Grasstowne had no sooner arrived home from their Yukon adventures than they announced the hiring of heralded multi-instrumentalist Dale Perry on bass and bass vocals.

Dale has had quite a career in bluegrass, working with some of the most prestigious acts in the business. He has done time with Lonesome River Band, The Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, David Parmley & Continental Divide, and just recently, with Pine Mountain Railroad. During that time he has been a banjo player and a bass player, and even played both at different times with Doyle!

Phil Leadbetter was happy to share the news of Dale’s move to Grasstowne.

“We are very excited to have him. He is one of the true veterans of this music.”

Phil mentioned that even though Dale will be touring with them from this point forward, he will not appear on the band’s new album, expected later this year. That will feature Travis Greer on bass, who had been with them for the past few years and recorded the new project with Grasstowne.

Look for a Grasstowne show near you by checking their tour schedule online.

Cody Shuler recently announced that effect October 18, 2008, Dale Perry has joined Pine Mountain Railroad. Dale will be playing the 5 and singing harmony vocals.

Dale’s bass singin as been a distinguishing marks of the bands he’s performed with in the past, including the Lonesome River Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and David Parmely & Continental Divide.

Dale has periodically taken time off the road between bands to run his Lakeside Recording Studio, even recording the last Pine Mountain Railroad CD. I asked Cody Shuler to share with us the story of how Dale came to join the band.

I am glad to have Dale Perry be a part of this band. His vocal work along with his great banjo playing brings some great new sounds from this band. We have been working on some great quartets that feature some of his great bass singing. Dale recorded our latest cd “Pickin’ Praisin’ & Singin’ at his Lakeside Studio in Moneta, VA. He will also be recording a cd we are currently working on as well. Dale has played with some great groups through the years, The Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and David Parmley. I am very excited to have him join CS & PMR.

Be sure to keep an eye on PMR’s tour schedule and go hear them with Dale Perry in the band.

Continental Divide banjo picker Dale Perry is the most recent respected 5 string pro to sign on as a Huber Banjos endorser. He joins such top banjo players as Sammy Shelor, Jim Mills, Ron Block, Cia Cherryholmes, Jason Burleson and Greg Cahill on the Huber artist roster.

Dale selected a Huber Kalamazoo model, and has been using it on stage this past few weeks. His initial reactions to the new axe have been quite positive.

“This instrument is incredible!! It went from Steve Huber’s hands, into the case, back out of the case and in my hands playing on stage is the span of about 20 minutes. No set up, no tinkering‚Ķ I just hooked up the strap and blasted off.

This banjo and sounds as much like a pre-war Mastertone as anything I have ever played.”

Find out more about the various Huber models on their web site, or see where to catch Dale and his new banjo on the David Parmley & Continental Divide schedule page.

Church House Hymns, from David Parmley & Continental Divide, is due for a March 25 release on their private label, DP&CD Records. It is a collection of familiar Gospel songs, including ones that have been most requested by fans over the years.

Their intention was to select timeless hymns that many bluegrass fans may have grown up singing in church. Included are such classics as Farther Along, Are You Washed In The Blood (of the Lamb), I’m In The Gloryland Way, Will You Meet Me Over Yonder and Over In the Gloryland.

They have also chosen to feature a re-recording of There Is A Fountain, the groundbreaking a capella song which The Bluegrass Cardinals sang on their first record back in 1975. Ron Stewart guests on fiddle for several tracks on Church House Hymns, and regular banjo picker Dale Perry adds Scruggs-style finger picked guitar as well.

Mandolinist and tenor singer Randy Graham passed along some background on the striking cover shot.

“It’s a church we played in Norway a couple of years back. You can’t see it in the shot, but about 100 yards from the front door, the water in the fjord is 1,200 feet deep, so clear you can see as far as light will penetrate.”

Randy also shared a touching personal reminiscence of fellow former Bluegrass Cardinal, Steve Stephenson.

“As you may recall, Steve added his bass vocal on the original cut of There Is A Fountain. We have known him since the late 60’s. David and I called Steve’s wife, Judy, from the studio Sunday evening, to check up on Steve’s ongoing battle with cancer and arrange a visit with him before festival season got into full swing. Steve was unable to talk on the phone, having received a chemo treatment during the week and was dealing with flu-like symptoms. We passed our bests wishes to Steve via Judy.

Long story short, Steve passed away early the following morning, just hours after we finished up There Is A Fountain. He was a dear friend… we were/are deeply saddened at his passing.”

Church House Hymns will be available from the band at any of their live shows, and from their official web site as soon as it is released on March 25.