Wilkesboro, NC -- Preparations are well underway for MerleFest 2013, presented by Lowe’s, which officially begins next Thursday, April 25, and runs through Sunday, April 28, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. When MerleFest kicks off on Thursday afternoon, it will be a bittersweet moment. For the first time in its 26 years, MerleFest will take place without beloved music icon Doc Watson, who passed away on May 29, 2012.
Nashville, TN -- The Roys latest full-length release, Gypsy Runaway Train, puts the award- winning sibling duo on the fast track. Due in stores on June 4, their third outing for Rural Rhythm Records contains six Roys' originals and some of their all-time favorite Bluegrass and Country classics. Hot vocals, steamin' pickin', unbridled enthusiasm and passion make this 13-track wonder a celebration of the Roots genre. Says Elaine Roy, "There was a real sense of freedom surrounding this whole project. The album strips away all pretenses and gives the listener a glimpse of both the highs and lows of life."
Grammy-nominated The Infamous Stringdusters launch the world premier of “Rockets” video exclusively at CMT Pure. Watch the video below. The television premier of the video happens tonight just before 8:30 PM Eastern Time on the network’s “CMT Edge.”
Nashville, TN -- Feller and Hill and the Bluegrass Buckaroos adjusted their band lineup recently. Three new artists have taken up their positions with Feller and Hill. The band has announced that Glen Inman (aka,Cookie) on bass, Steve Day on fiddle and Mark Poe on guitar have recently joined the Bluegrass Buckaroos lineup. Day will continue working with Ronnie Reno also. The new members will begin working on the next Feller and Hill project in their Buckaroo Studios. If you like traditional bluegrass and classic country music, you’ll love Feller and Hill and the Bluegrass Buckaroos.
Cumberland River would like to announce that Joey Jones is stepping down from the band. Joey is stepping down from touring with the band to work full time with Rock House Entertainment.
Nashville, TN -- Compass Records is excited to announce that The Bankesters have joined its roster of bluegrass artists. Phil and Dorene Bankester and their three daughters and son-in-law are known for some of the finest harmony singing in bluegrass music. They are currently at work gathering material for a new album to be produced by Alison Brown and tentatively slated for a fall 2013 release. In the meantime, Compass will be re-releasing the band’s latest album Looking Forward on May 28th for international distribution.
Nashville, Tenn. (April 16, 2013) – More energized and focused than ever before in their near 25-year career, roots-music troubadours Donna the Buffalo will debut their first studio album in five years, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, on June 18 via Sugar Hill Records.
Nashville, TN -- Young songwriters will fill the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s Ford Theater with songs about chicken noodle soup, the love of autumn, American presidents and more on Tuesday, April 30, during the museum’s annual Words & Music Night. Grammy award-winning artist Gretchen Wilson will host the program. The Words & Music program is made possible by the Country Music Association Endowment for Words & Music. Nashville-area students will perform their original songs accompanied by volunteer professional songwriters during the event. The program begins at 6:00 p.m. and is open to performing students and their families.
Nashville, TN -- Anticipation for the sixth Annual DelFest has ratcheted up significantly in recent weeks. Whether it’s from the spring weather in the air, the additional line-up announcements, or the faithful fans just not able to wait much longer, it’s safe to say that this year’s festival can’t come soon enough.
On January 8th, Rural Rhythm Records announced the new bluegrass single “That Janie Baker” from his latest album, The Back Forty was released to radio stations. AirPlay Direct is featuring the track as their Focus Track. Terry Herd of Bluegrass Radio Network, after hearing the track, commented “That Janie Baker’ is one of those songs you find yourself singing along with, even before you know the words.”
James Reams & The Barnstormers will be appearing at the Hi-Country Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, May 4th at 2:45 PM and 5 PM. A bluegrass band that was nominated by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2002 as Emerging Artist of the Year, James Reams & The Barnstormers provide a contemporary take on traditional bluegrass; blending it with innovation and vitality to create their own branch on the “roots” tree. In a review of an early album by James Reams, fRoots (an international magazine that specializes in world music) declared, “Traditional music kept alive by a stylish performer... Powerful, emotional music that needs to be heard.”
Bristol, TN/VA -- On Friday, April 5, Downtown Johnson City, Tennessee was abuzz with sounds and sights of the past. Local residents, media and organizations gathered to celebrate the Birthplace of Country Music®’s musical sibling: the 1928 Johnson City Sessions. BCM President John Rainero spoke to the Sessions' impact--one still being felt as partnerships are formed today.
Appomattox is the birthplace of Joel Sweeney and the rest of his banjo playing kith and kin. The Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, along with a newly created friends group, without which this could not happen, and Mark Weems of the North Carolina School of Traditional Music, are planning a celebration of Sweeney, the Africans he learned from and the banjo. The Joel Sweeney and the Banjo: from Africa to Appomattox to America Festival is scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday May 10-11th 2013.
2013 marks Trampled by Turtles 10 year anniversary as a band. To celebrate, the group is hitting the road this month and next in their home state of Minnesota -- the place where it all began. When Trampled by Turtles was created, all the musicians wanted to do was play music with acoustic instruments as a break from their rock bands. The members learned old fiddle songs, traditional folk songs, bluegrass songs, and what few original songs they had, followed those formulas. As it happened however, the first year of existence of this band was also the last year of existence for their other bands. Ten years later, the music community is happy that the group went in the direction that they did.
Hiltons, VA -- Whitetop Mountain Band is a family-based band from the highest mountains of Virginia. Whitetop is an area rich in old time music tradition, and this band has deep roots in mountain music. The band’s members have worked tirelessly to preserve the region’s style of old time fiddling and banjo picking and are legendary musicians and teachers of the style. Their shows are high energy and unlike any other show you have ever seen. There’s everything from fiddle and banjo instrumentals to powerful solos and harmony vocals on blues, classic country, honky tonk, traditional bluegrass numbers, old timey ballads, originals, four-part mountain gospel songs – and some flat foot dancing. Well-known for their charisma on stage and their ability to engage audiences of all ages, this group has been performing at the Carter Fold since shows first began at the A.P. Carter Grocery in the 1970s. Saturday, April 20th, 2013, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of old time music by the Whitetop Mountain Band. Admission to the concert is $8 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.
Wilkesboro, NC -- Preparations are well underway for MerleFest 2013, presented by Lowe’s, which officially begins next Thursday, April 25, and runs through Sunday, April 28, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. When MerleFest kicks off on Thursday afternoon, it will be a bittersweet moment. For the first time in its 26 years, MerleFest will take place without beloved music icon Doc Watson, who passed away on May 29, 2012.
Nashville, TN -- 
Grammy-nominated The Infamous Stringdusters launch the world premier of “Rockets” video exclusively at CMT Pure. Watch the video below. The television premier of the video happens tonight just before 8:30 PM Eastern Time on the network’s “CMT Edge.”
Nashville, TN -- Feller and Hill and the Bluegrass Buckaroos adjusted their band lineup recently. Three new artists have taken up their positions with Feller and Hill. The band has announced that Glen Inman (aka,Cookie) on bass, Steve Day on fiddle and Mark Poe on guitar have recently joined the Bluegrass Buckaroos lineup. Day will continue working with Ronnie Reno also. The new members will begin working on the next Feller and Hill project in their Buckaroo Studios. If you like traditional bluegrass and classic country music, you’ll love Feller and Hill and the Bluegrass Buckaroos.
Cumberland River would like to announce that Joey Jones is stepping down from the band. Joey is stepping down from touring with the band to work full time with Rock House Entertainment.
Nashville, TN -- Compass Records is excited to announce that The Bankesters have joined its roster of bluegrass artists. Phil and Dorene Bankester and their three daughters and son-in-law are known for some of the finest harmony singing in bluegrass music. They are currently at work gathering material for a new album to be produced by Alison Brown and tentatively slated for a fall 2013 release. In the meantime, Compass will be re-releasing the band’s latest album Looking Forward on May 28th for international distribution.
Nashville, Tenn. (April 16, 2013) – More energized and focused than ever before in their near 25-year career, roots-music troubadours Donna the Buffalo will debut their first studio album in five years, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, on June 18 via Sugar Hill Records.
Nashville, TN -- Young songwriters will fill the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s Ford Theater with songs about chicken noodle soup, the love of autumn, American presidents and more on Tuesday, April 30, during the museum’s annual Words & Music Night. Grammy award-winning artist Gretchen Wilson will host the program. The Words & Music program is made possible by the Country Music Association Endowment for Words & Music. Nashville-area students will perform their original songs accompanied by volunteer professional songwriters during the event. The program begins at 6:00 p.m. and is open to performing students and their families.
Nashville, TN -- Anticipation for the sixth Annual DelFest has ratcheted up significantly in recent weeks. Whether it’s from the spring weather in the air, the additional line-up announcements, or the faithful fans just not able to wait much longer, it’s safe to say that this year’s festival can’t come soon enough.
On January 8th, Rural Rhythm Records announced the new bluegrass single “That Janie Baker” from his latest album, The Back Forty was released to radio stations. AirPlay Direct is featuring the track as their Focus Track. Terry Herd of Bluegrass Radio Network, after hearing the track, commented “That Janie Baker’ is one of those songs you find yourself singing along with, even before you know the words.”
James Reams & The Barnstormers will be appearing at the Hi-Country Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, May 4th at 2:45 PM and 5 PM. A bluegrass band that was nominated by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2002 as Emerging Artist of the Year, James Reams & The Barnstormers provide a contemporary take on traditional bluegrass; blending it with innovation and vitality to create their own branch on the “roots” tree. In a review of an early album by James Reams, fRoots (an international magazine that specializes in world music) declared, “Traditional music kept alive by a stylish performer... Powerful, emotional music that needs to be heard.”
Bristol, TN/VA -- On Friday, April 5, Downtown Johnson City, Tennessee was abuzz with sounds and sights of the past. Local residents, media and organizations gathered to celebrate the Birthplace of Country Music®’s musical sibling: the 1928 Johnson City Sessions. BCM President John Rainero spoke to the Sessions' impact--one still being felt as partnerships are formed today.
Appomattox is the birthplace of Joel Sweeney and the rest of his banjo playing kith and kin. The Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, along with a newly created friends group, without which this could not happen, and Mark Weems of the North Carolina School of Traditional Music, are planning a celebration of Sweeney, the Africans he learned from and the banjo. The Joel Sweeney and the Banjo: from Africa to Appomattox to America Festival is scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday May 10-11th 2013.
2013 marks Trampled by Turtles 10 year anniversary as a band. To celebrate, the group is hitting the road this month and next in their home state of Minnesota -- the place where it all began. When Trampled by Turtles was created, all the musicians wanted to do was play music with acoustic instruments as a break from their rock bands. The members learned old fiddle songs, traditional folk songs, bluegrass songs, and what few original songs they had, followed those formulas. As it happened however, the first year of existence of this band was also the last year of existence for their other bands. Ten years later, the music community is happy that the group went in the direction that they did.
Hiltons, VA -- Whitetop Mountain Band is a family-based band from the highest mountains of Virginia. Whitetop is an area rich in old time music tradition, and this band has deep roots in mountain music. The band’s members have worked tirelessly to preserve the region’s style of old time fiddling and banjo picking and are legendary musicians and teachers of the style. Their shows are high energy and unlike any other show you have ever seen. There’s everything from fiddle and banjo instrumentals to powerful solos and harmony vocals on blues, classic country, honky tonk, traditional bluegrass numbers, old timey ballads, originals, four-part mountain gospel songs – and some flat foot dancing. Well-known for their charisma on stage and their ability to engage audiences of all ages, this group has been performing at the Carter Fold since shows first began at the A.P. Carter Grocery in the 1970s. Saturday, April 20th, 2013, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of old time music by the Whitetop Mountain Band. Admission to the concert is $8 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.