The October 25th benefit show for Eddie and Martha Adcock at Nashville’s Station Inn was a great success. The packed audience at the Station Inn was treated to the sounds of some of the finest in Bluegrass, who donated their services (and also their own funds) to help Eddie and Martha through some difficult times following Eddie’s successful brain surgery last August.

The Nashville Bluegrass Band was followed by Missy Raines and the New Hip. Then Jerry Douglas told how his father’s first experience hearing the Country Gentlemen with Eddie Adcock prompted his father to buy every Country Gentlemen record he could find, which Jerry listened to constantly for the next year. Jerry was joined by Russ Barenberg on guitar for some hauntingly beautiful tunes.

Next the Whites with dad Buck and daughters Cheryl and Sharon demonstrated family harmony at its best. Jerry Douglas joined with surprise guest Ricky Skaggs to round out the Whites’ portion of the show. Jesse McReynolds and his family showed that the Virginia Boys sound is alive and well. Jesse concluded his set with El Cumbanchero, again confirming that his picking is as fast (or faster) and clean as ever — an amazing performance.

Harley Allen sang several of his own songs, showing all why he is one of the world’s best songwriters. He was ably assisted by the Infamous Stringdusters’ Andy Hall on Dobro, David Harvey on mandolin, and Barry Crabtree on banjo. Speaking of songwriters, Dixie and Tom T. Hall were in the audience. Others attending to support Eddie and Martha included Sonny Osborne, Terry Eldridge, Roland White, David Sebring, and many other notable Nashville area musicians.

Sam Jackson handled the emcee duties and “Supe” Granda from St. Louis delivered several of his original songs. The climax was when Eddie Adcock himself took the stage with former II Generation bandmate Gene Johnson (now of Diamond Rio), Missy Raines, and Don Wayne Reno. After a few moments of Eddie’s picking, there was no doubt that his surgery had been a success, and his trademark baritone voice proved as smooth as ever.

It was a magical evening where the excellence of the music mixed with the atmosphere of love and respect, and once again our Bluegrass community stepped up to assist one of our own.

If you would like to add your contribution to assist Eddie and Martha, you may send a contribution to:

Martha Adcock
P.O. Box 219
Lebanon, TN 37088

This morning (9/23) at 9:00 a.m. (EDT), Katy will speak with Valerie Smith about her 3rd annual Dare to Be Different Showcase, held in Bell Buckle, TN just prior to the IBMA events in Nashville. It’s a full day of bluegrass entertainment on Sunday (9/27) to benefit the Foundation for Bluegrass Music’s Bluegrass In The Schools program, which funds scholarships for schools that would like to, but can’t afford to bring a bluegrass band in to teach their students about the music.

The show will feature performances from several groups, including the newly-formed Jerry Butler & the Blu-J’s, plus a set from Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike.

Katy will have Missy Raines with her on Thursday morning (9/24) at 9:00 a.m.. Missy has yet another nomination for Bass Player of the Year from IBMA, and will discuss that with Katy, as well as her new band, The New Hip.

On Friday (9/25), Adam Steffey is on at 9:00 to talk about his new CD, One More For the Road, which dropped this week on Sugar Hill. Adam also has a number of IBMA nominations this year, for Mandolin Player of the Year and with the Dan Tyminski Band.

I’m sure that Katy will spin a few tracks from the CD, and hopefully will drag a yarn or two from Adam about the recording of this stellar project. Guests include Alison Krauss, Ron Block, Ron Stewart, Bryan Sutton, Randy Kohrs, Chris Stapleton and producer/bassist Barry Bales.

Bluegrass Country’s 24/7 bluegrass music feed can be heard worldwide on www.bluegrasscountry.org and in the Washington area on HD Radio WAMU-88.5 Channel Two, and on 105FiveFM.

Resonator Guitar: 20 Bluegrass Jam Favorites contains precisely what the title suggests. Mike has created intermediate level arrangements for 20 oft-called tunes, and presents them in tablature and on an accompanying audio CD.

The book is spiral bound to lay flat on a music stand and runs to 28 pages, including a forward from Jerry Douglas. Songs include Angelina Baker, Big Mon, Clinch Mountain Backstep, Lonesome Road Blues, Methodist Preacher, Red Wing, Soldiers Joy and many more.

It can be ordered from Mike’s web site, where you can also see the complete list of tunes.

Witcher also offers live online lessons via webcam. Full details can be found on his site – a high speed connection is highly recommended.

The article – The Sisterhood of Bluegrass by Barry Mazor – discusses how the bluegrass/acoustic world has warmed of late to female-headed bands, and how these three all find themselves on Compass at this point in their careers.

“It’s a kind of sisterhood, really,” Ms. Brown notes, and she should know. She’s not only a widely admired banjo virtuoso, and in 1991 the first woman to win the International Bluegrass Music Association’s banjo player of the year award, after a stint playing with Alison Krauss. She’s also a former investment banker who co-founded and heads Compass Records along with her husband and bandmate, Gary West. While the three 40-something bandleaders on Compass are different musically, Ms. Brown stresses their common history.

“We’re all about the same age,” she said in an interview at Compass’s Music Row offices, “and all three of us have seen change and what women can do in the field. When I was playing festivals growing up, people always felt compelled to say ‘you’re really good — for a girl,’ and it wasn’t even meant as an insult. But you don’t hear that so much any more; women are leading the charge with the most interesting bluegrass.”

You can read the full piece online, complete with audio tracks from the Brown, Bradley and Raines CDs.

She has announced that Dominick Leslie, mandolinist l’enfant terrible currently studying at the Berklee College of Music, will be joining her on the road this summer.

They will be heading out next week for a tour of Colorado and California with young Dom in tow.

• June 4th: Swallow Hill, Denver CO -  With the Boston Boys
• June 6-7: Pagosa Springs Folk and Bluegrass Festival – Pagosa Springs, CO
• June 9th: Don Quixote’s Music Hall – Felton CA
• June 11th: Freight and Salvage – Berkeley CA
• June 12th: Sutter Creek Theatre – Sutter Creek CA
• June 13th: The Youth Annex – Sebastopol, CA
• June 14th: The Palms Playhouse -  Winters CA

In addition to Missy on bass and vocals and Dominick guesting on mandolin, The New Hip consists of Mike Witcher on resonator guitar, Ethan Ballinger on guitar and Robert Crawford on drums.

She will be on with Lee Michael Demsey’s during his show on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country at 11:00 a.m. (EDT). Look for them to feature songs from the new Compass Records CD, Inside Out, and discuss their remaining tour dates in VA and WV this month.

Bluegrass Country is streamed live online at www.bluegrasscountry.org, and in the DC metro area, is carried on WAMU HD 88-5 Channel Two and on 105-Five FM.

When that group disbanded, Missy spent several years with Eddie and Martha Adcock before spending many more with Claire Lynch, and working simultaneously as a duo with Jim Hurst. During that time, she was chosen as the IBMA Bass Player of the Year 7 times, more than any other bassist since the awards were launched in 1990.

Missy struck out on her own in 2008, and formed her own group, Missy Raines & The New Hip – cleverly named following her hip replacement surgery.

They put out a 5 track EP/CD last Spring, and the band’s first full-length project, Inside Out, was released this week on Compass Records. Missy handles bass and lead vocals, with Michael Witcher on resonator guitar, Dillon Hodges on guitar and Ethan Ballinger on mandolin.

We asked Missy to select two tracks from the new CD for us to preview for our readers, and she shared a few words of her own about them as well.

Angeline – Listen now:    

Angeline, our version of Angeline the Baker, is a lot of fun to play. One of my all time favorite fiddle tunes, this was one of those pieces that just came together easily for us. Michael wrote a new melody for the second part and Dillon, Ethan, and Michael arranged it and it is a staple of our show. It just makes me happy when I play it.

Basket Of Singing Birds – Listen now:    

Basket of Singing Birds was written by my good friend, Ed Snodderly. The first time I heard it, I knew I wanted to sing it, and knew it would become a bit of a cornerstone to our sound. To me, this song is about coming back to what really matters in your life. It’s about being grounded when the world (or even just your corner) is in a tumble all around you. I enjoy singing it, I get a lot out of it each time because it resonates with me so much and I can actually see folks being moved by it when we perform it live.

You can listen to all 10 tracks from Inside Out in the music player on Missy’s web site, and hear audio samples in iTunes.

The group features Raines on bass and vocals, Ethan Ballinger on mandolin, Michael Witcher on resonator guitar/vocals, and Dillon Hodges on guitar/vocals. We’ll have more details about the new album shortly.

They have created a number of preview videos to share some thoughts and music from the new CD.

They will be appearing Friday (1/23) on Blue Plate Special, the noontime live performance show on WDVX, where they are sure to highlight the material from Inside Out.

WDVX broadcasts from Knoxville, TN on 102.9 FM and can also be heard online via live streaming at 12:00 p.m. (EST).

Flatpicker Steve Kaufman will also appear on Friday’s program.

A new CD will be released on February 10, 2009, the first full-length CD Missy has recorded with her band, New Hip. Members include Ethan Ballinger on mandolin, Michael Witcher on resonator guitar, and Dillon Hodges on guitar.

Missy was enthusiastic about the new record deal.

“This is a great day for me, I’m thrilled to be working with Alison and Garry and the team at Compass Records.  I feel it’s the absolute best label for us.

The new CD is called, Inside Out, and we recorded it here in Nashville with Ben Surratt at the Rec Room Studios. Of course it features all of the New Hip along with some special guests including Matt Flinner, John R. Burr, Doug Belote, and Megan McCormick.

We’re creating our own sounds drawing on a lot of deep roots and the music we’re coming up with gets me out of bed every morning very excited and looking forward. I can’t wait to share  it with our fans this next year.”

Original guitarist Megan McCormick has departed to pursue a career in indie rock, and 17 year old Dillon Hodges – 2007 Winfield Flatpicking Champion – is stepping in.

Missy shares the mixed feelings that always accompany a personnel change.

“There’s no question Megan has played a crucial role in the realization of this band, I’m so glad she was there, it has been an amazing time! At the same time we couldn’t be happier with Dillon. He’s a brilliant player. He also has a musical maturity that belies his young age.”

The band’s self-titled short form CD is now available, with audio samples available online.

Missy Raines & The New Hip is the name of that band and this five piece ensemble lives up to their name.

Today is the release of the group’s first recording. The self-titled disc, Missy Raines & The New Hip includes 5 tracks and one free download if you buy before midnight tonight.

Today is the day we’ve been waiting for for a long time. We’re releasing our new EP, the very first recording by missy raines & the new hip! For the bluegrass lovers it’ll be obvious that our roots are showing, but we’ve also stirred a few other things into the pot- a little jazz, a little groove and a whole lot of hip!

Go listen to this recording expecting to hear traditional bluegrass and you’ll surely be disappointed. Go expecting to hear some great music that includes some bluegrass sensibility, and you’ll be very pleased.

The band consists of Raines on upright acoustic bass, Ethan Ballinger on mandolin, Michael Witcher on electric (jazz style) guitar and resonator guitar, Megan McCormick on acoustic guitar, and Lee Holland on drums. Don’t worry, he’s very tasteful! There are a few special guests on the recording as well.

Don’t forget that ordering your copy before midnight tonight will get you in on the exclusive download of Silver Lake.

We have a special track just for you: Silver Lake, a funky instrumental of mine. This is a previously unreleased studio cut by the new hip. Some of you may remember this tune from my ‚ÄòMy Place in the Sun’ cd, complete with James Brown horns, or you may have heard Jim Hurst and I work our chemistry on it live with just bass and guitar. Well, I’ve always wanted to record this tune with the band to see what would happen with it. The cool thing about Silver Lake is that it continues to live well in whatever context we put it- and it feels like it was made for this band. We had a blast cutting it, and want to share it with you. But this is the only time we’re offering it, so be the first on your block to get it and ORDER NOW!!

The band website has been completely overhauled for this release, with a new look and feel. Look for the band on all the usual social network sites (Facebook, Myspace, ReverbNation) and be sure to drop them a note.

If you’re a DJ you can have instant access to the tracks via AirplayDirect.

The band has also entered a contest on Ourstage.com to win a slot at the Newport Jazz Festival. If you’re so inclined, you can sign up and vote for the band. Maybe they’ll get to represent bluegrass to some jazz fans. I’d be proud to send them as our delegates!

The New Hip is Missy’s musical youth movement, featuring a quartet of talented string musicians. Megan McCormick is on guitars and vocals, Michael Witcher on resonator guitar and vocals, Ethan Ballinger on mandolin and guitar, Lee Holland on percussion and Raines on bass.

Missy has spent her career as a bassist with a number of successful acts (most notably Claire Lynch) and has been named Bass Player of the Year seven times by the IBMA. This marks her first excursion as a band leader, with a group of eager co-conspirators in pursuing new sonic horizons.

WDVX broadcasts on a number of FM frequencies in East Tennessee, and online at WDVX.com.

It’s the 3rd annual Pickin’ at the Paramount all star show where top bluegrass artists get together for two shows, performing together in round robin-type groupings quite different from the way fans are used to seeing them.

Artists involved in this year’s show include Mike Bub, Tim Laughlin, Ron Stewart, Adam Steffey, Jim Hurst, Dale Ann Bradley, Bradley Walker, Alecia Nugent, Terry Baucom, Phil Leadbetter, Alan Bibey, David Talbot, Missy Raines, Ricky Wasson, Kenny & Amanda Smith and Josh Williams. Cindy Baucom will be the emcee.

If you live within a comfortable drive’s distance of Bristol, this show would be well worth the trip. Shows are at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Center for the Arts, a restored art deco movie house from the 1920’s.

More details about online ticket purchasing can be found on The Paraount site.

She and her fine band will perform live in the station’s Studio B, where they will also chat with host Dennis Jones. This show will be among the last before Missy Raines will take her leave, with Mark Schatz set to step in on bass.

The WNCW signal is available as a free online audio feed if you can’t catch their broadcast at 88.7 FM in the Charlotte, NC area.

We asked Missy to share a few words about her new endeavor, and her feelings upon leaving her long-time home with Claire Lynch to do so.

I am excited to announce that as of January 2008, I will be touring full time with my new band, Missy Raines & The New Hip.

Let me tell you a little about the band: It features Megan McCormick- vocals, electric and acoustic guitars; Michael Witcher- vocals, dobro and lap steel, Ethan Ballinger- mandolins and guitar, Lee Holland- all things percussive. Everyone writes, and we’ve also started writing together as a band, exploring and creating our sound as we go along. We aren’t obsessing too much about labeling what we do right now, we just know it’s incredibly exciting and a lot of fun, and well, pretty hip. These ‚Äòguys’ are gifted, sensitive, mature musicians and I’m just thrilled to be traveling the roads with them. We are just putting the finishing touches on an EP to be released this spring and have plans to release a CD in the fall.

The formation of the New Hip has been a dream of mine for a long, long time. Every step I’ve taken through the years has in some way or another been leading me to this point. When Jim Hurst and I started our duo back in 1998, we had a strong vision of what we wanted both musically and career- wise. We had long-range goals and we knew that striking out as a duo- sharing the duties of ‚Äòfronting’ the show and pushing ourselves musically would propel us into our next adventures. And, although I’ve been inspired and affected in no small way by all the bands I’ve played with through the years, probably nothing prepared me any better for this path right now than that duo.

This is a bittersweet time though, because I’ll also be saying goodbye to some of the best people I’ve ever known or worked with- Claire Lynch, Jim Hurst and Jason Thomas, The Claire Lynch Band. It has been my great honor to be Claire’s bass player the better part of the last 12 years, and nothing will ever replace those times. Thank you, Claire, for teaching me so much and for giving me "room to breathe!" It has been an incredible ride and my great honor to play music with you and the band!

Missy has also written a lovely farewell letter to Lynch and her many fans, published in Claire’s January ‘08 newsletter. It will be available for viewing soon on her web site.

The band features Missy on bass with the assistance of Michael Wichter on resonator guitar, Megan McCormick on guitar, Ethan Ballinger on mandolin and Lee Holland on percussion.

Missy said that she would send us some details shortly about the band’s plans for ‘08 and beyond, and we’ll post an update as soon as we hear back from her.

We wish her well in her new career as a band leader.

It’s late, and Ben and I are making our way to my childhood home for a Christmas visit. As we drive north through the mountains, my mind wanders back to years past and the rich memories I have of this season. Next to summer time and bluegrass festivals, I think the time my mother loved the best was Christmas. By early November, it became her main focus, as soon as we put up the last lawn chair and winterized the camper, that is. She did her ‚Äòspring cleaning’ then, (no time in the spring, there were festivals to attend!), and sometimes a major home improvement project took place, which usually included changing the color of the walls. To this day, the smell of paint makes me think of one thing only, December 25th.

Christmas was a special time because my parents made it special. And for my mother, it was a particularly special time. We had lots of traditions and rituals. Many of them, I learned later were unique to our family and I suspect they came out of her imagination. She had what I would call a ‚Äòless than desirable’ childhood and she used to tell me that it was her goal in life to break that cycle and create a completely different environment with her children. She succeeded in that. She cast a spell of magic around most holidays and infected us all with a joy that has never dimmed.

There’s something to turning things around, to react to the negative with a positive, to making good out of bad. It’s powerful and empowering. I have felt it. I have also missed it, missed the opportunity, seen it go by like a fast train. But each time it’s presented I know I have a choice. If we could think about our actions not as quick moments; first here, then gone, but rather as long lasting ripples that radiate out and lap upon those around us then we would always choose wisely. We would choose to make something good of every situation.

It’s at this time of year that this seems so relevant to me. This is a time when like no other, our actions are under the microscope. This is the time of year when we’re supposed to see the good, no matter how hard it may be to find. We sing about it, we pray about it, we decorate about it, with the words, PEACE and JOY and LOVE all around us. For a few short weeks a year, it’s as if the world is a photograph where (pardon this) the negative is reversed. The images are the same as before but we see them differently. We react with love, with kindness, and with tolerance. We turn the other cheek, sit on our tempers, count our blessings and turn things around.

This is the beauty of the season and though it’s clich?©, wouldn’t it be lovely if it were like this all year?

My mother taught me many important things, but perhaps the most important thing was something I learned through example. I am the product of a ‚Äòcycle broken.’ My siblings and I are the beginning of the end. We have a solid foundation of love and trust and happy memories to sustain us through our adult lives. It could have so easily been different for us but for a choice she made to change a negative into a positive.

My parents are gone but our family grows with grandchildren and great grandchildren, and I see the ripples flowing, and they are strong, healthy and long lasting. Thanks Mom and Dad.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Claire Lynch has recorded five CDs for the Rounder label previously. The latest, Crowd Favorites (Rounder 0600), consists of several songs in a ‘best of’ collection that in typical fashion these days includes a few new recordings – in this instance, four out of a total of 14 tracks.

Ms. Lynch is a very talented singer with a distinctive voice that is so well suited to the bluegrass, jazz, folk and swing numbers found throughout this album. The evocative and pensive The Day That Lester Died captures an historic incident that is so momentous; the song cleverly relates what the writer/singer was doing at the time. A JFK moment! Other highlights are the swinging Fallin’ In Love and the up-tempo If Wishes Were Horses a great bluegrass reading of a Gretchen Peters song.

Six of the songs were written by Claire Lynch, albeit often with others, the jazzy Jealousy and at the other extreme, Friends For A Lifetime, a loving expression of hope for a long-lasting mother-child relationship, are just two examples of those top quality songs.

At eight minutes long, the original arrangement for Wabash Cannonball, is just as much a showcase for Jim Hurst’s exceptional guitar playing and for Missy Raines’ bass soloing as it is for Ms. Lynch’s vocals. Contrastingly, there’s a noticeably fuller sound to Silver And Gold and Sweethearts Darlin’ Of Mine, both from the same CD originally.

Three of the new recordings are re-done versions of songs from Lynch’s time as a member of Front Porch String Band. Being based in Alabama for much of her life it is natural that Ms. Lynch should write and sing about Hills Of Alabam. Another piece of the Deep South is heralded in Kennesaw Line, the moving story of a personal account of events from the Confederate point of view during a Civil War battle in north Georgia.

Mainstays in supporting Lynch are Missy Raines (bass), Jim Hurst (guitar and vocals), Jason Thomas (fiddle ) – all members of Lynch’s current band – former husband Larry Lynch (mandolin and bazouki) and Rob Ickes (Dobro¬Æ). There’s some stellar moments from several other sidemen, most notable is the Cajun fiddling of the late Randy Howard.

Crowd Favorites is a good showcasing of Claire Lynch’s varied vocal talents.

Dear folks,

I am so honored to have received the 2007 Bass Player of the Year award last night. I just wanted to say thank you! I am overwhelmed.

I wanted very much to take the opportunity to say something that I didn’t get to say last night, and that is, I want to thank Claire Lynch and the Claire Lynch Band for letting me play with them. I want to thank Claire for hiring me almost 10 years ago and giving me the fertile ground and nurturing support to grow as a musician. Claire Lynch, Jim Hurst and Jason Thomas, are 3 of the best musicians in this business, and playing with them is a dream come true. Being on the road with them is so great, we have a lot of fun and they are the consummate professionals. I cherish them and I’ve learned so much from them.

I’ve been on stage a zillion times through the years, and I always get a little nervous, but being on stage for just those few sweet seconds these (unbelieveable) 7 times to accept this great honor have given new meaning to an “out of body” experience. Or should I say, “out of shoes” experience…

Thank You very much.

Sincerely,
Missy Raines

Their appearances are sporadic, due to Missy’s commitments as a member of The Claire Lynch Band, so fans of adventurous acoustic music are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity when it arises. The music mixes elements of bluegrass with jazz and pop influences, combining acoustic and electric instruments and percussion with vocal harmony. Audio samples can be found online.

Missy now had the record for the annual awards given by the International Bluegrass Music Association, having taken the trophy for Bass Player of the Year for the sixth time in 2006. She has been honored with this distinction for her stellar live and recorded work through the years, both with Claire and in duo with Jim Hurst.

Joining Missy on stage as The New Hip will be Michael Wichter (dobro, lap steel), Megan McCormick (acoustic and electric guitars), Ethan Ballinger (mandolin and guitar) and David Heyer (percussion).

Find complete details for the CA tour on Missy’s web site.