The Grascals (L-R) Danny Roberts, Terry Eldridge, Jeremy Abshire, Kristin Scott Benson, Terry Smith and Jamie Johnson

Bradley Walker. Photo by Rick Olivier

Burlington, MA – On September 7, country/bluegrass vocalist Bradley Walker and critically acclaimed bluegrass group The Grascals will perform on the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s 2009 Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. Together, The Grascals and Walker will perform the bluegrass standard, “Will You Be Loving Another Man,” after which Walker will sing the gospel song “Why Me” by Kris Kristofferson. Their performances are scheduled to air between 6-7 AM PST. The Grascals will also be performing a second song, The Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville,” at 3 AM PST the same day.

A powerful vocalist hailed as “the next great voice of bluegrass music” by Bluegrass Unlimited, Walker was born with muscular dystrophy and has used a wheelchair his entire life. The 31 year old Alabama native made his first Telethon appearance with the Oak Ridge Boys in 1989, followed by appearances in 2001 and 2002. In 2006, Rounder released Walker’s debut album, Highway of Dreams. Produced by Grammy-award winning musician and songwriter Carl Jackson, Highway of Dreams is a heartfelt collection of hard country and bluegrass, featuring guest support by an extraordinary cast of musicians including Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent, Alecia Nugent, Ron Block, Rob Ickes, and many others.

The Grascals, “…one of the premier bands in the bluegrass, country, and Americana music scenes,” (Dierks Bentley) released their third studio album for Rounder, Keep On Walkin’, in July 2008. The album crystallizes the sound introduced and developed on the band’s first two Grammy^®-nominated releases—traditional bluegrass and country music, both original and classic songs, all delivered with vocal and instrumental intensity and virtuosity. Timely and timeless, The Grascals’ music is entirely relevant to the here and now, yet based on a deep-seated knowledge of and admiration for the music’s founding fathers.

The Telethon will originate “live” from the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada, beginning at 9 PM EST on Sunday, September 6. The program will be broadcast nationwide to nearly 40 million viewers in the U.S. and Canada via 180 television stations in MDA’s “Love Network” as well as on MDA’s website, www.mda.org. Local air times and stations are available at www.mda.org.

New this year, social media followers, friends and subscribers to MDA’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube sites will get a behind-the-scenes look at the show during the broadcast.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.

– From Rounder Records