Articles and Interviews

Today on the Music Room, we talked to Russ Barenberg, described by songwriter Jon Weisberger as “perfectly blend[ing] a mastery of roots music tradition with melodic originality.”  His music is exceptionally lyrical, relying primarily on composition rather […]

Grammy nominated acoustic guitarist and composer Russ Barenberg is known for his melodic playing, beautiful tone and memorable instrumental compositions. Long at the creative forefront of the acoustic music scene, he has collaborated with many of its finest artists, including […]

In 2007, guitarist Russ Barenberg released When At Last, and was promptly nominated for a Grammy. That’s an exclusive ticket. For Russ, the big fun was heading off to Los Angeles for the 50th annual awards show, and having a mini-reunion with old friends and former bandmates Tony Trischka and Andy Statman who were also […]

If you’ve been following bluegrass and flatpicking for the last decade or so, you may not have heard his name much, but Russ Barenberg has had an indelible (though unheralded) influence on the development of lead guitar and contemporary accoustic music. Barenberg was one of five guitarists (Dan Cray, Tony Rice, Larry Sparks and Norman Blake were the others) whose playing in the 1970s amplified the work of Doc Watson and Clarence […]

By Chris Thiessen

[Editor’s note: In the eleven years since we started publishing FGM, subscribers have repeatedly asked us what’s been happening with many of our cover artists. This new column, “Catching Up,” allows us to do just that. We’ll be revisiting—in no particular order—many of those artists and see what they’ve been doing since their […]

BY WALTER TUNIS
from Pop Matters, McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) 14 April 2008

Never mind that the guitarist was among a pack of eager bluegrass thrill seekers in the 1980s, a gang that included star players like Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglas, that forged new acoustic voices […]

Guitar aficionados may be ready to hail the new display of virtuosity on Russ Barenberg’s When At Last—his first solo album in almost 20 years—but for the legendary guitarist himself, the value of the collection is somewhat different. “What I maybe have to bring […]