Bryan Sutton, Bluegrass Guitar 

Bryan recently won his 9th IBMA Award for Guitar Player of the Year. In his acceptance speech, Bryan shared the names of some players he feels are "part of the future of Bluegrass": Seth Taylor, Chris Eldridge, Jake Workman, Trey Hensley, Caleb Smith, Chris Luquette, Courtney Hartman, Rebecca Frazier, Jordan Tice, Grant Gordy, Billy Strings, John Stickley, Zeb Snyder, Molly Tuttle, Presley Barker.

We couldn't be prouder to have Bryan in the ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass, and we encourage anyone interested in learning flatpick guitar to check out his lessons.

Andy Hall, Bluegrass Dobro

Andy and the rest of the Infamous Stringdusters just released a new EP of cover songs called "Undercover." Included are a handful of tunes that reflect the band’s influences: Pink Floyd's "Fearless," Johnny Cash's "Big River," Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice," "Highwayman" from the Highwaymen, and Tom Petty’s "American Girl," which they also released to their YouTube channel. There’s also talk of a new Stringdusters album coming soon, so this is a nice appetizer to enjoy in the meantime.

Dobro students should be sure to check out the new lessons Andy recorded recently on some great tunes: "In the Sweet By and By," "Walkin Boss," and "Cattle in the Cane." They each include analysis, performances in 2 speeds, top view slow motion isolation, and downloadable tablature and backing tracks in 2 speeds. 

Tony Trishka, Banjo

The Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo is chosen annually by a board which consists of Tony Trischka, J.D Crowe, Pete Wernick, Anne Stringfield, Alison Brown, Neil V. Rosenberg, Béla Fleck, and Steve Martin. Last month they selected Danny Barnes for 2015, for his one of a kind experimental playing.

Last summer, Tony Trischka co-hosted the all-star Bill Keith banjo summit at Grey Fox, and you can now watch some great video from the event on the Grey Fox website. 

We have now uploaded all 9 parts of the interview Tony did with Michael Miles, so be sure to check that out in the Music+ section. Students can also check out the new Celtic tune Tony teaches called "The Golden Castle." 

Mike Marshall, Mandolin

It’s the end of a very important era for the mandolin. The Mandolin Symposium, which Mike Marshall established in 2004 with David Grisman, is taking a break after 12 consecutive years. ArtistWorks was fortunate to attend several days of the 2011 Symposium, and we filmed a number of great performances and interviews. Be sure to check it out in the Music+ section! 

Congratulations Mike on a great run with The Mandoilin Symposium.  See Mike online at his ArtistWorks Mandolin School to continue the conversation.

Darol Anger, Fiddle

Darol is settling back into the fall schedule after a busy summer filled with music camps, festivals, and recording. A man of many ensembles, Darol’s latest group, Mr. Sun, recently released an album on Compass Records called "The People Need Light." The recording features some of the most brilliant new acoustic musicians currently working, and effectively wraps up just about everything Darol knows about fiddling in one epic package.

ArtistWorks fiddle students can enjoy a special 6-part series that Darol recorded with Kimber Ludiker, of the Grammy-nominated band Della Mae. The two friends play and discuss all things fiddling, and Kimber also teaches a fiddle tune called "Nail That Catfish To The Tree." 

Missy Raines, Bass

No other bass player has ever won more IBMA awards than Missy Raines. Seven times, she has been named Bass Player of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association. She was nominated this year but the award went the association’s new Vice Chair, Tim Surrett. On her blog she wrote, "I can also say that being nominated is a distinct honor all it’s own, and I treasure it."

Speaking of treasure, there’s gold to be found in the Bluegrass Bass School. Besides all the lessons, there are some great new Video Exchange® Lessons between Missy and her students. For a break from the learning, head to the Music+ section to watch a fantastic jam we recorded at Rockygrass 2013 with Missy and some friends.

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