A new CD has been released from Sound Art Recordings as a tribute to the late Butch Baldassari, who founded the company, and ran it until his death earlier this year.

Butch was a true leader in the mandolin world – as a player, composer, instructor, entrepreneur, and fierce proponent of musical literacy for mandolinists. He had performed with seminal bands like Weary Hearts and Lonesome Standard Time and was instrumental in the formation of the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble.

He was diagnosed with an inoperable brain cancer in June of 2007, and fought long and hard against what would be a formidable and ultimately invincible foe. Butch’s wife Sinclair continues to run the company and manage Butch’s musical legacy, and she was very pleased to be able to announce the release of the new CD.

The Road Home – A Tribute To Butch Baldassari contains 20 tracks of music from Butch’s many friends in the bluegrass and mandolin worlds. There are contributions from Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Sam Bush, David Grisman, Tim O’Brien, Mike Compton, Roland White and many others.

Proceeds from the sale of this album will go to a college fund for Butch and Sinclair’s teenaged son, Blake.

They are available now for $15 from the Sound Art web site. Buy several, and share them with your friends. It is a fitting tribute to a great artist and a fine, funny and lovable man.

Brandon Rickman, guitarist and vocalist with Lonesome River Band is interviewed in the current (March/April ‘09) issue of Bluegrass Music Profiles.

The interview covers a lot of ground in the life of this young bluegrass singer and songwriter. Brandon talks about his reasons for leaving the band, why he returned, and what he was up to in the interim.

"…everything happens for a reason and when I came back I had grown a lot as a writer, as a singer, as a producer – everything. When we went in the studio (for the recording of No Turning Back) this was the first time that I can say that I jumped in there and was as big a part of it and as involved as you could possibly be."

The new issue also has an interview with Williams & Clark Expedition’s Kimberly and Blake Williams, a DJ Profile with Bill Hensley, a look at the bluegrass side of Charlie Daniels, an interview with Canadian bluegrass legend Eddy Poirier, and a remembrance of Butch Baldassari.

Regular features include Shop Talk with Alan Munde, Bluegrass Favorites with Rickey Wasson and Darren Beachley, a Promoter Profile on C.R. Wilson, and a Songwriter Profile on Stan Keach.

More information on BMP can be found online.

Mike Bub just sent us a note he received from Sinclair Baldassari, Butch’s widow, with information about the memorial services to be held in Butch’s honor for his many friends in and around Nashville.

The prayer service will be at 11:00 a.m. this Saturday (1/31) at the Blakemore United Methodist Church in Nashville. The family will greet visitors at a simple reception following the service.

Sunday afternoon at The Station Inn will de given over to a musical celebration for Butch, starting at 1:00 p.m.

Sinclair’s note mentioned special arrangements for out-of-town visitors who would like to join them this weekend.

“The Holiday Inn (2613 West End) is offering a bereavement price of $98 per night.  It is about a mile from the church and less than 5 miles from The Station Inn.  If you want that price, you need to ask for it when you make your reservation (1-800-465-4329).  If they ask, it’s the Baldassari service at Blakemore.”

Later today (1/18) on KBCS, a special tribute to Butch Baldassari will air during Bluegrass Ramble.

The show airs from noon to 3:00 p.m. (PST), and has been a staple on KBCS for almost 25 years. They feature a format of bluegrass mixed with old-time and vintage country, co-hosted by Pete Goodall, Dave Long, Christine Linde and Tom Keeney.

This afternoon’s show finds Keeney joined by recently retired KBCS host Susan Madden for the Baldassari tribute from 1:30-3:00 p.m., west coast time.

KBCS broadcasts from Bellevue, WA at 91.3 FM, and via online streaming at www.kbcs.fm.