The Wintergrass Festival returned this year, happening in Bellevue, Washington in late February 2022, after having to cancel in 2021 because of the pandemic. Among the grateful souls gathered for the return of one of our community’s premier festivals was Mr Sun, the progressive acoustic string band that features Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Joe K. Walsh with fiddle legend Darol Anger, guitar master Grant Gordy, and jazz/roots bassist Aidan O’Donnell. They played multiple sets throughout the weekend, taught popular workshops and intensives, and helped lead the Wintergrass Youth Orchestra, so they were among the hardest working bands at the festival.

We caught up with Mr Sun for a few exclusive performances, including this one of the old-time fiddle tune “Farewell Trion,” which will be on the forthcoming Mr Sun album, Extrovert, due in April 2022 on Compass Records. It was fun to hear Mr Sun in an intimate setting, and to see them reflecting both in the tabletop and on all of the great music they’ve created!

To learn mandolin from Joe, enroll in his Advancing Mandolinist, Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites, Octave Mandolin, or Improvising for Mandolin and Fiddle courses today!

Mr Sun: “Blackbird” | Peghead Nation Exclusive The virtuosic four-piece showcases their playful arrangement of a Beatles classic, which they also recorded on their new album “Extrovert.” Read More

Hawktail: “Antilopen” Peghead Nation fiddle instructor Brittany Haas plays a Swedish fiddle tune with her powerhouse garage band. Read More

Garrison, Gordy, Hargreaves, Walsh: “Sports” Watch a video of an original song from “Bluegrass and the Abstract Truth,” with mandolin from Peghead Nation instructor Joe K. Walsh, and illustration by our banjo instructor Danny Barnes. Read More

Andrew Marlin with Eli West, Christian Sedelmyer, Clint Mullican: “Wooden Spoon Over by the Sink” Andrew Marlin and his band plays an original tune from his instrumental album, “Buried in a Cape,” backstage at Terrapin Crossroads. Read More

Hawktail: “Annbjørg” Peghead Nation fiddle instructor Brittany Haas and her progressive acoustic band play an original tune from their new album, “Formations.” Read More

California Banjo Extravaganza: “The Train That Carried My Girl from Town” Bill Evans, Joe Newberry, and Danny Barnes play a three-banjo version of the popular bluegrass song. Read More

Sam Bush: “In Tall Buildings” Peghead Nation's Contemporary Bluegrass Banjo instructor Wes Corbett joins Sam Bush on a classic John Hartford song. Read More

Sierra Ferrell: “I’d Do It Again” | Thompson Guitars The talented singer-songwriter plays an original song live in the Thompson Guitars shop. Read More

Joy Kills Sorrow: “Such Great Heights” Peghead Nation welcomes our two newest instructors, Zoe Guigueno and Wes Corbett, who played together in the influential stringband Joy Kills Sorrow. Read More

Mr. Sun, “A Little Heart’s Ease” Mr. Sun is Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Joe Walsh, Darol Anger, Grant Gordy, and Ethan Jodziewicz. Here they are playing one of Joe's new compositions. Read More