There are two special bluegrass radio shows on Friday morning (10/24) that will be streamed live online. Unfortunately, their air times coincide, so you’ll have to choose your own best option.

First up at 10:15 a.m., Jeanette Williams will join Carol Beaugard on WFDU to talk about her new CD, Thank You For Caring, and her participation in the third release from the Daughters Of Bluegrass, Bluegrass Bouquet, a celebration of female bluegrass artists and musicians. Music from these recordings will be featured as well.

Then at 11:00 a.m., Carol will welcome the ear-shattering instrumental duo Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile into the WFDU studio. The two have been out in support of their CD, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile, a CD/DVD combo project of mandolin/bass duets, ahead of their final show at Carnegie Hall next week.

Carol is a huge Thile fan so she’s sure to talk about his meteoric career at length, in addition to his current work with Meyer. Expect lots of music early in the show and in the 11:00 hour from the Meyer/Thile album, plus Nickel Creek, the Punch Brothers and Chris’ various solo CDs.

Her show, Lonesome Pine RFD, is broadcast from 9:00 a.m. to noon (EDT) on 89.1 FM in the NYC area, and streamed live online at WFDU.fm.

Also at 11:00 a.m., there will be live music over at WAMU’s Bluegrass Country.

Claire Lynch will be in the studio with host Lee Michael Demsey to spread the word about her show at The Birchmere Friday night. Guitarist Jim Hurst and bass player Mark Schatz will accompany Claire for an impromptu set in WAMU’s Studio 3. They will also talk about what The Claire Lynch Band is up to for the rest of 2008 and beyond, and whatever else Lee Michael might come up with.

You can catch their 24/7 online bluegrass feed at www.bluegrasscountry.org.

All in all, a good morning to tune in online.

Johnny Williams released his most recent CD, Last Day of Galax, in August but we didn’t get a copy until this week. It clearly shows why Johnny has earned his reputation as among the most expressive singers of traditional bluegrass music we have on the scene today.

Johnny is in his element here, singing the sort of driving, soulful bluegrass that has been his staple for years, recording and performing with his wife in The Jeanette Williams Band, or as Johnny & Jeanette Williams. Joining him this album are Jeanette on bass, Chase Johner on mandolin, Tony Mabe and Debbie Yates on banjo, Billy Hawks and Kathleen O’Connell on fiddle, and Kenneth Berrier on steel guitar.

Williams is also a first rate songwriter, contributing 11 of the 15 tracks, 2 co-written with Tom T. and Dixie Hall. The title track is a lament he wrote some time ago as he was preparing to pack up and leave the legendary Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax, VA. It nicely captures the once-a-year community that exists for this gathering, mixed with many of the familiar jam tunes heard in the field each year.

Another standout is his This Country Living’s Changing Every Day, which includes a clever lyric that will resonate with a lot of bluegrass fans.

This country living’s changing every day.
I spend all my time checking emails instead of bailing hay.
I’m computerized – with ATV’s replacing mules out in the barn.
This country living’s changing every day.I don’t know why I’m complaining ’cause my back don’t hurt this way.
This country living’s changing every day.

Johnny shows his classic country chops on Hank Williams’ I Can’t Help It If I’m Still In Love With You, and even covers The Allman Brothers’ Midnight Rider, which is now as standard in bluegrass as it is in the rock world.

His singing is strong and compelling throughout, with vocal support from Jeanette and Amber Collins. The rhythm section and soloists are spot on as well, and the songs are all honest, and sincerely performed.

Anyone who enjoys traditional bluegrass, country or old time music will surely want this one in their collection. Audio samples and online orders are enabled on the Jeanette Williams site.

A special Johnny Williams & Friends concert is scheduled for this Friday (10/17) at The Rex Theater in Galax, VA, featuring most of the performers from Last Day Of Galax. It will be broadcast on WBRF-FM 98.1 in SW VA, and streamed live online.

Williams is now working with Big Country Bluegrass, on guitar and lead vocals. You can find a tour schedule on their web site.

Thank You For Caring, the new CD from singer/songwriter Jeanette Williams, will be released tomorrow (9/9) on Blue Circle Records, the independent label run by Tom T. and Dixie Hall.

Among the 14 tracks are songs which Jeanette has written, along with contributions from Paul Williams, Paul Williams, Tom T. and Dixie, Brandon Rickman, Laurie Lewis, Shannon Slaughter and Marcie Horne.

Joining her on the new CD are several prominent bluegrass artists (Tony Rice, Tim Stafford, Aubrey Haynie, Ronald Inscore, Randy Kohrs, Ben Isaacs) along with hubby Johnny Williams, members of her road band and well known performers from Jeanette’s home in southwest Virginia (Michelle Nixon, Heather Berry, Jacob Eller, Jesse Finney, Stephen Fraleigh, Jody King, Tony Mabe and Josh Pickett).

The biggest name guesting on Thank You For Caring is country music legend George Jones, who duets with Williams on the title track, written by the Halls. The song is a testimony to the generosity of the human heart, and Miss Dixie explained how it was inspired…

“After the hurricane, there were so many people in need of so many things. We took my motor home and took a little tour, gathering up, buying and begging at yard sales looking for clothing items for the hurricane victims.

We came up on a small sale and I thought, we won’t get much here, but ended up finding a lot of goodies – baby clothes and what have you.

The folks who were running it invited us in, and this one little girl found out what we were doing, collecting for the children in Louisiana. When we were leaving, she came up to me and put her hand in mine and said, ‘thank you for caring.’

She donated her little chest of drawers for some little boy or girl in New Orleans and I was inspired to put down this song.

When Jeanette heard the song she told me, ‘Gosh… I would just love to sing this with George Jones.’ Well, I’ve known George for years and I called him up to ask if he would come in and sing. He said, ‘Well by God, if Miss Dixie wants it, I’ll do it!’ “

The song was released to bluegrass radio some months ago, so you may have heard it already, but it has not been available for purchase until now. A portion of the proceeds of the CD will be donated to the Red Cross to benefit their ongoing work in the Gulf coast regions still affected by Katrina.

You can hear audio samples from all 14 tracks online.

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 ‚Äòattitude’, 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.