The Gibson Brothers “Iron & Diamonds” (Sugar Hill)

Nashville, Tenn. — Sugar Hill Records is excited to announce the release of their fourth album with the Gibson Brothers. Iron & Diamonds showcases the brothers’ trademark harmonies as well as songwriting that is among the best in the genre. Interspersed with original songs like the title track, a snapshot of the miners’ baseball league in their upstate-NY home, are carefully chosen covers like Tom Petty’s “Cabin Down Below” and others.

Leigh and Eric Gibson have been performing together since encouraged in their youth by a minister in the borderlands of upstate New York, where they still reside. They received a Best Emerging Artist nod from the IBMA in 1998 and have since recorded four albums for Sugar Hill Records.

” … what distances the Gibsons from more traditional camps is their ability to write originals that celebrate the roots of the genre while rejuvenating the category with a fresh currency. …Another bona fide addition to their sophisticated canon.” Exclaim!

You can read BluegrassJournal.com’s review of The Gibson Brothers “Iron & Diamonds” here.

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Tim Hensley “Long Monday” (Rural Rhythm Records / Blue Chair )

Nashville, TN — For Tim Hensley, being on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry wasn’t a new experience. He stood on those hallowed floorboards with Grammy-winning bluegrass icon Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless and with 6-time ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney, playing acoustic guitar and raising his tenor voice in song with these architects of the last 30 years of country music.

But this weekend, Tim Hensley walked onstage at the Opry to bring his own music to the country fans listening in on WSM. It wasn’t to support someone else’s vision, it was to make music of his own.

“And it was such a rush,” says the Cincinnati-born and raised Hensley, who’s known for his bluegrass roots. “To hear your name being called… to know you’re part of that tradition… that includes so many people… There’s never been a time I’ve done that Opry that wasn’t special. But nothing compares to this.”

Joining Hensley for the emotional milestone was keyboardist Wyatt Beard and co-producers Buddy Cannon and Chesney. The quartet even shared one microphone to revisit the vintage “Workin’ On A Building,” the gospel classic that was a cornerstone for Hensley’s Long Monday, Miles from the high-energy, high-impact music Chesney is known for, it only made the moment that much more.

I am so proud for Tim,” Chesney said. “If people only knew how many times we’d sing these songs backstage at our shows…. And how much this music means to me and the guys out on the road…. That I’m able to be a part of sharing so special with people who don’t have the access we do to him… to let people hear what we get to enjoy every night, because Tim is one of those real deal players who deserves to be heard.”

“Being here and getting to be part of something as special as someone’s Opry debut, well, that means the world to me… But just seeing people have the chance to understand who Tim is, what this kind of music is all about, that’s been such a wonderful thing for everyone who’s been a part of this record.”

Named for a track from John Prine’s Grammy-winning Fair & Square, Long Monday features the best of classic bluegrass (the old gospel “Two Coats,” “Shady Grove”), modern songwriters (Rodney Crowell’s “Long Monday,” Hensley’s own tender “What A Sight To Behold”), current bluegrass (“Five Generations of Rock County Wilsons,” “Lonesome Dove”). With spare arrangements and a genuine warmth, the project is a celebration of what acoustic music can be.

For Hensley, it’s been a year beyond dreams the soft-talking musician would’ve dared dream. Beyond playing the Opry for his own project, Long Monday has been singled out by The Tennessean, USA Today and Bluegrass Unlimited – and debuted in the Top 10 of the Bluegrass Sales Chart. With a summer tour with Chesney in the offering and opportunities coming along the way, Hensley – who debuted some of this music at the Ernest Tubb Record Store’s fabled Midnite Jamboree” — is in a unique place to introduce people to a kind of music that may not be front and center, but they know without even realizing.

“Man, playing the Opry for my record is a pretty crazy thing,” Hensley said in the wings after. “To go out there on my own was pretty serious, but to stand there with my friends…. The people I’ve been making music with almost ten years now, that’s really something else. You know, there’s nothing like it, and that’s – at least how I came up – what this music is all about.”

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Pat Flynn

Editors Note: We have an update on a story from yesterday that we received from Jared Ingersol, Pat Flynn’s manager. The lineup for the show has had some changes made. Phillip White will be joining Amber Leigh White on the show and Cowboy Dan Harrell and Michael Card regretfully had to bow out due to unforeseen circumstances.

The public is invited to attend an evening of country, bluegrass, and rhythm and blues in an all-star musical concert hosted by Pat Flynn to benefit those in Williamson County affected by the tornados. The event is Saturday, April 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fairview Recreation Center at 2714 Fairview Blvd.

Flynn, a guitarist, singer, songwriter and member of the musical group New Grass Revival will be joined by Danny Flowers (best known as writer of Tulsa Time for Eric Clapton), as well as Davis Raines, Amber Leigh White with guest Phillip White, Tyler Flowers, Doug Gill and others.

Donations will be accepted at the door. For more information, contact Brad Spain at 615-385-4135.

United Way of Williamson County established a Western Williamson County Tornado Relief Fund to help residents in that portion of the county with their recovery efforts due to the recent tornadoes in middle Tennessee. More than $15,000 from the fund has been distributed directly to those affected by the tornados to help rebuild their lives.

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King Easy is currently accepting Roots, Americana, Singer-Songwriters, AAA Non-Comm, Progressive Grass, Free-Form, and Folk Music submissions to round out the offerings for Volume 3 of their “King Easy Roots Radio CD Sampler” which is sent to over 1100 DJs in North America.

Client cost is $550 per track and you will receive a complete list of addresses for the DJs who were serviced with the Sampler. The next sampler will ship to radio the end of this month so you’ll need to act fast.

Artists currently confirmed for Volume 3 include: Daniel Lanois, Natalie Merchant, Roger Ferris, Matt King, Benyaro, Dan Tyler, Jordan Chassan, Jeff Finlin, Paco Shipp, The Fortunate Sons, WV Hill.

We are proud of this service. Included are some of the most eccentric and creative DJs in the US and Canada, including reporters for Americana, Folk, RMR, FAR, AAA Non Comm, XM & Sirius. These DJs take pride in their playlists, and actually spin new discoveries and deep album cuts. In order to not waste their time, we must keep the quality of the music as high as possible. You are assured to be in good company on the King Easy Radio Sampler. King Easy

Past compilations have included: Gillian Welch, Johnny Irion, John Prine, Minton Sparks, The Avett Brothers, Jon Pousette-Dart, Dan Reeder, Diana Jones, Michael Smotherman, Danny Flowers, Dana Cooper, Computer VS Banjo, Darrell Scott, Kathy Chiavola, and many others.

For more information contact King Easy now by phone at 615-385-0001 or email king@kingeasy.net

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