Yesterday we started the Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain promotional in coordination with the release of their latest recording CHHR2.

Mark Roberts of WearBluegrass.com pointed out that one of the prize packages included tickets to a festival this Saturday, while the promotion won’t end until next Wednesday.

We checked with Wichita about borrowing his Time Machine for the winner to use, but it’s scheduled for some maintenance time in the shop. Apparently Smarty drools a lot…

Accordingly, we updated the promotional prize package with tickets to a festival that ends after the promotion ends.

The two festivals included in the prize packages are now:

• Cumberland County Fair - Crossville, TN - Aug 22, 2008, at 8:00 PM
• Pickin’ in the Panhandle - Hedgesville, WV - Sep 6, 2008, All Day

The original post has been updated to reflect this change. Check there for details about other prizes included in the giveaway, and instructions for entering to win.

Rick Hayes, mandolinist with The Gibson Brothers, will join Carol Beaugard on Friday morning (8/1) for a discussion about his recent CD, Fly By Night.

Carol’s show, Lonesome Pine RFD, is broadcast from 9:00 a.m. to noon (EDT) on 89.1 FM in the NYC area, and streamed live online at WFDU.fm.

Rick will phone in at 10:30 a.m. to talk about his solo project, the latest from The Gibsons, Iron and Diamonds, the handcrafted mandolins he builds, and his recording studio and graphics business.

Busy guy…

WTTW channel 11 in Chicago recently aired a brief (7:30 in length) news story about Noam Pikelny of Punch Brothers. The piece ran as part of their Chicago Tonight programing.

The piece is essentially a short biographical work about Noam. It begins with Noam as a young child, his first experiences with the banjo, his first banjo teacher is briefly interviewed, and follows his career through the latest recording by Punch Brothers.

Chris Thile is interviewed as well and my favorite line from the news piece is uttered by Chris in regards to his writing of The Blind Leaving The Blind knowing that Noam was the banjo player he intended to perform the piece.

I didn’t really have to take what I perceived as the limits of the banjo into consideration.

I’ve embedded their video piece here on The Bluegrass Blog for easy viewing.

Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain will be among the guests on tomorrow afternoon’s Blue Plate Special radio program. The show airs at noon (EDT) on WDVX August 1, broadcasting at 102.9 FM in Knoxville, TN - and via live streaming online.

They will surely be performing songs from their sophomore effort, CHH2, released this week on Rural Rhythm.

String Trek and Coyote Run will also perform on Friday’s show.

After the show on Friday, Carrie and the boys will be heading back to her hometown of Crossville, TN for a big in-store event at Wal-Mart at 6:00 p.m. where they will perform live and sign autographs.

Who says you can’t go home again?

We posted earlier in the week concerning the possibility that John A. Brown, convicted for the brutal murders of Dave Akeman (a.k.a Stringbean) and his wife Estelle, might be released on parole.

That piece prompted a note from Sandy Rothman, a prominent west coast picker and former Blue Grass Boy, suggesting that we share a bit more information about how String’s many fans and friends could become involved in helping to thwart Brown’s release.

Specifically, Sandy suggests that letters sent to the Parole Board might help sway the two remaining votes on the parole application.

“Letters may influence these board members who have not heard from people who remember String and know his history, not only as a country music entertainer but as the first banjo picker in Bill Monroe’s band.”

Communication can be sent to:

Singer/songwriter Donna Hughes was among the featured performers at last weekend’s Ossipee Valley Bluegrass Festival in Portland, ME.

To help promote their appearance, Donna and her guitarist, Rebecca Frazier, did a television spot for WCSH on July 26, which has been posted online. Donna did a version of Where Are You Darlin,’ from her Gaining Wisdom CD, and talked with the show hosts for a bit before singing Little Bluebird from her Same Old Me release.

In this clip, Rebecca shows why she has been gaining the attention of flatpickers since her days with Hit & Run Bluegrass.

Donna normally performs with a full band, but she and Rebecca went duo for this TV segment. Maybe the rest of the band had some trouble getting it together for a morning show?

Last month we told you about plans for the production of the IBMA Awards Show, with top bluegrass DJs Ned Luberecki and Cindy Baucom being entrusted with the task.

We also mentioned briefly that the 19th International Bluegrass Music Awards would be held at the Ryman Auditorium once again.

Greg Cahill, IBMA President/Board Chair spoke about the show’s return to the Ryman Auditorium ………

“The decision by the IBMA Board of Directors to move the Awards Show back to the Ryman Auditorium was twofold. Attendees at the annual World of Bluegrass convention, which includes the Awards Show, have consistently mentioned that they appreciated seeing the Awards Show in the hallowed Ryman Auditorium hall and the Board saw moving the show back to the Ryman as both a response to the wishes of the fans as well as an opportunity to make the show more conveniently accessible to the World of Bluegrass attendees, who can simply walk across the street from the convention center to the Ryman. Although there were more available seats at the Grand Ole Opry House, Awards Show attendees had to either drive to the facility or pay to take a shuttle from the convention center.

We are excited about once again having the IBMA Awards Show in the historic Ryman Auditorium and look forward to another wonderful show that will honor our award recipients and will include dynamic musical performances by many of the nominees.”

The award ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, October 2, 8:30pm CST.

Del McCoury and Kathy Mattea will announce final nominees for the 19th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards at a Press Conference on Thursday, August 14, at the Ford Theater, Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, in Nashville. The IBMA Hall of Fame inductees and Distinguished Achievement Award honorees will also be announced.

Rounder Records duo Dailey & Vincent will perform at the beginning and conclusion of this press conference.

We will have full coverage of the nominees announcements on The Bluegrass Blog as soon as the press conference has concluded, by noon on August 14.

Yesterday saw the release of the sophomore recording from Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain. The CD is simply titled CHHR2.

Produced by Jim VanCleve of Mountain Heart, this new CD is an impressive outing for this young band. We have a review of the CD coming soon, but for now we wanted to let you know of it, and tell you about an exciting promotion we’re running in conjunction with its release.

I’ve embedded a player to the right that will let you preview the entire CD.

To commemorate this release, of the band’s second CD, we’re giving away two prize packages, each containing the following items.

Prize Packages Include:

• 2 Tickets to a festival where Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain will perform.

The winners will be able to watch Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain perform their favorites songs and have a special meet and greet with Carrie and the band. The concert dates available are:

• Cumberland County Fair - Crossville, TN - Aug 22, 2008, at 8:00 PM - Prize Winner One
• Pickin’ in the Panhandle - Hedgesville, WV - Sep 6, 2008, All Day - Prize Winner Two

Each winner will also recieve:

• 2 Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain Shirts (Shirts will be shipped to the winner in 3 weeks)
• 1 Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain Hat ( Hat will be shipped to the winner in 3 weeks )
• 1 Box of Moon Pies
• 2 CD’s signed by Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain (1 each of Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain - RHY-1028, and Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain - CHHR2 - RHY-1037)

UPDATE (08.07.2008 2:10PM EST): The promotion has ended.

Jack Sanbower passed away on Tuesday (7/30) at 12:30pm. He had cancer of the esophagus and had been ill for a long time.

Born September 14, 1960, and raised in the shadow of South Mountain, right in the heart of the Appalachian range, he led his own group, The No Leeway Band, one of the tightest and freshest sounding bands in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area, for 15 years. The band produced several albums for the Buck Hollow label.

The latest was the compilation CD entitled Echoes Of A Legacy. The album features 13 original songs penned by Jack Sanbower for the banjo and one classic number, Lady of Spain, made famous by Don Reno and Allen Shelton.

The compilation was recorded at several studios in Maryland over the past 15 years. Over this period, The No Leeway Band released seven projects that included banjo instrumentals written by Jack Sanbower. Buck Hollow Records has taken this previously released material, re-mastered, and added two new tracks with the current No Leeway Band to highlight Sanbower’s banjo abilities.

Sanbower joined Rattlesnake Hill in March of 2006 and continued to dazzle audiences with his lightning fast and tasteful 5-string playing.

Here’s what some essayists had to say ……

“Jack Sanbower, is a real master of the five-string banjo. Sanbower’s personalized banjo style stands out as daring and clever, yet sturdy and sound. He’s a picker as good as they make ‘em.”
– Joe Ross, Bluegrass Now

“Of the younger generation of bluegrass entertainers… Jack Sanbower is one of the great ones of this generation. Definitely an under-rated banjo player, look for great things from this gentleman.”
– Lee Michael Demsey, WAMU

[an] “imaginative banjo player, and his picking is bold and adventurous and often exciting” and called his picking “Stellar Renoesque.”
– Bluegrass Unlimited

His visitation will be this Thursday, July 31, at Davis Funeral Home, in Smithsburg, MD, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The burial will be on Friday, August 1, at 1:00pm in nearby Ringgold, MD.

Cards and donations can be sent to:

Here’s a YouTube clip of Jack performing a version of Don Reno’s classic banjo tune, Dixie Breakdown.

Thanks to IBMA Print Media Board member, Stephanie Ledgin, we have learned of a new magazine devoted to bluegrass music and related music styles.

Jerusalem Ridge Magazine, to be published quarterly, was conceived and dedicated to the promotion and preservation of traditional bluegrass, old-time and acoustic string music.

Each issue will feature in-depth stories, interviews, information and regular features about the creators, performers, fans and supporters of traditional bluegrass and old-time acoustic string music in the true spirit of those music legends that helped to shape this truly American art form.

The first edition is to be published in October, timed to be available at the 2008 Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Celebration, scheduled for October 2-5, in Rosine, KY.

In view of the difficulties experienced recently with some niche music magazines terminating their print publication we asked Editor Ron Malec about his reasons for publishing Jerusalem Ridge Magazine, his plans and expectations ……

“I am the Publisher, Editor, designer and chief cook and bottle washer for the first number of issues at least. It is a result of my almost seven years involvement with Campbell Mercer and the Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Foundation, which was conceived about 10 years ago to honour the memory of the great Bill Monroe and to promote and preserve his musical legacy. Having attended the past five Jerusalem Ridge festivals in Rosine, Kentucky, it seemed like a natural calling for me to use my creative writing and background in advertising/marketing and graphic design talents to start a publication that finally gives a voice and tribute to Bill, his music, and all of the fans, bands performers and supporters of the traditional bluegrass style.

I have researched the self-publishing movement and carefully ‘crunched the numbers’, and feel that this publication definitely fills a ‘niche’ in the bluegrass arena, and certainly there is no other bluegrass publication which addresses the traditional-style bluegrass audience. My plan is to start small and slowly build a steady readership from an already well-defined target audience. I think many start-up publications try to start too big, grow too fast and be all things to all people, which, in this extremely fragmented marketplace is near impossible to achieve without the benefit of an enormous amount of capital and a large publishing and distribution network…’Jerusalem Ridge Magazine’ won’t be found at your local Barnes & Noble or newsstand, but rather will be distributed by the same fans, bands and performers at local festivals, music venues and retailers. It is by ‘keeping it simple’, that I hope to avoid the pitfalls of other such ventures that have come before me.

This is truly going to be a ‘grass roots’, magazine about traditional bluegrass and acoustic string music. and it will rely heavily on a similar ‘grass roots’ effort to help it to grow and flourish.”

There will be an on-line version with information about contents, and condensed, preview versions of the stories, articles and regular features.

Subscription details and more information about Jerusalem Ridge Magazine can be found at the website.

We wish Ron well with this new venture.

Later this afternoon, XM satellite Radio’s Bluegrass Junction will offer a track-by-track play through of the new release from Williams & Clark Expedition, Brand New Set Of Blues.

The show, which launches at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) on July 30, will feature the band members in studio with host Kyle Cantrell, discussing the various tracks as you hear them played in sequence.

The band consists of Blake Williams on banjo, Bobby Clark on mandolin, Wayne Southwards on lead vocals and guitar, and and Kimberly Williams on bass and lead vocals.

Catch the Williams & Clark show over this next during one of these scheduled broadcasts (all times eastern):

• July 30 - 3:00 p.m.
• August 2 - 4:00 p.m.
• August 5 - 7:00 a.m.
• August 7 - 6:00 p.m.

Find Bluegrass Junction at XM 14.

If you subscribe to Billboard magazine - or have perused a copy at the newstands recently - you will have noticed that the Top Bluegrass Albums chart has disappeared from the print edition of the magazine.

This weekly chart, along with a number of others, has been relegated to the Billboard web site which paid subscribers can access by obtaining a free password from the publishers. Unfortunately, the added exposure and credibility afforded to our music by the inclusion of the chart may be diminished by this change, which it has been suggested was due in part to a lack of advertising support within the bluegrass market.

Though not stated in such stark terms, Billboard’s Senior Chart Manager Wade Jessen did intimate to us that business decisions prompted the change.

“The redesign of the chart well in the print product moves several of our specialty charts to the websites, and was initiated in order to better balance our advertising-to-editorial/chart page ratio.”

He also said that full color PDFs of the online chart page with graphics would be available for a fee to use in creating publicity materials or mementos of chart success. For the page graphics, contact Gordon Murray in the Billboard research department at 646-654-4633.

Quite often we report about new CD releases that have been sent our way. It’s not often that we are presented with a release from our European bluegrass brethern, so we’re excited to tell you about this release.

Richard Ciferský began his music journey with the banjo at the age of 15. He is a former member of the award winning band Fragment, based in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Ciferský was with the band from 2002-2005. Currently, he is a member of the bluegrass band Waterflow. He is also fronting his own band, Richard Ciferský & Rainy Day. The band takes its name from the title track of his new solo CD by the same name.

The band, and the CD reflect Ciferský’s varied influences.

The CD consists of 10 tracks, eight are original compositions belonging to Ciferský. The banjo is prominent on all tracks with a very pleasing tone and tasteful playing. The band is somewhat unconventional by American stanards, but the result is great listening for those who are free from the law of tradition.

The band is Richard on banjo, Linda Nováková on flute, René Jankovič on guitar, Richard Molnár on bass, and Adam Jánoš on drums.

The CD features Molnár, Jánoš, and Ciferský, along with a host of special guests, including one American player.

• Becky Buller - fiddle, vocal
• Emil Formánek - guitar
• Roman Sýkora - bass
• Michal Barok - mandolin
• Peter Szabados - dobro, pedal steel
• Sisa Michalidesová - whistle, flute
• Peter Prelozník - piano, strings
• Luboš Jurkovič - vocals

These musicians represent several of the top Eastern European bluegrass bands, including Druha Trava, Meantime, and Waterflow.

In addition to her contributions on fiddle, Becky Buller also contributed vocals on two tunes, one from her own pen.

Becky’s distinctive vocals shine on John Lowell’s “When Will You Be Home” and her own song “Wrong Place, Wrong Time”.

The title track, Rainy Day, displays Ciferský’s virtuosity on a composition that is a blend of several musical backgrounds all finding their focus in the banjo. The sounds of the band work well alongside the flute, drums and other instruments.

Blue Nashville represents a more strict bluegrass sound (more…)

The last time the Seldom Scene were invited to entertain people at The White House, rain prevented them from singing even one song. Well, when they got the opportunity to take a return engagement, the weather was a lot more pleasant and they were treated as special guests.

The majority of the guests at The White House special dinner last Monday (July 21) were members of the 2008 United States Olympic and Para-Olympic teams. Athletes such as Allyson Felix, Lauryn Williams, Sanya Richards, Bernard Lagat, Tyson Gay, Adam Nelson, Bryan Clay and Jeremy Wariner; and swimmers Michael Phelps, Larsen Jensen, Brendan Hansen, Natalie Coughlin, Katie Hoff, Christine Magnuson were given a fitting send off prior to the competitions next month in Beijing, China.

There were Ambassadors and other dignitaries also, alongside George W Bush and his wife, Laura. The President sat right up front, listening intently, perhaps thinking about the ole home place…?

Playing on a small stage in the Rose Garden, the Seldom Scene performed four songs, Old Train, Wait a Minute, the old Bob Dylan tune, It’s All Over Now Baby Blue and City of New Orleans. President Bush must have enjoyed what he heard as at the end he went onto the stage and requested “just one more.” Of course, they graciously obliged, after kidding that they said they didn’t know one more… they’re such kidders… and they launched into Nadine, in fact.

I wonder, at the end did they hand him a copy of their latest CD, SCENEchronized, only to find that he had a copy already?

Members of the band are Ben Eldridge on banjo; Dudley Connell on guitar, Lou Reid on mandolin, Fred Travers on dobro; and Ronnie Simpkins on bass. Thanks to Sally Love and Dudley Connell for the insight.

Footnote: (Weather Report) …

The rained-out event was a picnic on June 3rd, honouring the Executive Office and Cabinet staff. The weather in Washington DC during the daytime on the 21st was in the upper 90s, humidity about 120%, and it didn’t cool off too much when the sun went down. Fortunately, they played after sun set!

The July 26 edition of The Tennessean, Nashville’s hometown paper, has a story sure to be of interest to the many fans of Dave Akeman, a.k.a. Stringbean, one of the most beloved entertainers in the history of traditional string music.

He was senselessly murdered on Nov. 10, 1973 along with his wife, Estelle, when they returned from a Grand Ole Opry show to find intruders lying in wait for them in their home. The bodies were discovered by close friend and fellow Opry star, Grandpa Jones.

John A. Brown and his cousin, the late Doug Marvin Brown, were convicted of their murders and sentenced to 198 years in prison, but it seems Brown may be on his way home from prison in the near future.

The piece in The Tenessean by Kate Howard tells the tale…

As country music changed and Nashville generations passed, the fame of slain Hee Haw star Dave “Stringbean” Akeman faded.

This week, the state parole board heard all the reasons why the man who shot Akeman and his wife deserves a second chance, 34 years later. About a half-dozen spoke on behalf of convicted killer John A. Brown.

But the killer’s name didn’t ring a bell with anyone in the district attorney’s office when the possibility of Brown’s freedom came up. Most of the loved ones who spoke up in the past, Opry legends Roy Acuff and Porter Wagoner among them, have passed on. They had no children. And the friends who remain were never told a hearing was coming.

So, nobody stood to talk about the lasting impact of the day an unassuming country star named Stringbean was killed for his money, and his wife was silenced with a bullet while she begged for her life.

According to Howard, there are two parole board members who have yet to vote on this matter, and Brown will be freed should they vote in favor. You can read the full piece on the Tennessean site.

Here is a YouTube clip of String (as he was known to his many friends) appearing on television in 1971 on the Del Reeves Country Carnival show.

The last barrier preventing the long proposed merger between satellite radio providers, Sirius and XM, was removed Friday night when the FCC granted approval. The merger will create one satellite provider with a combined subscriber base of 18 million.

The approval does come with several conditions.

The companies will have to cap their subscription prices for three years, allow a la carte channel subscription alongside packages, offer more education and minority programming, and allow other manufacturers to build and sell transmitters.

What this means for bluegrass listeners is still to be seen. Hopefully it will mean better programing at lower prices. That’s what the companies promised.

You can read the full story about the FCC approval at the Washingtonpost.com.

The New York Times ran a story yesterday about the demise of CD inserts. Using Teddy Thompson (son of English folk-rocker Richard Thompson who wrote the Del McCoury hit 1952 Vincent Black Lightning) as an example, the article relates that Thompson’s newest CD has one line of liner notes which refers readers to the artist’s website for details.

Thompson did indicate that he had jumped the gun a bit by not including the liner notes, and the British version of the CD, due out next month, will include them. Even so, he still thinks this is the eventual direction the industry is taking.

With downloads comprising a larger and larger percentage of overall sales, there will be both less demand for printed liner notes, and less incentive for labels to lay out the cash for that printing. The internet does provide a less expensive channel for distributing this information, but there is a downside.

For all the frivolity to be found in album notes, they can also provide a valuable education. Credits don’t merely inform listeners of the names of musicians, producers, songwriters and recording studio employees toiling behind the scenes; they teach listeners music history and allow them to make connections.

The same can all be communicated via the internet, but will it? And will people take the time to find it and read it? If it’s in their hand after purchasing a CD they’ll likely read them, at least while listening for the first time.

This also presents a problem for radio DJs who rely on the liner notes for information while spinning a CD. They’re busy folks and many won’t have the time to go online searching for info. If a band did effective and thorough radio service with full liner notes, included as much of that information as possible embedded in the MP3 ID tags, along with a PDF file downloaded with the album, then maybe they could forgo the printed version with the retail CD.

I know as a consumer, I would read the notes if they were easily found online while listening the CD for the first time, as it’s being imported into iTunes.

As we mentioned last month, 16 year old mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull is in the middle of a whirlwind tour of Japan.

She has just completed the first leg, performing with a group of young bluegrass all-starts, and is now touring with her band, Highway 111, in support of her debut release, Secrets.

Sierra sent along a few photos from the trip so far…

We heard over the weekend from reader Linda Wright, who runs the LocalGrass.com web site in Kingsport, TN. She sent along a report on the surprise birthday bash for Bobby Hicks which Brance had posted about earlier this month.

“I read the posting on The Bluegrass Blog about a birthday party that was being thrown for Bobby Hicks on Sunday July 20th in Marshall, NC, and decided to take the short trek from home to attend since it was open to the public.

The party was held at Marshall High Studios on what is called Blannahassett Island in Marshall, and is an old converted High School there. With the large gathering, the event was held in the building’s old gymnasium, and man-o-live! I bet it never rang out like that in all it’s life!

There were around 150-200 people there, all friends and family of Bobby’s, and the guest of honor was just about the happiest I have ever seen - his suprise and expressions were priceless. The invitation said to bring your instruments, and everyone did! There were so many fiddles and guitars, it was more of an orchestra than a ‘band.’

It was truly a wonderful gathering, and his family is to be commended for one of the best celebrations ever. I shot some video with my camera and it can be viewed on YouTube for anyone who might like to see it.”

A couple of days ago we mentioned some of the activities in which Cherryholmes have been involved during the summer so far. Here’s some information to delight English fans of Cherryholmes’ style of bluegrass.

This dynamic family bluegrass band is listed among the acts to appear at the 44th Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall Grounds, Cambridge, July 31 - August 3.

Formed in April 1999, Cherryholmes has developed into a very accomplished unit with a growing catalogue of very good original material at their disposal. Individually, members are in demand as studio musicians recording on other people’s albums.

The award-winning group already has five CDs, two of which have been released on the prestigious Skaggs Family Records label, and as has been mentioned already, have in the studio working on their next album. Also in the Skaggs Family Recording Studio at the time was a camera man, and video clips revealing some of the recording process are available at the Skaggs Family Records website.

Also available is a clip from Cherryholmes’ appearance at the Glasgow (Scotland) Old Fruitmarket where they recorded Tell Me Why, among other songs, for their contribution to BBC Scotland’s ‘Celtic Connections 2008′ TV series.

Other dates while in England include …

• July 28 - Maidstone, Kent: Zebra Bar
• July 29 - Pontypridd: Muni Arts Centre
• July 30 - London: The Luminaire