Join Caroline Wright in Kea‘au, Hawai‘i and Mike Kear in Sydney, Australia as they count down the 20 hottest bluegrass songs on the charts according to BluegrassToday.com.As always, Mike and Caroline will share some of this week's freshest, ripest bluegrass news. They’ll introduce seven debut tunes, reveal a pair of tunes tied this week at #17, and count down to a new #1 single! This week’s episode includes a Big Bluegrass Birthday Celebration in which we’ll talk about the life and music of RED ALLEN, one of the best bluegrass tenors to ever sing a note. His son, singer/songwriter/banjo picker Greg Allen, will join us for this incredible segment, packed with memories and music! If you’ve not been introduced to Red’s music before, you’re in for a treat. Born February 12, 1930 in Pigeon Roost, Kentucky, he had a spectacularly powerful and emotive tenor voice that he put to work with the Osborne Brothers, with J.D. Crowe, with his own band The Kentuckians, with Frank Wakefield and Red Spurlock as The Red Heads, and with the Allen Brothers, which consisted of his talented sons -- Greg, Neal, Ronnie, and Harley Allen. A very young David Grisman worked for Red and said it was like getting a college education in bluegrass music! This episode also includes an interview with singer/songwriter KRISTY COX, the award-winning "Australian Queen of Bluegrass"! Kristy is the six-time winner of Australia’s Golden Guitar award for Bluegrass Recording of the Year. She’s signed to Billy Blue Records and has released seven splendid albums, all produced by Jerry Salley. This past month, Kristy picked up her sixth Golden Guitar award from the Country Music Association of Australia in Tamworth, NSW. She’ll tell us about her influences, her songs, and her life in the U.S. making bluegrass music! Coming Sunday, February 12th, 2023, at podomatic.com/podcasts/mkear or on iHeart radio, Apple/iTunes, Amazon Music, Player FM, Audible, or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! And join our Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/bttop20 for advance notice of upcoming episodes, backstories and links for some of the show’s featured segments, and much more!