Mandolin Cafe Front Page Archive

If you missed something from the Mandolin Cafe front page you'll find it here. Since some of the information we link to is external please understand that as these links go bad they will be removed.

Previous years: 2017

December 9

• It's time once again to review our definitive mandolin Christmas recording list of albums.
• New mandolin event in England: Simon Mayor's Settle Mandolin Retreat, March 31 - April 4.

December 2

• Chad from Longmont, Colorado won the Eastman MD315 given away at The Mandolin Store Black Friday sale. Congrats, Chad!
• Mandolin Orange's Andrew Marlin is our Mandolin Mondays #152. A spectacular tune on his beloved Gilchrist.
• Rest in peace: John Baxter of Mandozine has passed away.
• 10% off all Acoustic Disc Christmas goodies. Use Discount Code HOLIDAY2018.
• A wonderful new collection of music from Acoustic Disc: Doc & Dawg - Live at Acoustic Stage.

November 26

• Radim Zenkl's home and some instruments destroyed in fire. How you can help.
• Subscribe and save! Peghead Nation and Mandolin Cafe Partner for Holiday Subscription Discount.
• Caught Ashley Broder gigging a mile from Cafe headquarters on Sunday... Killer chops, spectacular tone. Tasteful, too.
• Mandolin Mondays #151 - Mike Giverin plays a very special original waltz.

November 18

• Rest in peace. Irish music legend Alec Finn, co-founder of De Dannan has passed.
• Radim Zenkl's home and some instruments destroyed in fire. How you can help.
• Good stuff: Pete Martin Plays Wes Montgomery, free download.
• Announcing the new Marshall Mando Summit App - Northfield Mandolin Giveaway.
• New Music for banjo and mandolin from Alan Munde & Billy Bright - Es Mi Suerte.
• Californai Bluegrass Association has set up a GoFundMe account to assist members that have lost homes, instruments and more. Will you help?

November 13

• Cool mandolin, banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass themed mandolin Christmas cards from Karen Cannon.
• Mandolin Mondays #150 - the best UPS truck driving mandolin player ever, the great Johnny Staats.
• New original music on the Cafe MP3 page from John Goodin.
• New: Camp Tunefox happens May 15-19 in Montreat, NC with Mike Compton and Joe K. Walsh.
• New music for mandolin and orchestra from Jeff Midkiff: Music for Mandolin and String Quartet.
• Zoukology: a gathering of bouzouki players for workshops and more in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

November 6

• Digging this aptly named Spotify list from David Benedict: The New Young Mando Monsters.
• Looking for a great choice of mandolin lessons on demand from the very best? They're all right here.
• Digging the music of Brazil's Daniel Migliavacca who has a brilliant new album entitled Alma Lúdica.
• Cool music themed Christmas cards from Karen Cannon Studios. Mandolins, banjos, fiddles and more!
• From our blogs, very nicely done: How to play Shadow Ridge by Chris Thile, by Liam Purcell.
• Straight Up Strings to Sell Mandolin and Banjo T-Shirts to Benefit Bluegrass.
• New music just released: Roland White and Friends: A Tribute To The Kentucky Colonels.

October 29

• David Benedict and Irish banjo lass Tabitha Agnew announce their engagement. Congratulations!
• Gibson taps Levi Strauss & Company top dog James "JC" Curleigh as new CEO.
• David Benedict's highly anticipated new album The Golden Angle has now been released.
• Bill Monroe's fabled Lloyd Loar F-5 mandolin played once again in Country Music Hall of Fame ceremony.
• Mandolin Mondays #147: Dave Goldenberg performs a traditional Jewish melody.

October 22

• Plans, instructors, dates for the 2019 Hill Country Acoustic Music Camp announced.
• Our feature interview with Mandolin Orange's Andrew Marlin.
• Details of the Eastman Mandolin and D'Addario Accessories Giveaway announced.
• Congratulations to the Mandolin Archive, in operation for 15 years.
• International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame grand opening set for October 18-20.
• In India: Online Carnatic Mandolin & Guitar Academy Set to Launch.
• Mandolin Mondays #146: French Mandolinist Bernard Minari.
• Paid a visit to the new Retrofret location and love the new space.

October 15

• Paid a visit to the new Retrofret location and love the new space.
• David Benedict performs Dorrigo from his upcoming solo release with his band Mile Twelve. Recorded at the world famous Station Inn. Nice!
• Enter to win! Eastman MD415GD Mandolin and select D'Addario accessories.
• A new album from the Travelin' McCourys. Should be outstanding!
• New music from Julien Martineau: Come Una Volta - Vivaldi, Calace, Caudioso.
• Yonder Mountain String Band's Jake Joliff is Mandolin Mondays #145.

October 9

• Our thoughts and prayers are with John Baxter as he faces Stage 4 cancer.
• Condolences: Rebecca Harvell Ellis, wife of Tom Ellis, has passed. Rest in peace.
• Lengthy discussion about the ongoing Gibson financial issues and bankruptcy.
• Brilliant: Ellis F5 Reserve w/ Torch & Wire Inlay and Engraved Tailpiece at The Music Emporium, now on hold.
• Mandolin Mondays #144 - old time mandolinist extraordinaire Caleb Klauder.

October 2

• Gibson announces the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer and new directors.
• Congratulations Sierra Hull, named IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year for the second year in a row.
• New from Mel Bay: Airs for the Seasons, by James Oswald. Previously self-published by John Goodin.
• Feature interview - A Foundational Thing: Bluegrass and Beyond with Andrew Collins.
• Pure poetry in wood and wire. Ellis Mandolins F5 Tradition Unveiled at IBMA.
• Winners of the V-Picks Gift Case and Pick Giveaway announced.

September 26

• Pure poetry in wood and wire. Ellis Mandolins F5 Tradition Unveiled at IBMA.
• Mandolin Mondays #143: Nathan Livers of Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper joins us.
• New in print from Allan Alexander: Five Centuries of Music for Mandolin.
• Registration now open: 2019 Nashville Mandolin Camp. It'll be a great one!
• Registration now open: Winter Edition Mandolin & Guitar Accademia, Sorrento, Italy, December 26-30.

September 17

• Pre-order info for the new Jeff Scroggins and Colorado recording featuring Tristan Scroggins.
• Extended through end of September: 20% off all Acoustic Disc merchandise with Discount Code SUMMER2018.
• Registration in our V-Picks Gift Case and Pick Giveaway is now under way. Enter to win! Five winning entries selected September 25.
• Mandolin Mondays #142 - 12 yr. old mandolin monster Teo Quale slays a great Monroe classic.
• New in print: Bill Monroe - The Life and Music of the Blue Grass Man.
• Results of the Walnut Valley Mandolin Contest from a forum member.
• David Benedict returns to Mandolin Mondays with this beautiful original composition from his new soon to be released album.

September 10

• Don Julin announces the launch of Tremolo Online. A la carte mandolin lessons and exercises.
• GHS introduces their new Fingerboard Care Kit.
• We Banjo 3's Martin Howley sending us some tutoring in the near future.
• Published ten years ago on the Cafe: The Man With The World's Most-Heard Mandolin Solo.
• Ridiculously cool videos: Roger Tallroth of Väsen playing the new Northfield octave mandolin.
• Mandolin Mondays #140: the legendary Akira Otsuka with a beautiful melody.
• Gabbi Dluzewski and Maria Järventaus Johansson announce a Kickstarter for their new album.

September 3

• New, informative on the Weber blog: A Closer Look at Mandolin Binding.
• Northfield Introduces Three New Michigan-Made Instruments, our feature interview with Adrian Bagale.
• Mandolin Mondays #139 - special guest is the great Aaron Ramsey and his trust Northfield Mandolin!
• Sharon Gilchrist's Facebook Live video at Peghead Nation now archived on the Cafe.

August 27

• Need more romance? This re-release of the circa 2000 album Romantic Mandolin probably won't help.
• New in print coming soon: Classical Mandolin For Non-Classical Players: A Practical Approach.
• Mandolin Mondays #138: special guest Daniel Portalès with a fine tune on his 2003 Collings Mandolin.

August 17

• There, we feel better now, thanks to the Harmonic Tone Revealers.
• Our D'Addario Mandolin Strings Giveaway has ended.
• Mandolin Mondays #137 - Sweden's great mandolinist Magnus Zetterlund.
• Gibson begins search to find new CEO to replace Henry Juszkiewicz.

August 10

• John Reischman demos his Michael Heiden F for Peghead Nation.
• Collings introduces their MT Torrefied model. Discussed on our forum.
• Sad, unacceptable: Cellist Booted From American Airlines Flight After Buying Ticket For Instrument.
• Confirmed: Phoenix Mandolins is no longer in business.
• On this date, August 5, 1890 - Lawrence, Kansas newspaper reports late night trashy mandolin music" being played in the downtown park.
• Great read: musician recovers first instrument 37 years later.

August 4

• Starts Thursday: Bobby Osborne's 2nd Annual Mandolin Roundup.
• Mandolin Mondays #135: Berklee College of Music bound Eli Wildman brings an old-time tune.
• David Grisman videos from RockyGrass. Great stuff!
• Three Punch Brothers interviewed on video by CBS News.
• Another single and transcription from David Benedict's new album.
• IBMA's Mandolin Player of the Year finalists for 2018 announced.

July 30

• Congrats! Ricky Skaggs included in Bluegrass Hall of Fame Inductees.
• Cool design work: poster for this year's Marshall Mando Summit.
• Music that matters: Martin Simpson with Amy Smith, Sobell banjola.
• New music by Red Cedar Review on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Mandolin Mondays #134: Mandolin Archive's Dan Beimborn scorches a set of jigs on his 1909 Gibson F4!
• A Peter Ostroushko update and recent fund-raiser held in his honor.

July 21

• New music from Isaac Eicher on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• New original music by Portiia on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Heard here first: Kentucky 900 mandolin being discontinued.
• New from Homespun: Basic Mandolin for Guitar Players.
• Another good choice for purchasing D'Addario's new Monel Strings, from The Mandolin Store.
• Mandolin Mondays #133 special guest is Paddy Montgomery.
• New music from Isaac Eicher available for pre-order: Native Language.
• Playback - D'Addario's String Recycling In a Nutshell. An interview with Brian Vance.

July 16

• Purchase D'Addario's new Monel Mandolin Strings from our friends at JustStrings.com: here.
• 64 new, original tunes by John Goodin, self-published. Try and/or buy, you choose.
• Beautiful video tribute to the memory of Bill Collings.
• D'Addario Announces availability of Monel Mandolin String Sets.
• Available for pre-order: Hot Rize 40th Anniversary Bash.
• Got ukuleles? We've added a category for them in our Classifieds. Two views: browsing and full view mode.
• Mandolin Mondays #132: our special guest is Jacob Means.

July 10

• A most remarkable resource: The Song-A-Week Social Group - An Interview with Barbara Shultz.
• On SoundSlice, Don Stiernberg rocking some jazz mandolin.
• We concur: The Yorkville by Apitius is a very fine mandolin.
• For those using our Classifieds, we've streamlined the submission process.
• Rest in Peace: Dean Webb of The Dillards fame has passed.

July 4

• Mandolin Mondays #131 Special Guest is Hayes Griffin.
• Congratulations Tom W., winner of the Weber Yellowstone F-14 Giveaway!
• Mandolin Mondays #130: Joe Tozer, a remarkable UK based mandolinist.

June 29

• Joe K. Walsh demonstrates his 2016 Nugget, built by Mike Kemnitzer.
• New from Nate Lee: How to Play a Solo On a Song You've Never Heard Before.
• New in print and download: Tunes from 17th Century Scotland arranged for mandolin.
• There's a massive sale going on this month at Bernunzio Uptown Music. Heavily discounted good buys.
• New in print and download: Tunes from 17th Century Scotland arranged for mandolin.
• There's a massive sale going on this month at Bernunzio Uptown Music. Heavily discounted good buys.
• Austin Texas' Billy Bright is Mandolin Mondays guest #129 with a beautiful waltz.

June 21

• Nicely produced and most definitely worth downloading and reading: the 2018 Weber Mandolins catalog.
• David Benedict has announced the upcoming release of his highly anticipated new solo recording The Golden Angle.
• Information about the new Punch Brothers album All Ashore.
• Bad news for Arches Mandolins as their shop has burned down. Sad.
• About our friends Retrofret: After 35 Years in Business Retrofret Moving to New Location.

June 14

• Mandolin Mondays: David Surette brings the heat on a traditional Celtic jig played on a custom Girouard mandolin.
• On sale, 20% off: Northfield's Airloom "Deluxe" Case Cover.
• Yes, still available but our summer sale ended for Mandolin Cafe Ball Caps.
• 20% off Acoustic Disc Summer Sale (not including downloads)! Use Discount Code SUMMER2018 at checkout.

June 8

• Rest in peace: we are sad to learn of the passing of builder Allen Jones of Glenn Mandolins.
• Every once in awhile a post on our forum touches a lot of folks deeply. This is one of those posts.
• Boston-based musician Dan Bui is Mandolin Mondays Guest #127.
• Published one year ago today, the never-before-seen video Bill Monroe Interview in Denver, Feb. 19, 1986.
• June 22 release for Epilogue: A Tribute to John Duffey, by various artists.
• IBMA is sticking with Raleigh for another three years.

June 2

• Mandolin Mondays #126 special guest is jazz mandolinist Simon Dunson on his Girouard mandolin. Nicely played!
• Published this date 2011: An Interview with Thomas A. Adler about his must-read book on Bean Blossom.
• It's that time of year: What's Your Score? Take the test here if you wish.
• More owner reviews of the new Northfield Airloom Recurve.

May 28

• New from Mel Bay Publications, Inc. - Easy Classical Mandolin Tunes for Kids.
• Liam Purcell is our Mandolin Mondays special guest #125 with a great original composition!
• Original Gibson Jr. instruments brochure up for auction on eBay.
• Builder Maegan Wells talks about her mandolins at Peghead Nation.
• Alan Bibey Mandolin Camp, Aug. 22-24, Surfside Beach S.C. wth Alan Bibey, Don Stiernberg and Emory Lester.
• A brand new solo project from Ethan Setiawan has just been released: Flux.

May 21

• Published one year ago: never-before-seen interview of Charlie Derrington.
• $2,000 discount to all Mandolin Cafe citizens on any new Giacomel. More...
• Registration has opened for the Great Lakes Music Camp.
• The Andrew Collins Trio has announced their release of a new double recording project entitled Tongue and Groove.
• Michael Cleveland is our special guest for Mandolin Mondays #124, playing his original composition "Lonesome Desert."
• New guitar offering from Collings we can get behind: the Bill Collings Tribute AT 16.

May 15

• Published one year ago today (May 14), our Tim Connell Interview.
• Nice looking Gibson A Jr. snakehead at auction on eBay. Priced right, so far.
• Possibly all of the chords you'll ever need, but you won't know unless you have one. Available only from the Mandolin Cafe Shop at CafePress.com.
• Lots of musicians ask about these so we're glad to see Bruce Weber filling a market need: The Ranger Travel Mandolin By Montana Lutherie.

May 10

• Ashley Broder is Mandolin Mondays guest #123 with her original composition "The Race." Wow!
• 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award Recipient Tony Williamson celebrates this prestigious honor with his new recording entitled "Heritage."
• One of our favorite articles published this date 2010: The F-5L Mandolin - A turning point in the history of Gibson's acoustic string instruments.
• New in print from Mel Bay: Easy Popular Mandolin Tunes for Kids.
• Good read about Tim O'Brien from Washington Post: This bluegrass musician appreciates the irony of leaving W.Va. to appreciate its music.
• It's the one year anniversary of the Bill Monroe Farm Interview from February 25, 1986, lost for over 30 years. Footage of the farm rarely seen.

May 6

• News item from ten years ago: Rounder Records Announces National Debut Of Sierra Hull.
• Winner of our Pava A5 Pro Giveaway shows off his brand new mandolin.
• One year ago we shared the never-before-seen video of Bill Monroe receiving his mandolin post repair from Gibson, February 25, 1986.
• Mandolin Mondays #122: we welcome Banjo Ben Clark playing one of his long-time favorites on his Rattlesnake Mandolin.
• Joe K. Walsh demonstrates his go-to mandola, an A. Lawrence Smart A-Style.
• Meet the man responsible for Mandolin Mondays, our David Benedict Interview published this date (May 1) 2016.

April 30

• Get yours in time for summer: Mandolin Cafe Ball Caps. Always shipped with two free Mandolin Cafe case stickers.
• Reviews and discussion about the new Northfield Airloom "Recurve" case. Does it slice? Does it dice!?
• Priceless... video of Collings Mandolin Giveaway winner Kyle Ledson unpacking and test driving his brand new mandolin.
• We concur: we're a big fan of the work of Dalton Bell at Weber, providing their look with a timeless quality.
• Tony Williamson releases recording celebrating North Carolina Heritage Award. To be presented lifetime achievement award May 23.
• Mandolin Mondays #121 - Tim O'Brien with "Arpeggiando Despaciomente!"
• A good read: featured in Musical Merchandise Review: "Advancing the Traditional Weber Mandolins."
• Kyle, the winner of our Collings MT2 Giveaway shows off his new mandolin!

April 24

• Meet Greg D. from Pennsylvania, winner of our Pava A5 Pro Mandolin Giveaway.
• Registration opens May 1 for the Nashville Mandolin Camp. Don Julin, Nate Lee, Frank Solivan and Ashby Frank.
• Historically important: the Gibsonians, performed at the White House this date (April 22) 1923, later all identified by Joe Spann.
• Now in stock, for sale: the new Northfield Airloom "Recurve" Mandolin Cases.
• Utah Musician Wins Scholarship to Guitar & Mandolin Camp North.
• Published this date (April 21) 2014: our Don Julin Mandolin Exercises For Dummies Interview. A valuable instructional book! Purchase
• Bluegrass Museum Renamed Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
• Elisa Meyer Ferreira is our Mandolin Mondays special guest with a stunning original entitled Nobre Coração.
• Cool Acoustic Music Company video!

April 18

• Registration is now open for the Old School Bluegrass Camp.
• We've successfully resynced video and audio for the historic moment Bill Monroe received his mandolin post-repair from Gibson, Feb. 25, 1986.
• A GoFundMe for Peter Ostroushko who has suffered life threatening setbacks.
• Mandolin Mondays #119 - Ryan Paisley of Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass.
• The winner of our Schertler giveaway shows off the spoils of his win!
• Pictures of Mike Black built mandocello being constructed.

April 13

• Our April Fools entry for 2018: All-Star Instrumental ABBA Greatest Hits Mandolin Tribute.
• Great version of "Watson's Blues" by Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard. Sweet!
• Forrest O'Connor is Mandolin Mondays #118 playing an original composition.
• Great version of "Watson's Blues" by Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard. Sweet!
• Props to a supporter with a web site with great tools: Fretboard Toolbox.

April 5

• Forrest O'Connor is Mandolin Mondays #118 playing an original composition.
• Props to a supporter with a web site with great tools: Fretboard Toolbox.
• An Interview with Tunefox's Bennett Sullivan, developer of a practice app for mandolin, banjo and guitar.
• Information about the 2018 Classical Mandolin Convention, Santa Rosa, Calif.
• Marc MacGlashan is Mandolin Mondays guest #117. Marvelous playing!
• Congratulations B. Clark, winner of our Schertler Group GIULIA amp giveaway.

March 28

• Mars Hill University to Introduce Roots Music Week, June 24-28.
• All about this summer's 13th Annual Targhee Music Camp, August 6-9.
• Hannah Johnson is the winner of the 2018 Monroe Mandolin Camp Video Scholarship winner. Nicely played!
• Proud of the great blogging Michael Eck (who writes for us) is doing at Weber.
• Happy birthday, David Grisman! Born this date (March 23) 1945.
• Mandolin Mondays #116: welcome Jordan Ramsey.
• Grass Talk Radio: interview with "Blue Grass Boy" author Barb Rosenstock.

March 22

• Weather forces new date for Metamora Mandolin Gathering. Now July 14.
• Don't Fret, She's Not Elderly Yet! A Conversation with Stan and Lillian Werbin of Elderly Instruments.
• Back in stock: Mandolin Cafe ball caps.
• New from Native Ground: Easy 2-Chord Songs for Mandolin.
• An update on the status of the new Northfield "Recurve" mandolin case.
• Interesting: why Colorado Case Company is no longer in business.
• Collings MT Giveaway: Kyle in California was our winning entry. More...
• Korey Brodsky is Mandolin Mondays #115 with the tune Groundspeed.

March 15

• Classifieds: our formal policy on PayPal Family and Friends use.
• Fine article celebrating one year in print: A Brief History of Evening Prayer Blues.
• Our friends at Northfield just launched a great looking new web site.
• New from Mel Bay - French Baroque Mandolin Suite.
• Michael Eck who works for us on occasion does some nice blogging for Weber.
• Lost/stolen: Silverangel Mandolin en route via USPS in Lexington, KY.
• Got Mandolin Cafe On Demand? Possibly the only lessons you'll ever need.

March 9

• Just a number but Sunday, March 11 we reached a new high volume of mandolins for sale in our Classifieds topping 600.
• Mandolin Mondays #114: Bryan McDowell of the Claire Lynch Band.
• Sad end to the story of counterfeit strings purchased from amazon.
• It's not just our members complaining about counterfeit strings. amazon has even bigger issues, called out by CNet.
• Bruce and Mary Weber back in business at Montana Lutherie. Congrats!
• New: Joe K. Walsh's Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites. See news release.

March 2

• 14 Heritage Guitar Workers off the job as company heads in new direction.
• Dominick Leslie is our special guest for Mandolin Mondays #113.
• First it was counterfeit strings. Now amazon has ruined a shipped Kentucky mandolin.
• First general public views of the new Northfield "Recurve" case at Wintergrass: their reaction.
• Published one year ago today: Rising Brazilian Mandolinist Elisa Meyer.
• This date 1986: see the only surviving video of Monroe receiving his mandolin post repair from Charlie Derrington at Gibson.

February 26

• Ahead of our Collings MT2 giveaway starting Wednesday, feast your eyes on the Collings Custom Mandolin Gallery.
• Disappointed, but not surprised amazon sells counterfeit D'Addario Mandolin Strings.
• New: German Baroque Music for Mandolin. Purchase: Mel Bay | Elderly | amazon
• It's rare that we do gear reports, but a new Schertler amp prompted one.
• Lauren Price is this Mandolin Mondays guest with a great version of "Monroe's Blues."
• California Coast Music Camp announces two week-long July camps.

February 22

• Two new jazz tracks by Phil Lawrence, one featuring the Dawg, on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Registration has opened for the 2nd Annual Marshall Mando Summit, August 9-12.
• Gibson Guitar is pronounced dead every few years. Here's the latest with few surprises.
• Everyone knows about our mandolin chord coffee mugs, but for guitar?
• Kym Warner pays us a visit for Mandolin Mondays episode #111.
• New smoking hot jazz from Emil Ernebro & Erik Igelström on the Cafe MP3 page.

February 16

• Hanging out for a few days at Folk Alliance International. Here's our activity report.
• Back in stock at Elderly after running out: Masters of the Mandolin - 130 of the Greatest Bluegrass and Newgrass Solos.
• Music Camps North announce scholarships for Guitar & Mandolin Camp North.
• What to do with all that old Mandolin Brothers content, photos and writing? Stan Jay's daughter asks.
• Brian Oberlin & Carlo Aonzo have released a new single entitled "Mantello e Cilindro."
• 2018 San Diego Classical Mandolin Camp announced for July 30 - August 5.
• New in print: Theory and Improvisation for the Modern Mandolinist, Vol. 1.
• New in print: Masters of the Mandolin - 130 of the Greatest Bluegrass and Newgrass Solos.
• Released this date 2007: Rhythm Mandolin: From Bluegrass to Celtic to Swing.
• Mandolin Mondays #110 with Mike Compton playing a historic composition.

February 10

• Nice to see the mandolin contribute to the most bizarre side of the internet. Our forum responds.
• This April 13-15: Guitar & Mandolin Camp North registration is under way.
• Anniversary of our Chris Thile in London Interview that led to us to the original owner of his Loar.

February 5

• Did someone say Super Bowl?
• Rest in peace: the great Jethro Burns passed away February 4, 1989.
• A ton of feedback on Marla Fibish on our forum about her courses at Peghead Nation.
• Monroe Mandolin Camp Video Scholarship Competitions for mandolin, banjo & fiddle.
• Clever guitar accessories at a new start-up, friends of the Mandolin Cafe: 785 Studio.
• Mandolin Mondays #109 - David Benedict's Twisty Jigs as he prepares to visit Ireland.
• Our Winter NAMM Show thread. Lots of exciting new products for 2018.

February 1

• What Do You Think?, by Aaron Weinstein. Minimal but great mandolin content.
• Mandolin Orchestra of Kansas City Formed.
• Nashville Mandolin Camp announces two unexpected openings.
• Long-time Cafe fan Ryan Chappell's band Upstate Rubdown could use your help for their album Kickstarter project just lunched.
• Video action from the Weber booth at this past weekend's NAMM Show.
• Chris Thile audio feature: How to Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black.
• AMGuSS: The American Mandolin & Guitar School Returns June 25-30.
• Reviewed Pava A5 Pro Mandolin by our friends at Peghead Nation.
• Check out the new Northfield mandolin cases at the NAMM Show.

January 25

• News from Nonesuch: Chris Thile to hold Carnegie Hall Debs Composer's Chair for 2018–19 Season.
• JazzMando.com's Ted Eschliman is Mandolin Mondays guest #108 with a chordal version of "Our Love is Here to Stay." Nicely done!
• In a bold business move attempting to own the search term Bluegrass Cajon...
• March Mandolin Festival. Marla Fibish, David Surette, Will Patton, Matt Shipman and more.
• An organization that has our hearty support and approval: The Handsome Ladies, support for women bluegrassers of all levels.
• Help a rare Stanley Brothers recording not heard for 60+ years get preserved.
• Celebrating two years in publication, our Sierra Hull - Weighted Mind Interview.

January 19

• Arguably the finest mandolin recording ever: Homer & Jethro's Playing It Straight / It Ain't Necessarily Square.
• Coming March 24: 5th Annual Metamora Mandolin Gathering. Workshops, concerts and more.
• Long time friend of the Mandolin Cafe, performer, educator and author Marilynn Mair is Mandolin Mondays #107.
• Not sold in stores. Our operators are not standing by to take your call. Improve your mandolin playing and support the Cafe at the same time by wearing a Mandolin Cafe ball cap.
• Epic: odes honoring Bill Monroe's toaster that appeared on eBay.
• Add your input to a mandolin book in the process of being written.
• Mandolin Mondays #106: the fine playing of Nick Dumas gets the week off to a great start.

January 12

• Scare Tactics: Tips on How Musicians Can Overcome Stage Fright, from Strings Magazine online.
• These are cool: a variety of Carter Vintage Guitar ball caps.
• Carlo Aonzo's 18th annual U.S. mandolin workshop returns to Milwaukee June 7-10. Register soon! More...

January 8

• New Bill Monroe book for young readers, Blue Grass Boy set for March 18 release. Pre-order: amazon
• Mandolin Mondays #105: Josh Rilko plays the old time tune, "Lost Girl."
• New in print, Masters of the Mandolin: 130 of the Greatest Bluegrass and Newgrass Solos. Reserve your advance copy: Elderly | amazon
• New in print: Three Chord Songs for Mandolin. Pre-order: Elderly | amazon
• New music from Jimmy Ryan: Solo Mandolin: Jimmy Ryan Performs Top Gospel Hits.
• Plans for the 2018 Monroe Mandolin Camp announced.
• Released this week 2012: Charlie Louvin's Satan Is Real, an epic read everyone should have a chance to enjoy.

January 1

• Money where our mouth is: we're an official sponsor of the 2018 Monroe Mandolin Camp.
• Got yours? Mandolin Cafe ball cap.
• Rest in peace: Curly Seckler passes at 98.
• Mandolin Monday: David Benedict's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."