Mandolin master Mike Compton has been playing with songwriter, banjo player, and guitarist Joe Newberry for several years, and lucky for us, Compton and Newberry stopped by the Peghead Nation studios while they were passing through town a few years ago and played several songs, including Joe’s original song “Singing As We Rise.”

Joe wrote the song as a tribute to his mother, father, and sister, and the popular bluegrass band the Gibson Brothers recorded “Singing As We Rise“ on their album Help My Brother, with Ricky Skaggs joining in on vocals. The recording won IBMA’s Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year award for 2012.

Check out Compton and Newberry Live, a 2013 release from Mike and Joe playing songs from the 1930s and ’40s, when brother duet music was transforming into bluegrass.  

And learn mandolin from Mike Compton in his Monroe-Style Mandolin course on Peghead Nation!

Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard: “Dawg’s Waltz” Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play a David Grisman and Jerry Garcia tune. Read More

John Reischman and Scott Nygaard: “The Blackest Crow” Mandolin master plays a Civil War-era tune that he also teaches in his Old-Time Mandolin course. Read More

Noctambule: “Murmuration” Peghead Nation’s Irish Mandolin instructor and her duo partner play an original tune from their recently released album. Read More

John Reischman and Scott Nygaard: “Sarafina” Mandolin master plays a new original tune that he recorded for his new album "New Time and Old Acoustic." Read More

Mike Compton and Scott Nygaard: “Tall Timber” Peghead Nation’s Monroe-Style Mandolin instructor plays a smoking version of a Bill Monroe classic with our co-founder. Read More

Mike Compton and Joe Newberry: “Last Chance” Peghead Nation’s Monroe-Style Mandolin instructor and his duo partner play a classic banjo tune from Virginia old-time musician Hobart Smith. Read More

Mike Compton and Scott Nygaard: “Bluegrass Special” Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play classic Bill Monroe boogie-woogie tune. Read More

Flynn Cohen and Marla Fibish: “The Famous Ballymote” and “The Morning Star” Peghead Nation’s Irish Backup Guitar instructor flatpicks a set of reels with our Irish Mandolin instructor. Read More

Teja Gerken, Doug Young, Marla Fibish, and Bruce Victor: “Here Comes the Sun” An acoustic quartet arrangement of the Beatles classic. Read More

Chad Manning and Scott Nygaard: “Whiskey Before Breakfast” Peghead Nation instructors play a mandolin and guitar version of the jam-session favorite. Read More