My guest this week is Missy Raines and we're talking about one of her all time favourite records - The Seldom Scene's Act Two

We talk about how Missy grew up listening to The Country Gentlemen and The Seldom Scene, thanks to her parents' love of bluegrass, and how the band played a formative role in her early musical life, in particular how Tom Gray influenced her to become a bass player.

We also discuss the shift that was happening in bluegrass and string band music in the early '70s and what made The Seldom Scene different, as well as the role the Washington DC area played in bluegrass becoming urban music, not just a rural tradition.

Missy also shares her experience of getting to sit in with the band and what made their live shows so special.

This was a fantastic conversation to get to be a part of.

You can hear my previous interview with Missy (Missy Raines - Standing Gently on the Shoulders of Tradition) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

For more info on Missy, check out www.missyraines.com

You'll find info on The Seldom Scene at www.seldomscene.com

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

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Welcome to the June 2026 Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.

Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.

News and announcements (Church Street News)

• Craft Recordings Boone Creek reissue (preorder)
  • CD
  • LP
  • Download
• Gabe Witcher's Gig Ledger Pro app
• 51st Annual Father's Day Bluegrass Festival
• Marcel Ardans' Winfield Documentary
• Fly in Festival
• Often Herd tour dates

Scroll on Buddy

• Punch Brothers play Star Wars

Other bits

• Full list of interviews
• Collings Guitars

Happy picking.

Matt

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

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• Facebook

My guests on the podcast this week have an astonishing 24 Grammy awards between them and they represent two musical world I love - the first is bluegrass and string band music and the second is opera.

Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck join me to chat about their wonderful new collaboration The Fiddle and the Drum, a project which explores Renée's long-held love of American folk and Appalachian music. The album includes guest appearances from several musicians from in and around the string band world, including Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Aoife O'Donovan, Sierra Hull and Sarah Jarosz.

We chat about the role folk music played in Renée's upbringing, the similarities and differences between roots music and the classical world, how the record came together, why folk songs are so powerful and what it means to be an eclectic artist over the course of a long career (plus much more).

This was a wonderful conversation to get to be part of. Thanks to Renée and Béla for taking the time to chat and particular thanks to Collin Citron for helping make this happen.

You can find out more about the project and order copies of the record at reneefleming.com, along with info on live dates for The Fiddle and the Drum and the project Renée mentions, Music and the Mind

You'll find info on Béla at www.belafleck.com, including BEATrio and the collaborations with Toumani Diabaté, Zakir Hussain and Chick Corea mentioned in the episode.

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook