Shannon Whitworth plays a June 11 show at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

Shannon Whitworth, one of the co-founders of The Biscuit Burners, will perform at the Station Inn on June 11 at 9:00 pm in Nashville, Tenn. in support of her recent solo release No Expectations.

Shannon Whitworth’s music is something one would imagine to hear on a front porch in the hills of Appalachia. Combining a love for old-time banjo with a voice sounding like a younger Gillian Welch, Shannon Whitworth defines mountain music. She has spent the last ten years focusing on bluegrass and country music. Her talent as a singer and songwriter enabled her to spend the last four years touring the United States with acclaimed bluegrass band, The Biscuit Burners, which she co-founded. On clawhammer banjo and guitar, Shannon’s compositions contributed depth to the band’s material and have helped her gain respect as a truly talented singer and songwriter.

No Expectations features ten of Shannon’s most recent compositions accompanied by an all-star cast of musicians. Great singing, great writing, and great picking makes Shannon Whitworth’s first solo project unforgettable.

You can sample Shannon Whitworth’s music on her MySpace page.

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There are several events coming up at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn. this month. Marty Stuart will be signing his book, “Country Music: The Masters,” on Saturday May 10, 2008 from 11:00 am to noon. Also happening on May 10 is a concert “The Music of Marty Robbins” featuring Jesse Lee Jones and Brazilbilly along with Marty Robbins son, Ronny Robbins.

There are also several songwriting sessions and instrument demonstrations that will feature Beck Hobbs, Mike Webb, Charlie Collins, Alan Rhody and Leroy Troy. A complete listing of Hall of Fame events through May 25 is below.

Friday, May 9, 2008

• Curator’s Exhibit Talk: Marty Robbins: Among My Souvenirs - 1:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

• Book Signing w/ Marty Stuart (Country Music: The Masters) - 11:00 a.m. (FREE)
• Songwriter Session w/ Alan Rhody - Noon
• Concert: The Music of Marty Robbins featuring Jesse Lee Jones & Brazilbilly with Ronny Robbins - 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

• Film Loop: The Drifter (1965) featuring Marty Robbins - All Day (FREE)
• Guitar and Fiddle Demonstration w/ Owen Morrison and David Coe - 1:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

• Songwriter Session w/ Becky Hobbs - Noon

Sunday, May 18, 2007

• Film Loop: Best of the Marty Robbins Show (1968-69) - All Day (FREE)
• Dobro and Guitar Demonstration w/ Mike Webb and Charlie Collins - 1:00 p.m.

Saturday May 24, 2007

• Songwriter Session w/ David Lee - Noon
• Family Program: Country Costuming with Katy K - 1:00 p.m. (FREE)

Sunday, May 25, 2007

• Film Loop: Marty Robbins’ Spotlight (1977) featuring special guests Brenda Lee and Porter Wagoner - All Day (FREE)
• Banjo Demonstration w/ Leroy Troy - 1:00 p.m.
• Film Screening: Tribute: Grand Ole Opry Stars of the Fifties hosted by Marty Robbins (1954-55) - 2:00 p.m. (FREE)

The Country Music Hall of Fame ® and Museum tells the story of one of the world’s most popular art forms. Here, the music and its makers speak through timeless art, the latest interactive exhibits and live performances. Visitors may also dine at SoBro Grill, located in the conservatory, which offers a wide variety of contemporary southern cuisine.

The Museum is located at 222 Fifth Ave. S. in downtown Nashville, and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. The Museum Store is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily and the SoBro Grill is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. A snack bar, Sobro2Go, is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

Admission is $17.95 for adults, $9.95 for children ages six to 17, and free for children under six. The Museum offers discounted admission ($16.15) to seniors (55 and older), the military and students (with valid IDs). Group rates are available for tours of 15 or more. There is no charge to visit the Curb Conservatory or the Museum Store.

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This weekends Grand Ole Opry lineup will feature some great Bluegrass music on all 3 shows. The Del McCoury Band will play on all shows Friday and Saturday. Also among the artists currently scheduled to perform are Jesse McReynolds, Marty Stuart, Bobby Osborne, Vince Gill and The Whites. Should be a pretty good weekend for Bluegrass on the Opry. Times are listed below.

Friday, May 9

Del McCoury Band — 8:00 - 8:30
Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys — 8:30 - 9:00
The Whites — 9:00 - 9:30
Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press — 9:30 - 10:00

Saturday, May 10

The Whites — 6:30 - 7:00
Del McCoury Band — 6:30 - 7:00 & 10:30 - 11:00
Marty Stuart — 8:00 - 8:30 & 10:00 - 10:30
Vince Gill — 8:30 - 9:00 & 10:30 - 11:00

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.

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Russ Barenberg will be a part of the week-long National Guitar Workshop in Nashville, Tenn. July 5-10, 2008.

Nashville, Tenn. –  The National Guitar Workshop is proud to announce a Hot Flatpicking Guitar Seminar with special guest Russ Barenberg at the Nashville Campus. Barenberg will help build your repertoire of flatpicking fiddle tunes and teach how to develop songs with variation and improvisation. Students will have the opportunity to use a number of different tunes to learn important left and right hand techniques, as well as discuss music theory, as it relates to flatpicking guitar.

The week long event takes place on the Vanderbilt Campus in Nashville, Tenn. July 5 - 10, 2008.

The National Guitar Workshop is excited to announce the curriculum and guest artists for the 2008 season. This year’s program will feature Paul Gilbert, Lisa Loeb, The John Scofield Trio featuring Bill Stewart and Steve Swallow, Kenny Burrell, Michael Angelo Batio, Jennifer Batten, Eric Krasno, Laurence Juber, Sonny Landreth, and more. Courses will be offered in rock, blues, jazz, country, classical, music technology, songwriting, and guitar exploration. Check out www.guitarworkshop.com for more information.

NGW features 8 locations nation-wide with campuses in Connecticut, Nashville, Austin, Washington DC, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Each location offers a wide variety of courses, all taught by world renowned musicians.

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Jesse McReynolds will host the Pick Inn Spring Festival May 16-17, 2008. Photo by Travis Tackett

Veteran country and bluegrass entertainer Jesse McReynolds will host The Pick Inn Spring Festival on Friday and Saturday, May 16 -17, 2008.

“Events such as this one give me something to do here at home when I am not at the Opry or traveling,” he said.

He said providing new ways that the audience can get to know him and his music is one of the basics that have helped him to maintain the longevity of his career.

The event at 550 Zieglers Fort Road in Gallatin, Tenn. across from Bledsoe Creek State Park will feature Jesse McReynolds and The Virginia Boys, Lonnie Jones and Hard Drive, Harv Mason & the Straight Arrow Boys, Pastor Rodney Haskin and the Fiddlin’ Preachin’ Band, Luke McKnight and Thunder Road, Curly Seckler, Eddie and Martha Adcock, New Foundation, Daniel Rothwell and Granddaddy, Champ Buckdancer Thomas “Magic” Maupin, Judy Carrier and Rens Vreeburg, Dr. Johnnie Feelgood and the Do Gooders and others.

He and his wife Joy will debut their new Pick Inn Music Pavilion. Friday the event is 4-9 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Adult admission is $15 adult or both days for $25; seniors: $12 or $20 for two days, Children 6-12 $6 or $10 for two days, Under age 6, free with adult. For more information, call at (615) 452-7321.

McReynolds, a IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Fame member, is still touring around the world but he is creating unique opportunities for people to come to see him right at home on his Gallatin farm outside Nashville where he has lived since the early 1960s.

McReynolds dailey radio show catching on

“Daily radio shows were the norm for performers when Jim and I started,” he said. “I wanted to go back and capture the way radio use to be a long time ago. This is a little different because it’s a little like an interview show.”

Each weekday morning now Jesse with his able co-host Harv Mason sit down in the living room of The Pick Inn, a hilltop log cabin on 32 acres overlooking Old Hickory Lake, where the McReynolds’ host weddings, music concerts, festivals, and teaches workshops.

Often the radio show includes downhome commercials, guests dropping by telling stories and jokes, musicians playing tunes and joining in on the fun by singing a song or just providing applause and laughter. An audience is also welcome.

“Instead of having all professionals come in, I just like to sit down and pick with ordinary people,” he said “It’s more like a family get together - like a jam session.”

“The Pick Inn Party Radio Show” airs from 8-9 a.m. (CST, 9-10 a.m. Eastern) on WHIN 1010 AM and can be found live on the web at whinradio.com. The show features live music and recorded music from the Jim and Jesse catalog, phone call-ins and guests.

“We are getting calls from all over the country,” he said. “It is amazing how people are giving us compliments about how they enjoy the radio show.”

For more information, visit www.jimandjesse.com.

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