Just ahead of the July trading deadline, Kenny & Amanda Smith have acquired Joey Cox from BlueRidge for Jason Davis, and a song to be named later. The trade was announced over the weekend by the Bluegrass Commissioner’s office.

OK… there was no trade. I made that part up. The baseball metaphor was just too delicious to resist.

But Joey Cox is headed for The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band, starting July 28 for their show in Columbus, OH at the Musician’s Against Childhood Cancer Festival. This young banjo picker first attracted attention with Lou Reid & Carolina in 2003 on their Carolina I’m Coming Home CD, but left shortly after its release to join Blue Ridge when Terry Baucom returned to Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver that summer.

Joey is featured on the current BlueRidge CD, Gettin’ Ready, and on the second Huber Banjos release, Cuppa ‘Jo.

Jason Davis, who is leaving Kenny & Amanda next week, will be filling in with BlueRidge for the short term. It is possible that he could end up with the gig full time, but Alan Bibey is still auditioning banjo pickers for the next few weeks.

Jason’s banjo will be featured on the upcoming Kenny & Amanda Smith CD on Rebel, their first all-Gospel project entitled Tell Someone. It is due for a late September release, and Tom Garber at Rebel tells us that it is “fine, fine, fine!”

He also contributes two tracks to the Cuppa ‘Jo CD from Huber.