Tag: Old Train

Friends & Neighbors: The Seldom Scene, “Old Train”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Industrial Strength Bluegrass, a Xenia and Wilmington, Ohio-based festival run by Joe Mullins and his family and staff at Real Roots Radio, won Event of the Year from IBMA in 2022 and 2024. Content on their festival social media has racked up millions of views on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. And rightly so, their events and airwaves always boast the absolute best in bluegrass.

BGS has partnered with Industrial Strength Bluegrass many times over the years and this time we’re excited to bring you full-length videos of ISB’s most popular and veritably viral performances. We began the series sharing Ron Stewart and Michael Cleveland ripping through a version of “Roanoke” accompanied by Joe Mullins, Vickie Vaughn, and more. The second edition of the series featured Carson Peters & Iron Mountain performing a gospel number, “Lord Don’t Leave Me Here.”

Now, we’re continuing with another Friends & Neighbors post featuring bluegrass legends the Seldom Scene performing one of their hits, “Old Train,” at Industrial Strength Bluegrass in the fall of 2024. As it happens, it’s a bittersweet performance, the last time former frontman Dudley Connell would perform with the group before his retirement from the band. Connell joined the group in 1995 and after 30 years with the group planned his retirement from the road in early 2025. However, an injury prevented him from performing further shows with the Seldom Scene after his appearance with the group at ISB.

“Old Train” is an icon in the bluegrass canon and this 2024 rendition displays why the track – and the group itself – have such staying power. While so many were saddened, rightfully so, to see Connell leave the group (read our March 2025 interview with Dudley about the move here), the band is continuing to tour and perform with Lou Reid, Ronnie Simpkins, Ron Stewart, Fred Travers, and guitarist, singer, and IBMA Award winner Clay Hess stepping into Connell’s role.

Follow Industrial Strength Bluegrass on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Make plans to attend their Summer Fest held July 16-18, 2026 in Xenia, Ohio, and future indoor festivals, too. More information can be found here.

Photos courtesy of Industrial Strength Bluegrass.

The String Cheese Incident Salute Tony Rice on This ‘Manzanita’ Favorite

Posted on by Editor

The amount of love and respect that has poured out of the music community around the country and the globe for the loss of Tony Rice has been breathtaking to say the least. The breadth of Rice’s legacy cannot be understated as he pioneered not only the guitar’s role in a bluegrass band, but also created a new sound previously unexplored by acoustic musicians. A seminal flatpicker, his touch, timing, and taste are unmatched to this day, and there’s the separate matter of his beautifully rich voice. Here at BGS, we’ve shared Tony Rice memories and stories from the likes of Ricky Skaggs, Todd Phillips & Robbie Fulks, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and David Grisman, and many others.

The latest contributors to our collective debt of gratitude to Tony is the String Cheese Incident, collaborating virtually to cover “Old Train,” the lead track on what many consider his magnum opus, Manzanita. The String Cheese Incident is known for being a genre-bending group, but founding member Bill Nershi had this to say about their bluegrass roots and Rice’s artistry: “Tony Rice’s guitar playing shaped a generation of musicians. His impeccable tone, taste, and timing were unmatched and highly regarded by players and listeners alike. We are very fortunate to have so many great recordings of his life’s work. If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing him perform, check out The Tony Rice Unit and David Grisman Quintet albums. I recommend you start with Manzanita. We’ll never forget you, Tony!”

Watch the String Cheese Incident perform “Old Train:”

Photo credit: Scott McCormick