Cybergrass Bluegrass Music News

For the Infamous Stringdusters' fiddler and vocalist Jeremy Garrett, 2007 was truly a "blur of highlights." Dobroist/vocalist Andy Hall says the year came off better than anyone in the band ever imagined. Now, on the eve of the release of their self-titled second album, the Infamous Stringdusters have had a chance to reflect on their individual high points. ...

The 2008 USA Songwriting Competition deadline is fast approaching. Win a top prize of $50,000 worth of cash and merchandise such as cool gear from Sony, Ibanez Guitars, D'Addario Strings, Peavey, Audio-Technica and more. Also, have your winning songs played on radio! Enter in Pop, Rock/Alt, Folk, R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Instrumental, etc. ...

IBMA is proud to announce the following acts have been invited to perform in featured showcases for their colleagues in the bluegrass industry during the organization's 2008 Business Conference. The purpose of these presentations is to introduce the group’s talent and material to event producers, broadcasters, labels, media and other prominent industry professionals attending the events. ...

Recorded in the style of early recordings such as The Bristol Sessions (live picking and singing) Before Bluegrass is a tribute to the treasured music that Heather and her husband Tony hold dear. There are no overdubs. Their obvious Carter Family and old time music influences shine through on this unique recording but do not overshadow the blossoming original talent that has taken root. They are a fan favorite and receive requests at their Bluegrass shows to showcase this "primitive" God given ability. www.HeatherBerryMusic.com ...

Upstate New York quartet, "J. Peter Yakel & Flood Road" announces the release of their debut CD, Pickin' On Park Ave. The 11-song, self-produced disc was recorded live in Albany, NY, and contains 10 originals and one adapted traditional that run the range from toe-tappers to eye weepin' ballads. ...

The aptly named Angel Band features soaring, angelic three-part harmonies from three amazing singers - Nancy Josephson, Jen Schonwald and Kathleen Weber - each possessing a powerful, expressive voice that would make her the lead vocalist in any other band. Their sound is grounded in world-class musicianship, inventive and original songwriting and an irresistible mission to have and share a great time. That's evident on their sophomore CD, With Roots & Wings, due out May 27 on Appleseed Recordings. Legendary producer and pedal steel player Lloyd Maines produced and played on the album. ...

I'm Ronnie Reno and I'm contacting you as one of the founders and a fellow member of the IBMA to help us expand the reach and visibility of BlueHighways TV (BHTV). BlueHighways TV is the only TV network available today that holds a deep connection and commitment to bluegrass and roots music, and we are hoping that you can help us spread the word about our service. ...

Jim is sad to announce that he has cancelled his dates for the month of May. His doctor has placed him on strict vocal rest for the next 4 weeks to prevent what could be permanent damage to his vocal cords. ...

Nashville, TN -- Multi-award winning and popular musical group, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver will be featured during the weekend of May 9 on the XM Radio's popular enLighten34 program. XM Radio's Dan Dixon hosts an in-depth interview with Doyle Lawson, as the two discuss Doyle’s faith and his popular group’s music. ...

Two years in the making, the Grammy(r) considered work entitled Music of Coal: Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields is a pair of audio CDs containing 48 songs addressing various aspects of coal mining history and culture, including black lung, union organizing, environmental impacts and the contribution of coal to the national economy. The CDs are accompanied by a richly detailed book of liner notes with striking historical photographs. ...

Marion, VA -- The music of Song of the Mountains showcases the best in bluegrass and old-time music from the heart of the region where it all began in the southern Appalachians. The music is performed by talented musicians who are either natives of the Appalachian mountains and the Blue Ridge Highlands or musicians who have fallen in love the unique sound of the region. Song of the Mountains is both a live stage show and a syndicated television program. Each performance at The Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Virginia is videotaped and edited into a one-hour production for distribution to Public Television stations across the USA. ...

/CMA/ Nashville, TN -- Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, BNA Records star Kellie Pickler and Country Music Association Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese were at Thurgood Marshall Middle School today for a special delivery. A truckload of musical instruments and equipment were delivered to the students courtesy of "Keep the Music Playing" and CMA Music Festival. ...

by Liz MeyerThe weather was almost perfect for the 11th European World of Bluegrass Festival, sponsored by the European Bluegrass Music Association on 1-3 May. Attendance remained at peak level, the little Dutch town of Voorthuizen bursting with bluegrass music for 3 days as bands performed throughout the village, and musicians jammed in every corner of the festival venue. The European World of Bluegrass (EWOB) 2008 Festival featured 41 wonderful bands from 15 countries, including special USA guests Sally Jones & the Sidewinders, Appalachian Uprising, and Dick Staber & Judith Chasnoff, and EWOB's first groups from Norway (Ile Auto and the Holstein United Bluegrass Boys) and Spain (Lluis Gomez Quartet and Autopista 6). ...

The Dappled Grays are Atlanta's bluegrass band. They have had many accomplishments over the past five years including being named Best Bluegrass Band in Atlanta by Creative Loafing Magazine and being featured in Flatpicking Guitar Magazine as well as having several original songs played on MTV. Most recently the band was the featured entertainment for FOX 5’s broadcast of the 2006 Peachtree Road Race. ...

HENDERSON, KY -- The natural beauty of John James Audubon State Park will provide the backdrop for two festivals featuring bluegrass music and visual arts that will be staged May 16-17, 2008. ...

/CMA/ Nashville, TN -- CMA Music Festival is known worldwide as a four-day celebration of the relationship between Country Music artists and its fans in Downtown Nashville. Now celebrating its 37th year, the Festival also features unique events, including those held in the ChevyT Sports Zone. This year, the Chevy Sports Zone plays host to two exciting culinary competitions: the CMA Music Festival BBQ Championship and the Fiesta Celebrity Grilling Challenge. ...

The Calvary Heirs Quartet is coming to Ringgold United Methodist Church in Ringgold, Ga. May 17. The group continues in its 28th year of sharing the gospel from its home in Mt. Vernon, Ky. "Our passion is southern gospel music," said Bill Sowder, baritone singer. "Our purpose for singing is to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ." ...

Wilkesboro, NC -- Old Wilkes, Inc. and The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame (BRMHoF) committee announced earlier this year that Earl Scruggs will be one of the charter inductees to be honored at the first annual Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony to be held at the Walker Center on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro on Friday, June 13, 2008. ...

Back on February 4, 2007, we reported that Todd Taylor Sets Guinness World Record Fastest Banjo. Grammy Nominated Banjoman & Recording King Banjo Endorser Todd Taylor played "Feuding Banjos" at a rate of 210 beats per minute. It wasn't long before a challenger showed up. On January 12, 2008 we reported a New Banjo World Record Set at 260 Beats a Minute by Johnny Butten. In 2007 Johnny became the UK endorsee of Kel Kroydon banjos made by the American Made Banjo Company. ...

Nashville, TN -- The Grascals, one of the most critically-acclaimed and dynamic groups in bluegrass music today, and the reigning IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Entertainers of the Year for the last two years, will release their third studio album for Rounder Records, Keep On Walkin', on July 15. The 12-song, self-produced album is the group's first release in two years. It crystallizes the sound introduced and developed on the band's first two Grammy®-nominated releases—traditional bluegrass and country music, both original and classic songs, all delivered with vocal and instrumental intensity and virtuosity. Timely and timeless, The Grascals' music is entirely relevant to the here and now, yet based on a deeply-seeded knowledge of and admiration for the music's founding fathers. ...