Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard: “Dawg’s Waltz”
By: Dan Gabel
September 10, 2022
Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play a David Grisman and Jerry Garcia tune.
Watch Evie Ladin’s “Beyond the Bum Ditty, Part 2: Practicing Syncopations” Workshop
By: Dan Gabel
May 18, 2022
Evie covered all kinds of clawhammer banjo patterns, rolls, and licks in her latest Peghead Nation workshop, and you can watch the full session here.
Joe K. Walsh and Bruce Molsky: “Solly’s Little Favorite”
By: Dan Gabel
April 26, 2022
Watch an exclusive Peghead Nation video of our mandolin and fiddle instructors playing a great old-time tune at Wintergrass 2022.
Evie Ladin: “John Brown’s Dream”
By: Dan Gabel
February 19, 2022
Peghead Nation Clawhammer Banjo instructor plays a great old-time tune.
Wintergrass 2022 Is On!
By: Dan Gabel
January 26, 2022
Join Peghead Nation instructors and a cast of bluegrass, old-time, and roots music luminaries for a fun weekend of performances and workshops in Bellevue, Washington, February 24 - 27.
Watch Evie Ladin’s “Beyond the Bum Ditty: Practicing Syncopations” Workshop
By: Dan Gabel
November 5, 2021
Our Clawhammer Banjo instructor gave a Zoom workshop recently that covered all kinds of patterns, rolls, and licks. Watch the full session here.
Evie Ladin: “Rock Andy”
By: Dan Gabel
August 29, 2021
Peghead Nation’s Clawhammer Banjo instructor plays a great old-time tune on a new Rickard banjo.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: “Across the Plains of Illinois”
By: Dan Gabel
July 16, 2021
Peghead Nation fiddle and banjo instructor plays and sings a great traditional song with his trio.
Brittany Haas and Bruce Molsky: “John Brown’s Dream”
By: Dan Gabel
June 17, 2021
Two Peghead Nation fiddle instructors play an old-time favorite during the Green Mountain Bluegrass and Roots Festival.
Bruce Molsky: “Polly Put the Kettle On”
By: Dan Gabel
January 29, 2021
Peghead Nation Old-Time Banjo and Old-Time Fiddle instructor plays a classic dance tune.
Bruce Molsky: “Hard Times Come Again No More”
By: Dan Gabel
December 30, 2020
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle teacher plays and sings the classic Stephen Foster song.
Evie Ladin and Emily Mann: “Icy Mountain”
By: Scott Nygaard
December 22, 2020
Peghead Nation Clawhammer Banjo teacher plays an old-time favorite with one of the fiddlers who appears on Evie’s album of traditional tunes, “Riding the Rooster.”
New Tunes, Techniques, and Lessons Added for October
By: Dan Gabel
October 1, 2020
Our instructors have released great new lessons, tunes, and techniques in our guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass courses.
New Tunes, Techniques, and Lessons Added for September
By: Dan Gabel
September 2, 2020
Our instructors have released great new lessons, tunes, and techniques in our guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass courses.
Bruce Molsky and Isa Burke: “Arkansas Traveler”
By: Dan Gabel
August 4, 2020
Peghead Nation old-time banjo and fiddle teacher plays an old-time favorite with the fiddler, singer, and songwriter from the band Lula Wiles.
New Tunes, Techniques, and Lessons Added for August
By: Dan Gabel
August 3, 2020
Our instructors have released great new lessons, tunes, and techniques in our guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass courses.
Watch Our Soloing and Improvising Workshop | Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard
By: Dan Gabel
July 23, 2020
Our mandolin and guitar instructors talk about their unique approaches to improvising and field questions from their students in this 90-minute workshop.
Chad Manning and Scott Nygaard: “Whiskey Before Breakfast”
By: Dan Gabel
July 22, 2020
Peghead Nation instructors play a mandolin and guitar version of the jam-session favorite.
Evie Ladin: “Got No Honey Babe Now”
By: Dan Gabel
July 17, 2020
Peghead Nation’s Clawhammer Banjo teacher plays and sings an old-time song from North Carolina fiddler Frank Blevins.
New Lessons Just Added to Peghead Nation for July
By: Dan Gabel
July 1, 2020
Our instructors have released great new lessons, tunes, and techniques in our guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass courses.
Rhiannon Giddens with Yo-Yo Ma: “Build a House”
By: Dan Gabel
June 19, 2020
The songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist releases a powerful new song on the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, with accompaniment from cello master Yo-Yo Ma.
Brittany Haas and Chris Thile: “Crow Molly”/“Ship in the Clouds”
By: Dan Gabel
June 6, 2020
Peghead Nation fiddle instructor Brittany Haas and “Live From Here” host Chris Thile play tunes by their hero (and our co-founder) Scott Nygaard, during a show in San Francisco.
New Lessons Just Added to Peghead Nation for June
By: Dan Gabel
June 5, 2020
Kick-off your summer with new lessons, tunes, and techniques in our guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass courses.
Evie Ladin: “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo”
By: Dan Gabel
June 2, 2020
Peghead Nation’s Clawhammer Banjo teacher plays and sings a Grateful Dead classic, which she also recorded for the Evie Ladin Band’s EP, “Playing Our Hand.”
New Lessons Just Added to Peghead Nation for May
By: Dan Gabel
May 6, 2020
New lessons to keep your momentum going! Check out the lessons, tunes, and techniques to learn in our guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass courses.
Evie Ladin: “Lonesome John”
By: Dan Gabel
March 10, 2020
Peghead Nation’s Clawhammer Banjo teacher plays and sings an old-time song from Kentucky fiddler John Salyer.
New Lessons Just Added to Peghead Nation
By: Dan Gabel
March 5, 2020
What to do with all of that time? Check out the lessons, tunes, and techniques to learn in our guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass courses.
Bruce Molsky and Tatiana Hargreaves: “Last of Harris”
By: Dan Gabel
February 13, 2020
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle and banjo teacher plays a John Salyer tune with the young award-winning fiddler and singer.
Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard: “Watson’s Blues”
By: Dan Gabel
February 13, 2020
Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play a tune that Bill Monroe wrote and named after one of his favorite guitarists, Doc Watson.
Hours of New Lessons Just Added to Peghead Nation
By: Dan Gabel
January 8, 2020
The new year brings new tunes and techniques to learn on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, dobro, ukulele, and bass.
Bruce Molsky: “Red Rocking Chair”
By: Dan Gabel
July 29, 2019
Peghead Nation Old-Time Fiddle instructor plays and sings a traditional favorite.
Evie Ladin and Emily Mann: “Merriweather”
By: Dan Gabel
April 3, 2019
Peghead Nation’s Clawhammer Banjo teacher plays a banjo and fiddle version of an old-time favorite with the fiddler and multi-instrumentalist from the folk duo Paper Wings.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: “Grey Eagle”
By: Dan Gabel
March 22, 2019
Bruce Molsky, Stash Wyslouch and Allison de Groot play a traditional fiddle tune live at the Peghead Nation table at Wintergrass.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: “The Little Carpenter”
By: Dan Gabel
March 1, 2019
Peghead Nation fiddle and banjo instructor plays and sings a great traditional song with Stash Wyslouch and Allison de Groot, live at Wintergrass.
Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard: “Goodbye Liza Jane”
By: Dan Gabel
February 4, 2019
Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play an old-time favorite.
Bobby Britt and Brittany Haas: “Ways of the World”
By: Scott Nygaard
December 12, 2018
Bobby Britt is a young bluegrass and old-time fiddler from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, currently playing fiddle in the up and coming bluegrass band Town Mountain, which won an International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum award.
John Reischman and the Jaybirds: “Little Pine Siskin”
By: Dan Gabel
October 30, 2018
Peghead Nation mandolin instructor plays an original tune with his band at the IBMA World of Bluegrass festival.
Monroe Mondays: “Stoney Lonesome”
By: Tristan Scroggins
October 29, 2018
Another Bill Monroe Tune from the famed Road to Columbus.
Bruce Molsky: “Peachbottom Creek”
By: Scott Nygaard
October 17, 2018
Peghead Nation banjo and fiddle instructor plays one of his favorite clawhammer banjo tunes by Wade Ward.
John Reischman and the Jaybirds: “Hop High My Lulu Gal”
By: Dan Gabel
October 4, 2018
Peghead Nation mandolin instructor plays a traditional favorite with his band at the IBMA World of Bluegrass festival.
Monroe Mondays: “Scotland”
By: Tristan Scroggins
September 17, 2018
Bill Monroe wrote this tune as a twin-fiddle homage to the sound of Highland bagpipes
Evie Ladin: “Polly Put the Kettle On”
By: Dan Gabel
August 15, 2018
Peghead Nation Clawhammer Banjo instructor plays a great old-time tune.
Harmonic Tone Revealers: “Sail Away Ladies”
By: Dan Gabel
August 4, 2018
Peghead Nation instructors John Reischman, Sharon Gilchrist, and Scott Nygaard play the Kenny Baker version of this traditional favorite.
Monroe Mondays: “Ozark Rag”
By: Tristan Scroggins
July 16, 2018
One of the many tunes Bill Monroe wrote in his later years.
Bruce Molsky with Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno: “Train on the Island”/“Texas Sally Ann”
By: Dan Gabel
May 26, 2018
Bruce takes to the porch to play two traditional favorites with old-time/country guitarist and songwriter Vivian Leva and multi-instrumentalist Riley Calcagno.
John Reischman and Scott Nygaard: “The North Shore”
By: Dan Gabel
March 2, 2018
Peghead Nation instructors play a mandolin and guitar duet of John Reischman’s original waltz.
Monroe Mondays: “Northern White Clouds”
By: Tristan Scroggins
February 26, 2018
The toilet paper song.
Hawktail: “Abbzug”
By: Dan Gabel
January 23, 2018
Peghead Nation fiddle instructor Brittany Haas plays an original tune with her talent-packed quartet.
Monroe Mondays: “The Lloyd Loar”
By: Tristan Scroggins
January 8, 2018
A tune of rebirth, named by the man who repaired Bill Monroe’s iconic mandolin.
Bruce Molsky and Tatiana Hargreaves: “Flannery’s Dream”
By: Scott Nygaard
January 3, 2018
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle and banjo teacher plays an old-time favorite with the young award-winning fiddler and singer.
Joe K. Walsh and Scott Nygaard: “East Tennessee Blues”
By: Dan Gabel
November 22, 2017
Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play the popular old-time tune at our first Mandolin Camp.
Evie Ladin: “Indian Ate a Woodchuck”
By: Scott Nygaard
November 7, 2017
Peghead Nation Clawhammer Banjo instructor rocks a great old-time dance tune.
Monroe Mondays: “Call of the Shepherd”
By: Tristan Scroggins
October 19, 2017
The least popular tune of the batch.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: “I Get My Whiskey from Rockingham”
By: Dan Gabel
October 10, 2017
Peghead Nation fiddle instructor plays a traditional favorite with his trio at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco.
Joe K. Walsh and John Mailander: “Seneca Square Dance”
By: Dan Gabel
September 26, 2017
Peghead Nation mandolin instructor plays an old-time dance tune with bluegrass fiddler and multi-instrumentalist John Mailander on octave mandolin.
Monroe Mondays: “Monroe’s Hornpipe”
By: Tristan Scroggins
August 7, 2017
A jam standard on a non-standard instrument.
Monroe Mondays: “My Father’s Footsteps”
By: Tristan Scroggins
July 17, 2017
Paternalistic Picking from the Father of Bluegrass
Soggy Bottom Boys: “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow”
By: Dan Gabel
July 12, 2017
Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Mike Compton plays this iconic song with the original band that gave “O Brother, Where Art Thou” its authentic sound.
Monroe Mondays: “The Tanyards”
By: Tristan Scroggins
July 3, 2017
A twisting tale of a Bill Monroe original he never personally recorded.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: “Rosa Lee McFall”
By: Dan Gabel
June 28, 2017
Peghead Nation fiddle instructor plays a Charlie Monroe song with his old-time trio at the Father's Day Festival in Grass Valley, California.
Monroe Mondays: “Blue Goose”
By: Tristan Scroggins
June 19, 2017
An unusual fiddle tune from the bluegrass master.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: “K.C. Moan”
By: Scott Nygaard
June 7, 2017
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle teacher and his trio play and sing the Memphis Jug Band’s old-time blues favorite.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: “John Brown’s Dream”
By: Scott Nygaard
March 31, 2017
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle teacher plays the traditional favorite with his powerful trio.
Derk’s Discoveries: Thompsonia, Good for What Ails You
By: Derk Richardson
March 17, 2017
Eric, Suzy, and Allegra Thompson's family band plays joyful "weird and obscure old-time American music."
John Reischman and Scott Nygaard: “Little Liza Jane”
By: Dan Gabel
March 2, 2017
Peghead Nation instructors play a mandolin and guitar version of the old-time favorite.
Melodic Mandolin Tunes with John Reischman Is Now Live!
By: Dan Gabel
February 20, 2017
Learn to play traditional and original tunes in a variety of styles from a modern mandolin master.
Brittany Haas: “Willow Creek”
By: Scott Nygaard
February 8, 2017
Peghead Nation’s Fiddle Styles instructor plays a favorite old-time tune.
My Music Camp
By: Tara Shupe
January 9, 2017
On the joys of spending a musical week in the mountains at the Targhee Music Camp.
Bruce Molsky: “Barlow Knife”
By: Dan Gabel
January 4, 2017
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle teacher plays the traditional classic.
Brittany Haas on “A Prairie Home Companion”: “Fiddle Tune Medley”
By: Dan Gabel
December 13, 2016
Peghead Nation fiddle instructor plays in the new house band for the popular radio show, now hosted by mandolin master Chris Thile.
Bruce Molsky: “I Get My Whiskey from Rockingham”
By: Dan Gabel
November 16, 2016
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle teacher sings and plays the traditional classic.
Molly Tuttle: “Gentle on My Mind”
By: Dan Gabel
September 29, 2016
Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Joe K. Walsh joins Molly Tuttle and an all-star band to play a John Hartford classic live at Augusta Heritage Bluegrass Week.
Bruno Stefanini Fiddle
By: Teja Gerken
August 4, 2016
Bruce Molsky discusses and demonstrates his primary fiddle.
Remembering Ralph Stanley
By: Bill Evans
July 13, 2016
Peghead Nation banjo instructor Bill Evans talks about the influence of one of the titans of bluegrass music.
Mike Compton and Scott Nygaard: “Cream and Sugar Blues”
By: Dan Gabel
June 28, 2016
Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play classic blues mandolin tune.
Bruce Molsky: “Train on the Island”
By: Scott Nygaard
June 8, 2016
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle teacher sings and plays the traditional classic.
Bruce Molsky’s New CD/DVD: “Can’t Stay Here This a-Way”
By: Dan Gabel
May 25, 2016
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle instructor's latest recording is a solo CD/DVD package released by the Old-Time Tiki Parlour.
Bruce Molsky and Joe Walsh: “L&N Rag”
By: Scott Nygaard
March 29, 2016
Peghead Nation instructors play an old-time fiddle rag.
REVIEW: Pokey LaFarge, “Something in the Water”
By: David McCarty
October 15, 2015
The roots singer/songwriter/guitarist’s rollicking debut for Rounder Records.
Sharon Gilchrist: “Squirrel Hunters”
By: Dan Gabel
September 11, 2015
Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Sharon Gilchrist plays the old-time tune at Augusta Heritage Center's Bluegrass Week 2015 with her fellow instructors Darol Anger, Tyler Grant, Casey Henry, and Mary Burdette.
Bruce Molsky: “Walking in the Parlor”
By: Scott Nygaard
August 27, 2015
Peghead Nation Old-Time Fiddle instructor Bruce Molsky has countless great old dance tunes in his repertoire. They may have started out as simple tunes to keep the dancers’ feet moving, but Bruce turns them into self-contained solo fiddle pieces, as heard in this performance of “Walking in the Parlor,” recorded in the studio when Bruce was taping his Old-Time Fiddle course lessons.To learn great old-time fiddle tunes like this from Bruce, enroll in his Old-Time Fiddle course on Peghead Nation today.
Bruce Molsky: “Glory in the Meeting House”
By: Scott Nygaard
July 8, 2015
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle instructor with a spirited rendition of the Kentucky tune.
Bruce Molsky: “Bonaparte’s Retreat”
By: Scott Nygaard
May 28, 2015
Peghead Nation old-time fiddle instructor plays William Stepp’s version of the classic tune.
REVIEW: Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project
By: Scott Nygaard
March 3, 2015
Canadian progressive banjo player creates traditional music gem.
