Originally written for FolkAlley.com Q: How many banjo pickers does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: 100. One to screw the lightbulb in, and 99 to complain it's electric. Everyone knows a good banjo joke. There's a reason for that. The banjo can be a pain in the neck. It's hard to keep... Continue Reading →

Originally written for No Depression "I don't really have any clout in the industry," says Amy Ray, with zero irony or self-deprecation. She's just being honest, and maybe she's right. Who has any clout in the industry anymore? Still, that's a funny thing for me - an admitted fan - to swallow. After all, for 25... Continue Reading →

Originally written for FolkAlley.com Nashville, you know, is a music town. We've heard for decades from artists who have poured out of its ranks, from fancy publishing houses and expensive recording studios. Artists who have been marketed to our demographic as directly and with as much precision as if they were pair of clothes or... Continue Reading →