Got 'grass?

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Got 'grass? is a bluegrass podcast, where I interview the leaders and legends of bluegrass music.

10/08/2026

Enjoy my latest conversation with mandolinist Wayne Benson. Wayne has been mandolinist for the legendary bluegrass band Russell Moore and lllrd Tyme Out for almost 30 years.

He has a large following on his YouTube mandolin channel, and is married to 5-time IBMA banjo player of the year Kristin Scott Benson of The Grascals, with whom he often records as a duo.

A fascinating conversation about all things bluegrass!

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19925400

09/19/2026

Podcast episode 91 is a lovely and entertaining conversation with Tim Surrett.

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19817380

Best known today as bassist for Balsam Range for twenty years, he's got lots of great and sometimes hilarious stories of his times with his friend Tony Rice. Tim talks about his long singing and touring career in gospel, bluegrass music today, and has many wonderful stories of his fifty year career in music. A treat to talk to!

Yoy may remember he played at GuitartownCT twice with The Tony Rice Unit, and treasures those memories too!

09/12/2026

Latest podcast episode is with young mandolin star Ethan Setiawan.

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19774497

Ethan won both the National Mandolin Championship and the
Rockygrass Mandolin Championship. After attending Berklee, he's become a leading voice on the mandolin, through traditional bluegrass, classical, and jazz.

His 2025 release “Encyclopedia Mandolinnica” explored the mandolin through duets and trios with friends, mentors, and heroes including John Resichman, Matt Flinner and Jacob Joliff.

His current band, Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground, with BB Bowness on banjo, Julian Pinelli on fiddle, Alex Rubin on guitar, and Brittany Karlson on bass, releases its first album, “Little Storms”, this fall.

09/04/2026

Enjoy my latest conversation with Matt Flinner.

Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner has made a career out of playing bluegrass and American roots music in new ways. Hailed by Downbeat Magazine as "one of the best mandolin players ever," Flinner has established a reputation as one of the most respected composers and innovators in modern American acoustic music.

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19743241

In a fascinating and wide ranging conversation, we talked about his musical pals from Darrell Scott and David Grier to Joe Walsh and Peter Rowan, his heroes Tim O'Brien, Hot Rize and Miles Davis, as well as lots about bluegrass groove and the mandolin's role.

Now living in Vermont, he's been one of our favorite performers and guests at GuitartownCT over the years!

08/27/2026

Latest podcst episode is my chat with Zoe Guigueno.

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19700855

Zoe is a Canadian bassist & singer/songwriter, now living in Eugene, Oregon.

She got her degree in jazz bass frome Humber College in Toronto, and has been touring and recording for 20 years in a variety of projects, including on Broadway, with Steve Martin & Martin Short, The Faux Paws, on the Grand Ol’ Opry, and most famously playing bass for 5 years with Della Mae.

She has 2 new projects coming out in spring of 2027, emphasizing her songwriting and singing. We talked about her growing up on a small Canadian island, her musical journey, heroes, playing bluegrass bass, among many topics.

08/20/2026

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Soroya and Luciya Sullivan. Soraya and Luciya are the heart of The Sullivan Sisters bluegrass band. Raised in North Carolina, living in Chicago, and now both at Berklee School of Music, they were just profiled in Bluegrass Unlimited magazine.

Listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19670750

With strong sister harmony, great musical chops, and fine original songs, they are a young five piece band on the rise, with unlimited potential, produced by Stephen Mougin.

They talked about growing up listening to classical saxophone, the journey to bluegrass, songwriting, performing as a child duo, bluegrass heroes, and their goals as a band, with an upcoming debut album.

You will be hearing a lot from this band, and hopefully in Hamden, CT, soon!

08/06/2026

My latest podcast interview is Jeff Picker, star bassist from Nashville. He's married to 6-time Grammy winner Sarah Jarosz. We spoke at length about being married to a star like Sarah Jarosz, life as a touring musician, bandleader and sideman, the joys and pitfalls of studio work, his plans for a family down the road, and fascinating stories and insightful observations about life as a musician in these times. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19605129

07/26/2026

Hope you enjoy my conversation with mandolin star Jimmy Gaudreau as much as I did! Jimmy, from Rhode Island, played with The Country Gentlemen (two stints), J.D. Crowe and The New South, and of course ten years with The Tony Rice Unit.

Lots of stories about Wyatt and Tony, as well as John Duffey, Charlie Waller, Bela Fleck, etc. He also talked a lot about his unique style of mandolin playing. Great interview!

You can listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19543521

07/02/2026

Enjoy my latest interview, with banjo star, singer, songwriter, slide guitarist and sculptor Tony Furtado. He's a fascinating artist, with lots to say about surviving as a performer these days, stories of Alison Krauss, Bela Fleck, Ry Cooder, and his other life as a sculptor. He's coming to GuitartownCT in Hamden on July 23.
Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/19426445

06/25/2026

It's summer bluegrass festival season. Most of the bluegrass stars on my interview list are busy travelling, and making a living.

In the meantime, enjoy some of my past interviews, with stars like Peter Rowan: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/16736182

Tim O'Brien: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/15393260

Doyle Lawson: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/14632899

Sierra Hull: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/16563612

Larry Sparks: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305129/episodes/16302687

I'll be back in mid July with more new episodes.

Address

166 Mather Street
Hamden, CT
06517

Telephone

+12034306020

Website

https://gotgrass.buzzsprout.com/

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