January

Who are these bluegrass "educators"?

This band celebrates its 38th year in 2013. Many members have come and gone, but the banjoist has remained a fixture from the beginning.

Though based in Chicago, the band has strong ties to Nashville, as two members of the quartet call the Music City home.

A major focal point for this band is introducing young people to bluegrass music. In the past 30 years, it's been estimated the band has performed for more than a million students.

One of its strong recordings is 1996's Strong Enough to Bend.



Significant January dates in bluegrass history

• 2nd: Red Smiley, of Reno & Smiley, died (1972)
• 6th: Earl Scruggs, who passed away last year, was born (1924)
• 10th: Butch Baldassari, founder of the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, died (2009)
• 13th: Jimmy Martin recorded "You Don't Know My Mind" (1960)
• 19th: Charlie Waller (1935) and Dolly Parton (1946) were born
• 20th: Flatt & Scruggs played at Nixon's first inauguration (1969)
• 26th: Charlie Louvin, one half of the Louvin Brothers, died (2011)
• 30th: Reno & Smiley recorded "I'm the Talk of the Town" (1953)