“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” – John Burroughs As artist paint a scene on canvas, so too do musicians create images, evoke feelings, and remind us of scenes we have witnessed or enjoy imagining. In many ways the music we listen to reminds … Continue reading Listen to Your Mother
Mixtape – Bluegrass: Transcending Genre & Race, Uniting in Place
Introduction Appalachia has been known for the larger part of history as a primarily white Anglo-saxon population. The truth of the matter is that Appalachian culture and heritage happens to be as rich as the soil that sprouts its tobacco and as diverse as its mountainous terrain. That being said, bluegrass is largely claimed as … Continue reading Mixtape – Bluegrass: Transcending Genre & Race, Uniting in Place
Track Three: How Shared Space Makes Great Music Possible
The following is the third of nine tracks on an annotated mix-tape exploring the Bluegrass Scene of my home, San Diego County. Click the link and read along. “Shady Grove” -The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers (1963) Of the many talented and successful San Diego bluegrass musicians to arise, Chris Hillman stands as one of the … Continue reading Track Three: How Shared Space Makes Great Music Possible →
Track Two: Radio and Migration
The following is the second of nine tracks on an annotated mix-tape exploring the Bluegrass Scene of my home, San Diego County. Click the link and read along. “Just When I Needed You” -Maddox Brothers and Rose (Late 1940’s) This recording, made just across the border at XERB radio station in Rosarito Beach, Baja, marks an … Continue reading Track Two: Radio and Migration →
Event: Amber Collins and Branch House Pavilion
On Saturday, April 25, 2015, bluegrass trio Amber Collins and Branch House Pavilion performed at the Floyd Country Store, one of the major venues on the Crooked Road. I was familiar with the group because the guitarist, Scott Patrick, spoke to our class the month before, but had never been to the famous venue. […]
Event: Rising Appalachia
On Thursday, April 23, 2015, sister-duo Rising Appalachia performed at Radford University. I purposefully didn’t listen to their music before the show, so I would be surprised by whatever I heard when the concert started. Oddly enough, the music was the least surprising part of the whole experience. Chloe and Leah Smith performed songs […]
Event: T-Pain vs. Old Crow Medicine Show
On Wednesday, April 22, 2015, Florida hip-hop artist and rapper T-Pain came to Burruss Hall to perform seventy-minutes of his greatest hits. The event almost filled the 3,000-seat Burruss, which spoke to T-Pain’s relevance despite his not releasing an album since 2011. He was the fifth rapper to come to Virginia Tech this school […]