Rhonda Vincent - Good Thing Going (Rounder)

Rhonda Vincent - “Good Thing Going” - Rounder Records

Rhonda Vincent’s unique brand of bluegrass is rich in tradition while remaining unmistakably modern. Among the most beloved figures in today’s bluegrass scene, Vincent has earned an unprecedented seven consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, is a top concert and festival draw, and, with her road band The Rage supporting her, is one of the most dynamic and high-energy performers in any genre of music. Encompassing heartfelt ballads and hard-driving bluegrass, along with dashes of swing and country, “Good Thing Going” is her most varied, and personal album to date.

Andy Hall - Sound of the Slide Guitar (Sugar Hill)

Andy Hall - “Sound of the Slide Guitar” - Sugar Hill Records

A founding member of the acclaimed young bluegrass band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Hall won three IBMA awards with the group in 2007 (Best Album, Emerging Artist and Song of the Year) for their debut effort, “Fork In The Road.” In January, Sugar Hill is set for a limited release of Hall’s new solo effort, “The Sound of the Slide Guitar.” The album will be available digitally and the finished copies will be available exclusively from the artist.

Look for an upcoming review of “Sound of Slide Guitar” by Andy Hall soon here at BluegrassJournal.com.

IIIrd Tyme Out - Footprints: A IIIrd Tyme Out Collection (Rounder)

IIIrd Tyme Out - “Footprints: A IIIrd Tyme Out Collection” -Rounder Records

Footprints is the best of IIIrd Tyme Out: a definitive collection from the quintessential modern bluegrass band. Winner of an unprecedented seven consecutive Vocal Group of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, IIIrd Tyme Out balances soul and precision to create bluegrass that is both contemporary and timeless, exciting and emotional. Footprints features thirteen classic tracks and two exclusive new recordings, and is an essential document of the soaring vocals, instrumental precision, and stirring songs that continue to define IIIrd Tyme Out.

Various Artists - “Cool as Folk” - Koch Records

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Not a lot of you have cast your vote on where I should file my Merle Haggard CD, “The Bluegrass Sessions,” as I try tidying up my computer/music room that my wife refers to as something far south of a rat’s nest.

In case you’re wondering, 14 BluegrassJournal.com readers think it belongs in my collection of country music, while eight others are telling me to file it with my bluegrass CDs.

One reader (you can view his comments by going back to the Haggard story that appeared here a couple of days ago) said my simple little poll amounted to “a loaded question as it calls for the definition of ‘bluegrass.’ The staunch bluegrass conservatives will say ‘no,’ but they’re still waivering on whether the Osborn Bros. are bluegrass or not (all that drums/pedal steel nonsense).”

Right now, I’m promising the writer of that comment to give him a personal response, but in the meantime, take a look at the Haggard story, the comment that was submitted and join the dialogue. Just what is — and isn’t — bluegrass?

And please, vote. My wife’s waiting for me to clean up my room, stacks of CDs included.

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Mark Schatz

Noted bass player Missy Raines is leaving the Claire Lynch Band after nearly a 13-year stint to start her own group, “missy raines and the new hip.” As she leaves Lynch’s aggregation, the equally well-known Mark Schatz is stepping in to fill her slot.

“From the first note, we had ‘groove,’ ” Lynch wrote in a farewell message to Raines. “What a pleasure it’s been! … I can’t help but be sad — nobody’s been a more loyal, hard-working team member than you. Your departure is a great loss for us, but I know it’s time for your own unique musicality to be expressed.”

Schatz will join the group on Feb. 1.

Twice named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Bass Player of the Year, Schatz has worked with an impressive variety of artists including Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Maura O’Connell, Tony Rice, John Hartford, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Tim & Mollie O’Brien and most recently, Nickel Creek. He also acts as musical director for the internationally-acclaimed Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble which showcases his other talents, clawhammer banjo and Southern Appalachian clog dancing.

Schatz has two solo recordings, “Brand New Old Tyme Way” and “Steppin’ in the Boilerhouse” on Rounder Records

He’s also released two instructional bass videos on Homespun Tapes.

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Low Country Suite - King Wilkie
Paste - #8 on Geoffrey Himes Top Albums of 2007
Chicago Sun Times - “Captivator” received Best Music Video of 2007
Country Standard Time - Honorable Mention on Jeffrey Remez’s Best CDs of 2007

A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection - Alison Krauss
Billboard — #8 on Top 10 Country Female Artists of 2007
Billboard — #20 on Top 25 Country Album Artists of 2007
Billboard — #23 on Top 50 Country Albums of 2007
Billboard — #112 on Top Billboard 200 Albums of 2007
Folkwax - One of 19 albums that received a ‘Perfect 10′ rating in 2007

More Behind the Picture Than the Wall - Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
Billboard — #12 on Top 15 Bluegrass Albums of 2007

Crowd Favorites - Claire Lynch
Folkwax - One of 19 albums that received a ‘Perfect 10′ rating in 2007

Gaining Wisdom - Donna Hughes
USA Today - Album included in Ken Barnes’ Best of 2007
Country Music People - Album included on Al Moir’s Top 5 Albums of 2007
BluegrassJournal.com - Album included on Travis Tackett’s Best CDs of 2007

Long List of Heartaches - The Grascals
Billboard — #12 on Top 15 Bluegrass Albums of 2007

Lefty’s Old Guitar - J.D. Crowe & The New South
BluegrassJournal.com - Album included in Dan Tackett’s Best CD’s of 2007

Dailey & Vincent - Dailey & Vincent
BluegrassJournal.com - Album included in Dan Tackett’s Best CD’s of 2007

Bluegrass Melodies - Bobby Osborne
Country Standard Time - #14 on Jeffrey Remz’s Best CDs of 2007

Quartet - Peter Rowan & Tony Rice
The Music Box — #19 on John Metzger’s Top Albums of 2007Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular - Tony Trischka
Chicago Tribune — #1 on Best of 2007

Good News - Charlie Sizemore
BluegrassJournal.com - Album included on Travis Tackett’s Best CDs of 2007

Waterloo, Tennessee - Uncle Earl
Boston Globe - One of Scott Alarik’s Best CDs of 2007
Philadelphia City Paper - #2 on Top 10 Roots Albums of 2007
The Gazette - #9 on Mike Regenstreif’s Top 20 of 2007
Country Standard Time - #12 on Jeffrey Remz’s Best CDs of 2007

All American Bluegrass Girl - Rhonda Vincent
Billboard — #4 on Top 10 Bluegrass Artist of 2007
Billboard — #6 on Top 15 Bluegrass Albums of 2007

Highway of Dreams - Bradley Walker
Country Music People - Album included in Walt Trott’s Top 5 Albums of 2007

Raising Sand - Robert Plant | Alison Krauss
Time - #8 on Best Album of 2007
USA Today - #1 on Brian Mansfield’s Top 5 of 2007
USA Today - #3 on Edna Gundersen’s Top 5 of 2007
New York Times - #3 on Ben Ratliff’s Top 10 List of 2007
New York Times - #6 on Jon Pareles Top 10 List of 2007
New York Post - “Rich Woman” #42 on 207 Best Songs to Download from 2007
New York Post - “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On” #171 on 207 Best Songs to Download from 2007
Los Angeles Times - One of Randy Lewis’ Best of 2007
Boston Globe - One of Scott Alarik’s Best CDs of 2007
Boston Herald — #4 on Jed Gottlieb’s Top 10 CD Picks of 2007
Boston Herald — #10 on Dan Gewertz’s Top 10 CD Picks of 2007
NPR - “Please Read the Letter” one of the Top Songs for The Year in Review - All Songs Considered 2007
Rolling Stone - #24 on Top 50 Albums of 2007, “Killing The Blues” #51 on Top 100 Songs of 2007
Billboard — #4 on Critic’s Choice Poll of 2007
San Francisco Chronicle - #1 on Joel Selvin’s Best of 2007
Chicago Tribune - #4 on Greg Kot’s Top 10 of 2007
Chicago Sun-Times - Best Collaboration of 2007
Cleveland Plain Dealer - 38 on John Soeder’s Top 10 of 2007
Florida Sun Sentinel - #1 on Sean Piccoli’s Top 10 of 2007
The Oregonian - Album included in Luciana Lopez’s To 10 CDs for 2007
The Gazette - #2 on Bernard Perusse’s Top 20 of 2007
Sun Newspaper Group - #5 on Top CDs of the Year
No Depression - #2 on Critic’s Poll Top 50 Albums of 2007
No Depression - #14 on Reader’s Poll Top 50 Albums of 2007
Blender - #15 on Top 25 Best Albums of 2007
Paste - #1 on Corey duBrowa’s Top Albums of 2007
Paste - #5 on Bud Scoppa’s Top Albums of 2007
Uncut — #4 on Top 10 of 2007
iTunes - One of Top Sellers Overall for 2007
Amazon — #7 on Top 100 Customer Favorites of 2007
Amazon — #10 on Top 100 Editor’s Picks of 2007
Amazon - “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us” #14 Best Songs of 2007 - Editor’s Picks
Amazon - “Gone Gone Gone” #39 on Top-Selling Songs of 2007
Amazon - “Through the Morning, Through the Night” #80 on Top-Selling Songs of 2007
Amazon - “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us” #89 on Top-Selling Songs of 2007
Amazon — #39 on Top 100 Customer Favorites of 2007
ABC News - One of Top 50 Albums of 2007
Country Music People - Album included in Mark Hagen’s Top 5 Albums of 2007
Country Music People - Album included in Michael Hingston’s Top 5 Albums of 2007
Country Music People - Album included in Tom Travis’ Top 5 Albums of 2007
Country Standard Time - #1 on Jeffrey Remz’s Best CDs of 2007
Oxford American Magazine - One of Bre Schrader’s Top 20 CDs of 2007
The Music Box — #1 on John Metzger’s Top Albums of 2007
The Pitch (Kansas City) — #7 on Top 80 According to KKFI DJ of 2007
Minnesota Public Radio KCMP — #3 on Top CDs of 2007 - Steve Seel
Minnesota Public Radio KCMP — #4 on Top CDs of 2007 - Dan Connelly
Minnesota Public Radio KCMP — #3 on Top CDs of 2007 - Mike Pengra
WFUV - “Gone Gone Gone” one of Julianne Welby’s Best of 2007
WFUV - One of Darren Deviro’s Top 20 Albums of 2007
WFUV - “Gone Gone Gone” one of Dennis Elsas’ Best of 2007
WFUV - One of Sarah Wardrop’s Best of 2007
Pop Matters - #3 on the Top 10 Americana CDs of 2007
MSN.com - #3 on Top 10 Albums of 2007
Yahoo.com - #4 on Best Albums of 2007
BluegrassJournal.com - Album included in Rickey Lamb’s Best CDs of 2007
PhillyBurbs.com - One of Top CD Picks of 2007
Bloomberg.com - “Please Read the Letter” received Single of the Year 2007
Metacritic.com - #5 on Best of 2007
CultureCatch.com - Album included in Smart Culture Picks of 2007
Aquarian Weekly - #3 on Mike Greenblatt’s Top Album of 2007

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Chigger Hill Boys & Terri

Gospel Bluegrass act The Chigger Hill Boys & Terri are featured on the cover of the January 2008 issue of AWOE Magazine. AWOE is “The World’s Inspirational Entertainment Magazine”.

The interview is the first of 2008 for the three-time Dove Award nominated Thoroughbred Records recording artist.

The group is currently touring in support of its latest project “Soul Central Railroad”.

The group’s Web site is at www.chiggerhill.com. The magazine’s Web site is at www.awoemagazine.com

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