Here’s another Blue Circle Records release worthy of mention. Jeanette Williams will soon release her brand new CD, Thank You For Caring.

The CD contains 14 tracks written by some of bluegrass music’s best songwriters, including Brandon Rickman (Lonesome River Band), Tim Stafford (Blue Highway), Tom T. & Dixie Hall, Shannon Slaughter, Marcie Horne, and Jeanette herself.

The title cut, written by Tom T. & Dixie Hall, is a duet with country icon George Jones. Other special guests include Michelle Nixon, Randy Kohrs, Tony Rice, Tim Stafford, Ben Isaacs, Aubrey Haynie, and more.

Mp3 song samples are available on Jeanette’s website. Be sure to check out Enough Of You, the first track on the CD. It was written by Jeanette and won the bluegrass division of the 2007 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest. Here are Jeanette’s comments on this song from the liner notes.

This is the fourth song I’ve written. The first three were sweet songs about good memories. In 2005, I decided I wanted to write something with a little more ‘attitude’, and this came to me very quickly. I was so honored when it was chosen as the bluegrass division winner of the 2007 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest. It’s not a gospel song, but I give God the glory for this, and everything in my life. I know that without him, I can do nothing.

Be sure you give Brandon Rickman’s Bad Money a listen as well. What a cool tune! And having Tony Rice on guitar on a song like this is icing on the cake.

And check out the last track, a bluegrass version of Gloria Gaynor’s 1979 disco hit, I Will Survive.

I was driving home from a late night jam session with the radio turned up loud to keep me awake. When this song came on, I thought, “Hey, I could do that bluegrass!” We worked it up at our next band practice and have been closing shows with it ever since. I thought it only fitting that we close the album with it as well.

From what I’ve heard, this is going to be a great CD. Jeanette’s vocals are gutsy and emotive, the music is top notch, and the recording sounds great.

The release is set for next month (July 2008), but is available for pre-order ($13) directly from Jeanette. All pre-orders will be entered to win two weekend passes to the Song of the Mountains Festival here in Southwestern VA, at the end of this month.

For the past 17 years, Johnny & Jeanette Williams have played and sung bluegrass music together all over the world. The husband/wife team has written and performed together through a number of band names, currently The Jeanette Williams Band.

Jeanette’s voice has always been the primary focus, while Johnny has labored behind the scenes with booking and management duties, in addition to playing guitar and singing with the band. Now, the success he has sought for Jeanette for so long has forced him to step aside from his stage role, as the band’s growing tour schedule presents unresolvable conflicts with his full time “day job.”

Stepping in on guitar will be Alyssa Emerson, who Jeanette says has a lovely voice which blends beautifully with her own. This is the first touring gig for the college freshman, but she has been making her mark as a guitarist, taking 7th place at the 2006 Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax, VA.  The band also includes Jody King on banjo, Chase Joiner on mandolin and Jeanette on bass.

Though Johnny is unable to dedicate himself to a full time band, those who know him recognize that he could never stop picking and singing. He has accepted a position with Big Country Bluegrass, whose schedule meshes well with Johnny’s availability.

Though the two will no longer perform together, Johnny and Jeanette want everyone to know that they are still very happily married, a partnership that is as solid as ever. Johnny will continue to book The Jeanette Williams Band though his own company, Grass Tank Music.

In October of 2006 banjo player Jody King fell off a ladder and broke his pelvis. He was hospitalized and underwent surgery. One month later he was back in the hospital for two additional surgeries to treat infection. He continues to wear a wound vac, and visits his doctor 3 times weekly.

In addition to his own mounting medical expenses, he has medical bills from other family matters. They are all on the mend at this point, but the expenses have been quite high.

In an effort to help offset these expenses, The Jeanette Williams Band will host a benefit concert for Jody at the Fairview Ruritan Club in Galax, VA this Sunday January 21, 2007, at 3-7 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and additional donations are welcome.

Many of Jody’s friends in bluegrass music will be there to perform and take part in the fund raising efforts.

Featured performers include:

• Bailey Savage & Broken Wire (with Jody’s student Nick Keen on mandolin)
• Jeanette Williams Band
• New Vintage (Special Reunion Performance!)
• Sammy Shelor
• Shannon Slaughter
• Ronald Inscore
• Alyssa Emerson
• And MORE!

Additional information is available online at the Bluegrass In Galax website.

On October 28, 2006 The Daughters Of Bluegrass took home the coveted Recorded Event of the Year award for their second CD release, Back To The Well. The evening before the awards were announced, they also performed at an official IBMA showcase, and video from that show is now posted on YouTube.

Songs available from that show include:

All seven of the videos can be found on the Hope River Entertainment YouTube page.

Back To The Well is the title of the second recording from The Daughters Of Bluegrass, an effort spearheaded by Lorraine Jordan and Gena Britt Tew to highlight the musical gifts and skills of the many female bluegrass pickers and singers currently performing in the US. The first CD on CMH Records, Daughters Of American Bluegrass, was nominated for the Recorded Event Of The Year award from the IBMA in 2005 and featured Lorraine and Gena along with Kristin Scott-Benson, Dale Ann Bradley, Kim Fox, Missy Raines, Honi Deaton, Cindy Cashdollar, Michelle Birkby-Vance, Anita Fisher and Chrystal Franklin.

The new project also prominently features Lorraine and Gena, along with Mindy Rakestraw, Frances Mooney, Donica Christensen, Jeanette Williams, Valerie Smith, Becky Buller, Beth Lawrence, Julie Elkins, Angela Oudean, Louisa Branscomb, Michelle Nixon, Dale Ann Bradley, Heather Berry, Megan McCormick, and Vicki Simmons. From The Well was released on Blue Circle Records in mid-March, and can be ordered from the Daughters web site.