Sugar Hill Records has released two further CDs in their Americana Master Series, one of which features the best of Ricky Skaggs’ material for the label.

Ricky Skaggs: Americana Masters Series, The Best Of The Sugar Hill Years ( SUG CD-4045) was released on July 7 and features a 13 cut collection of bluegrass & acoustic classics. Among the highlights are Little Cabin Home On The Hill, Daniel Prayed, Little Community Church and If I Needed You.

The series is designed to provide longstanding fans with a collection of favourites, with tracks culled from radio chart toppers, popular downloads and fan mail requests, among other categories.

In the case of Skaggs the material takes us right back to the very beginning of the Sugar Hill catalogue with the issue of Boone Creek’s One Way Track (SH 3701), from which four tracks have been taken. Other obvious sources for exceptional and popular recordings are Sweet Temptation (released in 1979) and the superb duet album Skaggs & Rice, with three cuts.

Less obvious places from which tracks have been taken are Bluegrass: World’s Greatest Show, I’m Not Broke, But I’m Badly Bent, (the Almost Original New South); John Starling’s Long Time Gone, Drifting Too Far From The Shore (with Skaggs singing harmony); and Seldom Scene: 15th Anniversary Celebration, If I Needed You (with Sharon White).

The compilation was produced by Ryan Baker and the notes were written by Craig Havighurst.

The full track listing is as follows ….

• Daniel Prayed
• I’ll Stay Around
• Bury Me Beneath The Weeping Willow
• Little Cabin Home On The Hill
• Drifting Too Far From The Shore
• Little Community Church
• I’m Not Broke, But I’m Badly Bent
• Head Over Heels In Love With You
• The Old Crossroads
• No Mother Or Dad
• If I Needed You
• Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies
• I Know What It Means To Be Lonesome

Thanks to Karen Kouns of Main Street Entertainment we have learned of the formation of Summertown Road, a fresh and creative new band from that bluegrass music hotbed, the Ashland area of Kentucky.

The name, Summertown Road, came from a Marty Raybon song with the same title.

The elder statesman in the quartet is Jack Hicks, innovative banjo player and former Blue Grass Boy (April 1971 - September 1973), who has had a long and varied musical career. He has also been a part of such legendary groups as Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, the Whites, Lester Flatt, Sonny James and Conway Twitty, with whom he worked for about 10 years.

Alongside Hicks is guitarist Bo Isaac, a part of the Kentucky Opry and a member of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. Isaacs has played with the Ernie Thacker, Dave Evans and Larry Cordle. He has also made guest appearances with IIIrd Tyme Out and Marty Raybon. As a soloist, Bo’s first single stayed on the bluegrass charts for 10 months. His eponymous solo album has earned rave reviews. He has been nominated for the IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year award.

The other two members are John Rigsby and Randy Thomas.

Rigsby is a Grammy award winner for his talent on the mandolin and fiddle. He started out his musical journey with Dwight Whitley and Sideroads while he was still in high school. Rigsby has played with such notables as Ralph Stanley and Melvin Goins. He is cousin to Don and Ron Rigsby.

Thomas (bass) has made his name working with Dave Evans, Tony Rice, Hylo Brown, Don Reno, the Marshall Family and Bo Isaac and the Wheelwrights. (more…)

Bluegrass Underground, a new monthly live bluegrass music show, is set to debut on WSM on August 29. It will air on WSM and in syndication on the last Friday night of each month at midnight (central time - technically, Saturday morning).

Each show will be recorded before a live audience more than 300 feet underground in The Volcano Room at Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, TN - hence, the show’s name. The site is a natural amphitheater created by the actions of water and time over millions of years which the show’s producer, Todd Mayo, describes as one of the most acoustically pure natural spaces on earth.

“No man-made sound reaches inside the cavern and the living rock hued amid the eons is jagged and uneven, providing near perfect resonance. All performances will be entirely acoustic and unamplified. Each show will be recorded, mixed, and edited by our Grammy-Winning Recording Engineer, Phil Harris. The goal is to arrange the band around one large tube microphone to record and perform the way it was done in the Golden Age of Radio and Bluegrass. We will have plenty of other microphones on hand to compliment the recording where needed.”

The first two show tapings have been scheduled, and tickets are available now to be in the studio audience.

• August 16, 4:00-6:00 p.m. - The Steeldrivers
• September 27, 2:00-4:00 p.m. - The Grascals

Tim O’Brien and The Infamous Stringdusters are expected in shows later this year. Once the show gets going, video and audio archives will be added to the show’s web site.

Stations interested in carrying Bluegrass Underground should contact Todd Mayo by email.

WSVS, AM 800 in Crewe, VA has been a radio home to bluegrass music since the station’s inception in 1947. The station became most closely associated with bluegrass through the involvement of Charles Johnson (Little Jody Rainwater), who joined the station after leaving The Foggy Mountain Boys. Flatt & Scruggs broadcast a daily show from the station from May of 1954 until January of 1955.

WSVS was recently in the news as they celebrated Rainwater’s 89th birthday.

We’ve just received word that the station has begun webcasting a live stream. Utilizing Live365, the station is making its bluegrass and classic country broadcasting available to all. The main bluegrass content is featured during Mel Payne’s Bluegrass Depot which airs from 3pm to 6pm, Monday through Friday, ET.

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper will appear on tonight’s (7/25) Grand Ole Opry broadcast, surely sporting tunes from their upcoming Rounder CD, Leavin’ Town, due for release on July 29.

They are scheduled during the 9:00-9:30 p.m. segment (EDT).

Michael will also appear this morning with Katy Daley on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country online at 9:45 a.m. to talk about the new CD.

Catch tonight’s Friday Opry over the air at WSM 650 AM, broadcasting from Nashville, on XM channel 11 (XM Nashville), or via live streaming at wsmonline.com.

I crossed paths with Cherryholmes a few days ago, and found time for a nice chat with patriarch, Jere Cherryholmes. He filled me in on what the band has been up to this summer, and what they have planned for the coming months.

Jere told me that the new band CD is nearly finished, with only the approval of the last few mixes required before it goes off for replication. Most of the material will be original, though he said that the band had wanted to include at least a couple of older songs.

“BJ had one that he had been wanting to record for a couple years, but it had never seemed appropriate to me. Now that he is 19, I guess it’s OK.”

The song is Devil In Disguise, which was recorded by JD Crowe & The New South back in 1973, and I heard BJ’s version on Sunday’s show at Grave’s Mountain in Virginia. It’s a fine tribute to the original, and will be featured on Cherryholmes III when it is released on Skaggs Family Records on September 30.

“Once we named the last album Cherryholmes II (Black & White), it seemed like we might as well keep on naming the new CDs that way. It worked well for Chicago, who made it to #18, and I hope we get there as well.”

The band has had a very busy 2008 on the road, and Jere mentioned that they had especially enjoyed being part of a number of country legends shows with the likes of Hank Williams Jr, Alabama and The Oak Ridge Boys. A friendship with the Oaks has blossomed of late, in part due to Joe Bonsall constantly nagging Cia for banjo lessons.

An Australian tour with The Oak Ridge Boys is being planned for 2009, with hopes of a North American tour to follow.

They are heading overseas now for a week long tour in England, running July 27 through August 1.

Jere also enjoyed doing a show that included bearded rockers, ZZ Top. I wondered if his young progeny had any familiarity with the band before the show.

“All they knew was that they were the band that I was supposed to look like.”

The biggest news that Jere had to share regards the possibility that Cherryholmes might end up as reality TV stars. They recently had a television production company travel with the band for a weekend shooting a pilot that will be presented to a major cable network.

Now, that sounds like a hoot!

We’ve posted several times previously concerning the latest offering from McCoury Music. The CD Moneyland, is a collection of songs previously released by various artists, along with 4 new songs, and a couple of newly recorded versions of old songs.

The label has just announced a video contest for the album. The contest is open to all, pros and amateurs alike. Contestants are encouraged to create a video short for one of the tracks from the CD. The video can take the form of a music video, a documentary, narrative, or collage of still photos set to the music. Videos are limited in length to the length of the track, plus two minutes. This additional time is allowed for video to adequately tell its story.

A winning film for each song will be selected with a cash prize of $250 dollars being awarded for each. An overall winner will also be selected with a cash prize of $2500 being given to this contestant. The winners will all have press and media coverage, though details of broadcast have yet to be released.

McCoury Music has described the CD as “a hard-hitting look at today’s economic injustice” through song. My guess would be that the vast majority of entries will be from people who agree with the assessment that “economic injustice” exists. Any entries which run contrary to that idea should be interesting though.

The website quotes Del as stating that the CD is not about “party politics” but suggests that it is a timely call to action, “especially in an election year.” Del goes on to say that his hope is that the

music moves you to find a place where you can help–even if it’s just at the voting booth.

The news page on the site features quotes from various media, including this one from incoming IBMA board member Craig Havighurst.

McCoury, one of my musical heroes, is stepping forward boldly with a message that sounds exactly like what Obama (whom I continue to support incidentally) was trying to say…

Full contest rules and details are available at LivingMoneyland.com.

Here’s a recent video interview with Del McCoury and his manager, Stan Strickland, concerning the CD and the contest.

We got a note from Ron Spears, mandolinist and tenor singer with David Parmley & Continental Divide.

He tells us that the band is still working on their next CD, to be released on Pinecastle Records, for whom Parmley had recorded several previous projects. Ron says there will be 12 tracks, and that a release in the near future is planned.

Spears also mentioned that the band has been bringing back material from David’s lengthy tenure with The Bluegrass Cardinals into the show.

Parmley acknowledges that he had been hesitant in the past about including these songs, some of which have been regular fan requests.

“I tried not to perform too many of the old Cardinal songs while my father, Don Parmley, and the band was still performing. Dad retired a few years ago. Now with the addition of Ron and Mike Parker, we now have four strong lead and harmony singers in Continental Divide. We’ve started to perform many of the old Cardinal quartet Gospel songs that have been untouched for decades.”

Here’s a recent YouTube clip of one of those songs, Sweet Hour Of Prayer, which features Ron on lead vocals.

The Josh Williams Band has signed with booking agency, Roe Entertainment. Roe will now be handling all booking contacts for the band.

Josh tells me he’s happy with the band he’s put together, and he’s looking forward to letting people hear them.

I feel I have put together an excellent band of great players and great people, A musical group that is second to none, with Tim Dishman on bass, Clayton Campbell on fiddle, Jason McKendree on banjo and Chase Johner on Mandolin.

The members of the “JWB” and I are looking forward to working with Jim and all the folks at Roe Entertainment, and are especially excited about getting back out to work with all our good friends out on the Bluegrass circuit. We are honored to have become part of such a great roster as we prepare for the 2009 and 2010 touring season.

The band has been getting a good response so far from the fans. The included picture is from a sold out show at the Station Inn on July 12, 2008.

Josh tells me the band is playing a mixture of contemporary and traditional bluegrass. Josh is certainly the man to do it, as he has a firm grasp on where this music came from, and he’s one of the young musicians who will dictate where it goes.

I suggest you get out and see this fine young band at the first opportunity.

In March we reported news of the agreement between the newly-formed Mountain Roads Recordings and the long-lived traditional band from southwest Virginia, Big Country Bluegrass.

Now, we are informed that the first album resulting from that liaison, the premiere release from Mountain Roads Recordings of Bristol, TN, Open For Business, is released today, July 23.

Big Country Bluegrass is noted for delivering their own style of authentic hard-driving bluegrass that makes them crowd favourites wherever they perform from festivals and concerts across this country to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. With more than two decades of experience under their belts, the band offers the very best in traditional bluegrass music and has created what has already been described as their best album yet…. Open For Business.

The band is comprised of Tommy Sells on mandolin, Teresa Sells on rhythm guitar and vocals, Alan Mastin on acoustic upright bass fiddle, Jeff Michael on fiddle, rhythm guitar, clawhammer banjo and vocals, Lynwood Lunsford on banjo, lead guitar and baritone vocals and Johnny Williams on rhythm guitar and vocals.

Open For Business is a combination of old standards, traditional favourites, a new song by the prolific writing couple Tom T. and Miss Dixie Hall, All That’s Left, and the original song This Time I’ve Learned by Jeff Michael and his fiddle tune entitled Back Stop. The former features lead vocals by Jeff Michael with tenor by Teresa Sells.

The lead song, High Alleghenies, also has Jeff Michael singing lead along with Teresa Sells (high baritone) and Johnny Williams (tenor), thus showcasing the beautiful harmonies and drive of this group. Michael’s unique lead vocals can be heard on Ghost Of A Love, This Time I’ve Learned, Weary Traveller, I’ll Never Dream No More My Darling, Old Time Preacher Man, Old Kentucky Shore and The Bible’s True, an old time song attributed to Uncle Dave Macon, on which Lunsford play three-finger banjo and Michael plays in the clawhammer style. Williams assumes the role of lead vocalist on Nashville Jail and Just Another Broken Heart, while Teresa Sells does likewise on I’ve Lost You and I Guess I’ll Go On Dreaming. Lunsford showcases on an old Don Reno tune Banjo Riff.

The band is entering its twenty-second year in the business and this album demonstrates their outstanding musicianship and vocals. Each member possesses a unique style that, when combined, comes together in a performance that is their very best yet.

Look for Open For Business in iTunes and at CD Baby over the next few weeks.

The band is hosting a CD Release event on July 26 at Applewood Music Park in Cana, VA. Details can be found by calling (336) 325-0230.

Randy Kohrs sent along a few photos from his appearance on The Grand Ole Opry last weekend.

Joining him were the members of The Randy Kohrs Band, Ashley Brown on fiddle and vocals, Mike Sumner on banjo, Elio Giordano on bass, Chris Wood on drums, with Jody Hughes filling in on guitar for the Friday show, and Josh Williams for Saturday’s.

Ashley also sent along this report about the impression Randy’s new signature model Amistar resonator guitar made on the Opry stage.

“For our set in the second show last Saturday at the Opry, we started with If All Those Trains Were Still Around (I’d be an ol’ hobo), which went over great. Randy did a very respectful intro to the song, saying we were doing it in the spirit of Mr. Acuff and his love for train songs.

For the second song, we did She Ain’t Comin’ Back. Randy had to switch to his signature Amistar metal body tri-cone guitar, and just as he was about to say something into the mic, the strap came off the pin and it went crashing down to the floor of the Opry stage, right in the middle of the circle - the guitar and the floor now have matching dents!

The audience let out a gasp in unison (it seemed). We just stared to see what Randy would do next. He just picked it up, strummed it once to see if it was still in tune – it was – and announced over the mic that it was a good thing it’s made out of metal. Randy then proceeded to sing the ever-loving daylights out of that song and the audience loved it!

Technically, he could get the dent out, but he’s not going to. It’s the best souvenir from the Opry he could ever have!”

She tells us that Randy made a strong showing with his voice in their first set as well.

“He started out the night with Shallow Grave, a solo with just him and the resonator, though the band comes in softly at the chorus and at the end. The audience went nuts before the song was even over. I’d be willing to bet he’s the first dobro/vocal soloist on the Opry in a long time - if ever - to get that sort of Opry response!”

We first met artist Karen Cannon when she contacted us about advertising on The Bluegrass Blog several months back. As we spoke, I realized that I had seen a number of her images of bluegrass instruments or themes, including a clever image of Santa Claus tuning his mandolin which she has licensed as a Christmas card.

Her latest painting is a striking portrait of Bill Monroe, entitled Goin’ Home. Karen describes this stirring image as imagining Bill Monroe tuning up for his final journey.

It is now available as a limited edition print, taken from the original pastel painting. These are high quality, fine art Giclee prints that measure 22 x 28” (outer mat dimensions). The run is limited to 100 prints, each of which is signed and numbered by the artist, and will be shipped in a bevel cut mat with a certificate of authenticity.

Each print is priced at $175 with complimentary shipping to any US address. Full details on this limited offering can be found on Karen’s web site.

Karen’s art is published through Art Strings Publishing LLC, and distributed internationally by Hal Leonard Corporation. Music lovers worldwide have begun collecting her pieces, and the signed prints are rapidly gaining in value.

She also invites IBMA attendees to visit with her during Fan Fest where many examples of her bluegrass themed art will be on display.

Pine Mountain Railroad, now owned and managed by Bryson City, North Carolina, born Cody Shuler, released an all-Gospel collection on July 15.

Recently voted 2007 winner of the Bluegrass Gospel Song Of The Year award by Singing News magazine and backed with several Top 10 albums and songs on the Bluegrass Unlimited and Billboard charts, Pine Mountain Railroad has released its eighth album, Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’ Hymns From The Mountain (Rural Rhythm RHY-328).

The specially-priced 16-track album contains a mixture of gospel classics from yesterday with a few new songs that the group hope will become standards of the future.

Among the standards are Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies, a familiar and beloved hymn given a very-different-from-the-traditional treatment; How Beautiful Heaven Must Be; The Old Rugged Cross, on which Jerry Cole sings lead; What Would You Give In Exchange, performed as a true-to-tradition tribute to the Monroe Brothers; and Rock Of Ages, with intricate harmonising.

Less well known are Run On which was originally recorded by the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet in the 1920s and, later, by Elvis Presley. The Pine Mountain Railroad version is done with 5-part harmony and an original ending; The Gospel Ship, a relatively-obscure song, but one that has been around a long time; So High, done a cappella style; and I Bowed On My Knees and Cried Holy, from the black gospel music repertoire of the 1930s.

Alongside are newer compositions My Eye’s Shall Be On Canaan’s Land, which Shuler wrote just for this album; Blood Bought My Freedom; and Let’s Meet By The River, originally by The Spencers and a No.1 hit recording for them in Southern Gospel music market.

The recordings were done at Dale Perry’s Lakeside Studios in Moneta, Virginia. Perry also mixed and mastered the project, having particular regard to the specific way that Shuler wanted the vocal mix.

Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad comprises Shuler (mandolin and vocals), Bill McBee (bass and vocals), Matt ‘Scooter’ Flake (fiddle and vocals), Jerry Cole (guitar & vocals) and Dale Thomas (banjo and vocals).

Railroad Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’ Hymns From The Mountain is available for a special introductory price on the Rural Rhythm web site.

The Santa Cruz Guitar Company introduced their latest artist signature model at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville last month.

It’s for Ron Block, celebrated banjo player and guitarist with Alison Krauss & Union Station, and is being produced in conjunction with My Favorite Guitars.

The Ron Block Signature Dreadnaught is modeled after Ron’s 1939 D-28 herringbone. It features an Indian rosewood body, Adirondack spruce top and braces (constructed with hide glue), herringbone trim, diamond and square fingerboard inlays, a through saddle bridge and a 1 11/16 nut width.

Only ten of these limited edition guitars will be made, selling for $5963 with a hard shell case. Full specs and ordering are available through MyFavoriteGuitars.com.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder will be the musical guests on tonight’s (7/22) edition of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which airs on CBS at 12:30 a.m. (both Eastern and Pacific time).

They will perform Toy Heart from Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass. This CD, released earlier this year, is Ricky’s heartfelt tribute to the men who created bluegrass music in 1946 and ‘47 - Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise, and Howard Watts - who comprised Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys during that period.

UPDATE 1:00 p.m. Thanks to reader Bret Young who reminded us that The Late, Late Show - like almost all of the late night talk shows - actually runs from 12:35-1:35 a.m. Though seemingly a minor difference, it can be very important if you use TiVo or some other video recorder to capture the show, as the musical guests typically appear in the final segment.

The five-piece bluegrass Gospel band Canaan’s Crossing recently announced the release of their second Song Garden Music Group album.

The self-titled collection (Song Garden SG-6023), which came available on July 1, consists of 12 songs mixing some songs that you have heard before with original material. Among the former category are Praying, Talk About Suffering, Gloryland, Palms Of Victory and The Best Is Yet To Come. There’s A Man In Here, a song written by Harold Reid and recorded 30 years ago by the Statler Brothers may ring a bell also.

The original material includes Give Me A Song To Sing, written by Vickie Dobbins, who the members of Canaan’s Crossing heard at a church concert one night. Another original, Goin’ To Heaven, was written by a local minister of music, Steve Lacey. Other songs on the project, Rain Fallin’ Down, Battle Scarred Soldier and I’m Going Over are personal favorites. In keeping with past practice an instrumental track is included; in this instance it’s a Tina Miller composition, Leavin’ Despair.

Tim Maze, bass player and lead vocalist, looks back with a lot of satisfaction ……..

“In the first full week that the project had been released sales were ahead of our other recordings, so we feel blessed with the economy being as it is that sales are as good as they are.

It is not a cliche to say that we feel this is our best recording ever because we truly feel that it is. This is our first project with our new mandolin player, Keith Cannon. He has brought so much to the table with his creativity and work ethic. The old saying that greatness comes when you surround yourself with good people and he is one that brings out the best in all of us.”

Canaan’s Crossing came into being in 2006; prior to that the same personnel had sung under the name Jordan River. The individuals concerned are the afore-mentioned Tim Maze, Tina Miller (fiddle), Andy Wilks (guitar), Wayne Burgett (banjo) and Keith Cannon, filling on mandolin for the indisposed Junior Saint. They come from the small North Alabama town of Arab.

In 2004 they were nominated for the Dove Bluegrass Album of the Year award with There’s No Other Way and in 2006 for the Traditional Gospel Group of the Year by SPBGMA.

Audio samples from Canaan’s Crossing can be found on the band’s web site.

Online video of the SteelDrivers‘ performance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien this past Friday (7/18) can now be viewed on the NBC website.

To see their segment, click the July 18 show link, and then you’ll see a thumbnail image of the band in the video timeline.

NBC maintains these archives for about two weeks online, so the SteelDrivers’ set should be available until the end of July.

Mickey Harris, bass player with Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, and his wife Crystal celebrated the birth of their first son last week.

Jackson Cooper Harris was born on July 14, coming in at 8 lbs, 4 oz.

He joins his big sister Mikayla (almost 2) in the family, and all are healthy and hale.

Congratulations to the Harrises on this happy news!

With the annual IBMA World Of Bluegrass convention coming up (9/29-10/2), a number of instructional workshops have been scheduled in Nashville during that same time frame. Students of bluegrass instruments can take advantage of these opportunities during their visit, especially those who will travel some distance to Nashville for IBMA.

The week just prior to the IBMA events will see a workshop offered by FiddleStar Camps. It will run September 25-28 just outside of Nashville and will feature instruction from several renowned bluegrass artists.

This one includes 6 time National Fiddle Champion Megan B. Lynch, Lonesome River Band bassist and harmony singer Mike Anglin, Sam Bush guitarist and singer Stephen Mougin, former Sunny Mountain Boy bassist and harmony singer Kip Martin, and Lonesome River Band mandolin player and high lead singer Andy Ball. There will be formal instrument classes, jams and jam classes, Nashville field trips, band scrambles, many more activities, and tons of fun!!

Full details can be found on the FiddleStar site.

During IBMA week, both Herschel Sizemore and Roland White will offer mandolin workshops at Big Joe’s Guitarworks in Nashville. Roland’s workshop will be on October 2 running from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., and Herschel’s on October 3 will offer two sessions, 10:00-1:00 and 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Registration to these mandolin workshops is limited to 20 students each, so interested participants are urged to contact Big Joe right away to secure a spot.

Blue Moon Rising will be releasing their latest album, One Lonely Shadow (Lonesome Day Records), on July 29.

The East Tennessee based band, whose name is derived from the title of a newspaper article commemorating the life of the Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe, has three previous albums and One Lonely Shadow is the second for the Lonesome Day Records label.

The CD consists of 13 songs and was engineered by Mike Latterell and jointly produced by Latterell, Cody Kilby, Randall Deaton, and Blue Moon Rising. Guitarist Chris West contributed five songs; the evil murder song, The Hanging Tree; I Grew Up Today; Five More Days of Rain; the Gospel song, Revival [co-written with Steve Gulley] and Good Time for Going Home. Mandolin player Keith Garrett wrote the love song, Angeline.

The remaining songs are from a diverse group of writers; the eloquent Bruce Springsteen (contributing Youngstown), the late Townes Van Zandt (Marie), Canadian Fred Eaglesmith (Freight Train), Bill Castle (Stone Cold Loneliness), Ronnie Bowman (Blue Moon Rising), Verlin Thompson (I Will Come Back Again) and Robbie Fulks (Where There’s a Road).

A couple of the songs have already enjoyed some radio play around the nation from a special pre-release sampler sent out by Lonesome Day Records and Where There’s a Road has reached No. 4 on the Sirius Bluegrass countdown.

West can’t wait for the release date …….

“In my humble opinion, this is the best recording by Blue Moon Rising to date. There’s a lot of songs on there that fans of ours would immediately recognize as our style of song, but there’s also several songs that were outside our normal realm of music that will hopefully endear some new fans and help to build a much broader fan base. The production is high with guest musicianship and vocals provided by Randy Kohrs, Tim Crouch, Mike Bub, Cody Kilby, Steve Gulley, Ron Stewart and Dale Ann Bradley.”

The current members of Blue Moon Rising are Chris West (vocals and guitar), Keith Garrett (vocals and mandolin), Justin Jenkins (vocals and banjo) and recent recruit Harold Nixon, formerly with J.D. Crowe & the New South, (bass).