Feed aggregator
Lorraine Jordan and Jeanette Williams Team Up for New Song
Nashville, TN: Carolina Road bandleader and Daughters of Bluegrass co-founder, Lorraine Jordan, has released a new song, "Nothin About Trains", with the 2012 SPBGMA Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year, Jeanette Williams. The tune is featured on Pickin' Like a Girl, the latest Daughters of Bluegrass box set from Blue Circle Records.Written by Dixie Hall, the "Nothin' About Trains" compares one's love affair to the experience of riding a train.
"This track, created for the latest release from the Daughters of Blue Grass, is a fine traditional song with hard driving music," said Lorraine Jordan. "Jeanette and I sing a duet during the verses and Gena Britt joins us during the chorus."
"Nothin' About Trains" also has the talents of Gena Britt on banjo, Becky Buller on fiddle and Rebecca Long on guitar as well as Jordan on mandolin and Williams on bass.
Make Welcome Entertainment provides management and publicity services for bluegrass, roots and country artists. With offices in Nashville, Tennessee and Washington, DC, Make Welcome is well positioned to focus on the details so artists can focus on making great music. To learn more about Make Welcome Entertainment, call 1-800-838-6087 or visit www.MakeWelcome.com
Tags: Lorraine JordanJeanette WilliamsNothin About TrainsMountain Park Old-Time Band Plays Carter Fold
Over the past several years, the Mountain Park Old Time Band has been creating a stir in old time music circles. The group has five members, all of whom are versatile and talented musicians. Johnny Gentry plays guitar, dobro, and fiddle as well as doing vocals for the band. Nancy Gentry plays upright bass and sings. The only thing better than one fiddler, is two fiddlers. Roger Stamper also plays the fiddle. C. T. Janney plays the washboard – an “instrument” rarely played today. Dr. Mark Handy plays banjo and does vocals. When he’s not playing old time, Dr. Handy practices medicine in Abingdon, Virginia. Saturday, May 25th, 2013, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the Mountain Park Old Time Band. Admission to the concert is $8 for adults, children 6 to 11 $1, under age 6 free.
The Mountain Park Old Time Band has played at the Blue Ridge Music Center, the Mountain Music Jamboree, and at Bristol’s Rhythm and Roots Festival. They have also been featured on National Public Radio. The group has released two CDs – Fire on the Dance Floor and Dancing with Sally Goodin. Mountain Park recently performed at the annual Carter Family Festival.
Fans of groups like the Whitetop Mountain Band will love the Mountain Park Old Time Band. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes, and be ready for a night of down home fun. Nothing gets you out of your seat and on the dance floor faster than a rousing old time band. Don’t miss the Mountain Park Old Time Band at the Carter Family Fold! For more information on the group, go to: www.myspace.com/mtnparkoldetimeband.
Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com.
Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.
Tags: Mountain Park Old Time BandCarter Family FoldEventOnline Voters Suggest Legacy Recording by Flatt & Scruggs with Doc Watson
New York, NY -- Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, announces the first four catalog titles to be released digitally in response to the enthusiasm of music fans voting online at LegacyRecordingsVault.com. The four LP titles now available for purchase as digital downloads mark the first of a monthly series of albums to be released digitally according to crowd sourced fan feedback.
Renowned engineer Vic Anesini went straight to the original source and master tapes to create sparkling new masters for these long-unheard gems. See Vic's video on the transfer process at Legacy Recordings on YouTube.
The LegacyRecordingsVault.com May 2013 titles--as voted on by fans online--are:
- Flatt & Scruggs with Doc Watson, Strictly Instrumental (Columbia, 1966)
- Bluegrass instrumentals from the strings of guitarist Doc Watson and his friends Flatt & Scruggs and their Foggy Mountain Boys. Strictly Instrumental is the result of a momentous session held in Columbia’s Nashville Studios on December 12, 1966: bluegrass stars Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, along with the Foggy Mountain Boys, laid down 11 sizzling instrumentals with guest star Doc Watson. The deaths of both Scruggs and Watson in the early months of 2012 add poignancy to this remarkable document of American roots music.
- Waylon Jennings, Good Hearted Woman (RCA, 1972)
- Vintage outlaw country Waylon, featuring the classic title track along with Tony Joe White's "Willie & Laura Mae Jones" and Kris Kristofferson's "To Beat The Devil."
- Tammy Wynette, The Ways To Love A Man (Epic, 1970)
- The first lady of country music ushered in the 1970s with this outstanding long-player, containing the title smash along with the anthem "Singing My Song.
- Willie Nile, Willie Nile (Arista, 1980)
- Straight-ahead rock from the great Willie Nile, rootsy and modern at the same time.
Fans can expect another round of digital releases coming June 11, set to include albums by Johnny Otis, Jessi Colter, Graham Parker, Ronnie Milsap, Dolly Parton and Libby Titus.
Each and every month, fans are encouraged to cast their votes at LegacyRecordingsVault.com for upcoming digital releases. Join in and help the Sony Music Archives unearth more lost treasures!
LegacyRecordingsVault.com formally launched in March 2013 as an online music fan forum seeking direct input on future digital releases from the world's foremost archive of commercial recordings. The website allows fans to vote on which rare or out-of-print recordings they'd like to see made available digitally, along with the opportunity to offer their own release suggestions and comments. The site draws on an unmatched collection of music dating back to the 1880s with artists and titles representing virtually every historical genre.
LegacyRecordingsVault.com formally launched in March 2013 as an online is spotlighting titles currently under consideration for digital release. Fans are encouraged to vote for the albums they'd most like to see made available as digital releases, and to make their own suggestions. With thousands of albums in the Legacy Recordings archives becoming potentially available for digital release, this crowdsourced service provides a valuable mechanism in the preservation of the original recordings while giving the online community a new way to request access to an unprecedented array of historically and culturally significant music.
Legacy Recordings is crowdsourcing its archives and no artist or project is too obscure for consideration. Visit LegacyRecordingsVault.com and share it on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.
Tags: Lester Flatt & Earl ScruggsDoc WatsonLegacy RecordingsDigital Downloads3rd John Hartford Memorial Festival Brings Life to an American Music Icon
John Hartford won Grammy awards in three different decades, recorded a catalog of more than 30 albums, and wrote one of the most popular songs of all time, “Gentle On My Mind.” He was a regular guest and contributor on the Glen Campbell Good Time Hour and the Smothers Brothers Show. He added music and narration to Ken Burns’ landmark Civil War series, and was an integral part of the hugely popular “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack and Down From The Mountain concert tour. But that hardly explains John Hartford.
John Hartford was an American original. He was a musician, songwriter, steamboat pilot, author, artist, disc jockey, calligrapher, dancer, folklorist, father, and historian. John Hartford passed away on June 4, 2001, after a long battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Lifelong friend, John Hotze, decided to take the plunge into the festival world by putting together a memorial festival to honor the late John Hartford. The first John Hartford Memorial Festival took place on the 10th anniversary of his passing in 2011. John Hartford’s immediate family were in attendance, as well as many extended family and longtime friends, and a small group of die-hard Hartford fans and musicians, who came together to remember and celebrate John’s life, music, and ideals. The great celebration had a line up to match that included Tim O’Brien, Great American Taxi, The Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, and of course Jamie Hartford & Friends, along with many other great artists and bands who continue to return to this great festival every year.
Hotze, an avid music lover and entrepreneur from St. Louis, is in his third year now for putting on this event. He says, “The mood I hope to achieve at the Hartford Festival is a party mood; a mood of having lots of fun. I think that’s what John would like. He would be all over the campground picking and jamming all night long. I would like to see the jammers get up and dance to the jam-grass and others to get up and flatfoot when some good fiddlin’ goes down. I’d like to hear lots of laughter. I never started this venture for money and I would be very happy to let it just sustain itself both to honor John and provide a venue for more performers.”
Headliners for this year’s festival include Jamie Hartford & Friends, Great American Taxi, Jeff Austin of Yonder Mountain String Band, The Hillbenders, Town Mountain, Mike Compton, Billy Bright & Geoff Union, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Rumpke Mountain Boys, and Bawn In The Mash, in addition to other great artists such as Branded Bluegrass featuring Dwight Dillman, park owner and former Bluegrass Boy, along with his son Derek Dillman who performed with Jimmy Martin, and The Henhouse Prowlers, The 23 String Band, Wil Maring & Robert Bowlin, Betse Ellis, Eric Lambert & Friends, and a host of regional and local string bands such as Ryan Spearman & Kelly Wells, The Whipstitch Sallies, Woodstove Flapjacks, The Indiana Boys, Leadfoot, and many, many more.
Hotze went on to say, “My vision is to narrow the scope of the festival to be Hartford centered, that is, book bands & entertainers that have been greatly influenced by John, ones who performed with and were good friends of John, also entertainers that cover John’s songs.” This statement is evident by the genre busting line-up featuring bluegrass, old-time string bands, and jam band music as well as singer/songwriters, not to mention the ticket prices. Kids 12 & under are free.
Tickets:
- Advance ticket prices:
- Single day - $40
- Full festival - 3 days $90
- Ticket prices at the gate:
- Single day - $45
- Full festival - 3 day $110
2013 Americana Music Association Honors & Award Nominees Announced
Nashville, TN -- The Americana Music Association announced nominees today for the 2013 Honors & Awards in Los Angeles at the Grammy Museum®. The ceremony featured performances by now nominated artists Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale, T Bone Burnett with Lisa Marie Presley, Elizabeth Cook and The Milk Carton Kids. The program was broadcast live on AXS TV, who will present a special encore presentation of the event later this evening at 9PM ET/6PM PT.
Shovels & Rope, with four nominations, followed by Emmylou Harris and Miller, with three each, lead the nominee slate while many other notable artists were recognized including: Rodney Crowell, John Fullbright, Lauderdale, The Lumineers, JD McPherson, the aforementioned Milk Carton Kids, Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis, Richard Thompson, and Dwight Yoakam. Winners will be announced live at the annual Americana Honors and Awards, presented by Nissan, on September 18th live on AXS TV from the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
The nominee announcement celebration in Los Angeles kicked off with an Americana tribute to George Jones featuring Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale leading their all-star band comprised of Fats Kaplin, Brian Owings and Jay Weaver. The music continued with performances by Lisa Marie Presley with special guest T Bone Burnett, Elizabeth Cook and the Milk Carton Kids.
Burnett, who produced Americana masterpieces ranging from “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” to the Americana and Grammy award winning “Raising Sand” by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, spoke to the Clive Davis Theatre audience about the genre that honors the roots of American music that has grown to prominence in recent years.
This year the nominees reflect the diverse and artistic breadth of the genre, where legends and the next generation of stars share the stage.
2013 AMERICANA HONORS & AWARDS NOMINEES:
- ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Buddy & Jim, Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale
- Cheater's Game, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison
- From The Ground Up, John Fullbright
- O' Be Joyful, Shovels & Rope
- Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell
- SONG OF THE YEAR
- Birmingham - Shovels & Rope
- Good Things Happen to Bad People - Richard Thompson
- Ho Hey - The Lumineers
- North Side Gal - JD McPherson
- Buddy Miller
- Dwight Yoakam
- Emmylou Harris
- Richard Thompson
- EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- JD McPherson
- John Fullbright
- Milk Carton Kids
- Shovels & Rope
- DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale
- Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell
- Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison
- Shovels & Rope
- INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
- Doug Lancio
- Larry Campbell
- Greg Leisz
- Jay Bellerose
- Mike Bub
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
The Americana Honors & Awards, presented by Nissan, returns to the historically cool Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN on September 18, 2013 (as part of the Americana Music Festival - September 18-22, 2013 at venues throughout Music City). The iconic Jim Lauderdale will once again host the Honors & Awards, while the phenomenal Buddy Miller will lead the All-Star Band. Described by Paste Magazine as “…the worlds best awards show…,” the Americana Honors & Awards have featured once-in-a-lifetime moments, unforgettable performances and legendary collaborations. Tickets for the Honors & Awards show come with the purchase of Americana Music Festival & Conference Registrations. /li
Tags: Americana Honors & AwardsAmericana Music AssociationAwardsHonors and Awards ShowCome To Me video from Chasing Blue
Jon Glik fiddlin’ in Tokyo
Bluegrass Weather Report – 5/17/13
Rural Rhythm announces Rural Roots Digital
Nechville announces Diamond Joe/Sonny Smith banjo
Rural Roots Digital Series Features Bluegrass Legends & Pioneers
This new Rural Roots Digital album archival download series will be available through Rural Rhythm’s digital distributor, eOne Distribution, and the releases will be available for purchase through all digital sources including iTunes-Red Smiley, iTunes-Curly Fox, Amazon-Red Smiley, Amazon-Curly Fox, Google Play-Red Smiley, Google Play-Curly Fox and others.
Available Now:
Curly Fox - Champion Fiddler, Volume One Red Smiley & The Blue Grass Cut-Ups Released in 1972 - Original Cover Art Released in 1967 - Original Cover Art These two reissue titles by Red Smiley and Curly Fox are also avaialbe now on AirPlay Direct.Rural Rhythm Records released a long line of Old-Time Country, Bluegrass & Gospel albums during the label's first two decades after Uncle Jim O'Neal started the label in 1955. Many of these vintage classic albums are still in Rural Rhythm's active catalog available on CD and digital formats. Many songs are still available in the various artist collection titles found in the Sound Traditions series. Many tracks were previously released only on records and will come back to life through Rural Roots Digital.
Many legends and pioneers released albums during this period including Mac Wiseman, Hylo Brown, Don Reno & Bill Harrell, Red Smiley, Jim Eanes, Vassar Clements, J.E. Mainer, Earl Taylor & Jim McCall, Raymond Fairchild and many more. Bringing the traditional “retro” vintage sounds from the past to the present in a convenient high-fidelity digital download format, Rural Roots Digital series preserves, protects, promotes and presents the ageless music of these artists for current and future generations to enjoy and appreciate using the technologies of the 21st Century. Now you can listen to these classics at home or on the go.
Bob Cherry of Cybergrass says, “Vintage music and systems are making a comeback as fans try and recapture the music experience created by the pioneers. This is a great opportunity for the fans and collectors, as well as educators and historians, to appreciate the music that started it all. Maintaining a level of 'permanence’ within the digital world is important. Rural Rhythm is doing a great service to our music with the new Rural Roots Digital series. Traditional roots music is in good caring hands and it’s out there to be heard and enjoyed.”
Rural Rhythm’s Sound Traditions collection titles have helped keep the traditional Bluegrass flame burning through the past several decades at the brick & mortar level. Now the new Rural Roots Digital series will continue the steady flow of available Old-Time Country, Bluegrass & Gospel titles culled from the treasure trove of masters in the Rural Rhythm Records vault.... For Rural Rhythm, It's all about the music. BORDER= The Blue Grass Cut-Ups - Red Smiley p ALT=permanence’ within the digital world is important. Rural Rhythm is doing a great service to our music with the new Rural Roots Digital series. Traditional roots music is in good caring hands and it’s out there to be heard and enjoyed.”
Tags: Rural RhythmSound TraditionsRural Roots DigitalCurly FoxRed SmileyDigital Downloads“Old McDonald Sold The Farm” Music Video by Newton & Thomas Released
“Steve and I are extremely proud of our new video of our single Old McDonald Sold The Farm. It surpassed our expectations and we can’t wait for the world to see it and to listen to our new project Reborn. Great job Bell-Jarboe Films,” said Newton. “Steve and I want to also thank Chris Andrews for his generosity with our CD Release Party along with Pinecastle Records and Master-mind.com who sponsored our video."
The video was filmed in the Leipers Fork area at Boyd Mill Farms and Blazer Hill Farms in Franklin, Tenn. earlier this month. “Old McDonald Sold The Farm” was written by the talented Canadian songwriters Kenny Boudreau, Darryl Landry and Ryan Roberts.
Newton & Thomas have certainly emerged as one of the most talked about new acts entertaining audiences with their unique blend of music with both Mark and Steve providing lead and harmony vocals. They are now on tour including upcoming performances at the Graves Mountain Festival of Music, Dollywood and more.
Radio is certainly welcoming them as well with Reborn hitting mid-chart on AirPlayDirect.com’s Top 50 Albums in all genre’s and # 5 out of the Top 50 bluegrass albums.
Fans can hear an in-depth interview with Newton & Thomas on the Bluegrass Radio Network’s Into the Blue hosted by Terry Herd that continues airing through May 18 on the show’s 139 affiliated stations.
Reborn is available for purchase on Amazon, iTunes, Pinecastle Records and many more outlets. Stay up to date on Newton & Thomas by visiting their website or following them on Twitter and Facebook. For more information on Pinecastle Records, please visit www.pinecastlemusic.com.
Tags: Newton & ThomasRebornOld McDonald Sold The FarmVideoCD ReleaseBalsam Range Helps a Small Town Make a Big Difference
Arden, NC -- When Balsam Range member Tim Surrett was told by his niece, Paige, about two students at one school who are fighting cancer, he and his band mates heeded the call. A third grade teacher at Clyde Elementary School in Clyde, NC, Paige told Tim that the school was trying to find a way to help the two families, and the power of love and music was set in motion. A Sunday afternoon benefit was held at Haywood Community College with bluegrass artists Balsam Range providing the toe-tapping entertainment. All proceeds were donated to the families of young Carter Green and Howell Brown III. Carter was able to attend the event, but little Howell is currently hospitalized at Duke University.
“These two children and their families are having a really tough time,” Tim says. “One is a third-grader, the other is in kindergarten. Their stories are heartbreaking. We get so many requests to do benefits and charity functions and we care deeply about every cause that comes to our attention. We really try to contribute when we can.”
And “contribute” the band surely did, with the help of a caring community that came out to support the Brown and Green families. The event raised a whopping $10,000 to help the families with health and travel expenses. Clyde is clearly a small town with a big heart. Located in Haywood County, the town has a population of fewer than 1,500 people. The band would like to remind fans that the giving doesn’t have to end just because the benefit concert has passed. Donations may still be sent to help the two families at the address below.
Balsam Range Kids
Clyde Elementary
c/o Pam Justice
4182 Old Clyde Rd.
Clyde, NC 28721
For Tim Surrett, there’s just one thought to add: “May God bless these precious children and their families, and may God bless our friends and fans for their kindness and generosity.”
Balsam Range’s current album, Papertown, is firmly seated at the Number One spot on the Bluegrass Unlimited Chart for the 4th consecutive month. Several singles from the record have also gone to Number One in various charts, including Bluegrass Gospel. For more, please visit www.BalsamRange.com or www.BalsamNation.com
Tags: Balsam RangePapertownBenefitConcertDailey & Vincent Capture Two Top Ten Spots on Billboard's Bluegrass Chart
Venerable bluegrass music duo Dailey & Vincent’s newly-released Brothers of the Highway has captured the #2 spot on Billboard’s Bluegrass chart, while their Grammy-nominated The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent is also in the top ten, at #7.
“We are very humbled, excited, and thankful for the release of Brothers of the Highway,” said Jamie Dailey. “Dailey and Vincent fans are some of the finest people on this Earth, and we love them for being so loyal.”
Darrin Vincent adds “It is so exciting to have two albums in the top ten of Billboard’s chart at the same time! We have the greatest fans in the world, and it is such a pleasure to make this great music for you.”
Brothers of the Highway has received tremendous praise from reviewers. Influential radio station KDHX’s blog calls it “a delight from start to finish,” while Parcbench proclaims it “just about the best bluegrass picking, strumming and harmony around,” and Great American Country calls the 12-song set “blistering.”
In a recent feature, Billboard’s Chuck Dauphin observed “The bottom line is – they just love to sing – and if you've ever seen them live, it shows." Bluegrass Today notes that on this album, “Jamie and Darrin stay true to their roots, while still being innovative and fresh,” and CMT.com has dubbed the duo “the rock stars of bluegrass.”
Tags: Dailey & VincentBrothers Of The HighwayBillboardChartsCD ReleaseDonna The Buffalo On Tour With New Album
Asheville, NC -- More energized and focused than ever before in their near 25-year career, roots-music troubadours Donna the Buffalo will debut their first studio album in five years, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, on June 18 via Sugar Hill Records. The follow up to 2008’s acclaimed Silverlined, which reached the Top 10 on the Americana charts, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday—the group’s 10th studio album—proves the band as a consistent steward of Americana music, their signature sound—traditional mountain music infused with elements of Cajun, rock, folk, reggae and country—an eclectic and extraordinary melting pot of such.
In creating the new album, founding members and songwriter-vocalists Jeb Puryear (vocals, guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard)—joined by band members David McCracken (Hammond organ, clavinet), Kyle Spark (bass) and Mark Raudabaugh (drums)—convened in a rustic church in Enfield, New York, along with co-producer and fellow upstate New Yorker, Robert Hunter (Branford Marsalis). The building overflowed with vibe, and the music poured out as the group recorded take after live take to old-school analog tape, with as few overdubs as possible. What resulted are the 14 organic and authentic tracks that make up Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday.
“We tried to do the record and keep in tact the things people love about us,” says Puryear. “We’re really excited to start sharing Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday,” adds Nevins, “because making this record was a very personal process that was also a lot of fun.”
The album will be worked at Americana and AAA radio this spring and summer, with the emphasis track being “I See How You Are,” a tune penned by Nevins. In addition, the band will be touring heavily throughout the remainder of the year to promote Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday. Festival dates include MerleFest, The Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance, Nashville’s Dancin’ In the District, Strangecreek Music Festival, Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival, The Great Blue Heron Festival, Red Ants Pants Festival, Targhee Bluegrass Fest, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival and MagnoliaFest, among many others.
The follow up to 2008’s acclaimed Silverlined, which reached the Top 10 on the Americana charts, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, the group’s 10th studio album, proves the band as a consistent steward of Americana music, their signature sound—traditional mountain music infused with elements of Cajun, rock, folk, reggae and country—an eclectic and extraordinary melting pot of such.
Visit http://www.donnathebuffalo.com/ for news, tour information, and how to get a copy of the album for your own collection.
Tags: Donna The BuffaloTonight Tomorrow and YesterdayTourCD Release

Recent comments
1 hour 10 min ago
1 hour 10 min ago
1 hour 11 min ago
1 hour 12 min ago
2 hours 27 min ago
2 hours 28 min ago
2 hours 37 min ago
2 hours 38 min ago
3 hours 4 min ago
3 hours 4 min ago