The folks at McCoury Music have agreed to let us offer free streaming of the new Del McCoury Band CD, Family Circle. It’s not due for release until October 27, but digital download purchases can be made now online.

The pre-order page offers a number of interesting Family Circle packages, from a simple MP3 download for $8.99 up to a special mega-fan pack that includes an autographed CD, immediate download, and a framed and autographed printer’s proof of the CD artwork for $199. Only a few of the framed proofs are available.

Other packages that include autographed CDs and posters are also available. Check them all out online.

Have a listen to the new album, courtesy of McCoury Music.

Yesterday, soon after arrival here at IBMA, John and I were able to spend a few moments with Del McCoury to discuss a soon to be released CD.

John asked the questions, Del did most of the talking, and I was behind the camera…

McCoury Music has announced the formation of a Board of Directors who will oversee the management of the company going forward. The board will include Del, his wife Jean, his two sons Rob and Ronnie McCoury, and Chris Harris, formerly of Rainmaker Management, who has handled publicity and marketing for the company this past few years.

A new Nashville office will open within a month to handle all aspects of the business, which involves recordings for The Del McCoury Band and other artists (like Merle Haggard), publishing for Del’s original music, and the popular DelFest which is held each summer in Cumberland, MD. They will also manage The Travelin’ McCourys, which is made up of Del’s band, minus Del.

Harris expressed gratitude at being chosen to head this new expansion, and has high hopes for the future of McCoury Music.

“I think we’ve assembled the proper team, and taken the right steps over the past couple of years to allow McCoury Music to not only thrive during a difficult period for the music industry, but help others succeed as well. There are at least two more generations of McCoury pickers after Del, so I’m excited to be involved in something that can be around for a long time.”

Stan Strickland of Rainmaker will continue to handle touring for The Del McCoury Band but all other aspects of the “family business” will be run from McCoury Music.

We expect to speak with Del later today and hope to get some more details.

Here’s some more info on the upcoming Del McCoury Band CD, Family Circle. It’s due for release October 27 on Del’s McCoury Music label, recorded with his regular band – sons Rob on banjo and Ronnie on mandolin, with Jason Carter on fiddle and Alan Bartram on bass.

The songs come from some familiar sources, with a few surprises as well.

Billy and Terry Smith co-wrote I’m Justified with Del, a Gospel song. Actually, Del said that they sent him a finished demo, but feeling it was a bit short, he added another verse. When he got their approval, he decided to cut it.

Barbaric Splendor is one of two Joe New songs on the CD.

Blue Highway may have been the first major bluegrass band to record a song from Mark Knopfler, whose Marbletown was the title of their 2005 CD. Now Del has one of his own, Prairie Wedding, though Del had to raise the key substantially from Knopfler’s original cut.

Surely my favorite is I Remember You, the two-time hit for Slim Whitman. Del’s voice is a natural for the warbly, yodelly chorus.

Del and Ronnie McCoury are credited as producers, though Del says that he picked the material himself.

“I guess I produced it. With Rob and Ronnie and Jason and Alan out doing more on their own now as the Travelin’ McCourys, I pretty much put this together on my own‚Äìand I really like it!  I didn’t start out to do something different, but that’s how it turned out!”

This brings up a question that has been on the minds of many a Del fan this year. The Travelin’ McCourys have many more dates booked than does The Del McCoury Band, and Del-heads are starting to wonder how much longer Del will be out on the road.

Will this be the last Del McCoury project? Is Del drifting towards retirement? At 70 years old, hasn’t he surely earned it?

We’ll be sure to ask him next week at IBMA.