I wasn’t able to attend the recent Ryman Auditorium show featuring the Sam Grisman Project with Peter Rowan and special guests, but I went to last year’s debut of this important acoustic and bluegrass collaboration, and it was spectacular. David Grisman’s son Sam has come into his own as a leader, as I documented last year on The String. So imagine our surprise when he dropped a mighty 20-song double album just before Christmas. Working with banjo player Victor Furtado, mandolinist Dominic Leslie, and singer Logan Ledger, among others, Grisman steers with a steady hand through a rich mix of American songs. The sound is easy and natural. It’s a major statement, so we launch this show with two tracks, with more to come. Also this week, new music from LA’s Kenny Feinstein, Arkansas traveler Melissa Carper, and Nashville’s George Jackson. That last one? It's a little weird and we love it. Also, we say a sad farewell to banjo master Gabe Hirshfeld, who passed away too young.
Gabe Hirshfeld - Clown Meat
Sam Grisman Project - Buckets Of Rain
Sam Grisman Project - Dark Hollow
Thunder and Rain - Georgia Gals
Melissa Carper and Theo Lawrence - Good Luck To Ya
George Jackson's Local Trio - Cumberland Gap
Foghorn Duo - My Horses Ain't Hungry
The Johnson Mountain Boys - I've Found A Hiding Place
Chicken Wire Empire - Anomie
Matt Brown and Greg Reish - Speed Of The Plow
Lonely Heartstring Band - Big Bruce
Laura Orshaw - The Band Of Jessie James
Peggy Seeger - I'm Gonna Be An Engineer
Kenny Feinstein - Her Name Is
Big Chimney Barn Dance - Swamp Cat Rag
The New Lost City Ramblers - Sales Tax On The Women
