Episode Notes

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New Merch HERE!!!

My return guest this week is Jonah Horton. Jonah has had an exciting few months. He just released and incredible new live album called “Visions from Silver Bay” , he also just returned from Europe playing shows with the Krueger Brothers and the Kaleidoscope String Quartet and he also played 3 gigs with Bela Fleck on his “Bluegrass Heart” tour! 

Jonah’s Links:

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! **

****New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is the winner of the 2026 IBMA song of the year, 2023 and 2025 IBMA guitarist of the year, and Grammy winning guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, Trey Hensley. 

GRAMMY® Award-winning musician and singer/songwriter Trey Hensley—referred to as “Nashville’s hottest young player”

by Acoustic Guitar magazine—was voted the 2023 and 2025 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Guitar Player of the...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! **

****New Merch HERE!!!

Kylie Kay Anderson was raised in Utah, United States. Her first musical mentor was her dad, who first started teaching her to play the guitar at the age of 9. At 13, Kylie was introduced to the mandolin through her childhood best friend. She took several lessons from her friend, and bluegrass mandolin has been her focus ever since. Through the years, Kylie has been a...

Episode Notes

Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is Grammy Award winning songwriter Melody Walker. 

Melody Walker is a GRAMMY-winning songwriter, producer, performer, and fervent believer that songs can change the world. Best known for her writing with Molly Tuttle, Sierra Ferrell, Della Mae and her own band Front Country, Melody’s post-2020 recalibration has found her finally digging into her home of Nashville, TN, co-w...

Episode Notes

*Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!!* 

****New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is the 2026 National Mandolin Champion Anthony Howell.

Anthony was born, and raised, near Kosciusko, MS. He originally found an interest in the guitar by growing up watching his dad play. At age 11, Howell began taking music lessons from Alan Sibley, of Alan Sibley & The Magnolia Ramblers. Alan taught him how to play the mandolin, guitar, and banjo a...

Episode Notes

Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week on the podcast is Sam Parks from The Fretliners. The Fretliners are a band carrying the sound of a changing American landscape. Rooted in bluegrass and reaching into Americana, folk, and rock, their music feels weathered by the road and shaped by the people and places that raised them.

Winners of the Telluride and RockyGrass New Artist c...

Episode Notes

Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is Ethan Bush from the band Arakansauce. Arkansauce has a brand new album out called Horizon Never Dies, available everywhere now! Be sure to catch their high energy live shows and head HERE to the website to pick up a copy of the album or some merch!!

Arkansauce Links:

Website  

Instagram

Episode Notes

Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week on the podcast is Scott Marquart. Scott is the founder of String Joy Strings. His story absolutely blows my mind. To start a string company essentially from scratch seems like it would be impossible. Then, he not only accomplishes that, but now he’s even accomplished his dream of getting his strings into Guitar Center. Now, you may not run...

Episode Notes

Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

This week features the return of one of my favorite people and mandolin players. Joe K. Walsh. Joe’s band Mr Sun featuring Darol Anger, Grant Gordy and Aidan O’Donnell are one of the most exciting string bands around. Each song is beautifully written, arranged and performed. Plus, you never know what to expect, except that it’s going to be wonderful! The alb...

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**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! **

*New Merch HERE!!!*

My guest this week is Drury Anderson from the band Mountain Grass unit. It’s been almost 2 years since I had Drury on and he’s back to talk about their brand new album called Appalachian Smoke (available Aug.28th)**, recording with Shania Twain, having more time in the studio than they’ve ever had, songwriting, practicing and coffee! **

Drury’s...

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

**My guest this week is Thomas Cassell. Originally from the sacred bluegrass mountains of southwestern Virginia, Thomas Cassell is in the highest rank of modern bluegrass musicians.  Cassell currently plays mandolin with the Wood Box Heroes, racking up numerous Grand Ole Opry performances with the band. Previously, he was a founding member of the respected progressive group Circus No. 9, and has pe...

Episode Notes

Thomas Cassell's new album "Guitar Collection"comes out Aug 21st. Get your copy by going to Thomas's Website HERE!

Episode Notes

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**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! **

****New Merch HERE!!!

**My guest this week on the 7th anniversary of the podcast is Bronwyn. For her third album, Rattlin' Bones, Bronwyn, a Grammy-winning artist and two-time IBMA "Fiddle Player of the Year," decided to purposely leave her comfort zone and dive headfirst into a new, unknown realm of musical possibility for the acclaimed artist — Songwriting. **

Bronwyn’s Links:

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is Brian McCarty. Brian is the current mandolin player in Special Consensus but he’s got a pretty deep musical background as you will hear this episode. Brain can be heard playing on Special C’s most current recording “Been All Around this World” available everywhere. 

Brian’s Links:

Songs feat...

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!!** **

****New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is Jason Keiser. Jason is the bandleader, lead guitarist, arranger and composer for the New Acoustic Collective. They have a brand new release out today called Double Course on Adhyaropa Rercords. 

Jason’s Links:

Songs featured in this episode:

All song...

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is Eric Wiggs. Eric is a great singer and guitarist for the band Jake Leg and he is also an incredible audio engineer and producer. His name has come up multiple times on the podcast and it was a pleasure to get to talk with him. 

Link’s for Eric:

Episode Notes

Ireland Tour Dates

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!!** **

****New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is the award winning mandolinist Alan Bibey. Alan has teamed up with two other award winning mandolin pickers (Ronnie McCoury and Sierra Hull) to record a tune he wrote for one of his heroes Herschel Sizemore. The tune is called Uncle Herschel and is available everywhere you get your music.

Don’t forget to head ove...

Episode Notes

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**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! **

****New Merch HERE!!!

My guest this week is Hugh Hansen. Hugh runs a busy and successful shop in Nashville repairing and restoring vintage guitars and mandolins for clients, as well as being tasked with restoration and maintenance of historic instruments from The Acuff Collection at The Grand Ole Opry @opry and collections of Johnny Cash and Scott Chinery. He also builds some incredible mandolins h...

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

This week I welcome back 2019 Rockygrass Dylan McCarthy. Dylan’s band Jake Leg has a brand new album called “No One Lives Here Anymore” (available HERE) that not only features Dylan’s mandolin work but showcases his great songwriting as well! 

Dylan’s Links:

Patreon  

Instagram

Jake Leg’s Links:

Instagram  

Facebook

Songs fe...

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is George Jackson. George Jackson is a Nashville-based fiddle player and the 2022 IBMA Instrumentalist Of The Year Momentum Award Winner, who performs as a band leader and fiddler for hire with artists such as The Jacob Jolliff Band, Jake Blount, Tall Poppy String Band, The Local Trio, Front Country, Peter Rowan, Missy Raines, Charm City Junction and others. Born in New Zealand, G...

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is Robb Cappelletto. Robb is an incredible musician and instructor who teaches on through the Sonora Music School You may be familiar with one of his students…..Billy Strings! We really dive into some incredible practice techniques on this one! I had blast chatting with Robb and I think you’ll have a blast listening in!

Robb Cappelletto Links:

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

This week I welcome back Brian Oberlin to the podcast! He’s got a brand new album out, he’s got a new single with his band Full Cord out today featuring Billy Strings and he’s preparing to do a run of shows with Don Julin, Carlos Aonzo, and Don Stiernberg! So what does a guy like that do to push the boundaries of his playing...

Episode Notes

Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is Nathan Beaumont. Nathan Beaumont is a 6th generation Floridian and 2nd generation Bluegrass musician from Central Florida. He got his start in music around the age of three years old, and picked up the banjo at the age of twelve. His early developement as a musician was heavily influeced by his father, having surrounded him with the music at a young age. He n...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

​Well, this week is a special one! My guests are Mike Guggino, Sheri Mignano Crawford, and Nino Vicari. 

They have recently collaborated on a new collection of Giovanni Vicari’s compositions titled “Dances for Mandolin” available HERE!

SONOMA, CALIF. — Giovanni Vicari: Dances for Mandolin is a new publication celebrating the artistry and legacy of Italian mandolin virtuoso Giovanni Vicari, now available to the global mandolin com...

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Click this link to help out Todd Phillips!

Episode Notes

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Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

​ My guest this week is Darren Nicholson. Darren and I last chatted way back in 2021 when he was still playing with Balsam Range. Darren has now been performing with his own band, the Darren Nicholson Band, and has a brand new album coming out on May 1st. 

Head over to Darren’s page to find his tour info, social media and most importantly his shop!<...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is Eddie Barbash. Hailed by Jon Batiste as "one of the world’s most important saxophonists," Eddie Barbash was a founding member of the house band for the Late Show With Stephen Colbert and currently tours the world with Cory Wong and the Wongnotes. His unmistakable sound is featured on the Oscar and Grammy-winning soundtrack of Soul. He has performed at venues ranging from Car...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

It’s always great when I get to chat with this week’s guest, Andy Leftwich. Andy is a master musician and very kind about sharing his tips on what makes him such an incredible player. We also talk about his brand new album available, “Aced”, available every April 17th!

Head over to Andy’s website HERE to find out more about where Andy will be next, for h...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is Grant Flick. Grant is a master in all things tuned to fifths! He’s got a brand new album out called “The Great Door” that is available everywhere and is a great showcase of songwriting and improvisation. 

If you’d like to keep up with Grant and see where he’s playing, find his socials or contact him, head over to his website...

Episode Notes

Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is the one and only Jacob Jolliff. Jacob has two brand new releases, one available now (Jolliff plays Jones) and another coming out on March 31st (We Love Jim and Jesse w/ Michael Daves). Both are incredible and both completely different. 

To keep up with Jake, head to his website here for tour dates, shop and links to socials. 

Songs fea...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week on the podcast is John Jorgenson. John Jorgenson born July 6, 1956 in Madison, Wisconsin, is perhaps best known for his guitar work with bands such as the Desert Rose Band and The Hellecasters. Jorgenson is also proficient in the mandolin, mandocello, Dobro, pedal steel, piano, upright bass, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone. John Jorgenson, known for his blistering guitar and mandolin licks and mastery of a b...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is Courtlyn Bills from the band Magoo. 

Magoo is a progressive bluegrass quartet based in Denver, CO, redefining the boundaries of traditional bluegrass with a fresh, contemporary approach. Known for their electrifying live performances, the band creates a unique experience that blends extended improvisations, intricate original arrangements, and tight three-part harmonies. Their foot-stomping grooves and energetic stage presence leave audiences both inspired an...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week on the podcast is Adam Klosowiak from KLOS Guitars. They have just launched their pre order for the follow up to their wildly successful A style, the F style. Lots of players have been asking for one, and now here they are! 

You can pre order yours HERE. 

Here’s a little background on KLOS:

“We proudly build KLŌS gu...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week on the podcast is Jesse Appelman. Jesse Appelman grew up playing mandolin, spending his whole life picking bluegrass, Brazilian choro, new acoustic, and beyond. He has toured and appeared with folks like the Sam Grisman Project, Mark Schatz, Laurie Lewis & Kathy Kallick, Keith Little, Scott Nygaard, and more. A native of Palo Alto, California who resides in Oakland, the 43-year-old father recently decided to “tak...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My Guest this week on the podcast is BB Bowness. BB is an incredible banjo player who has played with some incredible mandolin players and has also just released her first solo album called  “Goodtime Revival available here! 

Born in the small town of Marton, New Zealand, Catherine "BB" Bowness spent her early years working and living in her family's Fish-and-Chip shop. Although an unlikely origin for a...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

I’m always happy to welcome this week’s guest back to the podcast, David Benedict! David plays in a band with his wife Tabitha called The Foreign Landers and they have a brilliant new album available everywhere called “Made to Wonder”. We not only discuss the album but we also dive into some Irish mandolin talk as well as home recording! 

To find out more about the...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is Philip Graham from Ear Trumpet Labs!

Ear Trumpet Labs is a Portland, Oregon-based boutique manufacturer specializing in hand-built, uniquely designed condenser microphones for live and studio use. Founded in 2011, the company crafts visually distinct mics—often featuring salvaged, industrial materials—that deliver studio-quality, natural sound with high feedback resistance, popular among folk, bluegrass, and Americana artists. 

To find out more a...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

My guest this week is Philip Graham from Ear Trumpet Labs!

Ear Trumpet Labs is a Portland, Oregon-based boutique manufacturer specializing in hand-built, uniquely designed condenser microphones for live and studio use. Founded in 2011, the company crafts visually distinct mics—often featuring salvaged, industrial materials—that deliver studio-quality, natural sound with high feedback resistance, popular among folk, bluegrass, and Americana artists. 

To find out more a...

Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!! 

Happy New Year everyone! I’m pretty excited to kick the new year off with the legendary musician Todd Phillips! 

Todd (a two time Grammy award winner) is not only the bass player on some of the most legendary and influential bluegrass recordings of all time (Manzanita, TBAG, JD Crowe and many, many more) his is also a founding member and rhythm mandolin player of The Davi...