Wichita, Kan. -- Though there are numerous syndicated Bluegrass music shows on the air today, Orin Friesen’s “Bluegrass Country” was the first. Now the show is poised to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The program, now known as “Bluegrass from the Rockin’ Banjo Ranch with Orin Friesen,” is heard every Sunday morning from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. on Today’s KFDI-FM 101.3 out of Wichita. It’s also available via live streaming at www.kfdi.com

The program began on another station in 1973 as “Bluegrass Country” and moved to KFDI AM & FM in 1977 at the request of then-owner and General Manager Mike Oatman. In 1981, KFDI’s parent company at the time, Great Empire Broadcasting, purchased KBRQ in Denver, Colo., and the station included “Bluegrass Country” in their programming. The show was also added to other Great Empire stations, including KTTS in Springfield, Mo., and KWKH in Shreveport, La.

Due to the program’s increasing popularity, Friesen began receiving requests from radio stations around the country, and it was placed into syndication. At its height, “Bluegrass Country” aired on 37 radio stations across the nation, including such powerhouses as WPOC in Baltimore and KOMA in Oklahoma City.

“With the Internet and digital audio, it’s a lot easier to syndicate a program these days,” Friesen said. “Back then, I did it by mailing out two seven-inch reels of tape to every station each week. It took a tremendous amount of time.”

In 1999, Friesen began performing cowboy music at the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper. “I got too busy to keep syndicating the show,” explained Friesen, who continued to do the show on KFDI, where it remains today.

Friesen has received numerous accolades for his decades-long promotion of Bluegrass Music. In 1990, he was named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s first Broadcaster of the Year. The Kansas Bluegrass Association honored Friesen by granting him a lifetime membership.

“Bluegrass has such a rich history in Kansas and we are honored to have Orin share his knowledge, passion and musical abilities with our listeners every week,” said Eric McCart, vice president and general manager of Journal Broadcast Group-Wichita Operations. “Very few radio hosts reach this milestone in their careers – 40 years is an amazing achievement. We're happy to celebrate this achievement and look forward to many more years of Orin bringing bluegrass music to Kansans.”
Today’s KFDI FM 101.3 — along with Classic Country 92.3 FM (KFTI-FM), Radio Lobo KYQQ 106.5, T95 (KICT-FM), True Oldies 1070 AM (KLIO-AM) and KFXJ-FM 104.5 The Fox — have been owned by Journal Broadcast Group since 1999.

Journal Broadcast Group owns and operates 35 radio stations and 15 television stations in 12 states. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it is the broadcast business of Journal Communications Inc., a diversified media company with operations in publishing, radio and television broadcasting, and interactive media.

Nashville, TN -- Bluegrass brother/sister duo The Roys are nominated for two 2013 Inspirational Country Music Awards: Inspirational Bluegrass Artist of the Year and Vocal Duo & Performance of the Year. "Once again we are humbled by the support and appreciation of our music by the ICM voting body," states Lee Roy, who along with his sister Elaine, has received five previous honors from the organization. "Win or lose we are truly blessed," Elaine Roy adds. "It is an honor to be included with such great artists and to be a part of this wonderful genre.

The 2013 ICM Faith, Family and Country Convention and Awards will be held at Two Rivers Fellowship at Opryland in Nashville Oct 20-24. The 19th annual Inspirational Country Music Awards show, hosted by Megan Alexander, will take place on Thursday, October 24.

While Lee and Elaine consider themselves Bluegrass "to the bone," the positive message of their music appeals to the masses. They recently wowed a crowd of 30,000 Country fans at Wisconsin Country Thunder. Upcoming dates include:

• Aug 23 - Outer Banks Jubilee - Kitty Hawk, NC
• Aug 24 - Ribz 4 Kidz - Lewisburg, PA
• Aug 25 - Craig Civic Center - Kingwood, WV
• Aug 28 - Bluegrass in the Park - Staunton, VA
• Sep 01 - Kentucky Bluegrass and Bourbon Festival - Louisville, KY
• Sep 07 - Renfrew Fair - Renfrew, Ontario, Canada
• Sep 14 - Midnite Jamboree - Nashville, TN
• Sep 20 - Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival - Morehead, KY
• Sep 21 - Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival - Kodak, TN
• Sep 24 - IBMA Showcase - Raleigh, NC
• Sep 28 - Willies Locally Known - Lexington, KY
• Sep 29 - Washington County High School - Sandersville, GA
• Oct 04 - Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival - Manteo, NC
• Oct 18 - The Listening Room - Nashville, TN
• Oct 19 - Orange Blossom Opry - Weirsdale, FL
• Oct 20 - Orange Park Fall Festival - Orange Park, FL
• Oct 24 - The 5 Star Theater - Hot Springs, AR

The Roys' current CD, Gypsy Runaway Train (Rural Rhythm Records) recently reached the #2 spot on the Billboard Bluegrass Album Chart and debuted at #1 on AirPlay Direct's APD Global Radio Indicator Charts.

The siblings have recently been featured by various media outlets as well. Fans who missed their PBS Jubilee appearance (which includes performances from their previous two Top 5 BILLBOARD Bluegrass Album Chart projects, Lonesome Whistle and New Day Dawning), can view the show HERE and can read their interview with Chuck Dauphin at Billboard.com.

The Roys' previous ICM honors include:

• 2012 Inspirational Country Music (ICM) Bluegrass Artist of the Year
• 2012 Inspirational Country Music (ICM) No. 1 Inspirational Country Single ("I Wonder What God's Thinking")
• 2011 Inspirational Country Music (ICM) Bluegrass Artist of the Year
• 2009 & 2010 Inspirational Country Music (ICM) Duo of the Year

Stay social with Lee and Elaine at www.TheRoysOnline.com, Facebook and Twitter.www.TheRoysOnline.com

Gospel music followers are about to discover what aficionados of country and bluegrass music have known for years: Donna Ulisse can flat-out sing — and write — a gospel song. As her warm, pure voice caresses ten heartfelt songs reflecting her lifelong faith, she transports you to a welcoming, down-home church that you won’t want to leave (even if you’re getting hungry and thinking

“I am trying to use my music to honor Him and to spread the word of His love through song,” says Ulisse, who wrote or co-wrote all but two of the songs on this career-spanning collection. Gospel songs have figured prominently on previous albums, and this CD culls the best of those, plus two newly recorded chestnuts.

While earning worldwide kudos for her singing, Ulisse has consistently been building a first-rate reputation (and catalog) as a writer. Artists including Claire Lynch, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, The Bankesters and Nu-Blu have recorded her songs, with two of those on Nu-Blu’s recent gospel album (the Bankesters and Lynch cuts were also gospel songs). And Ulisse earned a 2012 nomination for IBMA songwriter of the year.

I Am a Child of God has its eyes on an eternal prize, and it’s clear Ulisse believes what she’s singing. From the soulful testimony of the title song to the irresistible mountain harmonies of “Everything Has Changed,” through fresh spins on “Wait a Little Longer Please Jesus” and “This Is My Father’s World,” to the urgent confession of need in “I’m Calling Heaven Down,” Ulisse delivers confident, convicting gospel that, like the best of the genre, feels timeless, impervious to trend.

The accompaniment, of course, is sublime, with stalwarts including Keith Sewell and Bryan Sutton (both of whom produced songs here) on acoustic guitar; Viktor Krauss and Byron House on upright bass; Andy Leftwich on fiddle, Rob Ickes and Randy Kohrs on Dobro; and Scott Vestal on banjo. The Isaacs lend their unmistakably gorgeous harmonies to “This Is My Father’s World.”

By turns jubilant, prayerful, reflective, pleading and emphatic, I Am a Child of God shines as a uniquely personal expression of a believer’s spiritual journey. There’s not a false note here, lyrically, vocally or instrumentally. And that’s the gospel truth.

The CD is available on Donna's website store at www.donnaulisse.com, CDBbaby, Amazon.com, iTunes and County Sales.

Shannon and Heather Slaughter & County Clare are celebrating great success with their new album One More Road that includes a new hit single. Today, music fans can learn more about the new project when Sirius XM Bluegrass Junction Channel 61 hosted by Kyle Cantrell will feature a Track by Track with Shannon. The show debuts Wednesday, August 14 at 11 AM and will re-air Thursday (8/15) from 9-10 PM, Saturday (8/17) from 8-9 AM, and Sunday (8/18) from 11 AM - 12 PM (EDT).

Next month, Shannon and Heather Slaughter will be featured on the popular TV show Absolutely Alabama. The couple, who are expecting a new baby next month, welcomed host Fred Hunter into their home and at St. Clair County High School where Shannon serves at the Offensive Line Coach. They talk about their Alabama life, new album and touring with their band County Clare. The show will air on WBRC Fox Channel 6 in Birmingham, Alabama on Friday, September 6 at 10:30 pm CST.

The band’s outstanding bluegrass version of the Top 40 hit “If I Were A Carpenter” certainly showcases the vocal talents and tight harmony by Shannon and Heather. The song continues to appear on Bluegrass Today’s Top 20 weekly airplay chart and over the last few weeks has also gained airplay on Country radio as well. One More Road also includes the first single release, The Lives of the Innocent that also appeared numerous times on Bluegrass Today’s Top 20 chart. This Civil War anthem, written by Shannon, features his vocal strength, range and dynamic guitar playing highlighted by Heather’s soulful tenor singing.

Band members include Shannon Slaughter (guitar, vocals), Heather Slaughter (mandolin, vocals), John Boulware (fiddle, vocals), Blake Bowen (bass, vocals) and Casey Murray (banjo, guitar, vocals). For more information on the band please visit www.countyclare.com and join them on Facebook.

From the pastoral hills, hollers, shopping malls, and interstate highways of Goodlettsville, Tennessee - home of Bill Monroe, Bashful Brother Oswald, Stringbean, Grandpa Jones, Keith Whitely - and some living country music performers - comes the most entertaining blast from the past since Lester Moran and the Cadillac Cowboys. They’re the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band – five guys and a scrubboard with roots like wisdom teeth. Saturday, August 24th, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, an old time and bluegrass style band. Admission to the concert is $15 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.

The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band has shamelessly stolen a feature of the old Roy Acuff Show -- a bit known as "Pap & the Jug Band". This frolicking fivesome brightens up the stage with rib-tickling old time tunes. Even better, they have an utter lack of self-consciousness (and some might say any sense of decorum). The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band not only knows the music, they wear the costumes, tell corny jokes, and even do slapstick gags that throw a cable-tv-numbed audience into hysterics. Grown women have lost control of internal organs when the Jug Band entertains ... tears a’ runnin’ down both legs!!

"Lonesome" Lester Armistead is a shy and retiring retired printer now raising grandchildren on his farm in middle Tennessee. He rarely speaks above a whisper until he uncorks his jug, gets a whiff of greasepaint and footlights, and releases his Force Five tenor voice in song. Lester and his late brother Jack performed extensively in Davidson County as a country duet years ago. They grew up around Roy Acuff's Smoky Mt. Boys, as their dad co-owned a bait store with Acuff's fiddler Howdy Forrester. Lester learned to sing from Bashful Brother Oswald - on this all music scholars agree. When Lester sings, Oswald lives. Lester blows a jug that Os played on the Opry as long ago as 1939. Lester also picks a mean banjo. Mostly, Lester likes to laugh.

As Roy Rogers was to the Sons of the Pioneers, so Leroy Troy - "the Tennessee Slicker" is to the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. Leroy has "star power", having performed his astounding old time banjo act since the 1980s at the Knoxville World’s Fair, in the cast of "Hee Haw", on many recordings, on the high seas, at concerts and festivals all over the U.S., Canada, the British Isles, and in Branson, Missouri. Now a regular on Marty Stuart’s show on RFD TV, he's a past Champion and Grand Marshal from Uncle Dave Macon Days in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Leroy gives all credit to old time Opry stars the Bailes Brothers, who taught him show business. Leroy sings the lead on old tunes like Charmin’ Betsy, and besides banjo he also plays an elaborately outfitted scrubboard, after the fashion of long-ago Opry star Robert Lunn who played it in Acuff’s show. Leroy has the Three T's -- tone, taste and timing. His grin and eyes are hypnotic - he really connects with an audience.

The tall, handsome young man providing most of the actual music with his fiddle is sophisticated (he was born in Pennsylvania) Dan Kelly. Even if you can't recognize a fiddle (or real music) you can tell Dan by his snazzy clothes - Liberty size 40-Suave overalls. As a mere stripling youth, Dan won hundreds of fiddle contests and was a six-state champion -- he even won the Canadian National Open Championship at age 12 -- which may say a lot about the quality of Canada’s fiddlers. In 1983 Dan took home the big prize when he won the coveted Grand Masters Fiddle championship in Nashville. After fiddler Big Howdy Forrester’s passing, Roy Acuff hired young Dan to be the Smoky Mt. Boys' fiddler, and Dan worked with the King of Country Music until his death in 1992. Dan can really play those beautiful and tricky Howdy Forrester pieces! Since Acuff’s passing, Dan has fiddled his way through a number of top country bands including those of Pam Tillis, Steve Wariner, James Bonamy, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Jessica Simpson, and SheDaisy. Poor guy can’t hold a job. Dan hopes to finally break into the "big time" with the Jug Band.

In the rhythm section with the bass fiddle, you’ll often find Ernie Sykes. Ern was born and half-raised on Long Island in New York, and he loved it so much there that he moved to the south as soon as he learned to read a map and compass in Cub Scouts. Ernie is another musician who can’t hold a real job. He’s played with his family band, the Bluegrass Cardinals, the Lonesome River Band, Irish band the Aisles of Langerhanz, and notably was the final bass player in Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys. Ernie sings a good country song, and he also sings bad country songs. Ernie learned a mean “butter paddle buck and wing” from the late Chick Stripling.

If the Jug Band can be said to have a brain, that would be guitar man Mike Armistead, Lester's son and heir. Mike shares lead singing duties with Leroy, sings harmony in the trios, books the band, runs the mercantile empire of their recordings, hoss trades in knives, dogs, and guitars, and is the Jug Band’s tenuous contact with the twenty-first century. Like his dad, Mike has a taste for strong tenor singing and also loves the repertoire of Bashful Brother Oswald and Ira Louvin. He runs his own record label out of a spider hole at the far end of Dickerson Road in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Mike is the wheeler-dealer of the outfit. He’s a graduate of the very first International Bluegrass Music Association Leadership School. He also serves the citizenry of Nashville with the Fire Department.

Mike Webb is the extraordinarily handsome young lout who plays the dobro and has also been spotted with the old time banjo and even a rhythm guitar. When but a mere lad, Mike was the awe-struck student of Bashful Brother Oswald himself. Os taught Mike all his best material - from acoustic steel guitar to his clawhammer banjo style. Mike became an authentic Grand Ole Opry performer as the last dobro picker with the late Wilma Lee Cooper and the Clinch Mountain Clan. He also performed with Charlie Collins.

The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band has a CD "Barnyard Frolic", had a video on CMT and GAC cable TV, and their latest CD is “Poor Leroy’s Almanack”. They can be heard on the sound track of Faye Dunaway’s movie "Yellowbird". The Jug Band provided the entertainment for the society wedding of Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie several years ago -- you see how well that turned out. They played a New Year’s Eve show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and nearly brought the house down. They perform concerts all over the south, for bluegrass festivals as far away as Indiana, New England, and Canada. Tours of Europe and the far east are in the works. The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (our nation’s capitol) has hosted the Jug Band. They’ve been on the Grand Ole Opry stage over a dozen times, and in spite of their wild antics they get invited back!

Hot picking, powerful harmony singing, and riotous hijinks - that’s the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. Marty Stuart first introduced them to the Fold, and it was a match made in Heaven. Get ready to laugh until your sides hurt. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes, too – you’ll need them! For more information on the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, go to www.tennesseemafiajugband.com/.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com.

Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.
In the rhythm section with the bass fiddle, you’ll often find Ernie Sykes. Ern was born and half-raised on Long Island in New York, and he loved it so much there that he moved to the south as soon as he learned to read a map and compass in Cub Scouts. Ernie is another musician who can’t hold a real job. He’s played with his family band, the Bluegrass Cardinals, the Lonesome River Band, Irish band the Aisles of Langerhanz, and notably was the final bass player in Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys. Ernie sings a good country song, and he also sings bad country songs. Ernie learned a mean “butter paddle buck and wing” from the late Chick Stripling.

Bluegrass music artists Bruce & Betsty Mullen, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent, Ricky Skaggs and The Roys are all nominated for this year's Inspirational Bluegrass Artist in the Inspirational Country Music Association's Awards for 2013. Ricky Skaggs is also a finalist in the Musician along with super picker Vince Gill. The Roys are also up for a second category in the Vocal Duo area. Bluegrass and Gospel favorite Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver are also nominated for the Vocal Group or Band award.

Voted on by members, the categories include entertainer, artist, new artist, song, songwriter, group, duo, musician, radio, radio station, film and television honors, as well as newly-added categories Mainstream Country Male, Mainstream Country Female and Mainstream Country Group/Duo. This year’s finalists feature country music superstars, Bluegrass favorites and Inspirational Country music staples alike.

Finalists in the 2013 competition include Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Darius Rucker, Chuck Day, Alan Jackson, The Roys and more. The 2013 ICM Faith, Family and Country Convention and Awards will take place at Two Rivers at Opryland in Music City on Oct 20-24, 2013; with the 19th annual Inspirational Country Music Awards taking place on October 24, 2013, at Two Rivers.

The 2013 ICM Faith, Family week includes the annual ICM Faith, Family and Country Talent Show, The Power Source #1 Party and Media Appreciation Luncheon, the annual membership breakfast, seminars, incredible live music and much more. The Inn at Opryland will serve as this year’s host hotel and is centrally located to great food, shopping and downtown Nashville.Every year, this week draws music fans, media and the industry’s top artists to Nashville where they showcase music and discuss industry related issues.

The Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country™ Awards Week is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent among artists who perform Inspirational and Christian Country music which is inspired by Faith, Family, and Country™.

The 2013 Inspirational Country Music Awards Finalists are:

• ENTERTAINER:
  • Chuck Day
  • Dennis Agajanian
  • Guy Penrod
  • Jeff Bates
  • Kali Rose
  • Steve Richard
• MALE VOCALIST:
  • Chuck Day
  • Chuck Hancock
  • Daniel Alan
  • Lucas Hoge
  • Tommy Brandt
• FEMALE VOCALIST:
  • Aubree Bullock
  • Kali Rose
  • Larissa
  • Laura Dodd
  • Mary James
• VOCAL DUO:
  • Aaron & Amanda Crabb
  • Branded
  • Randy-Paul
  • Steve Richard & Laura Dodd
  • The Roys
• VOCAL GROUP OR BAND:
  • CrossCountry the Band
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • Jayc Harold Band
  • Kristina Craig Band
  • Sunday Drive
• MAINSTREAM INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY SONG:
  • “Changed” - Rascal Flatts
  • “I Drive Your Truck”- Lee Brice
  • “Old King James” - Scotty McCreery
  • “See You Again” - Carrie Underwood
  • “Touchdown Jesus”- Tim McGraw
• MAINSTREAM COUNTRY MALE ARTIST:
  • Alan Jackson
  • Andy Griggs
  • John Berry
  • Scotty McCreery
  • Vince Gill
• MAINSTREAM COUNTRY FEMALE ARTIST:
  • Carrie Underwood
  • Dolly Parton
  • Lauren Alaina
  • Martina McBride
  • Reba McEntire
• MAINSTREAM COUNTRY DUO or GROUP:
  • Diamond Rio
  • Joey + Rory
  • Oak Ridge Boys
  • Rascal Flatts
  • Thompson Square
• INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY SONG:
  • “Hey Do You Know Me” - Kali Rose
  • “Meanwhile Back At the Cross” - Tommy Brandt
  • “They Don’t Stay Little Long Enough” - Chuck Hancock
  • “Unknown Soldiers” - Russ Murphy
  • “You Can Always Come Back Home” - Chuck Day
• SONGWRITER:
  • Chuck Hancock
  • Greg McDougal
  • Paul Staggs of Branded
  • Russ Murphy
  • Tommy Brandt
• LIVING LEGEND / PIONEER AWARD:
  • This award has already been determined.
• VIDEO:
  • Changed - Rascal Flatts; Directed by Carl Diebold
  • See You Again - Carrie Underwood; Directed by Eric Welch
  • Time is Love - Josh Turner; Directed by Peter Zavadil
  • Toothbrush - Steve Richard; Directed by Shawn Foster
  • True Believers - Darius Rucker; Directed by Jim Wright
• MUSICIAN:
  • Dennis Agajanian
  • Greg McDougal
  • Jayc Harold
  • Ricky Skaggs
  • Vince Gill
• COMEDIAN:
  • Aaron Wilburn
  • Bruce Mullen
  • Chonda Pierce
  • Johnny Lee Cook
  • Tim Hawkins
• RADIO STATION of the YEAR:
  • HLE Radio
  • Inspirational Country Radio Network
  • WEKC AM 710 – Corbin, KY
  • WSM AM 650
  • WTYS 94.1 FM
• NEW ARTIST:
  • Adrienne Haupt
  • Charee White
  • Hunter Cook
  • Jennifer Nickerson
  • Rachel Dampier
• YOUTH IN MUSIC AWARD:
  • Emily Faith
  • Hunter Cook
  • Isaac Cole
  • McDougal Kids
  • Tommy Brandt Jr.
• FAITH, FAMILY, & COUNTRY MOVIE:
  • 42– Warner Bros. Pictures
  • Home Run– Hero Productions
  • Last Ounce of Courage– Veritas Entertainment
  • Spirit of Love, the Mike Glenn Story– Film It Productions
  • Unconditional– Harbinger Media Partners
• RADIO PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR:
  • Hunter Logan
  • JR Pitsenbarger
  • Marty Smith
  • Mona Faith
  • Rich Miller
• INSPIRATIONAL BLUEGRASS ARTIST:
  • Bruce & Betsy Mullen
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • Rhonda Vincent
  • Ricky Skaggs
  • The Roys
• MUSIC EVANGELIST OF THE YEAR:
  • Chuck Day
  • Greg McDougal
  • Mary James
  • Russ Murphy
  • Tommy Brandt
• TELEVISION NETWORK:
  • Gospel Music Channel (Now UP TV)
  • Great American Country
  • Hallmark Channel
  • RFD TV
  • TCT Networks

For more information on the ICM Faith, Family and Country Convention and Awards, visit www.faithfamilycountry.com or like them at www.facebook.com/faithfamilycountry to stay updated.MAINSTREAM INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY SONG:

Loretto,TN -- Loretto, Tennessee based Grace & Tony, the husband-and wife duo responsible for a new blend of Americana/bluegrass music dubbed “punkgrass,” are set to release their full-length debut album, November, on November 12, 2013 via Rock Ridge Music (with distribution through ADA). Working with Lloyd Aur Norman and Stephen D. Jones of Villain Place in Nashville, the pair was accompanied by a full band to fill out their unique sound. The release follows the 2011 EP Inside a 7-Track Mind, which introduced “punkgrass” to listeners.

“November is the next chapter for us, it’s a new set of stories we need to tell,” said Tony. “This music is more mature and shows our natural progression as songwriters. We battle tested the songs and chose the ones that would represent our growth as a duo.”

When Grace Shultz and Tony White met, they fell in love and their music together followed after. Exposed to music early on in their lives by family (Grace’s liked the Southern styles from gospel all the way to rock, while Tony learned from his brother, John Paul White of The Civil Wars fame), Grace & Tony experimented with an unlikely blend of genres by mixing punk, folk, bluegrass, and Texas swing, to create something new: “Punkgrass” was born.

“Punkgrass is simply a natural fusion of my punk rock background, and Grace’s southern gospel and bluegrass upbringing,” stated Tony. “It isn’t forced, it’s very organic and it stands out because it’s a real fusion of what’s new and old. We play whatever pops into our heads; from classic rock to southern gospel, we scratch every itch. It’s dark, yet happy; silly, yet serious. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun to play.”

A lover of English literature and old-style murder mysteries, Grace’s influence on November is stamped like an antique wax seal; it’s no accident that the album is like an epic musical storybook filled with engaging superhero-like characters struggling with love, loneliness, and the identity of self. The album is 11 haunting and elegant chapters featuring heroic protagonists in a variety of settings taking on evil mastermind kidnappers, electromagnetic bombs, schizophrenia, and, perhaps the trickiest of all, their own minds.

Since releasing the EP, doors have opened and they have succeeded in their goal to be heard by bigger audiences by headlining the historic Crockett Theater (Lawrenceburg, TN) and performing on the legendary “Daytrotter Sessions,” Balcony TV, and Knoxville’s “Blue Plate Special” programs. In addition, two of their videos (“Let You Down,” “November”) are being played in regular rotation on The Country Network.

More opportunities for Grace & Tony wait on the horizon as they begin promoting November and prepare for its radio release later this fall. Their dance card is filling up quickly as shows are added to their schedule on a regular basis too, including dates with Green River Ordinance and a coveted slot on the 2014 Cayamo Cruise next February.

Washington, DC -- WAMU’s Bluegrass Country will present its sixth annual live broadcast from the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Annual World of Bluegrass, taking place September 24-27 in Raleigh, N.C.

Selected by a committee of Bluegrass Country hosts from a pool of 75 applicants, 24 bands will be featured during the four days of live broadcasting. Interviews and performances will air on 105.5 FM in Washington, D.C., 93.5 FM in Frederick, Md., and WUNC 91.5 FM in Raleigh, N.C., from noon-3 p.m., ET.

Highlights of this year’s performances include the September 25 broadcast, featuring Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Grass Cats and Joe Newberry and Big Medicine. Presented in conjunction with WUNC, the performance will take place from 8-10 p.m., ET, at WUNC’s studio in Raleigh’s Natural History Museum.

For a full list of performances, visit: http://bluegrasscountry.org/updates/current_update/join-bluegrass-countr...

San Francisco, CA -- The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival has announced the dates for their 2013 festival. This year's grand event will take place October 4, 5, & 6, 2013. This year, Hardly Strictly is doing a form of medley of the music to announce the performers who will take the stage.

It has been almost two years since the founder of this outstanding festival, Warren Hellman, passed away. His gift is the free monstor Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival held in Hellman Hollow (formerly Speedway Meadows), Lindley & Marx meadows in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The donated festival was given each year by Warren Hellman. The festival continues to both honor and remember him and to continue the tradition that he loved. As in past years, the multi-day, multi-staged event will feature scores of artists performing for tens of thousands of music fans.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is a family-friendly festival. Children and on-leash dogs are welcome but they should be comfortable with large crowds and loud music. Police estimate that more than 600,000 people attended the festival last year over three days, including 350,000 on Sunday, the festival's traditional top attendance day.

As in previous years, there is no camping at the park however there is a campground in The Presidio - Rob Hill Campground on the web at http://www.presidio.gov/explore/Pages/rob-hill-campground.aspx and an RV park by Candlestick park: http://sanfranciscorvpark.com/

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival is again announcing the confirmed artists in a unique way. As what started last year, there are various medleys on the festival website page. As the artists are identified, their names are posted to the roster. The site says, "We are again announcing confirmed acts for this year's festival through a series of music medleys. As you all guess them correctly, we will post the confirmed artist names here. Good luck guessing and don't forget to share your guesses with your friends!"

The first round medly artist announcement includes LP, Bonnie Raitt, Pieta Brown, Patty Griffin Bettye LaVette, Alison Brown, Della Mae, Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, and Natalie Maines. In the second medley round of artists, Chris Isaak, Mark Lanegan, the Devil Makes Three, Boz Scaggs, TBA, Calexico, Whispertown, Richard Thompson, Mike Scott & Steve Wickham (of the Waterboys) and First Aid Kit have been identified.

Round 3 is currently posted so you can take your best guess now at http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2013/ Check in frequently for updates and additional information.

As this is a free event, there are no tickets required. There also is no revenue to support a staff to answer tons of questions. The producers try and keep the website current.
The first round medly artist announcement includes LP, Bonnie Raitt, Pieta Brown, Patty Griffin Bettye LaVette, Alison Brown, Della Mae, Sallie Ford

On Oct. 15th, GRAMMY-nominated recording artist Elizabeth Mitchell releases The Sounding Joy, an exploration of Christmas and solstice songs from the American folk tradition. Drawn almost exclusively from the often overlooked but deeply influential songbook of revered composer and anthologist Ruth Crawford Seeger, these songs evoke an era before mass media and the commercialization of Christmas, when sacred song, dance, contemplation, and gathering were prized above all else during the holiday season. Mitchell’s fifth album for Smithsonian Folkways, The Sounding Joy features husband Daniel Littleton, daughter Storey, and special guests Peggy Seeger, Natalie Merchant, Amy Helm, Aoife O’Donovan, Gail Ann Dorsey, Larry Campbell, Dan Zanes, and John Sebastian, among many other family, friends, and neighbors. This gorgeously reverent 24-song collection attempts to save these traditional American holiday songs from an “unmarked grave,” as Merchant puts it in her essay included in the liner notes. The Sounding Joy is truly for listeners of all ages and is Smithsonian Folkways’ first holiday album in more than a decade.

While recovering from surgery four years ago, Mitchell spent a Thanksgiving weekend thinking about the project that would eventually become The Sounding Joy. A longtime fan and champion of Ruth Crawford Seeger’s work, Mitchell soon found herself thoroughly immersed in Seeger’s third and final songbook, American Folk Songs for Christmas. Seeger, mother of musicians Mike and Peggy Seeger and stepmother of Pete Seeger, died from cancer at age 52 in 1953, the very same year American Folk Songs for Christmas was published.

Mitchell chose to strike a balance between remaining faithful to the beauty and subtle complexity of Seeger’s unique arrangements, and bringing her own breadth and range as a producer and arranger to bear on these largely unknown traditional songs. The wide diversity of voices, players, and instruments on the album breathes new life into words first sung over a century ago by farmhands, country preachers, and small-town congregations and gospel groups.

Sneak peek at 'The Sounding Joy': http://www.folkways.si.edu/radio/sounding_joy_preview/little-bitty-baby....

Adapting a number of Seeger’s piano arrangements for a string trio and inventive percussion, Mitchell radiates warmth on “Ain’t That Rocking” and “Shine Like a Star.” Amy Helm leads a rousing version of “Last Month of the Year” through a groove and vocal quartet style that invokes the early Staple Singers with guitar figures reminiscent of Malian desert blues. Merchant lends her vocals on the haunting “Joseph and Mary (The Cherry Tree Carol),” and also contributes an essay to the liner notes, while writer/artist Brian Selznick (author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret) provided illustrations for the album package. Recordings not from the songbook include classics “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night,” and an a cappella arrangement of “Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming,” a “family heirloom” arranged by Elizabeth’s father-in-law, Michael Storey Littleton.

Although the songs presented are specific to the Christian tradition, Mitchell’s husband Daniel Littleton cites the inclusive nature of the project, describing the assembly of musicians as an “ecumenical summit” of sorts, with participants of many religious and non-religious backgrounds coming together happily to bring the songs to life. Mitchell sums up the spirit of the album best in her notes: “However you and your loved ones celebrate the last month of the year, I hope it is filled with the sounds of joy.”

The Sounding Joy Tracklist:

1. Oh, Mary and the Baby, Sweet Lamb
2. Mary Had a Baby
3. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow (feat. Mike Merenda)
4. January, February (Last Month of the Year) (feat. Amy Helm and Marco Benevento)
5. Joseph and Mary (The Cherry Tree Carol) (feat. Natalie Merchant)
6. Shine Like a Star in the Morning (feat. Simi Stone)
7. Joy to the World (feat. Jay Ungar)
8. Christmas Day in the Morning (feat. Peggy Seeger)
9. Mother’s Child (Child of God) (feat. Peggy Seeger)
10. Sing-a-Lamb (feat. Dan Zanes and Suzan Lori-Parks)
11. Great Big Stars
12. Baby Born Today (feat. The Silver Hollers - Amy Helm, Ruthy Ungar and Chris Wood, with Larry Campbell)
13. Ain’t That a-Rockin’ All Night
14. Cradle Hymn
15. Bright Morning Stars Are Rising
16. Sing Hallelu (feat. Elizabeth Clark-Jerez)
17. The First Noel
18. The Blessings of Mary (feat. Larry Campbell)
19. Oh, Watch the Stars (feat. Aoife O’Donovan)
20. Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
21. Mary Was the Queen of Galilee (feat. Gail Ann Dorsey and Joan Osborne)
22. Silent Night
23. Singing in the Land (feat. Natalie Merchant, Happy Traum, and John Sebastian)
24. Children, Go Where I Send Thee (feat. Natalie Merchant, Amy Helm, Ruthy Ungar, Gail Ann Dorsey, Dan Zanes, Aoife O'Donovan, Simi Stone)

Mitchell is a founding member of the veteran indie rock band Ida and is one of Smithsonian Folkways’ best-selling artists alongside Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Ella Jenkins. Her previous Smithsonian Folkways releases are Blue Clouds (2012), the GRAMMY-nominated Little Seed: Songs for Children by Woody Guthrie (2012), Sunny Day (2010), and You Are My Little Bird (2006). Elizabeth and Dan Zanes also recently released a duet album Turn, Turn, Turn. Starting with the album You Are My Flower, recorded in 1998 in a single afternoon as a gift for friends and family, Mitchell has developed into an accomplished artist with a devoted fan base and critical acclaim. She recently hosted the children’s music tent at the Newport Folk Festival for the third time, and NPR (All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation) described her music as “some of the most uplifting kids’ music out there,” while People Magazine described Little Seed as “exquisite.”

What do Ed Helms, Mumford & Sons bassist Ben Lovett and legendary BBC personality "Whispering" Bob Harris have in common? They're all presenting premiere showcases during Americana Music Festival, Sept. 18-22 in Nashville, TN. The Bluegrass Situation -- the online hub for everything Americana, Bluegrass, Roots, and Folk -- and Ed Helms bring together a cavalcade of their closest friends, favorite artists and surprise guests for a post Honors & Awards, late night bash at midnight, Wednesday, Sept. 18 at ONE, One Cannery Row.

"Americana is right in the pocket of who we are as a community. We couldn't think of a better place to be than Nashville during Americana week," shares The Bluegrass Situation founder, Ed Helms.

Communion Presents is an artist-led organization co-founded by Ben Lovett (Mumford & Sons) that combines elements of live promotion, publishing, recording and production to create a hub for songwriters and musicians to develop and flourish in an increasingly competitive industry environment.

"Support, respect, brotherhood, growth and development are some of the values that make up the Communion organization. This exists on and off stage. We champion musicians who encourage one another, regardless of genre or level of commercial success," shares Lovett.

The Communion Presents showcase during Americana will feature Bear's Den, Willy Mason, The Lone Bellow, Black Prairie and Justin Townes Earle on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Nashville's Downtown Presbyterian Church, 154 5th Ave North.

BBC host Bob Harris brings "BBC Introducing" (the brand for new music programs across BBC radio stations, highlighting unsigned, self-signed and other emerging musical talent primarily from the UK) to Americana for the first time. "BBC Introducing" launched in 2007 and has since extended to stages at major festivals such as Glastonbury and SXSW. Harris premieres his show to the Hard Rock Café, presenting three of the hottest and freshest new acts on the scene Friday, Sept. 20 from 5-8 p.m. The showcase will be taped live for broadcast on BBC radio.

For more on The Bluegrass Situation, Communion Music, and BBC Introducing and Americana:

• http://www.thebluegrasssituation.com/about
• http://www.communionmusic.co.uk/about/
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010j8y5/profiles/festivals
• http://www.americanamusic.org

Simon Middleton, founder and managing director of the company, said: "It's a pretty low-fi video – I shot it myself on my phone – but it captures the fantastic, bright and lively sound of The Shackleton, as well as the rich, mellow tone of the Islander Ash Leaf.

"We are delighted with how well the prototype is performing and we're very keen for people all over the world to hear it, even at this early stage of development," Middleton added. "We really hope the video will encourage people to support us on our Kickstarter campaign."

The Great British Banjo Company – the Norwich, Norfolk-based business founded by brand author and musician Simon Middleton – has launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to fund the development of The Shackleton, which will be the only low-cost banjo that is genuinely manufactured in Britain, and the first production banjo to be manufactured in Britain for many decades. The company is hoping to raise £30,000 on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter and has made a campaign film using local musical and film-making talent.

The firm has named the banjo in honour of the Centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton's heroic Endurance expedition to the Antarctic of 1914 – because the banjo that Shackleton took on that trip played a vital role in his epic adventure. When his ship The Endurance was trapped in the polar ice and had to be abandoned, Shackleton insisted that the expedition's banjo be rescued, famously calling out to his men: "We must have that banjo! It is vital mental medicine."

Shackleton was proved right: he had to leave a party of 22 men on the icy shore of Elephant Island for four months while he led a small party to fetch help. Those 22 men entertained themselves with concert parties led by their meteorologist Hussey, playing the banjo. All the men survived the ordeal, as did the banjo, which is now in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

In 2011 Middleton began selling imported banjos as Banjos Direct. Last year he launched The Great British Banjo Company in order to embark on a new adventure: to become the first production banjo manufacturer in the UK for sixty years. Middleton, said: “We've already proved that we can build a world-class banjo. Our limited edition hand-made Islander Ash Leaf which we launched last year has had fantastic reviews from some of the greatest players in the world. “We have launched a two month campaign to raise £30,000 on Kickstarter to enable us to bring our vision of an affordable British-made banjo to life.”

The Shackleton is a 5-string openback banjo of similar design to the Islander Ash Leaf which the company launched last year. But where the Islander Ash Leaf is a handcrafted (and therefore premium-priced) instrument, The Shackleton is a true 'production' instrument and as a result will be much more affordable for many more players. The company intends to retail The Shackleton at £300, putting it into direct competition with imported instruments.

Shackleton insisted that the expedition's banjo be rescued, famously calling out to his men: "We must have that banjo! It is vital mental medicine."

The Great British Banjo Company Limited, which also owns online specialist store Banjos Direct, is based in Norwich, Norfolk, UK. The company works with local craftsmen as well as instrument manufacturers in other parts of Britain. The business was founded by brand adviser, business author and musician Simon Middleton and has grown rapidly to become the UK's best known banjo specialist retailer and manufacturer. In 2012, the company launched the Islander Ash Leaf banjo, hand-made in England, which has received glowing reviews from professional players in the UK and the USA. The Great British Banjo Company is a private limited company, owned and managed by a small group of family and friends in Norwich, Norfolk, UK.

For further information, visit: http://www.thegreatbritishbanjocompany.com/.

Nashville, TN (August 22, 2013) – Lonesome River Band, fresh off another performance at the Grand Ole Opry last weekend, will now head overseas to headline the 22nd Annual Bluegrass Music Festival in Omagh, Northern Ireland on August 31 and September 1, 2013. For more information on the festival including tickets, please visit Ulster American Folk Museum.

Lonesome River Band's recent performances are a testament to their tried and true entertaining shows they continue to deliver to audiences around the world. The band includes the award-winning talents of Sammy Shelor who is considered one of the most influential banjo players of his generation. As announced last week, Shelor has received his 19th nomination as Banjo Performer of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association and is a previous 5-time winner of this award. The band includes two outstanding lead vocalists, Brandon Rickman on guitar and Randy Jones on mandolin, with the exceptional talents of fiddler Mike Hartgrove and bassist Barry Reed.

After Northern Ireland, Lonesome River Band will return to the U.S. and perform at the Bluegrass & Chili Festival in Claremore, OK (9/5); the WDVX World Class Bluegrass on the Market Square in Knoxville, TN (9/6); and the Pickin' in the Panhandle festival in Inwood, WV (9/7).

Sammy Shelor will perform at the Station Inn in Nashville, TN on Tuesday, August 27 with Alan Jackson to promote his new bluegrass album. The show will be hosted by Eddie Stubbs and broadcast live on WSM 650AM, streamed live on wsmonline.com and available via the free WSM mobile app. The show begins at 9:30 pm and doors open at 7:00 pm.

For a complete tour schedule and more information on Lonesome River Band, please visit www.lonesomeriverband.comleft

The Share America Foundation, Inc. announced its second 2013 scholarship winner recently at its Sacred Sounds Fridays concert at the Ringgold Depot in Ringgold, Ga. The events help fund the organization’s Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship. Pearl and Floyd Franks are the late parents and former entertainment managers of actor/entertainer Randall Franks, "Officer Randy Goode" from TV's "In the Heat of the Night." The scholarships honor students excelling in the Appalachian musical arts.

Banjo player Jonathan Barker, 19, of Copper Hill, Tenn. was selected as one of the 2013 winners. He is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville studying to be an emergency room physician. He is graduate of Copper Basin High School in Polk County. “It is a distinct pleasure to be honored by Share America and receive this scholarship,” Barker said. “I know what a privilege it is to have the support of so many great people who help to make it possible.”

Barker has played banjo for 11 years and also plays guitar and sings lead and harmony parts. He performs regularly with his older brother Jeremy Barker, his parents Scott and Angie and fiddler Westley Harris as The Barker Brothers. He is the younger brother of 2007 Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholar Jeremy Barker. “My brother began playing music and I thought that was the greatest thing in the world,” said Jonathan. The group’s latest CD is titled “Driven.” For more information about The Barker Brothers, visit barkerbrothers.com.

Since his beginning at age 8, with his family, he has performed numerous concerts including opening for legendary performer Ralph Stanley during his “O’ Brother Where Art Thou Tour.” He won the “Fan’s Choice Award” at Raymond Fairchild’s Maggie Valley Opry. He also added “The Shotgun Red Show” on RFD-TV in 2013 to a long list of television appearances.

“We were honored to present a $500 scholarship to assist him as he continues his college studies,” said Share America Chairman Joe Turner.

Franks said that while the organization normally presents rising freshman, it had no regional applicants this year. “We are very excited by this particular scholar because in a way it is a legacy presentation since he is the second in his family to receive it,” Franks said. “But also knowing we are helping a banjo playing doctor on his way, I know he will make a lot of people feel better whether he plays for them or treats them.”

Barker is the son of Scott and Angie Barker of Copper Hill, Tenn. He is the grandson of Betty and the late Fred Verner of Turtletown, Tenn. and the late Wilford and Ola Barker of Copper Hill. The next Sacred Sounds Fridays is Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. featuring the Testimony Quartet and special guest Ryan Stinson at the Ringgold Depot. Admission is a $5 donation. Franks will host the event.

Share America Foundation Board members include Franks, Turner, Gene Lowery, vice chairman; James Pelt, secretary; and Jerry Robinson, Sr., vice president; and Adam Cathey. For more information about the organization and its programs, contact Share America, P.O. Box 42, Tunnel Hill, Ga. 30755 or visit www.shareamericafoundation.org or www.myspace.com/shareamerica.

Rocky mountains, the Great Salt Lake, awe-inspiring Yosemite, Midwestern plains, and a deep, dark cave all mark a great journey ahead for Alt-Grass revolutionist, The Hillbenders. Embarking from their hometown of Springfield, MO, the rapidly emerging stars will travel half the country this Fall on their Half Moon Harvest Tour, reaching Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, California, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Tennessee. The Hillbenders are ready to rock a town near you.

The Hillbenders will quickly find themselves in the shadows of breath-taking Yosemite National Park to perform at the Strawberry Fall Music Festival on September 1. The event is held annually at Camp Mather Labor Day weekend, which boarders the park at an elevation of 4,520 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Situated on 350 acres of mountains, meadows, and pine forest, the festival line up shines as The Hillbenders share the stage with the Del McCoury Band, Peter Rowan's Big Twang Theory, Patty Griffin, The Jerry Douglas Band, and more.

The band's down-time on the west coast will be dedicated to seeing the awe-inspiring sights of Yosemite. “We planned some days off while in CA to have a chance to play around in the park and see the cool sights,” Nolan shared. “We love to travel, but so many times you’re in and out of an event, and don’t get to experience the area. From everything I’ve heard, the park is amazing! It’s great to get back to nature and soak it all in,” he said.

The Hillbenders will then head back towards home, making a stop along the way to perform at The Mercury Lounge in Tulsa, OK on September 5. The following day, September 6, the guys pay tribute to their hometown heritage at the 16th Annual Ozarks Celebration Festival held on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield. The festival offers an entertaining and educational look at the region's culture and history. The band will be performing as part of the ‘Concert Under The Stars’ series, opening for award-winning singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.

The Hillbenders momentum continues through September and October with performances spanning the Midwest. Look for them at Mother’s Brewery Octoberfest, Melon Days Fall Festival, St. Louis Folk & Roots Festival, RiverStomp Music Festival, and Barefoot Ball at the Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs, AR. They end October back in their hometown of Springfield, MO for a show at the Patton Alley Pub on October 25 before packing up again and heading east for two more big shows.

On November 13, The Hillbenders make a special appearance at The Loveless Café in Nashville, TN to perform on Music City Roots. The weekly, two-hour concert and radio show broadcasts live every Wednesday from 7-9 pm (CST), with a mission of reviving and preserving “the historical legacy of live musical radio.” Friends and fans can tune in and view the live video stream from anywhere in the world for this show! Get more information by visiting their web site at www.musiccityroots.com

Finally, they will end their Half Moon Harvest Tour at a one-of-a-kind underground concert hall. On November 16, The Hillbenders debut at Bluegrass Underground with the John Cowan Band. Bluegrass Underground is a radio show recorded live at 333 feet below the earth’s crust at Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, TN. The show takes place inside the cave in a natural amphitheater called the Volcano Room, carved out by water an estimated 3.5 million years ago. The primordial silence and perpetual darkness give way each month to the sounds of the finest bluegrass music on the planet. Regardless of the temperature outside, visitors can always expect the Volcano Room to be a constant 56 degrees.

“Bluegrass Underground is a bucket list show for me,” Nolan said with excitement in his voice. “From the first time I learned about it, I was in love! I said to myself, I have to do that,” he continued. But there’s even more to add to this memorable appearance. “We also get to share the stage with John Cowan; one of the most recognized vocalists out there,” he said. “Can you imagine the two of us singing together? That would be unforgettable.”

On the wake of a new album release, Can You Hear Me?, on Compass Records last year, and recently becoming exclusively represented by KCA Artists, The Hillbenders are looking forward to their approaching Half Moon Harvest Tour, which includes many highlights for the guys as they will share the stage with legends and create memories that will last a lifetime. It also presents another opportunity for them to share their high energy, bluegrass-rock fusion music with friends and fans near and far.

“For the past few months, the band has been focusing on business and writing new material,” Nolan said. With a renewed understanding of themselves, their relationship, music, and direction, The Hillbenders continue to step up their game and hone their craft to create a memorable experience at every show. “We hope that by the time our set is done, the fans are as sweaty as we are, cuz they can’t stop dancing,” he said. There will also be new songs being played for those already familiar with the bands catalogue. “You can expect new, exciting tunes to make our set lists throughout the tour,” Nolan concluded.

Drawn together by a mutual desire to write and perform original music, the dynamic quintet, Nolan Lawrence on mandolin, Jimmy Rea on acoustic guitar, Chad Graves on dobro, Mark Cassidy on banjo, and Gary Rea on upright bass, combines the traditions of bluegrass with their own diverse influences, creating a unique and captivating sound, unlike any you’ve heard before. All five members share lead vocals, often incorporating 3 and 4-part harmonies. With tight arrangements, soul-reaching solos, and intricate instrumental parts, The Hillbenders always leave their crowds wanting more.

Learn more about The Hillbenders at www.hillbenders.com.

2013 Half Moon Harvest Tour Dates

• 08/24 - Cheyenne, WY - Ruts Fest
• 09/01 - Yosemite, CA - Strawberry Fall Music Festival
• 09/05 - Tulsa, OK - Mercury Lounge
• 09/06 - Springfield, MO - 16th Annual Ozarks Celebration Festival “Concert Under The Stars”
• 09/07 - Springfield, MO - Mother’s Brewery Octoberfest
• 09/21 - Thompson, IL - Melon Days Fall Festival
• 09/27 - St. Louis, MO - St. Louis Folk & Roots Festival
• 09/28 - Tahlequah, OK - RiverStomp Music Festival
• 10/23 - Eureka Springs, AR - Barefoot Ball at Basin Park Hotel
• 10/25 - Springfield, MO - Patton Alley Pub
• 11/13 - Nashville, TN - Music City Roots at The Loveless Café
• 11/16 - McMinnville, TN - Bluegrass Underground at Cumberland Caverns

The nominees for the 44th Gospel Music Association Dove Awards have been announced by The Gospel Music Association (GMA). Bluegrass favorites Dailey & Vincent find their name scattered throughout the various categories and even as participants on both the Song of the Year nomination and Country Song of the Year for "From My Rags To His Riches", Devin McGlamery featuring Dailey & Vincent. They come up again for the Bluegrass Album of the Year and twice for Bluegrass Song of the Year.

Dailey & Vincent released The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent, their first all gospel album to rave reviews. Two songs from that album made it to the final round. The opening track, "Living in the Kingdom of God", on The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent, captured a nod for Bluegrass Song of the Year as did the third track, "Peace That Covers All the Pain". Other nominees for Bluegrass Song of the Year include Gaither Vocal Band for "Come to Jesus", The Little Roy & Lizzy Show for "He Washed My Soul", and The Oak Ridge Boys for "Standing in the Need of Prayer".

In the category for Bluegrass Album of the Year, Dailey and Vincent's The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent makes the list. Other albums also up for the award include Deep Roots by Steven Curtis Chapman, Lord in The Morning by The Little Roy & Lizzy Show, Sing Me A Song About Jesus by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and This Is My Crowd by the Marksmen Quartet.

The Marksmen Quartet of Murrayville, Ga. garnered their third Dove Award nomination in the upcoming 44th Annual Awards. This Is My Crowd, their latest Rural Rhythm CD, is one of five nominees in the Bluegrass Album of the Year category. Mark Wheeler who sings lead and baritone and plays guitar, produced the 14-song album and Steve Gulley mastered it. “It encourages us to know others like this album,” he said. “We spent a lot of time trying to put out a good one. Knowing that people like what we do is great, but our number goal is to spread the gospel and hope the Lord is pleased and glorified.

Mark said that the latest CD is a diverse collection of songs designed to reach as many people with the gospel message through a mix of Bluegrass gospel, country inspirational, old-time Southern gospel, a touch of convention singing and even some blues.

The Dove Awards will be held Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville. The show will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Oct. 21 on the Up! Television Network. For more information, visit http://www.doveawards.com/ The entire list of nominations is here (PDF).

Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the Gospel/Christian music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the Gospel through music of all styles including Pop, Rock, Praise & Worship, Urban Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Country and more. The GMA community membership consists of agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards and Immerse. For more on supporting the GMA or becoming a member, please visit www.gospelmusic.org or contact the GMA directly at 615.277.1376. www.facebook.com/gospelmusicassociation.

Boston, MA -- Woody Guthrie may be more popular in the 21st century than he ever was in the 20th. The unexpected success of Mermaid Avenue — the 1998 and 2000 albums of Woody Guthrie lyrics set to music by Billy Bragg, Wilco and others —have sparked a resurgence of interest in Guthrie’s own recordings. Several fine anthologies have been released in this new century, but only this year has the ultimate treasure trove of the songwriter’s earliest recordings been unlocked and shared with the wider world.

Woody Guthrie: American Radical Patriot, set for release on Rounder Records on October 22, 2013 in time for holiday gift giving, will prove a revelation to even the most devoted Guthrie fan, for it unveils hours of songs, interviews and even radio dramas that the general public has never heard.

In 1940, a 27-year-old Guthrie recorded his music for the first time (other than some radio airchecks) when he visited the U.S. Government’s Library of Congress and taped five hours of singing and talking with the legendary folklorist Alan Lomax. Here were many of the classic compositions that Guthrie would soon record for Folkways and RCA Victor: “So Long, It’s Been Good To Know Yuh,” “Do Re Mi,” “Pretty Boy Floyd,” “I Ain’t Got No Home” and “Hard, Ain’t It Hard.” But the stories Guthrie told Lomax about his life created a rich context for the songs, and the songs put an emotional charge into the stories.

The three-hour version of those sessions (released as The Library of Congress Recordings by Elektra in 1964 and reissued by Rounder in 1998) was justly hailed by critic Bill Friskics-Warren as “three volumes of conversation, songs and humanity that offer the most complete portrait of America’s greatest folksinger.” Now it’s an even more complete portrait. Here for the first time is the full five-hour session, presented in cleaned-up audio with a word-for-word transcript in the 258-page book (available as a PDF) that anchors this boxed set.

But the Library of Congress sessions take up only four of the six audio CDs in American Radical Patriot — and the box also includes the book, a DVD and a 78-rpm vinyl disc. Much of the material has never been encountered by any but the luckiest researchers, and taken as a complete package, the set broadens and deepens our understanding of the singer-songwriter who so profoundly influenced Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Richie Havens, Neil Young, Ani DiFranco, Taj Mahal, U2, the Byrds, the Band and many more.

This exclusive set, limited to 5,000 copies, also includes the 17 songs Guthrie composed and recorded while an employee of the Pacific Northwest’s Bonneville Power Administration (including a never-before-released version of “Pastures of Plenty”), the five songs he composed and performed with the Almanac Singers to support the anti-fascist effort in World War II, two radio dramas that Guthrie helped write and perform for the U.S. Office of War Information, three songs from broadcasts of Jazz America, 10 songs he composed and performed for the U.S. Public Health Service’s anti-venereal disease campaign and a health-themed radio drama that he helped write and perform for Columbia University. The 78 disc contains Bob Dylan’s 1961 home recording of Guthrie’s “VD City” and Guthrie’s 1951 home recording of “The Greatest Thing That Man Has Ever Done.”

Limited Edition six-CD set is packaged with 78-rpm vinyl record, DVD and 60-page booklet (258-page PDF version also included). Contains complete Library of Congress recordings released in their entirety for the first time. The 78 disc features Bob Dylan performing Guthrie’s “VD City” backed with Guthrie singing “The Biggest Thing That Man Has Ever Done.”

A connecting thread runs through this material: It’s all tied to the American government in some way, either commissioned directly by a federal agency or created to support a national military or health effort. This may surprise people who know of Guthrie as an agitator for unions, the poor and the marginalized and as a columnist for two different newspapers published by the U.S. Communist Party (though he was never a party member).

Yet Guthrie was named after a U.S. president (Woodrow Wilson) and was a consistent supporter of collective action (whether through left-wing organizations or the government’s New Deal programs like the dam-building along the Columbia River). He served more than a year in the Merchant Marine and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1946.

“Was it a paradox that a ‘radical’ would record songs for a government he opposed?” asks Bill Nowlin, the co-founder of Rounder Records who wrote the essays and notes that fill up much of this set’s book. Nowlin answered his own question by coming up with the package’s title: American Radical Patriot. But it’s the paradox of that title that Nowlin explores in depth in the full-length book that’s as central to this boxed set as the DVD or any of the CDs.

“Woody Guthrie loved his country,” asserts Nowlin. “He didn’t agree with all of the policies of the government, or the ways in which some people took advantage of others . . . But he appreciated and understood and embraced the imperfections and he seemed to have a fundamental faith that people would see to it that things got fixed, if only more people realized that there really could be better ways.”

The story of how Guthrie was born and raised in the oil-boom town of Okemah, Oklahoma, how he watched his family destroyed by fires, illness and bankruptcy, joined the Dust Bowl migration to California, and began singing for camp dances, union rallies and local radio shows has been told in multiple biographies and films as well as in Guthrie’s own three autobiographical books: Bound for Glory, Seeds of Man and House of Earth. But none of them can match the experience of hearing that story told by Guthrie himself and embellished with his own songs.

Perhaps it’s ironic that it took an American government agency, the Library of Congress, to document this oral history of a self-described “lonesome traveler.” Perhaps it’s ironic that it took another, the Bonneville Power Administration, to spur Guthrie to the most productive songwriting month of his career —“probably the best time of his life,” according to his son Arlo. Or maybe it’s not so ironic, after all. Maybe, as Nowlin suggests in his provocative essay, a democratic government was the only vehicle that could realize Guthrie’s vision of the people working together to create “the biggest thing that man has ever done.”

Hiltons, VA -- Saturday, August 31st, 2013, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by Lonesome Will Mullins and the Virginia Playboys. Lonesome Will Mullins grew up near Clintwood, Virginia, in a house that was filled with family musicians and plenty of bluegrass, old time, and country music. He learned to play the banjo and guitar as a teenager, and before long he was playing in several bands while honing his trade by studying the work of bluegrass legends like Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, and Dr. Ralph Stanley. To say he learned well would be an understatement.

Today, Lonesome Will is one of the most accomplished singers and musicians around. Also influenced by Jerry Lee Lewis, he mixes traditional bluegrass music with a breathtakingly energetic stage show. Backed by the Virginia Playboys, the show will be jam-packed with hard driving bluegrass, old time clawhammer banjo, and gospel music. When Lonesome Will takes the stage, audiences are swept away by his range, talent, and showmanship.

The Virginia Playboys will be backing Lonesome Will. The Burrows brothers – Adam and Jake – are the Virginia Playboys. From the mountains of North Carolina, Jake and Adam Burrows have a history of bluegrass in their family. The McPherson Brothers Band, who played on the Grand Ole Opry and shows with Jim and Jesse McReynolds in the ‘60s are their uncles. Their love of bluegrass began there, and they’ve learned well. Jake and Adam can play pretty much any instrument they pick up. Dorse Sears will be playing mandolin and fiddle as well as helping out on vocals. Dorse is from Clendenin, West Virginia. He’s played with Ernie Thacker, James King, and various bluegrass Artists.

For some of the best bluegrass, old time, and gospel music you’ll ever hear, don’t miss Lonesome Will Mullins and the Virginia Playboys at the Carter Family Fold. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free. Over the past several years, Will has become a favorite of Fold audiences, and he has come to love the Fold and all it stands for. Will captivates his fans and holds his audiences spellbound. Performing officially since 2006, he’s released four CDs. For additional information, go to www.lonesomewill.com . Bring along your dancing shoes and your friends – you’ll be mighty glad you did!

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com.

Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054.

Kansas City, MO -- The International Folk Alliance Conference has been at the forefront of promoting and supporting folk music for 25 years, and now the organization is launching a new opportunity for anyone to share and learn in music. Folk Alliance is pleased to announce their inaugural Winter Music Camp, taking place February 19-23, 2014 at the Sheraton Crown Center in Kansas City, MO. Young and old, beginner or master, the camp will offer a huge selection of instructional choices; various instruments, vocals, recording, theory, and more, plus a ton of fun for all ages.

The Camp will feature great hotel rooms with meal plans available, late night jam sessions, parties, instructor/camper concerts, general store, vintage instrument show, record & memorabilia show, and an attached shopping center with plenty of children's activities, in addition to the classes themselves. All of this is packed into three days of fun & music under one roof. It also runs during the annual International Folk Alliance Conference taking place at the Westin Crown Center, connected to the Sheraton by an overhead walkway. Select events will bring the two delegations together, such as the keynote speaker address.

Folk Alliance is also pleased to announce the legendary Graham Nash as Keynote Speaker for this year's camp and conference. A founding musician of both the iconic Crosby, Stills & Nash, and The Hollies, Graham has put his exceptional life to print with a candid and riveting biography entitled "Wild Tales" that will be released this September. Those who register for the Folk Alliance Conference or Winter Music Camp before September 30th will be able to add the book to their order and have an opportunity to meet Graham to have their book signed.

With the move of the Folk Alliance International's head office from Memphis to Kansas City, MO, and the relocation of the annual conference to the Westin Crown Center, came the opportunity to connect another event in the Sheraton Crown Center, as the two beautiful hotels are connected and share access to a shopping center, SeaLife and Legoland, and the gorgeous Union Station (Amtrak). In line with the values of the organization, the plan was made to create an event that was accessible to anyone who wants to learn music or play better, not just those working in the industry. The Winter Music Camp was born from this and caters to anyone from beginner to master, offering some of the finest teachers on the planet and some heavy hitters too!

2014 Camp Schedule "At A Glance"

2014 Camp Instructors (updates coming soon!)

Registration for the Camp is available now, and Travel Discounts and Hotel Registration for both the Camp and the Conference are available through Folk Alliance's website.

The Winter Music Camp offers instruction in: Guitar (Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Blues, Ragtime, Western Swing, Jazz, Rockabilly, Slack Key, Gypsy, Sacred Steel, Celtic, Rock and more), Banjo (Bluegrass, Clawhammer, Celtic, Dixieland), Pedal Steel Guitar, Non Pedal & Lap Steel Guitar, Dobro, Mandolin, Fiddle, Ukulele, Bass (upright & electric), Percussion (drum kit, cajon, congas, hand percussion), Harmonica, Accordion, Dulcimer, Vocal Training, Keyboards, Fantasy Band Camp, Making A Better Band, Playing in Church, Playing in A Family Band, How To Play in Jam Sessions, Instrument Building & Maintenance, A Guide to Vintage Instruments, Digital Recording, Basic Music Theory, Website Development, and so much more!

Graham Nash is true modern day Renaissance man. He's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice - with both CSN and The Hollies. Further, he's been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame twice - as a solo artist and with CSN. In 2010 Graham Nash was named Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and in 2013, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Lesley University's Art Institute of Boston. His company, Nash Editions' original IRIS 3047 digital printer lives in the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution in recognition of his and Nash Editions' revolutionary accomplishments in the fine arts and digital printing world. Nash picked up a camera before a guitar; inspired by his father, an amateur photographer. Taking pictures of his family at age eleven proved life changing for Graham, who has said, "that was the first time I realized that I could see things differently." The guitar and further watershed moments came shortly after when, at age thirteen, he decided that music was his calling.

Since the finish of the 25th annual Folk Alliance Conference in Toronto, ON, Canada, Folk Alliance has been one busy organization. The office made the move to Kansas City, MO in April 2013, and has been settling into the new digs, which include storefront at 509 Delaware St. The Folk Store, as it will be known, officially opens to the public in August 2013, and offers vintage instruments, beginner folk instruments, folk art, and various music supplies in addition to direct access to the friendly folks who work at Folk Alliance International, come by and say hello! music under one roof. It also runs during the annual International Folk Alliance Conference taking place at the Westin Crown Center, connected to the Sheraton by an overhead walkway. Select events will bring the two delegations together, such as the keynote speaker address.

Davis, OK -- The 14th Annual Bluegrass Festival will be held at Arbuckle Mountain Bluegrass Park, Sept. 15-21, 2013. The featured stage shows will begin on Thursday, Sept. 19th with opening ceremonies beginning at 12:15 pm. Early Bird Events will start on Sunday the 15th with a Devotional Service at 10:30 am. Musical instrument workshops are offered on Mon. - Wed. beginning at 1 pm. Bring your lawn chair and join in the fun of good music and getting to know the wonderful world of bluegrass music. Early bird events include coffee with the area chambers, tours, makeovers, golf cart parade, campground garage sale and the annual Arbuckle Mt. Bluegrass Queen Contest.

The bands begin starting shows Sept. 19th at noon, Thurs. and Fri. 12 pm and Sat at 11am. Featured bands are Mark Phillips & IIIrd Generation, Saltgrass, Blocker/Stephens Bluegrass, Bluefield Express Bluegrass, Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome, Jeff Scoggins & Colorado, New Kentucky Colonials, Six Mile Line, Tanner Young, The Gaskill Family, Henderson Family, and Young Family. Saturday will have Guest Bands at 11 am. Schedules & Bands are subject to change without notice. The complete schedule is on the website. www.arbucklemtbluegrasspark.com

The campground has 300 RV hookups. There are clean hot showers, restrooms and two dump stations plus a honey wagon on site. The Festival strives to have family oriented events where everyone is treated like family. There are absolutely no drugs or alcohol allowed in Park and modest dress required.

RV camping is $14 a day. Seven or more days the camping is $12. Admission to the shows are Thursday - $12, Friday - $14, and Saturday - $14, or a 3 day pass for $35. Children under 14 are free with a paid adult. There is no admission without a ticket starting Thursday, Sept. 19th. A shuttle service will be provided. A free quilt drawing will be held around 7:30 Thursday - Saturday. Food vendors will be in the park Wednesday - Saturday. Those wanting to rent golf carts for Festival must order and send payment before Sept 1, 2013.

Arbuckle Mountain Bluegrass Park is located ON I-35, Exit 60 (Ruppe Rd). Go East then right at Y then South when you get to the 3rd curve your at the park.

You can still hear music after the stage shows at the many jams throughout the campgrounds. Bring your instrument and join in. Acoustical instruments only. Bring your lawn chair and plan to have a good toe tapping time!

For more information contact Allen or Rosemary Bowen at (405) 665-5226 or visit www.arbucklemtbluegrasspark.com