Recent Blogs Posts

This week on Mandolin Mondays we're joined by Old Crow Medicine Show guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Mason Via, playing an old time fiddle tune called "Whiteface" on a Bernabe 3-point mandolin.



You might know Mason Via as a member of Old Crow Medicine show (who he made his Grand Ole Opry debut with.) You also may have seen him on a past season of American Idol, in which he made it into the ...

Back on Mandolin Mondays this week, the inimitable Mike Marshall joins us, fresh off the release of his new album of J.S. Bach's Cello Suite #5. Here he shares his rendition of the "Gigue" from Suite #5 played on his legendary Monteleone Mandocello.



To celebrate the release of this new record, here's a special word from Mike about this video,

"Here’s the Gigue from Bach’s ...

Lola, Elisa, Bibi and Luperce Miranda's book at the Choro das 3's motorhome in St. Louis, MO. 2023.

It's just past Halloween as I write this. The trees look beautiful with the the colors of autumn - especially for Brazilians that don't have trees like these. I'm sitting here in my motorhome with my dogs Lola and Bibi, ready to continue telling the story of Luperce Miranda. If you haven't read the first part you can do so here. A book called Luperce Miranda ...

This week on Mandolin Mondays we're joined by California mandolinist and music professor Joti Rockwell, for an impressive 11 minute performance of Bach's C major Fugue BWV 1005 on his Heiden A-style Standard model made in 2011.



Joti Rockwell is a music professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California. Originally from the Washington, DC area, he is a multi-instrumentalist and performer of American roots ...

This week on Mandolin Mondays we're joined by mandolinist Chris Silver playing an original tune "Castle Danger" on his 2015 Liebers mandolin.



Chris Silver is best known throughout the country as a virtuoso flatpick guitar and mandolin player and
can be heard at festivals, theaters, and clubs and radio shows across the globe. Formerly of the bands
Stoney Lonesome, Tangled Roots, and the Kate Mackenzie ...

Hello,
Does anyone have tabs for mandocello that they could share? I'd like to learn Shape of My Heart by Sting on my mandocello.
I know its a random question but someone just might have created tabs for that song and might be willing to share it.
Best wishes,
Beemer.

This week on Mandolin Mondays, we're joined by German mandolinist Wolfgang Meyering with his Jurgen Richter mandolin and his bassist bandmate Michael Waterstrad playing an original tune called "Klompenswing."



Get to know Wolfgang and his music here with this lovely self introduction, "My name is Wolfgang Meyering from Germany. I send you a little humorous tune for Mandolin Mondays. It is a song that I have written ...

On October 26, 2021 we posted a blog summarizing the numbers of specific mandolins used by guests as part of David Benedict's long running Mandolin Mondays series. That bit of information sparked some interesting conversation worth revisiting.

Fast forward two years later we decided to update the list with new information with 406 episodes now published.

Before consuming this information we strongly suggest you review our comments ...

This week on Mandolin Mondays we're joined by bluegrass guitar and vocal powerhouse Michael Daves, playing an old time fiddle tune called "Benton's Dream" on this mid-30s Gibson A50.



Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Michael Daves grew up playing bluegrass in the grand old tradition of staying up late & singing loud. Although he’s since moved north, the Southern roots permeate his music, however traditional or experimental. ...

This week on Mandolin Mondays we're joined by Floyd, VA, mandolinist and guitarist of the Lonesome River Band, Jesse Smathers, playing the "Methodist Preacher" on his Hinde mandolin.



Jesse began playing the guitar at age 11, picked up the mandolin at 15, and was heavily influenced by the music of Lonesome River Band. In 2009, he won the guitar championship of the Virginia Folk Music Association. The following year, ...