The Larry Stephenson Band recently released a 20th Anniversary CD commemorating the band’s twenty years in business. Stephenson, a mandolinist and award-winning vocalist, has been a professional musician for over thirty years but his current band was formed in 1989. The numerous guest performers on the album include country artists Connie Smith, Marty Stuart and Ricky Skaggs and bluegrass musicians Del McCoury and Kristin Scott Benson.

Listening to sound clips, I immediately begin to imagine an old cabin floor with all the chairs pushed back, dancers twirling each other around and lots of laughter going on….

Blue Highway co-founder Rob Ickes was named Dobro Player of the Year at Thursday’s International Bluegrass Music Awards. Michael Cleveland took the Fiddle Player of the Year award for the seventh year out of nine, and Kristin Scott Benson was named Banjo Player of the Year for the second time.