With New Year’s Eve upon us, let me recommend my very favorite version of the perennial December 31st classic, Auld Lang Syne. It comes from David Grisman’s terrific 1983 release, David Grisman’s Acoustic Christmas, and features a much younger and not-so-famous Bela Fleck on banjo.

If you are a Rhapsody subscriber, you can find it here. If you aren’t a subscriber, you can still download the Rhapsody software for free, and listen to up to 20 songs each month at no charge.

It’s a great way to ring in the New Year in a rip-roaring bluegrass style.

On behalf of both Brance and myself, The Bluegrass Blog wishes our readers all over the world a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! We hope that 2007 is kind to you all, and that one year hence, you will find yourself well and in good spirits.

Way back before Christmas we told you about the New Year’s Eve celebration happening at the Ryman Auditorium. I just wanted to remind everyone that it is being broadcast on Public Television and is available online as well.

In addition to the performances previously mentioned by Doyle Lawson and Rhonda Vincent, the evening will also include Emmylou Harris, Suzy Bogguss, Old Crow Medicine Show, Robin and Linda Williams, John Randall, Cowboy Jack Clement, Stuart Duncan, and Buddy Emmons.

The show starts at 10 PM in most time zones and will be available online at 9:30 PM CST. On our local PBS station here in the Roanoke area it will be airing both at 10 PM and again at 3 AM for those that miss it the first time around due to celebrating for themselves.

We’d like to wish everyone a fun and safe New Year’s Eve and a great New Year in 2007!

Each December the Washington Post music reviewers list their favorite CDs, videos, concerts, websites, etc. in an article about the best music of year.

This year in The Best of 2006: Music, one of the reviewers by the name of Geoffrey Himes lists as his #8 favorite the CD Hillbilly Heartache by Don Rigsby.

The year’s best country singing could be heard on the new album from this Kentucky mandolinist, still underrated even in his own bluegrass circles.

We send our congratulations out to Don for this recognition.

Hat Tip: Katy Daley

Back in early November, a minor fury was generated by a press release issued to announce the release of a new book by Carole Wade. The book is entitled, The Death Throes and Demise of the Banjo, and the press release opened with this provocative statement:

Today’s banjo musicians have become boring. They talk excessively throughout their performances, grabbing one banjo to pick for a few minutes and then sharply turn around on stage to “hype” another banjo while at the same time same time “foot-stomping” frenetically. They repeat the same tired outdated story about themselves as they “skip-through” their alleged education from long-deceased traditional banjo musicians. Today’s best known banjo players have never even taken the time to learn to read music!

Needless to say, banjo players took exception to this characterization, and posters on the popular banjo web forum, Banjo Hangout, spent several days voicing their rebuttals.

The full press release that started the war of words can be found at PRWeb.com.

Our first impulse was to ignore this episode, suspecting that the press release was intended with this very purpose in mind, generating talk about a book that might otherwise have received scant attention. When the controversy was first swirling, however, we sought to contact the author of the book, hoping to get her feedback and perspective on the reactions in the banjo world, and we just recently heard back from her.

Carole Wade’s response, including her comments to some non-banjo critique, follows:

After weeks of reading hundreds of E-mails, letters, and notes responding to the initial announcement of “The Death Throes and Demise of the Banjo,” I want to assure everyone that I do grasp where the much-loved banjo fits into today’s popular culture. With new-age music, rap/hip-hop, country turned rock, and classical music/opera making a resurgence with twenty-year-olds, the banjo seems to be sitting still: silent in today’s high volume of “new-century” music.

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And then they were five…

Alan Bibey called to let us know that Grasstowne has finished the year with a full complement of pickers, having just brought Lee Sawyer on to play bass. He joins Alan on mandolin, Steve Gulley on guitar, Phil Leadbetter on resophonic guitar and Jason Davis on banjo in this new bluegrass startup.

Lee had performed previously with The Larry Stephenson Band, and hails from Lexington, NC.

Alan said that Lee can “flat kick a bass in the hind end,” or words to that effect. The band is hoping to get in the studio soon, with a track released via Prime Cuts Of Bluegrass early in ‘07.

For more details on the founding of Grasstowne, check out either Phil Leadbetter’s or Alan Bibey’s recent interviews on The Grasscast.

Jorma Kaukonen may never be a fixture on the bluegrass circuit, but the eclectic guitarist has been involved in a variety of roots music endeavors since his early days with The Jefferson Airplane in San Francisco’s heady 1960s music scene. His first post-Airplane outing, Hot Tuna, with fellow Airplane alum Jack Casady, has endured since 1970, and has always had an acoustic blues-based focus.

Hot Tuna now includes noted mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff, whose background includes decades of work in bluegrass and traditional music. Kaukonen’s 2002 release, Blue Country Heart, received a Grammy nomination and is self-described as a tribute to American roots music. He makes his home on the fringes of the Appalachian mountains in southeastern Ohio, where he operates Fur Peace Ranch, hosting guitar camps and running a concert venue.

Kaukonen recently signed with Red House Records, and the first project for the new label, Stars In My Crown, was recorded this past October in Nashville. It was produced by Byron House, and recorded at 17 Grand Studios with Gary Paczosa engineering, and a host of familiar acoustic and bluegrass guest artists, including Sam Bush and Blue Highway.

Tim Stafford recalls the experience, and working with Jorma, fondly.

“We came in at the end of the session, which had been going on for several days with other musicians. I recorded three or four tunes with Jorma, Sally Van Meter, Barry Mitterhoff and Byron the first day, mostly country blues-based numbers. Jorma is a big fan of Rev. Gary Davis, and we did a couple of his tunes as I recall, and one of Byron’s originals, a spooky gospel song.

Jorma said he liked the sound of the flatpicked guitar with his fingerstyle. What a great guy! We met him through playing a show at his Fur Peace Ranch in Pomeroy, OH earlier this year and he took a liking to the band. Jason, Shawn and Rob came in the next day (Wayne decided not to come since he wouldn’t be playing bass and we didn’t need harmony vocals) and we recorded Johnny Cash’s apocalyptic ‘The Man Comes Around’ with Byron and Jorma. Very cool! Everyone loved the way that one turned out.

You would never know from Jorma’s demeanor that he’s one of the founders of Jefferson Airplane and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – he’s incredibly down-to-earth and nice. And very funny!

It was a great experience all the way around and I was thrilled to be involved.”

Look for the new CD to be released on March 13, 2007. Red House plans to put audio samples online as the street date nears.

Look for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver to appear on this Saturday’s Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast (12/30). They are scheduled in the 8:00-9:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. to midnight segments.

Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys will also be featured, performing in the 9:30-10:00 p.m. and 12:30-1:00 a.m. slots. All times are EST.

If you can catch WSM over the air - as a large segment of the south central US can do - you can tune in at 650 AM, broadcasting from Nashville. If not, you can catch the live WSM audio stream online to hear the program, which runs from 7:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 30.

GAC TV is airing a Best of ‘06 program on Grand Ole Opry Live this Saturday, but a performance by Alison Krauss & Union Station will be included. It airs initially at 8:00 p.m. on 12/30, with several encore presentations on New Years Eve.

Greg Cahill, the fearless leader of Special Consensus, sent along a link to a hilarious bit of video on YouTube. It’s a short clip from the 1969 spaghetti Western, Sabata, featuring William Berger who played a character named Banjo.

The clip brings a whole new meaning to the terms “killer banjo” and “machine gun right hand” as Banjo faces a quintet of gunmen who have called him out.

Watch the clip to see him triumph with his banjo - and get the girl.

Thanks to Keith Baumann of Uptown Rhythm Productions who first shared the link with Greg.

The 2007 edition of The Musician’s Atlas is now available, both in print, and via AtlasOnline, which allows members to access the database and marketing tools over the Internet. The Atlas is meant as a resource for independent artists, managers, labels and music industry entrepreneurs.

The new edition has been updated to include the sorts of information that buyers of previous annual editions have requested. Categories such as Clubs, US/Canadian College Radio and Booking, Conferences and Festivals, National and Regional Press, Commercial and Public Radio, Song Contests, Compilations and Tours, and Film, TV and Gaming have all been revised and expanded this year.

The online version allows subscribers to use the various music biz databases to create customized mailing labels or letters, perform advanced searches, and send bulk email, while the print edition contains these lists in book form.

Editor-in-Chief Jude Folkman explains the need for regular updating of the Atlas.

“The industry remains in a state of constant upheaval. Our year-round research plus feedback from readers and industry insiders help us identify new markets and categories that will most impact independent artists and releases. Based on 2006 realities and 2007 projections, those on the front lines of the new music industry are focusing their efforts on live performance, broadcast and Film, TV & Gaming opportunities. The expanded sections in 2007 reflect that direction and supply musicians and other music biz mavericks with the contacts and perspective that they need to succeed, independent of major label support and 20th century business models.”

Full details on both the print and online editions of the 2007 Musician’s Atlas are available on the Musician’s Resource Group web site.

The European Bluegrass Blog has an interesting piece up about an historic concert at the renowned Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

This past October, noted French violinist Gilles Apap was featured in concert with the Pas-de-Loup Philharmonic Orchestra. Though recognized primarily as a classical violinist, Apap has a fondness for a variety of folk music styles, including bluegrass.

The abovementioned concert in Paris began with a classical repertoire, only to conclude with a number of bluegrass tunes performed with the members of Blue Railroad Train. The grand finale was an arrangement of Bill Monroe’s Old Dangerfield with the full orchestra.

You can find more details (and a larger image) on The European Bluegrass Blog, which is an official publication of the EBMA (European Bluegrass Music Association).

Fly Magazine is the local dining and entertainment magazine for the Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg PA areas. That area is actually home to Del McCoury and the December issue is featuring an interview with Del. The article refers to Del as possibly the “world’s first 70-year-old rock star.” They then go on to explain why they come to this conclusion, citing Del’s appeal to the jam band audience and his association with the bands Phish and the String Cheese Incident.

Following the introductory section of the article is a nice interview with Del about his music. Fans of Del McCoury’s music should enjoy reading this article.

Find it here.

BlueHighways TV, the satellite and broadband television network that celebrates the music, folklore, people and traditions of America, has had a good year.

In October, they announced a deal with Narrowstep to deliver streaming content from their web site. Last week, they unveiled a new partnership with the Mansion America Theater in Branson, MO. Mansion America’s owner, Gene Bicknell, will both invest financially in BlueHighways TV and make the production facilities of the theater available to the network.

BlueHighways TV is operated by Ronnie Reno, son of bluegrass legend Don Reno, and Stan Hitchcock, who was among the founders of Country Music Television (CMT) when it launched in the early days of cable TV.

Hitchcock was enthusiastic in announcing this new partnership.

“I welcome Gene Bicknell and his organization to the BlueHighways TV family. His rich experience in business development, topped with his accomplished credits in theater, film and television, make him an ideal partner for BlueHighways TV. Plus, we are excited to expand the scope of our network’s cross-country live television offerings with the Mansion America Theatre, having begun this initiative with The American Jukebox Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.”

Bicknell is a celebrated entrepreneur, and formerly operated one of the largest restaurant chains in the US. He has also worked in film and television as an actor, writer and producer.

Pinecastle Records has released the live concert video of The Osborne Brothers at Renfro Valley on DVD. The performance, recorded in 1994 and released on VHS video in 1997, features Sonny and Bobby with Terry Eldridge on guitar and vocals, and Terry Smith on bass, both currently with The Grascals. The late Gene Wooten is on dobro, and David Crow on fiddle.

The video has been unavailable for some time, and this is its first release on DVD.

Travers Chandler, mandolinist with Avery County, has posted a nice remembrance on his MySpace Blog of Charlie Moore, who passed away on December 24, 1979.

“Charlie’s story is a story of triumph and tragedy. He was a gifted musician. A great guitar player, he could also play bass, mandolin, and banjo proficiently. He was great at arranging material. A terrific songwriter. An extremely entertaining MC with a sharp humor, and his singing was truly soulful. His phrasing was simply great.”

Read the full tribute on Travers’ blog.

Chandler’s band took their name from a Charlie Moore album released in 1977. Other members include Robert Overstreet on banjo, Adam Poindexter on bass, Hank Bowman on guitar and Heather Twigg on fiddle.

I just discovered a new bluegrass gospel CD, The Bluegrass Service, by one Greg Adkins who is serving on staff at Powell Church in Knoxville, TN. Greg decided to use his love for bluegrass combined with his love for God and gospel music to create a CD of bluegrass music arranged in such as a way as could be used in a worship service. The CD features a few familiar hymns such as Amazing Grace and I’ll Fly Away alongside a Bob Dylan tune, a Gillian Welch tune, and a few new songs written by Greg or friends of his.

Normally I wouldn’t call your attention to just any new CD by someone I’d never heard of before, but I listened to the samples offered on Greg’s blog, and I must say this is a nice sounding CD. Worship Musician Magazine thought so as well giving the CD a very nice review from which I’ll excerpt just one statement.

Broken up into the order of a worship service, Adkins’ sequencing helps us see the wholeness of a life submitted in worship to our savior. Following an instrumental take on “Amazing Grace”, replete with the mandolin, dobro, banjo and supple acoustic guitar that frame every song, the album segues into a call of worship with a few songs you may have never imagined being used in a traditional worship service before.

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The Recording King banjo company has announced that their instruments will now carry a limited lifetime warranty to the original purchaser.

The company is a division of The Music Link, who reactivated the Recording King brand not long ago, a trademark with a rich history of banjo making in the US, going back to the banjo’s hey day prior to World War II. They offer several models targeted at banjos players looking for pro features at a budget price, designed in cooperation with noted luthier Greg Rich, formerly of both Gibson and Rich & Taylor.

The full warranty details can be found on the company’s web site.

The Del McCoury Band’s MySpace page has recently been updated to include several live audio tracks, recorded earlier this year at Ziggy’s in Winston Salem, NC.

The live tracks include Count Me Out, Trainwreck Of Emotion, and City Of Stone. Find them on Del’s MySpace page.

To our friends all over the world who celebrate the joyous Feast of Christmas, we offer our hope that you will experience the peace this day portends.

May you find yourself surrounded by those dearest to you, and know the love above all others as you share gifts and remembrances with family and friends.

A very Merry Christmas to you all from The Bluegrass Blog!

This post is a contribution from Richard Thompson, a founding member of the British Bluegrass Music Association, and a semi-regular correspondent and contributor for The Bluegrass Blog. He is also a longstanding contributor to British Bluegrass News, a quarterly print publication where he also briefly served as editor.

Prompted by an article in the January 2007 edition of Country Music People that Nashville journalist Walter Trott wrote about Mac Wiseman, I followed up a mention of the new 4 CD Bear Family Records boxed set release of On Susan’s Floor (Bear Family BCD 16736 DK).

In keeping with the label’s well deserved reputation for making available older recordings from a variety of catalogues, this set includes some rare material from Mac Wiseman’s recording career between the years 1965 to 1979, including that from his own Wise label, the Rural Rhythm, MGM, Dot, RCA and Churchill archives, comprising 114 songs in all.

Among the songs featured are such notable titles as Bringing Mary Home, Ring Them Golden Bells, I Saw Your Face In The Moon, Bringing In The Georgia Mail, Letter Edged In Black, White Silver Sands, Ballad Of A Teenage Queen and the hit single My Blue Heaven, recorded with Woody Herman’s band.

As usual the boxed set includes a hard-backed book; this one has an essay by Colin Escott, a discography and many previously unpublished photographs.

The collection is available directly from Bear Family, and is listed in the catalogue of many online resellers where bluegrass music is sold.

New Millennium Acoustic Design, aka NewMAD, has recently introduced the world’s first carbon fiber mandolin. The construction is almost entirely carbon fiber. The only wood on the instrument is the ebony fingerboard and bridge. The tuners and other hardware are standard metal parts, but the body, neck, and headstock of this instrument are made completely of carbon fiber.

NewMAD mentions two models on their site, A5 and A4.

The carbon fiber material is a good choice for acoustic instruments because it is unaffected by temperature or humidity. It has it’s own distinct look that makes it immediately recognizable.

The material is quite beautiful with a black/gray warp & weft that is simply elegant. The challenge of utilizing this amazing material for mandolin construction has proven to be quite daunting, but the results speak for themselves.