Valerie Smith and her musical crew are back home after a fun-filled Bell Buckle Music Cruise of the Caribbean on the Carnival Inspiration.

Back on solid ground, she and her band, Liberty Pike are in Nashville for a show tonight (1/31) at The Station Inn, and preparing to embark on a busy 2009 tour schedule. Valerie is also looking forward to a cover feature by Chris Stuart in Bluegrass Unlimited later this year.

Here are a few photos from the cruise.

       Liberty Pike includes Becky Buller on fiddle, guitar and vocals, Bobby Davis on bass, Chad Graves on resonator guitar and vocals, Ernie Evans on guitar, mandolin and banjo, with Smith handling lead vocals.

Deering is giving away a Calico model banjo valued at $4559.

This is a curly maple banjo bound with elaborate wood marquetry and ivoroid, stained a light, honey-brown. The peghead is also bound.

There is no purchase required, and entries can be made online, where you can also find complete contest rules. Only one entry per email address is allowed, and the deadline is 4:00 p.m. (PST) on February 10, 2009.

As Brance mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Steve Martin will be hosting this weekend’s (1/31) edition of Saturday Night Live, airing on NBC at 11:30 p.m.

He will also be featured as a musical guest, performing Late For School, a song he wrote from his newly released banjo CD, The Crow. Steve will both sing and play banjo on this song during the program.

Look for Steve again next week, appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman on Monday (2/2) and then on both Good Morning America and Live with Regis and Kelly on Tuesday morning (2/3).

The Infamous Stringdusters will be picking online today as well.

The guys will be in Knoxville for the Friday (1/30) edition of Blue Plate Special, airing at noon (EST) on WDVX (102.9 FM), and live online via audio streaming.

Robinella and The Travelin’ Snakes will also appear on the show.