We mentioned last week that they would have a new Lost and Found CD in March, and Mark tells us that they will also have a Barry Scott Gospel project, the debut from Spring Creek and a new album from David Davis & the Warrior River Boys between April and May.

“That will quickly be followed by Don Rigsby’s first Gospel recording for Rebel sometime in June. I’m confidant Paul Williams will have a new album ready for this year, as he always does.

And that’s just the new projects… we have a few reissues and compilations planned as well. I’m confident that the John Duffey collection we’ve been promising for the past few years will see the light of day sometime this Spring; we’ll also have a Mac Wiseman CD on our Vault Masters Series coming out around that time too.

A collection tentatively titled Drive Time Bluegrass will be the first release of the year on our budget-priced 8000 Series – that will probably drop sometime early Summer. There are also plans for a second Larry Sparks Gospel compilation, a retrospective on Benny & Valle Cain, and a repackaged McPeak Brothers collection as well.”

That’s a lot to be looking forward to from Rebel this year. Hat’s off to them for continuing to release both new music, and compilations from tehir extensive collection of classic bluegrass.

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.

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 ‚Ķ‚Ķ‚Ķ..

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.”

Rigsby adds in the liner notes,

“Though we don’t work a hundred dates a year, when we do play, we’re as real a band as Rhonda Vincent & the Rage or Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. We all love playing together; that’s the absolute truth of it. But we also all have other bands and commitments. That makes it much more intense; you play with more fervour when you know you’re not going to have that many opportunities.”

Deep In The Mountains marks the group’s return to the Rounder label, whose website indicates a CD release date of March 11.

Rigsby explains the thinking regarding the return to the Rounder roster of artists ……..

“It was the consensus of the collective members of the group that since J.D., Ron, Marshall and James were all Rounder artists already, much could be accomplished in the promotional department and it would simplify lots of this. Rebel did a good job for us too.”

Lou Reid endorses this ………

“James wanted to put this album on Rounder because they were very interested in this CD. James is a Rounder artist as well as Crowe. Ron and Marshall both have recorded for them as well.”

And adds a personal observation ……….

“I enjoyed very much working with Ken Irwin, he was instrumental in keeping the ‘tradition’ in the traditional sound that Longview is known for.”

There aren’t any audio clips available at the moment but we will let you know when there are.

Congratulations to Don and Tina, and sister Sarah.

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

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 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.

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.

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

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.

It appeared as if Eddie Stubbs sat in one place for the entire day doing live interviews and broadcasts for WSM. At some point I stumbled across Byron House and Cody Kilby out in the hall working up a tune. Moving the other direction down the hall I spotted Chris Jones deep in conversation. Then I heard Don Rigsby & Midnight Call throwing down on some hard driving bluegrass.

Eddie Stubbs	Byron & Cody	Chris Jones	Don Rigsby

I headed back toward the PineCastle showcase room and caught a jam in hall with Carl Jackson and some others. I finally did make to the PineCastle room which is where I spent the remainder of my evening. The first act I saw was the John Cowan Band. John was great as usual. I spent some time talking with Barry Scott in hall and then went back in and sat down to watch John Cowan and Ronnie McCoury accompany Pat Flynn on a set.

Carl Jackson	John Cowan Band		Ronnie McCoury

After that Blueridge took the stage. I may be a little biased since these guys are friends of mine, but I say with all honesty that it was the best performance I saw last night. The group as a whole is just incredible, they are tight and rehearsed, they know their arrangements, and the material is wonderful. In addition to all that, Alan Bibey is simply one of the best mandolin players in the business and Junior Sisk has got to be the most soulful singer I know. When he sings a song, you believe him. It’s always a great performance, but it’s also completely heartfelt. They really are a great traditional band, though Alan is certainly capable of so much on the mandolin that I hate to qualify him that way. If you can’t tell, I like these guys’ music. Check them out when you get a chance.

BlueRidge	Alan & Junior	Alan Johnson	Alan Bibey

That’s it for now, but we have more photos of the event from contributing photographers and we’ll try and get some more galleries up soon.

Don also spoke of his early exposure to the music:

For his sixth birthday, his parents took him to Ashland, Ky., for a Ralph Stanley concert. Rigsby’s father happened to know the band’s singer, Keith Whitley, who hoisted the child on his shoulders and took him backstage to meet the man himself.

“I’ll never forget that,” says Rigsby, now 38. “Ralph was so gracious and kind, and he’s always been my friend ever since. He never forgot me! Ralph’s nearing 80 years old, and I’m going to be 40 in a couple of years, and we’re friends from the time I was 6. Never did he forget me, never ever, ever. That’s pretty profound.”

Read the whole article on CMT.com, where you can also hear some audio samples from the new CD – unless you are on a Mac.

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.

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.

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.

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