The Mashville Brigade is the guest on this week’s edition of Studio Special on XM Satellite Radio’s Bluegrass Junction.

The show has the band in the studio performing the songs from their Rural Rhythm debut CD, Bluegrass Smash Hits Volume 1, and talking with show host Kyle Cantrell about the band and their new release.

Mashville Brigade is made up of six Nashville-based musicians, each of whom performs primarily as a member of another band – Jim Van Cleve on fiddle (Mountain Heart), Ashby Frank on mandolin (Special Consensus), Darrell Webb on guitar (Rhonda Vincent), Aaron McDaris on banjo (Grascals) and Randy Barnes on bass (NewFound Road).

The Mashville edition of Studio Special actually debuted earlier today (6/20), but it can be heard several more times over the next week (all times EDT).

• Saturday (6/21) – 11:00 a.m.
• Sunday (6/22) – 6:00 p.m.
• Monday (6/23) – 8:00 p.m.
• Tuesday (6/24) – Midnight (technically Wednesday morning)
• Thursday (6/26) – 3:00 p.m.

Bluegrass Junction can be found on XM 14 where they play bluegrass 24/7. If you don’t have XM, but would like to listen to the show, XM offers a free three day pass that allows you full online access to all the stations they offer.

Speaking of contests…

Here are the lucky winners in our recent The Mashville Brigade Take This Hammer promotion. Each will receive an autographed copy of the band’s debut release Bluegrass Smash Hits Volume 1, courtesy of Rural Rhythm Records.

• Margaret Benson – Caspar, WY
• Brent Dingus – Lebanon, VA
• Steve Firth – Boone, NC
• Cody Frost – Bernice, OK
• Michael Keith – Key West, FL
• Dirk Lovelace – Spartanburg, SC
• Mark Roberts – Bedford, TX
• Gary Wilson – Kernersville, NC

And our grand prize winner, Ronnie Moretz of Boone, NC, receives an autographed CD, and his very own fully-functional clawhammer, personally autographed by the band.

Congratulations all, and thanks to everyone who entered!

Later today, we’ll be selecting the winners in our Take This Hammer, Mashville Brigade promotion here on The Bluegrass Blog.

There’s still a little time left, so be sure to enter to win autographed copies of their new CD, Bluegrass Smash Hits Volume 1 by mid-afternoon. The grand prize winner will also receive an autographed hammer, signed by the guys.

How can you resist?

The Take This Hammer contest is open to all registered users of The Bluegrass Blog, and registration is quick, easy and free.

Enter now and win!

UPDATE 5/2: This contest is now closed – winners to be announced shortly.

Don’t forget to sign up to win in our Mashville Brigade Take This Hammer contest. Ten winners will receive an autographed copy of the band’s debut CD, Bluegrass Smash Hits Volume 1, and one extra-luck grand prize winner will also receive a fully-functional clawhammer, signed by the members of the band at last Tuesday’s CD release party in Nashville.

Mashville is a side project featuring a number of young Nashville pickers who make their career performing with top touring bluegrass acts. They get together to perform each week at The Station Inn, where their CD was recorded. Members include Jim Van Cleve on fiddle (Mountain Heart), Ashby Frank on mandolin (Special Consensus), Aaron McDaris on banjo (Grascals), Randy Barnes on bass (NewFound Road) and Darrell Webb on guitar (Rhonda Vincent).

The Take This Hammer contest is open to all registered users of The Bluegrass Blog, and registration is quick, easy and free. It runs through the end of this week, with winners selected at random, announced on Friday (5/2).

Enter now and win!

UPDATE 5/2: This contest is now closed – winners to be announced shortly.