One act came from Ottawa and other from Omaha but they both proved to be outstanding at this year’s International Blues Challenge finals, which took place February 1st in Memphis’ historic Orpheum Theatre.

Perhaps Béla Fleck's most daring experiment in musical communication was a 2006 trip to Africa. Curious to explore the African roots of the banjo, and eager to play with African musicians on their home turf, Fleck took recording equipment along, as well as a film crew directed by his brother, Sascha Paladino. The result was Throw Down Your Heart, an award-winning documentary of the trip, as well as two albums: 2009’s Throw Down Your Heart: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 – Africa Sessions, and Throw Down Your Heart, Africa Sessions Part 2, Unreleased Tracks, which was issued the following year.

The Light We Bring is the fifth studio album by the Colorado string band and their most organic offering to date. The choice to self-produce the album was an intentional effort by the band members to summon a camaraderie in the studio setting that echoes the band’s practices together on the road.

The Egg is the friendliest and one of the most architecturally unique venues in America. With the Albany, NY skyline as a back-drop, you drive from the Interstate exit ramp straight into the Empire State Plaza underground garage. I'm expecting stadium parking rates and I'm pleasantly surprised by the $5.00 parking fee. The underground garage is cavernous. I park next to the elevator bank, take three steps from the car and I am right up to the concourse level of the Egg.

Leslie Mendelson has announced her new studio album, 'If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…' will be released April 17 via Royal Potato Family. The first single and title track is released today (listen/share).

Twenty One Pilots, Marshmello, The Avett Brothers, Kane Brown, Melanie Martinez and Angels & Airwaves will headline the 2020 Bunbury Music Festival, announced today by PromoWest Productions. One of the country’s premier music festivals now celebrating its ninth year, Bunbury will return to downtown Cincinnati’s Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove, transforming the banks of the Ohio River into a vibrant three-day festival experience June 5-7, 2020. Bunbury has received critical acclaim from Billboard, USA Today, Pollstar and Yahoo!

Forget fusion, forget jamband; forget jazz, rock or funk, downtown or alternative; KCL lights it up - then leaves it on the playground for high-wire improvisation of the most shocking, grooving, dangerous, spontaneously composed kind.

Chris Stapleton’s “All-American Road Show” will return this summer and fall with an extensive new run of shows including stops at Washington State’s Gorge Amphitheatre on June 20, Atlanta’s Truist Park on July 18, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on October 2 and New York’s Madison Square Garden on October 10. Additionally, on August 29, Stapleton will make his headline debut at Chicago’s famed Wrigley Field with special guests The Highwomen, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and The Dirty Knobs with Mike Campbell.

Capturing the essence of The Revivalists at this exciting time in their 10-year journey, the documentary gives the deepest insight yet into what makes the band tick against the backdrop of Muscle Shoals, a location steeped in the many classic styles of American music that informs the New Orleans - based band's signature sound.