Here’s another bluegrass anniversary worth noting.

It was almost exactly one year ago that we told you about a new band forming with prominent members drawn from several popular touring acts.

The announcement came on December 1, 2006 of the imminent debut of Grasstowne, with Alan Bibey from BlueRidge, Steve Gulley from Mountain Heart and Phil Leadbetter from Wildfire joining forces. In the course of that year, Al, Phil and Steve put a crack band together, recorded a CD, showcased at IBMA and toured all over the US.

The December issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine has Grasstowne’s debut CD, The Road Headin’ Home, is the #1 release in The National Bluegrass Survey. Phil Leadbetter tells us that this is a huge honor for them, and for their label Pinecastle Records, who has never had a CD chart in the top spot in BU before this month.

Alan Bibey passed along recently that they have nearly 100 dates booked for 2008 - including a July tour of Scandinavia - so more of you should have a chance to catch them on the road next year.

If there was an award for fastest start in bluegrass music, these guys would be serious contenders. Congratulations, fellas.