Here’s some more happy news in the bluegrass community.

Jennifer Passamano Hamilton, who handles the bookkeeping and financial duties for her family’s business (Rural Rhythm Records), and her husband Aaron are celebrating the birth of a daughter, Lily Sue Hamilton.

She joined us on Sunday, March 22, at approximately 5:00 (PDT), weighing in at 6 lbs. 12 ozs., and “standing” 21” tall.

The family reports that mom and baby are doing well, and sent along this photo of Lily with her Grandma Pam Passamano.

Tommy Webb, a recent recruit to the Rural Rhythm Records‘ roster, will have his first release, called Heartland (RHY-1043), on that label on April 21, 2009.

The album, produced by Ron Stewart, includes 12 songs, several of which were written by Webb. Among those are two songs, re-mixed and re-mastered, from Webb’s previous two albums: the hit If It Weren’t For Bluegrass Music (I’d Go Crazy), which reached No.4 on the Bluegrass Unlimited Top 30 Singles Chart, and A Hard Row to Hoe.

Rural Rhythm has just released two tracks from the album on the Rural Rhythm Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks No.4 radio compilation CD, namely Teardrop Inn and Heartland.

Teardrop Inn, written by Mike Wells, is an emotionally-packed love story tragically gone wrong, while Heartland was written by Tommy Webb and Sam Passamano, Jr.

DJ Gracie Muldoon, of WorldWideBluegrass.com  says of the title song:

"Heartland reaches the heart and soul of the everyday working man and woman and their plight enduring through these hard times, just trying to survive. Thanks Tommy for hittin’ the nail on the head with this tune at this most difficult time in our beloved America, and the rest of the World.”

Webb, from Langley, Floyd County, Kentucky, near to the well-known highway Route 23, in a region from where so many award-winning bluegrass music artists have originated, has a deep voice like no one else in the genre. He writes passionately about life in the heartland, a life that he experiences personally.

With Tommy Webb (lead vocals, guitar, clawhammer banjo) on Heartland are Chris Goble (banjo, harmony vocals), Kenny O’Quinn (mandolin, harmony vocals), Danny Stiltner (bass, harmony vocals), Ron Stewart (fiddle, mandolin, resonator guitar, bass, harmony vocals) and Sherri Stewart (harmony vocals).

Rural Rhythm Records has announced that they will be releasing on March 10 the single Amazing Grace as performed by Carrie Hassler.

This song is the first commercial single release on the new Rural Rhythm Christian imprint label dedicated to creating fine Christian music from America’s heartland.

Carrie has been performing Amazing Grace a cappella at their live concerts for some time now, earning huge audience response, with fans continually requesting a recorded version of the song.

Amazing Grace will be available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, Zune and other digital outlets and is also featured on the upcoming new Gospel Collection summer release, Mountain Soul directed to both the Christian and Mainstream markets.

Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out have signed with Rural Rhythm Records for their next CD. The band has been tracking at Greg Luck’s studio and are hoping for a late spring or early summer release.

Sam Passamano, President of Rural Rhythm Records, is delighted to welcome them to the label.

“I have been a big fan of Russell Moore’s singing for years. He and IIIrd Tyme Out have created some of my favorite music over the years, so you can imagine how thrilled I am to be a part of this new chapter for Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out. It’s been 5 years since their last full studio album release, The Best Durn Ride, and we can’t wait to share with everyone their powerful new studio album. We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship together.”

In additional to founder Moore on guitar and lead vocals, the album will feature current members Steve Dilling on banjo, Wayne Benson on mandolin, Justen Haynes on fiddle, and Edgar Loudermilk on bass.

Russell shared a few words about the nearly completed project…

“We’ve been in the studio and the tracks are sounding GREAT! We’ve still got a couple of days of recording before we get to the mixing stage, but it’s going very smoothly at this point.

The band is producing the recording ourselves and we may, or may not, have guest artists; we’ll decide that for sure at a later date. More than half are original songs – many from within the band – as well as a few covers. Some of the writers include me, Wayne Benson, Bill Castle, Dee Gaskin, Becky Buller, Kim Fox and Ray Edwards.”

A new 3TO album will be great news for the band’s many fans, among whom I count myself.