The Roots Music Association is proud to announce the World United Music Festival & Radio/Membership Conference is to be held in San Marcos, Texas on Nov 14-15-16 2008.

The RMA is also proud to announce its newly formed production partnership with The United States Entertainment Force. In conjuction with RMA, the USEF, a highly acclaimed Production Corporation, will handle the Executive Producer responsibilities of the Music Festival on our 300+ acre Venue for The World United Music Festival & Radio/Membership Conference.

The United States Entertainment Force, www.theusef.org, has graciously come on board to produce the event in support of the RMA, and to help their goals to raise awareness & funds to support those serving in our Military today and their families, those who have served, the Children and our Nations Future.

The City of San Marcos and the new Embassy Suites Convention Center have also given their support to the RMA and will supply the venue for the convention. With an additional 300 acres adjacent to the Convention Center for staging the Music Festival & Roots Music Awards portion of the event with over 150 showcasing artists and 8 stages.

This years Music Festival, Radio/Membership Conference and Roots Music Awards Show is sure to be a major success with thousands of fans expected to attend from around the globe.

For more detailed info on this first annual event please visit www.worldunitedmusicfestival.com.

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Murphy Method releases DVD on improvising - “Slow Jam” Instructional video reviewed in Bluegrass Unlimited.

The Murphy Method has  released Improvising: The First Stage on DVD for banjo which is geared towards teaching how to take the licks you know and re-arranging them into new breaks for songs you may not know.

The Murphy Method’s “Slow Jam with Murphy and Casey,” which was released last year, is reviewed in the June issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine.

“This DVD should work nicely for all instruments, though the banjo gets some extra mention here. A good share of the tunes are in G, with occasional capoing up to higher keys. Anyone wishing their local jams would just ratchet down to about half speed (and keep it there) should find this DVD very, very useful.” Bluegrass Unlimited

Bluegrass Festival and Events Calendar

June 5-7 — American Heritage Music Festival - Grove, OK. Features the Grand Lake National Fiddle Fest and the Grand Lake National Clogging Contest.

June 5-7 — Preddyfest held in Franklinton, NC. Three big days of Bluegrass with James King, Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road, The Grascals, The Gibson Brothers, Marty Raybon and Full Circle, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice along with many more. Single day tickets are $20, $25 and $30 or a weekend pass for $60 available at the gate.

June 5-7 — Melody Ranch Bluegrass Festival - Tom Bean, TX. Bluegrass bands set to perform include Prairie Night, Copper Canyon, Boggy River Boys, Vern Young and Lost Highway. The Festival also features jamming, camping, concessions and indoor, air-conditioned shows with seating provided.

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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Special Consensus will perform at the inaugural concert benefiting the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation in Dallas, TX

Special C along with Blue Moon Drive featuring Gerald Jones will be performing at the inaugural benefit concert for the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation in Dallas, Texas Saturday May 3. The 7:30 P.M. concert takes place at the historic Sons of Hermann Hall located at 3414 Elm St. in Dallas. Tickets are available at the door for $12.00.

The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation’s mission is to preserve and promote the heritage of bluegrass music in America. The Foundation seeks to educate the public about this distinctly American form of music with roots in Irish, Scottish, and English tradi­tional music through educational programs and workshops, public performances of bluegrass music, and other similar programs

The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation is managed by a Board of Directors and a non-voting Advisory Board that provides advice, assistance, and resources to the Foundation. The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation is a non-profit corporation organized under Texas law.

The foundation is currently seeking donations. For more information visit them online at http://bluegrassheritage.org.

The foundation’s current board of directors includes:

• Alan W. Tompkins, President - Alan co-founded the Frisco Bluegrass Festival held at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas (2006-07) and Acoustic Music Camp, an instructional institute for acoustic musicians.
• Gerald L. Jones - Invented the Acoustic Plus electronic banjo pickup used by Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck, Alan Munde, Bill Keith, and others. Gerald is a multi-instrumentalist who is proficient on banjo, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle. Gerald co-founded the Frisco Bluegrass Festival and Acoustic Music Camp.
• Richard S. Tucker - Responsible for the creation of the Argyle Bluegrass Festival, the largest and most successful bluegrass festival in Texas. Richard also serves as President and a member of the Board of Directors of The Foundation for Bluegrass Music, Inc., a tax-exempt organization dedicated to fostering awareness of bluegrass music with a focus on youth and education.
• Clifford G. Fitch - A professional instrument luthier and the founder of Fitch Banjos. Cliff builds profes sional-grade custom banjos and performs instrument set-up and restoration services for some of the top players in the country. Fitch Banjos is also the designated United States custom shop for Recording King Banjos.
• Raleigh W. Newsam - Born in New York City, he spent his youth in Long Island, New York and Clarksville, Tennessee. It was in Clarksville that he developed his love and enthusiasm for bluegrass and country music. Raleigh has been active with numerous charitable organizations.

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J.D. Crowe and the New South. Photo by Señor McGuire.

The Old Settler’s Music Festival, billed as Central Texas’ signature music event, is set to take place April 17-20 in Austin, TX. The festival will feature a variety of Roots, Bluegrass and Americana artists on 4 stages. Notable Bluegrass acts in the lineup include: David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, The Waybacks, Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, JD Crowe and The New South, Peter Rowan and Friends, Infamous Stringdusters and Cadillac Sky .

With over two dozen bands, performance workshops, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, music store, youth talent competition, Thursday’s “Settle In” show and a Sunday gospel show at the campground stage and lots more, the festival offers something for the whole family.

Old Settler’s Music Festival benefits the following organizations and charities: Campfire Boys and Girls, Health Alliance for Musicians, Capital Area Food Bank a donation of canned food is appreciated

Tickets are available with the best deal being the 4 day pass (Thu-Sun) with camping for $135. A Three day pass (Fri-Sun) with Camping is $120. The festival also offers a “Platinum Pass - Friend of the Festival” package that includes 4 day pass with camping, campground electrical permit, festival t-shirt and poster, back stage hospitality area with complimentary lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday and an oppurtunity to mingle with the artists.

For more information visit Old Settler’s Music Festival online or call 888-512-7469.

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