We just got a note from our friend David Hollender, who has been keeping us abreast of the activities of the students at Berklee College of Music with an interest in bluegrass music. We have posted many times about Berklee, and their recent decision to allow the use of traditional string instruments as the principal instrument in pursuing a Berklee degree. Dave contacted me last night to let us all know that some of students in one of his bluegrass ensembles had been featured in a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on Thursday night (5/4).

Here is Dave’s report:

“A band from Berklee just played at the Kennedy Center tonight. It was part of The Conservatory Project and they have invited groups from Berklee, as well as other prestigious music schools like the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory of Music just to mention a few. We’ve been sending bands regularly to the series and usually we’ve been the sole jazz music on the program, but this year we sent a bluegrass/country group.

The 1st half of the performance was bluegrass, followed by a country set. The personnel on the bluegrass part was Charlie Worsham (leader) - banjo, guitar, voice; Joe Walsh - mandolin; Kristin Weber - fiddle & vocal; Asheigh Caughill - bass & vocal; Charlie Hutto - guitar. Charlie and Kristin came to the Five Week summer program in 2003 and then enrolled at Berklee as full time students.”

The concert was previewed in the Washington Examiner newspaper, but I was not able to find a link to the article online. In it, Charlie Worsham is quoted at some length, describing his bluegrass background as a youngster, and his decision to study music production in Boston before heading to Nashville to join some other Berklee grads when he graduates next fall.

Their May 4th performance was recorded, and the video can be viewed from the Kennedy Center web site. They start with a great version of Kenny Smith’s superb composition, Amanda’s Reel - a sure sign that these folks are getting it right at Berklee!

In all seriousness, it is an impressive performance and worth your attention. It may be something of a clich??? to make mention of the fact that the future of our music depends on the willingness of young people to undertake the serious study required to master it, but it’s a risk worth taking. Hats off to these talented young folks, and the faculty at Berklee that supports their efforts.

UPDATE 5/8: There is a press release up on the Berklee web site about this show, and the various musicians who participated. It mentions that they will be a featured guest on an upcoming edition of XM’s Studio Sessions show.

I had a very interesting conversation recently with Larry Feinstein, who is preparing to launch a 24/7 bluegrass cable TV channel. The company is called Southern Entertainment Television, and they are actively seeking video which they can air when they go live. Larry is the Marketing Director for the company, which is owned by Harold Brown, who grew up in the southern US surrounded by bluegrass, blues and gospel music. They intend to have three separate networks, one each for those three distinctively American genres.

Larry shared a few details about what they have in mind, and what sort of content they are seeking.

We are looking for commercially released DVD/Videos, which would be aired, all or in part, with viewers encouraged to purchase product through the channel by calling toll free phone number, or visiting the web site (under construction). There is even more interest in locating archival footage of early performers, Bluegrass festival recordings that are sitting in a vault, etc. We are also prepared to compile and produce DVDs for retail distribution, something we already have in place.

We are interested in any and all well produced, quality Bluesgrass performances from all over the world. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by sending your video for consideration. Please call 347-594-5031 or contact me by email before sending any footage.

When Dan Miller sent along those Merlefest photos earlier this week, he also passed along some info on the current issue of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, of which he is editor and publisher. Dan said that this issue has been mailed and should be in the hands of most subscribers, and available on newsstands and in music stores as well.

Here is Dan’s overview of the current issue:

The May/June issue of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine (Volume 10, Number 4) features Chris Eldridge of the Stringdusters. Chris is the son of banjo legend and Seldom Scene founding member Ben Eldridge. In addition to playing with the Stringdusters Chris is also currently working with Chris Thile on Thile’s next CD. Chris recorded his arrangement of Stoney Creek for this issue’s audio companion and a transcription of Chris’ solo appears in the magazine.

In addition to Chris Eldridge, the May/June issue features Keith Yoder, a music store owner and multi-instrumentalist from Iowa, and a lengthy interview with Bryan Sutton about his new CD Not Too Far From the Tree. Two of Bryan’s solos from Carroll County Blues are also transcribed in the magazine. Our guitar builder feature highlights Kentucky builder Neil Kendrick and our regular cast of talented columnists (which includes Brad Davis, Joe Carr, Orrin Star, Harold Streeter, Adam Granger, John McGann, Bill Bay, Steve Kaufman, Dan Huckabee, John Carlini, Chris Jones, Kathy Barwick, Mike Maddux, and Dix Bruce) also contribute audio and tablature to this new issue.

Find out more about the magazine on their web site.

CMT.com has a nice overview of last weekend’s Merlefest up on their web site, along with about 30 photos from the event. If you’ve never attended, it may help you capture some of the flavor of the event, and if you were there, perhaps the photos will be a nice reminder of your time at the festival.

Scroll to the bottom of their article for a link to the photos.

Belated congratulations to The Isaacs, who won the Country/Bluegrass Song Of The Year when the Southern Gospel News Awards were handed out last week in Murfreesboro, TN. Their award was for Friend Til The End, the opening track on their Heroes CD, which was written by Rebecca Isaacs Bowman and Sonya Isaacs.

These annual awards are chosen by the magazine’s readers, who vote online after the editorial staff select nominees each January in more than twenty different categories. The awards have been decided for the past four years, but this was the first time they were distributed at an official awards ceremony.

The Nashville Scene is a weekly paper published locally in Nashville, TN. The paper features articles and stories as well as performance schedules for all the venues in and around Nashville. They recently published an article entitled Our Critics Picks. That article is now available online at their website.

They had some really nice things to say about Lou Reid & Carolina.

But the real item of interest here is the long overdue Opry debut of Lou Reid & Carolina, whose meditative Time (the title track of the group’s latest CD) is currently at No. 1 on Bluegrass Unlimited’s airplay chart.

The article also features write-ups on:
Del McCoury
Larry Keel and Natural Bridge
Lonesome River Band

You will need to scroll down the page to see the various write-ups.

The Daughters of Bluegrass are offering a fan competition on their website right now. It’s a simple one page form that you fill out answering some questions about the artists who played on the title cut of the new CD Back to the Well. If you get it 100% correct, you win a free copy of the CD. They don’t say how long the contest will run, but they do say it’s a limited time. If you are interested, you should click on over and give it a shot.

The online edition of the IBMA newsletter, International Bluegrass, is now available on their web site. The print version of the newsletter is published six times a year, and sent to all members of the IBMA. The May/June issue is in the mail now, and many of the articles in the printed newsletter can be read here.

There is some interesting demographic data about music preferences (17 million cite bluegrass as their favorite musical genre), an overview of the legal requirements for public performance licenses, and a lot of news about the upcoming 2006 World Of Bluegrass event.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has been deeply involved in efforts to bring bluegrass music programs into schools. Their Bluegrass In The Schools programs have been developed collaboratively over many years, and offer musicians and teachers resources they can use in creating a program for their school or school system. A DVD overview of bluegrass music can be ordered, a free manual can be downloaded from the site, and they host teacher workshops at various sites throughout the year. Small matching fund grants are also available for eligible programs.

They have just announced the first annual IBMA Bluegrass Lesson Plan Competition as a part of this mission to help more young people discover bluegrass music, with four cash prizes of $300 to be awarded to the winning entries. As many as six honorable mention awards of $100 will also be given, and the winning entry will be posted on a new page on the IBMA web site, designed especially for use by teachers and home school parents all over the world. Plans for grades K-12 are sought.

A few additional notes from the IBMA press release:

” Both single class lesson plans and multi-class units of study will be welcome for submission.

” K-12 lesson plans may include classes in the following five content areas: Music (instruction or appreciation), Science & Math, Language Arts, Technology and Social Studies.

” Plans will be judged for suitability and relevance, accuracy of information, degree of actively engaging and stimulating students, organization, evaluation measures, and to what degree they address state educational standards. (A guideline list of sample educational standards utilized in most states will be available to teachers.)

” Rather than recognizing specific exceptional individual bluegrass programs, this competition will be evaluated on how well the lesson plans might transfer easily to other teachers and other school systems.

” Lesson plans from home schooling parents and also university students studying to be teachers will be welcome.

Lesson plans should be sent to IBMA before November 30 to be considered, and are welcome now. Nancy Cardwell is the contact for this competition, and she asks that teachers reach her by phone (888-438-4262) or email to receive an application. Entries will be judged by a team of experienced teachers who are familiar with the music. Winners will be announced on February 1, 2007, and in addition to cash prizes, the teachers who submit winning entries will also be honored at a special luncheon event at the 2007 IBMA convention.

In addition to the material he has and will contribute to the bluegrasscollege.org site we referenced yesterday, Mike Compton will soon begin offering private, individual mandolin lessons online using chat software. A prospective student will need a high speed internet connection, a web cam of at least average quality, and the ability to record audio. Mike will initially accept about 24 students, each signing up for a 30 minute cyberlesson, for a fee of $1/minute ($30 for a half hour). Once he determines the level of interest and workability of this teaching format, he will consider accepting some students for longer lesson times.

Mike’s specialty is Monroe-style mandolin, and traditional mandolin styles in general. He has more details and an email link to sign up on his web site, where he also shares these comments:

“It is important to note that, although we will be able to swap information and see/hear each other play, we will not be able to play together in real time. There is a delay between the two parties that will prohibit this facility.

I am looking forward to getting underway and making the acquaintance of some more fans of the older style of bluegrass mandolin. We may even work on oldtime and country blues, providing I do my homework here! The well is deep. We might as well jump in and get our feet wet.”

Our friend, Dan Miller, editor/publisher of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, sent along some terrific photos from the recently concluded Merlefest 2006, held annually on the campus of North Wilkesboro Community College in North Carolina. Given Dan’s professional affiliation, one can understand the somewhat guitar-centric bias in the subject selection.

If you click on the thumbnail image below, you will see thumbnails for all the images Dan sent, each of which will then open as a larger image in its own window when clicked.

Thanks Dan - wish we could have been there with you!

Larry Cordle has announced on his web site that he will be forced to cancel a number of shows in May, as he will be undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. The diagnosis was made just recently during a routine physical examination, and a full and complete recovery is expected following surgery.

The following shows have been cancelled:

Larry expects that he will be able to fulfill the rest of his summer tour schedule, and is looking forward to getting this health concern behind him, and returning to what he loves best - performing for friends and fans. The band has a new CD in the works as well.

Cards and well wishes can be sent to:

We also extend our best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery to this talented and dedicated bluegrass artist.

A while back we told you about the Van Heffer movie (featuring Wichita Rutherford) being nominated for an award at Regal Cinema’s 37th Annual Nashville Film Festival. The festival took place recently and a friend of mine was there. He went in the sold out theater and sat down to watch the Van Heffer movie. He then noticed who was sitting to his left. He had a camera in his pocket so he took it out and snapped this picture. It’s the only one he got as Wichita’s gas-mask-wearing sidekick asked him not to take any more. I was shocked and asked him if “gas mask” had actually spoken to him.

Not with words, no. But the look in his eyes said it all. He started up out of his seat and shook his head ‘NO’. I knew what he was saying without needing to hear a word. I put the camera away and just watched the movie. Afterwards, Wichita apologized and said they just didn’t want the flash going off while people were trying to watch the film. I understand that.

I spoke briefly with Wichita and he said they had a great time at the festival, their showing was sold out, and the crowd was full of “precious” people!

A new web-based instructional program for bluegrass music has been launched, going by the name bluegrasscollege.org. They describe their site as an interactive learning resource for bluegrass players on any instrument, at any level. Their web site describes the program in detail, but we did not find any information about who developed or manages it.

The instructors who have contributed downloadable video and audio files as course material include Rob Ickes, Ron Stewart, David Grier, Andy Hall. Mike Compton, Tim Stafford, Missy Raines and many more.

Students who choose to enroll pay an annual fee of $69.95 (???39.95 +vat in the UK) and are entitled to download 12 lessons each year for that fee. Each lesson, or tune, will contain several instructional video files (Quicktime .mov format), a number of play-along .mp3 files (various speeds) and tab/notation files in PDF. Further downloads beyond the 12 are allowed, but an additional fee is required. It does not appear that individual tunes can be purchased for download outside of the annual tuition fee structure.

The material taught is said to be taken from among mainstream bluegrass classics - the sort of songs and tunes you would find in any jam session. Sample audio and video files can be found on their web site.

Episode #26 of The GrassCast features an interview with Jamie Dailey. This interview was recorded last fall at IBMA. Jamie is a member of Doyle Lawson’s band, Quicksilver. In the interview we talk about the band, of course, being nominated for IBMA awards, youth in bluegrass, and Jamie’s vision for the future of bluegrass music.

This GrassCast is 8 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 and this episode marks our forth enhanced podcast. The version available through iTunes contains photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

Listen now:
Direct Download: ep26_jamie_dailey.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

We just got a note from Banjo NewsLetter publisher Donald Nitchie, to let us know that the May issue is in the mail to subscribers and newsstands.

Donald also passed along a thumbnail description of the May issue:

The May 06 issue features an interview with Ron Block, banjo player with Alison Krauss and Union Station. We also have an interview with maverick performer Eugene Chadbourne, with an introduction by Tony Trischka. We also will feature a tab by banjo player Andy Pond, as well as a review of Ray Hesson’s “Sunrise” CD, and a tab. Our regular columns include Jimmy Martin Banjo, Murphy Henry”s On The Road, Melodic Clawhammer, Old-Time from the Ozarks, and a review of Janet Davis”s “The Ultimate Banjo Songbook.” Also, Eddie Collins reviews the AcuTab DVDs “Learn to Play Bluegrass Banjo,” Vol. 2 and 3, and Mary Z. Cox reviews a cigar box banjo.

The United Way of Sumner County, TN is sponsoring a star-studded benefit show tonight in Hendersonville for the sake of local residents who were victims of the recent tornados which ravaged sections of central TN. The show will have no admission fee, but donations will be accepted to go directly to United Way’s disaster relief efforts.

A number of Nashville country and bluegrass artists have donated their time to make this show possible, including Ricky Skaggs, Lorrie Morgan, the Oak Ridge Boys, T.G, Sheppard, The Del McCoury Band, The Whites, Gary Allan, Connie Smith, Kelly Lang, Tommy Cash and Ralph Emery. The concert, billed as A Night Of Healing, will be held at the Hendersonville High School football stadium at 7:00 p.m. (CDT) on Monday, May 1.

The Hendersonville Star News ran a feature about the show in their Friday edition which describes the genesis of the concert, and includes some comments from the folks involved.

United Way of Sumner County can also accept donations online if anyone would like to join the musicians and entertainers who are lending support to their fellow Nashville-area residents in need.

We posted about a month ago about the upcoming new CD from Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, entitled All American Bluegrass Girl. The title track has been available this past week to bluegrass radio, but the CD is not expected to ship until May 23.

The Rounder Records web site (which has down much of the past few days) does not yet have any sample audio from the CD, but CMT.com has put together what they call a Listening Party, with audio samples for each song - and a pre-release, discounted price if you order the CD online from their site, to be shipped when the CD is available later this month.

Visit the Rhonda Vincent Listening Party on CMT.com here. Unfortunately for Mac users, their audio plug in does not work for Apple computers (like their video), so don’t bother clicking over if you use a Mac.