ARTS Pick: Willard Gayheart Family Band

Lifetime record: Born in 1932, Willard Gayheart recalls the early influence of hearing the 1936 recording of Mainer’s Mountaineers’ “Maple on the Hill.” “I listened to that record over and over,” he says. “I just couldn’t get enough of it.” So it may come as a surprise that the accomplished guitarist and songwriter only recently […]

ARTS Pick: Che Apalache

When North Carolina native Joe Troop moved to Argentina in 2010, the multi-talented musician carved out a niche in the local scene by teaching bluegrass and old-time music. Eventually Troop, along with a few of his quick-picking students, formed Che Apalache, and drawing on various musical styles from Argentina, Mexico, and the United States, recorded […]

ARTS Pick: Beppe Gambetta

Beppe Gambetta loves American roots music as much as the music of his native Italy, and he pairs the two in his mastery of the acoustic guitar. Gambetta has wooed fans worldwide with his intricate flatpicking style, open tuning, and fluid slides—a style that’s led to stage appearances with contemporaries such as David Grisman, Gene […]

ARTS Pick: Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert

Dubbed by peers as the “godfather of Americana music,” singer-songwriter Kieran Kane’s roots-oriented bluegrass blends seamlessly with Rayna Gellert’s Appalachian-inspired fiddle playing to form a groovy twist on traditional folk music. The duo released its first album, The Ledges, in 2017, and for its follow-up due in March, listeners can expect more of Gellert’s sultry […]