You may not know it yet, but Rodriguez is a living legend. In a new movie titled Searching for Sugar Man the story of his incredible music - and where it's been hiding - is explored and unveiled. The film has earned considerable praise for the story it tells, at Sundance Film Festival and beyond. Meanwhile, the  man himself is being rediscovered all over the place - moving audiences once again with his incredible music and infectious charm.

I had the honor of sitting front and center at a Seattle cabaret venue two years ago, to watch Rodriguez woo an unsuspecting crowd with his legendary music. Believe you me, the man is for real. If you're unfamiliar with Rodriguez's music and his amazing story, you'll want to make sure to check out About.com Guide to Long Island, Linda Tagliaferro's recent interview with him.

image courtesy Sony Classics

Last night, the "news" broke that Chris Thile - singer/songwriter and mandolinist extraordinaire - is a genius. I put quotations around the word "news" because, to anyone in the folk, bluegrass, or Americana worlds, it's been common knowledge for years now that Chris Thile is a genius. The man has threatened records for how fast a mandolin can be played. He's not all just impressive speed and dexterity. When Nickel Creek - the band of geniuses with whom he cut his teeth as a child and adolescent (the first 20 years of his career) - split, he went off on a solo career melding chamber music, jazz, and bluegrass. Bela Fleck has done this, of course, but what Thile did with The Blind Leaving the Blind (here's Movement 1) was a sort of freakish musical expression. A string band suite in four movements, which premiered at Carnegie Hall. Not too shabby for a bluegrass picker.

Since then, his Punch Brothers - formed originally as How to Grow a Band, to back him for his stirring solo album How to Grow a Woman from the Ground - have basically created a completely new style of music which builds on a traditional stringband concept, stretching it in every direction it has no business going, and doing so efficiently and artfully.

The MacArthur Foundation gives out $500,000 grants to people who have no idea they've even been nominated, much less that they're being seriously considered. MacArthur Grant winners have no clue the Powers That Be have an eye on them til they suddenly get a call. Apparently, Chris Thile ignored that call when he got it, thinking instead it was election season robocalls. Woops. Thankfully, he finally answered and discovered he had been awarded the prestigious "Genius" grant.

At any rate, congratulations to Mr. Thile for being one of the 23 geniuses in fields ranging from scientific discovery to the arts! We've always known you were a genius, but now you get a large sum of money to prove it. I, for one, can't wait to hear the music it facilitates.

photo: photo: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images

The Avett Brothers have been making their way up the ladder the last several years, breaking out of cult status to ink a deal with Sony/Columbia a few years ago. After that, they teamed up for the first time with high-profile producer Rick Rubin to deliver a highly praised disc - I and Love and You. That album earned them a considerably larger national (and international) audience even as it introduced their banjo-and-guitar-driven sound to a more mainstream audience.

Now, the brothers are back with a stirring disc of more intensely personal songs and earnest emotions. This time, they brought Rubin along again, along with an array of strings and horns, to make their most ambitious and daring artistic statement yet. Does it work? Check out my full review of the Avett Brothers The Carpenter for more info.

image courtesy Sony/Columbia

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) is gathering in Nashville, Tenn., this week to discuss, honor, and celebrate the great bluegrass music communities around the world. In addition to all the panel discussions, showcases, side sets, and other industry events taking place around town, the trade organization will celebrate the accomplishments of its artists this week with an incredible awards ceremony to be held at the historic Ryman Auditorium tomorrow night - Thurs., Sep. 27. Among the nominees this year are big time stars like Alison Krauss & Union Station, IIIrd Tyme Out, and Blue Highway - all up for a number of awards this time around.

For a full list of who else is nominated, check out the nominees for the 2012 IBMA Awards, and keep it tuned here for up-to-date news on this year's winners.

image courtesy Rounder Records