It was around this time last year that we were telling you about a new CD by renowned jazz bassist Charlie Haden. Rambling Boy marked Haden’s return to his bluegrass/country roots.

Soon after, Haden was performing on the Grand Ole Opry. On November 17, 2009 he’s going to be putting on a very special concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. Presented by the LA Philharmonic, Haden will be performing with his family, including son-in-law funny man Jack Black, and some powerhouse bluegrass guests.

Dan Tyminski, Sam Bush, and Jerry Douglas will be joining the Haden clan for this show. It sound like a fun show.

Visit the LA Phil website for more information and ticketing info.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Steve Martin will co-host this year’s (82nd) Academy Awards (otherwise known as the Oscars).

Martin has been getting a lot of press recently for his banjo playing. He was involved with the 2009 IBMA Awards Show in Nashville, performing with the Steep Canyon Rangers. He has also performed on the most prominent of TV’s late night talk shows.

It is unclear at this point if Steve will break out his banjo at the Academy Awards, but his co-host Alec Baldwin is certainly feeling the pressure.

“I don’t play the banjo but I’m thrilled to be hosting the Oscars – it’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Baldwin.

The announcement on the Academy’s website includes the following in their brief bio about Steve.

He is currently touring with the bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers in support of his latest album “The Crow:  New Songs for the Five String Banjo.”

Perhaps Steve should receive an official appointment as a bluegrass ambassador?

Thanks to Fred Robbins for keeping us updated on the condition of Allen Shelton, who has been hospitalized in Nashville for treatment of his leukemia since early October.

Long-time bluegrass fans know Allen for his banjo playing with Jim Eanes and Jim & Jesse. He always played with a driving sound, but also developed a distinctive, jazz-inflected swing style which formed the perfect accompaniment to the more country flavored music of Eanes and the McReynolds. Shelton also recorded a number of classic banjo albums under his name, and was known for his use of a dobro-banjo in the later years of Jim & Jesse’s touring days.

As much as his immediately-recognizable banjo sound, Allen was known for his huge smile and his warm, friendly manner.

Fred passes along this update from Allen’s daughter-in-law:

“We had hoped he was coming home [Saturday Oct 31], but now it looks like it will be next week. We’ve spent [Friday] helping Mrs. Shelton get the house ready for his arrival. He is feeling pretty good, the Dr. just wants some of his numbers to increase before he lets him go home.”

Wonderful news!

Here’s a video from 1988 of Shelton playing one of his most popular tunes, Bending The Strings.

We got this follow-up note from Ivan Rosenberg, a respected resonator guitarist and clawhammer banjo player in the Pacific Northwest. He wanted to let everyone know the status of Cluny Macpherson in the Class Act Canada online scholarship contest, and how our readers have made a difference.

Thanks largely to a big surge of votes following a previous post on The Bluegrass Blog, banjo picker Cluny Macpherson from Victoria, BC made it to the 3rd and final round of a contest to win up to a $100,000 college scholarship. The Class Act Canada contest will award 10 deserving students from around the world with an all-expenses-paid education at Sprott-Shaw Community College in British Columbia, Canada. Voting ends this coming Friday, and the judges will select 10 winners (out of 20 finalists) based on the merit of contestants’ video entries as well as their ability to earn votes.

Cluny intends to work in the field of geriatric nursing. His video entries have displayed some nice banjo chops while also speaking of his desire to make a difference in the community by serving elderly residents.

If you get a chance, please visit Class Act Canada to see Cluny’s new video. According to the contest rules, each IP address can vote 10 times in a row each day. No personal information is required, and just takes seconds to vote–Cluny mentioned that after the first post about this in the Bluegrass Blog, he jumped up 10,000 votes that very day. Competition is tight, and he’s currently around #18 out of 20. But with a few more days of clicking, we can help a great banjo player reach his very commendable educational and professional goals.

Remember, you can vote 10 times in a row each day. Thank you!