LIVE AT LUCKY BARN: The Quebe Sisters, ‘Every Which-a-Way’

We've teamed up with the good people at Pickathon to present a season's worth of archival — and incredible — videos from the Pacific Northwest festival's Lucky Barn Series. Tune in every fourth Tuesday of the month to catch a new clip.

The fourth episode from the Spring season of the Lucky Barn Series showcases the Quebe Sisters. Fiddle trios have a long history in roots music — one these sisters are daring to revisit while putting their three-part, sibling-sweet harmonies on top, to boot. But long before sharing stages with legends like George Strait, Willie Nelson, Marty Stuart, Merle Haggard, and Connie Price, the Quebe Sisters — Hulda, Sophia, and Grace  — got inspired by kids their age at a fiddle competition and started fiddling at the relatively young ages of 7, 10, and 12. Some 18 years later, it's safe to say they have a knack for it.

Pickathon comes back to the Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon, from August 5-7, 2016. Recent additions to the festival lineup include Mac DeMarco, King Sunny Ade, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, Joseph, Ry X, Cory Henry, Promised Land Sound, Town Mountain, Myke Bogan, Blossom, Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms, Open Mike Eagle, and Chanti Darling. Tickets and the full lineup are available now.

Click here for more, and stay tuned for another wonderful season of Lucky Barn videos. 


Photo credit: Copeland Turner

STREAM: Bruce Molsky, ‘Can’t Stay Here This a-Way’

Artist: Bruce Molsky
Hometown: New York, NY
Album: Can't Stay Here This a-Way
Release Date: May 6
Label: Tiki Parlour Recordings

In Their Words: “I had the most intense and musically introspective time working with David Bragger's filming of me at the Tiki Parlour, David’s close and almost visceral camera work made the fiddle, banjo, and guitar pieces — and songs — very personal, even through the camera lens. It was a great experience.

The Old Time Tiki Parlour is on a mission to document old-time music in a meaningful and unique way — up close and without filters. It’s a delight to be part of this, along with all these great musicians they have on board!” — Bruce Molsky


Photo credit: David Bragger

LISTEN: Howdy Forrester and John Hartford, ‘Home Made Sugar and a Puncheon Floor’

Artist: Howdy Forrester and John Hartford
Hometown: Hickman County, TN
Song: "Home Made Sugar and a Puncheon Floor"
Album: Home Made Sugar and a Puncheon Floor
Release Date: January 15
Label: Spring Fed Records

In Their Words: "Brand new release of a set of home recordings made by John Hartford and fiddling legend Howdy Forrester. This recording preserves a repertoire of many rare, old Hickman County, Tennessee, tunes that Howdy had learned as a boy from his Great Uncle, Bob Cates. Hartford plays banjo, Forrester fiddles, and the two share informal discussion about the tunes and their sources." — John Fabke

Bluegrass Band Struggles to Keep EP Under 90 Minutes

Macon, GA — In what he called the most grueling step of the recording process, fiddle player and aspiring producer Steve Duncan, of the recently formed nu-funk dance pop bluegrass band the Appalachia Seeds, could not manage to keep their upcoming EP under the 90-minute mark. “Do I cut into Jerry’s seven-minute, monster fingerpicking guitar solo, Ethan’s absolutely transcendent pedal steel part, or my own epic fiddle super-interlude? It’s tearing me apart.”

Duncan guaranteed the studio engineer that every excruciating note holds a place on the final mix, arguing that although there are only four songs on the EP, each exhaustive, drawn-out solo is integral to the smooth jam vibe the band believes they’re delivering.

“After the Live from Larry’s Tiny House bootleg got leaked at Merlefest, we’ve seen how the extended-extended play format can create a frenzy of new fans,” he said, citing their six-spot jump on the local ReverbNation bluegrass chart. “We can’t keep conforming to traditional EP lengths, if we’re really going to blow up this scene. The revolution is now, man.”

Filled with overconfidence and near-complete disillusion, Duncan has since booked an extra week in the studio to record more material. The questionable executive decision will set the band back more money than they could ever dream of recouping from their fan base, which currently consists of elderly family members and loner single friends.


The above is a work of satire. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental … although entirely likely.

Photo credit: Prayitno / Thank you for (8 millions +) views via Foter.com / CC BY.

Banjo Legend Bill Keith Passes

Bill Keith, known for revolutionizing the field of banjo playing, passed away last week at the age of 75. For a full obituary, head over to the New York Times.

Other Roots Music News:

ICYMI: Punch Brothers will release a new EP, out November 20. 

• Read Steve Martin's 5-10-15-20 at Pitchfork

• Alabama Shakes performed "Joe" on Colbert.

The results for the Grand Masters Fiddler Championship are in. 

• Lucinda Williams announced a new album, Ghosts of Highway 20