Pickin on WHRV with the Lonesome River Band

WHRO | By Barry Graham

Published March 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM EST

Tune in Sunday night for two hours of traditional Bluegrass music with a feature on a 1996 release from the Lonesome River Band. One Step Forward features band founder Sammy Shelor with an outstanding lineup of musicians that went on to great solo careers. Kenny Smith, Ronnie Bowman, and Don Rigsby have forged their own sounds with countless releases and work with other groups. We'll hear several selections from the 96 release, then tracks from the musicians' own albums- like Ronnie Bowman's 2002 "Starting Over" release, Kenny Smith (teaming with wife Amanda) and the cd "Tell Someone", and Don Rigsby's "Voice of God" album. We'll also hear from Larry Stephenson, Larry Sparks, Jim and Jesse, and plenty of others who helped to mold the genre. Tune in for two solid hours of Bluegrass. Sunday night at 7 on WHRV.

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Pickin'89.5 WHRV Barry Graham

Barry Graham

Barry Graham used to arrive at WHRO with a briefcase full of papers and lesson plans. For 32 years he taught US and Virginia Government in the Virginia Beach Public Schools. While teaching was always his first love, radio was a close second. While attending Old Dominion, Barry was program director at WODU, the college radio station. After graduating, he came to WHRO as an overnight announcer. Originally intending to stay on only while completing graduate school, he was soon hooked on Public Radio and today is the senior announcer on WHRV. In 2001, Barry earned his Ph.D in Urban Studies by writing a history of WHRO and analyzing its impact upon local education, policy and cultural arts organizations.

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