Last week we told you about the premature death of Keishi Shikata.

Earlier today I received a touching tribute from renowned mandolin player Mike Compton, a friend of Shikata’s for 30 years.….

“I knew Keishi since the late 1970’s. He was always cheerful and complimentary, though he did understand the art of pulling one’s leg. I always had the feeling that he was a good businessman due to the many things he was involved in. I used to tease him about being an old bachelor and being too fat to get married, at which point he would be sure to mention how fat we both were. Keishi was more boisterous than most Japanese people I’ve met. He seemed to have acquired a less-reserved American character about him.

I was in Japan the last couple years around Xmas working for Kaz Inaba. Both times, who would I run into but Keishi. We laughed and said that we both live in Nashville, but had to go to Japan to see each other. One night Keishi rode the bullet train for two hours to see us play, only to find out that he had the wrong date. He had to ride the two hour trip back without seeing us. He sounded very frustrated on the phone, but I got the impression that he was ready to do it again if he thought he could catch up with us.

Knowing Keishi is gone is a little unsettling because he has been part of my circle of friends for the last 30 years. I miss him already.”

The Whites have received a lot of honors and awards during their career, including two Grammy Awards. This last Saturday, they received another honor, they were inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.

The ceremony took place at the Hall of Fame Theater in Carthage, TX. Ralph Emery served as the emcee for the event.

They weren’t alone as this year’s inductees also included country star Buck Owens, and singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury.

Here’s a bit of information about The Whites, from the press release.

Daddy Buck White began his musical journey in the Texas dance halls not long after the end of World War II. Retiring in the early 1960’s to raise a family with wife Pat, he moved his brood to Arkansas. In a matter of months, Buck and Pat were makin music again, forming a band called The Down Home Folks. Oldest daughters Sharon and Cheryl soon joined in and the family began performing at bluegrass festivals around the country. The 1970’s brought the White family’s move to Nashville and Pat White’s retirement to stay home with youngest daughters, Rosie and Melissa.

Changing the name of their band to reflect their family ties, The Whites turned their attention to country music in the 1980’s, enjoying a succession of Top 20 hits on Billboard’s country chart, culminating in their induction as members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1984. The Whites have continued to entertain and inspire audiences world-wide with their unique blend of bluegrass, country, and gospel music. In 2001, they were honored with ‘Album of the Year’ GRAMMY and CMA awards for their contribution to the soundtrack of the smash hit movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a film in which they also appeared. In 2008, The Whites earned GRAMMY and Dove awards for Salt of the Earth, a gospel collaboration with Ricky Skaggs. They may not use the name anymore, but Buck, Sharon, and Cheryl White are still creating music that’s as good and as real as everything conjured up by the phrase “down home folks.”

Bobby Osborne and J.D. Crowe are hitting the road, together. The two legends are planning to tour as part of The American Bluegrass Masters concert tour. Organizers are stating this is the first time in 50 years that Crowe and Osborne have toured together. The tour is being promoted as featuring Living Legends & Next Generation Stars.

The Masters band for the tour consists of:

• Bobby Osborne - mandolin
• JD Crowe - banjo
• Dean Osborne - banjo and guitar
• Bobby Osborne Jr. - bass and guitar
• Richard Bennett - guitar
• Curtis Burch - resophonic/steel guitar
• JP Mathes - banjo, guitar, bass

In addition to the Masters band, the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music Ensemble is on the tour as well. The ensemble consists of:

• Obadiah (Obe) Golding - banjo
• Andrew DeKemper - resophonic/steel guitar
• Katherine Boguss - fiddle

No tour dates have been announced yet. Booking information is available at opus3artists.com.

Kenny Hall has been a notable musician in the old time music world since the release of his album, Kenny Hall and the Sweet Mills String Band in 1972. Of course, he had been playing since 1937, on mandolin, fiddle and guitar, but it wasn’t until this LP came out that music fans outside of California heard much about his music.

Hall was born blind, and educated at the California School For the Blind where music was a major part of the curriculum. Piano lessons started for Kenny when he was only 6 (in 1929) but he never really took to music until the mid-1930s when he was introduced to traditional American fiddle music, and his lifelong fascination with the music, and the string instruments which played them, was born.

The one aspect of his musicianship most remarked-upon by his peers has been his repertoire, with estimates ranging over 1,000 tunes at his command - many of them obscure, or featuring distinctive Hall twists.

A book of tunes was published by Mel Bay in 2000, Kenny Hall’s Music Book, which featured a variety of tunes from that library, along with anecdotes from Kenny about how and where he learned the tunes, and interesting insights into the community of blind musicians where he served his apprenticeship in the 1940s.

After being unavailable for a while, Mel Bay has recently re-issued the book, which is available wherever old time and bluegrass instructional materials are sold.

The book was co-authored by Vykki Mende Gray, and you can read her lengthy reminiscences about working with Kenny in a piece she published in The Old Time Herald upon the book’s initial publication.

Kenny tells his stories in the characteristic manner of that world–describing what people say rather than what they do. And he doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story at once–sometimes it takes hearing about an event several times before Kenny lets us figure out that it wasn’t as innocent as he led us to believe at first, or before aspects of the story that appear perfectly clearly to the blind story teller suddenly are revealed to the sighted listener!

And Kenny warns those of us who would like to follow in his footsteps and learn 1,100 pieces of music: “I never pushed myself to learn all those tunes. I learned ‘em slowly–havin’ fun at learning. It took me 40 years, I guess, to learn them 1,100 tunes. But I know more now, I don’t know how many, ’cause, of course, I didn’t stop learning tunes back then when he [Terry Barrett] counted ‘em.”

Kenny Hall’s Music Book runs to 284 pages and is presented in standard notation for $35.00.

Joe Mullins has enjoyed a very active career in bluegrass for over 25 years, beginning while still at high school when playing with his father, the highly esteemed Paul ‘Moon’ Mullins, in the Traditional Grass, then in the stellar band Longview. Since the turn of the century, he has worked on a couple of award-winning projects and in the process been honoured for his banjo playing. In between he has worked on various Ohio radio stations promoting bluegrass as a DJ. Presently, Mullins owns and operates a network of three south-west Ohio radio stations, playing classic country, bluegrass and Gospel music.

With The Radio Ramblers - Adam McIntosh, once of The Dry Branch Fire Squad (guitar and vocals), Evan McGregor, who previously has had experience playing with the Wildwood Valley Boys and The James King Band, on fiddle and vocals, Mike Terry (mandolin and vocals) and Tim Kidd (bass and drums) - Mullins is effectively combining both jobs, having a band whose primary purpose is performing at Classic Country Radio promotions. Like Topsy, demand to hear the Radio Ramblers grew and grew and they released this CD.

As mentioned earlier, Mullins grew up on traditional bluegrass and Tuned In presents more of the same, beginning with a novel recording of an intro to a bluegrass radio show after the listener has tuned in. It’s a simple, brief, but effective way to capture audience attention.

What follows is a balanced mix of four secular and four sacred songs and two instrumentals. In the first category is My Blue Eyed Darlin’, not to be confused with the popular Monroe song of that title, a song about a lost love, Each Minute Seems A Million Years, with a neat bluesy fiddle ending, Poet With Wings, from that illustrious song writing team of Pete Goble and Leroy Drumm, and Carter Stanley’s Baby Girl.

The four Gospel tracks are Jeff Tolbert’s song of praise, I Owe It All To Thee, the sterling a cappella effort, Deeper Than The Stain, When I’ve Traveled My Last Mile, which is very reminiscent of the Boys From Indiana best work, and Brand New Man, penned by McIntosh and the only original offering in this set.

The lead vocals are strong and sure and the various blends of harmony singing are well arranged and pleasing to the ear.

Mullins displays award-winning banjo-picking on the standard Bending The Strings, while East Tennessee Blues displays some fine instrumental teamwork topped off by a great guitar break.

Tuned In is good, solid traditional bluegrass with a touch of class in the right places.

Footnote:

Joe Mullins can be heard spinning discs on the Ohio airwaves each weekday from 2pm to 5pm at AM 1500 WBZI Xenia, AM 1090 WKPI Wilmington and AM 1130 WEDI Eaton and live on line at www.myclassiccountry.com.

Richard Thompson contributes another in his ongoing series of reviews of recent projects that have caught his fancy - this time, Tom T Hall Sings Miss Dixie & Tom T (Blue Circle Records BCR 012), released in early 2007.

Since he ‘retired’ Tom T Hall has, arguably, been busier than ever. Along with his equally beloved wife Miss Dixie, he has continued to write songs in abundance. They are prolific writers of songs, bluegrass songs, their true vocation. As Miss Dixie has said in an interview, ” ‘Retirement’ in my book is giving up work to do what you love doing and we happen to love bluegrass music so we’re having a blast.”

Tom T Hall Sings Miss Dixie & Tom T comprises a dozen of the very best songs from the duo’s catalogue of songs written in recent years. The supreme quality of the lyrics and melodies is undisputed, in my view. Many of the songs have already been recorded by others; Chris Jones, Dave Evans, Junior Sisk, the group Nothin’ Fancy and Ryan Holliday among them, and their popularity is already well established in the bluegrass song catalogue. Tom T is still ‘the story teller’, admittedly aided and abetted by his producer and wife, Miss Dixie.

Perhaps the most well-known song in this collection is A Hero In Harlan. Hall draws every ounce of emotion from the song which relates the story of the passing of a man from a coal mining community, only in this instance he falls in battle, rather than in a coal pit. Pretty Green Hills relates the story of an elderly man who yearns to enjoy the vista only, poignantly, to be buried all too soon in those very hills.

The CD begins with I’m A Coal Mining Man an up-tempo tribute to coal miners and their contribution to the American economy. Other highlights are Leaving Baker County, which is about finding some meaningful status elsewhere; the tribute to one of the legends of bluegrass One Of Those Days (When I Miss Lester Flatt); and the nostalgia-filled Somewhere In Kentucky Tonight, a man’s reflection of life viewed from industrial Ohio.

However, the one song that captures a real slice of American life as much any is A Headstone For Harry, a wonderful vignette with the couplet, “Me and my pals at the Somerset poolroom, Ain’t famous for nothing but standing around broke.” You can’t beat it, can you? (more…)

The Grascals are scheduled to perform this Saturday (8/16) on The Grand Ole Opry, not only on the radio, but on the televised portion as well. They’ll be offering songs from their latest CD, Keep On Walkin’, and celebrating the two IBMA nominations they received yesterday.

An hour of Saturday’s Opry show is carried live on GAC TV, on Opry Live, which airs from 9:00-10:00 p.m. (EDT). The show will re-air on Sunday (8/17) at 1:00 a.m., again at noon and 7:00 p.m., and then again on Tuesday (8/19) at 8:00 p.m.

Catch the Opry radio show over the air from 8:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at WSM 650 AM, broadcasting from Nashville, on XM channel 11 (XM Nashville), or via live streaming at wsmonline.com.

We mentioned yesterday that Rhonda Vincent was being considered in the second round of CMA voting for her duet with Gene Watson, an it turns out, The Gracsals are candidates in this last vote as well, in the Vocal Group Of The Year category.

Wouldn’t it be great to see several bluegrass acts among the CMA nominees?

Our friends over at Mandolin Cafe are running a contest for the next month where the winner will receive a new Eastman mandolin.

The prize in Eastman’s new 815V F-style mandolin, which is made with a carved, red spruce top, flamed maple back and sides, and finished with an oil varnish.

Entry registrations can be completed online, where you can also read all the rules and regs for this contest.

The winner will be drawn on September 15.

Our good friend Cindy Baucom sent along some photos she took earlier today during the IBMA Awards Nominees press conference in Nashville.

Cindy was on hand to capture some interviews for her syndicated bluegrass radio show, Knee Deep In Bluegrass - and captured a few digital images as well.

Entertainer Of The Year - This award is for a performing act who displayed the greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field. Voters should give consideration to recorded and in-person performance, public acceptance, attitude, leadership, and over-all contributions to the bluegrass music image. The award goes to member(s) of the performing act.

The nominees for Entertainer Of The Year for 2008 are:

Dailey & Vincent	web site	bio	audio
The Grascals	web site	bio	audio
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver	web site	bio	audio
The Del McCoury Band	web site	bio	audio
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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Vocal Group Of The Year - The award for a group who regularly performs together that has shown outstanding recorded and in-person performance in the area of vocal performance. It is not limited to groups which only perform vocally. The award goes to each group member.

The nominees for Vocal Group Of The Year for 2008 are:

Blue Highway	web site	bio	audio
The Isaacs	web site	bio	audio
Dailey & Vincent	web site	bio	audio
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver	web site	bio	audio
Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass	web site	bio	audio
The Grascals	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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Instrumental Group Of The Year - The award for a group who regularly performs together that has shown outstanding recorded and in-person performance in the area of instrumental performance. It is not limited to groups which only perform instrumentals. The award goes to each group member.

The nominees for Instrumental Group Of The Year for 2008 are:

Blue Highway	web site	bio	audio
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper	web site	bio	audio
The Infamous Stringdusters	web site	bio	audio
The Dan Tyminski Band	web site	bio	audio
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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Male Vocalist Of The Year - Award for the outstanding male vocalist based on recorded and in-person performance. The award goes to the individual.

The nominees for Male Vocalist Of The Year for 2008 are:

Jamie Dailey	web site	bio	audio
Russell Moore	web site	bio	audio
Tim O’Brien	web site	bio	audio
Danny Paisley	web site	bio	audio
Dan Tyminski	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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Female Vocalist Of The Year - The award for the outstanding female vocalist based on recorded and in-person performance. The award goes to the individual.

The nominees for Female Vocalist Of The Year for 2008 are:

Dale Ann Bradley	web site	bio	audio
Sonya Isaacs	web site	bio	audio
Alison Krauss	web site	bio	audio
Claire Lynch	web site	bio	audio
Rhonda Vincent	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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Song Of The Year - This award is for any song, new or old, which was released or showed significant chart action within the eligibility period. Any song which has been nominated for this award in previous years is ineligible. The award goes to the songwriter and artist.

The nominees for Song Of The Year for 2008 are:

Song Title links to audio	Artist(s) links to artist(s)	Songwriter(s) links to writer(s)
Alison’s Band	Charlie Sizemore Band	Charlie Sizemore & Buddy Cannon
By The Mark	Dailey & Vincent	David Rawlings & Gillian Welch
Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey	The SteelDrivers	Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton
More Than A Name On A Wall	Dailey & Vincent	Jimmy Fortune & John Rimel
Through The Window Of A Train	Blue Highway	Tim Stafford & Steve Gulley

Review past recipients of this award.

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Album Of The Year - Award for an outstanding recorded performance by an artist or artists, first commercially released during the specified time period (Award to artist(s), producer, and label).

The nominees for Album Of The Year for 2008 are:

Album Title links to audio	Artist(s) links to artist(s)	Label links to label
Dailey & Vincent	Dailey & Vincent	Rounder Records
Honoring The Fathers of Bluegrass	Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder	Skaggs Family Records
Lovin’ Pretty Women	Steep Canyon Rangers	Rebel Records
The SteelDrivers	The SteelDrivers	Rounder Records
Through The Window Of A Train	Blue Highway	Rounder Records

Review past recipients of this award.

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Instrumental Album Of The Year - This award is for an outstanding recorded performance by an artist or artists featuring instrumental music, new or old, first commercially released during the eligibility period. An album project is eligible when 50% or more of its songs are instrumental performances. (Award to featured artist(s), producer, and label).

The nominees for Instrumental Album Of The Year for 2008 are:

Album Title links to audio	Artist(s) links to artist(s)	Label links to label
Live At The Linda	David Grier	Dreadnought Records
Sound of the Slide Guitar	Andy Hall	Sugar Hill Records
Stepping Out	Jason Davis	Pinecastle Records
The Past Is Present	Jason Barie	Pinecastle Records
Whan At Last	Russ Barenberg	Compass Records

Review past recipients of this award.

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Recorded Event Of The Year - This award is for a recorded album performance on which 50% or more of the songs represent special collaboration between two or more featured artists (individuals or groups) who do not regularly record together and who are known primarily for their contributions and public performances separate from one another. These acts must have performed together, as a unit, on a musical recording released during the eligibility period with each separate act receiving special billing on the record label and/or songs on which they are featured. (Award to featured acts, producer and label).

The nominees for Recorded Event Of The Year for 2008 are:

Album Title links to audio	Artist(s) links to artist(s)	Label links to label
Christmas Grass, Vol 3	Various	KOCH Records
Everett Lilly & Everybody and Their Brother	Various	Swift River Music
Salt of the Earth	Ricky Skaggs & The Whites	Skaggs Family Records
Standard Songs for Average People	John Prine & Mac Wiseman	Oh Boy Records
We Are Family	Jeff & Sheri Easter	Daywind Records

Review past recipients of this award.

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Gospel Recorded Performance Of The Year - This award is for an outstanding gospel recorded performance, of one or more songs, new or old, first commercially released or showed significant chart action during the eligibility period. Recorded performance may be vocal, instrumental, or a combination of both. The award goes to the featured artist(s), producer, and label.

The nominees for Gospel Recorded Performance Of The Year for 2008 are:

Song Title links to audio	Artist(s) links to artist(s)	Label links to label
Be Still Moses	Steep Canyon Rangers	Rebel Records
By The Mark	Dailey & Vincent	Rounder Records
Help Is On The Way	Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver	Horizon Records
Salt Of The Earth	Ricky Skaggs & The Whites	Skaggs Family Records
Where No One Stands Alone	Paul Williams & The Victory Trio	Rebel Records

Review past recipients of this award.

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Emerging Artist Of The Year - Award for a group or individual, new to the national bluegrass scene, which has made considerable advances artistically and/or commercially during the eligibility period. The band or individual should be performing under its/his/her name on a regular basis and not have more than two previous finalist nominations for this award. (Award to each group member or individual).

The nominees for Emerging Artist Of The Year for 2008 are:

Cadillac Sky	web site	bio	audio
Dailey & Vincent	web site	bio	audio
Grasstowne	web site	bio	audio
Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass	web site	bio	audio
The SteelDrivers	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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Instrumental Performers Of The Year - The awards for artists who, on recorded and/or in-person performance during the specified time period, have shown an extraordinary mastery of their instruments. Nominations and awards will be made in six (6) sub-categories: Banjo, Bass, Dobro, Fiddle, Guitar and Mandolin.

The awards go to the artists.The nominees for Banjo Player Of The Year for 2008 are:

Kristin Scott Benson	web site	bio	audio
J.D. Crowe	web site	bio	audio
Jim Mills	web site	bio	audio
Earl Scruggs	web site	bio	audio
Ron Stewart	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Bass Player Of The Year for 2008 are:

Barry Bales	web site	bio	audio
Mike Bub	web site	bio	audio
Darrin Vincent	web site	bio	audio
Missy Raines	web site	bio	audio
Marshall Wilborn	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Fiddle Player Of The Year for 2008 are:

Hunter Berry	web site	bio	audio
Jason Carter	web site	bio	audio
Michael Cleveland	web site	bio	audio
Stuart Duncan	web site	bio	audio
Ron Stewart	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Dobro Player Of The Year for 2008 are:

Mike Auldridge	web site	bio	audio
Jerry Douglas	web site	bio	audio
Rob Ickes	web site	bio	audio
Randy Kohrs	web site	bio	audio
Phil Leadbetter	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Guitar Player Of The Year for 2008 are:

Cody Kilby	web site	bio	audio
Tony Rice	web site	bio	audio
Tim Stafford	web site	bio	audio
Bryan Sutton	web site	bio	audio
Josh Williams	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Mandolin Player Of The Year for 2008 are:

Sam Bush	web site	bio	audio
Sierra Hull	web site	bio	audio
Doyle Lawson	web site	bio	audio
Ronnie McCoury	web site	bio	audio
Adam Steffey	web site	bio	audio

Review past recipients of this award.

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The following awards are determined by special procedures and committees are enlisted to review recommendations, consider nominations related to the criteria and determine recipients. Finalists will be recognized and winners will be announced at the Special Awards Luncheon, scheduled for Thursday, October 4 at The Renaissance Hotel in Nashville.

The nominees for Bluegrass Broadcaster Of The Year for 2008 are:

Kyle Cantrell	Bluegrass Junction XM Satellite Radio, Nashville, TN	web site
Katy Daley	WAMU’s bluegrasscountry.org	web site
Terry Herd	Into The Blue, Bluegrass Radio Network	web site

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Bluegrass Event Of The Year for 2008 are:

The River City Bluegrass Festival	Portland, OR - January 2008	web site
The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival	Ancramdale, NY - July 2007	web site
29th Annual Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival	Thomas Point Beach, ME August 2007	web site

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Print Media Person Of The Year for 2008 are:

Stephanie P. Ledgin	freelance writer & author	web site
Craig Shelburne	freelance writer & reviewer	web site
Chris Stuart	freelance writer for Bluegrass Unlimited	web site

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Best Graphic Design for a Recorded Project for 2008 are:

G. Carr & S. Holman (designers)	Pete Wernick & Flexigrass, What The, Niwot Records	web site
Smay Vision Graphic Design (designer)	The Stanley Brothers, The Stanley Brothers: The Definitive Collection (1947-1966), Time Life	web site
Loren Witcher (designer)	The Punch Brothers, Punch, Nonesuch	web site

Review past recipients of this award.

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The nominees for Best Liner Notes for a Recorded Project for 2008 are:

Frank & Marty Godbey	J.D. Crowe , Bluegrass Holiday , Rebel Records	web site
Gary Reid	The Stanley Brothers, The Stanley Brothers: The Definitive Collection (1947-1966), Time Life	web site
Ron Thomason	The Charlie Sizemore Band, Good News, Rounder Records	web site

Review past recipients of this award.

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Distinguished Achievement Awards

Bill Harrell	web site	bio
Banjo NewsLetter	web site	bio
Ernest Tubb Records Shop	web site	bio
Art Menius	web site	bio
Alan Munde & Joe Carr	web site - Alan web site - Joe	bio - Alan bio - Joe

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Hall of Fame Inductees

Bill Clifton	performing	bio	audio
Charles K. Wolfe	non-performing	bio	author

Review past inductees.

Last year we mentioned a 2006 work of fiction, Raising Kane, written by author and banjo picker, Brent Davis.

The book is targeted at young readers, and tells the story of a 12 year old banjoist who goes to work with a touring band in the 1960s.

Our friend Ted Lehmann has just written a review of Raising Kane, which can be found on his web site.

Riding through the South of the beginnings of the civil rights movement, Eddie is on hand to see a race riot in the city of Montgomery, to see the effects of racial segregation in several different encounters, and to have his experience interpreted through the eyes of his new friend Murray and one of his uncles, a no nonsense racist. Eddie grows to a new understanding of himself and his world while emerging as a musician and a person.

Read the full review online.

If you have a young reader in need of one more summer book, or one you might want to introduce to the ways of bluegrass, perhaps Raising Kane would be a worthy consideration.

If the recent past is any indication, Rhonda Vincent is likely to hear her name called repeatedly when the IBMA Award nominations are announced this morning in Nashville.

There is also news that she could receive another major nod when the CMA (Country Music Association) announces their nominees on September 10. Rhonda’s management has announced that her duet with country crooner Gene Watson, Together Again (from his In A Perfect World CD), has made it through to the second round of CMA balloting.

The song was a hit for Buck Owens in 1961, and covered by artists as diverse as Ray Charles and Emmylou Harris, both of whom took it to #1, before its first duet pairing with Kenny Rogers and Dottie West hit the country charts in 1983.

Here is a YouTube clip of Watson and Vincent performing Together Again live on television.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzSjBxoi7ro

The nominees for the 2008 International Bluegrass Music Awards will be announced on Thursday, August 14 at a press conference in Nashville that starts at 11:00 a.m. (EDT).

Be sure to visit The Bluegrass Blog on Thursday morning to see who the nominees are when they are announced.

This will include the IBMA Awards nominees for 2008 plus the Distinguished Achievement Awards and the Bluegrass Music Hall Of Fame Inductees.

If you’ve read about such award winning bluegrass radio programs as Cindy Baucom’s Knee-Deep In Bluegrass or Terry Herd’s Into The Blue, but couldn’t find them on a local station near you, Bluegrassmix.com offers the solution.

Bluegrassmix.com is a 24/7 streaming internet radio station that plays bluegrass and old traditional country music. They’ve just announced that these two award winning shows will now be included in their lineup.

We are so proud AND honored to annouce that Nationally known DJ’s, Cindy Baucom and Terry Herd, will be added to our broadcasting line-up!!!

Cindy Baucom’s Knee Deep in Bluegrass is scheduled to air on Wednesday nights 10 pm - 12 midnight EST.

Terry Herd’s Into the Blue is scheduled to air on Sunday mornings 9am - 12 noon EST.

The site/station was started in December of 2007 by Roger Randolph and Julie Raye. The two have many ideas and goals, adding these syndicated shows to the lineup was one of those goals.

So visit Bluegrassmix.com and tune in to some great bluegrass 24/7.

Monroe’s mandolin is still housed in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. If it is to stay there, the museum may be required to divvy up $1.5 million.

For the back story, be sure to read our previous two posts on this situation, here and here.

The Murfreesboro Post is reporting that Robert Waldschmidt, the trustee working to repay McLean’s investors, filed a motion yesterday asking the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to order the Museum to pay $1.5 million and/or return Bill Monroe’s mandolin, along with Mother Mybelle’s guitar and two guitars owned by Johnny Cash.

The museum attorney is arguing against the motion, stating that

…permitting the trustee to recover the charitable contributions is contrary to the interests of the people of Tennessee.

I agree that the instruments belong in the museum, but then again, people were cheated out of a lot of money and that money should be repaid if possible. If some of that money was used to purchase these instruments, I understand why the people who were cheated would feel like the instruments belong to them and should be purchased if the museum wants to retain possession of them. If it was my retirement investment, I’d probably feel the same way.

If required to return, or buy, the instruments, the museum is being cheated somewhat as well, considering the investment they’ve surely made to care for and display these instruments. One would hope the court will take this into consideration when making a judgment.

Stay tuned…

The Birmingham (England) quintet The Toy Hearts launched their second album When I Cut Loose (Woodville Records) on Wednesday,
August 6.

That evening they performed songs from the CD at a release party at The Roadhouse, their regular venue in the city.

The creative core of The Toy Hearts is dad Stewart Johnson (banjo/Dobro®) and his two young daughters Sophia (guitars/vocals) and Hannah (mandolin/vocals). Together they write most of their songs and the girls are the most prominent vocally. They are supported by Howard Gregory (fiddle) and Lauren Rogers (double bass/vocals).

I spoke to Sophia Johnson about the new album …………..

How many songs are there on the album and who wrote them?

“There are eleven songs on the album and they are all original. We feel very strongly about writing our own songs. Not only is song writing a personal creative impulse/compulsion, which we simply cannot ignore, but writing is key in defining the Toy Hearts sound and we hope it will allow us to make our own mark on the bluegrass genre with its fine heritage of song writing.

Me, (Sophia), dad and Hannah tend to write as a unit, one usually brings the initial idea but we all play a part in the song’s completion. We always credit the songs Johnson/Johnson/Johnson. Our bass player Lauren wrote the lyrics for one track on the new album; I’ll Keep Waiting.”

Who sings lead on the various tracks?

“Hannah sings all the lead. She has worked very hard training her voice and listens incessantly to singers like Lefty Frizzell, Hank Williams and her current favourite Bradley Walker. The harmonies are all done by me and Lauren.”

Are there any instrumentals?

“There are no instrumentals on this album. We put Piccadilly Special on the first CD; it was named after the Piccadilly Theatre where dad was working as an actor and musician in West End show Jailhouse Rock. We kept meaning to write one for the new album, we started writing Creekbluff Drive while we were in Texas, but we never finished it in time to record. I guess it turns out Hannah and I have a lot of things to say, ha ha!” (more…)