As is always the case, the close of each year heralds a slew of “Best Of” lists of every imaginable description. They are a staple in all sorts of news and entertainment media (see our Favorite Bluegrass Recording of 2008 poll), and in addition to filling space in print and online, provide helpful tips for folks looking hunting Christmas gifts for friends and family with specific tastes.

We found a couple recently with bluegrass themes or content.

CMT.com compiled a list of 10 Indie Albums You Might Have Missed, which includes Melonie Cannon’s And The Wheels Turn CD.

One of the most expressive singers in Nashville, and not merely in bluegrass circles, Cannon compels you to listen to these stories of everyday life, whether she’s consoling a new friend or stumbling into love after swearing it would never happen.

Dave Royko has also submitted his annual list of the top bluegrass/newgrass releases of the year for The Chicago Tribune, published yesterday (12/14).

Dave chose:

• Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet, self-titled
• Punch Brothers: Punch
• Corbett/Chrisman/Tice, self-titled
• Ralph Stanley: Old-Time Pickin’‚ÄîA Clawhammer Banjo Collection
• Bela Fleck & the Flecktones: Jingle All the Way

You can read Dave’s comments about each project online.

There are a number of bluegrass acts performing this weekend on the Grand Ole Opry. If you will be near your radio – and are within the huge WSM radio footprint – or close to your computer, you can catch some top bands live tonight (11/28) and tomorrow as well.

Tonight’s show will include performances from Dailey & Vincent, The Whites and Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press. On Saturday night, The Whites are back, along with Melonie Cannon (with Randy Kohrs), and Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys.

The Friday Opry is broadcast from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. (EST) and the Saturday show runs from 8:00 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Both shows are available over the air on WSM AM 650, on XM channel 11 (XM Nashville), and simulcast worldwide via online streaming at wsmonline.com.

The trailer for Melonie Cannon’s video with Willie Nelson (which we told you about during IBMA) has been posted online. It’s for the song Back To Earth from her current CD, And The Wheels Turn out last week on Rural Rhythm.

The trailer is just a quick look at some of the footage that was shot, without the audio from the song. The vistas and landscapes – from Nelson’s Texas ranch – are quite powerful.

The single and the video (directed by Scott Hansen) are expected to be released early in 2009.

The folks at Rural Rhythm Records invited us up to their suite yesterday afternoon (9/29) for a meet-and-greet and scaled-back acoustic set with Melonie Cannon.

The first thing on the agenda was a brief preview of the music video she recently filmed with Willie Nelson. It’s for a song of his, Back To Earth, featured on her new CD, And The Wheels Turn.

The preview was put together like a movie trailer and though it showed only a few scenes from the finished product, it was clear that the final product will be a pro effort. Shot on Willie’s ranch near Austin, TX, the video takes advantage of sweeping vistas and lush color – plus the powerful imagery of one of country music’s most recognizable icons.

The finished video will be released when Back To Earth comes out as a single early in 2009. We’ll have a copy of the trailer here on The Bluegrass Blog sometime early next week, once we recover from IBMA week craziness.

After watching the preview a time or two, Melonie grabbed her guitarist, Booie Beach, and Ronnie and Garnett Bowman to sing a number of songs from the new CD – Cactus In A Coffee Can, Set ‘Em Up Joe (written by her dad, Buddy Cannon) and I’ve Seen Enough Of What’s Behind Me, written by Ronnie Bowman and Tammy Rogers.

The CD has been getting a good bit of attention from bluegrass radio, and both Kyle Cantrell of XM’s Bluegrass Junction, and Terry Herd of Into The Blue were in attendance at this reception.