Fiddlin’ Around is a resource for fans of blues, bluegrass, folk, country, alt.country and old time music. Be sure to sign up for the free weekly e-mail
newsletter version of Fiddlin’ Around. This is not another discussion group. It’s one lengthy e-mail each Thursday that summarizes the best streaming audio and video of live performances during the coming
week, passes along the latest press releases of interest, and points out Web resources with roots music archives or MP3s. The newsletter is reproduced here, but the Web version becomes more and more obsolete as the week
goes by. With the fate of many Web radio stations in doubt, we have developed an alternative based on our research for our “MP3.com Artist of the Week” feature. Our MP3.com Stations are the equivalent of an “all
music, no talk” radio station. Just go to any of these pages, click on “Play All Tracks Now” and listen to the whole list while you go about your other work: Fiddlin’ Around with
What, exactly, do we mean by American roots music? Go back 100 years and consider the music of the day. Outside of the concert hall, most music was made by amateurs playing stringed instruments without
amplification- fiddles, banjos, guitars, mandolins, and basses. Styles ranged from delta blues to Appalachian country to genuine folk music. Our definition of American roots music includes all of the current genres
derived from the amateur string bands of a century ago. Oh, sure, today everyone amplifies their “acoustic” instruments with a pickup or a microphone, and the Alt. Country bands throw in a couple of electric guitars,
but the artists we cover are very definitely performing in the spirit of the musicians who serve as their “roots”. Be sure to sign up for the e-mail version- so you won’t miss any important news. We also distribute a
printed version of the newsletter (at no charge) in many locations - to try to reach some of the folks who don’t normally research music on the web. |
