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.