Recently we provided some information about the forthcoming Longview CD Deep In The Mountains, Rounder 0578. We can now add that there are 30 second WinMedia and RealAudio audio clips available to listen to at the Rounder website.

The group is a largely studio-only supergroup, featuring James King, Don Rigsby, Lou Reid, JD Crowe, Ron Stewart and Marshall Wilborn. The personnel has changed some over the years and the three previous recordings under this name, but their penchant for finding terrific songs and capturing them in a soulful, traditional bluegrass style has remained throughout.

The CD, which has 12 tracks, is scheduled for release on April 8. You can read more about the new project in our earlier post.

Rounder Records has announced the release of a new CD from the two-time IBMA Award winning combination, Longview.

It is a little over ten years since the debut release by the super group bearing the name Longview and with their first release they caused so much of a furor that two more followed in quick succession. Now it is six years since the last and I, for one, didn’t expect to enjoy the prospect of another album.

The three remaining original members Marshall Wilborn (acoustic bass, vocals), Don Rigsby (mandolin, vocals) and James King (vocals) are joined by Lou Reid (guitar, vocals), Ron Stewart (fiddles, vocals) and J.D. Crowe (banjo, vocals) for this particular set of recordings. To quote from the liner notes, the result is…

“…a potent new line-up with the chops, discipline, and heart required to make the bluegrass tradition come alive. From the first note to the last, Deep In The Mountains is a striking update of the band’s long-held goal: soulful old-school bluegrass with soaring lead singing and riveting three-part harmonies.”

Deep In The Mountains, self produced by the group member and recorded at Skaggs’ Place Studio; Hendersonville, Tennessee, comprises a dozen excellent songs ………..

Eating Out of Your Hand, Dudley Connell’s Weathered Grey Stone - what irony!, Randall Hylton’s Room at the Top of the Stairs, Don’t Leave Me Alone (one of two James King’s favourites by Cullen Galyean), Old Log Cabin (John Sloas-Lonnie Nipper), Cotton Eyed Joe, I’ll Love Nobody But You, Baptism of Jesse Taylor (classic country from Dallas Frazier and Sanger Shafer), the Louvin Brothers’ composition I’m Gonna Love You One More Time, At the First Fall of Snow, I Love You Yet and Georgia Bound (Charlie Moore-Bill Napier).

Don Rigsby, the prime mover in getting things organised for this album, comments ………………..

“The songs were compiled by all of the members of the band and Ken Irwin too. There actually are no new songs per se, but lots of obscure old material in keeping with the Longview tradition. The lead singing duties are split with James, Lou Reid and I. Of interest to all of the fiddlers and banjo pickers out there will be a version of Cotton Eyed Joe from Ron Stewart and J.D. Crowe with a break from myself and one from Lou Reid too.

As for rehearsal, the way we have always made these was to hatch the arrangements in the studio and record them while they were fresh.

We are currently booking shows and are booked by Mike Drudge at Class Act Entertainment. We hope to see the fans at some premier event in the near future.” (more…)

Kentucky bluegrasser Don Rigsby and his wife Tina welcomed their son, Andrew, to the world on December 1. He was born just before 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, and landed at 6 lb. 9 oz. (19.5”).

Congratulations to Don and Tina, and sister Sarah.

Some of you may have caught Don Rigsby’s appearance last night on the ABC-TV reality series Six Degrees of Separation. The concept behind the series is that anyone is only six steps away from contacting anyone else on the planet. Last night’s show featured Martina McBride as the celebrity the contestants were supposed to approach. The winner would receive a recording contract in Nashville, and the opportunity to perform on stage with McBride.

One of the contestants had a friend who led him to Sandy Knipp, a radio DJ in Morehead, KY. Knipp hosts Bluegrass Diversions, a weekly bluegrass radio show on WMKY-FM, 90.3. Knipp led the contestant to Rigsby, who took them to Nashville.

The episode just aired last night, and hasn’t yet appeared online. There is a short clip available on the series website that gives you just a glimpse of Rigsby. You can watch that video here.

Don Rigsby & Midnight Call were recent guests on Michael Jonathan’s Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour, and the video of that show is now available online.

In addition performing several selections from his latest CD, Hillbilly Heartache, Don talks with Michael at length about his work with The Kentucky Center for Traditional Music, and his experiences growing up in Eastern Kentucky. KCTM is part of Morehead State University in Morehead, KY, and was established to document and preserve the musical traditions of eastern Kentucky.

Folk duo Bethany & Rufus also appear on the show.

The state of Kentucky Department of Parks is teaming up with America’s Bluegrass Inc. to promote both bluegrass music and the state parks. A series of four concerts are to be held at three of the state parks this spring/summer in what is being called the Cradle of Bluegrass Music Trail.

The series features Kentucky natives who are bluegrass musicians including: Don Rigsby, Larry Cordle, Bobby Osborne, Kenny Bishop, Melvin Goins, the Grascals and, of course, J.D. Crowe and the New South.

The series begins April 7th at the Rough River Dan State Park near Leitchfield, continues April 21st at the Frankfort Convention Center (this show is headlined by Earl Scruggs), then on to Jenny Wiley State Resort Park on April 28, and concludes May 19 at the General Butler State Resort Park.

The genesis of the idea can be traced back to Charles Lewis, president of America’s Bluegrass Inc. Lewis hosts a bluegrass show on WSAZ-TV in Huntington, WV and on KET2, Kentucky Public Television. He approached the park department with the idea of a single concert.

J.T. Miller, commissioner of Kentucky State Parks, tells us what the purpose is of holding this concert series.

From our standpoint, it is to build excitement for and occupancy of our state parks, as well as promoting Bluegrass music in Kentucky. Charles Lewis proposed a “big name” event at the 5,000-seat Frankfort Convention Center to build public awareness of the “Trail.”

Lewis was responsible was choosing the talent for the concert series, but following his Grammy nomination, Miller suggested they add kenny Bishop to the lineup.

All concerts start at 1pm local time and will feature a combination of secular and gospel bluegrass music. Lodging packages are offered at the three state park shows and include the concert, a night’s lodging, meals, and a chance to meet the artists.

The state park concert tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The convention center show tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets can be ordered by visiting the Kentucky State Park website.

J.T. Miller tells me that they may consider a similar event in the fall.

If successful, we’d like to do this in the fall at even more parks. Kentucky is truly the “Cradle” of Bluegrass, so it is natural that we would want to be a part of this.

Last January, both Brance and I had the chance to attend the Pickin’ at the Paramount all star concert in Bristol, TN. The show was an offshoot of one that I helped organize in 2000 (reprised in 2001) to celebrate the release of Knee Deep In Bluegrass - The AcuTab Sessions. You can read my report on last year’s show here.

The show has been scheduled again this year, and will be held next weekend (1/20/07) at The Paramount Center on historic State Street in Bristol.

The format of the current show is similar to the one we started in 2000, and reminiscent of the old “package tour” shows popular in the 1950s and 60s. An all star cast of prominent bluegrass pickers and singers will rotate on and off the stage in a variety of configurations, generally performing material outside of what you might normally hear them doing.

This year’s lineup includes Bobby Hicks, Ronnie Bowman, Mike Bub, David Talbot, Larry Cordle, Rob McCoury, Don Rigsby, Kim Fox, Darrell Webb, Steve Gulley, Jason Carter, Barry Bales, Paul Williams, Kenny & Amanda Smith and David Grier.

There will be two shows on January 20, at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets and show details can be found at the Pickin’ at the Paramount site, or the Paramount Center site.

Each December the Washington Post music reviewers list their favorite CDs, videos, concerts, websites, etc. in an article about the best music of year.

This year in The Best of 2006: Music, one of the reviewers by the name of Geoffrey Himes lists as his #8 favorite the CD Hillbilly Heartache by Don Rigsby.

The year’s best country singing could be heard on the new album from this Kentucky mandolinist, still underrated even in his own bluegrass circles.

We send our congratulations out to Don for this recognition.

Hat Tip: Katy Daley

CMT.com is reporting that Larry Sparks’ next album will be released on the McCoury Music label. The album is being produced by Don Rigsby and a spring 2007 release is planned.

Larry has a style all his own, both with his singing and playing, and is one of my favorite singers of all time, I am very pleased to have such a renowned musician on the roster, and I’m really looking forward to this new partnership.

Larry’s last CD, the highly celebrated 40, was released on the Rebel Records label. At this time I have been unable to find any additional details on this new deal at either Del or Larry’s sites. We’ll be sure to bring you updates when we do hear more.

Here is one more gallery of photos from Saturday at IBMA. I took these in the exhibit hall.

Cherryholmes	Jim Van Cleve	Casey Henry	Steve Huber
Megan Lynch	Reno and Rigsby	Sizemore and Lawless	Dan Miller
Murphy Henry	Tony Williams	Fank Solivan II	Joey Cox

Rebel Records is pleased to announce the release tomorrow of Don Rigsby’s first CD project as a band leader. Don has quite a stellar resume in bluegrass, including stints with The Bluegrass Cardinals, JD Crowe & The New South, Lonesome River Band and Longview, each of which produced memorable recorded output, as well as live performances. Don recorded two duet projects with Dudley Connell and three under his own name, but never before with his own band.

The new Rebel release is Hillbilly Heartache, and features Don’s band, Midnight Call. Members include Shayne Bartley on guitar, Dale Vanderpool on banjo, Jesse Wells on fiddle & clawhammer banjo, Robert Maynard on bass and of course Don on mandolin, guitar, and lead vocals. All of the band members contribute vocally as well.

Hillbilly Heartache includes songs by Shawn Camp, Larry Shell, Tim Stafford, and Jim Lauderdale, and will be available in stores on July 18.

No audio samples are yet up on either Don’s or Rebel’s web sites, but the CD should be available soon on iTunes and other sites with audio snippets enabled.

Information on the 2006 Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend is now available on the RBW web site. The event will be held November 10-12 in Roanoke, VA and offers three days of intensive instruction in the fine points of playing bluegrass music.

This year’s faculty includes the members of BlueRidge, along with first time instructors Eddie Adcock and George Shuffler, plus returning favorites Kenny Baker, Jack Lawrence, Allen Shelton and Roland White.

The biggest news for RBW ‘06 is the inclusion this year of classes and workshops in bluegrass singing. Both individual vocal tips and workshop instruction in bluegrass harmony will be offered throughout the weekend, spearheaded by noted singer and vocal instructor Don Rigsby.

The 2006 faculty includes both legendary bluegrass pioneers and actively touring artists.

Once again, Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments will be donating a new instrument to be offered in a raffle to fund the RBW Scholarship for deserving young bluegrass students. Four full scholarships (tuition and accommodations) will be awarded to outstanding bluegrass musicians between the ages of 13-24, selected based on demonstrated ability through an application process.

This year, a new RB-250 banjo will be raffled, with chances to win sold at $10. Find all the details about the raffle and the scholarship on the RBW site.

Episode #25 of The GrassCast features an interview with Don Rigsby. This interview was recorded last fall at IBMA. John visits with Don about the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music, his band Midnight Call, and Longview.

This GrassCast is 17 minutes in length and the file download size is 16 MB.

Below is our usual mp3 file for you to listen here or download. The GrassCast is also available in the iTunes music store and this episode marks our forth enhanced podcast. The version available through iTunes contains photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

Listen now:
Direct Download: ep25_don_rigsby.mp3
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