Following up news from 22 Jan.

The 64th weekly newsletter issued by Bluegrass Unlimited magazine (BU) includes a podcast interview with John Lawless of Bluegrass Today, who talks about his previous concern, Acutab Publications; about Bluegrass Today and how it began; and the weekly columns Sonny Osborne contributed to it for nearly two and a half years up to his death. This week's Spotify playlist is taken from albums from which breaks were transcribed for Acutab. Dan Miller gives further instruction on basic dobro backup playing, and a 1974 article from BU archives by Douglas B. Green is on Bobby Thompson (1937-2005), a pioneer of progressive melodic banjo-playing. The special series of articles on Bill Emerson takes an intermission this week, to allow interviews with Bill's most recent band, Sweet Dixie, to be completed.

Following up another post from last week, thanks to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings for sending the link to this two-minute video (below) showing the Po' Ramblin' Boys enjoying a photoshoot as part of the publicity for Never slow down, their eleven-track album for Smithsonian Folkways, due for release a month from now. The first single from the album, 'Blues are close at hand', forms the soundtrack.

© Richard Hawkins