Nashville, Tenn., — Sprinkled with rhinestones and embroidered with roses, skulls, and other iconic symbols, the one-of-a-kind designs of couturier Manuel—and the stars who wear them—are the subject of Country Couture, an exhibit of portraits taken by award-winning British photographer Cambridge Jones bowing April 10 in the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum’s West Gallery. The exhibit will run through October 31, 2009.

Kirkland Fine Arts Center on the campus of Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., is gearing up for a Bluegrass Weekend this Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4.

Chicago-based band Special Consensus, which last week just released a new CD, Signs, on the Pinecastle label, will appear in concert both Friday and Saturday evening. The Gordons, a Southern Illinois duo, will also perform Friday. On Saturday, Special Consensus has the warm-up honors for Asleep at the Wheel, which is known for its Western Swing, not bluegrass.

In 1973, I met a couple buddies in college who were from Mount Vernon, Ill. These guys were big music fans, the kind of people I’ve surrounded myself with my whole life, and they talked and talked about a band from their area by the name of “Farm.” Farm, I discovered, was a terrific rock band that was way ahead of the times, especially for southern Illinois.

Farm had a southern rock sound more along the lines of the Allman Brothers Band. Farm’s album was recorded back in the early 70s at the legendary Golden Voice studio in Pekin, Ill. This is the same place where Dan Fogelburg recorded some of his early material as did countless other bands.

You’re thinking to yourself, “What the heck does this have to do with a bluegrass Web site?” Good question. The answer is Gary Gordon. Gary was the gentleman who played bottleneck and guitar, as well as provided vocals with Farm. This is the same Gary Gordon, along with his wife Roberta, who had a huge folk disc on the charts this past year.

The Gordons started their careers back in the early 70s with very strong folk overtones. Their first album was Southern Illinois Bluegrass, released back in 1976. Their music has lots of influences, folk, country, blues, rock, bluegrass, etc. These are two individuals who embrace a massive amount of influences….

Let’s be fair — and honest here.

I really enjoy Special Consensus, the band. I firmly believe the band’s moniker doesn’t lie. It, indeed, is special. Special in song selection and special in delivery. And, I should tell you before I ramble into my somewhat skewed critique, I’m also acquainted with members of this band. They’ve broken bread at my table and we’ve sipped some nectar of the gods together….

Nashville, Tenn. — “It’s my best attempt at not being too shallow,” laughs The Infamous Stringdusters’ Jeremy Garrett when you ask him about his first solo project, “I Am A Stranger.” But… don’t take him at his word. Indeed, it doesn’t take more than a moment’s worth of listening to I Am A Stranger for anyone to realize that the young singer, songwriter and fiddler has accomplished much more than that. Debuting on March 31st as a Sugar Hill Records digital-only release, the album serves up a healthy portion of cutting edge bluegrass along with a few curves that will leave even the most jaded listener satisfied with the project’s depth.