Colorado style bluegrass hang on ‘Grass for that Ass Thursday’ night. It was just the right scene for our snowy arrival in mid-April. Loved Lil’ Smokies and Jon Stickley Trio.

Governor Haslam and former Governor Dunn, Senator Lamar Alexander, and Speaker Harwell were in attendance at Harwell House Homecoming at Ellington Agricultural Center on April 1. The amazing Kyle Cantrell of SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction–and wife Becky were there requesting songs!

Fun news for springtime! Virtuoso Isaac Eicher has come onboard to delight festival audiences with his genre-bending mandolin mastery. Originally from Tulsa, Isaac is known for winning the National Mandolin Championship in Winfield, KS and for winning the Colorado Championships at Rockygrass (Mandolin, Guitar). He began his early career in the bluegrass world, and he’s since incorporated other musical languages, such as gypsy jazz, bebop, and latin jazz. Welcome, Isaac!

March 20-22 was a special weekend in St. Louis. Great students, great pickers and singers, and a fun concert on Saturday evening with Stephen Mougin, Bull Harman & Bullseye, and Harpers. Thanks to Tammy, Bull, and Wyatt for putting it all together and inviting me to teach and perform!

Friday’s show in Columbus was a dream–sold out theater and incredible music played by the inspiring Iris DeMent. We were so honored to be invited to share the stage…THANK YOU Six String Concerts and WCBE/NPR!

Happy Holiday wishes! Here’s our version of “O Holy Night” with John Frazier on mandolin. Thanks for a wonderful year.

Here was our first trip up to Lake Erie and the haunted Kent Stage, where we performed for 400 happy fans of Hot Rize. A special treat was the fiddle trio with Royal, Christian, & John. Royal then turned 23 years old partyin’ on the Hot Rize tour bus. Fantastic evening!!

Hot Rize sounded fantastic at the Ark, one of my favorite haunts as a college girl at the University of Michigan. John Frazier & I were honored to play for their fans as a folky bluegrass duo, complete with a fiddle/banjo sing-along to end the set. I also traveled down memory lane, visiting old houses and campus haunts and feeling ghosts of memories lived.

We were surprised by our introduction to Country Royalty at Friday’s fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Musician & activist Naomi Judd came backstage to say hello and to report that bluegrass is her “favorite music.” RIGHT ON! Ah yes, and she said that we were ” so tight!”

Haven’t had much of a chance to hang with the Steeps since Dallas ’09–when John was touring with SCR & Steve Martin, and they taught our baby son to crawl across a hotel room! I love these guys, and I loved the chance to be a part of the AMA Festival. Thanks to AMA for your tireless work promoting our music!