In celebration of Bobby Osborne’s new CD Try A Little Kindness, Rounder Records is sponsoring a tribute concert at The Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, TN on March 23rd.

The concert is to feature the following artists:

• Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
• Marty Raybon
• The Grascals
• Larry Stephenson
• Alecia Nugent
• Claire Lynch

The concert takes place at 7pm. Contact info below:

The Belcourt Theatre
2102 Belcourt Avenue
Nashville, TN
(615) 846-3150 or belcourt.org

One of the most riveting gospel recordings in recent years is Ricky Skaggs’ cut of Why Did I Wait So Long on his current release, Brand New Strings. The song was written by Blue Highway’s Shawn Lane, and was inspired by a story that has been told of Lester Flatt’s reaction after being baptized later in life. Sound clips from the song can be found on both the Skaggs Family Records and Amazon.com sites.

Shawn’s song has been nominated for for a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association in the Bluegrass Recorded Song Of The Year category. The awards will be handed out on April 5 at the GMA’s annual convention in Nashville, TN.

Blue Highway is no stranger to these awards, having won the Dove for Award for Bluegrass Gospel Album of the Year in 2004 for their Wondrous Love CD.

IBMA has just announced that Tina Potter has joined the team as the new Marketing and PR Coordinator. Tina replaces Shari Lacy who left IBMA in January to begin her own public relations firm, Goodstuff PR.

Formerly Ms. Potter has worked with the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and The Wildhorse Saloon in the areas of live event sales and marketing.

IBMA executive director Dan Hays had this to say:

My first impression of Tina was that this lady has a passion for our music and an enormous level of enthusiasm. After getting further acquainted she impresses me with her attention to detail, broad range of experience and an approach with people which wins friends instantly. Folks who have worked with her in the past were eager to point out her excellent performance, organizational skills and the trust she earned as a conscientious member of their team. Were delighted to have her in our office.

In addition to sales and marketing, Ms. Potter also has experience in music licensing, as well as retail and market research and development. IBMA plans to use her experience and knowledge in these fields as well.

She will create and analyze industry market research information, assist members with promotional efforts, oversee marketing campaigns for IBMAs World of Bluegrass events, and help develop relationships with sponsors for bluegrass music and the association.

As of yesterday, Feb 13, Tina can be reached at the IBMA offices in the following ways.

email: tina@ibma.org
phone: 1-888-438-4262

The Van Heffer CD we’ve told you about previously is now available through Apple’s iTunes Music Store. Here’s the link. This CD features our good friend Wichita Rutherford on guitar!

Previous:
Van Heffer - The CD
Episode #14 - Wichita Rutherford
Van Heffer - release pushed back

We have posted a number of time of late about the recent change at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston to allow students of traditional fretted stringed instruments to pursue a music education at their institution. While this does not involve a “bluegrass course of study,” Berklee has added a number of clinics and labs that teach students who are not primarily bluegrass players the basics of the style, while serious banjo and mandolin players with a bluegrass background are welcomed to use their instruments to study at Berklee.

There is, however, a music program which offers a four year degree program that focuses on bluegrass music. It is the Bluegrass & Country Music Program at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. The program was launched in 1982, but without an expectation that it would evolve into a full time program. Under the direction of Jack Tottle, this program has become quite popular, bringing serious young musicians to ETSU from all over the United States. The list of celebrated alumni includes well know bluegrassers like Tim Stafford, Adam Steffey, Barry Bales and Warren Amberson and Kelly Green of Acoustic Endeavors, plus country superstar Kenny Chesney, who got his start at ETSU.

After so many years nurturing this program, Tottle is moving towards retirement, and is only teaching during the fall semesters. A full time, adjunct professor will be hired for the spring terms through 2008, and the position for 2006 has been given to Kristin Scott Benson, current banjo player with Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time. (more…)

St. Louis Flatpick is scheduled to run March 10-12, offering midwest guitar pickers - and now banjo players as well - a chance to study with some well known and highly qualified instructors. In addition to guitar instructors Tim May and Brad Davis, and banjo instructor Ned Luberecki, our own John Lawless will be on the faculty teaching banjo classes.

The event is hosted by Bull and Tammy Harman, who are excited to repeat the event again this year, and for the chance to expand into banjo as well as guitar. Bull tells us that the banjo class is a bit smaller than the guitar, as one might expect for the first year, so banjo students can expect a great deal of personal attention from the instructors.

Find more details on the St. Louis Flatpick web site.

We posted last month about the new CD from Canadian singer/fiddler April Verch. Entitled Take Me Back, it was released in Canada on January 17, and is set to hit the streets in the US today (2/14).

When we posted about this in January, there were no audio samples available online, but they can now be found on the Rounder web site.

Marty Stuart has a new CD out titled Live At The Ryman. The CD is a live recording of a bluegrass concert Marty did last year with his band and a few special guests. Here’s the line up on the CD:

The Superlatives
Kenny Vaughan - guitar
Harry Stinson - percussion
Brian Glenn - bass

Special Guests
Charlie Cushman - banjo
Stuart Duncan - fiddle
Uncle Josh Graves - dobro

Marty of course, played mandolin as he once did with Lester Flatt on that same stage.

The Ryman Auditorium is my home show place. I have an ongoing love with the building and adopted it years ago. It’s the first place I ever played in Nashville. It was my home with Lester Flatt’s band for nearly two years before the Grand Ole Opry moved the show across town…Much of my musical life has been lived out on that stage.

Marty didn’t even realize the show was being recorded at the time. He was just concerned with playing some good music for a sold out audience.

At the end of the evening as I was about to walk out of the building, Les Banks walked up and handed me two CDs and said, “You should listen to this.” I asked him what it was and he said, “Proof of what just happened on stage.” I did listen and it was special.

Now the CD has been released and you and I can hear what Marty heard when he listened for the first time.

I tried to find the CD online, but Marty doesn’t have anything about it on his website. The unofficial fan website has some reviews, but nothing more. So I’ll have to send you to Amazon to listen to samples of the 15 tracks (including an intro by Eddie Stubbs).

PS - Marty told me his favorite track was #3 No Hard Times Blues. When I asked why he said “Just because.” And even in an email I could see the grin on his face.

This post is a contribution from Steve Dilling, banjo player with IIIrd Tyme Out. Steve became acquainted with the Scruggses over the years, and shares a few thoughts about Louise’s passing.

I guess that my best remembrance of Louise Scruggs was her dry sense of humor, and her protection of Earl. What I mean by protection was, Louise never wanted anyone to make money off of Earl, or his name with out authorization. I remember visiting at their home one time, and I mentioned that a friend of mine had a picture of me and Earl made on a coffee mug, and the moment that I mentioned that, Louise made sure that I didn’t buy the mug. I assured her that it was a gift, and there were not anymore made.

Louise was a great business lady, and knew a lot about the music industry. I enjoyed the numerous conversations that I had with Louise about the business side of our music. She always made me feel welcome whether I was in her home, or on their bus, or at a restaurant.

Louise will be missed.

Steve Dilling

The Del McCoury Band’s next CD release, their first all gospel project, has been completed and is scheduled for release in May. No further details showing up yet on the band web site, but we will pass along whatever we hear about it.

Here’s a link to a post on a Japanese bluegrass blog, announcing that the monthly jam in Tokyo will be themed around Stanley Brothers music. The post features a cool picture of Carter and Ralph. Check it out.

Bluegrass radio webcaster Gracie Muldoon recently interviewed Rick Altis of Virginia’s up and coming bluegrass band, High Ground. Rick spoke of what was happening with the band, their first CD, Old Friends and their plans for 2006.

High Ground is in the studio right now recording their second project which will be an all original effort. All of the band members are prolific songwriters so they are eager to share their own compositions with fans and friends when the new CD is released.

If you missed the Muldoon In The Afternoon interview with Rick, you can still hear it on the High Ground web site, where it is archived as two MP3 files. Scroll to the bottom of the front page to find the audio links.

The winner of the 2006 SPBGMA International Bluegrass Band Championship was Billie Renee & Cumberland Gap, from central Kentucky. The top three finalists also includes Texas’ Cadillac Sky, and No Speed Limit from Galax, VA.

See the winner’s list here.

The Grand Ole Opry is broadcasting tonight (2/11) from The Ryman Auditorium, and the show has a special Valentine’s Day theme - a Love Songs Signature Show. We are glad to see that Opry members The Del McCoury Band have been selected to appear in the midst of mainstream country acts like Restless Heart, Lorrie Morgan and Suzy Boggus.

Del is scheduled in the 8:30-9:00 p.m. (EST) slot, and again between 11:00-11:30 p.m.

GAC TV will be doing a Best Of segment on TV this week, so no live Opry coverage. If you can catch WSM 650 AM over the air, or want to listen via online streaming, you can hear the program.

Noted bluegrass writer/journalist and musician Jon Weisberger has written another fine tribute to Louise Scruggs which can be read in the online version The Nashville Scene, a free arts and culture newsprint publication widely read by music industry professionals in Nashville. Jon recaps her life and the impact she made on the music business, and also includes some quotes from an interview she gave to The Nashville Scene, last year.

A reserved but iron-willed woman who was raising two young sons at the time she began assuming responsibility for Flatt & Scruggs” business, Louise had been interested in business from her childhood. She wasn”t surprised by the resistance she encountered. “They always wanted to talk to Earl,” she recalled in a 2005 interview with the Scene. “But I would say, “No, you have to go through me anyway, so you might as well talk to me now and then we”ll get this settled.” “

Read the whole article here.

Jon also links to a fascinating recent interview with both Earl and Louise Scruggs conducted by Alan Chartock for WAMC radio in NY. Chartock is professor emeritus at the University at Albany, and an amateur banjo player in addition to his work on radio. The wide ranging 30 minute interview is devoted as much to Louise as Earl, and includes some classic music clips as well.

Earl describes how he came to join Bill Monroe’s band, how he developed his three finger style, and discusses his participation in Viet Nam war protests in the 1970s. Louise recalls the genesis of Flatt & Scruggs’ involvement with The Beverly Hillbillies TV show, and the day that Warren Beatty called to talk to Earl about scoring the music for Bonnie & Clyde.

Serious students and fans of Flatt & Scruggs or Earl and Louise Scruggs won’t learn much new from the radio interview, but anyone who would enjoy hearing a recap of their long careers and contributions to the music will surely enjoy giving it a listen.

With the Arab Middle East so much in the news these days, and full of so many disheartening images, we are delighted to offer a encouraging story about bluegrass music and the Sultanate of Oman. Oman is located on the Arabian Sea, just east of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Three bluegrass bands from California are currently on tour in Oman, where they will perform at a variety of venues for both Omani and American/European audiences. The bands are Lost Highway, Chris Stuart & Backcountry and Eric Uglum & Sons. The tour was organized by Bud Bierhaus, a bluegrass musician who performed with the band Copperline in southern CA before going to work for Halliburton in Oman.

Last summer, Bud contact Eric Uglum to see if he and his boys (Christian and Austin Ward) might be interested in a tour in Oman. Eric’s enthusiasm for the idea led Bud to suggest that some other bands be involved as well, and before long, an 8 day tour was scheduled. It began with a show yesterday (2/9) at the closing night of the Muscat Festival, a 30 day event which celebrates the many cultures and musical flavors of the diverse Omani workforce and populace. The remainder of the tour includes both concerts and workshops, some for American citizens groups and schools, others for the American Embassy staff and guests, and a couple for private interests.

Eric Uglum is the guitarist and mandolinist with Lost Highway, which also includes Ken Orrick (guitar), Dick Brown (banjo), Mike Tatar Jr. (fiddle) and Joe Ash (bass). Chris Stuart & Backcountry is made up of Janet Beazley (banjo), Mason Tuttle (bass), Brian Wicklund (fiddle) and Chris (guitar).

Chris Stuart also shared some thoughts about the trip:

“We’re really looking forward to going to Oman. It’s going to be an adventure and I’m particularly looking forward to playing the big Muscat Festival. I’m also taking some IBMA ‘Discover Bluegrass’ DVDs to leave in a few of the schools over there. Who knows, maybe someday there will be an Omani bluegrass band!”

Stacey Uglum (Eric’s wife and Christian and Austin Ward’s mom) is also going on the trip, and she promised to get back to us when they return, and send photos from the tour. We’ll pass along her report and some photos later this month.

Nothin’ Fancy is the most recent bluegrass band we have found who has launched a personal web space on the increasingly popular MySpace.com.

The Nothin’ Fancy tour schedule is posted on the MySpace site, and they offer a number of sample audio clips there as well. The biggest appeal, however, is the ability provided by MySpace.com for people to all link together within the system, and more and more bands in all styles of music seem to be embracing this method for both reaching their own fans and friends, and also for finding new ones.

Episode #15 of The GrassCast features an interview with Adam Steffey and Steve Gulley of the band Mountain Heart. Their new CD Wide Open will be released Feb 14th on Skaggs Family Recrods. Hear what the guys have to say about the new record, as well as samples of several songs.

This GrassCast is 19 minutes in length and the file download size is 18MB.

Listen now:
Direct Download: ep15_mountain_heart.mp3
Subscribe with:
Free Download: The GrassCast iPodder software

To subscribe with your own podcatching software, copy and past this url into the appropriate entry box in your software: http://www.thegrasscast.com/rss

NOTE: This post is open to comments, so please share your thoughts about this episode here. Also feel free to share with us your thoughts about The GrassCast in general.

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, a four-day festival held in Manchester, Tennessee every June, has announced the line up for the 2006 festival and there are several bluegrass musicians on the list again this year.

• Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
• Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Nickel Creek
• Jerry Douglas

For those of you unfamiliar with Bonnaroo:

Bonnaroo brings together some of the best performers in rock and roll, along with dozens of artists in complementary styles such as jazz, Americana, hip-hop, electronica, and just about any contemporary music you can think of.

Tickets for the 2006 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival will go on sale Saturday, February 11, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time through Bonnaroo.com.

This post is a contribution from Rob Ickes, the celebrated dobroist with Blue Highway. Rob was a semi-regular member of the Earl Scruggs stage band when Earl would make one of his rare public performances this past few years.

Louise will be missed by many people in Bluegrass and Country Music. I always enjoyed hearing her stories about the “old days” with Flatt and Scruggs, and also the incredible experiences they had in the 70’s with the Earl Scruggs Review. She had an uncanny memory for dates and places and was a very sharp lady, to say the least.

I also really appreciated the respect with which she always treated the guys in the band. She was always checking to make sure things were taken care of for us on the road, and playing with the Earl Scruggs Family and Friends Band has been one of the most enjoyable and memorable experiences of my life.

I will really miss Louise.

Rob Ickes