Videos Archive - Page 3 of 38 - The Bluegrass Situation

AEA Sessions: Mindy Smith

(Editor’s Note: BGS has partnered with AEA Ribbon Mics and AmericanaFest to share special live sessions shot at Welcome to 1979 in Nashville, Tennessee during AmericanaFest 2025. Over the next few weeks, enjoy select performances from AEA Ribbon Mics’ sessions in Nashville premiered right here on BGS.)

Artist: Mindy Smith
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Songs: “Quiet Town,” “If I Didn’t Know Any Better,” “Come To Jesus”

In Their Words: “My first introduction to Mindy Smith was when she was featured on the Dolly Parton tribute album, Just Because I’m a Woman, about 20-years ago. On an album that featured artists like Emmylou Harris, Sinead O’Connor, Shania Twain, and Dolly herself, Mindy was an up-and-comer, but more than held her own on the renowned and legendary tune. Getting to meet and chat with Mindy was was like catching up with an old friend. She’s warm, earnest, and down to earth. We shot her session right after Olivia Barton (whose session releases next week), so Olivia was still in the room while we were changing our setup. Getting to be a fly on the wall listening to the two of them chat about their creative processes, upcoming projects, and the advice Mindy was giving Olivia was like sitting through a singer-songwriter masterclass.

“We chose to shoot the session in a smaller room at Welcome to 1979 Studio mostly for the change of scenery and the colorful walls and decorations. But because of the size of the room, it limited how many cameras and mics we could set up. At first, we were concerned that we weren’t getting enough angles for the video edit, but once we started mic check, it was apparent that often less is more. The power of her performance and songs came across with every single note. Mindy wasn’t performing for the cameras. She was a songwriter sharing songs with friends. Plus, her orange hat added another dimension to the video visually. What a precious way to watch and listen to a performance, and what an honor to be a part of this recording.” – Julie Tan, AEA Ribbon Mics

Video Credits: Audio recorded and mixed by Brandon Bell.
Video directed and edited by Michael Perlmutter, assisted by Patrick Dwyer.
Hosted by Julie Tan.

To purchase AEA Ribbon Mics or other gear, contact your local dealer. More information is available at AEARibbonMics.com.

AEA Sessions: Donovan Woods

Artist: Donovan Woods
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Songs: “Our Friend Bobby,” “Grew Apart,” “I Talk About You,” “Back for the Funeral”

In Their Words: “Donovan Woods is our video director Michael’s favorite artist. So much so that Michael and I actually gave each other Donovan’s merch for Christmas a few years ago. I still have a Donovan Woods air freshener hanging in the bathroom at home. As soon as his name was added to AmericanaFest’s lineup last fall, we were determined to book Donovan for a session. When we found out that he wouldn’t be flying into Nashville in time for our scheduled sessions at Welcome to 1979, we reached out to our friends at Ocean Way, who were kind enough to let us shoot there.

“Just being in Ocean Way Nashville Studios, with its fabled history and all the A-list artists that have come through, was a transcendental experience. But listening to Donovan play as we were sound checking, it was clear that we were a part of something exquisite. Every note just sounds and feels like it resonates in your body when you’re in that space. It was as if the room was alive and contributing its own personality to the session. The mics were picking up everything from a muted floor creak to a whispered breath in that hallowed space. There is a little bit of squeaking that comes in and out, if you listen carefully in the first song, that we couldn’t figure out. Turns out it was the sound of Donovan’s guitar strap rubbing up and down on the side of his guitar. That was how active and present every sound in the room was.

“Donovan is who we all hope our heroes would be. Completely down-to-earth, personable, and loves his craft. He hung out and chatted with us before and after his session. He put us on the guest list for his performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame, and we chatted some there as well. I am so excited to share our perfect day and dream private concert with you all. This session features his new single, ‘I Talk About You,’ on his soon-to-be-released EP, out February 27, 2026.” – Julie Tan, AEA Ribbon Mics

Video Credits: Audio recorded by Wolf Robinson & Tate Sablatura.
Mixed by Brandon Bell.
Video directed and edited by Michael Perlmutter, assisted by Patrick Dwyer.
Hosted by Julie Tan.

To purchase AEA Ribbon Mics or other gear, contact your local dealer. More information is available at AEARibbonMics.com.

AEA Sessions: Viv & Riley

Artist: Viv & Riley
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Songs: “Sourwood,” “Radio Prayers,” “Still Waters,” “Continuums”

In Their Words: “When Viv & Riley showed up, they were just so warm and personable, it was like hanging out with old friends. People who don’t play music often don’t realize how singing harmonies isn’t just singing along with someone and that great harmonies complement and augment each other. Viv & Riley clearly have spent a lot of time singing and harmonizing with each other; they keep elevating each other with each phrase they sing. They make it look, sound, and feel so natural and their ease and fluency with multiple instruments is enviable.

“Their music is nuanced and yet totally accessible – folky singer-songwriter songs that can easily be arranged to be pop classics. If you’re not convinced, play the video in its entirety in the background. But don’t be surprised if you go back to play it again and again. Their lyrics and hooks are infectious and pull you in then stick with you.

“Viv & Riley are duo that you wish were your neighbors so that you can hang out on the porch listening to them play regularly.” – Julie Tan, AEA Ribbon Mics

Video Credits: Audio recorded and mixed by Brandon Bell.
Video directed by Michael Perlmutter, assisted by Patrick Dwyer.
Hosted by Julie Tan.

To purchase AEA Ribbon Mics or other gear, contact your local dealer. More information is available at AEARibbonMics.com.

AEA Sessions: Emily Hines

Artist: Emily Hines
Hometown: Southwestern Ohio
Songs: “My Own Way,” “UFO,” “All Of Our Friends,” “Callin Ya”

In Their Words: “Emily Hines and Henry Park were so laid back and easy going when they arrived that when they started strumming a few open chords, it just felt like hanging out with some old friends. The songs themselves were like a warm hug. Every tune is melodic and woven to draw you in. Each song seems simple in its structure, but really melodically captivates the listener.

“Henry’s accompaniment is thoughtful and multidimensional. The fact that they recorded their upcoming album on an old school Tascam 4-track tells you that they’re all about the music and the songs. Truth be told, their music definitely holds its own without any bells and whistles.” – Julie Tan, AEA Ribbon Mics

Video Credits: Audio recorded and mixed by Brandon Bell.
Video directed by Michael Perlmutter, assisted by Patrick Dwyer.
Hosted by Julie Tan.

To purchase AEA Ribbon Mics or other gear, contact your local dealer. More information is available at AEARibbonMics.com.

AEA Sessions: Natalie Del Carmen

Artist: Natalie Del Carmen
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Songs: “El Cortez,” “Tailored to the Masses, “Good Morning from Magnolia,” “Plans Upon Plans”

In Their Words: “By happenstance, I had the honor of meeting and sitting down to a group dinner with Natalie Del Carmen in LA a few months before this session and we hit it off immediately with our shared Southern California roots and fervor for singer-songwriters, country, and Americana music. When Natalie talks about the inspirations behind her songs, it’s a bit mind blowing that many of them actually have big-city origins. Whether it’s a song inspired by a major thoroughfare in the megalopolis of Los Angeles, or a road trip to Sin City, Natalie is able to distill the storytelling down to its essence. Regardless if it’s rooted in a smell, feeling, or vibe, Del Carmen invites you into her personal and down-home narrative woven through captivating melodies.

“This session was shot in the hallway nook of Nashville studio, Welcome to 1979, because our director, Michael, thought that the intimate space fit the intimacy of her music. And Brandon, our audio guru, chose one solo mic (a single AEA 440 Active Big Ribbon Microphone) to capture her performance and the room.

“I hope when you blast it, it will transport you to that magical hallway in Nashville that afternoon. If you’re ever at Welcome to 1979, you, too, will have to try that slide! Just hold on to your hat.” – Julie Tan, AEA Ribbon Mics

Video Credits: Audio recorded and mixed by Brandon Bell.
Video directed by Michael Perlmutter, assisted by Patrick Dwyer.
Hosted by Julie Tan.

To purchase AEA Ribbon Mics or other gear, contact your local dealer. More information is available at AEARibbonMics.com.

Ol’ Hoss Sessions: Billy Strings, “John Henry”

In 2023, BGS was invited to Bryan Sutton’s Blue Ridge Guitar Camp in Brevard, North Carolina. Sutton is one of the most prominent proselytizers for Doc Watson in the 21st century, so it’s no surprise his annual camp just up the mountains from Watson’s hometown of Deep Gap is usually dripping with Doc’s music.

That year, one of Doc’s most famous guitars, “Ol’ Hoss” – a 1968 G-50 Gallagher Guitar that Watson played in the late ’60s and early ’70s and on many recordings – was also “in attendance” at Blue Ridge Guitar Camp. The instrument was one of the first of a few Gallaghers that Doc owned. BGS made the trip to Brevard to capture special video performances and interviews with many of the event’s instructors and pickers, each of whom played Doc tunes and shared stories and memories while picking Ol’ Hoss. It was a magical week in the mountains.

Now, for the very first time, we’re making select songs from these tapings available in a new series, the Ol’ Hoss Sessions. Three sessions pulled from the shoot celebrate our Doc in December series. The first featured Bryan Sutton – watch here. The second found Ol’ Hoss handed off to singer-songwriter Courtney Hartman – watch here. The third is one of the most special from the series, as we were in the room with cameras rolling when bluegrass phenom Billy Strings first held and played Doc’s guitar.

“It’s so cool to play this thing,” Strings gushes before playing his song. “It really tripped me out earlier. I’ve been playing it for an hour now, I think I’ve finally come down. But I about had a panic attack when I first checked it out. Shed a few tears, and felt like Doc was in the room.”

That hour of communing with Ol’ Hoss included many tunes and songs, and a phone call to his mom and dad to share the excitement that he was holding Doc’s Gallagher Guitar. Strings shared many stories, memories, and inspirations of and from Doc Watson as he got to know the instrument and took it through its paces warming up. That time culminated in this performance, Strings tearing through “John Henry” in the mountains of Brevard, North Carolina, paying tribute to perhaps his all-time hero. There are moments of Strings-style shredding, but you can tell he’s playing more reserved and intentionally, aiming to pull as many of Watson’s own licks and turns of phrase out of the instrument as possible.

It was a decidedly special, cosmic feeling being in the room with Billy Strings playing Doc Watson’s Ol’ Hoss for the first time and we’re incredibly proud to bring you a glimpse into the taping.

Stay tuned as we have plenty more tape from the Ol’ Hoss Sessions in the archives and we’ll be continuing to share clips, sessions, and tidbits from our time at the Blue Ridge Guitar Camp right here on BGS and on our YouTube channel in the future.

Video Credits: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner and Juan Soria.

Ol’ Hoss Sessions: Courtney Hartman, “The Cuckoo”

Now, for the very first time, we’re making select songs from these tapings available in a new series, the Ol’ Hoss Sessions. Three sessions pulled from the shoot will celebrate our Doc in December series. The first was published last week and features Bryan Sutton – watch here. The second, available today on BGS and our YouTube channel, finds guitarist, singer-songwriter, and community builder Courtney Hartman cradling Ol’ Hoss and finding that same magic – and so much life – within the instrument.

“To know that Doc held this guitar… it means a lot,” she says after being handed his Gallagher Guitar for the first time. “I think instruments are living,” she continues, “which means he’s still kinda living in it, also.”

Hartman certainly finds plenty of those ineffable Doc Watson touches alive within the instrument. Despite the fact that she’s translating Watson’s frailing banjo playing to the guitar, you can easily hear the cross-instrumental influence as she capos the six-string to make it as “chime-y sounding” as possible, emulating his clawhammer picking. “The Cuckoo” is known by a few different spellings/stylizations across Watson’s recorded catalog and it’s one of his most well-known numbers. Hartman offers the melody and lyric with tenderness, reverence, and intention, as she does in all of her artistic endeavors.

Whether teaching and performing at Blue Ridge Guitar Camp or bringing together her creative community to craft her brand new album, With You, in her work Hartman often reminds us that these sorts of transportive moments are what this music is really all about.

Stay tuned as we share more Ol’ Hoss Sessions right here on BGS and on our YouTube channel throughout the month.

Read our recent Cover Story interview with Courtney Hartman on her brand new album, With You, here.

Video Credits: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner and Juan Soria.

Ol’ Hoss Sessions: Bryan Sutton, “Whistling Rufus”

“This is Doc Watson’s Gallagher Guitar,” Sutton explains to start the video, “the first one he every owned, it’s called ‘Ol’ Hoss.’ This guitar really showcases for me, when I hold it, the evenness in Doc’s sound. You could hear every note that he played. Any guitar I play, I’m looking for what the guitar can do. And I already kinda know with this one. It’s kinda neat to feel that, in my own hands.”

No matter who picked up Ol’ Hoss that week, they agreed: it was surreal and very special to hold Doc’s guitar. A once in a lifetime feeling. Sutton continues, picking “Whistling Rufus,” a traditional fiddle tune in the bluegrass and old-time canons that was a common selection by Watson and many other guitarists and musicians in roots music. This simple solo rendition played on Ol’ Hoss translates the magic of the instrument and Doc Watson’s influence across time.

Stay tuned as we share more Ol’ Hoss Sessions right here on BGS and on our YouTube channel throughout the month.

Video Credits: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner and Juan Soria.

Sierragrass Sessions: Sweet Sally

Back in May, AJ Lee & Blue Summit hosted the very first Sierragrass festival at Sierra Meadows Resort in Ahwahnee, California tucked into the shadow of the Sierra Nevada just across the Central Valley from Blue Summit’s home turf of Santa Cruz. Over the summer and now into fall, we’ve been sharing our Sierragrass Sessions, a series of performance videos by bands and artists on the lineup shot at the festival by our incredibly talented friends at I Know We Should. We’ve now enjoyed intimate and gorgeously shot sessions from AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Hannah Mayree, Yoseff Tucker & the Bow Ties, Ismay, and Viv & Riley.

Though we’re saddened to reach the final installment of our Sierragrass Sessions, it’s certainly an excellent one on which to go out. To close us out, Sweet Sally – an excellent band of talented, young up-and-comers that first convened in Oakland – perform an energetic original song, “Anchor,” written by guitarist Lucy Khadder. (Watch above.) Joined by bandmates Sophia Sparks on mandolin and Clare O’Grady on bass poolside at twilight, Khadder kicks off the song with a quick flatpicking intro before launching into the lonesome and longing lyric. The three-part harmonies on the chorus are quite lovely and the refrain’s engaging chord progression is perhaps the best part of the entire number.

As the small gathered audience of festival attendees and crew applaud Sweet Sally, the young women of the band can be heard laughing to each other, “I was so nervous!” “Me too!” “I know, I always overthink every little note.” But that’s not the impression given by their rendition of “Anchor” at all. For such a young group, their resumés collectively and as individual musicians are impressive – a fact that comes as no surprise given the skill, talent, and confidence on display in their Sierragrass Session performance.

BGS would like to thank AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Sierragrass, I Know We Should, and all of the bands, musicians, and artists who made this series a smashing success. Here’s to many more years of Sierragrass and many more excellent musical moments. Watch all of our Sierragrass Sessions here.

Video Credit: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner, Juan Soria, Charlie Peterson, and Luis Scampamorte.

Sierragrass Sessions: Viv & Riley

For our latest Sierragrass Session, we met up with the singing and songwriting old-time duo of Viv & Riley beside a placid stream under the oaks and the pine trees in Ahwahnee, California. The first edition of Sierragrass, a brand new festival hosted by AJ Lee & Blue Summit, was held in the spring of this year, and our series of live performance videos features artists and bands from the lineup.

Barefoot in the sand by the stream banks, Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno perform “Is It All Over” for their first selection. A song about the many different simultaneous apocalypses we’re all currently living through and staring down in the future, “Is It All Over” is gutting with its dichotomy of seemingly ancient old-time sounds and futuristic (and present-times) dystopia striding hand in hand. The original number, from their 2023 album, Imaginary People, works remarkably well in the pastoral California setting of Sierragrass, and feels as timely and convicting as ever. Will there be harmony singing on mars? Or in the lithium mines?

For their second choice, Riley picks up a fiddle, Viv a guitar, and we all strap into our chest waders to go down to “Chance Creek.” An apropos song for the setting, the instrumental is also pulled from Imaginary People. With galloping double stops and sprinkles of darker-tinged minor chords, “Chance Creek” shows how this duo effortlessly synthesize old-time, bluegrass, mountain music, and many more folk traditions into their own sound, bridging modern sensibilities and all the charm and patina of ages past. The worst part of their second Sierragrass Sessions song is that it goes by all too fast, leaving the small gathering of listeners – and all of us – wanting more. We’re so grateful to have been able to meet up with Viv & Riley in California for this lovely pair of performance videos.

Conceived, curated, and hosted by AJ Lee & Blue Summit, the very first Sierragrass was held May 9-11 at Sierra Meadows Resort in Ahwahnee, California, tucked into the shadow of the Sierra Nevada just across the Central Valley from Blue Summit’s home turf of Santa Cruz. For a debut, band-founded festival, the event was a smashing success. Our friends, the incredible team at I Know We Should, were on hand for this first edition of Sierragrass to capture live performance videos of artists from across the festival roster.

We’ve so enjoyed this series so far and have just one more installment coming soon, right here on BGS. Watch all of our Sierragrass Sessions here.

Video Credit: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner, Juan Soria, Charlie Peterson, and Luis Scampamorte.