They have a newly-published video that follows the family to a show at The Opry, to their booth at Fan Fair and displaying their prowess at tenpin bowling.

All the online videos are fun, but the one all their fans will surely cherish the most is the recording of their very first live performance back in 1999 – surely worth the free registration.

Find all their video on iLike.

The tracks, Sumatra and Don’t Believe, are available as free MP3 downloads on their iLike artist page. They were recorded at The Rutledge on September 28 of last year during IBMA week, a concert that was broadcast live on WDVX online. Both songs are from their current CD, Cherryholmes III – Don’t Believe.

If you’ve not seen Cherryholmes live recently – or ever – these tracks display the sort of energy that is a defining component of their stage show.

You can see the rest of the photos and get the free tracks from Cherryholmes’ iLike page. The iLike service is free, but a brief registration is required.

Over the course of two days, Cherryholmes performs at the Ralph Stanley festival in Coeburn, VA, and in Kansas City for a show with the KC Symphony.

Fun stuff…

Click here to view the embedded video.

The show originates from Knoxville, TN where the WDVX signal is broadcast at 102.9 FM. It airs Monday-Friday at noon (ET), and can be heard online via live audio streaming.

The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band will also perform on today’s show.

A series of rambles about CDs by bluegrassmercury, part 2…

A big bundle of CDs has landed on my desk in the recent past. They include those by Danny Paisley, the Infamous Stringdusters, Williams & Clark Expedition, Kenny & Amanda Smith Band, Daughters Of Bluegrass, High Windy, Gold Heart, Cherryholmes, Earl Scruggs, The Mashville Brigade, Crowe Brothers, Ralph Stanley II, Longview, Big Country Bluegrass.

The Daughters Of Bluegrass Bluegrass Bouquet (Blue Circle BCR 017) is an epic collection of some considerable magnitude, comprising 17 cuts and featuring over 50 ‚Äòdaughters.’ The first track, Proud To Be A Daughter of Bluegrass alone there are 20 ladies singing, 4 shouters and 6 pickers.

Those familiar with the Blue Circle label and the Good Home Grown Music group will recognise that this album is the product of Tom T Hall and our own Miss Dixie Hall. She’s a Boldmere, Birmingham girl! The duo penned all songs and most of the recording was done at the Hall’s home studio in Franklyn, Tennessee.

The quality of songs and singers is remarkably and consistently high, with many stand-out tracks (There Ought to Be) More to Love than This [sung by Lisa Ray]; I’m Gonna Love You Now [Frances Mooney]; Nobody Home [Lorraine Jordan]; the a cappella Go Up on the Mountain and Wait [with five-part harmonies]; I Made of a Flower Today and Scenes from an Old Country Graveyard, both with an old-time country feel; another with a gospel edge Take Me With You [Beth Lawrence]; Desmoranda [Valerie Smith]; Carolina State of Mind [Gina Britt]; and Everybody Got a Light [Beth Stevens]. In addition to the opening song, three others feature multiple lead vocalists. Overall, the ladies have produced an excellent album.

The latest album from Ralph Stanley II This One Is II (Lonesome Day Records 013) sees him striking out for a wider market than that which encapsulates the strict bluegrass fan. Stanley has a deeper voice than the late lamented Keith Whitley, but the similarities are very definitely there, just as they are with his uncle, Carter Stanley.

II, as he is known, has gathered together a bunch of top studio buddies; Tim Crouch (fiddle and guitar), Cody Kilby (guitar), Randy Kohrs (resophonic guitar), Harold Nixon (bass), Adam Steffey (mandolin) and Ron Stewart (banjo, utilised sparingly). Jim Lauderdale, Steve Gulley, Darrin Vincent, Marty Raybon and Dale Ann Bradley all provide some harmonic assistance.

Beginning with a Garth Brooks song, Cold Shoulder, II has included a Elton John song (Georgia) and one by Townes van Zandt (the beautifully melodious "Loretta") and another by Lyle Lovett (a driving bluegrass treatment of "L A County"). Also, in the ‚Äòcountry’ pigeon-hole are They Say I’ll Never Go Home, Honky Tonk Way and If This Old Guitar Could Talk. Train Songs is up-tempo offering from the pen of the ubiquitous Tom T Hall. Saving the very best for comment to the last there is the killer Moms Are the Reason Wild Flowers Grow and the equally heart-rendering Carter, the Fred Eaglesmith tribute to Carter Stanley. File under ‚ÄòGreat Music.’

Junior Sisk has had chequered career in bluegrass, writing for the Lonesome River Band in the early 1990s, working with Wyatt Rice & Santa Cruz, Lost & Found and BlueRidge have bracketed an earlier incarnation of the band he now fronts, Ramblers Choice.

Blue Side Of The Blue Ridge (Rebel 1825) fills a void that spans too many years. Sisk, now based in Ferrum, Virginia, has lived most of his life in the Blue Ridge Mountains and it colours his music. Accompanying him here is Sisk’s cousin Tim Massey (bass, vocals), Chris Harris (mandolin, harmony vocals), Billy Hawks (fiddle) and Darrell Wilkerson (banjo), while guest Wyatt Rice brought along his guitar for the sessions.

Sisk is steeped in traditional bluegrass, so much so that How Could I Explain was very nearly on Danny Paisley’s recent album. From the banjo kick-off on the first cut, The Wolf Is At The Door the music drives along at a fair lick. Other highlights are the title track, You Let the Dog off the Chain, Leaving Baker County, Dust On the Bible, I Did The Leaving For You and The Man In The Moon. Massey is the perfect foil for Sisk’s high lonesome, bluesy vocals. Massey sings lead on the two songs that he wrote without diluting the intensity of the rest of the album.

Cherryholmes have continued with the numbering system for their latest album; number III in this instance, with a subtitle Don’t Believe (Skaggs Family 6989020202). I have to admit to be slow getting into Cherryholmes, but that was my loss, although I have caught up with them now.

The family band is growing and developing further with each CD, not surprisingly as four of the members mature as people as well as musicians and, as usual, there is a lot of original material from them. Cia Cherryholmes provided seven of the 11 songs in this collection. The Sailing Man is exceptional with the up-tempo Don’t Believe, I Can Only Love You (So Much), with Cia herself singing lead vocals, and My Love For You Grows, sung by Skip, not far behind. Mum Sandy’s King As A Babe Comes Down is given an otherworldly sound with droning fiddle, whistle and accordion to accompany her vocals. BJ provided a couple of instrumentals; the hot Sumatra and the lovely medley Mansker Spree/O’Coughlin’s Reel, with its twin fiddles, and exercises his vocal chops on Bleeding. Molly, the youngest at 15, wrote and sang the funky Goodbye. The odd one out, so to speak, is Devil In Disguise, penned by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman. It is easy to appreciate why this group won the IBMA Entertainer of the Year award in 2005.

Mountain Roads Recordings is a new label – founded in Bristol, Virginia, at the beginning of 2008. Big Country Bluegrass, so called after the Jimmy Martin instrumental, was the first band to sign up with them, having previously been part of the Hay Holler stable.

Mention of Jimmy Martin and Hay Holler will immediately give two good clues as to what listeners to Open For Business (MRR-BC-001) can expect; authentic hard-driving bluegrass. Big Country Bluegrass are Tommy Sells (mandolin), Teresa Sells (guitar and vocals), Jeff Michael (fiddle, lead guitar and vocals), Johnny Williams (rhythm guitar and vocals), Lynwood Lunsford (banjo and vocals) and Alan Mastin (bass).

The first track, High Alleghenies, has Jeff Michael singing lead along with Teresa Sells (high baritone) and Johnny Williams (tenor), thus showcasing the beautiful harmonies and drive of this group. Michael’s unique lead vocals can be heard also on Ghost Of A Love, Weary Traveler, I’ll Never Dream No More My Darling and Old Time Preacher Man, among others. Williams assumes the role of lead vocalist on Nashville Jail and Just Another Broken Heart, while Teresa Sells does likewise on I’ve Lost You and I Guess I’ll Go On Dreaming.

Open For Business is a combination of old standards, traditional favourites and two new songs, one by that prolific song-writing couple Tom T. and Miss Dixie Hall.

One CD that has been getting regular play in this household is Signs (Pinecastle 1169) from Special Consensus.

Signs consists of a dozen very impressive songs in all, including some of the best love songs collected on one album in a long time. Ashby Franks’ title song cleverly alludes to the interpretations of messages from the opposite gender. A timeless issue. Franks also penned My Heart Breaks Again. While Justin Carbone’s collaboration with Becky Buller, the excellent mid-tempo Gone To Carolina and his Lonesome Lesson Learned also demonstrate that Special Consensus has two excellent songwriters in its midst.

Franks sings lead on six songs, his voice being equally well suited to Jake Landers’ Mountain Girl, a song from the Statler Brothers’ repertoire, I’ll Go To My Grave Lovin’ You, and another country-style song Footprints. Carbone sings lead on four, both those noted as penned by him plus Leaving This Old Town, and the traditional sacred song What A Beautiful Day. David Thomas, the third lead vocalist heard here, does a fine job on the funky, swinging Talkin’ About It Just Don’t Get It Done. Cahill helped to pen the topically titled Snowball Breakdown. The CD, which is due for general release on 24 March, is a cert for lots of airplay and perhaps some recognition by those that decide to whom the industry’s awards go.

Gold Heart will be touring the UK shortly and, even though they are predominantly very young , they have already released two CDs. Never Let Go is their latest. On this album the band comprises the three Gold sister, Analise, Jocelyn and Shelby, plus studio guests Alan Bartram (bass), Thomas Wywrot (banjo), Andy Hall (Dobro®), Brandon Godman (second fiddle) and producer Justin Carbone.

Typical of this day and age, most of the songs are written by the band members, with Jocelyn Gold providing the bulk of them; writing seven on her own and collaborating on three others. Back To Virginia, Lonely Rain, the a cappella trio Walk On The Water and Hear Me Cry are outstanding compositions. The latter was a finalist in the Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at MerleFest last year.

The depth of maturity in those songs is quite staggering. What is more, it extends to Shelby’s Forever Tennessee and Thank You Darlin’. She wasn’t even a teenager when she penned either song. Not to be outdone, eldest sister Analise contributes the reflective Memories Of My Past and has co-writer credit for Walk On The Water. Most arrangements are up-tempo, but for a change of pace the slower Daylight Breaks and the afore-mentioned Hear Me Cry offer a change from the norm.

All the girls share the vocal responsibilities and solo or in harmony they excel. The performances on Never Let Go are polished with traditional grounding overlaid with youthful vigour and sensibilities.

The Dry Branch Fire Squad’s Echoes Of The Mountains (Rounder 0574) is the first studio recordings in about eight years and it is most welcome. The current line-up comprises Brian Aldridge (guitar, mandolin and vocals), Tom Boyd (banjo, Dobro ¬Æ and vocals), Dan Russell (bass, banjo and vocals) and Ron Thomason (mandolin, guitar, claw hammer banjo, percussion and vocals).

The opening Dixie Cowboy starts up-tempo with Michael Cleveland prominent, before the tempo slows at the end. It is the first of three western songs, the others being Rider On A Orphan Train and Seven Spanish Angels. They reflect delightfully the life style that Colorado resident Thomason enjoys at the moment. His rendition of Echo Mountain achieves his aim of presenting it as a metaphor for all folks who have friends of a different species with a subtle shift of emphasis from the babe to the faithful hound.

Aldridge and Boyd share the vocal responsibilities on Stormy Waters as they reprise the Jimmy Martin duet with Paul Williams in great fashion. Boyd’s other showcase is a solo rendition of Little Joe. Elsewhere there is an a cappella quartet – Power In The Blood; old-time – O Captain! My Captain, a Thomason solo with just clawhammer banjo for accompaniment; soul – Sam Cooke‚Äòs Bring It Home To Me with Thomason’s rustic voice accompanied by a doo-wop style vocal backing; and a touch of dry humour – (You Got To Pray To The Lord) When You See Those Flying Saucers.

How can one objectively review The Hangman (Pinecastle 1167) by Ernie Thacker when, by all accounts, he is extremely fortunate to be alive after a horrendous road accident in April 2006 and a series of critical surgical operations and needs the use of a wheelchair?

Thacker is possibly best known for a brief spell with the Clinch Mountain Boys, although he has had a stop-start career as leader of his own band Route 23 for some years. In addition to Thacker (guitar and vocals) is his brother Matt (bass guitar and tenor vocals), Dick Roach (banjo and baritone vocals) and Brandon Shupping (mandolin) along with guest fiddle player John Rigsby.

Fast tempos dominate for the first three songs, and indeed throughout. The slower Friday Once Again prompts comparison with Keith Whitley’s country offerings. The evocative Keith How Many, written by Melvin Burns and Ernie Thacker, is as powerful a tribute as Fred Eaglesmith’s Carter (mentioned earlier).

There aren’t as many songs from the band members as is normal these days – excellent exceptions are the title song and the Gospel Church Upon The Hill. All the Thacker brothers have a hand in writing these. However, is a good sprinkling of fresh songs with Bill Castle’s The Ballad Of Charlie Dill, Dave Carroll’s Detroit City Chill, and Word Of Mouth from Salvatore Guido and Paul Kelly. Covers include This Drinkin’ Will Kill Me from Dwight Yoakam, I Wish You Knew, Sunday Morning Coming Down and the traditional Rollin’ On These Rubber Wheels. Thacker’s past defines his future.

A variation of this edition of ‘Light In The Window" has been published in British Bluegrass News.

More next time
…………………

Cherryholmes

This one is an all-family production, filmed and edited by members of the Cherryholmes clan. Somehow I suspect that it was the younger contingent who actually did the work. I don’t see Jere sitting behind the computer editing video – though mom Sandy doesn’t show up very often on screen, suggesting that she may have been behind the camera.

Cherryholmes has created a YouTube channel so that you follow their videos online, both ones they may post, and videos from their label or from fans.

To help fans follow them on their Grammy trip, the various members of Cherryholmes will be posting regular updates on their Twitter page. They are nominated in two categories (Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental).

The full list of nominees for Bluegrass album are:

• Cherryholmes III: Don’t Believe – Cherryholmes
• Del McCoury Band ‚Äî Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Del McCoury Band
• The Ultimate Collection / Live At The Ryman – Earl Scruggs With Family & Friends
• Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 And 1947 – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Wheels – Dan Tyminski

The Grammy awards show will be telecast on Sunday (2/8) at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on CBS television. The bluegrass award will be announced, however, during a Pre-Telecast Ceremony from 4:00-7:45 p.m. (ET). This ceremony will not be telecast, but will be streamed live online at www.grammy.com.

Other grassers nominated for a Grammy include Jerry Douglas for Two Small Cars In Rome from his Glide CD, B?©la Fleck & The Flecktones for Sleighride on Jingle All The Way, both in the Best Country Instrumental category. Also nominated are The Steeldrivers for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals category for Blue Side Of The Mountain from their self-titled debut.

The video is made up entirely from images of US service members sent in by family members and friends, set to the music of the remixed version of the song.
The remix involved adding some light percussion and keyboards to fit more with country radio programming.

The remixed single is available for download purchase in iTunes.

And so it has come to pass…

Skaggs Family Records has released a new mix of This Is My Son today (1/20), which has already been distributed as a single to both country and military radio. The song is in the form of a prayer, offered by a parent asking for protection and a safe return of a son off to war.

The remix is available for download purchase in iTunes, and the full track can be heard on the band’s MySpace page. We also have an extended audio sample below.

Jere Cherryholmes, patriarch of this popular bluegrass brood, gave us some details on this new release…

 “This song has a great message, and it’s neat to get to play something that connects with a lot of parents who have children off serving in the military. We feel like it’s a gift to the military families, and are hoping to get to play more military shows. We feel that its important to show them our support.

The remix didn’t really change the feel of the original track; everything we did was non-intrusive. We added country style piano – very light, though – some subtle percussion, and brought in a Hammond B3 organ.

Ricky Skaggs and Sandy [Cherryholmes] did the remix in one day. I wasn’t able to be there.”

Listen now:      

Jere also mentioned that based on pre-release airplay, the single will appear on the Billboard country singles chart this week.

I asked the folks at Skaggs Family about the possibility of a music video, and Brad Fields responded with a no… but:

“A full budget video isn’t in the foreseeable  future. However, we are taking fan submitted photos of their loved ones in the military to possibly be used in a slide show that will be set to the single and posted on the Skaggs Family Records YouTube page.

Fans can help us get airplay by calling their local country  station and requesting the single. If they aren’t sure about what station to  contact they can visit radio-locator.com and bring up their local country radio stations.”

During that October ‘08 interview, Cherryholmes also talked about their upcoming string of dates performing their music with a symphony orchestra. Jere also shared a few thoughts about this new experience for the family.

“The first symphony show was a week ago this past Thursday. It really went great. When we did the first rehearsal, the orchestra had never heard our music before. We were set up on the front of the stage, with only one mic and all the instruments were on wireless remotes.

We put them through their paces! We did Nine Yards, Sumatra and a few others – the audience really loved it.

Playing in front of an 85 piece orchestra…  it was cool, and the show got a great review in the Portland paper.”

After an appearance this Friday (1/23) on The Grand Ole Opry, Cherryholmes heads off for a three-day visit to the UK with concerts in London and Glasgow. They follow that with some dates in Switzerland, and then a Caribbean cruise.

Tough duty…

You can keep up to date with the Cherryholmes tour schedule on their official web site.

Here are the nominees for Best Bluegrass Album for 2009.

• Cherryholmes III: Don’t Believe – Cherryholmes
• Del McCoury Band ‚Äî Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Del McCoury Band
• The Ultimate Collection / Live At The Ryman – Earl Scruggs With Family & Friends
• Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 And 1947 – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Wheels – Dan Tyminski

Cherryholmes also was nominated in the Best Country Instrumental Performance category for the track Sumatra from that same CD, as was Jerry Douglas for Two Small Cars In Rome from Glide, and B?©la Fleck & The Flecktones for Sleighride on Jingle All The Way.

The Steeldrivers were nominated in the Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals category for Blue Side Of The Mountain from their self-titled debut release.

Alison Krauss received several with Robert Plant for their Raising Sand CD – Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, Best Country Collaboration With Vocals and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album.

Bill Monroe’s 1940 single recording of Mule Skinner Blues will also be inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame this year.

The 51 st Grammy Awards will be broadcast live on CBS February 8, 2009. The bluegrass awards are announced and distributed in a  separate ceremony to be held earlier that day.

First up is fiddler April Verch who be a guest of Carol Beaugard on WFDU’s Lonesome Pine RFD at 11:00 a.m.

She’ll be talking about her latest CD, Steal The Blue, which features her on both fiddle and lead vocals on a musical melange of French Canadian, Appalachian, Bluegrass, and Celtic influences.

WFDU airs on 89.1 FM in the NYC area, and is streamed live online at WFDU.fm. Carol’s show is also recorded for rebroadcast at a later date on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country.

At 1:00 p.m., Sandy Cherryholmes with join Gracie Muldoon on WorldWideBluegrass.com to talk about the new Cherryholmes project, Cherryholmes III – Don’t Believe.

As the mom of this talented bluegrass brood, you can expect to hear Sandy brag on them a good bit.

To listen to the 24/7 WWB audio stream online, just visit their streaming page, and choose a connection speed and file type.

Any subscription purchased until October 31 (new or renewal) will qualify for a free compilation CD of their choosing. The choices are sampler discs from Rounder, Rebel and Rural Rhythm Records, each featuring tracks from recently released projects from the labels.

The offer is only available online, and limited to US subscribers.

BU Managing Editor Sharon McGraw tells us that the upcoming November issue has a lengthy cover feature on Cherryholmes written by Casey Henry, and articles on guitarist Jim Hurst and folkgrass trio, Red Molly.

The interview was timely as the band’s new CD, Cherryholmes III, was released on Tuesday.

The interview is spent discussing this new release and the band’s outlook for the coming year.

Click here to view the embedded video.

At noon, Cumberland Gap Connection will perform on their Blue Plate Special program. They are one of the IBMA official showcase acts this year (playing Monday night), and will stop off for this show at the WDVX Knoxville studios on their way to Nashville for IBMA.

Then at 9:00 p.m. (EDT) the station will offer a live broadcast of Cherryholmes’ CD release party at The Rutledge. You’ll hear the music from their new CD, Cherryholmes III – Don’t Believe, which hits the streets tomorrow (9/30).

WDVX originates from Knoxville, TN and is broadcast in that market at 102.9 FM – and via live streaming online.

According to a Reuters/Billboard report, Cherryholmes is remixing – with added piano and drums – This Is My Son, one of the cuts from their forthcoming album, Cherryholmes III – Don’t Believe, and releasing it as a single to be promoted to country radio.

The band has a few other ambitious plans that make this fall a very busy time for them.

You can read the full story at reuters.com.

There are audio samples from the new CD at the Skaggs Family Records’ website.

Cia, banjo player, lead vocalist, and the senior member of the young Cherryholmes sibs, talked with us about Cherryholmes III – Don’t Believe, and what the family band has on tap in the next little while.

“We feel it is our finest work to date, and we have been told it has something for everyone. Our approach to bluegrass has allowed us reach a wide spectrum of musical tastes and genres. We are now playing all over the world, not just around the country, and are introducing bluegrass music everywhere to enthusiastic audiences.”

I first met the Cherryholmes in 2002 at the IBMA convention, held then in Louisville, KY. Cia was 18 and the band unknown when they performed on an auxiliary stage as part of a family band showcase. In perhaps the most meteoric rise in bluegrass history, they found themselves a big hit on the festival circuit in no time, and were selected as the IBMA Entertainers of the Year in 2005.

Longtime bluegrass fans know well the long-established tradition of family bands in the history of our music, starting with Bill Monroe who performed with his brother Charlie for several years before launching his Blue Grass Boys. These brother teams continued with the Stanleys, Osbornes and McReynolds boys, while The Carter Family notched radio hits with a parents and children format.

The Lewis Family cemented forever the bluegrass family band template, with retiring family members being replaced with children, grandchildren and their spouses over four generations. Now, the sight of two parents with their bluegrass brood on stage is a common one, with dozens of such groups plying their trade. You’d be hard pressed not to see one at most every bluegrass festival in the the US and Canada.

The Cherryholmes got their start in 1999, and have been growing and maturing musically since that time, as each of the four sibs (Cia, B.J., Skip and Molly) have developed into professional players and entertainers over the course of 8 years of constant touring. Perhaps most notable about this family band is the fact that they refuse to be pigeon-holed as such, and aren’t afraid to ruffle feathers in the bluegrass world.

They write the overwhelming bulk of the material they record, both together and alone. As Cia tells it…

“We had been writing songs for the album all year, and as we got closer to actually starting the recording process, we began narrowing our selections down, picking what we felt to be the strongest.

Occasionally, we will co-write with each other, but generally, we write individually. The co-writes on this album include the title track Don’t Believe by me and Skip, The Sailing Man by mom (Sandy) and me, and Traveler the uptempo tune by all four siblings. Collaboration generally occurs during the arrangement process.”

Cherryholmes III features 12 originals and one cover, a reworking of Devil In Disguise, which was brought into bluegrass by JD Crowe & The New South in ‘73.

From their start as a fairly typical family band – mom and pop with cute kids – they have emerged as serious artists, with a distinctive band sound. With each release, the “kids” have come more and more into their own, and Cherryholmes III takes a more modern approach than anything they have recorded previously.

“Over the last nine years, our music has evolved, and while we didn’t consciously decide to change our sound on this album, it seemed to be the natural course our music was taking. As the band as well as the members have matured, the songwriting reflects a deeper connection between lyric and musical arrangement.

Our label [Skaggs Family] has always allowed and encouraged our creativity and has let us pretty much record as we want. Ricky has often said that we are redefining bluegrass, and that’s how we see the parameter for our music.”

Cia has surely received most of the media attention, both for her singing and her powerful banjo playing. A recent capsule review in USA Today raved about her voice – and includes a gem sure to delight her mom, Sandy.

“Cia Cherryholmes is bluegrass’ most stunning new female vocalist (sister Sandy is not far behind), as revealed on this captivating modal workout.”

But both of her brothers Skip and B.J., and sister Molly are taken seriously in the business as well. Each of the four sing lead vocals on the album, as does Sandy. Molly, the youngest Cherryholmes really steps out on this CD, showing herself to be a fine vocalist at 16 years old.

In fact, Molly contributed one of the most captivating elements on the new CD, the string arrangement on Broken, a brooding lament of a broken heart which Cia wrote and sings.

“From the early stages of Broken we toyed with the idea of adding orchestral parts. Molly began writing the string arrangement in her head, and when we went into the studio she began laying the parts; even renting a cello to lay that herself as well. She has always enjoyed listening to orchestral soundtracks but has never taken any kind of formal training.

Preparations are now in the making for a series of symphonic performances. Selections from Cherryholmes I, II, and III are being scored in order to add an orchestra to our normal stage shows for selected dates. Our first concert will be with the Portland Symphony on January 8th, 2009.”

If you check in with bluegrass radio, either online or over the air, you should be hearing cuts from Cherryholmes III, which won’t be officially released until September 30. It will delight the band’s many fans and likely win them a good many new ones as well.

New fans could be flocking to them in droves if one of the projects they are working on now comes to fruition – a reality TV show that would follow them on the road.

“We are still in the early stages of discussion, negotiating, and filming. They are still working on the basic pitch reel for TLC. We will post more information on our website as it unfolds.”

You can hear audio samples and place orders for Cherryholmes III on the Skaggs Family web site.

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.

Cherryholmes III – Don’t Believe is scheduled to hit on September 30 with a sound that has a more contemporary edge that previous projects, with nods to old time, Texas fiddle and Celtic music among the songs, made up primarily of band originals.

We’re planning to run an interview with one of the many Cherryholmes between now and the release date, but for now, go check out the online audio and see what you think.

This dynamic family bluegrass band is listed among the acts to appear at the 44th Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall Grounds, Cambridge, July 31 – August 3.

Formed in April 1999, Cherryholmes has developed into a very accomplished unit with a growing catalogue of very good original material at their disposal. Individually, members are in demand as studio musicians recording on other people’s albums.

The award-winning group already has five CDs, two of which have been released on the prestigious Skaggs Family Records label, and as has been mentioned already, have in the studio working on their next album. Also in the Skaggs Family Recording Studio at the time was a camera man, and video clips revealing some of the recording process are available at the Skaggs Family Records website.

Also available is a clip from Cherryholmes’ appearance at the Glasgow (Scotland) Old Fruitmarket where they recorded Tell Me Why, among other songs, for their contribution to BBC Scotland’s ‘Celtic Connections 2008′ TV series.

Other dates while in England include …

• July 28 – Maidstone, Kent: Zebra Bar
• July 29 – Pontypridd: Muni Arts Centre
• July 30 – London: The Luminaire

Jere told me that the new band CD is nearly finished, with only the approval of the last few mixes required before it goes off for replication. Most of the material will be original, though he said that the band had wanted to include at least a couple of older songs.

“BJ had one that he had been wanting to record for a couple years, but it had never seemed appropriate to me. Now that he is 19, I guess it’s OK.”

The song is Devil In Disguise, which was recorded by JD Crowe & The New South back in 1973, and I heard BJ’s version on Sunday’s show at Grave’s Mountain in Virginia. It’s a fine tribute to the original, and will be featured on Cherryholmes III when it is released on Skaggs Family Records on September 30.

“Once we named the last album Cherryholmes II (Black & White), it seemed like we might as well keep on naming the new CDs that way. It worked well for Chicago, who made it to #18, and I hope we get there as well.”

The band has had a very busy 2008 on the road, and Jere mentioned that they had especially enjoyed being part of a number of country legends shows with the likes of Hank Williams Jr, Alabama and The Oak Ridge Boys. A friendship with the Oaks has blossomed of late, in part due to Joe Bonsall constantly nagging Cia for banjo lessons.

An Australian tour with The Oak Ridge Boys is being planned for 2009, with hopes of a North American tour to follow.

They are heading overseas now for a week long tour in England, running July 27 through August 1.

Jere also enjoyed doing a show that included bearded rockers, ZZ Top. I wondered if his young progeny had any familiarity with the band before the show.

“All they knew was that they were the band that I was supposed to look like.”

The biggest news that Jere had to share regards the possibility that Cherryholmes might end up as reality TV stars. They recently had a television production company travel with the band for a weekend shooting a pilot that will be presented to a major cable network.

Now, that sounds like a hoot!