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The phenomenal Wayne Benson joins Mandolin Mondays this week for a spin on the old fiddle classic, "Grey Eagle." That's some hot picking being done on that fine McCalahan mandolin!



Based in the Carolinas, Wayne has made a name for himself in the bluegrass world with his potent playing style, compelling recorded work, and prolific touring schedule. He is perhaps most known for his work with the award-winning bluegrass ...

photo by Bruce Graybill

We say on our website: MANDOLIN AUTHORITY Become a member of a group of people who play, work, and live a mandolin inspired life.

Now I realize right here, at mandolincafe, is the ultimate for that particular group but ours is for those who are also shopping (more accessories to come), contemplating sending in your instrument for a tune up or repair (10% off the accessory or repair service), or MAC Inspection ...

He plays where my Mom was in assisted living and they LOVE it.
Thanks Steve, and God Bless.

I am a hospice chaplain in southwest Montana, and I play a Weber mandolin for patients in several facilities and homes. Music works wonders in the hearts of my hospice patients. I am amazed to see a patient diagnosed with dementia open their eyes wider, brighten their countenance, and smile as I play my music. Many times, dementia patients will recall the words to songs and begin singing ...

Wishing summer goodbye with a rendition of the Chet Atkins classic "Windy and Warm."



Additionally, I'm thrilled to announce that I now have #mandolinmondays stickers available on my bandcamp page HERE. Just pay what you want, and I'll mail one to you straight away.



You can now get a tab/notation transcription for this video, and ...

Thought you guys may dig this one. This week I worked on a classic - Otis Redding's Sittin on the Dock of the Bay.

Mostly I was trying to transcribe his vocal inflections. Anyway I hope you enjoy!

So I have been messing around with my mandolin on and off the past couple months but I haven't truly committed myself to fully learning reason being I think I need some healthy added pressure of a lesson teacher.

With that said, does anyone know a mandolin lesson teacher in the San Antonio, TX area?

I don't usually post this often but we have a lot going on with the new website, or it could be today's eclipse...it got down to 66 degrees!

You may have noticed that we are introducing a new service called Mandolin Authority Certification, or MAC, for short.

You can send in your mandolin family instrument to be checked out, tuned up, and evaluated. Bruce has worked on many different brands of instruments and we welcome them all (not just for Webers in other words : ...

This week Tim Connell joins us on Mandolin Mondays for some George Harrison and a hot beverage--a stellar solo arrangement played on Tim's Arrow G-Model mandolin.



Tim Connell is one of the shining mandolin gems of the West Coast. Amazingly prolific, diverse, and adroit, Tim traverses between bluegrass, Celtic, swing, choro, classical, and pop music with ease. His ongoing projects with Rio Con Brio, Stumptown Swing, and Eric Skye ...

Montana Lutherie's website went live- take a look when you get a chance:
www.montanalutherie.com

Still have a few parts and accessories to add but the platform is there!

This week, the man, the myth, the legend, Don Stiernberg proffers a delightful chord melody on this old jazz standard with his incomparable 2-point Nugget mandolin.



We all know and love Don--protege of the tremendous Jethro Burns, leader of the new generation of jazz mandolinists, Chicago Cubs fan, and an all around wonderful person. The wealth and depth of his recorded jazz mandolin work is bar none. His most recent album, ...