As they had promised earlier this summer, The Infamous Stringdusters have some new live tracks for free download on their MySpace page. The new tunes are This Weary Heart and 40 West, offering a fine chance to hear this young band on a Stanley Brothers classic and one of their more progressive instrumentals.

Both were recorded at The Livery in Harbor Springs, MI on July 13. Listen closely for Critter’s (Chris Eldridge) reaction to the end of his guitar solo on This Weary Heart.

The Dusters have now bidden farewell to Eldridge. This past weekend marked his last show with the band, commemorated on YouTube with video of a mega jam with both The Infamous Stringdusters and The Sam Bush Band on a rousing version of Rolling In My Sweet Baby’s Arms.

The Donkeys, from Ivan Rosenberg and Billy Cardine, may not be the only dobro CD to open with a banjo duet, but it’s the first one I’ve found to do so.

OK… so it’s not really a dobro CD, but both Rosenberg and Cardine are known primarily for their work as resophonic guitarists, and my expectations suggested that slide work would be the focus. In truth, what the pair really dedicate this new collaboration project to is melodies, and new ways of incorporating reso guitars into interpreting them.

The pairing is both stylistically and geographically interesting, as Rosenberg is a California-based musician whose compositions have been used in a number of television and movie soundtracks, and Cardine lives in North Carolina and performs with The Biscuit Burners, an eclectic string band who describe themselves as playing “fiery mountain music.”

The music, most of which is written by the dobro duo themselves, is performed primarily with members of the resophonic family of guitars, with several tunes featuring twin dobros. Both Cardine and Rosenberg are fine banjoists as well, and they add a few tastes of the old five throughout, with Billy playing 3 finger style, and Ivan clawhammer.

Two tracks are vocal features, with Mary Lucey and Sharon Whitworth doing the honors. The Donkeys even offers a few using the dobro and banjo stating and reworking the melody together, a pairing that has always appealed very strongly to me. Dan Bletz also guests on guitar, and Darrell Muller on bass.

The interesting title of this CD comes from the fact that three of the tunes, The Creptid Donkey, The Donkeys Of Harmison Crevice and Farewell Little Donkey, pay musical homage to the beloved Equus asinus. You can find a few audio samples on either Ivan’s or Billy’s MySpace pages, and orders can be placed online.

On a final pair of Rosenberg/Cardine related notes…

Look for The Bisciut Burners on The History Channel this Friday, August 24. They will be featured on Our Generation, which airs at 6:30 p.m. (ET) with music from their Bonaroo set this past June, as well as discussion with the band.

Rosenberg will be touring in Canada this fall as a part of the New Voices In Slide Guitar show with Doug Cox and Steve Dawson.

The Grascals have announced a promotional partnership with Mayberry’s Finest, a new brand of Southern-style canned and packaged foods whose marketing is based on the ever-popular Andy Griffith Show. The band will advertise the products during their live shows, in print, radio and television ads, and have recorded the Mayberry’s Finest jingle which can be heard online.

The Grascals will be visibly promoting the black eyed peas and creamed corn as they run the roads in their new Prevost XL2 tour bus, styled with the Mayberry’s Finest logo and several product images.

Mayberry’s Finest brand foods will be offered at retail grocery stores throughout the southeastern US starting this fall, and are available now online.

Verve is the print publication face of Carilion Health System. Carilion currently operates eight medical hospitals in Southwest Virginia.

Verve is published quarterly with articles on living better in Southwest Virginia. It’s a free publication available alongside the real estate brochures at the grocery store. Imagine my surprise last night, while exiting Wal-Mart, to see the face of Alison Krauss on the cover of the summer edition.

Sandwiched between two articles on water conservation, the Krauss article is a two page (three including one full page photo) spread that covers Alison’s biography, starting with her childhood, her recent popularity, her Grammy success, her producing efforts, and more. The article also includes single paragraph bios of each band member. The photos used in the article appear to be from the A Hundred Miles Or More photo shoot.

If you live in Southwest Virginia, you should pick up a copy and give it a read. Unfortunately, the Carilion website is still showing the Spring issue. Once the Summer issue is on the website, you’ll be able to read the article there.

America’s Most Wanted - Banjo Edition… CBS 13 in Sacramento, CA has the news of two banjo bandits who obtained a priceless 1931 Vegavox tenor banjo via burlarious entry into the owner’s car in late July, and recently attempted to sell it to a pawn shop in Folsom. The pawn shop had been alerted about the banjo theft, and provided security camera images to the police who are tightening the net.

According to the owner of the banjo, it had been played for six US Presidents, including the current occupant of the Oval Office.

Folsom police ask anyone who recognizes the suspects to please call their Tip Line at 1-800-78-CRIME.

Hat tip to Rick Briggs for alerting us to this story.

We all seem to enjoy celebrity interviews. They give us a peek into the lives of the people who’s music we love so much. So how could we not love a celebrity interview conducted by a celebrity?

In a web exclusive for Country Weekly magazine, country music star Dierks Bentley plays reporter and sits down with the father of Newgrass, Sam Bush, for an interview.

Sam seems reluctant to accept that title though.

For years, I fought calling stuff “newgrass” just cause people were saying “You’re the father of newgrass.” I always thought it was John Duffey with the Country Gentlemen who made the first new bluegrass. But so did the Osborn Brothers and so did Jim and Jessie. Jim and Jessie did a whole Chuck Berry album in the ’60s called Berry Pickin’ Time in the Country.

A couple questions later though, Sam does accept the label of Newgrass:

The word newgrass probably applies, especially now that … I’ve got a banjo player, and if we want to play bluegrass we feel that we can really play bluegrass. And if we want to vary off, we have Byron House on bass … who’s great on the upright.

Other topics covered in the interview include baseball and dogs, two passions shared by both Bush and Bentley.

You can read the interview on Country Weekly’s website.

Cherryholmes will be featured on Opry Live this Saturday, during the televised portion of The Grand Ole Opry broadcast on GAC TV.

The show airs at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on Saturday (8/18), and again that same evening at midnight. It repeats at noon and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday (8/19), and once more on Tuesday (8/21) at 9:00 p.m.

You can hear the entire Saturday Opry radio show on WSM 650 AM from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., or via live streaming at WSMonline.com. Highlights from the show will be available in the WSM audio archives next week.

Here are a few photos taken during this morning’s 2007 IBMA Award nominees press conference. The announcements were made from the theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.

You can find the complete list of nominees here - which includes links to the various nominees’ webs sites and audio samples where appropriate.

UPDATE 8/17:  Here are some more shots from yesterday’s IBMA Nominees press conference, taken by photographer to the bluegrass stars, Dan Loftin.

The International Bluegrass Music Assocaiation has announced the nominees for the 18th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards. [press conference photos here]

Rhonda Vincent & The Rage lead the pack with 11 total nominations, split between the boss and her band members. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have 9 amongst them, and Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, The Del McCoury Band and Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder each received 7 nominations.

The awards will be presented on Thursday October 4 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, TN, in an awards show and gala hosted by Sam Bush.

The Bluegrass Blog is providing expanded coverage of the nominations for these awards, with posts that include the names of each nominee, along with links to their web sites, bios and audio, in each of the award categories. We hope that this coverage will aid members of the press who will be reporting on the awards, as well as IBMA members who want to do some research before casting their votes.

To view the nominees, click on the (more…) link at the end of this sentence, or click on the title of the post. (more…)

Are you a Rhonda Vincent fan? Have you ever wanted an open door into the experience of recording a studio album? Well now is your chance.

We told you recently about the newest feature on Rhonda website that let’s you follow along with Rhonda’s Journey as she creates a new studio album. Phase 3 of that process is now online.

Phase 3 involved the remodeling of the studio space. The existing studio had to be completely rebuilt to the new specs, with isolation booths added along with quite AC and sound absorption. Those interested in designing such a space of their own should find this entry fascinating. The page includes Rhonda’s notes on what was done along with over 30 photos of the work in progress.

But if that isn’t enough, you can actually get a doorway into the studio, well the door anyway. That’s right, Rhonda is giving away the door to the old studio that was taken out during the reconstruction process. She has a contest page up on her site where you can enter to win the door. You will have to pick it up in Nashville though. All open doors come with a cost!

Jambands.com is reporting that last weekend’s String Cheese Incident reunion show at RedRocks in Colorado would seem to be its last, and that it was surely the last performance with the band by guitarist/vocalist Bill Nershi. He has joined forces with jamgrass mandolin master Drew Emmitt, and formed the Emmitt Nershi Band.

Joining Nershi and Emmitt will be Tyler Grant on bass and Chris Pandolfi on banjo. Knowing of Chris’ solid commitment to The Infamous Stringdusters, I asked him whether his time with Emmitt Nershi was during time off from his main gig.

“I’m definitely doing the Emmit/Nershi thing on the side. If the ‘Dusters don’t have another lineup change for 20 years I will be thrilled.”

Live appearances for The Emmitt Nershi band will be posted on their MySpace page.

There is much to report from the world of Mountain Heart. We have news on their upcoming CD, and a new member of the band to announce.

First, the CD… When Mountain Heart announced back in May that they were starting work on their first live CD project, it wasn’t clear when it might be released, or with whom. They were looking for a record label, tearing up the road, and knew that they wanted to capture the energy of their live shows - and their hot new lead singer - for a live recording.

Well, the project is now complete, as are the the behind-the-scenes machinations. Road That Never Ends - The Live Album will be released in October on Rural Rhythm Records. It was recorded May 26 at The Ark in Ann Arbor, MI in front of a boisterous, and highly appreciative audience.

There are several brand new songs - including Who’s The Fool Now, the Josh Shilling song that has been a show stopper for the band on stage - plus some songs that will be familiar to Mountain Heart fans. Look for live versions of Gospel Train, Here to Ride the Train, God and Everybody, Devil’s Courthouse, #6 Barn Dance and Heart Like a Roadsign on this upcoming release.

On top of mixing and mastering a new live CD, the band is also enacting a personnel change. Clay Hess is coming onboard after September 1 to play guitar, taking the spot of Clay Jones who has left the band. Hess is a former member of Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, and had recently been playing mandolin with The Mark Newton Band.

Clay is certain to do a fine job in Clay’s stead, and is eager to get started.

“I am looking forward to being the newest member of Mountain Heart. They are great vocalists, musicians, and people, so what more could you ask for in a band? I am also looking forward to making my contribution to what I think is one of the most exciting and musically creative situations there’s been in years!”

The other members of the band are happy to have Hess joining them, as well. Banjo picker Barry Abernathy shares the consensus on “the new guy.”

“He is an amazing musician and very versatile, so of course, we are very excited to have him joining Mountain Heart.

Fiddler Jim VanCleve is likewise pleased to have Clay in the band.

“I remember being knocked out by Clay Hess the first time I saw him with Skaggs a few years ago. Now we’re good friends and I am constantly impressed with his musicianship every time we play together. I am really excited to be adding such a powerhouse to the mix!” (more…)

The Southeastern Bluegrass Association (SEBA) has just announced the formation of a new chapter. The TAG Chapter has been formed to serve the Greater Chattanooga Area, including East Tennessee, Northeast Alabama, and Northwest Georgia.

The TAG Chapter has scheduled it’s first monthly meeting and jam session for the afternoon of August 19th (3rd Sunday), from 2 PM to 5 PM. The meeting will be held at Lyndon Avenue Baptist Church.

For more information call Tom Layton at 423-308-0858 or Steve Daugherty at 423-875-5250. To be placed on the chapter’s email list please send an email to egrassblast@yahoo.com with “SEBA” as the subject line.

SEBA is a non-profit organization consisting of fans, musicians, promoters and friends of bluegrass music, which works to preserve, promote and publicize bluegrass music.

In addition to the new Charlie Sizemore CD we highlighted yesterday, there are several other notable bluegrass projects released on August 14 that are worthy of your attention.

New from Rebel is Lovin’ Pretty Women from The Steep Canyon Rangers. We have mentioned this project a number of times recently, and now that it is available widely, we expect it will get a lot of attention. Clever songwriting and crisp execution mark this CD as a keeper.

You can hear audio samples on the band’s MySpace page, or check out their video bio with both live clips and CD audio.

Sugar Hill has SCENEchronized, the first new set from Seldom Scene in quite some time. Both long time fans and followers of a newer vintage should enjoy this CD. Even with Ben Eldridge as the lone original member, the song selections, arrangements and performances all bear the hallmarks that have set this band apart for more than 30 years.

More details on SCENEchronized can be found in our earlier post, and audio samples can be found in iTunes.

Also from Sugar Hill comes Sam Bush’s first live concert DVD, On The Road. It was recorded last August in Colorado, and features The Sam Bush Band in their element - live on stage. Featured are Scott Vestal on banjo (and banjo synth), Byron House on bass, Stephen Mougin on guitar, Chris Brown on drums, and Bush on mandolin, fiddle and lead vocals.

I could not find any video clips online, but there is a full track listing on Sam’s web site.

The nominees for the 2007 International Bluegrass Music Awards will be announced on Thursday, August 16 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT) - 9:00 a.m. Nashville time. Dale Ann Bradley and Del McCoury will make the official announcements at The Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum in Nashville, and The Infamous Stringdusters will perform.

We will post the list of nominees when the press conference concludes, and will try to get some photos up as soon as possible.

If you are an XM Satellite Radio subscriber, you can listen to the announcements live on Bluegrass Junction, XM Channel 14.

The current (8/20) edition of The New Yorker magazine includes, as a part of its weekly Talk Of The Town section at the front of the book, a piece on dobro megastar Jerry Douglas.

Daniel Menaker accompanied Douglas on a shopping trip to Matt Umanov Guitars on Bleecker Street in Manhattan when Jerry was in New York City on August 2 for an Alison Krauss show.

The article primarily celebrates the concept of attention to detail, and demonstrates just how rich is Douglas’ grasp of the many fine points of stringed instruments and how they are played.

Read the full piece on The New Yorker site.

Hat tip: Danny Shameer

We caught up recently with Tim Stafford of Blue Highway, and got a few more details about their upcoming Rounder CD.

Tim says that the project is expected to be titled Through The Window of a Train, and he speaks with pride of the material - all written by band members. He rates the songs as some of their very best to date, and this CD will be the band’s second all-original project.

A February 2008 release date is still projected.

Read more about this next Blue Highway CD in our earlier discussion with Tim.

Brance posted a few weeks ago about The Cool Mandolin Company, founded to promote our favorite eight-stringed instrument - particularly to young people - and the CD they produced to raise money for their work.

They have now announced a new program, the Cool Mandolins for Kids Program, which they jokingly describe as “The new cure for Mandolin Acquisition Syndrome.” The idea is to seek unused mandolins that are gathering dust, and get them into the hands of eager young pickers.

Do you have a gently-used mandolin at home that would make a child really happy? If so, we’d love for you to send it to us. We’ll find a young picker that’s in need of one and send it directly to them. It won’t cost anyone a cent. We won’t take any fees and we’ll pay the shipping fee to the recipient.

We LOVE the mandolin and we want to help promote it to the next generation of “mandolin legends.” Won’t you help us?

If you have a mandolin to donate, or would like more information about the Cool Mandolins for Kids Program, you can contact Laura Leder by email, or by phone at 215-630-8047.

Norman Blake first made me aware of the ginseng root, via his masterful recording of the tune Ginseng Sullivan. He released the song in 1972 on the Back Home in Sulphur Springs album.

Of course, Tony Rice also cut the tune on the Manzanita album that has come to be such a revered classic. Manzanita was released in 1990.

Ginseng can be found everywhere these days it seems. From energy drinks to pills in the pharmacy. From what I understand wild ginseng is very much in demand as it is somehow superior to farmed ginseng. It takes a long time, many years, for a ginseng root to reach maturity. That’s why this story out of China is so newsworthy.

A person from Tonghua city, in the Jilin Province, discovered in the Changbaishang mountains, what experts are saying is a 300 year old wild ginseng plant. The root weighed in at 366 grams and sold for the equivalent of $400,000.

Now that would have been a find for old Ginseng Sullivan!

UPDATE 12:30 p.m. - We got an email from reader Steve Smith who reminded us that Manzanita was initially released on vinyl in 1978 (Rounder shows 1979).  Oops!

Steve also says that the CD was first released in 1987. I couldn’t find a verification of that on Rounder’s site.

The new CD from Charlie Sizemore, Good News, is out today (8/14) on Rounder. It’s been five years since there was a new studio project from this soulful bluegrass balladeer, songwriter and former Clinch Mountain Boy, and his many fans are not likely to be disappointed by this new release.

For more details on Good News, read this earlier post on the CD than was published on The Bluegrass Blog in June.

As of this morning, neither Rounder’s nor Charlie’s sites offer audio samples from Good News, but you can hear short clips from each song in iTunes. There is also a single song (I’ve Fallen And I Can’t Get Up) on Charlie’s MySpace page. Samples should be available elsewhere soon.

Update 8/27: Samples are now available on Rounder’s site.

Charlie has put together a short video that highlights his career in bluegrass - from the early days with Ralph Stanley to the present - plus highlights and discussion about the new release.

Watch it on Charlie’s web site, or click the player below.