The new bluegrass/acoustic CD from Marty Raybon, This That & The Other, is now available.

It was recorded with his band, Full Circle, which features Daniel Grindstaff on banjo and guitar, Chris Davis on fiddle and mandolin, Glen Gibson on resophonic guitar, and Jayd Rains on bass. A few guest instrumentalists augment the band on several tracks, but Full Circle pulls the load for the most part.

This new project had been originally projected as a double-disc set, with a 2008 release date. Material for two CDs was recorded and mixed, but they will be marketed as separate albums, with the second one set to hit later in 2009.

Banjo man Grindstaff says that the CD will appeal to anyone who has enjoyed Raybon’s music over the years, from his early days singing with his family’s bluegrass group, through his time riding high on the country/pop charts as a member of Shenandoah, and back again to the bluegrass fold.

“The album could be described as an overview of Marty’s vocal ability. There are bluegrass songs, Gospel songs, and some ballads – all sounds that have shaped the musical style that he performs.”

Audio for one track, Next Thing Smokin’, a driving bluegrass number, can be heard on MySpace.

Raybon will be recording an episode of Track-By-Track for Sirius-XM’s Bluegrass Junction next week, with an air date sometime in May or June likely.

UPDATE 4/29:  Oops… Scott Napier just alerted us to an ommission above:

 I am playing mandolin tracks on all but 3 cuts on this project. [Far more than a guest instrumentalist, I would say. ed]  It’s work that I am very proud to have been a part of.

There are others that recorded on all, or the most part of this CD, but there are no detailed credits with the CD. They deserve individual credit as well. Maybe they could find a way to fairly list these credits for the fans to see.

Scott is on mandolin for the cut of Next Thing Smokin’ on Marty’s MySpace page.

We received a note yesterday from Daniel Grindstaff, banjo player with Marty Raybon. He had a very special opportunity come his way just after Christmas and wanted to share the story with everyone here on The Bluegrass Blog.

Bobby Osborne was scheduled to play on The Grand Ole Opry this past weekend, coinciding with the 41st anniversary of Rocky Top, which was released on December 25, 1967. Bobby’s regular banjo man, Dana Cupp, was unavailable for the show, so Daniel got the call.

“Having filled in and worked with Sonny and Bobby numerous times in the past I always jump at the chance to play that music again. After I spoke to Bobby about doing the show, Sonny got in touch with me on Friday morning (12/26). He asked if I would like to play his RB-3, the banjo that was used on the original recording of Rocky Top and numerous other Osborne Brothers songs.

I, of course, said that I would love to!

The end result of the evening was me getting to perform on the stage of the Opry at The Ryman, during the anniversary of Rocky Top, playing the banjo that recorded it, beside the man who sang it!

What a Christmas gift! A very high point in my career! What a great banjo and a great moment!”

The audio from that Opry show should show up soon in the WSM online archives.

Daniel tells us that the new Marty Raybon CD, This That and the Other, is due for release in January ‘09, and that they will begin touring in support when they return from a Caribbean cruise with Rhonda Vincent in early February.

Tough duty…

The Marty Raybon schedule can be found on his web site, and samples from Daniel’s fine solo CD, April Fool, can be heard at CD Baby.

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.