The latest BU and BBN

The Sept. 2022 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine includes a five-page feature on Tom Mindte, leader of the Patuxent Partners (last here in 2015) and owner of Patuxent Records; and three pages on Canadian mandolinist Andrew Collins, who toured here with the Foggy Hogtown Boys in 2009. The rest of the issue is full of equally good stuff, including an inspiring story by Chuck Dunlop (with cartoon strips by Jim Scancarelli) of how his 1947 Martin D-18 was stolen in 1972, was recovered forty-nine years later in 2021, and (after restoration) continues to delight its owner.

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The cover story of the summer 2022 issue of British Bluegrass News (magazine of the British Bluegrass Music Association (BBMA)) is Matt Hutchinson's interview with London's The Vanguards (above), who were headliners at the 2017 Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, provided the music for the festival's launch party in 2019, and followed that with five other shows in Ireland. Their first studio album, South of the river, is reviewed in this issue by Hilary Gowen. Among other features are an interview with luthier Phil Davidson, a report on the Battlefield Bluegrass Festival (July), another on a band's trip to this year's EWOB Festival in the Netherlands, and an introduction to sources on old-time music.

The BIB, however, specially recommends 'The joy of singing - at last!', a brief article by Eris Kwiatkowski, who had written himself off as 'unable to sing' until a qualified singing teacher showed him correct breathing and voice production. Eric writes: 'Don't assume you can't sing, and don't listen to anyone who says you can't.' This advice is genuinely capable of changing one's life.

© Richard Hawkins