Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Jim VanCleve

This week we feature fiddler Kenny Kosek.  Kenny has played for many great bands over the years, including Country Cooking and Breakfast Special back in the early 1970s, and also has produced instructional books and videos that are popular amongst bluegrass fiddlers.  He now has a new album out titled Twisted Sage.  We’ll talk about the new album and also play a cut off of the record.

This week we feature banjo player Gena Britt.  We speak with Gena about her many years in bluegrass music.  We talk about how she got started, the many bands that she has performed with over the years and her current job with Sister Sadie.

This week we feature fiddler Steve Thomas and talk with him about his years playing bluegrass with legends such as Jim & Jesse, The Osborne Brothers and The Whites, plus his work with a number of country music stars.  We will also talk about his current job with the new all-star bluegrass band Southern Legacy and his own band Steve Thomas & The Time Machine.

This week we feature singer, songwriter and guitar picker Rebecca Frazier and talk with her about her new album on Compass Records called Boarding Windows in Paradise.   First we’ll talk with Rebecca about her bluegrass and flatpicking guitar journey and then we’ll talk about the recording and hear several cuts from the album.

This week we feature legendary Dobro player Jerry Douglas.  Jerry not only was recently inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, but his band has a new album out titled The Set.  We talk with Jerry about his career in bluegrass, the Hall of Fame induction and the new recording.

This week we feature banjo player Chris Warner.  We talk with Chris about the two periods of time that he spent with Jimmy Martin and also discuss his performing with Del McCoury, Tom Adams, Audie Blaylock and others.  We also talk about Chris’ time as a music store owner and instrument repairman.

This week we feature 93-year-old bluegrass, folk and country music legend Bill Clifton.  Bill has had an amazing career in bluegrass music both in the United States and Europe.  We talk with Bill about his career in bluegrass and also about his friendships with such music legends as A.P. Carter and Woody Guthrie.  This one runs longer than most of our podcasts, but with Bill having such a long career, we went ahead and let this one run long.

This week we feature Del McCoury’s brother, bass and guitar player Jerry McCoury.  In addition to spending time performing and recording with Del, Jerry has played music with a impressive list of other bluegrass greats—including Red Allen and Reno & Smiley.   We talk with Jerry about his time performing with those bands and more.

This week we feature mandolin master Ronnie McCoury and talk with him about his many years playing with his father Del and his work with The Travelin’ McCourys. We’ll also talk about his mandolin heroes, his many IBMA awards, and the latest Del McCoury Band project.

This week we feature Dan Tyminski  and talk to him about his new live album and the Dan Tyminski Band.  We will also talk to Dan about how he got started in bluegrass and his years with the Lonesome River Band and Alison Krauss and Union Station.  You will also hear several cuts from the new record.