In June, outlets CMC Australia and Sky TV (U.K.) will begin airing the 13-episode season to a potential 20 million viewers. Seven episodes of the series will be hosted by The Roys; Marty Raybon and The Grascals hosted the first six episodes of the program. "This is a natural extension to our other music-based programming," says the show's Executive Producer Jeff Moseley. "Bluegrass is an incredible and underserved music genre, so this is a win-win situation for all of us and the fans." Bluegrass Mountains' Producer/Director Brian Covert believes that "having entertainers host the show gives viewers opportunities to hear stories about the videos that they otherwise would not. That gives fans a very personal and intimate insight." Dyann and Rick Arthur, two Washington State residents who turned their retirement into an important video project, have spent the past three years traveling from New England to the Deep South and back to the West Coast interviewing women, ages 18 to 93, and recording their music. The Arthurs’ nonprofit MusicBox Project is about women musicians who are experts in Appalachian folk music, the blues, bluegrass, old-time country music, gospel, jazz, Cajun, American Indian music, klezmer, maritime folk music or zydeco. It’s already catalogued in the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., The collection of "Americana Women" documentary videos includes music and interviews with fiddler Violet Hensley (captured with her family, picking around the kitchen table); Casey Henry, playing her banjo instrumental “Real Women Drive Trucks”; and Red Molly performing “Honey on my Grave.” Much of the video collection is available on YouTube. Journalist/author/banjo player Red Murphy, of The Murphy Method and IBMA's Nancy Cardwell are two of the women who provide commentary during the film. "The project isn't about female vocalists who front male bands, but more about women instrumentalists who seek to be taken seriously as a roots musicians," Dyann Arthur said. "Women need to see that other women are a huge part of these musical genres." To donate to the nonprofit work of the MusicBox Project or to volunteer time, contact the Arthurs at Arthur@MusicBoxProject.org. More information is available at www.musicboxproject.org.
RECORD LABELS & PUBLISHERS Rounder Records will release Foggy Mountain Special: A Bluegrass Tribute to Earl Scruggs on June 5. On this 12-tune collection of never-before-released material, produced by Tim Austin and recorded in Nashville over a couple of years, each track is based on Earl Scruggs' playing as captured on studio recordings and live tapes made between 1949 and 1969. Tunes range from traditional pieces like "Sally Goodin" and "Reuben" to the western swing instrumental "Steel Guitar Rag" to Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline Rag." The majority of the collection's remaining tunes were written or co-written by Scruggs. Banjo players Tom Adams, Ron Block, J.D. Crowe, Charlie Cushman, Kenny Ingram, Jim Mills, Joe Mullins, Larry Perkins, Craig Smith, Ron Stewart, David Talbot, and Tony Trischka are supported by Dan Tyminski, Adam Steffey, Randy Kohrs, Cody Kilby, Clay Hess, Wyatt Rice, Ben Isaacs, Barry Bales, Dennis Crouch, Ron Stewart and Jason Carter.
BlueHighways TV presented the exclusive premiere of the Rural Rhythm Records series Behind The Dream, on May 24, with a segment featuring recording artist and performer Marty Raybon of Shenandoah fame. In his show, Marty kicked off the 30-minute bi-monthly series by taking viewers behind the scenes of the making of his new CD, Hand To The Plow. “Rural Rhythm Records is proud to launch our new Behind The Dream series on BlueHighways TV,” said Sam Passamano, president of Rural Rhythm Records. “Our artists will be able to share with the viewers their new recordings in a words & music format that will give insight to their goals, inspiration and, of course, dreams for their album. We want to thank the good folks at BlueHighways TV for giving our artists the wonderful opportunity to present their music in their own words & music.” Behind The Dream is hosted by Mike Scott and takes viewers into the recording studio with some of the biggest names of bluegrass music. Future installments will feature bluegrass artists Carrie Hassler, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Lonesome River Band and Bobby Osborne. Each episode focuses on the motivations behind the music and delves into the personal inspiration of each artist as they record their latest CD. For more information on BlueHighways TV visit www.BlueHighwaysTV.com.