The Bluegrass Review

Series produced by Philip Nusbaum

Series image
Image by: Shutterstock 

Bluegrass music's authoritative radio home.

The Bluegrass Review is a weekly 1-hour show which presents bluegrass music in a lively and informative format. Produced in two segments approximately 30 minutes apiece, each complete show is programmed in thematic bursts. For example the sample show #321 includes songs about hard work, guitarists who emphasize the bass end of the guitar's range in their soloing, and an interview with nationally-recognized autoharp player, Karen Mueller. The program includes frequent interviews and produced segments on topics that parallel concerns and interests of Bluegrass musicians and fans.

(PRX Feature Series image from Shutterstock.)


Additional Files

361 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Phil Nusbaum, Credit: Karen Van Norman
program for July 16-22, 2011. Songs about unusual people open this week's show. The person depicted in Shade Tree Mechanic lives in a world of car ...

Bought by WEZU, KFOK-LPFM, KUCB, KKRN, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Jun 30, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Phil Nusbaum, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Program for July 30-Aug 5, 2011. We open with a popstscript on the western music / bluegrass connection we investigated a few shows back. It seems ...

Bought by WEZU, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, KUCB, Wyoming Public Radio, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Jul 15, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
The opens by returning to one the underlying themes of bluegrass music: heavy burdens. Then, Lyle Loftgren and Adam Granger collaborate with host P...

Bought by WEZU, KUCB, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, KKRN, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920 and more


  • Added: Jul 25, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
We open with songs about rounders, those mean to everybody individuals we are engaging in songs, but whom we would not like to meet in a dark alley...

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  • Added: Jul 25, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Program for July 30 - Aug 5, 2011 We open with a postscript on the western music / bluegrass connection we investigated a few shows back. It seems ...

Bought by WEZU, KUCB, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, Prairie Public, KKRN and more


  • Added: Jul 28, 2011
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
The program opens with some western songs we wish we’d had time to play earlier this summer. After that, our Gem of Bluegrass focuses on fiddling t...

Bought by WEZU, KKRN, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, KUCB, WXXI Rochester and more


  • Added: Aug 15, 2011
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
The program opens with recent bluegrass, including a brand new recording by April Verch, the Canadian fiddling virtuoso. With fall approaching, the...

Bought by WEZU, KFOK-LPFM, WSLR, WAMU, WXXI Rochester and more


  • Added: Aug 24, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 10
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Sept 13 is 100th anniversary of the birth of the father of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe’s. Today’s show tells of the great contributions of Monroe,...

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  • Added: Aug 29, 2011
  • Length: 58:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Program for Sept 17-23, 2011. The program starts with new bluegrass by Blue Highway. Then, two views of romance. One is full of excitement, the oth...

Bought by WEZU, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, KUCB, KKRN, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Sep 01, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil Nusbaum, Credit: Sejan Yun
1st of 2 fund raising editions for Fall 2011

Bought by WAMU


  • Added: Sep 13, 2011
  • Length: 38:46
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
The show opens up with a couple of new Bill Monroe tributes, including a Frank Wakefield interpretation of Monroe’s Bluegrass Stomp. Wakefield is a...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, KUCB, KKRN, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920 and more


  • Added: Sep 13, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
This week, after a new Blue Highway song, we play a new bluegrass follow up song…it follows up Dolly Parton’s Jolene,” massive country hit from yea...

Bought by Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, WXXI Rochester, KUCB, KKRN, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Sep 18, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Our show begins with songs about kids. In bluegrass there are a lot of tragic songs about kids, but this time we mix in a lot of cute and uplifting...

Bought by Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, KUCB, WAMU, KKRN, WXXI Rochester and more


  • Added: Sep 30, 2011
  • Length: 58:59
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
We lead off with a couple of recent “coal” songs. Then, our Gem of Bluegrass focuses on a subtle change in bluegrass band approaches over the last ...

Bought by KFOK-LPFM, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, KUCB, KKRN, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Oct 06, 2011
  • Length: 58:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Our program begins with some songs reflecting odd notions of the concept “justice.” The its time for the Gem of Bluegrass, which reflects on bluegr...

Bought by Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, WXXI Rochester, KUCB, KKRN, WAMU and more


  • Added: Oct 11, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Bluegrass is nothing if not realistic, and our first few selections are a case in point. Each is a modern love song, where the romance is wrapped a...

Bought by WEZU, WEZU, KUCB, KKRN, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920 and more


  • Added: Oct 14, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Today’s show opens with a few redone classics, leading to the Gem of Bluegrass which displays different orientations to the blues. Later on the sho...

Bought by WEZU, KRZA, KUCB, WXXI Rochester, KKRN and more


  • Added: Oct 21, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Philip Nusbaum at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Sometimes, things don’t quite work aut as intended. That’s the case for the homeless men depicted in our first two songs today. Then, the Gem of Bl...

Bought by WSLR, Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920, KRZA, KKRN, WAMU and more


  • Added: Nov 02, 2011
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Early in the show, it’s songs of the Midwest. Few songs are written about the Midwest, but it’s definitely part of bluegrass country! The Gem of Bl...

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  • Added: Nov 06, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 11
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Bluegrass to Be Thankful For. It is a show of listener requests of especially meaningful bluegrass, and listeners tell us why the songs are meaning...

Bought by KRZA, KUCB, KHNS, KKRN, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Nov 16, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 10