With John Hurlbut’s and Jorma Kaukonen’s incredibly well-received, Christmas 2020, acoustic release, The River Flows, it’s not surprising that people are asking, “Who’s this guy playing with Jorma?” Since first making a splash during Jorma and Vanessa Kaukonen’s Saturday night Fur Peace Ranch Quarantine Concert series, this curiosity, and subsequent respect, has only grown and is quite evident as the YouTube comments light up each time John takes the stage. What makes this relationship so special that people are already asking for more? One only need listen.

This December, Grateful Web had the opportunity to catch up with guitarist, singer and songwriter Michael Falzarano. Michael is a tenured veteran of legendary bands New Riders of the Purple Sage and Hot Tuna, a regular contributor at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch, and bandleader of his own long-standing Memphis Pilgrims and Dead Tribute group, The Englishtown Project.

GW: You've released an impressive lineup of original music over the years. What made you decide to release a series of covers now?

Just this fall, the singer, songwriter and guitarist Jay Carlis released his Robert Hunter and Jason Isbell inspired solo, Americana and folk debut, Here We Are.  The songs on the record touch on themes of change, technology and coming into middle age as both a father and a husband.

Boston singer, guitarist and composer, Bryan Porter Hinkley Discusses His New EP, We Live Through It, Staying Up Past Bedtime To Listen To His Mom’s Bluegrass Band Practice and Turning His Daughter’s Bedroom Into A Recording Studio During The Pandemic.

Husband and wife Seth and China Kent, better known as Colorado-based duo Alright Alright, have been hard at work creating orchestral-folk for the open-minded and poetry for the broken-hearted with their new album, Crucible.

Born Axel Gerard and crafting his music between England and his native France since 2018, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Orava is a graduate of the Musician Institute of London. Drawing inspiration from French touch, classic electronic, DnB, and traditional rock, as well as artists like Daft Punk, Phoenix, and Depeche Mode, Orava’s compositions tackle the common hopes, doubts and fears of his generation, drawing mostly from his own experiences.

Castlewood, Virginia based 49 Winchester boast a mighty Appalachian sound, steeped in the spirit of country crooners past. As childhood friends who owe their musical chops in part to the rich geographical location in which they were raised (adjacent to none other than the “Birthplace of Country Music,” Bristol, TN), the quintet have been carving out a name for themselves in the alt-country scene for the better part of a decade.

Possessing a voice as cool and crystalline as an Alpine stream, Natalie Cressman is a rising singer/songwriter and trombonist who draws inspiration from a vast array of deep and powerful musical currents. She released her 5th album in April 2019, this time in collaboration with Brazilian composer, guitarist and vocalist Ian Faquini.

I like to refer to Andy Hall as the silver fox of the Infamous Stringdusters. His wisdom shines through with that full head of wisdom whites and as he said, COVID-19 cannot take away music. That's some wisdom right there. October 16th 2020 he will release his new solo album, 12 Bluegrass Classics for Resophonic Guitar.