Bluegrass Gospel favorites, The Churchmen, recently welcomed fiddler Tim Smith to the band.

Tim is a veteran bluegrass musician, having served as a member of The Bluegrass Cardinals. He has 1st place trophies from both Galax and Union Grove, and recording credits with such bluegrass luminaries as James King, The Country Gentlemen, and Jim Eanes on his resume.

Smith also has a pair of solo fiddle projects available, Plain and Simple (1999) and The Lonesome Blueridge (2001).

The Churchmen roster now includes David Guthrie (guitar and vocals), Freddy Rakes (banjo and vocals), Gerald Harbour (mandolin and vocals), Keith Clark (bass and vocals), and Smith (fiddle and vocals).

Find a list of their upcoming performace dates online.

The Gospel Music Association announced yesterday their nominees for this year’s Dove Awards. The awards do include two bluegrass categories for Song of the Year and Album of Year. Here are this year’s bluegrass nominees.

BLUEGRASS RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR
(Song, Album, Artist, Writer, Label)

• “Did You Forget God Today”; Long List of Heartaches; Grascals; Aubrey Holt; Rounder Records
• “Bedside Prayer”; Traveling Through; The Churchmen; Steve Martin; Pinecastle Records
• “He Lives In Me”; He Lives In Me; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; Frances P. Simpson; Horizon Records
• “If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again”; Bluegrass Gospel Time; Dave Moody; Arr by Dave Moody, Mallie B. Music; Lamon Records
• “My Cross”; Flyin’ High; Lewis Family; Wayne Haun; Vine Records
• “We Know Where He Is”; The Promised Land; Del McCoury Band; Shawn Camp; McCoury Music

BLUEGRASS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Album, Artist, Producer(s), Label)

• Acoustic Hymns Volume 1; Cumberland Quartet; Wayne Haun, Depp Britt, Kevin Ward; Vine Records
• Ancient Of Days; Harvest Wind; Dave Moody; Lamon Records
• Flyin’ High; Lewis Family; Wayne Haun; Kevin Ward; Mountain Home
• He Lives In Me; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; Doyle Lawson; Horizon Records
• The Promised Land; Del McCoury Band; Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury; McCoury Music

The 38th Annual Dove Awards will be presented on Wednesday, April 25, 2007. The show will be held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN at 8PM CST. It won’t be broadcast in national syndication until the month of May.

You can find the complete listing of nominees, more info, and show tickets at www.doveawards.com

Bluegrass Gospel favorites The Churchmen have announced the addition of guitarist/vocalist David Guthrie to their lineup. David had been a member of Lorraine Jordan and The Carolina Road Band, and has a solo Gospel CD of his own, Man Of God, released in 2004.

While they welcome David to The Churchmen family, the band also shared some kind words for departing member, Charlie Oakley.

The Churchmen like to say thanks to Charlie Oakley who was with the band during 2006. Charlie is a great blessing to our group and we really regret that his work schedule will no longer allow him to continue as a full time member of the band.

The current edition of The Churchmen is now Freddy Rakes (banjo/vocals), Gerald Harbour (mandolin/vocals,) Keith Clark (bass/vocals), Ricky Keen (dobro) and Guthrie (guitar/vocals).

Check their schedule online to find a chance to see them in your part of the world.

The recently updated New Releases page on the Pinecastle Records web site is almost all-Gospel this week, highlighting three new gospel projects from current Pinecastle artists.

The Village Singers, long-time Gospel favorites, have a new CD, He Put The Color In The Rose. Pinecastle indicates that The Village Singers are the best selling artists they have ever had on the label. Anyone who doubts that the album might have a bluegrass feel should know that Sonny Osborne produced it. He may have retired from traveling with The Osborne Brothers, but it’s great to see that he hasn’t completely retired from active participation in the music.

Also new is Traveling Through, from The Churchmen. This CD release marks their 16th year as a band, and their first with new members Charlie Oakley on vocals and guitar and Ricky Keen on resonator guitar.

The last of the new releases is from BlueRidge. Getting Ready is both the band’s debut on Pinecastle after several successful projects for other labels, and their first all-Gospel release. The material includes both new and classic Gospel songs, and Sonya Issacs is featured as a guest vocalist.

Speaking of BlueRidge: their newly-redesigned web site should come on line quite soon, including their first functional online store. Also, be on the lookout for details on a guitar giveaway, co-sponsored by Pinecastle and Saga Music’s Blue Ridge Guitars to coincide with the release of the new CD.

Audio samples for each CD can be found on its corresponding web site.

Thanks to Gerald Harbour of The Churchmen, who wrote in to tell us about the newest member of the band. Charlie Oakley will be joining the band on guitar as well as singing lead and harmony vocals. Here’s the official statement from the band.

The Churchmen are pleased to announce that Charlie Oakley has joined the band and will begin touring with them. Charlie will be recognized by most bluegrass fans in the North Carolina area as he has been no stranger to the stage. [Editor’s Note: Charlie has played with Roxboro NC bands The Burress Family and the New Classic Grass, and also with Jay Kaczor & the Bluegrass Connection.] Charlie will be playing guitar along with Ricky Keen on Dobro, Freddy Rakes on banjo, Keith Clark on bass and Gerald Harbour on mandolin.

In addition to the new band member, The Churchmen are also releasing a new CD on Pinecastle Records this March. The CD contains 12 songs, 10 of which are originals composed by Paul Williams, Jay Adams, Danny Bowers and Steven Martin, a former member of the band.

Says Gerald,

We think this will become a favorite among Churchmen fans. It is the best material and arrangements that we’ve ever had. We are anxious to get the project in hand and start performing the new material.

You can catch The Churchmen with their new songs, and new line up, by checking their website for tour info.