Joe K. Walsh and Andrew Marlin: “Cody Road”

Master mandolinists demonstrate the beauty of playing twin mandolin during Wintergrass 2024.

By: Dan Gabel

March 26, 2024

A festival that books both Mr Sun and Mighty Poplar in one weekend is guaranteed a lot of great mandolin moments, as displayed during last month’s Wintergrass Festival in Bellevue, Washington. In addition to multiple performances with their talent-packed bands, Joe K. Walsh and Andrew Marlin teamed up for a “Twin Mandolins” workshop, where they played several tunes and talked about the joys of seamlessly blending the sound of two mandolins.

In this clip from the workshop, they play Andrew’s tune “Cody Road,” which Andrew recorded on his 2018 release, Buried In a Cape. It was one of several tunes the two masters played together during that session, taking time to answer audience questions and talk about the nuances of playing harmony parts, leaving room for the other player, reacting to musical cues, and much more.

It is also of note to mandolinists that Joe is playing his 2000 Gilchrist F-5, an instrument he bought from Andrew several years ago. During the workshop, Andrew quipped “I regret that” when the subject of letting go of the Gilchrist came up. Andrew is playing his Gibson Lloyd Loar F-5 here, though, so it seems like it all worked out!

Wintergrass was a great weekend of music as it is every year. Make plans to attend in 2025!

To learn mandolin from Joe, enroll in his Advancing Mandolinist, Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites, Octave Mandolin, Improvising for Mandolin and Fiddle, or Swing and Jazz Mandolin courses, and use promo code JoeLand at checkout and get your first month free!