In the wake of Alan Bibey leaving BlueRidge to help form Grasstowne with Phil Leadbetter and Steve Gulley, the remaining members of the group have elected to disband after fulfilling some dates in early 2007. Alan tells us that they have some shows in January, and a couple in early February. After those, BlueRidge will cease to exist.

Wildfire, however, has a statement on their web site saying that they will be carrying on as a band, with announcements forthcoming about a new band member and new representation.

Mountain Heart is also expected to have an announcement soon about a new hire.

Alan said that for a limited time, all the BlueRidge recordings will remain available from the band’s online store, which will itself be shut down at the end of January.

BlueRidge will be the guests on WNCW’s Goin’ Across The Mountain show tomorrow afternoon (12/2). They will perform live in the studio, and discuss their plans for 2007 with host Dennis Jones.

The show airs at 1:00 p.m., and can be heard over the air in the Charlotte, NC area at 88.7 FM, or via live online streaming at WNCW.org.

Given the news we see in Brance’s recent post concerning Alan Bibey, I imagine this will be an interesting, newsworthy interview.

Dennis also mentioned that he will have Cherryholmes in the WNCW studios next Thursday (12/7) at 1:00 p.m. for a live show, but his expectation is that their set will not be available on the Internet stream - just over the air.

UPDATE 12/2/2006: Turns out the “new band” will be called Grasstowne after all.

I had a chance to speak with Alan Bibey yesterday about his decision to leave BlueRidge and embark on the Grasstowne “new band” adventure with Steve Gulley and Phil Leadbetter which Brance just detailed. Alan had been agonizing over this for several days, and expressed a range of thoughts and emotions about the change.

On the one hand, leaving something he had help start (with Terry Baucom) in BlueRidge was an odd feeling, Alan had been more than just a founding member, as he was deeply involved in all their business arrangements and musical direction as well. Of course, he had also become very close with the members of the band over the years.

“It has been a great experience these last ten years with Blueridge. I want to thank all the musicians and life long friends that I’ve had the opportunity to play with during this time. I wish them all the best!”

Alan said that he isn’t sure yet what the guys in BlueRidge will do, but suggested that folks keep an eye on the band’s website for more announcements as they settle on a plan.

Most of our conversation, however, centered on how much he was looking forward to working with the new group, tentatively described on their MySpace page as Gulley/Ledbetter/Bibey.

“I’m very excited about this new and exciting adventure with Steve and Phil, two extraordinary musicians and people. I have been fortunate to have been friends with these two gentlemen for quite sometime, and have respected their work for many years.

I especially admire their dedication to the professional side of the business, and think that the three of us can go further together than we might on our own.”

Alan said that they are already in discussions with a major bluegrass label, and hope to start recording soon. We’ll update with more details as we learn them.

UPDATE 9:55: We just heard that the new band will not be called Grasstowne, as they had initially planned. Not sure yet what the name will be. We have edited the text/headlines of a couple of this morning’s post to reflect this change.

Each year, the Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend holds a faculty concert on the Saturday night of their three day instructional event. It is the only part of the weekend which is open to the general public (not registered to attend the 3 day workshop) and is always a highlight, both for the students and the local bluegrass community.

The concert will be held this year on Saturday, November 11 at 7:30 at the Holiday Inn Roanoke, the site for all the Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend activities.

The format is a loose, relaxed jam-like setting, where the many artists are grouped in a variety of configurations - either solo, duo or in groups - with a good mix of vocal and instrumental music. Both the performers and the audience always enjoy the fun, “no pressure” environment as well as the chance to witness or be a part something as potentially spontaneous as this.

The musicians will sometimes not even choose the song they will perform until a few minutes before they go on stage, a sign both of their high level of skill and professionalism, and the sort of fun they have with this show.

Performing on the RBW faculty concert this year are Eddie Adcock, George Shuffler, Roland White, Craig Smith, Don Rigsby, BlueRidge, Jack Lawrence, Bull Harman, Herschel Sizemore, David McLaughlin, Acoustic Endeavors and many others - plus a number of unannounced surprise guests.

Maps and driving directions can be found on the Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend web site.

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.

This week’s edition of The GrassCast features a discussion with Alan Bibey of BlueRidge. Alan talks about their new CD, Gettin’ Ready, their first for Pinecastle - and their first all-Gospel release - and we include samples of several tunes in the interview.

This GrassCast is 10 minutes in length and the file download size is 11.5 MB.

Below is an mp3 file for you to listen here or download. The GrassCast is also available in the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

Listen now:
Direct Download: ep32_alan_bibey.mp3
Subscribe with:
Free Download: The GrassCast iPodder software

To subscribe with your own podcatching software, copy and past this url into the appropriate entry box in your software: http://www.thegrasscast.com/rss

The recently updated New Releases page on the Pinecastle Records web site is almost all-Gospel this week, highlighting three new gospel projects from current Pinecastle artists.

The Village Singers, long-time Gospel favorites, have a new CD, He Put The Color In The Rose. Pinecastle indicates that The Village Singers are the best selling artists they have ever had on the label. Anyone who doubts that the album might have a bluegrass feel should know that Sonny Osborne produced it. He may have retired from traveling with The Osborne Brothers, but it’s great to see that he hasn’t completely retired from active participation in the music.

Also new is Traveling Through, from The Churchmen. This CD release marks their 16th year as a band, and their first with new members Charlie Oakley on vocals and guitar and Ricky Keen on resonator guitar.

The last of the new releases is from BlueRidge. Getting Ready is both the band’s debut on Pinecastle after several successful projects for other labels, and their first all-Gospel release. The material includes both new and classic Gospel songs, and Sonya Issacs is featured as a guest vocalist.

Speaking of BlueRidge: their newly-redesigned web site should come on line quite soon, including their first functional online store. Also, be on the lookout for details on a guitar giveaway, co-sponsored by Pinecastle and Saga Music’s Blue Ridge Guitars to coincide with the release of the new CD.

Audio samples for each CD can be found on its corresponding web site.

A new gospel CD from the band BlueRidge is soon to be released on Pinecastle Records. The title of the new CD will be Gettin’ Ready. The disc contains 12 tunes, 9 of which are originals from Junior Sisk, Alan Bibey, Paul Williams, Timmy Massey, and David Johnson.

The official release date is in early March but the band is told they will have product by the middle of February, so look for it at their record table soon! Be sure to check their tour schedule for a concert near you.

Alan Bibey, the band leader, had this to say about the new CD:

I think the variety of the material is what I like best about the project. It has everything from a cappella, to hard driving bluegrass gospel, to more contemporary originals. One original tune a friend of mine wrote that features Sonya Isaacs, has a more contemporary feel and is one of the best written tunes I’ve had the pleasure of recording! Also, I think a high point of the CD is Alan Johnson’s bass singing. A good bass singer like that really adds a lot on a gospel project like this.

In addition to the new CD, BlueRidge has a new website under development that will include an online store and several other exciting new features. Right now they have a sign-up form you can use to register for updates about the CD and website. You can find it on the front page of their website, BlueRidgeBluegrass.com.

Pinecastle Records and BlueRidge have joined forces, with Alan Bibey & Co. signing with the Florida-based label for their next recording, a Gospel project slated for an early 2006 release. In addition to Bibey on mandolin, BlueRidge is made up of Junior Sisk on guitar, Eddie Biggerstaff on bass, Alan Johnson on fiddle, and Joey Cox on banjo.

Their most recent release, Side By Side, was nominated for a Grammy, reached #3 on the Bluegrass Now chart, and had a song hold the #1 position on the BN Gospel Truths chart for three months.

When we contacted Alan Bibey for comment on this new agreement, he was pointedly enthusiastic about BlueRidge’s new label partner:

BlueRidge has agreed to a one record deal, with an option for 2 more with Pinecastle Records, and we look forward to what will hopefully be a long, prosperous relationship for both of us! We’re thinking of January as a possible release date for the Gospel CD, with a bluegrass project to follow later in the year.

UPDATE 10/4: Alan Bibey has recently informed us that the source from which we drew some of the info about their Side By Side CD contained some incorrect data. It ended up voted as the #2 CD for the year in Bluegrass Now, and while it was in the running for a Grammy, it did not receive an actual nomination. Thanks for the clarification, Al!