Even the most utilitarian fiddle tune books carry on the stories of the musicians who played the tunes, the listeners and dancers who wanted to hear them more than once,… Read More →
Book Reviews
Rural Rhythm: The Story of Old-Time Country Music in 78 Records (by Tony Russell)
Tony Russell has documented and interpreted a range of American vernacular music traditions for over half a century. Readers of the Old-Time Herald will recognize him as a (or, in… Read More →
Appalachian Fiddle Music: Featuring 43 Fiddlers and 188 of Their Tunes (by Drew Beisswenger and Roy Andrade with Scott Prouty)
As the helpful introduction makes clear, this is no ordinary tune book. It’s likely to spend as much time near your reading chair or laptop as on your music stand.… Read More →
Speed Bumps on a Dirt Road: When Old Time Music Met Bluegrass, by John Cohen
“These beautiful and honest photographs take me back,” writes Alice Gerrard in her brief, heartfelt introduction to John Cohen’s Speed Bumps on a Dirt Road: When Old Time Music Met… Read More →
Tommy Thompson: New-Timey String Band Musician by Lewis M. Stern
Sam Shepard, playwright and actor and musician, either did or did not in sit in on drums with the Red Clay Ramblers. (Historian differ, as Alan Jabbour might have said.)… Read More →
Creoles of South Louisiana: Three Centuries Strong by Elista Istre
These days, most folks have a pretty good idea of what it means when people mention the Cajun culture of Lousiana. Cajun music can be thought of as the old-time… Read More →
