Rural Rhythm Records is set to release “Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks,” a sampler CD that will be released to radio.

Nashville, Tenn. — Rural Rhythm Records is proud to announce a Bluegrass Radio Release, “Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks.” The special promotional radio CD includes seven new singles from upcoming and current Rural Rhythm CDs by: Mountain Heart, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Mashville Brigade, Dwight McCall, Randy Kohrs, Rickey Wasson, and Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad. The CD will be arriving at Bluegrass Radio stations the first week in June. More information regarding these artists can be found on the label’s website at www.RuralRhythm.com

Tracks include:

“I Can Go Back Anytime” by Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain is the first single from the band’s highly anticipated new album titled “CHHR2” set for release July 29th. The song was written by Jennifer Strickland who also wrote their chart single, “Going on the Next Train” from their debut album. This new song definitely showcases their wide range of artistry and helps define their unique and powerful sound as they continue to take the bluegrass and acoustic market by storm. Musicians include: Carrie Hassler (lead vocals); Josh Miller (banjo); Kevin McKinnon (mandolin), Keith McKinnon (guitar), Travis Anderson (acoustic bass), and guests, Jim VanCleve (fiddle and harmony vocals) and Steve Gulley (harmony vocals).

“Losin’ In Las Vegas” by Rickey Wasson is from his upcoming debut solo album, “From the Heart & Soul.” Rickey is a member of J.D. Crowe & The New South and joins band and label mate Dwight McCall on this classic Haggard song from Merle’s “5:01 Blues” album. Musicians include: Rickey Wasson (lead and harmony vocals, guitar); Dwight McCall (harmony vocals), Ron Stewart (banjo & fiddle), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Harold Nixon (acoustic bass).

“Take This Hammer” by Mashville Brigade is from their new album, “Bluegrass Smash Hits, Volume 1.” The album, produced by Grammy® nominated Jim VanCleve (master fiddler and band member of Mountain Heart) is filled with 16 BIG HITS performed by some of the brightest young stars in Bluegrass today including: Ashby Frank (lead vocals & mandolin), Aaron McDaris (banjo & harmony vocals), Darrell Webb (guitar & harmony vocals), Jim VanCleve (fiddle), and Randy Barnes (acoustic bass).

“My Eyes Shall Be On Canaan’s Land” by Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad is from their upcoming eighth album “Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’: Hymns From The Mountain - Yesterday & Today.” The group was voted the 2007 Winner for “Bluegrass Gospel Song of the Year” by Singing News. Musicians include: Cody Shuler (vocals & mandolin), Jerry Cole (vocals & guitar), Elmer Burchett (vocals & banjo), Bill McBee (vocals & acoustic bass) and Matt Flake (fiddle).

“While The Getting’s Good” by Mountain Heart is from “Road That Never Ends - The Live Album.” This is the group’s first-ever Live Album recorded at the world famous venue, The Ark, in Ann Arbor, and features the title track, which is still on the Bluegrass Unlimited Charts, plus the song video is on CMT’s Pure Country TOP 12 Countdown. This is the last Mountain Heart album with band members Clay Jones and Adam Steffey. Musicians include: Josh Shilling (lead vocals & guitar), Barry Abernathy (banjo & harmony vocals), Jim VanCleve (fiddle & harmony vocals), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Clay Jones (guitar); Jason Moore (acoustic bass), and Produced by Jim VanCleve.

“If All Those Trains Were Still Around (I’d be an ol’ hobo) by Randy Kohrs is from the album, “Old Photograph” and also on the collection title “Bluegrass Goes Back to the Future.” Randy is the consummate music man - singer, songwriter, master resophonic guitarist, engineer, and Grammy® award winning producer. “Rockwells Gold”, the first single from Kohrs’ debut Rural Rhythm Records and reached the TOP 5 on the BU Charts. The next single, “Who’s Goin’ With Me,” music video went to #1 on CMT’s Pure Country Top 12 Countdown. Musicians include: Randy Kohrs (lead vocals & Dobro), Don Rigsby (harmony vocals), Scott Vestal (banjo), Jim Hurst (guitar), Tim Crouch (fiddle), Jesse Cobb (mandolin) and Jay Weaver (acoustic bass).

“West Virginia Ground” by Dwight McCall, is the second single from the album “Never Say Never Again.” Dwight’s powerful tenor vocals have placed him in an elite group of today’s top bluegrass singers and landed him in one of today’s top bluegrass groups, J.D. Crowe & The New South, playing mandolin and singing tenor vocals for the past 10 years. Dwight is the son of bluegrass veteran and Rural Rhythm artist; Jim McCall of famed Earl Taylor & Jim McCall. Musicians include: Dwight McCall (lead vocals & mandolin, Ricky Wasson (harmony vocals), Ron Stewart (banjo & fiddle), Randy Kohrs (Dobro), Brian Stephens (guitar), and Harold Nixon (acoustic bass).

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The Steeldrivers are among the artists selected to showcase during the 2008 Americana Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn. September 17-20.

Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly has announced the first showcase artist names for the upcoming Americana Music Festival, Nashville, September 17-20, 2008. Artists confirmed to date display the breadth and vibrance of the genre include Jim White, The Belleville Outfit, James McMurtry, Paul Thorn, The Snake The Cross and the Crown and The SteelDrivers. More names will be announced in the following weeks.

From the sensitive brilliance of James McMurtry to the bluegrass/soul hybrids The SteelDrivers, to the gypsy swing/Big Band jazz of the Belleville Outfit, to Paul Thorn’s post Pentecostal roots rock, the folk inspired melodies of the Snake The Cross and the Crown to the metaphysical alt-country Jim White. These are just some of the artists comprising the Americana genre and they, plus more than 70 other artists, will be part of the upcoming 9th Annual Americana Music Festival & Conference in September.

The Music Festival and Conference will bring together an estimated 900 artists, record executives, managers, agents, music publishers, performing rights society executives, music retailers, producers, promoters, allied professionals and major media for three days of learning, networking and entertainment.

The signature event during the Americana festivities is the Americana Honors & Awards show on Thursday, September 18 at the Ryman Auditorium. It will be hosted again by two-time Americana Honors & Awards and Grammy^® recipient Jim Lauderdale and the all-star house band will once again be led by last year’s Award winner for Instrumentalist of the Year Buddy Miller. Last month, the Americana Music Association announced that they will honor John Hiatt with the Americana Lifetime Achievement in
Songwriting Award. Other participants and honorees will be announced in the future.

The two hour event will be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio, as well as future broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio and on BBC@ Radio.

A limited number of tickets for the Honors & Awards show are priced at $45 are now available at http://www.americanamusic.org/site.php?content=store and by calling the Americana Music Association at 615 321-3836. Tickets will be available via Ticketmaster and the Ryman box office at a later date.

The schedule is still being completed, but is shaping up to be another four days of incredible music, educational workshops and networking. For early conference registration, please go to http://www.americanamusic.org/ or email info@americanamusic.org.

Conference registration includes access to all panels and presentations, the Trade Show, selected meals, invitations to all sanctioned parties, Conference Program Guide, goody bag, a ticket to the Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium, wristband to all evening showcases and more. Registration through July 31 is only $250 for AMA members, $350 for non-members. On August 1 registration becomes $300 and $400, respectively.

Showcase wristbands, good for admission at all evening showcases are available for only $35 at the Americana Music website store and in Nashville at Grimey’s New and Preloved Music. Wristbands will be sold at area music retailers and other locations starting in early August.

The Renaissance is the official hotel and other major sponsors include ASCAP, BMI, Echomusic, First Amendment Center, The Gibson Foundation, Lost Highway Records, Rounder Records, SESAC, Sugar Hill Records and Vanguard Records.

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1st Annual Delfest kicks off in Cumberland, MD today.

The Del McCoury Band, McCoury Music and High Sierra Music will start reaping the rewards of many months worth of planning today when the 1st annual DelFest begins its inaugural festival. The Lineup features the Del McCoury Band along with Vince Gill, David Grisman, The Sparrow Quartet, Sam Bush, the Punch Brothers and a whole slough of great artists. Delfest runs through Sunday, May 25. For those wanting to attend Tickets will be available at the gate. You can get more information on the Delfest website.

Bristol Tenn. Photo club to hold inaugural photo competition in conjunction with the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion festival.

The competition is open to AMATEUR photographers only and all photographs must have been taken in our “Mountain Empire” region. The categories for the competition are: Color Pictorial, Monochrome, Altered Image and Best of Bristol. The competition is also open to YOUTH { 7-12 } and YOUNG ADULT {13-18 }. An entrant may enter up to 3 images in each category, not to exceed a total of 10 entries. The entry fee is $5.00 per entry; $1.00 per entry for Youth and Young Adult. BEST IN SHOW will receive $125.00 and PEOPLE’S CHOICE will receive $100.00.

Entries will be received at the Chamber of Commerce on Saturday September 13. Judging will be on Wednesday September 17. The exhibit will be open Friday through Sunday of the Festival at a location to be disclosed later.

Bluegrass Calendar of Festivals and Events

• May 21-25 — Guyton Spring Bluegrass Festival, Gyton GA. Featuring Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show, Jr Sisk & Ramblers Choice, The Larry Gillis Band, The Larkins and more.
• May 24 — Bluegrass in the Park, Cheltenham, MD. Featuring Ernie Bradley & Grassy Ridge, Jay Armsworthy & Eastern Tradition, the Virginia Ramblers and The Scott Brannon Band.

Got an item for the calendar? Looking for Festivals, Special events, Jam Sessions, etc… If it relates to the world of Bluegrass we want to know about it. Send us the who, what, when and where and other details you’ve got and we’ll do our best to let everyone know about it. Send your Bluegrass Calendar items to subscriber@bluegrassjournal.com.

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Memphis, Tenn. — The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance (The Folk Alliance) will celebrate its Twentieth Anniversary with an evening of music at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Quiet Valley Ranch, Texas, Sunday, May 25, 2008. The KF Festival salutes the Folk Alliance with a show featuring Anthony da Costa, Sara Hickman, Eliza Gilkyson, Kevin Welch and Tom Russell. “We appreciate Kerrville’s salute to our 20th anniversary and their support,” says Louis Meyers, Executive Director, Folk Alliance. For information and tickets: www.kerrvillefolkfestival.com.

XM’s live broadcast will enlarge the rare atmosphere of the outdoor event to reach across North America. “The XM15 – The Village channel is growing in listenership. We want to go and be a presence, so to share this special festival with our USA and Canada community.” Robert Aubrey Davis - Program Director XM 15 The Village

Dalis Allen, Producer of Kerrville Folk Festival, Mary Sue Twohy, XM15 Music Director, and Louis Meyers, Executive Director of the Folk Alliance will be on hand to help raise awareness of the many benefits folk music has to offer.

The Folk Alliance recently hosted an evening at the Bluebird Café in Nashville and has two shows at the Orphem in Memphis: Judy Collins, Oct. 25, 2008 and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, January 24, 2009. Along with the online directory, interactive website (folk.org), insurance and other membership benefits the Folk Alliance works with its regions to help their internal events.

The regional conferences are interesting and helpful in developing intelligent and worthwhile fans and friends who support American contemporary and traditional music and dance. Including workshops, panels and showcases, the 2008 conferences will be:

• Oct. 2-5 - SWRFA - Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (www.swrfa.com) Location: TBA
• Oct 10 - 12 - FARM GATHERING - Folk Alliance Region Midwest, (www.farmfolk.org) Techny Towers Conference & Retreat Center, Northbrook, Ill.
• Oct. 17 - 19 - SERFA – Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (www.serfa.org) Murfreesboro, TN
• Oct. 24 - 26 - The 5th Annual FAR-West Regional Conference, (www.far-west.org) Phoenix Marriott Mesa Hotel & Convention Center, Ariz.
• Nov 13-16 – NERFA - Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (www.nerfa.org) Hudson Valley Resort, Kerhonkson, NY
• FACanada – no event.

The 21st International Folk Alliance Conference will be held in Memphis, Tenn., February 17-22, 2009. Roger McGuinn will be the keynote speaker.

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