Bluegrass | World Music Central

The single cover for Anywhere the Wind Blows by Missy Raines & Allegheny features a painted landscape with rolling hills in shades of orange, gold, and teal. A red heart-shaped balloon floats above, its string curving down toward a small, solitary red house nestled among the hills. The song title is written in a curved, handwritten-style font, while the artist names appear in clean typography. Featured guests Laurie Lewis, Kathy Kallick, and Ellie Hakanson are listed beneath.

Music videos

Wind at Their Backs: Missy Raines & Allegheny Breeze Into New Song

Missy Raines & Allegheny, fronted by Grammy-nominated bassist and vocalist Missy Raines, have announced their upcoming album Love & Trouble, due May 2. The project…

The single cover for Leavin’ by Vickie Vaughn features the artist straddling a large upright bass, which bears her name. Dressed in a magenta outfit with red and green cowboy boots, she gazes directly at the camera.

Music videos

Bass Instincts: Vickie Vaughn Steps Into the Spotlight With “Leavin’”

World Music Central News Room March 29, 2025 No Comments Bluegrass Vickie Vaughn world music

After a decade-long hiatus from solo recording, two-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year Vickie Vaughn returns with “Leavin’,” her first release under her own…

The cover art for Ashby Frank’s The Bug features an anthropomorphic bug wearing aviator goggles and a leather jacket, driving a car down an open highway. The background is a flat peach-orange, with minimal line art suggesting motion and a distant horizon. The title and artist's name are handwritten in a casual script.

Music videos

Bluegrass Bug: Ashby Frank Puts the Pedal to the Mandolin

World Music Central News Room March 27, 2025 No Comments Ashby Frank Bluegrass world music

Ashby Frank reimagines “The Bug,” originally recorded by Dire Straits in 1991 and later a Top 20 country hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter in 1993,…

Vickie Vaughn holding a yellow bass. Photo by Laura Schneider

Artist Profiles

Bass-ically Brilliant: Vickie Vaughn’s Remarkable Journey as a Vocalist and Bassist

Angel Romero March 26, 2025 No Comments bass Bluegrass Vickie Vaughn world music

(headline image: Vickie Vaughn -. Photo by Laura Schneider) Vickie Vaughn, a bassist and singer-songwriter from Paducah, Kentucky, built her musical foundation in church and…

Andy Leftwich Highland Rim single cover. A photo of Andy Leftwich playing mandolin.

Music videos

Andy Leftwich Goes Bananas on “Highland Rim”

World Music Central News Room March 25, 2025 No Comments Andy Leftwich Bluegrass world music

Andy Leftwich returns with “Highland Rim,” a high-energy instrumental that highlights his virtuosity alongside some of bluegrass’s finest musicians. Following his soulful interpretation of “Talk…

The album cover for Remains to Be Scene by The Seldom Scene features a vintage, Americana-inspired illustration of a small brick building with a nostalgic neon sign. The sign reads “The Seldom Scene” in bold, retro lettering, with a marquee below stating “Remains to Be Scene,” accompanied by a red arrow. A classic blue muscle car is parked outside, and a lone fox stands on the sidewalk, gazing towards the scene. The background is a starry night sky,with power lines and a rustic telephone pole.

Album reviews

Scene It All: Seldom Scene Returns With Remains to Be Scene

Ryan Emmert March 24, 2025 No Comments Bluegrass The Seldom Scene world music

Seldom Scene – Remains to Be Scene (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2025) Seldom Scene, a pioneering force in progressive bluegrass since 1971, returns with Remains to…

The single cover for Things Have Changed by Benson features a rustic, weathered wooden house with a metal roof, surrounded by overgrown grass and lush green trees. The setting is bathed in warm, golden sunlight.

Music videos

Picking Up the Past: Benson Revives a Harley Allen Classic

World Music Central News Room March 21, 2025 No Comments Benson Bluegrass world music

Bluegrass duo Benson, featuring award-winning banjoist Kristin Scott Benson and renowned mandolinist Wayne Benson, launch their 2025 releases with a fresh take on Things Have…