We would like to hear from our readers/listeners though. Tell us know what you think of the GrassCast. Let us hear from you if you enjoy it and what you like about it. If you are a regular, or semi-regular, reader and don’t listen to the GrassCast please let us hear from you as well. We’re curious as to why you don’t listen and what we could do differently to encourage you to do so.

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This week on The GrassCast we continue our theme of interviewing members of the new band Grasstowne. Last week we interviewed Phil Leadbetter. This week John interviews Alan Bibey. Alan has been fronting the band Blueridge for the last 6 years or so. He now leaves that band to join Phil and Steve Gulley to form Grasstowne.

Alan discusses with John why he made this decision. This interview was recorded Wednesday afternoon Dec 6th, less than a week after the announcement of Grasstowne.

Direct Download: ep56_alan_bibey.mp3

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This week on The GrassCast our guest if award winning dobro player Phil Leadbetter. Phil has been in the news lately because of the formation of a new band of which he’s a part, Grasstowne (read about it here).This interview was recorded Wednesday morning Dec 6th, less than a week after the announcement of Grasstowne. Phil discusses the new band, why he’s excited about it, and why he felt it was time for him to make a change musically.

Phil spends some time talking about the musical direction the new band will be taking, and why. It’s an interesting discussion that should be of interest to fans of Phil, Steve Gulley, or Alan Bibey.

Next week’s episode will feature an interview with Alan Bibey concerning his decision to join Phil in this new undertaking.

Direct Download: ep55_phil_leadbetter.mp3

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This week on The GrassCast we continue our interview with bluegrass legend Paul Williams. Last week we took a look at Paul’s background in the music business, how he got started, and left the discussion after listening to a song he had written and performed on a live DVD production.

Part 2 of the interview continues this week as Paul discusses one of his most popular tunes, My Walkin’ Shoes Don’t Fit Me Anymore, and then goes on to tell us about a new song he has written that has been recorded on a recent Marty Raybon release. We’ve included a verse and chorus of Marty singing the song.

Paul then goes on to talk about his DVD release and his plans for the future. This is the conclusion to a great interview, be sure to listen to both parts.

Direct Download: ep54_paul_williams_pt2.mp3

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Our guest this week on The GrassCast is bluegrass legend Paul Williams. Paul has a historic career in bluegrass. He’s well known for his singing but many fans may not be aware of his contributions to the music through songwriting. During the interview Paul talks about songs he wrote and then cut with Jimmy Martin. He also talks about the process of writing songs and how he got started writing bluegrass songs.

The interview is a long one so we’ve decided to split it in two. This week is part one and focuses on Paul’s history and how he got started as a songwriter. Next week we’ll continue it and see how Paul is continuing to be a vibrant songwriter who still gets cuts, while at the same time fronting his own band.

Direct Download: ep53_paul_williams.mp3

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This week’s guest on The GrassCast is Tim Shelton of NewFound Road. Their latest CD, Life In A Song, was released the end of September 2006. Tim and John discuss the CD and preview several of the tunes including one written by Tim Stafford and another by Tom T. Hall.

Tim also introduces each of the band members and discusses their role in the band.

Another topic of interest to some listeners, will be their discussion of how NFR got signed to Rounder Records, and the benefits they’ve seen from being on the label. All aspiring bluegrass bands hoping for a record deal should give this a listen.

Direct Download: ep52_tim_shelton.mp3

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This week’s guest on The GrassCast is mandolin legend and Grand Ole Opry star, Jesse McReynolds. Jesse has a new CD out titled Dixie Road. He had a copy with him at IBMA and we sat and talked about the recording. In the interview we preview 4 tracks from the disc, talk about the players on the disc, and touch a bit on songwriting.

In addition to the new CD, Jesse also talks about his history in bluegrass music. He tells us how he came up with the crosspicking mandolin style he’s known for, and explains what it was like in the early years of bluegrass playing and singing with his brother Jim McReynolds. He also discusses the changes in recording technology and how that has affected the music.

This is a great interview with a true bluegrass pioneer. Don’t miss it!

Direct Download: ep51_jesse_mcreynolds.mp3

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Our guest on this episode of The GrassCast is Claire Lynch. In the interview John and Claire discuss her history in bluegrass music, talk about her band members, and discuss her newest CD, New Day. The discussion leads to previewing three of the tracks off the CD, one of which was written by Claire. The conversation turns to songwriting and what makes a good song in her opinion.

Those of you who enjoy Claire’s music should find this interview intersting. If you’ve never heard Claire before, this is a good chance to preview her music and see what you think.

Direct Download: ep50_claire_lynch.mp3 (It’s a big one – 18MB)

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Additional links:

clairelynch.com
missyraines.com
jimhurst.com

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This episode of The GrassCast features an interview with Michael Cleveland. Michael was nominated for several awards at the recent IBMA and won two of them. The interview was recorded before the awards show so he didn’t know he was going to win. He did win Fiddle Player of the Year for the fourth time and also won Instrumental Album of the Year for his most recent CD, Let ‘Er Go Boys.

Michael and I discuss the awards nominations, the Flamekeeper band, Michael’s history with the fiddle and learning bluegrass. Michael also engages in a very interesting discussion of learning to play tastefully. It’s great stuff and should be of interest to any aspiring fiddle players or Michael Cleveland fans.

Michael also makes mention of the Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend coming up in November where he’ll be serving as a fiddle instructor.

Direct Download: ep49_michael_cleveland.mp3 (It’s a big one – 18MB)

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Additional links:

mikecleveland.com
audioblaylock.com
myspace.com/audieblaylock

This episode of The GrassCast features an interview with Frank Solivan II. Frank plays in the Navy band Country Current. He performs on mandolin and fiddle when the band is doing bluegrass and also plays electric guitar in the country version of the band. In the interview Frank and I discuss the Navy band, what their mission is, what is it was like to audition for the band, and the bluegrass component of what the band does.

In addition to playing in the Navy band, Frank also has two solo CDs out. The latest one, Selfish Tears, came out late this summer. Frank and I talk about the CD and specificially we discuss, and preview, three of the songs on the disc. We also brush on Franks other obsession, cooking. Check out the photos in the enhanced version of the podcast (see iTunes link below), I’m gonna have to eat dinner at his place one of these days!

Direct Download: ep48_frank_solivan_ii.mp3

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The GrassCast is configured to be delivered in a variety of formats. You can listen right now within this window, subscribe for free via Apple’s iTunes Music Store to receive each new episode as it is published, or download the file to your computer to listen at your convenience. All those instructions and link can be found below.

This episode is 24 minutes in length, with a download size of 23 MB (for the MP3 file).

Just click the Listen now link below to hear the interview now. The GrassCast available through the iTunes music store is an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

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Direct Download: ep47_daleann_bradley.mp3
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Regular readers of The Bluegrass Blog will have noted that I have expressed great enthusiasm for the new Thile CD, How To Grow A Woman From The Ground, and for Thile’s and banjo player Noam Pikelny’s musicianship demonstrated therein.

The showcase featured the same group of players who recorded the new project: Chris Eldridge on guitar, Noam Pikelny on banjo, Gabe Witcher on fiddle, Greg Garrison on bass, and Thile on mandolin and lead vocals. Their short set was wholly drawn from the CD as well, and the material came across as even more polished and authoritatively performed than on the recording. That shouldn’t be – and wasn’t – a surpise, since they spent only a few days preparing to record, and have been out on a mini-tour in support of the CD of late.

They opened with the bluesy, a capella If The Sea Was Whiskey, and then right into the instrumental tour de force, Watch ‘at Breakdown.

I watched the show with Barry Crabtree, banjo player with Wildfire, and we marveled together at the sheer joy of seeing these talented musicians on stage. We both were already familiar with the material from the CD, and had in common a tremendous admiration for the players.

He and I shared a humorous exchange that captured well the degree to which Thile and his crew stand above their peers. As Chris and Noam played the opening melody to O Santo De Polvora in perfect banjo/mandolin unison, Barry flippantly remarked, “I could learn to play that…” – meaning of course, the exact opposite. I made the point that this extremely demanding music wasn’t even stretching them, or taxing them technically, to which Barry laughed and resonded, “Yeah… It’s Pig In A Pen to them!”

Just so.

They also performed the title track, before concluding with Wayside (Back In Time).

A highlight of the show came when there was no music being played. Chris referenced the fact that he hadn’t been to IBMA in several years, and someone in the audience immediately shouted out, “Welcome back!” The applause that followed showed a good degree of concurrence in the room, something that struck me as especially reassuring.

As Chris suggested in his recent interview on The GrassCast, he hopes to take these musicians (minus Chris Eldridge) out on the road as The Tensions Mountain Boys starting next spring. With Jerry Douglas’ remarks from his Keynote Address perhaps still lingering in the room, it is safe to presume that Thile will put his take on the bluegras tradition he received in front of a great many people this next few years.

The first day at IBMA, for those who exhibit in the trade show, involves a frantic rush to load in, and get your display assembled and spruced up before the hall is opened to the public. That was Monday morning for us, ably assisted by Andy Friedman of AcuTab, getting our retail product display and iso booth for recording GrassCast interviews constructed.

We had the pleasure of meeting many regular readers of The Bluegrass Blog, some fairly prominent in our business, others hoping to be some day. I’ll post later this morning with some of the news we picked up in idle discussion.

Not all of the vendors/exhibitors who will display this week arrive on Monday, leaving the exhibit hall a bit spare for the first day, but we were pleased to see so many smaller companies and new exhibitors setting up.

We’ll have more photos from the exhibit area as the week progresses.

This episode is 11 minutes in length, with a download size of 10 MB (for the MP3 file).

Just click the Listen now link below to hear the interview now. The GrassCast available through the iTunes music store is an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

*NOTE: If you are using IE you will need to click the player below once to activate it, and a second time to start it playing. It may take a few moments for the audio to begin. If you are using a standards compliant browser such as Firefox you should be fine.*

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Direct Download: ep46_doyle_lawson.mp3
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If you handle publicity for a bluegrass artist or personality that would be of interest to our weekly podcast audience, please contact us, either in advance, or on site to arrange for a time to record an interview during IBMA week.

Interviews can be scheduled to run at some later date, so even if you have a project, product or tour that won’t be launched until sometime next year, we can record an interview to be released when the timing suggests that it will be most newsworthy. Our time for recording is somewhat limited, so not every request can be honored, but all serious ones will be given consideration.

As a rule, no more than 15-20 minutes is required to complete an interview. Advance requests are not necessary – it would not be unusual, or out of line, to simply show up at our booth and say, “Hey… how about doing an interview?” Similarly, if we notice a likely interviewee wandering the exhibit floor, we may pounce and make the request ourselves. Given the intricacies and uncertainties of the IBMA week environment, we aren’t sticklers about protocol.

The Bluegrass Blog will be in Island Booth D, along the same wall as the main entrance.

We also hope to be able to make a major annoucement next week that will extend the reach of our GrassCast interviews beyond our existing podcast audience.

We recorded this interview yesterday evening via the thilephone. Chris is on the road promoting his new CD, How To Grow A Woman From The Ground, and took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to us. We discuss the new record, preview some songs from it, and yes, we do discuss Nickel Creek and the recently announced dissolution of that band. From there Chris talks about his plans for the future and more.

John adds: I was particularly struck by Chris’ obvious passion for bluegrass music, and how pained he is by folks who try to explicity exclude his music from being included in even a broad definition of the term. His comments about what this rejection may mean for new fans who are drawn to his music, or Nickel Creek’s, are worthy of serious consideration by those who seek to define bluegrass narrowly.

The GrassCast is configured to be delivered in a variety of formats. You can listen right now within this window, subscribe for free via Apple’s iTunes Music Store to receive each new episode as it is published, or download the file to your computer to listen at your convenience. All those instructions and link can be found below.

This episode is 22 minutes in length, with a download size of 21 MB (for the MP3 file).

Just click the Listen now link below to hear the interview now. The GrassCast available through the iTunes music store is an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

*NOTE: If you are using IE you will need to click the player below once to activate it, and a second time to start it playing. It may take a few moments for the audio to begin. If you are using a standards compliant browser such as Firefox you should be fine.*

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Direct Download: ep45_chris_thile.mp3
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Jamie discusses the special guest appearances they have on the CD from George Jones, Dierks Bentley, and Steve Warner. He aslo talks about being in the band, what their vision is for their music, and more.

We’ve included some short clips of several songs mentioned in the interview.

The GrassCast is configured to be delivered in a variety of formats. You can listen right now within this window, subscribe for free via Apple’s iTunes Music Store to receive each new episode as it is published, or download the file to your computer to listen at your convenience. All those instructions and link can be found below.

This episode is 11 minutes in length, with a download size of 10 MB (for the MP3 file).

Just click the Listen now link below to hear the interview now. The GrassCast available through the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

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Direct Download: ep44_jamie_johnson.mp3
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She spoke in some detail about the process of writing two songs from her current CD, the title track, All American Bluegrass Girl, and God Bless The Soldier. There is also a discussion about some of the changes in the way she operates the business side of her music, and how taking charge of that personally has made a substantial impact on her career.

She also describes her upcoming Christmas CD, Beautiful Star: A Christmas Collection, due in mid-October from Rounder and gives a few hints about what will be included.

The GrassCast is configured to be delivered in a variety of formats. You can listen right now within this window, subscribe for free via Apple’s iTunes Music Store to receive each new episode as it is published, or download the file to your computer to listen at your convenience. All those instructions and link can be found below.

This episode is 15 minutes in length, with a download size of 17.5 MB (for the MP3 file).

Just click the Listen now link below to hear the interview now. The GrassCast available through the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

*NOTE: If you are using IE you will need to click the player below once to activate it, and a second time to start it playing. It may take a few moments for the audio to begin. If you are using a standards compliant browser such as Firefox you should be fine.*

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Direct Download: ep43_rhonda_vincent.mp3
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Free Download: The GrassCast iPodder software

To subscribe with your own podcatching software, copy and past this url into the appropriate entry box in your software: http://www.thegrasscast.com/rss

The GrassCast is configured to be delivered in a variety of formats. You can listen right now within this window, subscribe for free via Apple’s iTunes Music Store to receive each new episode as it is published, or download the file to your computer to listen at your convenience. All those instructions and link can be found below.

This episode is 10 minutes in length, with a download size of 11.5 MB (for the MP3 file).

Just click the Listen now link below to hear the interview now. The GrassCast available through the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

*NOTE: If you are using IE you will need to click the player below once to activate it, and a second time to start it playing. It may take a few moments for the audio to begin. If you are using a standards compliant browser such as Firefox you should be fine.*

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Direct Download: ep42_david_crowe.mp3
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This GrassCast is 18 minutes in length, with a download size of 21 MB (for the MP3 file).

Below is an mp3 file which you can hear now, or download to your computer. The GrassCast is also available in the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

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Direct Download: ep41_barry_crabtree.mp3
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