - The Seldom Scene's Act Two We talk about how Missy grew up listening to The Country Gentlemen and The Seldom Scene, thanks to her parents' love of bluegrass, and how the band played a formative role in her early musical life, in particular how Tom Gray influenced her to become a bass player. We also discuss the shift that was happening in bluegrass and string band music in the early '70s and what made The Seldom Scene different, as well as the role the Washington DC area played in bluegrass becoming urban music, not just a rural tradition. Missy also shares her experience of getting to sit in with the band and what made their live shows so special. This was a fantastic conversation to get to be a part of. You can hear my previous interview with Missy (Missy Raines - Standing Gently on the Shoulders of Tradition) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. For more info on Missy, check out www.missyraines.com You'll find info on The Seldom Scene at www.seldomscene.com === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - June 2026 | 10 Jun 2026 | 00:22:00 | |
Welcome to the June 2026 Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and announcements (Church Street News)
Scroll on Buddy Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck - The Fiddle and the Drum | 03 Jun 2026 | 00:46:19 | |
My guests on the podcast this week have an astonishing 24 Grammy awards between them and they represent two musical world I love - the first is bluegrass and string band music and the second is opera. Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck join me to chat about their wonderful new collaboration The Fiddle and the Drum, a project which explores Renée's long-held love of American folk and Appalachian music. The album includes guest appearances from several musicians from in and around the string band world, including Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Aoife O'Donovan, Sierra Hull and Sarah Jarosz. We chat about the role folk music played in Renée's upbringing, the similarities and differences between roots music and the classical world, how the record came together, why folk songs are so powerful and what it means to be an eclectic artist over the course of a long career (plus much more). This was a wonderful conversation to get to be part of. Thanks to Renée and Béla for taking the time to chat and particular thanks to Collin Citron for helping make this happen. You can find out more about the project and order copies of the record at reneefleming.com, along with info on live dates for The Fiddle and the Drum and the project Renée mentions, Music and the Mind You'll find info on Béla at www.belafleck.com, including BEATrio and the collaborations with Toumani Diabaté, Zakir Hussain and Chick Corea mentioned in the episode. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| The Tim O'Brien Songbook | 27 May 2026 | 00:54:34 | |
My guest this week is Tim O'Brien and he joins me to chat about 'The Tim O'Brien Songbook', a handpicked selection of 40 of his songs, complete with notation, chords, Nashville number charts and thoughts from Tim on singing and songwriting. We talk about Tim's journey from being an instrumentalist, to a singer, then a songwriter, and some of the key points along the way, as well as how he set about choosing the songs for the book. He shares his thoughts on co-writing and why songs don't always need an introduction, plus some insights into his process and what he's learned over several decades as one of the best loved singers and songwriters in the acoustic world. You can buy the songbook (along with many of Tim's recordings) via Tim's website, where you'll also find tour dates and links to his social channels. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Sierra Hull - The Movements | 20 May 2026 | 00:40:56 | |
My guest this week is Sierra Hull and we're chatting about her instrumental project The Movements. We talk about how the piece came about, as the result of a FreshGrass Concerto commission, how she approached writing the piece, with and for her current band (Avery Merritt, Erik Coveney, Mark Raudabaugh, and Shaun Richardson), and the challenges presented by releasing a project like this. We also discuss how the piece has developed since it was first written and how she and the band incorporate it into their live shows, as well as what it was like going back into the studio to record live, filmed performances of the tracks. It's a wonderful piece of music and, as always, it was a treat getting to chat with Sierra. Find out more and order copies of The Movements at sierrahull.com Check out Sierra's YouTube channel to watch live studio performances of The Movements For more on FreshGrass you can hear Oli Chanoff talking about the FreshGrass commissions program and some of the wonderful music it's produced. To hear my previous interviews with Sierra, check out these episodes:
=== Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| John Reischman on The Salish Sea and Playing in The Tony Rice Unit | 13 May 2026 | 00:42:48 | |
My guest this week is John Reischman and we're talking about his fantastic record The Salish Sea, recorded with his band The Jaybirds. We chat about the band's long history together and the journey behind this record, including the Freshgrass Concerto Commission that led to the title track. John also shares his memories of first meeting Tony Rice and how he came to play with The Tony Rice Unit in the 1980s, including recording the albums Still Inside and Backwaters. You can find out more about John and buy copies of his records at www.johnreischman.com Backwaters is now available as a remastered vinyl and download through Craft Recordings === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Andy Leftwich - Aced | 08 May 2026 | 00:28:39 | |
My guest on the podcast this week is fiddle player Andy Leftwich and we're chatting about his new album Aced. Andy talks about his love for instrumental music, including how hearing Mark O'Connor's The New Nashville Cats as a child inspired him. He also talks about contest fiddling and his 15 year stint with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, alongside Cody Kilby, who features on Aced as well as its predecessor The American Fiddler. After a decade and a half with Ricky, Andy chose to step away from Kentucky Thunder to focus on music in the ministry. We talk about the role that plays in his life and the records he made during that period, as well as the project that eventually turned into The American Fiddler and how that then led to Aced. For more on Andy, including details of how to buy any of the albums we discuss, head to andyleftwich.com === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - May 2026 | 06 May 2026 | 00:15:09 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. Podcast news News and Announcements (Church Street News) Releases (The Grass is New) Scroll on Buddy
=== Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Sore Fingers 2026 Special | 01 May 2026 | 00:46:51 | |
In early April I got the chance to go and hang out at SoreFingers, the UK bluegrass and old time camp, for a night. I'd recently interviewed John Wirtz about Sore Fingers' 30 year history for the podcast (link below) and he invited me along to meet the staff and tutors, hang out and watch some music. While I was there I got to interview Michael Daves and Tony Trischka (links to their episodes also below), but I also took the opportunity to wander round, mic in hand like a roving reporter, and just chat to people. In this episode you'll hear from John Wirtz about Sore Fingers' recent venue move and how they're settling into their new home, as well as from other members of the team, including some of the people who facilitate the camp's wonderful scratch band programme. I also talked to some of the tutors, including Tony Trischka, who's taught at Sore Fingers a couple of times before, and Michael Daves and Stephen Mougin, who were both first timers. I couldn't miss the opportunity to chat to some students too, including Sore Fingers veterans and first timers. For more info on Sore Fingers, check out www.sorefingers.co.uk Here's my earlier interview with John Wirtz Here are the interviews I did at Sore Fingers with Michael Daves and Tony Trischka This is the Stephen Mougin episode on band coaching You can find out more about Paul Armer via his Instagram === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Tony Trischka - Earl Jam 2 | 29 Apr 2026 | 00:19:46 | |
Tony Trischka returns to Bluegrass Jam Along to talk about his new record Earl Jam 2, the follow up to the first volume of a fascinating project that began when Tony was sent a thumb drive of recordings of Earl Scruggs and John Hartford jamming together at home. Volume 2 also has a great line up of special guests, including Billy Strings, Bruce Molsky, Molly Tuttle, Del McCoury, Sierra Ferrell and Sister Sadie. Tony tells the fascinating story of how Farayi Malek ended up adding vocals to one tune, after Alison Krauss had done the scratch vocal but wasn't well and couldn't record the final vocal. As with volume 1 it's a great record, full of variety and superb performances. You can hear more in my conversation with Tony about Earl Jam Volume 1 For more info on Tony and to buy both records, visit www.tonytrischka.com Thanks to Sore Fingers bluegrass and old time camp for inviting me down to record this interview while Tony was there teaching banjo! === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Michael Daves - Celebrating Jim & Jesse with Jacob Jolliff | 27 Apr 2026 | 00:24:59 | |
My guest this week is Michael Daves and we're chatting about the superb new record he has out with Jacob Jolliff, We Like Jim & Jesse! The record, released on Michael's own label Wild Geranium Records, celebrates the music of first generation bluegrass legends, brothers Jim and Jesse McReynolds. Michael talks about meeting Jesse in 2019 - he was 90 or 91 at the time and still writing new tunes every day - and how that sparked the idea for the record. We also chat about Jesse's unique contribution to the history of bluegrass mandolin, how one of their biggest hits was written on the spot in response to an argument and why Jim and Jesse's vocal blend is every bit as important to their sound as Jesse's mandolin playing. We also talk about Fables, Michael's recent release that pays tribute to a very different act...R.E.M. This interview was recorded at Sore Fingers, the wonderful UK bluegrass camp that runs every Easter (and has for the past 30 years). Later this week I'll be bringing you an interview with Tony Trischka, also recorded at the camp, plus a special episode celebrating Sore Fingers. You'll find Michael and Jacob's record on Bandcamp, where you'll also find Michael's R.E.M. tribute Fables === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bryan Sutton - From Roots to Branches | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:53:51 | |
My guest on this episode is Bryan Sutton. We're talking about Bryan's new project From Roots to Branches, the follow up to his 2006 album Not Too Far From the Tree, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The new album features a series of duets with musicians from the wold of bluegrass and beyond, plus a couple of unreleased tunes he recorded with Doc Watson and Tony Rice. We chat about the original idea behind Not Too Far.... and how the new project differs; who Bryan chose to record with this time (including Billy Strings, Chris Eldridge, Sierra Hull, Trey Hensley, Joe Bonamassa and more); why he's choosing to release it as a series of tracks over several months, before putting the full album out, and how it feels to have gone from recording with his heroes to taking on the mentor role for the next generation of flatpickers. You'll find all the tracks released so far on Spotify, Tidal and all other streaming platforms. There's a great video for The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap on YouTube. You can get bluegrass guitar lessons from Bryan Sutton on ArtistWorks (I can highly recommend them). Oh, and Bryan wrote and recorded the cool theme tune you'll hear on this episode too! === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Tony Rice's Best Loved Albums | 17 Apr 2026 | 00:15:47 | |
In this bonus episode we're celebrating Tony Rice's best loved albums....as voted for by you! I put out a poll over my social channels as well as some popular Facebook groups and subreddits and collated all the responses. The rules were simple - just pick one album each for these 3 categories: 1. Tony Rice/Tony Rice Unit album 2. Album where Tony’s named as one of the artists (e.g. Blake & Rice/ Skaggs & Rice/Tone Poems) 3. Any album Tony plays on but isn’t named as an artist (e.g. DGQ, Bluegrass Album Band, JD’s 0044….or anything else) I had over 400 votes in total. In this short episode I reveal what won in each category, what the most popular album was overall and also what pickers like Chris Thile and Trey Hensley chose as their favourites! You'll find links to previous podcast episodes celebrating Tony Rice on bluegrassjamalong.com === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Thomm Jutz - Ring-a-Bellin and Musical Alchemy | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:54:51 | |
My guest this week is Thomm Jutz. We're talking about Thomm's fascinating new project Ring-a-Bellin', an 18 track album and, for those wanting to dive even deeper into the process behind this new release, a beautiful, hardback Ring-A-Bellin’ companion book, which includes the stories and inspiration behind each song. Thomm talks about the idea behind the record; his unique approach to music, creativity, and life; how imagery, psychology, and tradition inform his work and the importance of process, authenticity, and staying true to your artistic journey.
Thomm explains:
About Thomm
Recent work includes Nothing But Green Willow: The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry (2023, with Martin Simpson), a transatlantic exploration of the women who contributed to Cecil Sharp’s folk song collection, featuring Sierra Hull, Odessa Settles, Angeline Morrison, and Tim O’Brien. Resources & Links Thomm Jutz and Martin Simpson discuss Nothing But Green Willow on Bluegrass Jam Along === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Alex Graf - Tony Rice's Manzanita Changed My Life | 08 Apr 2026 | 01:02:08 | |
My guest this week is Alex Graf and we're talking all things Manzanita. Alex made the shift from a more jazz based background to flatpicking a few years ago and Tony Rice's Manzanita became one of the absolute cornerstone records for him on that journey. We talk about why it became so important, what Alex learned from Tony's playing on the record and why he still finds something new in it every time he listens. You'll hear about:
and much more. To find out more about Alex, including his great teaching resource Alex's Acoustic Club, head to alexgrafmusic.com For news, updates and great free content on improving your playing, check out Alex's Instagram and YouTube === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - April 2026 | 01 Apr 2026 | 00:12:56 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. Podcast news Releases (The Grass is New)
Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bill Nowlin - 50 Years of Rounder Records, the 'Hobby That Got Out of Control' | 25 Mar 2026 | 00:56:07 | |
My guest this week is Bill Nowlin, co-founder of Rounder Records. Bill joins me to talk about Rounder's extraordinary 50 year legacy as one of the most important, influential and best loved independent labels in American roots music. We chat about how Rounder started, after Bill was randomly assigned Ken Irwin as his college roommate, and how, along with Marian Leighton Levy, they grew Rounder from a small enterprise releasing a couple of records a year into a successful label, responsible for the career of one of the most awarded artists in the history of the Grammys. Bill shares how they discovered Alison Krauss, via a demo tape she wasn't even the lead vocalist on, and subsequently signed her when she was just a teenager. We talk about how Alison's success, along with that of other artists like George Thorogood, helped Rounder establish themselves and how Rounder managed to position themselves at the forefront of industry developments, including releasing the first ever bluegrass CD. We also chat about some of the iconic records Rounder put out over the years, from artists like JD Crowe, Norman Blake, Tony Rice, Tony Trischka and Alison Krauss, and how the founders eventually decided to sell Rounder. That led to a new label, Down the Road Records which, in a lovely full circle moment, put out Alison Krauss and Union Station's return to bluegrass 'Arcadia' in 2025. This was a fascinating conversation about a fascinating legacy. If you want to hear more about Rounder's history, I can highly recommend Bill's book Vinyl Ventures: My Fifty Years at Rounder Records and David Menconi's Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Brad Kolodner on Community, Connection and Clawhammer Banjo | 18 Mar 2026 | 00:55:45 | |
My guest on the podcast this week is Brad Kolodner. Brad is a fantastic clawhammer banjo player. As well as his solo records - 'Chimney Swifts' and the recent album of solo gourd banjo tunes 'Old Growth' - Brad also plays with the band Charm City Junction, as a duet with fiddler George Jackson and with his father, Ken, as part of Ken & Brad Kolodner. He's also an award-winning radio broadcaster for Folk Alley and Bluegrass Country Radio, jam leader, festival organiser, community builder and ambassador for old-time and bluegrass music, as well as serving on the board of the IBMA. We chat about Brad's route into old-time music - which took longer than you might think, given his upbringing - as well as his love of gourd banjos, the different projects he's involved with and why community and connection is so important as a musician. Check out bradkolodner.com for more info. The tracks played in the show are:
Check out Brad's website or Bandcamp page to buy his releases === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Celebrating 30 Years of Sore Fingers Music Camps with John Wirtz | 11 Mar 2026 | 00:52:01 | |
My guest this week is John Wirtz. John, along with his partner Moira, runs Sore Fingers, a UK bluegrass and old time music camp that celebrates it's 30th anniversary this year. John joins me to chat about how the camp started up and how it's grown over the years to play a major role in the UK and European bluegrass scenes. We talk about some of the extraordinary tutors who have travelled across the Atlantic to teach at Sore Fingers over the years and how they've helped thousands of people develop their musical skills, whilst helping to shape a community in the process. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the first event and this year's courses feature some wonderful tutors, including Tony Trischka, Michael Daves, Jacob Jolliff, Mike Compton, Stephen Mougin and Becky Buller. For more info, visit the Sore Fingers site at www.sorefingers.co.uk === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - March 2026 | 04 Mar 2026 | 00:11:45 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.
News and announcements - church street news Scroll on Buddy
Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Celebrating the Legacy of Rich-R-Tone/Folk Star with Ted Olson | 25 Feb 2026 | 01:06:49 | |
My guest this week is Ted Olson, professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University. Ted joins me to celebrate the Rich-R-Tone record label and it's offshoot Folk Star. Rich-R-Tone was founded in 1946 by James Hobart Stanton who, in Ted's words, "was probably single-handedly the most important documentarian of Appalachian music." Ted has extensively researched Stanton and the Rich_R-Tone label for a project he co-produced for Bear Family Records - The Rich-R-Tone/Folk Star Story: Appalachia On Record, 1946-1954. Featuring 317 expertly remastered recordings spread over 12 CDs and including a 144-page hardcover book, this set, produced by Ted Olson, Matteo Ringressi, and Richard Weize, features newly researched liner notes and a complete discography. Many of these recordings are incredibly rare and are taken from 78 rpm discs held in private collections. We talk about Stanton's background in jukebox repair and distribution and how that helped shape his vision for the label; why both place and time are so vital in this particular story; the importance of Rich-R-Tone being a label based in Appalachia, rather than being a major label coming to the region just to record local talent and how Stanton played an important role in The Stanley Brothers' career. It's a fascinating story and one I knew very little about before my conversation with Ted, who was a pleasure to chat with as always. During the conversation we play excerpts of three tracks from the box set. You'll hear (in order):
For more info on the box set visit Bear Family Records To hear my previous interviews with Ted, check out the two episodes below:
=== Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bitesize - Sara Watkins on I'm With Her's Grammy Winning 'Wild and Clear and Blue' | 11 Feb 2026 | 00:21:44 | |
My guest on this week's Bitesize episode is Sara Watkins, who joins me to talk about I'm With Her's Grammy winning album 'Wild and Clear and Blue'. It's an album I really love (and a conversation I loved too) and I wanted to put something out to celebrate not only the Grammy win, but also the Grammy they won for the opening track 'Ancient Light'. Sara talks about the process behind writing the record, which began to take shape shortly after the pandemic, why collaboration was so important and the central themes that emerged during the process. We also talk about community and connection in music and how the line between audience and stage is a little thinner in folk music than for some other formats. Sara also mentions an interview I did with her bandmate Sarah Jarosz, about her album 'Blue Heron Suite'. For more info on I’m With Her, including upcoming tour dates and to buy I’m With Her vinyl, CDs and merch, visit imwithherband.com For regular updates follow Sara on Instagram and Facebook === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - February 2026 | 06 Feb 2026 | 00:12:43 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and announcements - church street news
Releases (The Grass is New)
Scroll on Buddy Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Dave Sinko on How 'The David Grisman Quintet' Changed His Life | 28 Jan 2026 | 00:51:13 | |
My guest this week is sound engineer Dave Sinko, who returns to chat about The David Grisman Quintet. We've talked about that record a lot on the podcast, but this is less about the story behind the album and more about how it influenced Dave and informed the way he approaches recording. In his words 'it changed my life.' We chat about his subsequent work with members of the DGQ, including Grisman himself, and recording Tony Rice for a project with Alison Brown. We also discuss how that first DGQ record set the standard for what acoustic instruments could and should sound like, the contributions Bill Wolf and Bob Shumaker made to recording acoustic music and how Dave approaches miking instruments, based on what he learned from the first DGQ album, including on Chris Thile's latest Bach album, an extraordinary and challenging project to work on. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Tony Trischka on New York in the 1970s and the Roots of New Acoustic Music | 21 Jan 2026 | 00:48:13 | |
My guest this week is Tony Trischka, who returns to chat about the New York bluegrass scene in the early 1970s. New York and the surrounding area played a huge role in the development of bluegrass and in the genesis of what would become known as New Acoustic music. Tony talks about the early days of his career, including the bands Country Cooking and Breakfast Special and the overlap between that scene and the birth of Rounder Records. We also chat about some of the musicians who came out of the New York scene in the 1960s and 70s, including David Grisman, Andy Statman, Stacy Phillips, Russ Barenberg and Bela Fleck, and how those players began to collaborate with the musicians emerging from the San Francisco Bay Area and Nashville scenes. Tony also talks about his early solo albums, including Banjoland, Hill Country and (a personal favourite of mine) A Robot Plane Flies over Arkansas. It was, as always, a treat chatting with Tony. I hope you enjoy this one. If you missed the David Grisman Quintet episodes we mention, you'll find them here: Part 1 (Darol & Mike) - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/celebrating-50-years-of-the-david-grisman-quintet-part/id1556697198?i=1000711133817 Part 2 (Todd) - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/celebrating-50-years-of-the-david-grisman-quintet-part/id1556697198?i=1000712407689 Part 3 (David) - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/celebrating-50-years-of-the-david-grisman-quintet-part/id1556697198?i=1000713402530 === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Kristina R. Gaddy - Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo | 16 Jan 2026 | 00:48:43 | |
My guest this week is Kristina R. Gaddy, who returns to chat about her new book, a collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens, called Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo. The book picks up on the research Kristina did for her previous book Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History (you can hear our conversation about that here). Crucially though, this volume doesn't just present a series of tunes as research pieces, it includes both banjo transcriptions and standard music notation, so people can play the music and give it a place in the current repertoire. We talk about why so little music was collected from black people in the Americas (fewer than 10 songs before 1861 were collected in the United States that we definitely know are from Black musicians); why these tunes were collected and how; how the way they were collected (and who did the collecting) shaped what was gathered and much more. As always, it was fascinating talking to Kristina. You can find out more about Go Back and Fetch It (and buy the book) via the University of North Carolina Press. For more on Kristina and updates on her research, follow her on Instagram and Substack === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - January 2026 | 07 Jan 2026 | 00:13:06 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. Pod news News and announcements - church street news Releases (The Grass is New) Scroll on Buddy Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Highlights from the First 500 Episodes - Alison Krauss, Wyatt Rice, Bryan Sutton, Gabe Witcher, Brittany Haas, Chris Eldridge, Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins and Mike Marshall | 17 Dec 2025 | 01:24:31 | |
If you were listening last week, you'll know that my interview with Trey Hensley about Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall was the 500th episode of Bluegrass Jam Along. To celebrate I thought I'd put together an episode with a few of my highlights and favourite moments from those first 500. You'll hear from:
This journey has been a lot of fun and I can't wait to get stuck into the interviews I already have lined up for the next set of episodes. Thanks to all my guests and to all of you who've listened over the past four and a half years. If you want to hear a bit more about my journey with the podcast, check out this interview I did with Daniel Patrick from the Mandolins and Beer podcast. Finally, if you know anyone who you think would like this episode, please share it with them! Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Trey Hensley Celebrates Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall | 10 Dec 2025 | 00:57:36 | |
Welcome to the 500th episode of Bluegrass Jam Along! My guest this week is Trey Hensley, who joins me to celebrate the very first record he bought - Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall. This historic album was a pivotal moment for bluegrass and also served as a personal intro to the music for many fans. For more info on Trey check out www.treyhensley.com === If you're a Flatt and Scruggs fan and missed the Earl Scruggs 100th birthday episodes I put together last year (including Trey as a guest!) you'll find them here: Earl Scruggs 100th Birthday Tribute:
=== Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bitesize - Happy 80th Birthday Bluegrass! | 07 Dec 2025 | 00:05:41 | |
This week's Bitesize episode celebrates one of the most important dates in bluegrass music - December 8th. The main reason this date is so important is that it marks the first time Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe at The Opry, on December 8th 1945, leading many people to describe it as 'the birth of bluegrass'. That makes 2025 the 80th anniversary of bluegrass! Fast forward to December 8th 1962 and we have another Flatt and Scruggs milestone - their performance at New York's Carnegie Hall, which was released the year after as Flatt and Scruggs Live at Carnegie Hall, a record that went on to become a firm favourite of bluegrass fans the world over. To celebrate that record, I'll be joined by Trey Hensley in the next episode of the podcast...which is also Bluegrass Jam Along's 500th episode! If you missed the Earl Scruggs 100th birthday episodes I put together last year, you'll find them here: Jerry Douglas celebrates Earl Scruggs' 100th Birthday Earl Scruggs 100th Birthday Tribute: Part 1 - Tony Trischka, Kristin Scott Benson and Alan Munde Part 2 - Jerry Douglas, Alison Brown and Tim O'Brien Jim Mills on Earl Scruggs and pre-War Gibson banjos === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - December 2025 | 03 Dec 2025 | 00:16:12 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and announcements - church street news
Releases (The Grass is New) Scroll on Buddy
Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| David Grier on The White Brothers Live in Sweden and Artistry in Music | 26 Nov 2025 | 00:36:21 | |
My guest this week is David Grier, who joins me to celebrate the classic album 'The White Brothers - Live in Sweden' (recently remastered and reissued in an expanded form as 'The New Kentucky Colonels - Live in Sweden'). We talk about what makes this recording special, including the fact it was recorded live and never intended for release, and why Clarence and Roland had such a unique approach to music, particularly when it comes to their joint sense of timing. David also shares his thoughts about why bluegrass picking should be about more than just playing licks over chords and why true artistry often gets lost, as well as calling out some of the current players he loves. This was a fascinating conversation that started as a celebration of a classic album but widened out to being about what making music is really all about. If you want to hear my previous interview with David, which came from a two episode special to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Clarence White's death, you'll find it here. To buy the reissued CD, and for lots more info on Clarence and Roland, visit rolandwhite.com Don't forget to check out www.davidgrier.com for more info on David and to buy his CDs. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Musicality For Modern Humans with Craig Havighurst | 19 Nov 2025 | 01:04:34 | |
In an age where pop culture dominates the airwaves, understanding the rich variety of music beyond the mainstream becomes increasingly important. In this week's episode, journalist and broadcaster Craig Havighurst joins me to talk about his new book "Musicality for Modern Humans," his journey of exploring musical literacy and the importance of 'listening for' something in music. We also chat about why bluegrass is such a successful model for nurturing musical appreciation; how the bluegrass community fosters a culture of amateur musicianship, where fans feel connected to the music-making process, and why this relationship between artists and audiences creates a unique environment that encourages exploration and appreciation of the music. === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Eddie Barbash - The Art of Fiddle Tunes on Saxophone | 12 Nov 2025 | 00:50:32 | |
My guest this week is Eddie Barbash. We chat about his unique journey as a saxophonist who has embraced the world of fiddle tunes. He shares insights into the challenges and joys of transitioning from jazz to fiddle music, the intricacies of improvisation, and the importance of social music-making. Eddie also talks about his three year journey playing with Sierra Hull and the recording process for his new album 'Larkspur', including why he chose to use film as a starting point for the tracks, his reasons for choosing to record solo versions, rather than collaborate, and the role of the natural environment in which it was recorded. This was a fascinating conversation on many levels, which not only gave me an insight into how other instrumentalists think, but also helped me see bluegrass and string band music from a new perspective. You can watch the videos on Eddie's YouTube channel For more info on Eddie and his musical projects, visit www.eddiebarbash.com === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bluegrass Briefing - November 2025 | 05 Nov 2025 | 00:20:02 | |
Welcome to this month’s Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and announcements - church street news Releases (The Grass is New)
Scroll on Buddy Other bits Happy picking. Matt === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||
| Bitesize - Chris Eldridge on Tony Rice's Church Street Blues | 22 Oct 2025 | 00:22:21 | |
This week's Bitesize episode features a conversation I had with Chris Eldridge from Punch Brothers and Mighty Poplar celebrating Tony Rice's classic album Church Street Blues. This extract comes from a two part special I put together celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of Church Street Blues in 1983, including in-depth interviews with Wyatt Rice, Alison Krauss, Tim Stafford, Bryan Sutton and many more. I've included links below to those. Tony Rice - Church Street Blues 40th anniversary: - part 2 (Bob Minner, Jake Eddy, Justin Moses, Marcel Ardans, Scott Nygaard, Jason Keiser & tony_units) === Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks - Review us on Apple Podcasts | |||