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 w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Interesting new bluegrass on today’s show, including the show’s opening track by Sister Sadie. But later, we go old-school with something by bluegr...

Bought by WOUB, KKRN, KBRP Community Radio, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, WDSE and more


  • Added: May 19, 2016
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 17
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
After we open the show with high lonesome singer Bradford lee Folk, we note a couple of lines of influence. First, the influence Dock Boggs had on ...

Bought by KKRN, WOUB, KRZA, WXXI Rochester, KBRP Community Radio and more


  • Added: May 11, 2016
  • Length: 58:59
  • Purchases: 16
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
April Verch put one of the unconventional songs of the late John Harford on her current CD. That was all the inspiration we needed to put on a song...

Bought by WOUB, KKRN, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WXXI Rochester and more


  • Added: May 10, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 16
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
What would anyone give to replay something in the past with the benefit of what’s been learned along the way? A couple of songs on that theme open ...

Bought by WOUB, KKRN, KRZA, WDSE, KBRP Community Radio and more


  • Added: May 08, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 15
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Our first order of business today is to play a new bluegrass song from an experienced source, Jeff White. In the current state of evolving bluegras...

Bought by WOUB, KKRN, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE and more


  • Added: May 03, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 15
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The program opens with some recent bluegrass blues. Then, we continue to present a couple of “lonesome as it gets” songs. One is from the perspecti...

Bought by WOUB, KKRN, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE and more


  • Added: Apr 29, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 14
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Early in the show, we welcome Spring which is taking place in almost every location the show is broadcast. Then we present songs that are as loneso...

Bought by KKRN, WOUB, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE and more


  • Added: Apr 24, 2016
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 17
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The music world lost a great songwriter, Merle Haggard lately. Merle was known a a writer and singer of country songs, but his influence was felt w...

Bought by KKRN, WOUB, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE and more


  • Added: Apr 14, 2016
  • Length: 58:59
  • Purchases: 17
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
“Hey. Bartender,” calls the distraught. Our show features a couple of hey, bartender songs in the early going. Our Gem of Bluegrass considers playi...

Bought by WOUB, KBRP Community Radio, KKRN, KRZA, WDSE and more


  • Added: Apr 06, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 16
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
North Americans love their automobiles. On the Gem of Bluegrass, we explore the connections between bluegrass and old-time music and the automobile...

Bought by WOUB, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE, WNTI.ORG-Internet Radio from Centenary University and more


  • Added: Mar 31, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 14
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
We play the numbers on today’s show. In other words, we play songs whose titles contain numbers. On the Gem of Bluegrass feature, we focus on the c...

Bought by WOUB, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE, KSJD and more


  • Added: Mar 23, 2016
  • Length: 58:59
  • Purchases: 16
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Songs about guns. We play three at the start of the show. The first is told from the point of view of a bullet. Then we play a hard-hitting song fr...

Bought by WOUB, KKRN, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE and more


  • Added: Mar 16, 2016
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 15
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Throughout the history of bluegrass and old time music, songwriters have taken stands on issues related to working. At the beginning of the show, w...

Bought by KUCB, WOUB, KKRN, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio and more


  • Added: Mar 10, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 16
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
In the old days of bluegrass there were the happy sounding sad songs. But sad songs today frequently embody musical textures that are also sad. Our...

Bought by KKRN, WOUB, KRZA, KBRP Community Radio, WDSE and more


  • Added: Mar 01, 2016
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 15
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
There are many songs about trains in bluegrass, but what the trains stand for vary greatly. We open the show with a couple of recent examples. Then...

Bought by WEZU, WVRU, WOUB, KKRN, KBRP Community Radio and more


  • Added: Feb 26, 2016
  • Length: 58:59
  • Purchases: 16

  • Added: Feb 23, 2016
  • Length: 38:02
  • Purchases: 2

  • Added: Feb 23, 2016
  • Length: 39:48

  • Added: Feb 23, 2016
  • Length: 39:33
  • Purchases: 3

  • Added: Feb 23, 2016
  • Length: 36:42
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Today’s show features a broad stylistic swath. We open with a couple of old-style songs about male fools about love. Then come a couple of modernis...

Bought by WOUB, KBRP Community Radio, KRZA, WAMU, WDSE and more


  • Added: Feb 19, 2016
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 14