Grammy-nominated bluegrass singers Dailey & Vincent were in town this past weekend for a show at the Sheldon. Keith Dudding, host of Down Yonder (every Saturday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Central on 88.1 KDHX), sat down with the two musicians to discuss forming the band, influences, vocal arrangements, the business of bluegrass and their recent tribute to the Statler Brothers.

The music community of St. Louis (and beyond) is saddened by the news of Gene Roberts' passing on January 12, 2011. Gene was 82 years old.

What started out as a casual band, jamming to bluegrass in college bars in Champaign, Ill., has become Yonder Mountain String Band, one of the leading festival acts in the country.

Chris Thile had the idea of forming a string quintet and assembled the Punch Brothers in 2006. After his folk trio Nickel Creek went on hiatus in 2007, the band recorded the album Punch in 2008 and Paul Kowert replaced Greg Garrison as bassist for the supporting tour.

Musical virtuosity often comes with a hefty price, with artists honing their skills to the point where technique and proficiency become secondary to the music as a whole. Thankfully this was not the case with Brooklyn, NY based progressive bluegrass super group the Punch Brothers.

Best known for their work with Cumberland Gap and the Foggy Memory Boys, Greg Silsby and Jason Scroggins recently teamed up to share their love of old time and bluegrass music in an impromptu configuration.

Instrumental virtuosity is the rasion d' etre of bluegrass, but mult-instrumentalist Matt Flinner has been putting his chops to soulful use since early teens.

With nods to the Dillards and the Dead, Alabaster Brown plays country rock with some curling banjo, smooth harmonies and even honky tonk piano, all jamming together but somehow staying focused on the song.

The mandolin has never been the same after Sam Bush, originator of "newgrass" and an icon to hundreds of acoustic-oriented musicians to follow his lead. "The King of Telluride" and his guitarist Stephen Mougin paid a visit to the KDHX studios for a live performance.

Nash Street is that relatively rare thing in bluegrass: a young band with deep roots in the south who understand tradition but focus on original material that shows a pop and country appreciation.