Here’s the third installment of the video content we’re bringing you as part of our Infamous Stringdusters promotion.

The album The Infamous Stringdusters, will be released on June 10, 2008. See our original post for information about the pre-order special.

This video is provided in cooperation with The Infamous Stringdusters, Sugar Hill Records, and Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.

Each episode (5 in total) will be accompanied by either a streaming track or an mp3 download from the new CD. Access to the tracks will be limited to registered users of The Bluegrass Blog, and accessing the track will enter you in a promotional giveaway to win one of three autographed copies of the CD.

We also have one other contest for you - there will only be one winner in this contest, but it’s big. We’re giving away a pair of tickets to this year’s Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, a meet and greet with the band at the festival, and some merchandise the guys will autograph just for you on site.

Enjoy the video, download this week’s track, and enter to win free festival tickets!

This third installment of the video focuses on the addition of guitar player Andy Falco to the band. This week we also have a free mp3 download from the new CD.

Enter to win an autographed CD (and listen to the streaming track)

Enter to win a pair of tickets to the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival

The Summer 2008 issue of The Fretboard Journal is set to be mailed to subscribers next week, with a cover feature on Chris Thile. The piece is an interview, conducted by fellow mandolin trailblazer David Grisman, who graced the cover of the inaugural issue of the magazine in 2005.

Also profiled in this issue is resonator guitarist Jerry Douglas, and a lengthy interview with noted guitar builder Jean Larrivee is included as well.

We have spoken highly of this glossy, full color quarterly in the past for its use of heavy, archival-quality paper and for the excellence of the writing and photography.

Subscription and single issue order information can be found on The Fretboard Journal web site.

William David “D” Kilpatrick, a former record executive, Grand Ole Opry manager and founding member of the Country Music Association, died on Wednesday (May 21) at his home in Franklin, near Nashville, Tennessee. He was 88 years old and he had been battling against lung cancer.

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 18, 1919, Kilpatrick’s first job in the music business was in sales with Capitol Records’ distributorship in Charlotte before moving to Atlanta to manage a Capitol branch. In 1950 Kilpatrick moved to Nashville where he is reputed to have became the city’s first salaried country music producer.

Among the artists that he produced for Capitol was James & Martha Carson and Carl Butler. Upon moving to Mercury Records in 1951, he worked with artists such as fiddler Benny Martin (who signed for the label in 1953), bluegrass-gospel great Carl Story, the Stanley Brothers (who also signed for the label in 1953), Buck Ryan, and Bill Clifton (1956).

One legacy out of the many from that era at Mercury is the use of the name Buddy Dee, a pseudonym for Kilpatrick, who really loved bluegrass music (according to fiddler Joe Meadows), for the copyrighting of the traditional song Tragic Love, recorded by the Stanley Brothers on April 5, 1955.

Other samples from this period include God Saved My Soul and Are You Walkin’ And A Talkin’ For The Lord, both songs recorded by Carl Story in 1952, and several country singles, such as the up-tempo honky tonk-styled Ice Cold Love, from Benny Martin that have been re-issued on the Lover Of The Town CD (1999).

Kilpatrick left the label before Clifton was ready to record for him, joining the Grand Ole Opry in the capacity of manager, whereupon he worked to re-establish the show as a powerhouse of the airwaves, inviting Porter Wagoner, the Everly Brothers, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper and others to become part of the cast. Two years later joined with other key Nashville music figures to establish the Country Music Association.

In 1959 he joined the Acuff-Rose Artists Corporation, before subsequently working for Warner Bros. Records and Philips Records and then returned to Mercury in the mid-1960s.

Our friend Doug McKelway, who anchors the local news broadcasts for WJLA TV in Washington, DC, was invited to The Del McCoury Band’s sound check yesterday prior to the start of DelFest in Cumberland, MD.

Doug is also a fine banjo picker, and he got a chance to jam with the band some in the news segment he prepared from his visit.

You can watch the roughly four minute clip (after a brief advertisement) at WJLA.com.

Earlier this week I happened to be talking to Jeanie Stanley, who reminded me that this holiday weekend she will be attending Dr. Ralph Stanley’s 38th Annual Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival, which uncle Ralph holds every year in honor of her father, and his brother, Carter.

Staged at the Hills of Home Park (Old Home Place) on Smith Ridge, Between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia, not only will she be back with family, but with friends as well with a line-up that includes former Clinch Mountain Boys Larry Sparks, Charlie Sizemore, Melvin Goins and George Shuffler among those who will be appearing during the three-day event starting on Thursday, and ending formally late on Saturday evening.

Ernie Thacker had been slated to appear, but he has been hospitalised once more. Please keep Ernie and his family in your thoughts/prayers.

Carter Stanley lies at rest, in accordance with his final wish, on Smith Ridge.

[Editor’s note] Ralph Stanley is featured on the cover of the June 2008 issue of Virginia Living, a glossy, large-format lifestyle magazine. He is also the subject of an interview that includes a number of wondeful photographs.

There is no content available on the magazine’s web site, but individual issues can be ordered online for only $4.95.

Rhonda Vincent will be a featured guest on this weekend’s edition of A Prairie Home Companion, carried on over 500 public radio stations in the US. Ms. Vincent and her talented band, The Rage, will join host Garrison Keillor and his cast of radio raconteurs, plus celebrated tenor, Raúl Melo.

The show will be broadcast from the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park, Vienna, VA on Saturday (5/24). Actual broadcast times vary from one affiliate to another, with many carrying the live feed on Saturday evening, and others running it instead early on Sunday afternoon.

You can find the show on 580 public radio affiliate stations, on the Armed Forces Network, and on Sirius Satellite Radio’s Channel 134. The live broadcast is also available online via live streaming audio (Real Player format) from 6:00-8:00 p.m. (EDT).

Last month we told you about a PodCast on UNC-TV that provided a glimpse of the work that goes into making a fiddle.

Now we learn of another instance where television has highlighted the craftsmanship associated with the building of musical instruments. In this latest view of the life of luthiers Nashville Public Television visited Crafters of Tennessee at their workshops in Old Hickory. What they found there was aired in a recent Tennessee Crossroads programme.

Crafters of Tennessee is run by Mark Taylor, legendary resonator guitarist Robert ‘Tut’ Taylor’s son.

I asked Mark about the programme …..

“Tennessee Crossroads TV show contacted me a few years back and heard of my building musical instruments here in Tennessee. They approached me about doing a story on me. They came and filmed about 5 hours, and then aired the TV show. It has enlightened many people of our existence, since I have building for almost 40 years. They just recently re-aired the show this past week, and I also have that TV show on YouTube.”

The Crafters of Tennessee website has a product listing, picture gallery and a history page among its features. They build a variety of banjos, resophonic guitars, guitars and mandolins.

My thanks to Sharon Collie Smith for bringing this to our attention.

Gracie Muldoon, general manager and popular on-air host on WorldWideBluegrass.com, is really psyched about the interview segments of her Muldoon In The Afternoon program today (5/23).

The show runs from noon to 2:00 p.m. (EDT) and will feature a half hour discussion with Jamie Daley and Darrin Vincent, followed by a surprise special guest.

Gracie was cloyingly vague about what is scheduled after Dailey & Vincent…

“Both gentlemen will be on the phone. I’m really excited about it.

However - it doesn’t end there.

Let’s just say - after the D&V interview - we’re supposed to receive a phone in from a VERY BIG NAME - that rarely gives interviews! We won’t say who it is - that will speak to me for about 10 -15 minutes.. but lets suffice it to say - IT’s REALLY A BIG MUSIC HERO to a lot of folks - so if folks want to know who it is.. they have to tune in @ 1:30 pm eastern.”

Hmmmm…. who could it be?

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) yesterday announced the 2008 recipients of the NEA National Heritage Fellowships, the country’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

Mac Wiseman was among the eleven fellowships, which include a one-time award of $20,000 each.

These awardees were chosen for their artistic excellence and contributions to our nation’s cultural heritage. They represent a cross-section of ethnic cultures and traditions and art forms ranging from saddle making and dance to bluegrass music and drum making.

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia said, “It is important to recognize the diverse traditional arts that enrich America’s cultural landscape and to award those whose dedication and artistry are so integral to the continuation of these art forms.”

Wiseman joins the ranks of previous Heritage Fellows in the bluegrass field such as Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Kenny Baker, Hazel Dickens, Jerry Douglas and Doyle Lawson. Others include Tommy Jarrell, Doc Watson, Lily May Ledford, Wade Mainer, Ola Belle Reed, Nimrod Workman, Elizabeth Cotton, Fairfield Four, Wayne Henderson, Jean Ritchie and Janette Carter.

Since 1982, the Endowment has awarded 338 NEA National Heritage Fellowships.

The 2008 awardees will participate in a series of events in Washington DC during September, including a banquet at the Library of Congress, an awards presentation on Capitol Hill as well as a concert scheduled for Friday, September 19, at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland.

This is what the NEA website has to say about Wiseman …..

Mac Wiseman was born in Crimora, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Both of his parents sang old ballads around the house and would play recordings of early country musicians for entertainment. Wiseman began to sing in public at the age of 12, but he was stricken with polio in his youth and that curtailed his performances for a time. With the help of the National Foundation of Polio, he attended music school in Dayton, Virginia. Soon he was singing on a local radio station in Harrisonburg, and in 1946 he joined the band of Molly O’Day who taught him songs, singing style, and a love of the classic country repertoire. (more…)

Eddie Adcock will be the featured guest on Friday morning’s (5/23) edition of Lonesome Pine RFD on WFDU-FM, in New Jersey. He will join host Carol Beaugard at 11:15 a.m. (EDT) to talk about the new CD from The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band.

Harry Grant from The Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival in Pennsylvania will be on hand as well for Friday’s show. He is bringing live recordings from past fests, as well as his many backstage stories and anecdotes from years in bluegrass music.

Lonesome Pine RFD is broadcast from 9:00 a.m. to noon on 89.1 FM in the NYC area, and streamed live online at WFDU.fm. It will also be recorded for a later broadcast on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country.

Music has long been a medium for the expression of social comment. This is certainly so in country music, if less so within bluegrass. Also, most of the genre’s progenitors and many from later generations have come from a rural environment and have first hand knowledge of the struggle to make a living from the land.

The forthcoming release, on June 24, of Moneyland, (MCM 0005), from McCoury Music adds much to the catalogue of songs that speak of economic depravity. The multi-artist collection offers a hard-hitting look at the economic hardships and perceived injustices experienced by both rural and urban working people and their families.

On a personal level, Del McCoury has direct experience of life in rural America - having been born in North Carolina and spending good part of his life in York County, Pennsylvania - so it will not come as any surprise that he should lend his name to this project and express his solidarity with those who are suffering in current economic circumstances.

Among the personnel heard on this 16-track collection are the Del McCoury Band, Mac Wiseman, Merle Haggard, Patty Loveless, Dan Tyminski, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Tim O’Brien, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.

Some of the recordings were ‘bought in’ from previously available sources, others were done specifically for this set.

Book-ending Moneyland are a Franklin D Roosevelt Fireside chat, parts 1 and 2, and in the one instance a 1931 recording of Breadline Blues 1932 [from Bernard ‘Slim’ Smith] and at the end Breadline Blues 2008, a contemporary arrangement of the 1932 song with additional verses.

Moneyland is an unashamedly political message to the powers that be. I’ll not be surprised if it prompts debate; it may help to inform opinions, just like a book or other piece of literature.

The McCoury Music web site has personal messages about the project from Del McCoury, Stan Strickland of McCoury Music, and CD producers Strickland, Ronnie McCoury, and Rob McCoury. Del expresses the project’s goal explicitly in one of these messages:

“I’m in a position where I can make good choices. And aside from just doing what I do musically, I can help others do the same themselves, and get a message out that people need to hear and think about - and, especially in an election year, take action on. This isn’t about party politics, it’s about doing what’s best for our country and everyone in it, not just a lucky few.”

[Editor’s note] If you are curious which end of the political spectrum this project occupies, our friend Craig Havighurst makes it plain at String Theory Media:

“Let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised if Moneyland is on Obama’s iPod by this summer’s Democratic convention.”

Audio samples from several tracks can be heard online. File under Americana.

Sometimes, new CDs and news of their releases, come in faster than we can post about them. Here is some information about a number of recent projects that may be of interest.

We offered a few words about Rick Hayes’ debut solo project, not long ago on The Bluegrass Blog. The CD, Fly By Night, was released this week, and features Rick on mandolin and lead vocals, along with The Gibson Brothers, with whom he performs on a regular basis.

Audio samples from the CD, which also features Ron Stewart on banjo, Jim Van Cleve on fiddle, Josh Swift on resonator guitar and Rick on mandolin and bass and guitar, can be heard on the Rick Hayes web site.

Rick will be interviewed online this Saturday when he joins Gracie Muldoon on WorldWideBluegrass.com. Catch Rick and Gracie on Muldoon with the Blue Moon on May 24 at 10:00 p.m.

Can’t Wait, the the second CD from the Allegheny Drifters, was released in, April right on time for the Pennsylvania group’s 5th anniversary performing as a unit.

The band includes Bernie Cunningham on lead vocals/guitar, Bob Artis on baritone vocals/mandolin, Karen Artis on tenor vocals/bass and Keith Beaver on bass vocals/banjo, with guest artist Michael Cleveland on fiddle.

Audio samples from several tracks can be found on their web site, along with their summer schedule of live shows

Also celebrating their second CD release is The Jason Boone Band from the state of Mississippi. Their new project is I Hear Mississippi Calling, which highlights the strong tenor voice of the band’s namesake, along with Don Robinson on banjo and lead vocals, Johnny Rawls on bass, Lee Ely on mandolin and Jeff Boone on fiddle. Jason plays guitar.

The material is a mix of band originals and country/Gospel hits, all performed in a driving bluegrass style. This relatively new band, formed in 2004, has been making noise on the circuit since they first appeared, and their previous self-titled Gospel CD has been well received as well.

Audio samples can be found on CD Baby or in the iTunes Music Store.

Word had reached us about a banjo player being featured in a number of recent episodes of The Jerry Springer Show - the notorious “reality TV” show based in Chicago. The banjo picking was intended not as a performance, but to add a flavor to a hillbilly-themed episode.

When we further learned that the banjo player in question was Greg Cahill, founder of Special Consensus, President of the International Bluegrass Music Association and long-time Chicago resident, I knew there had to be an interesting story behind the Springer appearances.

When I reached him a few days ago, his first reaction was “I was hoping to keep this under the radar, but it seems the word is definitely out.” Knowing Greg to be a serious musician and a truly dignified gentleman, I asked him to fill us in on the back story, which he has graciously agreed to do.

“I have been involved in the Chicago studio scene for about 30 years – which is a primary reason for not moving to Nashville years ago (in addition to having family here). I have played on countless commercial jingles, recordings and radio and television shows in Chicago studios over the years, but the majority of commercial studio work began moving to Los Angeles at the beginning of the New Millennium (as it had moved from New York City to Chicago in the 1990s). There remain a small number of quality studios in Chicago and I am very fortunate to continue to maintain my position as a first call banjo player (in spite of spending about 150-160 days a year on the road with The Special Consensus). My studio connection has afforded me the opportunity to play the banjo on various television show soundtracks (including the Oprah show); it is because of this connection that I was contacted to play the banjo on the Jerry Springer Show, which appears on the NBC network.

I was very reluctant to accept the offer at first because I find it extremely offensive when people make fun of people publicly (and I never watch the show for that reason). But a producer of the Springer show contacted me personally to assure me that the folks who appear on the show are fully aware of the presentation of the show and are happy to be part of it; the purpose of the show is simply to have fun. My primary concern was that I would jeopardize my studio connections, especially with NBC, if I refused to appear on the show so I agreed to make an appearance. Part of my agreement with the producers was that I would wear a hat and that my name would not be listed in any show credits. (more…)

Here’s a cool story that demonstrates a bluegrass, can-do attitude.

Joel Sidney graduated yesterday from the University of California at Berkeley. Joel’s story is unique though. His grade-point average was almost perfect, his degree in American Studies, the subject of his honors thesis was bluegrass music in the Bay Area, and he’s done it all while dealing with autism.

The official title of his thesis paper is as follows.

Innovation and Tradition in Bay Area Bluegrass: Historical Review and Analysis of Distinctive Regional Features

Joel went the extra step and actually produced a 20 track CD to accompany the paper, including compositions by Laurie Lewis, David Grisman, Sandy Rothman and Rich Wilbur.

So how did this young man come to have such a fervent interest in bluegrass music? He tells his own story.

My fanatical interest in bluegrass began when I was 9 years old. In 1991, my obsession was initially sparked during a concert at the Freight & Salvage Coffee House in Berkeley. … We sat in the front row and I still recall that the band members appeared immense and seemed to be performing right in front of me for my own benefit.

It didn’t stop there. Joel had been bitten by the bluegrass bug. At age 13, he took his bar mitzvah money, and instead of spending it on video games or any of the normal things a 13 year old might be interested in, he went down to the Freight & Salvage Coffee House and purchased a lifetime membership so he wouldn’t miss a show.

Parents present their graduates with all sorts of various gifts to celebrate the completion of their studies. Joel’s parents are considering rewarding this young man with a vacation trip to the Southeastern US so he can immerse himself in bluegrass music for a while.

If you have a minute, click here to read the complete story. If you should see Joel at a bluegrass festival, be sure to congratulate him and thank him for his scholarly presentation of bluegrass music.

We heard yesterday from Travis Book of The Infamous Stringdusters, filling us in on the band’s ongoing European tour.

The guys have been there since the beginning of May, and will be appearing in Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic until June 1 - returning just in time for the release of their next CD, The Infamous Stringdusters, on June 10.

“We’re having a blast. Being so far from home for so long is tough, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. People are reacting very positively to the music. We’ve even got a group of people that are following us around, coming to multiple shows.

The language barrier has made the stage emceeing interesting. Some nights the audience has a better grasp of the English language, some nights less. Our stage show, the emcee part, has never been the smoothest or slickest - we’re just a bunch of guys hanging out, playing some music, so a lot of what we say, the humor especially, they don’t really understand. But it’s that way in the states a lot of times anyway!”

Travis also wanted to share their most recent video update, available on YouTube along with a number of other tour clips.

• Enter to win an autographed CD (and download a free track)
• Enter to win a pair of tickets to the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival

The mandolin division at Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments is a place of legends. Names like Lloyd Loar and Charlie Derrington are ever present in the minds of mandolinists. Danny Roberts, of the Grascals, has also served a stint with Gibson in recent years.

The latest addition to the staff at Gibson OAI is mandolinist, producer, and luther, David Harvey.

David Harvey, master musician and producer has joined the Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments Division (GOAI) as master luthier.

In David’s new role he will oversee the mandolin production and be an active participation in all quality control matters. David will also conduct clinics and dealer events throughout the country and will play an integral role in the presence of Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments in the Bluegrass community worldwide.

David has an extensive background in instrument construction and repair and has served many bluegrass stars as the ‘go-to’ guy for needed repairs and set up.

You can read the full press release here.

We posted last week with the hapy news of Adam Steffey’s marriage to Tina Trianosky. At the time, we promised some wedding photos once Adam returned from his honeymoon and got his feet back under him.

As so it has come to pass. Here are a few shots from after the ceremony on May 10 at the First Baptist Church in Mountain City, TN.

    

This past weekend’s USA Weekend, a magazine supplement to many of America’s weekend newspapers, has, as its feature article, an assessment of the 10 top places to hear authentic American music. As far as the magazine is concerned the top summertime destination for those wanting to enjoy bluegrass music is Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park & Campground, Bean Blossom, Indiana, the home of the Bill Monroe Memorial Bluegrass Festival.

I asked Jim Peva, author of Bean Blossom: Its People and Its Music, what attractions there were for visitors this summer. He provided this list of forthcoming events ….

• Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival June 14-21, 2008
• Rock Hill MusicFest June 28, 2008
• Bean Blossom Gospel Jubilee July 30-August 2, 2008
• Bean Blossom Blues, Brews & BBQ September 4-6, 2008
• Friends UV Nature & Knowledge F.U.N.K. Fest Sept 12-14, 2008
• Bean Blossom BikerFest September 18-20, 2008
• Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Uncle Pen Days Sept. 24-27, 2008
• Hillbilly Wagon Train Jam October 2-4, 2008

The line-up for the first of these, the forthcoming 42nd Annual Bill Monroe Memorial Bluegrass Festival, June 14-21, includes the Grascals, Ralph Stanley, Seldom Scene, J.D. Crowe, Bobby Osborne, Cherryholmes, IIIrd Tyme Out, Jesse McReynolds, John Cowan, Larry Sparks, Marty Raybon, the Lewis Family, Ronny Reno, Lonesome River, and many, many others; over 50 bands in all.

We also hear from a reliable yet anonymous source that Earl Scruggs will make an unscheduled appearance at Bean Blossom on Saturday, June 14.

A complete band listing for this event and lots more is available at www.beanblossom.com, the Bean Blossom website.

Peva brought me up to date with the situation regarding the once-mooted sale of the site ……

“The for sale sign at Bean Blossom has been taken down. (more…)

We hear from Suzanne Lawson that Alan Johnson, fiddler and bass singer with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver since March of 2007, will be leaving the group at the end of May.

Alan has accepted a full-time position with the U.S. Postal Service, and will be taking a break from performing as a bluegrass musician for the time being.

“Doyle is trying out fiddle players now. We’ll miss Alan’s fiddle work and bass singing.”

We hope to have an announcement about the newest member of Quicksilver soon.

Missy Raines is one of those musicians who seems to defy all the laws of both nature and logic. How can someone be that small, and that good on such a large instrument? Why would a bass player front a band? She is exemplary at both these tasks.

Missy Raines & The New Hip is the name of that band and this five piece ensemble lives up to their name.

Today is the release of the group’s first recording. The self-titled disc, Missy Raines & The New Hip includes 5 tracks and one free download if you buy before midnight tonight.

Today is the day we’ve been waiting for for a long time. We’re releasing our new EP, the very first recording by missy raines & the new hip! For the bluegrass lovers it’ll be obvious that our roots are showing, but we’ve also stirred a few other things into the pot- a little jazz, a little groove and a whole lot of hip!

Go listen to this recording expecting to hear traditional bluegrass and you’ll surely be disappointed. Go expecting to hear some great music that includes some bluegrass sensibility, and you’ll be very pleased.

The band consists of Raines on upright acoustic bass, Ethan Ballinger on mandolin, Michael Witcher on electric (jazz style) guitar and resonator guitar, Megan McCormick on acoustic guitar, and Lee Holland on drums. Don’t worry, he’s very tasteful! There are a few special guests on the recording as well.

Don’t forget that ordering your copy before midnight tonight will get you in on the exclusive download of Silver Lake.

We have a special track just for you: Silver Lake, a funky instrumental of mine. This is a previously unreleased studio cut by the new hip. Some of you may remember this tune from my ‘My Place in the Sun’ cd, complete with James Brown horns, or you may have heard Jim Hurst and I work our chemistry on it live with just bass and guitar. Well, I’ve always wanted to record this tune with the band to see what would happen with it. The cool thing about Silver Lake is that it continues to live well in whatever context we put it- and it feels like it was made for this band. We had a blast cutting it, and want to share it with you. But this is the only time we’re offering it, so be the first on your block to get it and ORDER NOW!!

The band website has been completely overhauled for this release, with a new look and feel. Look for the band on all the usual social network sites (Facebook, Myspace, ReverbNation) and be sure to drop them a note.

If you’re a DJ you can have instant access to the tracks via AirplayDirect.

The band has also entered a contest on Ourstage.com to win a slot at the Newport Jazz Festival. If you’re so inclined, you can sign up and vote for the band. Maybe they’ll get to represent bluegrass to some jazz fans. I’d be proud to send them as our delegates!