S4 E2. Fred Bartenstein: Bluegrass Guru (Part 2)

S4 E2. Fred Bartenstein: Bluegrass Guru (Part 2)

Author: Blue Poncho Media July 11, 2026 Duration: 1:16:10
In this second episode of our "Industrial Strength Bluegrass" season of Walls of Time, we pick back up with Fred Bartenstein at his home in Yellow Springs, OH. Fred was about to share "the quintessential Carlton Haney story" (trust us, you have to hear it!). Fred also discusses working in New York City with the Greenbriar Boys and the time he spent in the Big Apple with Joe & Lily Isaacs. He also shares fascinating stories about his publications on Joe Wilson and Uncle Josh Graves. Fred's "bluegrass spotlights" analysis of the genre will change the way you view our musical genre, and of course, we chat more about "Industrial Strength Bluegrass." Enjoy Part 2 of our conversation with Fred Bartenstein, who truly is a "bluegrass guru.". This episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: -- Greene County Public Library: greenelibrary.info-- Samson's Haircare: samsonshaircare.com (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 10%.) 

There’s a particular sound that feels like home-the drive of a banjo, the ache of a fiddle, the harmony of voices that seem to rise from the ground itself. Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast is built around that feeling, but it goes deeper, into the stories and people behind the music. Host Daniel Mullins doesn’t just sit in a studio; he takes his recorder to festivals, backstage areas, and front porches, capturing conversations where they naturally happen. This approach gives each episode an intimate, almost conversational quality, as if you’re right there in the room. You’ll hear from legendary pickers, innovative songwriters, and the dedicated souls who keep the tradition alive, all sharing their journeys in their own voices. The podcast, from Blue Poncho Media, is less about formal interviews and more about genuine connection, exploring how these artists live and breathe the genre. It’s for anyone who wants to understand not just how the music is made, but why it matters. Tune in for unfiltered stories, laughter, and the raw, unvarnished sound of bluegrass history being told by those who are shaping it, one note and one story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast
Podcast Episodes
S1 E7. Mike Bub: Sideman Extraordinaire (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:39
From his time of growing up as a competition banjo player in the southwest, Arizona native Mike Bub has been a bluegrass staple -- from his time with the Weary Hearts to the Del McCoury Band, and even today as he is one…
S1 E6. Sierra Hull: From Fan to Icon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:34
From fan to icon, the grateful and brilliant Sierra Hull tells her story of how she got her start by meeting her personal musical heroes. From a bright family upbringing to becoming friends with her idols, Sierra is a br…
S1 E5. Danny Paisley: A Pedigree on Positivity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:25
The positivity of Danny Paisley. Hailing from Pennsylvania, Danny is what one would call “pedigreed Bluegrass.” He grew up playing this music alongside his legendary father, Bob Paisley, in The Southern Grass as they put…
S1 E4. Peter Rowan: The Keening Tones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:12
Peter Rowan, a former Bluegrass Boy, has a storied career that includes working alongside Jerry Garcia with the West Coast band, Old & In The Way, and a reputation as an innovative and multi-faceted solo artist. He and o…
S1 E3. Blake Williams: The Sparta Flash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:38
The Sparta Flash! Blake Williams is best known as a Bluegrass Boy, but one that witnessed some of the final years of his band leader, The Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. Road stories from the last days of the first gen…
S1 E2. J.D. Crowe (Part 2): Going for Broke [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:47
We continue our conversation with Bluegrass Hall of Famer, J.D. Crowe today. J.D. shares advice for new bluegrass bands and musicians, his thoughts on doing things a little differently, and speaks fondly about the late K…
S1 E1. J.D. Crowe (Part 1): Grit and Innovation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:34
The unmistakable music of banjo master, J.D. Crowe has shaped a generation of bluegrass musicians. His seminal band, the New South was known for taking mainstream songs and making them bluegrass favorites, as well as upd…
S1 E0. Season 1 Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:10
On this inaugural season of Walls of Time, hear field interviews with the best in bluegrass. In this preview episode of Season 1, host Daniel Mullins and co-producer, Ty Gilpin, introduce themselves, and give a run down…