The university has acquired Alton’s typewriter and original autobiography manuscript on loan from the Country Music Hall of Fame. The exhibit will also feature the brothers’ awards, photographs, records, and other memorabilia from Athens State’s Delmore Brothers Collection. Much of the memorabilia comes from a 2008 collection donated by Alton’s daughter, Debby Delmore, and it is usually on display in the university’s Delmore Brothers Museum. According to museum curator Lisa Hoffman, “This will be the first time the collection has moved from its original home in McCandless Hall since 2008, and is being curated in a fresh and exciting way.”

The Delmore Brothers grew up in Limestone County, Alabama, and made their public debut as a musical duo at the Athens Fiddlers Convention in 1926. They are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and their song, Blues Stay Away From Me, is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. The new exhibit will coincide with the annual Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention, held each year at Athens State during the first week of October.

Truth is Stranger Than Publicity – Delmore Brothers 100th Anniversary will be open to the public on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Extended hours will be available during the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Museum Curator, Lisa Hoffman at 256-233-8184 or lisa.hoffman@athens.edu.

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In fact, the family band was launched in response to Jeremiah’s enthusiasm for the music. The Penny Family is led by dad, Brent, on guitar, and Mom, Sonia, on bass, with 15-year-old Leah on fiddle, and 10-year-old Silas on mandolin. They perform regularly at churches and revivals throughout North Carolina and surrounding states, basically learning how to be a band as they went.

With a lot of hard work and trial-and-error education, they have recently released their first album, self-titled, with a debut single offered for everyone to hear. It’s Master of the Wind, written by Joel Hemphill, which will be familiar to folks who follow gospel music.

It shows what determination, discipline, and family loyalty can do, and Jeremiah sounds great on lead guitar. The sound is straightforward bluegrass gospel, with no frills.

Check it out.

Master of the Wind, and the full The Penny Family album, are available now from popular download and streaming services online, and on audio CD wherever they perform live. Radio programmers will find the tracks at AirPlay Direct.

The post Master of the Wind from The Penny Family appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Robyn Wines always has surprises for the Nothin’ Fancy festival crowd. This time the festival was opened by Navy veteran, Phil French, presenting the National Anthem on saxophone. It was stirring!

Sherry Boyd keeps everyone in line as MC.

Blue Ridge Thunder is a Virginia band that has become a staple at this festival with their high energy, top shelf show.

The Grascals are a hit wherever they play. This show was no exception. Interesting fact – the hat Jamie Harper wears once belonged to Charlie Monroe.

Authentic Unlimited put on an excellent show. Jerry Cole did not do any lead singing as he was not feeling up to par. He was able to sing some harmony. The band forged on! Feel better soon, Jerry.

Rhonda Vincent provided another top-notch show. Aaron McDaris is in Missouri hosting the Starvy Creek Festival, so Ron Stewart filled in on banjo.

Nothin’ Fancy then played an evening set. Autumn and Jacob Flick introduced Jacob Jr. to the crowd. There were a lot of “Aws” from the audience. Rhonda brought Jenkins a bigger rubber chicken for his bass to the delight of the crowd.

Nothin’ Fancy joined Rhonda in wishing Mickey Harris happy birthday. Mickey was presented a tiny rubber chicken for his bass.

Jamie Johnson also joined Rhonda for a duet.

Chris Sexton brought his cello to round out Rhonda’s string section as the band played 9 to 5 in honor of Dolly Parton.

There are two more big days of music at Glen Maury Park!

Support your local music venues.

The post Friday at Nothin’ Fancy Fest ’26 appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Hazel’s dedication to her craft had a lasting impact on the bluegrass community.

Sam Bush shared on social media:

“We, the original New Grass Revival, began our journey in 1971. Shortly after, so did the relationship between our banjo player, Courtney Johnson, and Hazel Dalgleish. They were inseparable until Courtney’s passing in 1996.  

Hazel had a background of playing and working on instruments and so we, NGR, put her to work as string changer and stage tech from 1972 until the departure of Courtney and Curtis Burch from the band in 1981.

Having little money and no string endorsements in those early days, we would boil used strings to re-use them until they broke; and all did—usually on stage during shows—and Hazel, sitting on stage behind us, would quickly change them as fast and accurately as she could. It was Hazel who claimed the record, being 23 broken strings on a three set night.

Hazel shared in the band’s good, bad, and hard times, as well as our own unique, distinctive and atypical situations and experiences as early New Grass Revival charted our course through the ’70s. Hazel was a large part of my early life and what a time we all had!

Peace to Hazel Dalgleish Johnson, now reunited with Courtney and no doubt Dancin’ with the Angels.

Love, Sam.”

Founding NGR guitar and dobro player, Curtis Burch, elaborated on her work with the band and shared a humorous tale.

“Hazel Johnson was our string changer. She had a small case that had spare strings for acoustic guitar, five-string banjo, mandolin, fiddle, Telecaster, Fender solid-body electric mandolin, National slide mandolin, and maybe some Dobro strings. All organized by name and gauges. She had an assortment of tools, wire cutters, string winder, needle nose pliers, files, spare ball ends, string pins. 

She could replace a broken string in seconds. Most everyone knew about this job that she was so dedicated to. But this is a story that many do not know and I might have been the only person to have witnessed it.

We were to perform on a stage that was on the banks of a lake, maybe in Tennessee, not sure. Hazel and I were at the very rear of this huge stage at the water’s edge. It was starting to get a little dark and sconce light was on the wall near her. Hazel got a guitar string and bent a hook shape at the end with her pliers. Then she caught a bug that was flying around the sconce light and hooked it on the guitar string hook. She leaned over the rail and dipped the string with the bait into the water and immediately caught a small fish and pulled it out of the water!

If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed how she caught it even though she had the fish to prove it! There are so many great stories during those years and I cherish them all!

Thank you, Hazel. for your contribution to those memorable times!”

John Cowan posted:

“Our dear friend and New Grass companion, Hazel Johnson, passed away. If you saw NGR between 1974 and 1980, you saw Hazel, sitting right behind Courtney and Sam. She sat on a chair with a small suitcase on her lap. Her job? Making sure that when Sam, Curtis, or Courtney broke a string, she’d hustle to grab them a spare and then change their broken string as fast as humanly possible.

I, to this day, don’t know why we broke so many strings. Perhaps we were playing so fast and furious. Fortunately for me and Hazel, I only ever broke a couple of bass strings in all those years, and there damn sure wasn’t a spare bass to use.

Hazel was an amazing woman. She came from Africa, where her father was a topographer and photographer for National Geographic, and her mother was a horse trainer. Those of us who got to know Hazel over the years knew that she was just as passionate about animals and their care as she was about bluegrass music.

When I joined the New Grass Revival in 1974, I moved in with Courtney and Hazel into their little house in Hiseville, Kentucky. Hazel, having been raised in Africa, had an English accent, and when she’d open her mouth to speak, people were always surprised and perplexed. Hazel, a mandolin player herself, knew a boatload about folk music and bluegrass music, and she loved them equally. She especially loved Norman Blake, and I can remember toking up and sitting in their living room, listening to Fields of November, Whiskey Before Breakfast, and Home in Sulphur Springs.

I also had the distinct pleasure of riding with Courtney and Hazel in their station wagon. Courtney and Hazel would be in the front seat, smoking cigarettes nonstop and drinking either black coffee with chicory or ice-cold Pepsi from a cooler that sat right between them. I was the joint roller in the backseat, and I was pretty good at it, too.

Those were truly heady days for all of us. Riding all over America, sleeping on kind people’s floors, staying at cheap motels, and making an audience one night at a time. We had a singular purpose that no one could talk us out of, and to reflect upon this now makes me grateful, proud, and sad.

Even though, in remembrance, it seems we were all of the hippie persuasion, we didn’t go around telling each other how much we loved each other at the time. But we did, and that’s so clear to me now. Thank you, Hazel.

All my love, Johnny C. (Jell’s).”

Butch Robins also posted:

“Hazel Dalgliesh Johnson has ended her earthly journey. She was a lovely gal, and I have many fond memories of her while I was a member of the New Grass Revival touring the country in 1974. Memories of both she and Courtney will always bring a smile to my heart.”

This writer recalled when I wrote Courtney a letter in 1996 after I learned of his illness. I shared how much his intricate and unique style of picking influenced me to take up the banjo. Sadly, the letter arrived after he died, but Hazel took the time to reply. She sent me a lovely handwritten letter stating that he had passed, but how comforting my words were for her. It had a life lasting effect on me.

R.I.P., Hazel Johnson

The post Hazel Johnson passes appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

All of the semi-final voting has been online, where visitors to the festival web site were urged to pick among the more than a dozen artists and bands vying for the top spot. Now that it’s down to two, online voting for the winners is open from now until September 22 for you to choose your favorite.

The two remaining finalists are both family bands, Dear Maribella & the Pigkickers, the Trakimowicz family from Wilmington, NC, and The Rice Sisters & Appalachian Skyline, from Madison County in western North Carolina.

Let’s see the videos they had shared in the competition.

First, Love Don’t Wait from the Rice Sisters.

Followed by Sleeping in Seattle from Dear Maribella.

Anyone is welcome to vote, though the festival especially would love to have ticket holders and likely attendees to vote in choosing who they will see on stage next month.

To cast your vote, simply visit the Blue Highway Fest Rising Stars Challenge web site, and follow the instructions on screen.

Best of luck to them both!

The post Blue Highway Fest Rising Stars Challenge announces finalists appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

It’s one written by David Stewart called This Ol’ Place Is Home To Me, a straight-up grasser about the comforts of home and family, and memories of growing up in a less complicated situation.

Robert Sulfridge, guitarist with the band, says that all the guys connected with the story right away.

“This song took us back to a simpler time of our childhood when we were running around in the hollers of Kentucky playing with our cousins. Our doors were always unlocked and we always had the yard full of good dogs. Our homes were old and passed down through several generations, but they were still strong and felt safe.

Musically, it reminded us of a Terry Baucom and Wyatt Rice song. So we were very grateful to take this to the studio and put our spin on it. As usual, Steve Wilson pulled the best out of us on this track!!

We hope you all enjoy it as much as we do.”

The song caught the attention of veteran actor Robert Taylor, known for his recurring role in the Longmire series, a friend of songwriter David Stewart, and he shared this video in support. (Click to view)

Along with Sulfridge on the track, we hear bandmates Ben Parker on banjo and lead vocal, Carlie Parker on mandolin and harmony vocal, and Daniel Parker on bass.

Check it out.

This Ol’ Place Is Home To Me, and the full Skin and Bone album, are available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get all the tracks at AirPlay Direct.

The post This Ol’ Place Is Home To Me from Tidalwave Road appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

For 23 years, Darrel and his wife, Phyllis, put on the popular Musicians Against Childhood Cancer festival in Ohio as a benefit for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Performers would agree to appear for a reduced fee in order to help the Adkinses raise funds in memory of their beloved daughter Mandy, who died in 2000 from a brain stem tumor, just shy of her 21st birthday.

Mandy had been treated at St. Judes, and the family was so taken by the kindness and professionalism of the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital, that they determined to do their part to help keep the facility going in its mission to provide the very best care to sick children, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

Since 1984, Darrel and Phyllis had operated The Bluegrass Classic festival at Frontier Ranch in Pataskala, OH, just east of Columbus, moving it to the Hoover Y Park in Lockbourne, OH just two years earlier. So they took their many years of experience and switched from The Bluegrass Classic to the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer festival, starting in 2001 in the same location.

Over the years they raised and donated more than $1 million to St. Judes, while also managing one of the finest music events on the bluegrass summer calendar. Bands, music lovers, and vendors all loved being part of “The MACC,” as it was called. Noted for its orderliness, cleanliness, professionalism, and quality audio reinforcement, people travelled from all over the US and Canada to attend year after year.

Perhaps part of the reason the Adkins’ festivals were so artist-friendly was the fact that Darrel was a picker as well as a promoter. A self-taught banjo player, he performed in the upper midwest with his band as Darrel Adkins & Silver Wind. They released a record, Standing On A Bridge, with Old Homestead Records in 1990.

In 2012 Rural Rhythm Records released a two-CD album of music recorded at the MACC, along with one song, Life Goes On, written by Dale Pyatt and Steve Thomas, recorded in the studio by Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, Carl Jackson, Rickey Wasson, Randy Kohrs, and Ronnie Bowman as the title cut. Like the festival itself, all proceeds from album sales went to St. Jude.

The Cardinal Center Campground in Marengo became home for The MACC in 2019. For the first time they had sufficient power for campers and RVs, plus quality water and sewer facilities, and gravel sites and roads in the campground.

A special component to most MACC festivals was the unique reunions and band configurations put together just for the MACC stage. Darrel even convinced the great Earl Scruggs to come and play one year, where he found a tremendously supportive and enthusiastic audience.

The 2022 festival was the final hurrah for Musicians Against Childhood Cancer. The Adkinses said at the time that there were several factors leading to their decision to call it quits, but largely it was new management at the campground and a change in how they host outside events.

In Darrel, bluegrass music had an indefatigable champion, and someone who counted nearly all of the music’s top entertainers among his friends. Following his death, the entire community is in mourning.

Funeral arrangements are being made today, and we will update with those as soon as we have them.

R.I.P., Darrel Adkins.

The post Darrel Adkins passes appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

The following is a list of recipients along with the biographies supplied by the Foundation.

AnnMari Trakimowicz – Planning Stages Scholarship

AnnMari Trakimowicz, a senior at UNC Wilmington, is the first recipient of the Planning Stages Scholarship. A veteran guitarist, singer, and bandleader from a young age, AnnMari recently established the Listening Barn at Poplar Grove to bring live bluegrass performance, jamming, and old-time dance instruction to the Wilmington area. “I have always loved sharing music with others,” AnnMari said, “and my goal is to curate authentic bluegrass experiences for our community through performance and live hosting.”

Gabriel Mark – Mike Auldridge Memorial Scholarship

The Mike Auldridge Memorial Scholarship will go to Gabriel Mark, a guitarist and student in the Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music program at East Tennessee State University. Mentored by Darin Aldridge, Gabriel brings over a decade of playing experience to ETSU, including performances at the Galax Fiddlers Convention and on tour opening for The Travelin’ McCourys. “At ETSU, I hope to strengthen my skills as a guitarist, collaborate with talented students, and expand my understanding of songwriting and performance,” Gabriel said. He plans to pursue a full-time career as a professional bluegrass performer upon graduation.

Gilbert Gwassa – J.D. Crowe Banjo Scholarship 

The J.D. Crowe Banjo Scholarship will go to Gilbert Gwassa, an audio production, banjo, and dobro student at East Tennessee State University. Driven by a passion for live sound engineering and acoustic performance, Gilbert is working to master both technical booth production and high-level instrumental performance. “I aim to meld my passion and my livelihood into one,” Gilbert said. “My goal is to establish myself as a sound engineer while continuing to participate musically and contribute to this great tradition.”

Robert Myers – IBMA Bluegrass College Scholarship

Robert Myers will receive the 2026 IBMA Bluegrass College Scholarship to support his studies at Morehead State University, where he is currently a senior. A dedicated performing musician, songwriter, and arranger, Robert plays upright bass for the band Barkley Cove. In addition to original songwriting and session recording, he is expanding his expertise in studio production, live sound engineering, and song arrangement to prepare for a multi-faceted career in the bluegrass music industry.

Quinn Eastburn – Gloria Belle Memorial Scholarship

Quinn Eastburn will receive the 2026 Gloria Belle Memorial Scholarship, established by bluegrass artist and former IBMA Foundation board member Becky Buller. Attending Berklee College of Music to major in Music Production and Engineering with a minor in Live Sound, Quinn combines a lifelong background in bluegrass performance with a passion for the technical side of the industry. Raised watching a home producer parent, Quinn’s goal is to work as a recording, mix, and live sound engineer for bluegrass artists, and eventually run a bluegrass-focused recording studio, while continuing to teach and perform.

Sophia Sparks – Sally Ann Forrester Scholarship

Sophia Sparks is the 2026 recipient of the Sally Ann Forrester Scholarship, awarded to women pursuing degrees in bluegrass music. Now attending Berklee College of Music, Sophia grew up immersed in the genre through her parents’ love of bluegrass and festival production. A pivotal moment came in 2017 when Sierra Hull invited nine-year-old Sophia onto the DelFest main stage – an experience that cemented her dedication to performing. At Berklee, Sophia is refining her instrumental technique, deepening her knowledge of music theory, and preparing for a versatile career in the music industry.

Audrey Marie Neel – Rick Lang Songwriter Scholarship

The Rick Lang Songwriter Scholarship will go to Audrey Marie Neel, a senior at East Tennessee State University pursuing a double major in Bluegrass, Old-Time, & Roots Music and Business Management. In addition to songwriting under the guidance of ETSU Artist in Residence Tim Stafford, Audrey plays fiddle and guitar and is a vocalist. Having played music since early childhood and opened for Rhonda Vincent at age seven, Audrey’s passion for the genre led her directly to ETSU. “I see a natural connection between my musical roots and my business training,” Audrey said, “and I intend to use both to support my artistic goals and future career.” She is currently a member of The Becky Buller Band and The Wilder Flower. Audrey plans to graduate in December 2027 from ETSU.

Alarie Pflieger – Katy Daley Broadcast Media & Sound Engineering Scholarship

Alarie Pflieger is the 2026 recipient of the Katy Daley Broadcast Media & Sound Engineering Scholarship. Studying Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music at East Tennessee State University, Alarie is combining technical musical training with industry studies to launch her professional career. “The program at ETSU will help me achieve my goal by teaching me the more technical aspects of bluegrass music while providing valuable performance experience,” Alarie said. Aiming for academic excellence alongside professional development, Alarie is preparing for a career as a professional musician and industry practitioner dedicated to preserving and growing the genre.

The IBMA Foundation has also announced Sofía Chiarandini as the recipient of the 2026 Neil Rosenberg Bluegrass Scholar Award, given to honor an academic scholar for an outstanding paper accepted by a juried academic conference on an aspect of bluegrass music. She was selected for her research examining bluegrass, American folk music, performance, humor, and musical communities. 

She earned a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music in 2020 and a Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology from Tufts University in 2026, where she completed her master’s thesis, The Wildness of New York Bluegrass of the 1970s.

Sofia receives a $1,000 honorarium, along with admission to the upcoming International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Business Conference, and a ticket to the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards.

Congratulations and well done all!

To learn more about the valuable work of the IBMA Foundation, and how you might be able to help, visit them online.

The post IBMA Foundation announces 2026 college scholarship recipients appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Connell, of course, was a part of two of the area’s most celebrated bluegrass groups, The Johnson Mountain Boys and The Seldom Scene, both members of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. He was a founding member of JMB, with his distinctive voice and powerful rhythm guitar serving as an identifying marker of their retro sound.

A native of Rockville, MD, Dudley grew up in a home full of bluegrass music, at a time when the greater Washington, DC metro market was the nation’s hotbed of bluegrass. The Country Gentlemen were in their peak period, as were The Stoneman Family, Buzz Busby, Cliff Waldron, and Bill Harrell. Connell’s youth also coincided with the formation of the original Seldom Scene, with whom he would eventually join to tour and record.

Along the way we also heard his music with Longview, Seneca Rocks, the Stony Point Quartet, and in a duo with Don Rigsby.

Johnson Mountain Boys were founded in 1975, along with Richard Underwood on banjo, David McLaughlin on mandolin, Eddie Stubbs on fiddle, and Gary B Reid on bass. They were the darlings of the traditional bluegrass world for the next 13 years until the band dissolved in 1988 after a total of 10 critically-acclaimed albums.

In 1995 he accepted the guitar and lead vocal position with Seldom Scene, where he remained for the next three decades.

Now retired, but still kicking, Dudley will be recognized on October 10 at the Lucketts Bluegrass opening concert, with Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass performing following the ceremony. Tickets can be purchased now online.

Many congratulations to Dudley Connell, a most deserving recipient of the DCBU’s highest award!

The post Dudley Connell to receive 2026 Washington Monument Award appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

The Nothin’ Fancy Bluegrass Festival is more than three days of music. It is a week of camaraderie, and Wednesday is corn hole tournament and potluck day.

The festival is celebrating its 24^th year at Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista, VA.

Jay Andrews was busy finishing setting up the sound system. He was also demo-ing a mobile sound system. It is a self-contained electric cart with a monster sound system built on. Caleb Cox took it for a spin through the campground.

The crowd gathered for the potluck and a set of music from host band Nothin’ Fancy. The band played all of the songs from their new album, Grass on the Barrelhead. Nothin’ Fancy will also appear Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Thursday features Blue Ridge Thunder, The Grascals, Authentic Unlimited, and Rhonda Vincent.

Friday brings Dave Adkins, Fast Track, Chosen Road, and Pitney Meyer to the Glen Maury Park stage.

Saturday features Amanda Cook, Larry Stephenson, Southern Legacy, and The Malpass Brothers, with Nothin’ Fancy closing out the weekend.

Support your local music venues.

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