The Del McCoury Band has posted 4 songs from their upcoming gospel release, The Promised Land, on their myspace page. Three of them you can only listen to, but one is available for download. They’ve also released a little information about the songs on the CD.
The Promised Land is the first gospel album Del has recorded, in a career now spanning five decades. Songs on the CD include Cannaans Happy Land (1937), Led By the Masters Hand (1936), It’s Really Surprising (What the Lord Can Do) (1948), and Ain’t Nothing Going to Come up Today That Me and the Lord Can’t Handle (2006 co-written by Del). Del says hisis only regret is not making this album before his mother passed away in 2002.
The fans have been asking for it for several years, and so did my momma, but it just did not feel right before now. During the last couple of years I’ve been able to slow down a bit and take stock of my life. When I look at how my family has been blessed, the real purpose of making a gospel recording is pretty clear. It’s a chance for all of us to say thank you to the One who has given us this wonderful life. I think the cover lets everyone know who we made this album for.
posted by Brance on 05.19.06 @ 5:36 pm Tag: Larry Rice
Thanks to Reed Franklin who sent us the following.
St. Petersburg Times / Citrus County Edition.
RICE, LARRY PRENTIS, 57, of Crystal River, died Saturday (May 13, 2006) at Citrus Memorial Health System, Inverness. Born in Danville, Va., he came here 28 years ago from Kentucky. He was a professional musician/songwriter and a former employee of Progress Energy. He enjoyed listening to and playing music, and gardening. Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Linda; a daughter, Pamela, Hernando; a son, Travis, Crystal River; his mother, Louise Rice, Reidsville, N.C.; three brothers, Tony, Reidsville, Ronnie, Falls Church, Va., and Wyatt, Damascus, Va.; and three granddaughters. Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.
Episode #29 of The GrassCast features an interview with Alan Munde. This interview was recorded last fall at IBMA. Alan is a renowned banjo player and instructor. He currently has his own band, The Alan Munde Gazzette and teaches at South Plains College.
This GrassCast is 7 minutes in length and the file download size is 7 MB.
Below is our usual mp3 file for you to listen here or download. The GrassCast is also available in the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.
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
Tom Mirisola sent along a couple of photos of his latest Kel Kroydon banjo, a maple version of the KK-10, his American Made Banjo. The banjos are built by respected banjo maker Robin Smith in Nashville, and are available from Elderly Instruments,Heartland Banjo or Rich Stillman.
Tom mentioned that he will have this first maple KK-10 with him and on display at Banjo Camp North, which starts today in Boston. He’ll also have his new cryogenically-treated Kel Kroydon banjo strings, which will be available on the KK web site by mid-June.
If you click on the images below, they will open in a new, larger window.
Sirius Satellite Radio has just announced that banjo player Ned Luberecki has assumed full-time host duties on the Sirius Bluegrass channel 65. Previously Ned hosted weekends only, but he can now be heard from 6 am to 12pm ET weekdays in addition to his weekend show from 3 pm to 9pm. Luberecki’s programs are produced at Sirius’ Nashville, TN studios.
Luberecki said, “I’ve been involved in Bluegrass music for close to 30 years now and have always been a radio junkie. Hosting the morning show on the Bluegrass channel for SIRIUS is a dream come true!”
In addition to his SIRIUS radio programs, the Nashville resident is currently the banjoist for Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, and teaches private lessons at World Music Nashville and the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase.
Among the things we are particularly proud to publicize and encourage on The Bluegrass Blog are the efforts of non-US bands and musicians who perform and record bluegrass music. Living as we do in the southeastern United States where this music first took root, it is difficult to imagine the degree of dedication and perseverance required to master the music which our bluegrass cousins in Europe, Asia or Australia muster in support of their passionate embrace of bluegrass.
We first mentioned the Italian band, Bononia Grass, back in October of 2005 when one of their songs was selected for the EWOB live showcase CD. We are delighted to pass along word that they have just released their debut, self-produced recording, entitled Thinking it…blue!
Audio samples are available on their web site for most of the CD’s 14 tracks.
This months edition of Mel Bay’s Guitar Sessions Webzine features an artist profile of Brad Davis. It’s a very thorough interview that covers a lot of Brad’s background in the music and with the guitar specifically, as is evident from this quote.
The sound of the acoustic guitar captured my ear and inspired me to learn how to play it. Interestingly, when I was eight years old a family friend bought a 1956 Martin D-18 that once belonged to Norman Blake; the friend then sold it to my parents. They gave it to me for my eighth birthday and I still have that guitar.
If you have an interest in Brad’s guitar playing you should click on over and give it a read.
We just received word that Larry Cordle underwent surgery for prostate cancer with which he was recently diagnosed. The surgery is being reported as successful and he is recovering nicely. Doctors detected the cancer during a routine physical and say that having caught it early they are confident in his complete recovery.
Let this be a lesson to all bluegrass artists on the importance of routine physical examinations.
Cards can be sent to:
Larry Cordle
P.O. Box 792
Hendersonville, TN 37077
The 8th annual Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp will offer two weeks of fiddle and traditional music instruction in a variety of styles between August 6-20, 2006. The camp is broken into two, seven day sessions (6-13, 13-20) with instruction in bluegrass, old time, Celtic, Cape Breton and swing fiddle. They also have classes for harp, mandolin, piano, bass, flute, whistle, cello and old time dance calling.
Instructors this year include Sandy MacIntyre, Byron Berline, Paul Anastasio, Rodney Miller, Tony McManus and a great many more, and all ages are welcome. Special rates are offered for parents or guardians who accompany a young camper, and a scholarship program is available.
Ernie’s condition is improving. He is still listed in critical but stable condition. He remains in ICU and is expected to be so for some time. But with every day that goes by his doctors say that they see small improvements. They say it will be a long road to recovery, and that still things are uncertain, but with a lot of time, and with the help of the good Lord, doctors are hopeful that he will recover from this accident.
We would like to thank everyone for their prayers, well wishes, donations, cards, and calls. We will always remain thankful from the bottom of our hearts. We apologize for not being able to update every day, but right now we’ve been focusing all of our attention on Ernie and being there with him, which usually leaves
very little time for updates. We hope everyone understands that we genuinely appreciate the outpouring of love and concern for Ernie. Please continue to visit the website for updates as we are able to post them, and once again, please remember Ernie in your prayers…they are all greatly appreciated and needed.
We recently received another bit of interesting news from Dan Miller at Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, this time about a new “part time” band made up of some fiery newgrass super pickers performing sporadically as Greenbroke.
Four talented bluegrass veterans–Dennis Caplinger (banjo and fiddle), John Moore (mandolin), John Cowan (bass), and Brad Davis (guitar)–came together for the first time in April of 2005 to appear at the Pickin at the Pavilion Festival in Montrose, Colorado. They had so much fun that year that they decided to do it again in 2006. Calling themselves Greenbroke, the four musicians, who have each all had long and distinguished careers in bluegrass music, put on a spectacular high energy show in Montrose.
Although each member currently has other commitments (Caplinger and Moore with Bluegrass, Etc., Cowan with the John Cowan Band, and Davis with Earl Scruggs and Billy Bob Thornton) they have now decided to do more Greenbroke shows, and possibly even record together. Currently their show consists of traditional bluegrass vocal and instrumental songs combined with a few old Newgrass Revival tunes, some Brad Davis originals, and a few gospel numbers. However, shortly after the show in Montrose Davis and Cowan got together to start writing some new material for the band.
The band does not have a web presence at this time, but you should be able to find news about any shows or recording they may do on Brad Davis’ web site.
Click on the thumbnail below to see the band in concert in April ‘06 at Montrose, CO.
Nice Life - The Bluegrass Tribute to Bon Jovi, is the title of the latest edition of CMH Records’ popular series of bluegrass cover projects is out today. Like the many others CMH has released, this one features grassified versions of 11 songs from the many highly successful Bon Jovi recordings.
Included are bluegrass tributes of You Give Love a Bad Name, Wanted Dead or Alive, Livin” on a Prayer, Runaway and 7 others.
When we last checked, there were no audio samples up on the CMH web site, but they usually put them up shortly after a new project is shipped.
Information on the 2006 Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend is now available on the RBW web site. The event will be held November 10-12 in Roanoke, VA and offers three days of intensive instruction in the fine points of playing bluegrass music.
This year’s faculty includes the members of BlueRidge, along with first time instructors Eddie Adcock and George Shuffler, plus returning favorites Kenny Baker, Jack Lawrence, Allen Shelton and Roland White.
The biggest news for RBW ‘06 is the inclusion this year of classes and workshops in bluegrass singing. Both individual vocal tips and workshop instruction in bluegrass harmony will be offered throughout the weekend, spearheaded by noted singer and vocal instructor Don Rigsby.
The 2006 faculty includes both legendary bluegrass pioneers and actively touring artists.
Banjo: Allen Shelton, Eddie Adcock, Joey Cox Fiddle: Kenny Baker, Jackie Miller, Alan Johnson Guitar: David Grier, Jack Lawrence, George Shuffler Mandolin: David McLaughlin, Roland White, Alan Bibey Voice/Harmony: Don Rigsby, Junior Sisk, Eddie Biggerstaff
Once again, Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments will be donating a new instrument to be offered in a raffle to fund the RBW Scholarship for deserving young bluegrass students. Four full scholarships (tuition and accommodations) will be awarded to outstanding bluegrass musicians between the ages of 13-24, selected based on demonstrated ability through an application process.
This year, a new RB-250 banjo will be raffled, with chances to win sold at $10. Find all the details about the raffle and the scholarship on the RBW site.
Pinecastle Records has announced that a new Larry Stephenson CD will be released in August. The new release, Life Stories, will contain two new songs from Tom T. and Dixie Hall, including one with the intriguing title, Knoxville Boy. Perhaps the Knoxville Girl will finally get her revenge?
No audio files up yet on Larry’s site, though it does mention that they will available soon.
posted by John on 05.14.06 @ 1:24 pm Tag: Larry Rice
We learn from our friend Mark Johnson that Larry Rice has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Bluegrass fans know Larry from his time with JD Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys, and his later work with brothers Tony and Wyatt in The Rice Brothers.
We are looking for formal obituaries in Florida papers, and will pass along links with more information as soon we find them. The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday (May 17) at the Strickland Funeral Home in Crystal River, FL.
Our most sincere condolences to Larry’s family and many close friends as they mark his passing.
Tim Stafford is the current Featured Artist on the Composite Acoustics web site. The feature includes an interview with Tim (in both text and audio), plus some samples of his music and a complete discography.
Of course, Tim’s artist page also contains his thoughts on CA’s unique acoustic guitars, made from a carbon fiber composite, and utilizing a molded, one piece body design.
Read about their design and manufacturing processes online.
Arthur Zilkowsky now hosts Bluegrass with the Cosmic Surfer each Saturday from 9:00-11:00 a.m. (eastern). Arthur is a musician, songwriter and proprietor of a Bed & Breakfast in Nova Scotia.
Starting soon on Sunday mornings will be The Bluegrass Express with Roger Randolph. Roger’s show will run from 8:00- 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings.
WWBR is always interested in hearing from folks who might be interested in becoming a volunteer show host. Details about technical requirements and how to reach them can be found on their web site.
Episode #28 of The GrassCast features an interview with Jim Mills. This interview was recorded last fall at IBMA. Jim is a member of Ricky Skaggs’ band Kentucky Thunder. John and Jim discuss banjos old and new, and recording projects Jim is involved with.
This GrassCast is 11 minutes in length and the file download size is 12 MB.
Below is our usual mp3 file for you to listen here or download. The GrassCast is also available in the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.
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
Dennis Jones just wrote in to tell us that Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives are going to be on WNCW FM 88.7 live today at 3:00pm. He will be talking about his “Live At The Ryman” disc, history with Lester Flatt, and tour dates etc. The set up is the same set up as the Ryman/Opry shows.
Be sure to tune in and give it listen. Online just visit the radio station’s website and click the Listen Live button in the upper left.
One half of your dutiful Bluegrass Blog editorial staff will be away all of next week. I am leaving this morning for Boston, where I will be until next Friday afternoon.
I will post some news while I’m away, but will not be as visible here as is my norm. Brance will make sure that you stay up to date on all the news in the bluegrass world, and I’ll look forward to resuming my regular blogging duties next weekend.
Should anyone try and reach me by email, please accept my apology in advance if I don’t respond right away. I will have some access to email while I am away, but I am told that I must behave as though I am on vacation - at least most of the time.
While this site is built on the open source weblog system Wordpress, along with a number of third party plugins, it has been heavily modified and appended to suit our needs, including but not limited to the user interface, contact form, commenting system, user registration system, and a whole bunch of administration features behind the scenes.
The design, layout, polls, and everything else were developed and programmed by Brance Gillihan with invaluable aid, consultation, and input from Rodger Gillihan and John Lawless.
The ad management interface and tracking system is built on the open source program phpAdsNew.
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Episode #29 of 
We recently received another bit of interesting news from Dan Miller at 
Tim Stafford is the current Featured Artist on the 
