Brandon Rickman, known to grassers as the talented guitarist and lead vocalist with Lonesome River Band, is set to release his first solo project this summer.

Young Man, Old Soul is scheduled for a June 30 release on Rural Rhythm Records. It showcases Brandon not only as an expressive singer, but also as a songwriter. 10 of the 12 tracks were co-written by Rickman, with assistance from Chris Stapleton, Tammy Rogers, Jerry Salley, Kevin Denney, and Charley Stefl.

A single is going to radio next week on Rural Rhythm’s new Fresh Cuts and Key Tracks CD. Here’s a sample…

Brandon plays guitar, mandolin and bass on the new album with Aaron McDaris on banjo, Jenee’ Fleenor on fiddle, Andy Ball on amndolin, Mike Anglin on bass and Randy Kohrs on resonator guitar. Providing harmony vocals are Terry Eldridge and Jamie Johnson from The Grascals.

Here’s another Blue Circle Records release worthy of mention. Jeanette Williams will soon release her brand new CD, Thank You For Caring.

The CD contains 14 tracks written by some of bluegrass music’s best songwriters, including Brandon Rickman (Lonesome River Band), Tim Stafford (Blue Highway), Tom T. & Dixie Hall, Shannon Slaughter, Marcie Horne, and Jeanette herself.

The title cut, written by Tom T. & Dixie Hall, is a duet with country icon George Jones. Other special guests include Michelle Nixon, Randy Kohrs, Tony Rice, Tim Stafford, Ben Isaacs, Aubrey Haynie, and more.

Mp3 song samples are available on Jeanette’s website. Be sure to check out Enough Of You, the first track on the CD. It was written by Jeanette and won the bluegrass division of the 2007 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest. Here are Jeanette’s comments on this song from the liner notes.

This is the fourth song I’ve written. The first three were sweet songs about good memories. In 2005, I decided I wanted to write something with a little more ‚Äòattitude’, and this came to me very quickly. I was so honored when it was chosen as the bluegrass division winner of the 2007 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest. It’s not a gospel song, but I give God the glory for this, and everything in my life. I know that without him, I can do nothing.

Be sure you give Brandon Rickman’s Bad Money a listen as well. What a cool tune! And having Tony Rice on guitar on a song like this is icing on the cake.

And check out the last track, a bluegrass version of Gloria Gaynor’s 1979 disco hit, I Will Survive.

I was driving home from a late night jam session with the radio turned up loud to keep me awake. When this song came on, I thought, "Hey, I could do that bluegrass!" We worked it up at our next band practice and have been closing shows with it ever since. I thought it only fitting that we close the album with it as well.

From what I’ve heard, this is going to be a great CD. Jeanette’s vocals are gutsy and emotive, the music is top notch, and the recording sounds great.

The release is set for next month (July 2008), but is available for pre-order ($13) directly from Jeanette. All pre-orders will be entered to win two weekend passes to the Song of the Mountains Festival here in Southwestern VA, at the end of this month.

Sammy Shelor let us know today that he has two new members with him in Lonesome River Band. To be precise, it’s actually one new member, and one returning.

Brandon Rickman is back with the band, playing guitar and singing lead, returning after being gone for a year and a half. He had asked out in the fall of 2005 to focus on his songwriting and spend time with his family, but decided that performing is where he wants to be.

Sammy sounded pleased to have him back.

“Brandon is a great vocalist and songwriter, and one of the best emcees I’ve ever seen. It will be good to have him on stage with us again.”

New to LRB is bass player Mike Anglin, who has recently been working with both Larry Cordle and 3 Fox Drive, and previously with Continental Divide, among other stage and studio gigs. Sammy said that Mike brings something to the band he has wanted for some time.

“Mike can wail on either the upright or electric. If we are playing a traditional bluegrass show, he can play the acoustic, and if we are at a jam grass or high volume show, he can grab the electric.”

Rounding out the band is Matt Leadbetter on dobro, Andy Ball on mandolin and Sammy on banjo.

The newly revised version of the band will be on display next weekend for the first time, performing on the radio and on stage. On Friday (2/23) they will be a featured guest on WDVX radio’s The Blue Plate program between noon and 1:00 p.m., and later that evening at The Station Inn in Nashville.

They will also be in Clay City, KY on February 24 at the Meadowgreen Music Hall. You can find the full LRB schedule on the band’s web site.