We heard recently from Daniel Grindstaff, banjo picker with Marty Raybon, with news about Marty’s new CD and the band’s recent travels.

As many of our readers are aware, Raybon got his start as a bluegrass artist in Florida performing with his family band before achieving chart-topping success with the country band Shenandoah.

Daniel tells us that the new CD is tentatively titled, This That And The Other, and will touch on many of the various musical styles Marty has performed over the years - to include ballads, up tempo bluegrass, and Gospel music. It will be his first double disc project, and an early release to bluegrass radio is due to be shipped in August.

Marty has wanted to release a project like this for some time, based on recurring fan requests, and shared his own thoughts about the new CD:

“This has been a long awaited project of material that I truly believe will take the fan of yesterday and today to a reminiscence of the past while keeping pace with what looks like a very bright and successful future.”

The band has just returned from a tour of Canada, and Daniel says that despite high fuel prices, attendance at shows was very strong. On the way back, Marty and the guys found time for a stop in New York City to take in a Yankees game.

Marty will be on tour throughout the remainder of the year and is planing for a very busy 2009 tour to promote the new double album.

We’ll have more on the new release as details emerge.

Daniel Grindstaff isn’t pulling a prank, he’s become April’s Fool. At least that’s my interpretation of the instrumental that is the title cut on his new CD. In the last 6 years or so Daniel has played banjo with a number of well recognized artists in bluegrass music including Jesse McReynolds, David Peterson, Charlie Sizemore, and the Osborne Brothers.

The CD is a mixture of instrumentals and vocals, probably leaning a little more toward instrumentals. Guest artists on the recording include Adam Steffey, Steve Thomas, Jesse McReynolds, Kent Blanton, Buddy Spicher, and the most recent vocal recording of the Osborne Brothers (since Sonny’s retirement) along with Grascal, Terry Eldrege.

Sample tracks can be heard, and the CD purchased, at CDBaby.com.