Pinecastle Records has announced the fall release of two new recorded projects, for The Churchmen and Beth Stevens. Both show a street date of October 14, but it is likely that these new CDs will be available from the artists at their live shows this summer.

Strong Enough marks the debut from Beth Stevens & Edge, though her voice will be a familiar one to a great many bluegrass fans. Beth sang for many years with her sister April and her parents as The Stevens Family, before the girls ventured out as The Stevens Sisters.

Her new CD showcases Beth’s strong voice, both as a lead vocalist and in duet with Steve Gulley and Dale Ann Bradley, and her dad Doug Stevens. The material is a nice mix of modern bluegrass and Gospel music, brilliantly performed by Edge and a crack studio band featuring Scott Vestal on banjo, Matt Leadbetter on resonator guitar, Jesse Cobb on mandolin, and Steve Thomas on fiddle. Beth also plays banjo, as she does in their live shows.

She shared a few thoughts with us about the new project…

“Strong Enough is a true representation of the music that I love. It allowed me the freedom to sing and arrange the songs the way I wanted the fans to hear them. The best thing about the album is simply it’s given me and my band EDGE the opportunity to showcase what we can do along with the help and support of some of the people that I have wanted to work with for years like Scott Vestal, who made recording this project one on the best musical experiences for me. I hope the fans enjoy the CD.”

New this fall from The Churchmen is I’ll Be Long Gone, the third on Pinecastle for this North Carolina Gospel bluegrass outfit. It contains primarily original material, written by David Guthrie, who sings the high leads and plays guitar with the group. A few old favorites, like Take Me In The Lifeboat and Rocked On The Deep are included as well.

The band is made up of founding members Gerald Harbour on mandolin, Keith Clark on bass, and Freddy Rakes on banjo, with Tim Smith on fiddle and Guthrie on guitar. Dale Perry plays the banjo on the new recording.

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.