... and yet more

Mandolinist Nate Burie is leaving the Special Consensus after two years. The pandemic deprived us of the chance of seeing the band live with Nate in, but he took part in the award-winning recording 'Chicago Barn Dance'. In John Lawless's feature on Bluegrass Today yesterday, Greg Cahill sends Nate a warm goodbye and welcomes the new member, Michael Prewitt, originally from Kentucky. Till Michael can join the band, Special C. veteran Rick Faris will be filling in on mandolin.

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Steve Kaufman, three-time National Champion flatpicker at the Winfield, KS, festival, and one of the most experienced guitar teachers in the world, has opened registration for his next series of live all-level instruction classes, which begin on 27 Oct. Steve's system of Acoustic Kamps include two Flatpicking Kamps, Fingerpicking Kamp, Old Time Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Old Time Fiddle, Bluegrass Fiddle, Bass Kamps, Songwriting Kamp, Vocals Kamp, Mountain Dulcimer Kamp, Hammered Dulcimer, Celtic Guitar, Bluegrass and Old Time Rhythm Guitar, Resophonic Guitar and Mandolin Kamp. Full details are on his website.

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Bluegrass Unlimited magazine includes in its fiftieth online newsletter a playlist of recordings by bluegrass bands from outside the USA. The last three on the list are We Banjo 3, Cup O' Joe, and Midnight Skyracer, the UK band of which Tabitha Benedict is a member.

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Chris Wadsworth (executive director of the non-profit FreshGrass Foundation, which publishes No Depression roots music magazine and supports the Steve Martin Banjo Prize), reports that after one week the Foundation is a third of the way towards the target of $20,000 for its fundraising campaign, which ends on Thanksgiving (25 Nov.) this year. You can support the campaign either by a subscription to No Depression or by a donation to the Foundation.

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The Deering Banjo Company announce that the featured artist on Deering Live tonight (Thursday 21 Oct.) is multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and composer Bennett Sullivan of North Carolina. John Lawless of Bluegrass Today writes: 'Especially noteworthy is the originality of Bennett’s compositions. They hew closely enough to recognizable stylistic patterns to be comfortable for anyone who enjoys banjo music, with plenty of quirks and twists for those who listen in more detail.' The interview, at 11.00 p.m. Irish time, can be viewed on Deering Live and YouTube.

© Richard Hawkins