Pinecastle has announced February 2010 as the release date for the next Josh Williams album, Down Home, but Josh says that he will have copies for sale from his web site by Thanksgiving.

This will be the third solo CD for this young artist, who at 29 has already logged lengthy stints with Special Consensus and Rhonda Vincent. His debut album, Now That You’re Gone, was released in 2001, featuring contributions from a who’s who of bluegrass superpickers, as did his 2004 follow-up, Lonesome Highway.

On Down Home, Josh pays tribute to the artists who inspired him, and the acts who gave him a start in the business. He reunites most of the personnel from Special C during his tenure (Greg Cahill and Tim Dishman), and has his guitar idol Tony Rice with him for a version of Blue Railroad Train. Tracking for this project started while Josh was still a member of The Rage, and Rhonda joins on a couple of songs along with fellow then-Ragers Kenny Ingram and Mickey Harris.

Also helping out are Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, Stewart Duncan, Jason Carter, Carl Jackson, Randy Kohrs, Tina Adair, and Aaron McDaris.

We heard Josh perform a couple of tracks from the CD during his IBMA showcase. His version of Jimmy Martin’s The Last Song was brilliant, and I am eager to hear the recorded version when the album hits. There is an inescapable joy in Williams’ music, and it is infectious, whether live or on disc.

Greg Cahill rivals Doyle Lawson in the bluegrass talent development department. Over the nearly 35 years he has managed Special Consensus, he has seen a number of young artists develop into fine musicians, and he is a big Josh Williams backer.

“I cannot speak highly enough about the musical accomplishments of Josh Williams, my good friend and consummate musician. He came to The Special Consensus right out of high school (actually while in his last few months of school) and immediately played mandolin and sang like a seasoned professional. Over the years since that time, he has grown to become a major voice in the world of bluegrass music and an award-winning guitar player as well. He is a great writer, singer and instrumentalist and it is a true joy to see him begin to receive the recognition his extraordinary talent deserves. Go Josh!!!”

Rhonda Vincent also spoke highly of Williams…

“Josh is a very talented guy. So glad to hear his CD is finally coming out.”

Pre-order details for Down Home can be found on the official Josh Williams web site.

Here’s all the photos from the Awards Show in a single gallery. Dean Hoffmeyer did a fantastic job with these.

More to come in the morning.

One now, another in October…

First up, the latest album from The Isaacs, Naturally: An Almost a Cappella Collection, is out on Spring House. It contains 16 new tracks from the reigning family in bluegrass Gospel music. Six of the songs are a cappella, and the rest featured only one or two instruments as accompaniment.

The songs come from writers familiar to fans of Gospel music – Bill and Gloria Gaither, Dottie Rambo and Sonya Isaacs. There is one from Larry Gatlin, and The Isaacs also include a remake of The Three Bells, the giant hit for Jim Ed Brown and The Browns in 1959.

Audio samples can be found on The Isaacs’ web site and in iTunes.

Dailey & Vincent, the current superstars of bluegrass harmony singing, have an a cappella collection in the works as well. Singing From The Heart will be released October 20 on Rounder Records.

This project, which includes a number of notable guest vocalists, will serve to benefit the Tennessee Bible College in Cookeville, TN. Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent started this project in 2001 to raise money for the school, well before they ever hatched their plan to perform and record together.

To fill out the quartets, they invited Andy Ball of Lonesome River Band, Shawn Lane of Blue Highway, Tony King (formerly with JD Crowe) and Molly Skaggs, the talented daughter of Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White. Even Doyle Lawson, Jamie’s former boss, gets in on the action, adding his baritone vocal on a track. Basses Glenn Dustin and Jeff Pearles also contribute.

Tennessee Bible College has always accepted all comers, regardless of an ability to pay, and proceeds from the CD will go to further that effort.

Tracks include:

Though released on Rounder, Singing From The Heart will not be in wide distribution, but offered primarily through Christian bookstores and resellers, the Tennessee Bible College and the Rounder and Dailey & Vincent web sites.

No audio samples up yet online that we could find.

UPDATE 9/16: Thanks to reader Brian Ison who found audio samples from Singing From The Heart at EMI/CMG Distribution’s site.

No… these are a different sort of awards.

After winning several armloads of trophies at IBMA 2008, Dailey & Vincent may be accustomed to walking off stage with major awards. But handing them out, not so much.

But that’s just what they’ve done. After the success of their self-titled debut release, and the ‘09 follow-up, Brothers From Different Mothers, the boys wanted to show some appreciation to people who have opened doors for them in the music business.

They presented a Door Opener Award to WSM and The Grand Ole Opry’s Eddie Stubbs on July 30 after their performance at the Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman show. Stubbs was brought out on stage to accept this expression of gratitude for the support he has shown Dailey & Vincent.

Then  two weeks later on August 11, they presented a similar trophy to Pete Fisher, General manager of The Grand Ole Opry, after their Tuesday Opry show. The duo had played their very first live performance at The Opry on December 29, 2007, and thanked Fisher for having booked them on the show.

We understand that Dailey & Vincent is back in the studio again this summer, working on a Statler Brothers tribute album. Their next Rounder CD is scheduled to be an all a capella project.

No resting on their laurels for these fellas!