Help us welcome Matt Wingate to the CLB!‏

"One of the most exciting young musicians in bluegrass music today. Matthew has great chops, but he's also got a lot of soul." ~Rob Ickes

From Claire:
We're flat-out DELIGHTED to introduce you to the new member of the Claire Lynch Band, Matt Wingate. Read his bio, below, so you can see the incredible talent he's bringing to our band. Send him a little welcome message (details here), and we'll randomly choose one of you to win his solo CD - it's a gem!

And we're also pleased to announce our representation by TG2 Artists - landing us in some fine company, including Sam Bush, Alison Brown, Solas, Maura O'Connell, and our pal Missy Raines, and to report some fun "best of..." listings for "Whatcha Gonna Do," our latest CD.

About Matt WingateThe newest member of the band may also be the youngest, but Matt Wingate brings impressive credentials and a mature, improvisational musicality seemingly far beyond his years, making him a natural for The Claire Lynch Band.Winning Merlefest's Doc Watson Guitar Championship in 1997 at the age of 15, at a time when he was performing with his family band, Matt later honed his bluegrass chops performing across the U.S. and in Europe as Valerie Smith's lead guitar player. He began performing with the Greencards in 2004, an experience that immersed Matt in a musically broader, more progressive repertoire, deepening his musical vocabulary and his facility with complex arrangements. From 2006-08, his work as a member with a hot young band, The Lovell Sisters, opened the door for Matt to play a more significant creative role, lending a strong hand to the selection and arrangement of material. It also gave him the opportunity to return to the Merlefest stage in 2008, coming full circle to play the festival that was so key to launching his career at age 15.

That year, Matt also released a solo CD, A Good Dream, to excellent reviews.Flatpicking Guitar Magazine featured Matt on the cover of its March/April 2009 issue, praising not only his flatpicking prowess, but also his "top notch" level of musicianship and his considerable talents as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (including guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, bass, drums and dobro). Dobro phenom Rob Ickes' appraisal is spot on, terming Matt "one of the most exciting young musicians in bluegrass music today. Matthew has great chops, but he's also got a lot of soul."Find out more about Matt by visiting: http://www.myspace.com/matthewwingate

Bill Monroe - Blue Moon Of Kentucky

Engineer. Craftsman. Musician. Making guitars takes a world of talent

Doug Janz - Press Tempo Writer
djanz@johnsoncitypress.com

Making a great guitar takes healthy doses of patience, analysis, musical knowledge and woodcrafting skills — someone with a nose for engineering, an ear for music and the touch of a master craftsman.
Gerald Sheppard is a Kingsport luthier and musician who brings these qualities together. A former quality control engineer at Eastman Chemical Company, he brings an organized, mathematical mindset to the instrument-building process. Since he retired from Eastman in 1993, he has built a reputation as one of the country’s finer guitar makers, selling 10 or 12 custom acoustic guitars a year for prices ranging upwards of $20,000.

His instruments are made in his basement shop and are created to fit the specific needs of each customer. Plenty of factors go into every guitar’s construction: Will the customer play the guitar on the couch at home, or set after set on stage? Are they older? Do they have arthritis, back problems, stomach problems or ergonomic issues?

People also get to choose the kinds of exotic woods used to make the instrument and can order various elegant embellishments that raise the aesthetic appeal. A finished Sheppard guitar is a sight to behold, often with fine inlaid pearl offsetting the glossy shine of deep, striking wood grain.

But the sound is what matters most to Sheppard.

“Good players can hear and feel the difference,” he said. “There’s a science of resonance, of how you want the resonance to be projected.”

“Serious guitars for serious players” is what he calls them. More...

Grascals reach out to new fans

By Deborah Evans Price Deborah Evans Price – Fri Feb 26, 9:50 pm ET

NASHVILLE (Billboard) –

Not content to court just one crowd, bluegrass band the Grascals will try to expand their fan base on Hank Williams Jr.'s upcoming Rowdy Friends tour.

But the tour is only the first step; in addition to releasing a new album, "The Famous Lefty Flynn's," March 30 on Rounder Records, the act has a sponsorship deal with Mobil Delvac and an ongoing licensing agreement with an Alabama RV park.

"This is about longevity," Grascals vocalist Jamie Johnson says. "Bluegrass is where we're from, so that's where we're always going to call home, but one of our goals is to be nominated for the (Country Music Assn.) or (Academy of Country Music) vocal group of the year."

That's not an impossible goal for a group that has accrued plenty of awards since its founding in 2004 and stint as Dolly Parton's band. The Grascals' current lineup is Johnson, vocalist/bassist Terry Smith, guitarist/vocalist Terry Eldredge, fiddler Jeremy Abshire, banjo player Kristin Scott Benson and mandolin player Danny Roberts. They've become one of the most successful bluegrass acts, winning the International Bluegrass Music Association's entertainer of the year honor in 2006 and 2007, the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America's overall bluegrass band of the year in 2008 and 2010, and numerous other accolades. Full story in Billboard...

WCTE to bring 'Bluegrass Underground' to national television

"MCMINNVILLE -- Organizers of the internationally acclaimed radio-concert series 'Bluegrass Underground' announce a special public television partnership to bring the unique 'musical adventure' series to a national audience. The series' pilot will be videotaped 333 feet below the surface in the acoustically pure Volcano Room, deep within Cumberland Caverns near McMinnville. The 'Bluegrass Underground' radio-concert series has been airing weekly since 2008 on country music's flagship station, 650 WSM-AM. Now, a partnership of concert promoter Todd Mayo's Loblolly Ventures, WCTE-DTV (PBS) and Emmy award-winning producer Todd Jarrell are developing the series for national distribution on public television.

''Bluegrass Underground' is a labor of love for all who are part of it, and the Volcano Room at Cumberland Caverns is one of the most majestic and magical spaces on, or under, the earth,' says Loblolly president Mayo. 'We are thrilled to be partnering with WCTE and Todd Jarrell, who together have a track record of creating quality cultural and musical television programming for national PBS audiences.' Read on...

Dailey & Vincent, Hilarious Video

This Sunday (2/28) on Traditional Ties, I have a Dailey & Vincent interview about their new CD - Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers. In the course of the interview they mention this video, I thought you might like to see it.

Traditional Ties, Sundays 10:00 PM - 91.3 WYEP FM Pittsburgh PA. Streaming, www.http://wyep.org

Happy Birthday Dr. Ralph

Yes I finally learned how to embed a vidio, there will be more.

Del McCoury, others to be honored at Governor's Awards for the Arts

York County natives including Jeff Koons and Del McCoury will be honored at the April 8 ceremony in York.

By ERIN McCRACKEN
Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 02/25/2010 07:55:56 AM EST

The Governor's Awards for the Arts ceremony will be a homecoming for York County natives Jeff Koons and Del McCoury.
At the April 8 ceremony, the visual artist and bluegrass artist will stand on York's Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center stage next to two other recipients who have never left -- Patron Award winners Louis J. Appell and Arthur Glatfelter.
A host site honoring four of its own is unprecedented in the history of the statewide awards, Judge Marjorie Rendell said Wednesday. She and her husband, Gov. Ed Rendell, will serve as emcees for the event.
York countians rose to the top of the nearly 70 nominations for individuals and organizations received by The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Other winners include Caroline Nunan of Lancaster and the Ridgway Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous from Elk County.
Read more...

Traditional Ties, 02/28/10, Playlist

Contact info for new adds:
Dailey & Vincent - http://daileyvincent.com/ - http://www.crackerbarrel.com/browse-specialproducts.cfm?doc_id=1110
The Spinney Brothers - http://www.spinneybrothers.com/

Air Time
Artist Name
Song Title
Album Name
Label
Duration
10:00 PM
Kenny Baker
Jerusalem Ridge (Theme)
Plays Bill Monroe
County
2:00
10:03 PM
Dailey & Vincent
Flowers on the Wall
Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers
Cracker Barrel
2:34
10:07 PM
The Spinney Brothers
Will you Be Lovin' Another Man
When the golden Leaves Begin to Fall
The Spinney Brothers
2:40
10:10 PM
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Hero of Mine
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Mountain Home
4:26
10:14 PM
Lou Reid
Amanda Lynn
My Own Set of Rules
Rural Rhythm
3:29
10:19 PM
Bill Emerson
Old Coal Town
southern
Rural Rhythm
2:52
10:22 PM
The Grass Cats
I Shot the Sheriff
A Good Way to Get the Blues
New Time
2:52
10:25 PM
The Spinney Brothers
Boss of the House
When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall
The Spinney Brothers
2:12
10:27 PM
Adam Steffey
Durang's Hornpipe
One More for the Road
Sugar Hill
3:27
10:32 PM
Dailey & Vincent
The Brave apostles Twelve
Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers
Cracker Barrel
2:14
10:35 PM
Barry Scott
In God's Time
In god's Time
Rebel
4:41
10:39 PM
Carolina Road
You Gotta Believe
Why Don't You Give Jesus a Try
Blue Circle
3:25
10:42 PM
Paul Williams
Sinner Don't Wait
What a Journey
Rebel
4:18
10:47 PM
The Spinney Brothers
Sweet Wonderful Words
When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall
The Spinney Brothers
2:34
10:47 PM
Larry Stephenson
You'll See Jesus
20th Anniversary
Pinecastle
3:00
10:52 PM
Special Consensus
Footprints
Signs
Pinecastle
3:14
10:55 PM
Larry Sparks
Better Farther On
I Just Want to Thank You Lord
Rural Rhythm
3:03
11:00 PM
True Bluegrass
With Care from Someone (Theme)
True Bluegrass 1979
True Bluegrass
2:00
11:03 PM
Dailey & Vincent
Class of '57
Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers
Cracker Barrel
2:24
11:07 PM
Dailey & Vincent
Hello Mary Lou Goodbye Heart
Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers
Cracker Barrel
2:28
11:16 PM
Dailey & Vincent
Do You Know You Are My Sunshine
Dailey & Vincent sing the Statler Brothers
Cracker Barrel
3:21
11:20 PM
Dailey & Vincent
Elizabeth
Dailey 7 Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers
Cracker Barrel
3:46
11:27 PM
The Spinney Brothers
I Pray to God
When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall
The Spinney Brothers
4:34
11:31 PM
Josh Williams
Stealin' Away
Down Home
Pinecastle
2:23
11:37 PM
Bill Emerson
I Don't Care
Southern
Rural Rhyrhm
2:25
11:38 PM
Dirty River
Graveyard Train
Graveyard Train
Dirty River
3:30
11:40 PM
Manhanttan Valley Ramblers
Forked Deer
Ballads and Barnburners
Crusty Scone
2:50
11:43 PM
The Spinney Brothers
Send Me your Address from Heaven
When the golden Leaves Begin to Fall
The Spinney Brothers
3:05
11:46 PM
Rhonda Vincent
Last Time Lonin' You
Destination Life
Rounder
2:49
11:49 PM
The Gibson Brothers
What Can I Do
Ring the Bell
Compass
3:55
11:53 PM
Dale Ann Bradley
Ghost Bound Train
Don't Turn Your Back
Compass
3:21
11:57 PM
Buddy Merriam
Spirt of Rosine
Back Roads Mandolin
Lily Pad
2:59
JOHN TROUT, WYEP FM, PITTSBURGH, PA. tties91@hotmail.com

'TRADITIONAL TIES'- NEW RELEASE BLUEGRASS WITH FEATURES. 91.3 WYEP, http://www.wyep.org/ 10:00 PM Eastern Time (U.S.) Sundays. Streaming Audio

1608 JEFFERSON ST, LATROBE PA, 15650 -2940

'TRADITIONAL TIES' - 25 YEARS IN 2010

Link to Traditional Ties web pages: http://wyep.org/traditionalties

Bluegrass revival: Music store owners notice more people discovering bluegrass

By Jenna Mink, The Daily News, Bowling Green, Ky.
Feb. 23--
Steve Jones is no stranger to string instruments. But he recently decided to tackle a new one.
"The mandolin, on a personal level, that is my goal this year," he said.
Jones has worked at Kentucky Music Co. on Russellville Road for 14 years and he recently purchased his first mandolin. In fact, Jones and others have noticed a piqued interest in bluegrass instruments over the past few years.
"In the last four or five years, there's been more of a demand for them," Jones said. "So, obviously we've upped our inventory."
While bluegrass instruments make up about 15 percent of overall sales, the shop carries a variety of those instruments, from banjos and resonators to fiddles and mandolins.
Over the past few years, bluegrass has crept back into mainstream music with many jam bands incorporating rural sounds in their songs and acoustic bands, such as Nickel Creek and Alison Krauss and Union Station, gaining popularity.
Locally, the bluegrass genre has been revived by the International Newgrass Festival -- a three-day concert event held in Oakland, which attracted about 1,000 people last summer and features bluegrass and newgrass bands. Newgrass is a nontraditional form of bluegrass music founded by the New Grass Revival, whose surviving band members performed at last year's festival and are scheduled to play this year, too.
Caleb Rowe, a sales associate at Musician's Pro on Campbell Lane, helped operate sound equipment at the Newgrass Festival and developed his own interest in bluegrass music as a result.
"I think that I have seen an increased trend and it may be because of my personal increased interest in it recently," he said.
Rowe is learning to play the banjo and... (Read on)

Rhonda Vincent to Announce Future Label Affiliation Soon

Bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent tells CMT.com she will announce her new record label affiliation soon. She says her recent departure from Rounder Records was entirely amicable and that it occurred at the completion of her contract with the label. "I appreciate everything they've done and wrote them a letter stating that," she says. "We may work together in the future." However, regarding her involvement with another label, she adds, "All the contracts aren't signed." Vincent is a seven-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association's female vocalist of the year award and was voted that group's entertainer of the year in 2001. Source, CMT News.

PBS® To Broadcast Rounder Records 40th Anniversary Concert In March 2010

PBS® will broadcast Rounder Records 40th Anniversary Concert in March, 2010 as part of their March fund drive programming (check your local PBS® station for airdate and time). Filmed in October, 2009 at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, the concert was a celebration of Rounder’s 40 years in the music industry and featured Grammy® winning Rounder artists Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bela Fleck and Irma Thomas along with musical host, Minnie Driver, and special guests Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas and Jazz/R&B pianist, Henry Butler. The special will include performances by these artists as well as select performances from Steve Martin’s show at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, from Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s 2008 CMT “Crossroads” special, and from Madeleine Peyroux’s 2009 concert in Los Angeles.
The concert was filmed in high definition by High Five Entertainment. Some of the program highlights include Alison Krauss & Union Station’s performance of the song “Restless” from their Grammy® winning, million selling album Lonely Runs Both Ways, Mary Chapin Carpenter’s performance of her smash radio hit “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” Irma Thomas belting out her R&B chart topper “You Can Have My Husband But Don’t Mess With My Man,” Steve Martin’s performance of songs from his Grammy® winning album The Crow, Bela Fleck tearing it up with Jerry Douglas on a song from the early Rounder Bela Fleck recording “Duets,” and a rousing grand finale that blended blues, R&B, zydeco, country, and bluegrass during a gospel medley of “Angels Watching Over Me,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “Down By The Riverside.”
The artists featured in this PBS® special have collectively garnered over 53 Grammy® Awards and sold over 25 million albums. The program’s Executive Producer and long time Rounder Senior VP, Brad Paul said, “It is a real thrill to have so many of our amazing artists represented in this show. The musical diversity and artistry is exceptional and rarely seen on TV any more. Hats off to PBS® for their strong commitment to quality television.”
PBS’s® VP of Fund Raising Programming, Joe Campbell adds, “PBS® is delighted to present a very special concert event, celebrating 40 years of incredible music with some of the finest musicians working today. PBS® is one of the few places where concerts like this can be seen in their entirety and we’re proud to present these great musicians to our audience.”
Rounder Records was founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Marian Leighton Levy and Bill Nowlin. With only their passionate enthusiasm for American roots music lighting the way, the three Boston area college students cast their lot into the perilous music industry. “Before founding Rounder, we were basically music fans,” says Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin. “None of us had any record industry experience whatsoever,” echoes co-conspirator Bill Nowlin.This untested trio have gone the distance: from humble beginnings 40 years ago, to winning Album of the Year for Raising Sand at the 2009 Grammy® Awards. Rounder is now considered one of America’s premier independent record labels, and has emerged as the preeminent source for vital, uncompromised music of all genres.

Life wasn’t always easy for kid stars in music biz

"Country music was not the most acceptable thing socially to be a part of if you were a kid our age,” said Marty Stuart, who encountered similar problems.
Brenda Lee, Tanya Tucker and Stuart shared stories Saturday, Feb. 20, during “The Kid’s Got Talent: Child Stardom in the Music Business” at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Lee, 65, got her start in the country music business when she was 5 years old, then transitioned to rock and pop with hits such as “I’m Sorry” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by the time she was a teenager.

Tucker, 51, has charted more than 50 country singles since her career began with “Delta Dawn” when she was just 13.
Former Country Music Foundation president and current board member Stuart, 51, left home at 13 to join bluegrass legend Lester Flatt’s post-Flatt & Scruggs band, the Nashville Grass.

Full story in The Tennessean.

Traditional Ties, 02/21/10, Playlist‏

Sunday night was a membership night at WYEP, but thanks to quick your response we were able to play an exceptional amount of music in our two hours. Thanks for last night's support as well as the last 25 years for Traditional Ties.

Air Time
Artist Name
Song Title
Album Name
Label
Duration
10:00 PM
Kenny Baker
Jerusalem Ridge
Plays Bill Monroe
County
3:34
10:02 PM
Wayne Taylor
I'm Gonna Be
Wayne Taylor & Apaloosa
Raincoe
3:04
10:05 PM
Lonesome River Band
Like A Train Needs A Track
No Turning Back
Rural Rhythm
2:53
10:08 PM
Big Country Bluegrass
High Alleghenies
Authentic Hard-Driving Bluegrass
Mountain Roads
2:59
10:17 PM
Del McCourey Band
Sweet Appalachia
Family Circle
McCourey Music
3:40
10:21 PM
Jeanette Williams
Thank You For Caring
Thank You For Caring
Blue Circle
3:11
10:24 PM
Kristen Scott Benson
Bugle Call Rag
Second Season
Pinecastle
2:59
10:30 PM
Jerry Butler & John Wade
Shorty Is Forty
Hot Cargo
Blue Circle
2:34
10:30 PM
Nothin Fancy
Let Your Light Shine Down
Lord Bless This House
Pinecastle
2:31
10:40 PM
Sawmill Road
The Far Side Of The River
2 Fire On The Kettle
SMR
3:12
10:42 PM
Allegheny Drifters
Babylon Is Fallen
Can't Wait
alleghenydrifters.com
1:58
10:44 PM
Mickey Harris
Don't Wait Too Late
Dog House Blue
MJH Records
2:44
10:47 PM
Larry Sparks
What Kind Of Man
What Kind Of Man
Rural Rhythm Christian
2:38
10:50 PM
The Gibson Brothers
Ring The Bell
Ting The Bell
Compass
3:46
11:01 PM
Darren Beachley & The Legends Of The Patomac
Love You Don't Know Cannot Hurt You
CD Single
Patuxent
4:08
11:05 PM
Danny Paisley And The Southern Grass
I'm Leaving Detroit
The Room Over MIne
Rounder
2:30
11:07 PM
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Lonely Street
Lonely Street
Rounder
2:34
11:10 PM
Audie Blaylock & Redline
Lonesome Weary Heart
Audie Blaylock & Redline
Rural Rhythm
2:30
11:19 PM
Chris Warner
Goin' To The Dance
Goin' To The Dance
Patuxent
3:17
11:22 PM
Cullen Galyean
Midnight Ramble
Born Into Bluegrass
Mountain Roads
1:50
11:24 PM
Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
The Wolf Is At The Door
Blue Side Of The Blue Ridge
Rebel
3:07
11:27 PM
Special Consensus
Signs
Signs
Pinecastle
2:33
11:30 PM
Adam Steffeu
Warm Kentucky Sunshine
One More For The Road
Sugar Hill
3:49
11:41 PM
Larry Stephenson
Give This Message To Your Heart
20th Anniversary
Pinecastle
2:53
11:44 PM
Bill Emerson And Sweet Dixie
Grandpa Emory's Banjo
Southern
Rural Rhythm
2:59
11:47 PM
Rhonda Vincent
Stop The World (And Let Me Off)
Destination Off
Rounder
3:22
11:57 PM
Jesse Baker
Farewell Blues
Yessir!
Patuxent
2:55

JOHN TROUT, WYEP FM, PITTSBURGH, PA. tties91@hotmail.com

'TRADITIONAL TIES'- NEW RELEASE BLUEGRASS WITH FEATURES. 91.3 WYEP, http://www.wyep.org/ 10:00 PM Eastern Time (U.S.) Sundays. Streaming Audio

1608 JEFFERSON ST, LATROBE PA, 15650 -2940

'TRADITIONAL TIES' - 25 YEARS IN 2010

Link to Traditional Ties web pages: http://wyep.org/traditionalties

Musicians Hall of Fame Founder Joe Chambers to Appear on Fox and Friends Monday Morning‏

NASHVILLE, TN - Joe Chambers, founder of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum, will appear on Fox News NY's Fox and Friends on Monday morning, February 22 at 6:50 a.m. CST, 7:50 EST to discuss the Museum's recent plight with the city of Nashville and the eminent domain ruling that resulted in the loss of their physical location.

The museum closed its doors on Saturday, February 13th after Judge Barbara Haynes ruled in favor of the Metro Development and Housing Authority (MDHA), ordering Chambers and company to be out of The Musicians Hall of Fame within seven days.

The museum represented a key piece of property that the MDHA needed in order to move forward with the construction of the new Music City Center.

Although the museum's new physical location is currently undecided, The Musicians Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Show will take place once again in Nashville in the fall of 2010. Further details will be announced at a press conference in late spring.

RenoFest preparations underway

From Staff Reports
Published: February 19, 2010

Downtown Hartsville is getting ready for the return of the Annual RenoFest Bluegrass Festival on March 26, 27 and 28. The festival always runs the fourth weekend in Marhch.

“RenoFest has become a national springtime ritual signaling the opening of America’s annual bluegrass festival season,” said Marty Driggers, one of the festival organizers. “Blooming dogwoods, daffodils and azaleas surrounded by the natural purity of bluegrass music in air makes RenoFest a splendid event to welcome springtime and begin America’s 2010 bluegrass festival season.”

RenoFest was chosen Promotional Event of the Year by the S.C. Community Development Association in 2003 and 2005 and as Event of the Year by S.C. Festival & Event Association in 2005.

“On RenoFest weekend, Hartsville’s downtown district is filled with bluegrass musicians engaging in spontaneous ‘jam sessions’ in parking lots, street corners and alleys where fans, performers and musicians of all ages form circles to play, sing and listen to their favorite bluegrass tunes,” Driggers said.

To many folks attending RenoFest, “jamming” is the highlights of the festival.

Ticketed events are held in the Center Theater while other events are held at various downtown Hartsville venues, parks and restaurants.

Ticketed events at the Center Theater include the State Championship Band Contest at 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon ($15), the State Championship Banjo and Guitar Contests (Saturday morning) and the afternoon RenoFest Concert ($25) and the Saturday evening Center Theater Concert starting at 6:30 p.m. ($15). A $35 advance ticket gets you into all ticketed events.
Read more...

Blue-blooded bluegrass

By Lana Michelin - Red Deer Advocate

Published: February 19, 2010 5:00 AM

Bluegrass musicians don’t come with more hill country-cred than the members of the Lonesome River Band.
Take the group’s banjo player-vocalist Sammy Shelor, for instance.
One of his grandfathers toiled in the West Virginia coal mines from 1927 to 1931, labouring for the only mining company paying in gold coins instead of scrip that could only be spent in company stores. That allowed his grandpa to tuck away enough coins to start up his own sawmill at the height of the Great Depression.
His other grandfather also worked hard but was rarely seen without his banjo. “He used to play it all the time and he got me interested at about the age of six,” recalled Shelor, who will perform with the Lonesome River Band at Red Deer’s Festival Hall on Sunday, Feb. 28.
The band’s tune We Couldn’t Tell, off the latest release, No Turning Back, pays homage to the creative and hardworking people of Shelor’s grandparent’s generation.
Life in general was so hard for these Appalachian Mountain folks that many couldn’t tell there was a Great Depression going on, said Shelor. “They were so far away from Wall Street and the business world. . . . They were just making their own way and doing the best they could.”
As the song says: “We didn’t know the difference when the mighty dollar fell ’cause we didn’t have a dime. . . . ”
No Turning Back is the band’s 12th album. It produced a No. 1 hit, Them Blues, which the Lonesome River Band recently played to open the International Bluegrass Music Association awards show. Read on...

Rhonda Vincent Leaves Rounder Records

February 19, 2010
Bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent has left Rounder Records after 10 years with the label. During that time she released eight albums, the last one being last year's Destination Life. Vincent, her manager and her publicist are on a bluegrass cruise and could not be reached for comment. Vincent's brother, Darrin, continues to record for Rounder as half of the duo, Dailey & Vincent.

Source CMT News.

Claire Lynch, David Grier, Mike Compton, Michael Cleveland, Join All Star Jam

Claire Lynch, David Grier, Mike Compton, Michael Cleveland, Charlie Cushman, and Rob Ickes have been added to the lineup for the Bluegrass All-Star Jam on Sunday, February 28, 2010 at The Paramount Center for the Arts for two shows, an afternoon matinee at 2:30 PM and an evening performance at 7:30 PM. “We are very excited about these additions to the line-up,” noted Bill Hartley, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance. Hartley commented that the additions compliment the other artists in the line-up. “Adding Claire Lynch along with Kim Fox, Missy Raines, and Dale Ann Bradley, highlights some of the top female performers in bluegrass music.

Mike Compton, Michael Cleveland, David Grier, and Rob Ickes are all multiple IMBA Award winners, as are many of the other artists in the line-up.” Hartley added that Ickes is the most awarded individual player in the history of the IBMA.

Due to inclimate weather, this concert has been re-scheduled from its original date of January 30, 2010. Since the re-scheduling of the concert several of the artists originally billed will not be able to perform due to prior commitments; however, these artists have been replaced by others of equal ability and renown.

Artists who were originally scheduled but will not be attending include: Kenny and Amanda Smith, Alan Bibey, and Sammy Shelor. These artists have been replaced with Claire Lynch, David Grier, Michael Cleveland, Mike Compton, Charlie Cushman and Rob Ickes. Those remaining on the roster include Terry Baucom, Dale Ann Bradley, Mike Bub, Kim Fox, Steve Gulley, Adam Haynes, Phil Leadbetter, Justin Moses, Missy Raines, Don Rigsby, and Tim Stafford.

Cindy Baucom from the nationally syndicated “Knee-Deep in Bluegrass” and 2005 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year will emcee the show. Now in its fifth year and previously billed as “Pickin’ at the Paramount,” the Bluegrass All-Star Jam will feature some of the genre’s best artists. This show is the second in the Birthplace of Country Music @ The Paramount Winter Concert Series. This show is sponsored by Alpha Natural Resources, Bristol Virginia Utilities, City of Bristol Tennessee, Fox Tri-Cities, WETS, WOPI, Virginia Commission for the Arts, Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ticket prices are $25, ($15 students / $20 advance). Show times for the Bluegrass All-Star Jam at 2:30 and 7:30. Tickets must be purchased individually for each of the day’s performances and are available at The Paramount Center for the Arts box office at 423.274.8920 or visit http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=82168853&msgid=978450&act=E8UO&c=381850&destination=http://www.theparamountcenter.com/ or http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=82168853&msgid=978450&act=E8UO&c=381850&destination=http://www.etix.com/ All tickets purchased for originally scheduled date of January 30, 2010 will be honored on the 28th of February.

The Birthplace of Country Music Alliance is a non?profit organization dedicated to telling the story of the living musical heritage of the Appalachian mountains and the cultural traditions that sustain it. The BCMA is funded in part by grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, Tennessee Arts Commission, and National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, call (276) 645?0111 or visit online atwww.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org

Traditional Ties, 02/21

This Sunday will be a membership night on WYEP, Traditional Ties will be live this week so no advance playlist will be distributed. The playlist will be posted on Monday. You can also get the playlist any time after the show airs at http://wyep.org/playlist - select the proper date and time period and the list will be displayed.

JOHN TROUT, WYEP FM, PITTSBURGH, PA. tties91@hotmail.com 'TRADITIONAL TIES'- NEW RELEASE BLUEGRASS WITH FEATURES. 91.3 WYEP, http://www.wyep.org/ 10:00 PM Eastern Time (U.S.) Sundays. Streaming Audio 1608 JEFFERSON ST, LATROBE PA, 15650 -2940 Link to Traditional Ties web pages: http://wyep.org/traditionalties

IIIrd Tyme Out Hits Billbaord Top 50

Rural Rhythm Records is pleased to announce the self-titled album by award-winning, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out hit this week’s Billboard Magazine Top 50 Bluegrass Chart (retail sales.) The album and single, “Hard Rock Mountain Prison (‘Til I Die)” have become extremely popular radio hits as well. The single reached #1 on the Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine Top 30 Singles chart in (December 2009) and celebrated multiple visits to the #1 spot on the Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine charts late last summer.

This album is still going strong with very impressive positions on the February 2010 charts:#2 single - Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine’s Top 30 Songs#3 album - SIRIUS-XM Radio’s Most Played Albums, Bluegrass Junction #4 single - SIRIUS-XM Radio’s Most Played Tracks, Bluegrass Junction#4 single - Bluegrass Music Profiles Top 30 Songs #6 album - Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine Top 10 Albums#7 album - Bluegrass Music Profiles Top 10 Albums #7 album - Cashbox Magazine’s TOP 20 Album Chart#7 album - Roots Music Report, Bluegrass Top 50 (last week’s album chart)

Rural Rhythm Records will soon announce details of an exciting contest coinciding with the release of the band’s new single, “My Angeline.” The album is currently available at iTunes, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, f.y.e. and numerous other retail outlets with track samples available on most sites.

Russell Moore, Steve Dilling, Justen Haynes, Wayne Benson, and Edgar Loudermilk make up this award-winning band. Their tour schedule for the next 6 weeks will take them to North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Indiana. For a complete listing of upcoming performances, please check out their website at: http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=9716529&msgid=428363&act=9LKC&c=139089&destination=http://www.iiirdtymeout.com.

Sam Bush is eager to set foot onstage after surgery

By Walter Tunis - Contributing Music Critic
It's back-to-work time for Sam Bush.
The veteran bluegrass-and-more stylist and Kentucky Music Hall of Famer has spent the better part of the winter — well, all of it — at a locale he seldom sees during the course of the year: his Nashville home. The Bowling Green native has been recuperating from surgery to remove bone spurs on his right foot.

The convalescence came at a somewhat precarious time. Bush's fine new album Circles Around Me was released only a month before the foot surgery. That meant much of the record's promotion, and his usually hearty schedule of touring and recording studio session work, had to be put on hold.

"But I'm getting ready to hit the ground running," Bush said in a recent phone interview. "Literally."
Bush will be running and then some. His first working itinerary for 2010 looks something like this: Read more.

Watson, Krugers concert raises $10,000 for Haiti

by Charles S. Williams
(Photo caption) CHARLES S. WILLIAMS/Staff photo-HELP FOR HAITI BENEFIT-The Kruger Brothers and Doc Watson headlined a benefit concert for Haiti Friday night. Performing, left to right, were Jens Kruger, Joel Landsberg, Doc Watson, Josh Day, Charles Welsh and Uwe Kruger.

The Wilkes-Alleghany Chapter of the American Red Cross collected approximately $10,000 in donations to help earthquake victims in Haiti at a benefit concert Friday night at the Stone Center for the Performing Arts in North Wilkesboro. The concert featured Doc Watson and the Kruger Brothers. The event was organized by the Kruger Brothers to assist with the Red Cross relief efforts. A standing room only crowd estimated at 550 to 600 people attended. Joel Landsberg, the bassist for the Kruger Brothers, said, "It was a wonderful evening of music. We appreciate the tremendous turnout by the people of Wilkes and the surrounding area. "It was a thrill and an honor that Doc took some of his time to come and be with us, to play a wonderful show, and to give his talents to such a great cause. It was tremendous to see people come together for this event." Landsberg and Ann Graves, the executive director of the Wilkes Alleghany Chapter of the American Red Cross expressed their appreciation to Dr. Stephen Laws and the Wilkes County School System for the use of the Stone Center for the performance. Landsberg also thanked North Wilkesboro Mayor Robert Johnson and Wilkesboro Mayor Mike Inscore for supporting the event. Both spoke briefly, welcoming visitors to the area. In addition, Johnson danced on stage at the invitation of the Krugers during one of the songs in their set.
Read more.

Leadbetter leaves Grasstowne

Phil Leadbetter announced Saturday he was leaving bluegrass band Grasstowne for both musical and non-musical interests. Leadbetter, who plays Dobro, did not specify what those interests were. The group released two CDs on the now-shuttered Pinecastle Records label.
In an email Leadbetter said, "I want to announce that today, I am stepping down as a member and partner in the band Grasstowne. I started this band along with my friends Steve Gulley and Alan Bibey in December 2006. I have had a good run of 3 years and 2 successful CDs here, but I have decided to pursue a few others interests."
"Some of these are musical, and some are non-musical. It just seems like the right time, and I didn't want to leave the guys hanging during the upcoming festival season. This will allow plenty of time for a replacement to be found."
"I have really enjoyed working with Alan, Read on...

LETTERS FROM CLAIRE LYNCH AND JIM HURST

Claire's Letter
It's been an unusual week in Nashville...a few inches of snow came down like feathers on Sunday... then a little bit of sleet.... So I and most of my neighbors have been "snowed in" for a winter reprieve. But that's not the only unusual circumstance I find myself in! No, something more engaging ensues... a band transition. Most everyone already knows - but I'm now making my official announcement. The Claire Lynch Band is saying goodbye to Jim Hurst. It was 1995 when Jim came to an audition at the Quality Inn near Music Row in Nashville. He had just finished a few years of touring with Trisha Yearwood and was looking to re-explore his bluegrass roots heritage. Jim was coming "home" and we were there to greet him, lucky for us! I've told the story many times from stage about our first meeting. He commenced to playing his own flattop version of "Wheel Hoss", the great Bill Monroe classic. After we picked our jaws up off from the floor, we offered him the job in what was then Claire Lynch and the Front Porch String Band. The music was never the same again. Jim is what I consider genius level as a player and a thinker. He's quick on his feet - he's got tons of music swimming around in that head of his, and like he once told me, "if you had that in you, you'd want it out, too!" Add to that, his amazing vocal ability as a harmony and lead-singer and his creativity, and you've got a musical force of unparalleled nature! But even though Jim's rare talent and abilities have been enough to allow him to do whatever he wanted musically - he's always been the team-player. There were many times he put my needs and the needs of this band first. He's the quintessential professional, sideman and one-man-band. It's been a blessing beyond what I ever dreamed to have frequently shared the stage with him these 15 years. I'm happy to see Jim take his talent on the road as a solo artist because it's in that pared-down setting where friends and fans will be able to hear each delicate nuance of his performance. There was a moment in upstate New York just a couple of years ago when all was quiet after the gig. Just a few of us were standing around when Jim pulled out his new Jim Hurst model Gallagher and sang "Danny Boy". He had recorded it on "Second Son" a few years earlier and had dedicated it to his dad. That was just one of the moments I realized how much heart and soul came out of Jim when he played. I couldn't help but quietly weep. And since Jim decided to leave us just before the holidays, I've had to do a lot of thinking and rearranging for the days ahead. The end of an era has come. But Jim always was the first one to encourage me to take stock of my own talent...so I'm following his advice. I'm carrying on and letting the music speak for itself. And it's a wonderful thing to know that I'm still flanked by two amazing players who also blow my mind nightly - Jason Thomas and Mark Schatz. An announcement of our new band member is just over the horizon, so please be looking for that very soon! In the meantime, I'd like to bid this fond farewell to one guy I hope will always be my friend -here on earth and through Eternity. To quote a Pierce Pettis song from our New Day project, "... life's a mystery and a surprise...!" Good bye Jim! We love you and will miss you. All the best of luck and blessings to you in the days ahead!~Claire
Jim's LetterTo all of you who are Claire's fans, to those who have come to be familiar with me over the many years, and to those of you who have taken a liking to me and my musical efforts... Thank you! Thank you for all the times you've shared with us at performances, at the CD table, music camps; thanks for voting for us to receive awards and supporting us in what we all are trying so hard to do. It is you who make all of this possible and we don't tell you that often enough. And I hope the following doesn't cause you to think differently about me, or disappoint you too badly, but it is time I said farewell to Claire and the Claire Lynch Band. Not an easy thing to do as I have been working with Claire for most of the last 15 years. From August 1995 until December 1999, I was a member of Claire Lynch and The Front Porch String Band. I joined Claire, Larry, Michael McLain and Missy Raines to travel up and down the highways and byways of this country, and in England and Japan. In 1998 Missy and I, upon hearing that Claire would take a hiatus from the road, launched the Jim and Missy duo, and I had a great time working with one of the gentle ladies of mankind and certainly of music until 2006. We feathered the launch of the duo to coincide with what would be the ending of Claire Lynch and The Front Porch String Band, and we also feathered our retiring of the duo to coincide with the new Claire Lynch Band as we joined her again in 2005. If I am not mistaken, I am Claire's most tenured employee. It has been an adventure and a learning. I always approached my position in her bands as a support role, and I believe I did it as well as could be expected. I feel that I have done my job as I would've wanted someone to work for me. I am thankful for the opportunity to stand on stage with one of this world's gifts from God: Claire's voice. To get to hear Claire sing night after night and to make good music along with other band mates to support her is something I'll remember always. My belief is that God gave Claire the gift of her lovely voice to share with us, and you, and everyone else who would listen. That gift (and other gifts) allows us to be taken away from the everyday stresses and trials of life, and have at least a momentary glimmer of joy and amazement, and to again realize that there is good in the world. Thank you Claire. Thank you God. I have so enjoyed the music and watching the ever appreciative fans as they listen to Claire's music and her art, her gift. However, my time in her band has run its due course and as such I must depart. So here I am standing at the threshold of a new venture, saying farewell and looking toward the horizon of my musical possibilities. I greet the new day, the new year, and the future possibilities with joy, nervous excitement, and the intention to follow what God might offer me. I feel that He is the best that there is for us to receive. I plan on creating music and working to support my home with as many opportunities as I can find. I have been working as a solo performer for some time while trying to balance that with my dedication to Claire's efforts and her calendar. Now that I won't have that responsibility, I can stretch my wings, fingers, and vocal chords as I see fit. I can focus on my musical efforts and dedicate my calendar to me. My wonderful and beautiful wife, Judy, will be alongside me as she helps me in my bookings and we share our lives together. We are looking forward to what the future holds for us.As I say good bye to Mark, Jason, and Claire, I wish them and the new CLB member good luck and good fortune as they venture on I'll miss the good times and the good music. I'll remember the time with them forever, and will always be here if any of them should need to call on me. As friends and band mates, we are part of the history of Claire's music, and that of acoustic music. I also invite you, all of you, to join me whenever I am near you in performance, workshops, or music camps. I hope you consider to sign-up for my e-newsletter mailing list by going to my website. I have a website performance calendar as well, so you can stay up to date as you wish. So, thank you Claire, Jason, Mark, and all of you for the ride. Thank you for allowing me to be a part. Fondly,~Jim

The Grascals Present St. Judes $30K MACC Check

The Grascals were in Memphis TN. this week (Feb. 8th) to visit the St. Jude Research Hospital. They were there to present them with a check. The check for thirty thousand dollars was from The Musicians Against Childhood Cancer event that took place last yr in Columbus OH.

Along with the check they also donated both right and left handed Takamine guitars to the Target House Amy Grant music room. The Grascals own Jamie Johnson is a left handed guitar player.

"We are very honored to have the opportunity to present the check to St. Jude and be a part of the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer Festival again this yr. It is such a great event. We look forward to playing it each year." -The Grascals

This year is The 26th Annual MACC/Bluegrass Classic. It will once again be held at Hoover Y-Park, Columbus, Ohio. The dates for the music festival are July 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th, 2010, a four day event.

Reno Moves to Primetime on RFD-TV‏

Beginning March 6, 2010, Reno's Old Time Music Festival moves to
7:00 EST Saturday Evenings on RFD-TV

Michael Martin Murphey Puts His Cowboy Boots in Bluegrass

Posted Feb 11th 2010 2:30PM by Vernell Hackett

Michael Martin Murphey wondered how he would be accepted in bluegrass circles when he released 'Buckaroo Blue Grass' in 2008. The Texas-born singer/songwriter is not wondering anymore. The album was nominated for a Grammy for best bluegrass recording and the follow-up, 'Buckaroo Blue Grass II,' has just been released.Michael's original concept was to cover some of his songs that had already been covered by bluegrass bands. Artists including Flatt and Scruggs, the Seldom Scene, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and the Country Gentlemen have recorded his familiar tunes, including 'Carolina in the Pines,' 'Dancing in the Meadow' and 'Fiddlin' Man,' so Michael knew those songs would work in the bluegrass world.While those particular tunes don't stray too far from classic bluegrass subject matter, a look at the new album offers a few surprises. First there's a duet with Carrie Hassler on Michael's classic pop-country hit, 'Wildfire.' There's another duet, with bluegrass veteran Audie Blaylock, on decidedly non-bluegrass artist Marty Robbins' 'Running Gun.' And an even further surprise inclusion is an early MMM hit, 'Cosmic Cowboy,' which was a phrase used to describe the group of musicians who lived in and worked out of Austin, Texas, in the 1970s. The references to skinny dippin', burial grounds, guitar licks and a harvest moon in the lyrics really aren't that out of place in bluegrass music."Cowboy music and bluegrass music are really not all that far apart," Michael tells The Boot. "I've always used some of the bluegrass musicians on my cowboy albums, so they were already familiar with me and my music, so that wasn't a big stretch either." Read more.

New Found Road follows different directions to ‘Same Old Place’

By Don Thrasher, Contributing Writer
2:55 PM Thursday, February 11, 2010

New Found Road is known primarily as a bluegrass group. That’s certainly a big part of the band’s sound, but as revealed on the latest album, “Same Old Place” (Rounder Records), this crew isn’t concerned with sticking to some rigid, genre-specific template.
“We started out doing all gospel, but I didn’t want to be in that little niche,” band leader Tim Shelton said last week, speaking over the telephone from his home in Franklin. “Musically, I wanted to do other things. I continue to want to do other things. We’ve started doing more and more, almost, acoustic-pop-sounding material in our live show.
“We’ve been doing a wider variety of material for the last five or six years,” he continued. “We did our first secular album in 2005, and we had a song off that go No. 1 on the bluegrass charts. It’s kind of progressed slowly from there.”
The commercial and critical success of the group’s 2005 self-titled album — which featured country, bluegrass and gospel songs — lead to a deal with venerable roots label, Rounder Records. Read more.

CRACKER BARREL AND DAILEY & VINCENT CELEBRATE #1 DEBUT ON BILLBOARD BLUEGRASS CHART WITH DAILEY & VINCENT SING THE STATLER BROTHERS

Duo Also Makes First Entry into Top 20 of Billboard Top Country Albums Chart With Hot Shot Debut, and Clinches Top Heatseekers Spot

LEBANON, TENN. (February 11, 2010)—Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® and Dailey & Vincent are pleased to celebrate the #1 debut of Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers on the Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums chart (issue date February 20). The album also entered the Billboard Top Country Albums chart at #19, earning the Hot Shot Debut and marking the duo’s first top-20 debut on that chart. The album has landed the #1 spot on the Heatseekers Albums chart, for artists who have never appeared in the top 100 of the Billboard 200, or the top 10 of R&B/HipHop, Country, Latin, Christian or Gospel Albums charts. It is also at #120 on the overall Billboard 200.

The twelve-song CD, now available exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® and online at crackerbarrel.com, features Dailey & Vincent’s new bluegrass interpretations of classic Statler Brothers songs.

“We are thrilled beyond belief about the response to this album,” said Jamie Dailey. “It’s further evidence of the timelessness of these great songs.”

“We are so thankful to our fans who went out and purchased the CD,” Darrin Vincent continued, “and to Statler Brothers fans who love the music like we do and took a chance on us.”
“Cracker Barrel congratulates Dailey & Vincent on this great achievement," said Peter Keiser, Cracker Barrel’s Vice President of Marketing. “Debuting at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart clearly demonstrates that these talented performers are a great fit with Cracker Barrel’s guests. We see this achievement as another important moment in the growth of Cracker Barrel’s role as a non-traditional music retailer,” he added.

The chart-topping debut wraps up an incredible week for Dailey & Vincent, who celebrated the album’s release with a party at the Country Music Hall of Fame® & Museum on February 3. The Statler Brothers themselves, along with other top names including Ricky Skaggs, Bill Gaither, Ralph Emery, Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, Ronnie and Rob McCoury, Steve Wariner, Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin and Ronnie Bowman, were on hand to congratulate Jamie and Darrin and to cheer on their performance of several songs from the album.
Music critic and historian Robert K. Oermann described Dailey & Vincent’s performance at the party for Music Row, saying, “ . . . the group performed flawlessly. Make that sensationally. People were screaming and shouting at them after every song.”

“They’ve done a great thing,” Statler Don Reid told the Staunton News-Leader in an interview. “They’re true to the arrangements and lyrics. We’re touched by their talent, character and intentions.”

Dailey & Vincent also made an in-store appearance at the Cracker Barrel location in Cookeville, Tennessee, on February 4, performing songs from the album before signing copies for their fans. On February 5 and 6, they performed two sold-out concerts at Avery Trace Middle School in Cookeville. On February 1 they appeared on Ralph Emery Live on RFD-TV and joined WSM’s Eddie Stubbs for an in-studio visit. They returned to WSM for a visit with Bill Cody on February 5.

On Sunday, February 7, Dailey & Vincent won four SPBGMA Bluegrass Awards—Vocal Group of the Year, Gospel Group of the Year/Contemporary, Male Vocalist of the Year/Contemporary for Jamie Dailey, and Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year for Darrin Vincent.

Initial reviews of Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers have been overwhelmingly positive, including:

“Dailey & Vincent not only are singing 12 Statler Brothers tunes, but they’ve filtered these classic and mostly well-known tunes into their bluegrass filter and the results are, in a word: stunning.” Roughstock.com

“ . . . a tour de force exhibition of stunning interpretive singing and emotionally riveting musicianship . . .” TheBluegrassSpecial.com

Other upcoming media appearances and interviews for the duo include: a Country Weekly feature in the February 22 issue, on stands February 15; Sirius XM Track-by-Track with Kyle Cantrell, premiering on February 24 on Bluegrass Junction (Sirius 65, XM 14); and on February 27, The Marty Stuart Show on RFD-TV at 8:00 p.m. (EST), as well as the Grand Ole Opry.

Dailey & Vincent have taken the bluegrass world by storm since they launched their career as a duo in 2007 and signed with Rounder Records. Jamie Dailey was formerly the lead singer and guitarist for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; until the end of 2007, Darrin Vincent was guitar and mandolin player and harmony vocalist with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. In addition to being named Entertainer of the Year, Dailey & Vincent received 2009 IBMA awards for Vocal Group of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year, for “On the Other Side.” Their latest success follows an incredible run in 2008 when they took home seven IBMA awards, becoming the first act in the history of the IBMA awards to be named Entertainer of the Year and Emerging Artist in the same year.

Traditional Ties, 02/14/10, Playlist

Contact info for new adds:

Bill Emerson - http://bluegrassville.com/BillEmerson/ - http://ruralrhythm.com/

Darin & Broke Aldridge - http://darinandbrookealdridge.com/ - http://crossroadsmusic.com/

Air Time
Artist Name
Song Title
Album Name
Label
Duration

10:00 PM
Kenny Baker
Jerusalem Ridge (Theme)
Plays Bill Monroe
County
2:00
10:02 PM
Bill Emerson
I Don't Care Anymore
Southern
Rural Rhythm
2:25
10:05 PM
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Sweetest Waste of Time
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Mountain Home
3:35
10:09 PM
Patuxent Partners
South to Old Mexico
Seven or Eleven
Patuxent
3:30
10:13 PM
Laurie Lewis
Here Today
Blossoms
Spruce and Maple
5:04
10:18 PM
Adam Steffey
Warm Kentucky Sunshine
One More for the Road
Sugar Hill
3:49
10:22 PM
Butler - Wade
Shorty Is Forty
Haulin' Grass
Blue Circle
2:34
10:25 PM
The Grass Cats
Detour
A Good Way to Get the Blues
New Time
2:41
10:28 PM
Buddy Merriam
Batchin' It
Back Roads Mandolin
Lily Pad
2:23
10:31 PM
Bill Emerson
The Lord Will Light the Way
Southern
Rural Rhythm
2:31
10:33 PM
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
The last Thing on His Mind
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Mountain Home
4:02
10:37 PM
Barry Scott
Take a Moment and Live
In God's Time
Rebel
3:36
10:41 PM
Larry Sparks
Bible Ben
I Just Want to Thank You Lord
Rural Rhythm
2:47
10:44 PM
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Moses
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Mountain Home
3:24
10:48 PM
Carolina Road
Smiling Faces
Why Don't You Give Jesus a Try
Blue Circle
3:08
10:51 PM
Dale Ann Bradley
Heaven
Don't Turn Your Back
Compass
3:51
10:55 PM
Paul Williams
There's a Miracle Everywhere You Go
What a Journey
Rebel
3:45
11:00 PM
True Bluegrass
With Care from Someone (Theme)
True Bluegrass 1979
True Bluegrass
2:00
11:02 PM
Bill Emerson
Old Coal Town
Southern
Rural Rhythm
2:52
11:07 PM
Bill Emerson
Sometimes the Pleasure's Worth the Pain
Southern
Rural Rhythm
2:27
11:10 PM
Bill Emerson
Grandpa Emory's Banjo
Southern
Rural Rhythm
2:59
11:13 PM
Bill Emerson
Grandma's Tattoos
Southern
Rural Rhythm
3:22
11:17 PM
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Remind Me Again
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Mountain Home
3:22
11:21 PM
The Gibson Brothers
Forever Has No End
Ring the Bell
Compass
3:42
11:25 PM
Dirty River
Addicted to Love
Graveyard Train
Dirty River
2:56
11:27 PM
Larry Stephenson
Teardrop Town
20th Anniversary
Pinecastle
2:25
11:32 PM
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Let's Not Go There
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Mountain Home
3:21
11:35 PM
Manhattan Valley Ramblers
Childish Love
Ballads and Barnburners
Crusty Scone
2:26
11:38 PM
Special Consensus
Footprints
Signs
Pinecastle
3:14
11:40 PM
Steep Canyon Rangers
Mourning Dove
Deep in the Shade
Rebel
2:32
11:45 PM
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
I'm Building on the Rock of Ages
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Mountain Home
2:22
11:47 PM
Josh Williams
Kodak 1955
Down Home
Pinecastle
3:24
11:51 PM
Rhonda Vincent
What a Woman Wants
Destination Life
Rounder
2:48
11:54 PM
Lou Reid
Amanda Lynn
My Own Set of Rules
Rural Rhythm
3:29
11:58 PM
Jesse Baker
Banjo Fling
Yessir
Patuxent
1:57

JOHN TROUT, WYEP FM, PITTSBURGH, PA. tties91@hotmail.com

'TRADITIONAL TIES'- NEW RELEASE BLUEGRASS WITH FEATURES. 91.3 WYEP, http://www.wyep.org 10:00 PM Eastern Time (U.S.) Sundays. Streaming Audio

1608 JEFFERSON ST, LATROBE PA, 15650 -2940

Link to Traditional Ties web pages: http://wyep.org/traditionalties

36th ANNUAL SPBGMA AWARD WINNERS

2010 AWARD WINNERSResults of Presentations held on Sunday, February 7th.
1. Bluegrass Promoter of the Year
Bertie Sullivan
2. Bluegrass Radio Station of the Year
WDVX-FM – Knoxville, TN
3. Bluegrass DJ of the Year
Brenda Lawson (WBBC-FM)
4. Bluegrass Song Writer of the Year
Tom T. Hall & Dixie Hall
5. Bluegrass Album of the Year
"BLUE SIDE OF THE BLUE RIDGE" – by Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / Rebel Records
6. Bassfiddle Performer of the Year
Darrin Vincent
7. Dobro Performer of the Year
Tim Graves
8. Guitar Performer of the Year
Josh Williams
9. Mandolin Performer of the Year
Alan Bibey
10. Banjo Performer of the Year
Aaron McDaris
11. Fiddle Performer of the Year
Hunter Berry
12. Female Vocalist of the Year (Contemporary)
Rhonda Vincent
13. Female Vocalist of the Year (Traditional)
Alecia Nugent
14. Male Vocalist of the Year (Contemporary)
Jamie Dailey
15. Male Vocalist of the Year (Traditional)
James King
16. Gospel Group of the Year (Contemporary)
Dailey & Vincent
17. Gospel Group of the Year (Traditional)
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
18. Vocal Group of the Year
Dailey & Vincent
19. Instrumental Group of the Year
The Bluegrass Brothers
20. Bluegrass Band of the Year (Overall)
The Grascals
21. Song of the Year
"AMANDA LYNN" – by Lou Reid & Carolina / Rural Rhythm Records
22. Entertaining Group of the Year
Nothin' Fancy
23. Entertainer of the Year
Rhonda Vincent

Announcing: Hot Rize at Bonnaroo! Plus: Two special new Jam Camps‏

FRI. JUNE 11th

Catch Hot Rize's debut at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Pete and bandmates Nick Forster, Tim O'Brien & Bryan Sutton join an exciting roster of performers for this multi-stage camping festival held on a beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. Some of the best performers in rock, jazz, Americana, hip-hop, electronica, bluegrass and more will be there. For its peaceful vibe, near-flawless logistics, and unrivaled entertainment options, Rolling Stone named this revolutionary entertainment experience "one of the 50 moments that changed the history of rock and roll."--AND--SUN. JUNE 20th Hot Rize returns to the legendary Telluride Bluegrass Festival,nestled in a spectacular box canyon deep in the Colorado Rockies. Hot Rize started a string of 12 consecutive appearances there in 1978 and has returned sporadically since their disbanding in 1990, a total of more appearances at the festival than any other band. Every Hot Rize show at Telluride warms fans' hearts and makes history! (These renegade sons of Western music (at right) are expected as well.)

New Jam Camps in Kentucky & Colorado!

Pete has recently confirmed his Bluegrass Jam Camp in Kentucky: June 22-24 at the International Bluegrass Music Museum in downtown Owensboro. The museum is the world's only facility dedicated to the history and preservation of the international history of bluegrass music -- a great match for the camp!Following camp on June 24, Pete & Joan Wernick will perform at the Museum's ROMP Festival, featuring bluegrass legends, a Blue Grass Boys reunion, and top talent.April 16-18 is Pete's Intermediate Jam & Band Skills Camp -- a real 'Colorado Bluegrass Getaway' -- at the beautiful Sylvan Dale Ranch, right on the banks of the Big Thompson River near Loveland. (Pictured below). Click here for the specifics on this exciting new camp!

Other 2010 Camps:March 26-28--Boulder, CO, Jam Camp at the Boulder InnApril 26-29--Boomer, NC, Jam Camp pre- MerleFest, includes Intermediate TrackMay 11-13--Gettysburg, PA, Jam Camp pre- Gettysburg Bluegrass FestivalJune 3-6--Olivet, MI, Midwest Banjo Camp. (Pete on a large faculty of leading teacher/players: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102978792191&s=2319&e=001WqxnsRMDKAzXkLolBMiJQxfFENeyCv-WASyZu6nSp19Gc8e5viugy7OPJG8TsyuHXcMH-QzW_8RgMsRd38w8lDPc4u93ETF0f789IjaW9QBlU0trQJBqog==)
(Note: There have been a number of inquiries about the Oak Hill, NY camp. Pete is not performing at this year's Grey Fox Festival, so won't be holding the camp this year. It's hoped there will be a camp in 2011 in conjunction with a performance at the Festival.)

Click here to visit the Camps page on DrBanjo.com!

Valentine Celebration With Barry Scott & Second Wind

Grammy nominee, Barry Scott & Second Wind will perform for "Sutton Ole Time Music Hour" in Granville, Tennessee on February 13th as part of Sutton General Store's Valentine Bluegrass Dinner Celebration. Sutton Ole Time Music Hour was founded April 5, 2008 and continues to provide a unique experience each Saturday night with great Southern dining as well as music. Just a stones throw from the banks of the Cumberland River stands the Ben Sutton General Merchandise Store and Grocery. Built in 1800's, it continuously served the families of the Granville, Tennessee area until the 1970's. The two story building's unique style features a balcony with many of the products the store offered for sale during its 90 years of service. The original building has much of the same interior fixtures it had at the turn of the 20th century. The store contains a dining room offering family style dining for groups of 40 by reservation. Furnishings and memorabilia are on display; very unique gifts and merchandise are for sale. Walking back in time will be fun, interesting and educational.

Guests for the Valentine's Dinner and "Sutton Ole Time Radio Show" will enjoy a concert by Barry Scott & Second Wind and a special menu that includes:

Salad
Orange Glazed Pork Roast
Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans, Fried Apples
Rolls, Tea & Coffee
Butterfinger Cake, Strawberry Cheese Cake

Sam Stout, manager of "Sutton Ole Time Music Hour" states, “We are honored to have this band for the second time! You don’t want to miss this great opportunity to hear some of the best bluegrass and bluegrass gospel you will ever hear. This group is a great example of the very best in bluegrass music performed each Saturday night at 'Sutton Ole Time Music Hour'.”
Sutton General Store featuring "Sutton Ole Time Music Hour", is located at 169 Clover Street, Granville, Tennessee. Reservations are recommended by calling 931-653-4151. There will be two seatings for the dinner at 5:00pm and 6:30pm which guarantees patrons a seat for the music.

Denision U. to add bluegrass as a concentration

Megan Messer
Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment

The music department faculty voted to approve a new music major concentration in bluegrass at last Thursday's department meeting.

'Music indigenous to the country is being recognized by academia, and I'm excited that Denison will be at the forefront of this,' said Andy Carlson, co-director of the bluegrass program, at Friday night's Infamous Stringsdusters concert in Swasey. Denison will be one of only three schools in the nation to offer a certified bluegrass program. 'I foresee this being a trend across the board like jazz in the 1970s,' Carlson said. Full story here.

The Grascals Named Bluegrass Group of the Year

Band in Preparations for Upcoming Hank Williams Jr. Rowdy Friends Tour
with Hank Jr., Eric Church and Jamey Johnson

FRANKLIN, TN - Beloved bluegrass group The Grascals, were named Overall Bluegrass Group of the Year during Sunday night's 36th annual SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music) Bluegrass Music Awards Show & Convention, held at the Sheraton Music City in Nashville, TN.

The Grascals performed "Last Train To Clarksville", "Satan and Grandma" and "Up This Hill and Down" – each included on the forthcoming Rounder Records album The Famous Lefty Flynn's as well as frequent fan favorites "Sally Goodin'" and "Rollin' My Sweet Baby's Arms".

"This is a huge honor for us,” said Grascals' lead singer Jamie Johnson. “We are again humbled by the support and admiration of our fans - so we dedicate this year's win to you!"

The award comes as the band is preparing for their part in the upcoming Hank Williams Jr. Rowdy Friends tour. The group has won previous SPBGMA Awards for Instrumental Group of the Year, Bluegrass Band of the Year and Mandolin Player of the Year for Danny Roberts.

In 2006 the group also took home Album of the Year for their self-titled debut and Song of the Year for “Me and John and Paul.” They also earned a Dove Award nomination in 2007 for Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year for “Did You Forget God Today,” featuring the Jordanaires.
The Grascals are among the most appreciated and acclaimed of all contemporary bluegrass groups. They combine their trademark blend of traditional bluegrass and classic country with more modern elements while delivering both vocal and instrumental intensity and virtuosity. The qualities earned them two Grammy nominations for their first two critically-acclaimed releases.
They've shared the stage with Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, Patty Loveless, Mac Wiseman, J.D. Crowe, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Steve Wariner, Vince Gill, the Jordanaires and many others.
They are proud to make regular guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and have also appeared on Opry Live, The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, CBS Early Show, Fox & Friends, Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon and the TV Guide Channel.

Doyle Lawson Announces Partnership with CABOOTS

Bluegrass Icon Is Perfect Match For Custom Boot Company

Nashville, Tenn.— Bluegrass icon Doyle Lawson announces a new partnership with CABOOTS, a Texas-based boot and clothing company that specializes in custom designs and traditional manufacturing. In addition to his music and traditional bluegrass sound, Doyle Lawson has built a reputation for himself as a sharp dressed man, and his beloved boots are a staple of every performance, making CABOOTS a perfect match.He may be a legend, but while Doyle Lawson takes pride in a career that’s stood at the center of bluegrass and bluegrass gospel for over 40 years, he’s hardly resting on his laurels. Look at his schedule and the point is unmistakable – at the same time he’s garnering new acclaim for his historic contributions, he’s plowing new ground alongside artists half his age. At once one of the busiest marquee acts in bluegrass and an iconic figure in its history – that’s Doyle Lawson. Lawson is the one constant in a band that has featured over 40 different musicians over the years. The band has been a training academy for bluegrass players—initiating, training and then sending out into the world, some of the genre’s most respected musicians. Throughout it all, Doyle has maintained his devotion to a traditional sound with his signature vocal harmonies and stellar picking. Legends are made, not born and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have spent 30 years carving out their own eminent place in the bluegrass pantheon.
CABOOTS is a fourth generation boot company based in El Paso, Texas, that offers handmade boots at great prices with an old world quality and technique that has not changed for almost 100 years. Boot styles include yesteryear’s vintage classics and period reproductions as well as new designs reborn from grand and adventurous times in cowboy attire.
"We are proud to work with Doyle Lawson and see this as a great fit," said Priscilla Sanchez, a co-owner of CABOOTS along with her husband, Joey. "His music and style truly display the values we strive for and honor - a love of country American roots and quality fun!"
CABOOTS products are world-renowned for quality, fit and customer service. Their website (http://www.caboots.com/) offers customers the ability to choose style, leather, toe and heel specifications with swatches and various options, providing an easy way to order custom boots.
Doyle Lawson has undoubtedly become a style icon in the bluegrass world thanks to his signature boot and jacket combinations, and the new relationship with CABOOTS is a perfect, custom-built complement to that style. Lawson and CABOOTS have both established their legacies without compromising their sound or technique, and now, after decades in their respective industries, they have formed a partnership built on a shared love of quality and tradition.