The Rick Dollar Show Podcast!

Duane Hess has dedicated more than four decades to preserving and promoting traditional bluegrass, gospel, and classic country music through broadcasting, podcasting, and live performance. A lifelong advocate for America's acoustic music traditions, he has earned a reputation for his knowledge of bluegrass history, respect for its pioneers, and passion for introducing audiences to both legenda...

I was born January 6, 1950, in San Gabriel, California. Firstborn son of Ernest Jennings and Betty Jean Ford. In the years I've been alive I've been I've been a son, a brother, a cowhand, a rhythm guitarist, a dishwasher, a father, a teacher, a student, an actor, a singer, a con artist, a martial artist, a songwriter, an editor, a husband, a liar and a writer. It's fair to say that...

Since first hitting the scene in the early 1980’s, Alan has made a name for himself as one of the most creative and technically gifted mandolinists in bluegrass and acoustic music. He was an original member of the groundbreaking bands; The New Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, BlueRidge and for the last eight years the band Alan Bibey & Grasstowne. Alan won the SPBGMA “Mandolin Performer Of The Yea...

John Bryan is one of the premier young voices in bluegrass music, best known as lead vocalist and guitarist for The Grascals. Since joining the award-winning group in 2015, Bryan has helped carry forward the band's signature blend of traditional bluegrass, gospel, and country music while bringing his own distinctive vocal style and stage presence to audiences across the United States and aroun...

Thomas Claxton is an award-winning vocalist, songwriter, guitarist, concert producer, and entertainer based in Savannah, Georgia. Known for his powerful voice, dynamic stage presence, and unwavering dedication to live music, Claxton has built a reputation as one of the Southeast’s most versatile and respected independent musicians. Over the course of his career, he has performed hundreds of shows...

Kristin Scott Benson is the seven-time International Bluegrass Music Association’s Banjo Player of the Year, recipient of the 2018 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, and 2024 inductee into the American Banjo Hall of Fame.   Since 2008, she has been a member of Grammy-nominated and two-time IBMA Entertainers of the Year, The Grascals.  Kristin is one of the nation's top b...

For over two decades, NewFound Road has been known for powerful harmonies, world-class musicianship, and songs that reach deep into the heart of American roots music. Founded in 2001, the band quickly carved out a reputation as one of the most dynamic groups in bluegrass and acoustic music. With a sound built on soulful vocals, tight arrangements, and instrumental firepower, NewFound Road became a...

Katelyn is the last founding member and now manager of Backline. She has grown up around bluegrass music her entire life. Her dad, David Mabry, sang and played banjo for 19 years with the King James Boys. He wrote a lot of gospel music that they performed through those years.  She began playing guitar at age, 5 but put it down until she was age 10. From 10 years old and on, she began to work hard...

Dan Tyminski was six years old when his parents began taking him to fiddle contests, square dances, and bluegrass festivals across New England. For a young musician who would later become one of the biggest names in modern-day bluegrass, those early experiences were life changing. “Watching live music always spoke to me much louder than sitting in front of my record player,” he remembers. “I loved...

Muriel Anderson  is renowned for her expertise on the 20-string harp-guitar, yet it is her gentle sense of humor and uplifting melodies that leave her audience smiling. Guitar Player Magazine lists her as one of the 50 noteworthy guitarists of all time. She has been listed among the top ten female guitarists, and is the first woman to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship.  She has reco...

The Sullivan Sisters have dazzled audiences since childhood with their unique blend of fast bluegrass picking and captivating sibling harmonies, with music ranging from lyrical originals to timeless folk classics to blazing instrumentals. Inspired by the bluegrass community in North Carolina where they were born and raised, Soraya and Lucaya began taking guitar and banjo lessons at ages 8 and 6. T...

Jet Poindexter Hatu is an entrepreneur, community leader, and lifelong lover of bluegrass music whose roots run deeper than most. Raised on the road, Jet grew up traveling on a tour bus with her father—a professional banjo player—immersed in the heart of the bluegrass scene from an early age. Now as an adult, she’s come full circle, reconnecting with that foundation and sharing her passion in a mo...

There’s no question that grassers these days have a plethora of incredible talent in the genre to model their skills and talents after. One name that has remained at the top of that list for many years and shows no sign of slowing down is the unparalleled banjo starlet and sweet songstress, Gena Britt. There are few in the business today that can come close to matching Gena’s stout banjo drive or...

Tyler Griffith is an emerging voice in modern bluegrass, blending deep-rooted tradition with a fresh, authentic edge. Raised on the sounds of classic Appalachian music, Griffith developed a passion for the genre at an early age, drawing inspiration from the pioneers of bluegrass while carving out a style uniquely his own. A skilled multi-instrumentalist and compelling vocalist, Griffith is known f...

Celebrating the milestone of 10 seasons on Discovery Channel’s hit series, “Moonshiners”, comedian Killer Beaz is running the roads delivering his new “Best Buzz in Town” tour of outrageously funny standup comedy.  This legendary comedian continues to make regular performances at The Grand Ole Opry, and is headed to a city near you, loaded down with laughs.  Killer Beaz has his own, unique brand o...

Randy Wood is an American master luthier, instrument builder, and music entrepreneur known for his influence on the modern vintage-instrument industry and the bluegrass and roots music community. Over a career spanning more than five decades, Wood has built and repaired instruments for many of the biggest names in country, rock, and bluegrass while also operating one of the South’s most respected...

His ability to paint mental pictures has been compared to Raymond Carver, Flannery O'Connor, and even Norman Rockwell. His laid back, conversational singing style has been likened to Don Williams, Guy Clark, and John Denver. So, when the easy softness of this southern baritone delivers these lyrical short stories, it's no wonder that both his peers and journalists alike call Daryl Mosley a...

Tidalwave Road hails from Williamsburg, KY in the heart of the Daniel Boone Country, the “Gateway to The Cumberlands,” and a hotbed for high energy, foot-stomping bluegrass music. First formed in 2012, the current members include Ben Parker (banjo), Carlie Parker (mandolin), Daniel Parker (bass), and Robert Sulfridge (guitar). As winners of the 2023 SamJam Festival Band Competition, sponsored by P...

Tim is a prolific songwriter, with over 300 songs recorded. He co-wrote IBMA's 2008 Song of the Year, "Through the Window of a Train," and was named IBMA's Songwriter of the Year in 2014, 2017 and 2023. In addition, he is a sought-after studio musician, having recorded with over 75 artists in addition to Blue Highway, including Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Jorma Kaukonen, Jesse McReynolds, Benny...

Valerie Smith is a well-known Grassicana artist who blends bluegrass, country, and Americana music seamlessly. She has received multiple awards for her passionate and soulful performances. NPR radio host Dave Higgs aptly described her as "sassy, sultry, siren-like, sweet, smooth, soothing, and smoldering - sometimes just in one song!" Valerie's music journey began when she recorded h...

Born and raised in the foothills of southwest Virginia, Olivia Jo is an up-and-coming bluegrass artist and versatile singer-songwriter that got her start in music as a child, cutting her teeth on traditional bluegrass, country and acoustic music. Her passionate, powerful vocals coincide with her honest, heartfelt delivery on stage, creating an enjoyable experience for both traditionalists and new...

Josh Williams is a highly skilled and accomplished musician, born in Murray, Kentucky on November 20, 1980. Raised in Benton, Kentucky, he displayed a remarkable talent for music at a young age, and his passion for it only grew stronger as he got older. After completing his high school education in 1999, he was fully supported by his family to follow his dreams of becoming a professional musician....

History and heritage naturally go hand in hand, and the desire to preserve the former is generally maintained by preserving the latter. Singer, songwriter and musician Marty Falle knows that all too well. His connection to the traditional music of Appalachia was spawned from spending much of his time after graduating from college living in Kentucky, the place where bluegrass was born. Now living o...

Lizzy Long - Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, resonator banjo, vocals Having roots in the heart of the south, Elizabeth Long, or Lizzy as her friends and fans know her was born on a farm in Lincolnton, Georgia. She began her music accomplishment at an early age. While starting out on the piano, Lizzy soon took up the fiddle, guitar, autoharp, bass, banjo, and mandolin, and has become an accomplished musicia...

Hopeless Holler Trading Company is the prime location for all bluegrass merchandise! This episode features Jamie "Grascal" Johnson of "The Grascals" along with Nathan and Lisa Truitt! Hopeless Holler Trading Company is a lifestyle and goods brand committed to quality craftsmanship, sustainable sourcing, and storytelling. Blending modern design with timeless tradition, we create...