Rural Rhythm Records has announced that they will be releasing on March 10 the single Amazing Grace as performed by Carrie Hassler.

This song is the first commercial single release on the new Rural Rhythm Christian imprint label dedicated to creating fine Christian music from America’s heartland.

Carrie has been performing Amazing Grace a cappella at their live concerts for some time now, earning huge audience response, with fans continually requesting a recorded version of the song.

Amazing Grace will be available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, Zune and other digital outlets and is also featured on the upcoming new Gospel Collection summer release, Mountain Soul directed to both the Christian and Mainstream markets.

Well, not yet…but she soon will.

Pikeville, TN, Hassler’s hometown, will be presenting her with the Key to the City next month. Pikeville Mayor, Greg Johnson, will make the presentation and proclaim Carrie Hassler Day, on December 5, 2008. There will be a reception from 5-8 pm at the Perfect Light Gallery located at 421 Spring Street, Pikeville, TN.

I’ve never been given a key to a city, does it allow for unrestricted access to everything, or only public and municipal buildings?

In related news, Carrie is also the cover feature in the November/December 2008 issue of Bluegrass Music Profiles. This is the 3rd Annual Women in Bluegrass issue for the mag.

The November/December 2008 edition of Bluegrass Music Profiles (BMP) is now available according to a note that I received this morning from the publishers, Bluegrass Publications, LLC.

This new edition carries the legend “3rd Annual Women In Bluegrass Issue,” and it features articles about Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Sierra Hull, Jeanette Williams, and Next Best Thing (Tensel and Sally Sandker). In addition you’ll find in its pages a DJ Profile with Andrea Bradstreet, ShopTalk with Casey Henry, Songwriter Profile with Donna Ulisse, and a Promoter Profile with Chris Palmer of RiverCity Bluegrass Festival.

BMP is currently soliciting submissions from promoters regarding their 2009 festival dates for a free listing in the magazine’s annual festival guide, to be included in the January/February 2009 edition.

Women in Bluegrass is also the theme of this week’s Music from Foggy Hollow, airing on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country. The show is hosted by Australian Mike Kear and is offered 6 times weekly over the 24/7 streaming audio feed at bluegrasscountry.org.

Mike says that every song played on this week’s show will either be all-female, or feature a female performer. A number of selections from the newest Daughters Of Bluegrass CD, Bluegrass Bouquet, will be played, along with an interview with co-producer and songwriter Dixie Hall.

Look for Mike’s show Tuesday at 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Thursday at 10:00 p.m., and Friday at noon. All times eastern.

There are a number of opportunities to catch some special bluegrass programming and live music today (Friday, 9/12).

At 1:00 p.m. (EDT), Carrie Hassler will be interviewed on WorldWideBluegrass.com. Carrie will join WWB host Gracie Muldoon to talk about her latest CD, CHHR2, and what she and her band, Hard Rain, are up to heading into the IBMA convention at the end of this month.

Catch the live WWB stream online at worldwidebluegrass.com.

Then at 5:00 p.m. (EDT), The Dixie Be-Liners will be performing live on WNCW FM. They will be on the Studio B program, and highlight material from their latest CD, Ripe.

WNCW broadcasts on several FM frequencies in NW North Carolina, and streams their signal online at wncw.org.

Tonight’s Friday Opry also has some bluegrass on tap. Both Cherryholmes and Rhonda Vincent are scheduled – Cherryholmes between 9:00-9:30, and Rhonda in the final segment between 10:30-11:00. All times eastern.

Rhonda is set to appear during the same segment as country crooner Gene Watson, fueling speculation that they may perform their duet version of Together Again, from Watson’s current CD, Matters Of The Heart.

The Grand Ole Opry is carried over the air at WSM 650 AM, broadcasting from Nashville, on XM channel 11 (XM Nashville), or via live streaming at wsmonline.com.