Where the Bluegrass Grows
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9/21/2007 Here's our weekly roundup of bluegrass music news, including a quick look at some of the music we think you'll like. It's... WHERE THE BLUEGRASS GROWS This year's International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards Show, Thursday, Oct. 4 at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House, will feature performances by a wide variety of the nominees, along with some surprise guests. Performers will include multiple nominees The Grascals, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Ricky Skaggs and the Whites, J.D. Crowe and the New South, The Del McCoury Band, Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers, Cherryholmes, The Infamous Stringdusters, Bradley Walker and Tony Trischka. The show will be hosted for the first time by legendary bluegrass and Americana artist Sam Bush who is also nominated and will perform with his band. The show will also introduce a new IBMA theme song, which was commissioned by first-time show producers Terry Herd and Cindy Sinclair. Created by fiddle player Jim VanCleve (himself a nominee for several awards), “The Road from Rosine” features Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, Clay Hess, Jason Moore, Andy Hall and VanCleve. The song was donated to the IBMA by Jim VanCleve and Rural Rhythm Records, and will be included on an upcoming release. Two of the night's most prestigious recipients are already known and their presentations are sure to be emotional high points, as the IBMA inducts Carl Story and Howard Watts (“Cedric Rainwater”) into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. Although both are deceased, family members will be on hand to accept and help celebrate these artists’ pioneering accomplishments. Howard Watts’ career as a bass player was highlighted with his role in the classic version of Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys, while Carl Story will be applauded for his role as the “Father of Bluegrass Gospel Music.” Tickets to the IBMA Awards are available to the public through the Grand Ole Opry House box office (1-800-733-6779) and all Ticketmaster outlets. The show, which begins at 9:30 p.m. (ET) will be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio (“Bluegrass Junction” Channel 14) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks, thanks to the sponsorship of Martha White, MerleFest, GAC-TV, GHS Strings, Bluegrass Unlimited and Deering Banjos. ***** Larry Cordle, who released the fantastic new album, Took Down and Put Up, this week is also celebrating the fact that he’s being commemorated on the Country Music Highway. The highway is a 158-mile stretch of Route 23 beginning in Eastern Kentucky near Greenup and going into Virginia. It is so named because of the numerous country acts that hail from the area, including Billy Ray Cyrus, the Judds, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs. Larry's name will appear on the sign that welcomes people to Lawrence County, Kentucky, where he was born. A couple of other outstanding bluegrass albums to get your hands on: Merle Haggard The Bluegrass Sessions McCoury Music Although he’s certainly better-known for classic hardcore country and forays into western swing and gospel, Merle Haggard’s affinity for bluegrass is abundantly obvious in the dozen unforgettable tracks here. He’s also no slouch when it comes to assembling a backing band – Marty Stuart, Rob Ickes, Carl Jackson, Charlie Cushman … you get the picture. Produced by Ronnie Reno, the album is also highlighted by a chill-inducing version of Merle’s classic “Mama’s Hungry Eyes,” featuring Alison Krauss on harmony vocals. Randy Kohrs Old Photograph Rural Rhythm Records Randy Kohrs has a great gift for telling compelling stories with his songs, and his exceptional dobro picking, full of raw emotion and sizzling energy is always exciting. No surprise then that this album, with all of those elements in place, is something that’s likely to please any bluegrass fan. Add to the mix a killer of a duet with Rhonda Vincent (“Don’t Let Your Wounded Heart Come Between Us,”) and you’ve got one of the finest bluegrass albums of the year. Are your favorite bluegrass artists coming to your TV screen? Be sure to check our CountryHound Entertainment Guide to find out!
