The Larry Stephenson Band will be Kyle Cantrell’s guest for this week’s edition of Studio Special on XM Satellite Radio’s Bluegrass Junction. Larry will both discuss and perform music from his new Gospel CD, Thankful, released this March on Pinecastle Records - and which came in at #13 on the most recent Billboard Bluegrass Chart.

Larry’s show will run several times over the next week, starting with the debut airing at 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning (5/9).

Here’s the full schedule (all times EDT).

Bluegrass Junction can be found on XM 14 where they play bluegrass 24/7.

The Indie Acoustic Project has announced the winners of their Best CDs of 2007 awards. To be eligible, a project must have acoustic instrumentation (at least in part) and be released on an independent (non-major) label.

The Infamous Stringdusters got the nod in the Americana category for Fork In The Road, and Larry Cordle (I’m A Lie) and Dwight McCall (Time Of Our Lives) were chosen in the list of Ten Of The Best Songs of 2007.

Congratulations guys!

Last month saw the release of Larry Stephenson’s fourth gospel album, Thankful. You can read our review of the CD here.

Pinecastle is currently offering a free download of one track from the CD. This is part of a campaign they are operating called Pass The Grass in which they are making downloads available as a means of increasing interest in a project.

To obtain the free track you’ll need to provide Pinecastle with a minimum of your zip code and email address. They ask for voluntary submission of your name and address as well, though these are not required.

The track they are giving away is Press On O’Pilgrim. It’s an up tempo gospel tune driven by Larry’s high lonesome singing.

Get your own copy by visiting Pinecastle.com and clicking on the “Giveaway” link in the top navigation.

Larry Stephenson will be celebrating the official release of his new Gospel CD, Thankful, this evening by joining Eddie Stubbs on WSM AM 650 in Nashville at 10:00 p.m. (EDT).

You’ll be able to hear the WSM debut of the music from Larry’s new release, and hear him discuss the songs with Eddie on the air. WSM’s signal reaches a large portion of the central US, and is also cybercast online at wsmonline.com.

Our review of Thankful was posted over the weekend, and can be read online.

Larry Stephenson is one of the best high lead/tenor singers in bluegrass today. He has a voice uncannily like that of Bobby Osborne’s and there can’t be any higher praise than that. Additionally, Osborne is a big fan, readily praising Stephenson’s contributions to the bluegrass genre.

Thankful is Larry Stephenson’s fourth bluegrass Gospel release and his second for his current label, Pinecastle Records.

In addition to Stephenson, playing mandolin, there are contributions from his then band members Dustin Benson (guitar, and lead and harmony vocals), Aaron McDarris (banjo, and lead and harmony vocals), with guest appearances by Sonya Isaacs (harmony vocals), Warren Goad (bass vocals), Ben Surratt (harmony vocals), Missy Raines (acoustic bass) and Shad Cobb (fiddles).

Stephenson picked the songs on Thankful, using his collection of about 3000 LPs as a source for a good few of the great songs among the round dozen in this collection. Old or new, the songs fit together well, thematically following the message of the title track.

Stephenson’s voice soars really high, pitch perfect, in the opening few bars of the first track, How High Is That Mountain, a new Jerry Salley song, and he sustains that elevated standard as the banjo and guitar push it on. Salley and Stephenson co-wrote the inspirational Open Up The Window. It relates the experience of some children terminally with cancer, who touchingly share their story of visions of the Angels that will come soon to take them away. Sonya Isaacs’ harmonizing helps add to the emotiveness, as does the deft fiddle playing. It’s soul searching stuff!

The title track is a little-known Louvin Brothers song, not surprisingly accompanied by guitar and mandolin supporting sibling-like harmonies.

A couple of songs are from the home of Good Home Grown Music, in other words, Dixie and Tom T. Hall. Lord It’s a Hard Road Home has Surratt and Goad harmonizing on the chorus and some with background humming. The second is specially written by the couple, with assistance from Stephenson, in memory of Larry’s recently departed mother, a happy mother’s day tribute, Every Day Is Mother’s Day.

When I Get Home and Weary Pilgrim Welcome Home are both new songs, the latter written by Barry Clevenger, the banjo player in the West Virginia band 2nd Generation. It is performed in a traditional Gospel quartet style. The former, by Tonya Lowman, a talented songwriter from North Carolina, bears all the hallmarks of a great old sacred song, although done in a contemporary style. Both are notable for the deep and resonant bass singing.

Stephenson mixes it up very well with Press On O’ Pilgrim, from Jim & Jesse, and Washed In The Blood Of The Lamb, right out of the Baptist Hymnal, showing that he recognizes good older material. I Need The Prayers “of those I love” is an old country song that Stephenson has been listening to for many years. Fiddles are prominent here, along with very tasteful banjo work and great harmonies on the choruses. Set Another Place At The Table “the rest of the family’s coming home” is an old Lewis Family song, with banjo well to the fore and a need lead guitar break. It provokes images of The Last Supper.

The sedate closing song, May The Good Lord Bless and Keep You, is an old Eddy Arnold song that Larry sings solo with a minimum of instrumental accompaniment.

Thankful is a thought-provoking collection of sacred songs done mainly in the traditional mode. Stephenson sings effortlessly and smoothly throughout. The ‘band’ is solid and the arrangements are interesting and variable. Stephenson demonstrates his deep affinity with sacred material and this CD confirms his status alongside the best of bluegrass Gospel singers.

I spoke to Larry about this CD and enquired what religion means to him. Here is his response…..

“Religion is very important to my wife and I. We attend a small Baptist church here in Cottontown, Tennessee, and enjoy it very much. Gospel music has always been a part of my life, in and out of bluegrass. It’s such a big part of bluegrass music and think that’s why all four of our gospel CDs are still in print.”

The album hits the streets on Tuesday [March 18], and audio samples can be found on the Pinecastle site.

Recently we told you about the announcement of the Josh Williams Band. Josh has since let us know some more specifics of his plans for the 2008 festival season.

For the next two weekends, Josh will be performing with the Alecia Nugent Band. He’ll do shows with her on February 9, 10, 15 and 16.

Josh’s band will then debut at the Station Inn in Nashville, TN on February 23, 2008. Josh’s management team will begin considering booking offers for festivals and shows during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, at that time.

But if you want to see Josh play, you’ll have plenty of opportunities, as he will be filling in with the Larry Stephenson Band through the remainder of the 2008 season. Josh said he anticipates very few scheduling conflicts between the Larry Stephenson Band and his own band.

This Christmas memory comes from Larry Stephenson.

In the early 60’s my dad bought me my first mandolin. It was a Gibson A-50, a little round bodied mandolin which I still have.

My dad and I played a lot of music around the Fredericksburg, Virginia area through the 60’s and into the 70’s. My mom and dad always told me if I ever learned how to play the Bill Monroe instrumental Rawhide they would buy me a Gibson F-5 model mandolin.

Well of course I worked hard to learn that song…everyday after school in front of that old record player. Well they kept their word and what a surprise it was. Christmas of 1974 with the help of our neighbor, they wrote little poems and wrapped them and had me running all over the neighborhood looking for clues and more wrapped boxes.

When I finally returned to our house there it was…a brand new Gibson F-5 mandolin. We always had great Christmases but that was one I’ll never forget. I’m sorry to say I don’t have that mandolin anymore, but I sure wish I did. What a great Christmas.

Let me also take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you so much for allowing me to do what I love and that’s to play the best music in the world….Bluegrass Music.

Larry Stephenson has brought 21 year old guitarist Ben Helson aboard as the newest member of The Larry Stephenson Band.

Despite his youth, Ben has been performing in bluegrass and country bands for many years, most recently as a part of the bluegrass band at Bethel College, where he is finishing a degree in Music Business. He did his first shows with Larry last month at the IBMA convention in Nashville.

You can find audio samples from Larry’s next CD, Thankful, on his web site. It is due on Pinecastle Records on March 4, 2008.

Larry Stephenson is on the cover of the May/June issue of Bluegrass Music Profiles. The accompanying article has Larry talking about his latest release, Life Stories, an upcoming Gospel project, the members of his touring band, and his recent induction into the Southern Legends Entertainment & Performing Arts Hall Of Fame.

He also discusses dealing with the loss of his mother, who passed away earlier this year.

Publisher Kevin Kerfoot details some of the other items to be found in the new issue.

The May issue also includes the Top 20 Singles and Top 10 Bluegrass CDs charts, a DJ Profile on Cindy Baucom, a two-page Q&A with John McEuen, a conversation with Tut Taylor, Shop Talk with Mike Bub, Lorraine Jordan’s Bluegrass Favorites, an Instrument Profile on Saga’s Lonesome Pine Fiddlers 70th Anniversary Acoustic Guitar, an interview with The Circuit Riders’ Greg Corbett, a jam-packed Festivals section, a Promoter Profile on Nancy and Olen Bittinger’s Country Stage Music Park in Nova, Ohio, three pages of Fresh For The Pickin’ CD reviews, and a Songwriter Profile on Jerry Salley.

Subscription and and single issue purchase information can be found on the BMP web site.

Since it’s inception in 1989, The Larry Stephenson Band has been a four piece ensemble. Now, in 2007, the cast has been expanded to include a fifth member, Jason Barie, on fiddle. Jason’s background includes classical, bluegrass, gospel, and country music. He is a 6-time winner of the Florida State Fiddle Championship., and has played on over 20 albums.

With the addition of Jason, the line up of the band is now:

• Larry Stephenson - mandolin
• Dustin Benson - guitar
• Kyle Perkins - upright bass
• Kristin Scott Benson - banjo
• Jason Barie - fiddle

Having performed as a four piece for such a length of time, one might wonder why Larry decided at this point to hire a fifth member. The answer it seems is two fold. Apparently he felt the addition of a fiddle would bring a new dimension to the band sound that would engender a change for the better. Secondly, it seems they were in need of another vocalist to complete the quartet.

A quartet of vocals would be important considering the band is currently putting the finishing touches on a brand new gospel album due out sometime late spring or early summer 2007 on the Pinecastle label.

This has been quite a year for banjo picker Kristin Scott Benson. When 2006 dawned, she was a member of Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, and teaching in the bluegrass music program at the East Tennesse State University in Johnson City. In June, it was announced that she and her husband, Wayne Benson (mandolinist with The John Cowan Band), were expecting their first child.

That news led her to pass on the teaching job, and continue performing until the arrival of their son, Hogan, in October. Kristin left Lonesome Standard Time to be with the baby, but she has now returned to the stage, in familiar surroundings.

Kristin has accepted the job playing banjo and singing with The Larry Stephenson Band, with whom she traveled for nearly five years while she was in college. Both she and Larry are delighted to be working together again.

You can find their schedule on the official band web site.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m. Dreama Stephenson tells us that Kristin never actually left LST when Hogan was born. It just turned out that there was a hole in the band schedule at that time. Kristin was still a memebr of LST when she left to join Larry Stephenson.

This morning at 8:00 a.m., Larry Stephenson joins XM’s Kyle Cantrell on Bluegrass Junction (Channel 14) for a set of live music and discussion. This is the first of several airings of Larry’s Studio Special appearance on XM, where he will talk about - and perform - songs from his upcoming CD, Life Stories.

The new CD won’t be officially released until September 5, but copies can be ordered now from Larry’s web site, where a few audio samples can be found as well.

If you miss the first airing this morning, there are several more chances to catch the show, starting Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m.

Airtimes for the Studio Special broadcasts are:

All times shown are Eastern.