The Life and Times of Jerry “Boogie” McCain: The Real Thing by Grover Brown is a tribute to Boogie, who passed last year. Boogie asked Brown to write his life’s story, and the two spent many hours with their heads together putting it together. Sadly, Boogie did not live to see the book’s publication. Boogie’s […]

“You listen to my CD in your ear, wear my tee shirt on your chest, and you’ll feel good about yourself in the morning.” This was Guitar Gabriel’s mantra between tunes at every one of the hundred bar gigs and festival sets I watched him play in the last 4 years of his career. He […]

Soul food and Roots music share a common birthplace among the poor, rural communities in the American South. As I recently read on NPR.com, “…soul food was survival food in the black South. Dishes were inspired by a need to make do with what slaves could access.” Music had a place in survival too. As […]

Listen: Wayfaring Stranger Brothers have long played together throughout bluegrass and country history—from Bill and Charlie Monroe to Ira and Charlie Louvin to Carter and Ralph Stanley. The Henderson Brothers are no exception. Wayne and Max, who were born in Grayson County, Virginia, grew up playing music together. It’s easy to see their brotherly bond […]

Ironing Board Sam is sharing his talents with youth through an exciting program at the Orange County Charter School in Hillsborough, made possible by the Jazz Foundation’s Agnes Varis Jazz in Schools Program. For this five-month program, Sam will make regular visits to classrooms to pass his musical knowledge on to children. The program will […]