Quotes of the month

According to Jack [Burlison, of the Missouri band Bluegrass Brigade, who visited Ireland in 2000] the bluegrass bands in Ireland use less banjo and more drums, but the rhythms are the same. 'Bluegrass was founded in America, but the roots are definitely Celtic', he says.

From Alison Campbell's article 'The tradition of Kansas City bluegrass' in the November 2008 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited. OK, own up: who's been using drums?

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When I play it [Tony Rice's legendary Martin guitar], it sounds like two dogs fighting. When Tony plays it, it sounds like a million dollars... It's probably one of the hardest guitars I've ever played... What I mean is, the action and everything is stellar. It's a great playing guitar. But for me to play it, it was almost like chopping wood. I couldn't get anything to work for me.

Jim Hurst, quoted in 'Another great musician born out of the Great Migration', an article by Derek Halsey in the same issue of BU