Del McCoury Band

Friday September 28th
Del McCoury Band - 9:00-9:30
Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press - 9:30-10:00

Saturday September 29th
The Whites - 6:30-7:00 & 10:00-10:30
Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys - 6:30-7:00
Del McCoury Band - 8:30-9:00 & 11:00-11:30

Tuesday October 2nd
7:00 - 7:30

• Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys
• Steep Canyon Rangers

7:30 - 8:00

• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

8:00 - 8:30

• The Isaacs
• Del McCoury Band

8:30-9:00

• Rhonda Vincent
• The Grascals

The Grand Ole Opry is broadcast live on WSM 650 AM radio and online at www.WSMonline.com All listed times are central time.

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Nashville, TN. - For one die-hard Grascals fan, persistence really does pay off. Angie Campbell of Westfield, Illinois, is this year’s winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass Sweepstakes. Fans entered the contest through participating artists’ Web sites in the hope of winning the grand prize–a trip for two to the IBMA Awards show and Fan Fest, including two VIP tickets to the awards show, two 3-day tickets to Fan Fest, three nights’ hotel accommodations, IBMA merchandise, and a travel stipend.

Campbell visited The Grascals’ Web site and entered repeatedly, hoping to win the trip for her son, Alex, an 11-year-old fiddle player who is a devoted Grascals fan. When she was notified that she had won, Campbell sent an email to the band saying, “It will be a priceless trip for a young boy who dreams of being a fiddler. I truly think it will change his life, being surrounded by people who love the music he loves. He will be able to realize how he does have the ability to do anything if he sets his mind to it.”

As an incentive for artists to advertise the contest and allow fans to enter through their Web sites, the IBMA offers the same grand prize package to the artist whose Web site brings the winning entry. The Grascals donated their prize package of tickets and hotel accommodations to the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro to be auctioned to raise funds for the museum, and it brought in $1,000. The band also donated the $500 travel stipend to the Ernie Thacker Trust Fund, set up to cover Thacker’s medical bills as he recovers from a serious automobile accident in April 2006.

The Grascals will perform at the 18th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards show on October 4, where they are nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year. They will perform at Fan Fest on Friday, October 5.

–from Rounder Records

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Uncle Earl photo by Aaron Farrington

Old Crow Medicine Show and Uncle Earl will join the list of artists scheduled to perform at the 2007 Americana Honors and Awards Show Nov. 1 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.They are joining Emmylou Harris, Elizabeth Cook, and Ricky Skaggs with Bruce Hornsby. Guy Clark will sing a song in tribute to Americana President’s Award recipient, his friend, the late Townes Van Zant.

“There will definitely be some magical moments on the Ryman stage this year.”Jed Hilly, Exec. Dir. of the Americana Music Assc.

Besides the performances and Lifetime achievement recipients the AMA will announce the winners in six member voted categories including; Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Instrumentalist, New and Emerging Artist, Song of the Year and Duo Group of the Year at the November 1st Honors and Awards Show.

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L-R Roy Curry (3rd), Dillon Hodges (1st) and Carl Miner(3rd)

Dillon Hodges of Florence, AL, this years first place winner, had entered this contest four times but had never placed in the top five. A 17-year old high school senior, Dillon, has been playing the guitar for the past six years and also plays the mandolin. He got his first guitar from his uncle because he wanted to learn to play an instrument. He has a CD, “Stormy Weather,” produced by Nashville flat picker, Tim May. It was fun watching Dillon choose his first place guitar. You see, Dillon plays left-handed and all the prize guitars were for right-handed players. Trying to finger backwards and to strum up instead of down was a feat that Dillon did quite well. For his efforts Dillon won $2,000, the 1st place trophy and he choose the Collings Winfield Model Mahogany/Adirondack Spruce Guitar by Collings Guitars Inc. of Austin, TX.

Second place went to an individual who also placed second in 1998 and first in 1999. This was the sixth time Carl Miner of Austin, TX has entered this contest. He also enters the mandolin, and finger style guitar contests here at the Festival. He’s been playing the guitar for the past 17 years. His first guitar was given to him by his step-dad who also taught him the basics. His efforts netted him a Martin D-18 Golden Era Guitar by C.F. Martin and Company/the Martin Guitar Company of Nazareth, PA and also the 2nd place trophy.

A former champion, Roy Curry of Chattanooga, TN, placed third in this competition. Roy was the champion in 1980 and 1991 and placed second in 1999 and third in 2004. He has entered this contest ten times and says he has played the guitar “40 long years.” Roy teaches some and also plays the banjo. Will he be back, “Yep,” he says. He also enjoys playing in the band called “Lone Mountain Band (www.lonemountainband.net) which he has done for the last 6 or 7 years. The 3rd place trophy and a Taylor GS Guitar by Taylor Guitars of El Cajon, CA were the results of his efforts.

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