DAVENPORT, IOWA – The Quad Cities Roots Festival announced today that it has hired its first-ever Director of Diversity, 55-year-old Karen Van der Sloot. “I’m absolutely over the moon,” Van der Sloot said, stirring a pot of her famous chili in her suburban kitchen. “Diversity needs a facelift. Because every face is beautiful, especially when…

This year, a new event will debut at the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina. Presented by IBMA and The Banjo Gathering, Roots Revival: Black Stringband Symposium will explore Black contributions to bluegrass and traditional music over two days of the week-long event with six especially programmed sessions. On Thursday, September 26, conference-goers,…

The team behind BGS and Good Country are thrilled to announce a brand new variety show, The Good Country Goodtime. Showcasing an expertly-curated monthly lineup of country and roots music, songwriting, comedy, and a rotating cast of star hosts grounded by an all-star house band, the premiere event will be held at Dynasty Typewriter in…

TULSA, OK – Generative AI company Altosphere released an album of "new" Woody Guthrie music, courtesy of their first artificially generated resurrection of the famous folk musician, who died in 1967. "Artists like Woody Guthrie have been silent for years," declared Altosphere CEO Blake Mundy. "So we thought, like, what if Woody dropped a new…

From August 30 to September 1, the legacy of banjo innovator and bluegrass forebear Earl Scruggs will be celebrated once again at the 3rd Annual Earl Scruggs Music Festival. Held at Tryon International Equestrian Center in the western North Carolina foothills – just beyond where the Bluegrass and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee was…