This post is a contribution from Richard Thompson, a founding member of the British Bluegrass Music Association, and a semi-regular correspondent and contributor for The Bluegrass Blog. He is also a longstanding contributor to British Bluegrass News, a quarterly print publication where he also briefly served as editor.

The Arden, North Carolina, based Mountain Home Music Company that recently announced the signing of songwriter and performer Jerry Salley also announced just before Christmas that Salley will have his debut recording for the label released on January 16, 2007.

The new project, New Songs, Old Friends, comprises a selection of self-penned songs and features Salley with a group of some of his own favourite pickers and singers, including Vince Gill, Doyle Lawson, Bryan Sutton, Adam Steffey, Jamie Johnson, Rob Ickes, Del McCoury, Sonya Isaacs, David Talbot, Rhonda Vincent, Carl Jackson, Stuart Duncan, Larry Cordle, Alecia Nugent, Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White.

Considered one of Music Row’s most successful writers, Salley is known in the Bluegrass, Gospel and Mainstream Country markets as a masterful tunesmith. He says of this new release:

“I wanted to do a bluegrass project that included some of the wonderful artists who have recorded my songs in the past - folks I respect and am honoured to call ‘friends’. Each artist brought their own unique sound and talent to the project, truly making it a very special ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ recording. I’ve known most of them for a long time and I value the quality of our relationships, both professionally and personally.”

Ty Gilpin, of the promotions department at Mountain Home Music, adds:

“This is Jerry’s first major release. Although the top performers in the business have recorded his tunes, this project allows him to shine both as a singer and performer as well as a powerful writer.”

Mountain Home Music Company is a division of Crossroads Entertainment and Marketing.

Editor’s note: Track listing details and audio samples can be found on Jerry’s web site.