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Back when I was falling in love with bluegrass music, part of the allure was its rich tradition of instrumentals, where the virtuosic musicianship of the players could really shine. I can only assume that Bill Monroe revered the tradition of old-time fiddling so much that he made room for soloists in his seminal Blue Grass Boys and the rest is history. This week we got a new single from banjo pace-setter Alison Brown dueting with the great Steve Martin, a teaser from her upcoming May 5 album On Banjo. And we built a set around that of new instrumental tracks from guitarist Alex Graf, mandolinist Ethan Setiawan and fiddler Michael Cleveland. Also this week, the first single from Tim O’Brien’s upcoming album Cup of Sugar, due June 16. Classic grass is here too from the Lost And Found and the legendary duo album of Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice.

Featuring Them Vibes, Mike Farris & Kevin Kinney

Dom Flemons made history founding the Carolina Chocolate Drops, an old-time band that changed the face of roots music in the 21st century. Through found songs and tunes learned at the feet of old masters, they won a Grammy Award, played the Grand Ole Opry, and opened up new lanes for Black musicians finding their voice in folk. Since parting ways in 2013, Flemons has been a lynchpin of the folk music scene, an “American songster” who plays a wide range of instruments and who puts on magnetic solo shows. His 2018 concept album Black Cowboys dug up more potent history and earned a Grammy nomination. For his first album since then, he goes inward and leans into his life of songwriting for the first time, resulting in the vivacious and eclectic Traveling Wildfire.

Featuring Eli Paperboy Reed, Rissi Palmer & Ben de la Cour

Featuring Tania Elizabeth, Johnson Jay & Yonder Grove

Layng Martine Jr. earned a slot in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame with numerous hits for a range of artists that included Reba McEntire, The Pointer Sisters, and Elvis himself. He thought he was retired, but when his son Tucker, one of the most respected producers and recording engineers in indie music, gave his father the studio time and resources to make his first real album as an artist as he approached 80 years old, a series of sessions in Portland, OR became Music Man. It's a joyful, sunny collection that sounds like nothing else in roots music, and Layng turns out to be a sunny and charming fellow himself. We talk about arriving in Nashville in the 70s, writing Elvis's last hit, and the renewing thrill of cutting songs he'd written between 1964 and the 2000s.

Canada’s coolest couple - more than 12 years into their joint venture called Whitehorse - went on a creative tear, releasing three albums in two years, all of which came with a portfolio of daring and whimsical graphic design, photography and video. The albums flow, from the zesty indie-rock leaning Modern Love in March 2021 to the psychedelic pop wonder whirl of Strike Me Down, which arrived six months later. Then in January of this year came I’m Not Crying You’re Crying, their most overtly country album yet.

Featuring Kevin Daniel, Mike Younger & Rodney Rice

This week Amy and I talk about the once-in-a-career moment when an artist releases their first single to radio in their chosen genre or format, because we’ve got no less than three such cuts to share. Dalton Harper came up with his family’s band in Missouri and then played with Cedar Hill. Caroline Owens of Denton, NC has a voice that recalls the early songs of Alison Krauss. And while Billy Gilman isn’t new to the music biz having had hits and a Grammy nomination for his country music before he was a teen. But he says he’s turning full time to bluegrass now at age 34 and his first gesture is here, the song “Rollercoaster.” Also, our set of old-time and traditional music from out West features the Stillhouse Junkies (Durango, CO), the Foghorn String Band (Oregon), Natalie Padilla (Montana), Ben Winship (Idaho) and David Braggar.

Some major bluegrass veterans are making moves this year. Members of Punch Brothers, Watchhouse, Leftover Salmon and the Billy Strings band have come together for a one-off supergroup project called Mighty Poplar. We’ve got their first single this week (plus older music from the various members), and boy are you going to love this full album when it drops on March 31. And we start the music this week with the first single from Missy Raines in anticipation of the album Highlander coming in the fall. Known for years as the leader of The New Hip, playing progressive string music, now the band is named Allegheny with a hard core bluegrass mission. Watch for both bands at festivals all over the country this year. Also this week, Bill and the Belles, Chatham Rabbits and the Price Sisters.