Tips about mandolin care from Bobby Clark
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About Bobby Clark
There is no mistaking the signature mandolin sound for anyone other than Oklahoma native, Bobby Clark. Having won the National Mandolin championship in Winfield, Kansas, the Buck White International Mandolin Championship in Kerrville, Texas, and the World Mandolin Championship in Des Moines, Iowa, Bobby can only be called a true mandolin virtuoso. Bobby began his musical career alongside another Oklahoma native, Vince Gill as a member of the Bluegrass Review. After moving to Nashville in 1983, he became a well sought after instrumentalist and worked with Vassar Clements, Larry McNeely, Peter Rowan, the Bluegrass Cardinals and spent 16 years with Mike Snider.
In addition to his work with Williams and Clark Expedition, Bobby has recorded two solo albums and worked on other album projects with the likes of Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill. In addition, he has a keen ear for sound and is the owner of Top Dog Recording and Sound in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Tips about practice from Sierra Hull
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Sierra Hull
At the age of 16, Sierra Hull is an extremely accomplished bluegrass musician. Hailing from the small town of Byrdstown, Tennessee, Sierra began playing the mandolin at age eight. Only two years later she had her recording debut with an all-instrumental album called “Angel Mountain.” And while that album was only recorded 6 years ago, she comments that when you’re only 16, 6 years is a long time, and her sound has definitely developed a lot since then.
In February 2008 Sierra signed with Rounder Records and in May released the album, Secrets, her first album as a full-fledged instrumental and vocal talent. The album was produced by Ron Block, and features many guest appearances, including Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, and Rob Ickes. Such big names, however, do not faze this seasoned performer, Sierra has shared the stage with bluegrass greats such as Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, and Ricky Skaggs. Ron Block comments, “It’ll be intriguing to watch how her vision and creativity affect the future of bluegrass in the coming years.”
Tips about blend from Clayton Campbell
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Clayton Campbell
Twenty-seven-year-old Clayton Campbell plays fiddle for the Gibson Brothers.
He’s from a musical family; in 1998 his parents founded the Kentucky Opry, a family entertainment attraction on Kentucky Lake. Clayton’s been playing fiddle, mandolin, guitar and singing backup with them since he was 7 years old.
You can hear Clayton’s fiddling on the Gibson Brothers’ latest CD, Iron and Diamonds.
Tips about singing from Tim Shelton
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Tim Shelton
Tim is from eastern Kentucky and the leader and founder of the band New Found Road, which was formed in
2002 and is presently finishing their fifth recording project, expected to be released later this year. Tim performed gospel music in the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana area prior to forming New Found Road and was briefly a member of Larry Sparks’ band the Lonesome Ramblers. He also had an Ohio-based group called the Beacons. In 2000 he recorded a solo gospel CD titled “I Stand Amazed” with the collaboration of several members of the Isaacs and Joe Mullins on banjo from the super group Longview.
New Found Road’s fourth recording, “Life in a Song” contained the wonderful a cappella song “When I Get Home” which was ranked the number one gospel song in the March 2008 issue of Bluegrass Now magazine in their Gospel Truths Chart.
Tips about fans from Cliffton Preddy
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Cliffton Preddy
Born in 1973 and raised in Wilton, NC, Clifton Preddy has been playing the fiddle since the age of three after becoming tired and unsatisfied with his plastic toy fiddle, and insisting to his parents that he wanted a “real” fiddle like the one that his Great-Uncle Emil “Dunk” Preddy played.
Over his musical career, Clifton has performed with such bands as: Swift Run, The Virginia Travelers, New Classic Grass, Lynwood Lunsford, New Vintage, Carolina Road, The Navy Bluegrass Band, The Jason Michael Carroll band, Steel Creek, Carolina Connection, and The Beard Brothers. His greatest musical influences are: the late Mr. Chubby Wise, Mark O’Connor, the Lonesome River Band, and his Great-Uncle and old-time fiddler Emil “Dunk” Preddy. He enjoys songwriting, and has been fortunate enough to perform some of his originals with Constant Change.
Tips about finger strength from Blake Williams
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Blake Williams
Blake plays banjo for Williams & Clark Expedition and has over 34 years of professional bluegrass experience. He toured with Bobby Smith & The Boys From Shiloh fresh out of high school and soon moved into the role of banjo player for Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass until Lester’s death in 1979. Blake then worked with the Bill Monroe, for 10 years, making him Monroe’s longest tenured banjo player. Audiences love his emcee work and he’s recognized as an outstanding country comedian. An accomplished songwriter, Blake’s songs have been recorded by Rhonda Vincent and Lester Flatt. He wrote much of the material on Williams & Clarke Expedition’s latest CD, A Brand New Set of Blues. Look for Blake on the cover the May 2008 Banjo Newsletter.
Tips about tuning from Moondi Klein
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Moondi Klein
Moondi grew up in Manhattan and along with his brother Adam, joined the Metropolitan Opera’s Children’s Chorus before the age of 10 and sang with the Chorus through his mid-teens. However, Moondi’s father, who worked with The Rockefeller Foundation awarding grants, took him on a trip to The Carter Fold in Southwest Virginia and changed his musical focus; Moondi got a taste of mountain music and hasn’t looked back since.
Moondi learned to play the guitar and banjo, and studied music in college. After college he moved to the Washington D.C. area and and helped form the band, Rock Creek, gaining recognition for his outstanding vocal skills. Later he replaced John Starling as the lead singer with The Seldom Scene and eventually went on to form Chesapeake with Jimmy Gaudreau, Mike Auldridge and T. Michael Coleman. Chesapeake’s three CDs with Sugar Hill Records gained critical acclaim. In March 2008, Moondi and Jimmy Gaudreau released their first project as a duo, “2:10 Train,” on Rounder Records.
Tips about mandolin solos from Jesse Cobb
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Jesse Cobb
Currently Jesse Cobb plays mandolin with the Infamous Stringdusters. An experienced picker in the Nashville scene, Jesse has served a stint with Grand Ole Opry member Mike Snider, performed with Jim Lauderdale, Melonie Cannon, the Fox Family, Valerie Smith and Lee Ann Womack.
The Infamous Stringdusters have a new self-titled album which will be released on June 10th on Sugar Hill Records, on which Jesse wrote the instrumental, Golden Ticket.
Photo by Kristen Barlow.
Tips about singing from Kathy Mattea
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Kathy Mattea
Singer-songwriter Kathy Mattea has recorded many classic hits such as “18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses” and “Where’ve You Been.” She’s won two Grammy awards and was named the CMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year in 1989 and again in 1990. Kathy says her new album, Coal, has offered her a “re-education” in singing, while paying tribute to the people and places of her native West Virginia. In a recent visit to our studios, Kathy shared advice on how to sing with feeling. Photo by James Minchin.
Tips about performing from Wayne Taylor
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Wayne Taylor
Little did Wayne Taylor ever dream when he learned to play guitar at age 9 in Maiden, N.C. that music would lead him to the sea and a career with the U.S. Navy. His first enlistment (1974-78) took him to Midway Island and Yokosuka, Japan. He attended the School of Music in Little Creek, VA. and was assigned as the lead vocalist and guitarist with the Seventh Fleet’s “Orient Express.” Wayne then earned a Bachelor’s degree in music at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. In 1987 Wayne re-enlisted and launched a new career as the guitar player and lead vocalist with the U.S. Navy’s Country Current band. He retired in March 2008 with 24 years and 7 months of service. He has a new CD, “Dear Mom” and is currently playing with Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie Band.
Tips about back-up guitar from John Schwab
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About John Schwab
John Schwab has been playing guitar since he was 13, but in the early 1970s he got bitten by the old-time music bug, and he’s been hooked ever since. Over the years, he’s been a member of the Hoover Uprights (winners in 2001 and 2003 of the traditional band contest at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival, in Clifftop, WV), the Mostly Mountain Boys, the Wabash Cannibals, the Old-Time Wall of Sound, and the City Ducks String Band. He’s played for loads of dances all over the Northeast, from Boston to Charlottesville and points in between. In recent years he’s taught backup guitar at Fiddle Tunes, Augusta, and Mars Hill. John’s latest recordings are with the Hoover Uprights (”Known for Their Reputation”) and Paul Brown (”Red Clay Country”), both on the 5-String Productions label.
Tips about professionalism from Ike Sheldon
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About Ike Sheldon
The self-described wise cracker, vocalist and lead guitar player for The Wilders, Ike Sheldon was born outside a little town in southern Missouri called Phillipsburg. A childhood filled with diverse musical interests led Ike to college in Liberty, Missouri, where he “dressed funny and learned how to sing opera”. But even in the classical atmosphere of college, country music still spoke to him, when he would get homesick or blue, he would take refuge in a tape of country music he made from his folks’ records. After college Ike played in “nerdy pop” bands with Tom Livesay and “Country Giant” Jeff Clayton Brown. Eventually, jams sessions in Kansas City led him to team up with fiddler Betse Ellis and mandolin and slide guitar player Phil Wade. In 1996, they formed The Wilders along with bass player Nate Gawron.
Tips about inspiration from Casey Driessen
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Casey Driessen
Fiddler Casey Driessen started young. Encouraged by his father’s love of music, Casey held his first fiddle at the age of six. Suzuki lessons gave way to instruction and guidance from Darol Anger, Vassar Clements, Byron Berline and a host of others. Four years at the Berklee College of Music under the tutelage of Matt Glaser proved to the young musician what he already knew- that a professional music career was to be his path. Steve Earle took Driessen on his first road gig- with his venerable Bluegrass Dukes. Tim O’Brien took the young fiddle player on full-time shortly after he moved to Nashville. Since, Driessen has worked with Darrell Scott, Bela Fleck, Jim Lauderdale, Lee Ann Womack, Mark Schatz, and John Doyle. Most recently Driessen has completed an instructional video (showcasing his signature rhythmic “chop” style), toured China and Tibet on an embassy sponsored excursion, and recorded on the soundtrack for Walk the Line, the Johnny Cash movie. Currently, Casey is appearing with the Tim O’Brien Band, Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck & Ben Sollee, Darrell Scott, and Frank Vignola. On various occasions, you may find him touring and performing music from his Grammy Nominated debut record, 3D, with his own band, The Colorfools. Photo by Laura Crosta.
Tips about singing from Larry Stephenson
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Larry Stephenson
Singer and mandolin player, Larry Stephenson began his musical career while in his early teens when he and his father, Ed Stephenson formed Larry Stephenson & The New Grass in Larry’s hometown of King George, Virginia. He began performing professionally with Bill Harrell & The Virginians during January 1979, playing mandolin and singing high lead and tenor. In June 1983, he moved to a similar role as a member of The Bluegrass Cardinals, remaining until October 1988, when he organized The Larry Stephenson Band. Larry has been recording for the Pinecastle record label since 1989. In 1992, Larry moved to Nashville and made several guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. In 1996, Larry was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2001, 2004, 2005 & 2006 he won the “Contemporary Male Vocalist Award” at the SPBGMA Convention. In 2006 Larry released the album “Life Stories” with guest artists Missy Raines, Shad Cobb, Rob Ickes & Jimmy VanCleve. His most recent gospel album, “Thankful” was released on Pinecastle records this month.
Tips about playing and singing from Paul Brown
Windows Media Real Audio Podcast
About Paul Brown
Paul Brown is not only one of today’s most sought after old time banjo players, he is a fine fiddler and singer. Paul started playing banjo at age ten, and spent years learning music from some of the last fiddle, banjo, and guitar players to emerge before the age of radio and recordings. He plays primarily old time tunes from northwest North Carolina, and central and southwest Virginia. Some of the songs came from his mother, who learned them in the 1920s and 1930s from older musicians near Bedford, Virginia. He studied banjo intensively with the late Tommy Jarrell of North Carolina. He’s played with a long list of outstanding old time groups including, the Bent Mountain Band, Benton Flippen, and the Smokey Valley Boys. Paul has produced numerous acclaimed recordings of traditional musicians. Today he plays with Terri McMurray and John Schwab in the Mostly Mountain Boys, and with the Toast String Stretchers in North Carolina. He’s performed and presented at traditional music camps and festivals since the 1970s. His day job? Paul is a newscaster at NPR’s Washington, DC headquarters.
