Paul Gray: Bassist of Slipknot Dead at 38

Just days after the passing of iconic vocalist Ronnie James Dio, the world’s heavy metal community is mourning another life lost seemingly out of nowhere. Paul Dedrick Gray, bassist for the popular masked metal band Slipknot, was found dead May 24th at the TownePlace Suites in Urbandale, IA. He was 38 years old. After receiving a phone call from a concerned relative, Gray’s body was found in his room by a hotel worker. Police reported that Gray was alone in the room and there was no evidence of foul play. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. Read more

Nashville Flooding: Soundcheck Nashville Under Water

Nashville, TN, is Music City USA and is home to more great players and gear than possible any single place on Earth. With the recent 100-year flood that recently hit the Nashville area, many of our brother and sister musicians in town are feeling the disaster in ways that would be worst-case scenario for us and certainly must be for them. There are reports of damage to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ol’ Opry House, which are devastating to any fan of country music, but, for all us pickers and gear junkies, perhaps one of the most distressing losses in this whole event is the flooding of Soundcheck Nashville. Read more