Del and Dierks rehearsing for DelFest
The Del McCoury Band rehearses with Dierks Bentley for their performance at Delfest happening May 23- 25 in Cumberland, MD.
The Del McCoury Band has posted video on the Delfest site of Dierks Bentley rehearsing his hit single “Lot of Leavin’ Left To Do” with Del and the boys in anticipation of their performance together at the 1st annual Delfest.
The festival, promoted by High Sierra Music and McCoury Music, takes place over Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25, in Cumberland, MD at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.
The inaugural lineup features the aforementioned Dierks Bentley along with Vince Gill, Sam Bush, David Grisman, The Punch Brothers and Steep Canyon rangers along with a whole list of others.
No commentsBluegrass on the Grand Ole Opry this week
The Grascals will perform on the Opry and host the Midnite Jamboree on Saturday, May 17, 2008. Photo by Joe Hardwick.Nashville, Tenn. — The Grand Ole Opry lineup this week is pretty slim on the Bluegrass side of things. The Del McCoury Band, Bobby Osborne and Marty Stuart will make appearances on Friday night. The Grascals are the lone Bluegrass act on Saturdays shows.
In addition to their Opry appearance on Saturday evening, The Grascals will be hosting the Midnite Jamboree at Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop immediately following the Opry broadcast on WSM 650 AM.
Friday, May 16
- Del McCoury Band — 8:30 - 9:00
- Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press — 9:00 - 9:30
- Marty Stuart — 9:30 - 10:00
Saturday, May 17
- The Grascals — 8:30 - 9:00 & 11:00 - 11:30
The Grand Ole Opry is broadcast live on WSM 650 AM radio, online at www.WSMonline.com and on XM Satellite Radio (XM 11). All listed times are central time.
No commentsDel McCoury promotes ‘Moneyland’ CD
The Del McCoury Band will release “Moneyland,” a multi-artist CD which features classic material along side the new on June 24th.Google “money” and instantly flashing on your 21-inch LCD monitor are more ways to become a high roller than you can imagine. Do the same search for “moneyland” and you get pretty much the same results — with one very notable exception.
One search result that pops up mentions McCoury Records. Surely, Del McCoury, the label’s patriarch, isn’t pitching some get-rich-quick scheme, is he?
Not to worry. This “Moneyland” is a new CD, described as “a collection of songs dealing with issues facing Rural America.” It will be released on the McCoury label on June 24.
Although the label is only now releasing advance publicity on the project, it’s sketchy background, more than a year old, touches on presidential politics. On April 23, 2007, the Wall Street Journal reported that the John Edwards Democratic presidential campaign was giving away the “Moneyland” CD to contributors who gave $50 or more. The cover of the CD being offered back then looks like a clone of the new CD that’s headed to retailers.
Fast forward a year from when the Edwards campaign was still on its feet, and McCoury has evidentally taken partisan politics out of the project. (Well, not entirely. McCoury gets a word in about the election in remarks below.) Del McCoury himself is leading the promotional campaign for the multi-artist CD, which includes some classic material and a new tune or two. He describes the project as “a timely … collection that offers a hard-hitting look at economic injustice through songs old and new.”
The CD begins and ends with excerpts from two of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Depression-era “fireside chats.”
It includes the Depression-era tune, “Breadline Blues,” recorded in 1931 by Bernard “Slim” Smith, and “Breadline Blues 2008,” a reworking by the McCoury clan that also features Mac Wiseman, Tim O’Brien, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
Familiar names and songs abound. Merle Haggard lends his support to the project with his 1973 classic “If We Make It Through December” and the more recent “What Happened?,” which appeared on his McCoury Music bluegrass debut last year. Haggard gets a third plug on the CD with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell offering their take of his classic, “Mama’s Hungry Eyes.” And, yes, a fourth shot for the Hag — this time, his “Farmer’s Blues” with Marty Stuart.
Dan Tyminski’s “”Carry Me Across the Mountain,”based on a true Depression-era story, and Chris Knight’s “A Train Not Running,” are contemporary components to the project as is the title, “Moneyland,” which could be described as a bluegrass rap about the god-like role of the almighty dollar in today’s society.
In advance publicity about the upcoming CD release, bluegrass veteran Mac Wiseman, another contributor to the “Moneyland” CD, and McCoury talk about the changed face of America.
“I grew up on a farm myself, back during the late ’40s, and we raised everything,” McCoury said. “We raised hogs and chickens, had dairy cows, we shipped milk. Times were good for the farmer in those days, but now the farmers are just hanging on by their fingernails.
“It’s sad to me that country kids can’t stay in their hometowns any more. There’s no opportunity, there are no jobs, there’s just nothing. And at the other end of life, there are a lot of people losing the pensions they worked for. That happened to my wife, Jean — and there are more people relying on Social Security than ever.
“You know, we have a little fun on this album with that Beatles song, ‘When I’m 64,’ but really, it’s no joke. It used to seem like 60 was really old, but nowadays, it feels more like middle age, and to have a lot of years ahead of you without being sure that what you spent a lifetime working for, like a pension or Social Security, is going to be there, well, that just doesn’t seem right.”
“… in my travels, I get the feeling that we’re sliding back to the days of the breadlines, and more and more people are getting the short end of the stick — and a lot of it just seems to come down to greed.”
Wiseman,who grew up during the Great Depression, echoes McCoury’s thoughts.
“It’s very obvious to me that politics is running hand in hand with the big money these days,” Wiseman said. “There’s nothing wrong with a big house and a fine car and having plenty for the family. That’s good. But the greed we see now, that’s something else altogether.”
McCoury and his manager, Stan Strickland, shares executive producer credits. Strickland and Rob and Ronnie McCoury are listed as producers.
“I’m in a position where I can make good choices,” McCoury said. “And aside from just doing what I do musically, I can help others do the same themselves, and get a message out that people need to hear and think about — and, especially in an election year, take action on. This isn’t about party politics, it’s about doing what’s best for our country and everyone in it, not just a lucky few.
“That hillbilly boy in Appalachia and that farm boy in the Midwest and that black kid in the inner city, they’re all looking for the same thing: a way out and up. One of these days, those kids are going to start working together on their common problems-and when they do, they’ll fix them.”
No commentsEnter to Win DelFest tickets !!!
UPDATE 4: We Have Our DelFest Winners !!!
BluegrassJournal.com, along with DelFest, McCoury Music and High Sierra Music, would like to congratulate the 2 winners of our DelFest ticket giveaway. Each winner will receive 2 festival passes and camping for the historic 1st annual DelFest that takes place in Cumberland, MD May 23-25, 2008.
The winners are Jayme Blume of Newark, MD and Jason Birkey of Hopedale, IL.
Both DelFest Ticket Giveaway winners sounded very excited to be going to DelFest when we called to let them know the good news. Jayme and Jason each said they would send some pictures from DelFest after the festival.
BluegrassJournal.com would like to thank DelFest, McCoury Music and High Sierra Music for allowing us to be a part of this special event.UPDATE 3 Drawing is closed. No more entries accepted. Winners will be announced shortly !
UPDATE 2 And the winners will be ???
Unfortunate as it is for our first winner. Shane O’donnell. will not be able to attend so, BluegrassJournal.com will be drawing 2 lucky winners for DelFest festival passes in less than 2 hours.
UPDATE: And the winner is…
We drew for the 1st pair of festival passes to DelFest at 5:00 PM Central time today, May 2.
The whole staff here at BluegrassJournal.com would like to congratulate Shane O’Donnell whose name was drawn out of the hat of entries.
Make sure and get your entries in for the drawing for the last pair of tickets to DelFest which will be drawn on Friday, May 9, 2008. See below for more information on entering.
Are you ready to kick off the Summer season right?Are you itchin’ to go to a bluegrass festival?Are you ready to be a part of Bluegrass History as Del McCoury celebrates 50 years in Bluegrass?Here’s your chance to be a part of the 1st Annual DelFest in Cumberland, MD May 23-25, 2008.BluegrassJournal.com, in conjunction with DelFest, McCoury Music and High Sierra Music, which is helping to promote McCoury’s festival., is giving away free festival tickets to Del McCoury’s first annual bluegrass festival, aptly named DelFest.The editors at BluegrassJournal.com are offering two pairs of tickets, which will be given away to subscribers of the Web site. And subscribing to BluegrassJournal.com is free — and easy, requiring only a username of your choosing and a valid email address. 1 comment
McCoury putting together his first DelFest and he needs your help
Brace yourself for DelFest — the very first annual DelFest.
And Del? That would be Del McCoury who, in conjunction with High Sierra Music, will play the role of festival host on Memorial Day Weekend.
McCoury personally chose the festival site, the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, Md. The grounds are nestled along the Potomac River in the scenic Appalachian Mountains, convenient to four major airports and easily reached by rail or road, with ample tent and RV camping on site as well as plentiful lodging nearby.
“I’ve had opportunities to host a festival before,” said McCoury, “but I always thought that if I was going to do it, I’d want to make sure that it was done right.”
It looks like he’s on the money, judging from advance publicity on the event and the marketing efforts, which include VIP packages for the ultimate festival appearance.
Those putting together the lineup say the roster is still being built, but the foundation for the three-day event looks powerful. In addition to appearances by the Del McCoury Band throughout the weekend, Vince Gill, Dierks Bentley, Keller Williams and The Keels, David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, Sam Bush, Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck, the David Bromberg Band, Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile, Railroad Earth, Emmitt-Nershi Band, Great American Taxi featuring Vince Herman, Jon Fishman (artist-at-large), Steep Canyon Rangers, Adrienne Young and The Lee Boys are among those already confirmed, many for multiple performances.
In addition to traditional stage sets by these world-class artists, attendees can expect to see one-of-a-kind collaborations, special guest sit-ins, and various tributes to Del McCoury and his musical legacy.
Each day’s schedule will also feature more intimate appearances, both at unique “playshops” - informal workshops where the emphasis will be on performance rather than instruction - and in late-night indoor performances and picking sessions. Whether they’re “parking lot pickers” or music fans, festival-goers will have plenty of opportunities to interact with their favorite artists.
Rounding out the program, Delfest will include a band competition, with the winners invited to return for a set at the following year’s gathering.
While music will be central to Delfest, every aspect of the festival experience will be shaped by its host’s concern for and appreciation of the fans. The festival will offer interactive children’s programs, a craft fair featuring regional and international artisans and an eclectic food court, along with the chance to simply relax and camp with good friends in hopefully gorgeous weather.
The festival runs Friday, May 23, through Sunday May 25. Gates open at 8 a.m. on May 23.
Tickets are on sale now at delfest.com. Discount three-day adult passes are $110 through March 17 or while supplies last. (Limited quantity available at this price.) Two-day passes are $99 through March 17 (or while this quantity lasts).
Three-day pass for kids aged 6 to 12 are $30, two-day passes are $20, and kids age 5 and under admitted free. On-site camping is included with all multi-day passes.
On-site RV Passes with hookups are $100; RV Passes without hookups are $35.
Premium VIP Packages include three-day festival passes, separate entry and camping areas, access to a VIP lounge near the main stage featuring a special viewing area, private port-o-johns, chair massage, a lounge area with beverages and snacks, admission to all late night performances, festival t-shirts, festival posters and drink tickets.
These packages are designed for both individuals and groups of two. VIP Package 3 includes an RV pass with guaranteed, reserved hook-up. Prices range from $375 to $800.
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