Americana Rhythm Music Magazine Issue #104

Issue 104

But, Does It Pay? Has that thought ever crossed your mind? But does it pay?As musicians, some days yes, some days no. Some days it’s hard to tell. You have to ask yourself what exactly defines pay?

When you are broken down on the side of the road, wondering what it will cost to fix it this time, wondering if you will make it to the next show in time; In that moment, you might wonder, does this pay? But if you have a band with a good attitude and someone is yuckingit up and laughing, there can be that special sense of a band on the road, beating the odds and working together. I do not think you can buy that feeling.

When I ask myself the does it pay question, I always think of the experiences I never would have had if I hadn’t said yes.

strength of these bikes. They have regular bike friction brakes that really don’t work very well, so you do the best you can. This was a cherished childhood memory of mine, and I have always wanted to ride one again.

The mayor’s husband said he is very familiar with Solex bikes; he owns 10; is president of the local Solex club; and would be happy to get me on one.

This was great news that got a lot better. The next day, I received a message asking if Amy and I would like to help represent St Jean de Losne and ride as part of the official Solex club leading the Olympic flame parade through town. What an honor, and of course we said YES! These two wayward troubadours from the USA got to participate in the 2024

Just recently, in the last issue of Americana Rhythm, I wrote about playing the Fete de la Musique, in the small town of St Jean de Losne, France. It was after that show that we learned the Olympic torch was set to run through SJL on the way to Paris! What a lucky break to be able to see that. But wait there is more …

Americana Rhythm is published six times a year. All correspondence should be sent to PO Box 45, Bridgewater VA, 22812 or CONTRIBUTORS email to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copies of Americana Ed Tutwiler Wayne Erbsen Rhythm are made available free at various pick up locations within the publication’s region. Subscriptions are available inside the United Donna Ulisse Mike Aiken States (only) for $24 US currency made payable by check or money order sent to, Subscriptions at PO Box 45, Bridgewater, Andrew McKnight VA, 22812. Foreign subscription requests should be sent to Dan Walsh greg@americanarhythm.com. Copyright 2022. All rights reRebecca Frazier served. Reproduction of any content, artwork or photographs DISTRIBUTION is strictly prohibited without permission of the publisher or origi- North River Publishing Integrated Music Media nal owner. All advertising material subject to approval.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Greg E. Tutwiler Associate Editor Ed Tutwiler MARKETING & PROMOTION Mark Barreres (GrassRootsNetworking.com) Letters, Comm ents, Suggestions ADVERTISING greg@americanarhythm.com Business office 540-433-0360 advertising@americanarhythm.com www.americanarhythm. com

2

After the show, during a conversation with the mayor’s husband, I asked if he knew what a Solex bike was.

Here, I digress a bit. When I was a kid, my uncle in France had a Solex he let me ride whenever I wanted.

The Solex is a French motorized bike built from the 1950s to 1970s. It has a tiny gas engine that mounts on a pivot over the front tire. The way it works is, you start pedaling, then, pivot the engine down so that a friction rubber drive wheel hits the front tire and starts turning the engine over until it starts. This happens slowly while you are pedaling …putt, putt, putt, faster, faster until it is running smoothly. All the while you are steering with one hand while adjusting the throttle and fuel-air blend with the other. Top speed is maybe 25 mph. Stopping isn’t a

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Paris Olympic Flame journey. It was the only way we could ever be, ‘in the Olympics’ (lol).

I am relating all of this to answer the leading question; does it pay? Had we not been out there performing at the Fete de la Musique (for free), the Olympic - Solex opportunity would never have happened. It was an event you could never purchase, but once again, playing music brought it to us.

So did it pay? Yes, indeed, in overwhelming dividends, memories, new friends and future adventures.

By the way please, check out our new single and video, ‘Flew Away’ we’re so excited. Cheers!

Issue 104

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

3

Issue 104

The Bluegrass Festival In early August a few of the AR staff attended a marvelous fiveday bluegrass festival held in a small town in eastern West V irginia. It was a real fun treat and presented a festival full of the best artists in the busines s but more on this festival later. Let us first start this story with a question: Just what is bluegrass music and what is a bluegrass festival?

We attend s om e exceptional Americana s tri ng mus ic (aka bluegras s mus ic) fes tivals throughout the year. My wife and I often find ourselves heading off for the enjoyment of a bluegrass festival experience, when friends and family members say to us, “Do you j ust sit and listen to music all day?” It is difficult to answer such a question posed by a person with less interest or passion or need to hear the artistic effort of the performers than do ourselves; however, the real answer is, “Yes, but . . .” Let me answer those inquisitors and share with you that which is more than just the music. It all began with a name.

Where It Started This bluegras s subset of Americana string-music has an evolutionary growth. With its origins in the Eas ter n Appalachian mountains as ancient S cot-Irish and English ballads infused with enslaved African influences, it first morphed into a folksy sound that changed every time someone new played its melody and sang its lyrics; however, it eventually gelled into a genre known as old-time mus ic. With the emergence of recorded music and radio air play, this old-time mus ic became s omewhat s tandardized. Then, along came Ken tuckian, Bill Monroe and his band who was named after that famous KY bluegras s . They pr oduced a new, faster, hard driving way of playing that s ame old-time music.

Sometime in the 50’s or early 60’s, folks began referring to this style of play as “bluegras s music”.

With that naming, it soon became its own genre of sound. While this genre of music has steadily exhib-

4

ited generational change, it has never s trayed too far from its roots.

Bluegras s music never really became a s eparately recognized art form until the firs t exclus ively named bluegrass festival was produced by Virginia resident, Bill Clifton at Oak Leaf Park in Luray, VA on July 4, 1961. This one-day event was quickly followed by what is now known as Carlton Haney’s Roanoke Bluegrass Festival, which was held on Cantrell’s H ors e Farm in Fincas tle, VA on September 3– 5, 1965. This second event is now recognized as the firs t ever multi-day bluegrass festival. The format that festival took more or less set the formula for festivals from then on until the present where thousands of bluegrass events are held around the world annually.

So, what is a bluegrass music festival? It is so much more than just the lis tening experience. While the focus is upon the performers and their perf ormances , the down-time between those performances is filled with experiences both diverse and interes ting. Of course, all festivals are a bit different but in many ways they are all the same. There are many experiences that are duplicated more or less at every festival both large and small. Here is a capsule of what a typical bluegrass festival has to offer:

No matter what festival you attend or who the performing artists may be, nor even where it might be held, commemorative tee-shirts abound.(If it is a multiyear fes tival, attendees s trive to

dis play of keepsakes and stacks of their recordings for folks to purchase. Plus, all bluegrass festivals feature vendor tents showcasing jewelry, clothing, mus ical instruments, and so forth. Big festivals might have rows and rows of vendor tents touting every type of collectable. It is very eas y to s pend too much time pursuing the vendor tents and mis s the

record that longevity with multiyear shirt collections.) Tee shirts are merely the tip of the iceberg.

All the performing artists have a

start of the next act on stage. In fact, s tories have been told of shoppers who never make it to the music.

By Edward Tutwiler

The Merch

Multi Performances A bluegrass festival will showcase multiple performers and multiple performances. At most festivals, each act presents a set that is in turn followed by another act and then another until all have shared a time on the stage. Usually this revolving perf ormance is repeated with the acts showcasing different material for the second appearance. At s ome point, the show breaks for an intermission; and that intermission is usually followed by performances from a few headlining artists. Each day of the fes tival features a completely different lineup of performers.

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Issue 104

foot camping trailer. The couple immediately cleared the property; hired s ome bands and a s ound company; bought a stage; and printed fliers. The summer was nearly over but they were anxious to have the firs t event. Knowing that bluegras s music fans like to camp, they added 10 full service campsites two days before the opening performance. Thus, on Augus t 21, 2004, the first Pickin’ in Parsons Bluegrass Festival got under way as a one day event with six local bands. Joyce remembered, “It was a complete disaster. It rained parallel with the ground for six straight hours. We had about 50 attendees, if you count staff and dogs.”

We Be Jammin’ S peaking of miss ing a performance, s ome fes t ival attendees do not s it through every performance as a passive observer. It is the rare festival, that does not feature groups of fellow attendees sitting around in a secluded area of the fes tival grounds playing and singing their own versions of what is going on up on the main stage.

Yu mmy Every fes tival large or small makes a valiant effort to feed the attendees .

Granted, the effort at a small gathering might not compare to that of the major ones; nevertheless, food is essential— whether it is a modest food tent or truck or a major effort with many selections.

Not to be deterred, the Bowers remained committed and started immediately planning continued on page 6

A Place To Park Your Bed Every multi-day bluegrass festival, beginning with that first one in Fincastle, VA, has a camp ground available for rent. It might be a modest tent space or it might be full hook up for Air Streams ®. (One festival I attended recently had fully equipped so called glam-camp tent enclosures available for rent).

One Of Our Favs Now that we have a capsule of bluegrass festivals in general after they exist and are thriving, the next question is how does a festival get started and evolve into a living thing? To answer this question, reflect back to that eastern WVA festival I earlier mentioned attending. It is named, Pickin’ in Parsons Bluegrass Festival. This festival is considered to be one of the fines t small bluegrass festivals in the business. In fact, in 2017 the IBMA voted it to be the best bluegrass event of the year. What follows is an overview of what the promoters, Joyce and John Bowers , experienced in making it into what is today.

John Bowers and his wife Joyce grew up in the same WVA hometown and developed a love for the bluegrass music that surrounded them. After attending festivals both small and large, John decided he wanted to host a festival of his own. With Joyce’s bless ing, they started the process.

For months they looked for the perfect location until a real estate agent located for them a piece of property that was available for lease in Pars ons , WVA. Joyce and John s urveyed those eight acres , and even though it was an hour and a half from where they currently lived, they took a gamble and signed for the property. It was by a river and overgrown but they could see its potential.

They packed up their present home; gave notice at work; and relocated to Pars ons in a 30-

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

5

Issue 104

Festival continued from page 5 for the second annual Pickin’ in Parsons. The following year they added a second day to the festival and hired Ronnie Reno and Reno Tradition as their first national touring act. Every year s ince that dismal start in 2004 they increas ed the number of bands and occas ionally added a day to the event until Pickin’ in Parsons now is five full days of music and features 25 national touring bands. From that original

it’s hones t, down to earth approach. They are fans firs t and promoters s econd. The top-tier touring artists consider it a privilege to be as ked to play at Parsons and strive to be invited back year after year. Festival attendees feel the same way as many purchase tickets for the next year ’s event while attending the present one.

Year 2024 s howcas ed the 20th Pickin’ in Parsons Bluegrass Festival and the promoters are currently working out the details for

IBMA On The Move Most of us connected to the busines s side of bluegras s in s ome fashion have know for a few years now, that the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), which has held it’s annual conference i n the city of Raleigh, NC, would be c onc l uding that pa rtners hip after the conclus ion of co nfe ren ce this year (September 2024).

And for many, we’ve all s p ecu lat ed where the 2025 c onference and beyond might relocate to. Well, the wait is over, and from what I can tell, the decis ion to partner with the Tennes see Department of To uris t Development, and the Chattanooga Tourism Co., seems to be a favorable one. So Chattanooga, Tennes see it is!

eight acres , they have expanded the facility to 48 total acres; 120+ full service camp sites; and 10,000 square feet of covered seating.

Location Makes It Special Joyce and John Bowers are not strangers to West Virginia and the deep held traditions of folks that live there. Their homegrown sens ibilities have helped them be good neighbors to their adopted town; and their no-nonsense, notrouble way of running their festival has endeared them to the community. They maintain an alcohol and drug free event with a 10pm nois e s h ut down. John Bowers runs a tight ship which attendees and performing artists alike appreciate. During the time of the Pickin’ in Parsons Bluegrass Fes tival, the l ocal population triples providing a boon to the local economy; and the local community is very welcoming to the festival attendees.

Bluegrass music is special to the Bowers, and it s hows. They love

6

the 2025 edition. Jus t as it has been from the beginning, the Bowers strive to offer the best in traditional bluegrass for a great price. That is five full days of mus ical enter tainment from 11am to 10pm every day with each day providing the very best A-lis t bluegras s artis ts in the world.

I’ve only hit the highlights of what it takes to produce a successful bluegrass festival. I’ve neglected to des cribe the tons of hard physical labor; the head-aching stres s of processing and planning; the worr ies about the weather; and the 47 other things that could and most likely will go wrong. All of this mus t be endured as a labor of love or the endeavor will not be a s ucces s.

Keep all this in mind the next time you kick back and sing along with your favorite bluegrass artist at the next edition of the Pickin’ in Parsons Bluegrass Festival or at any of your other favorite bluegrass festivals

.

The new home of IBMA’s World of Bluegras s (WOB) multi-day event will take place there for at least 2025, 2026, and 2027, with the inaugural event taking place September 16-20, 2025.

House and Senate Finance Chairs Rep. Patsy Hazlewood (R-Signal Mountain) and Sen. Bo Wats on (R-Hixs on) also named Chattanooga as the first recipient of the Tennessee Special Event Fund. In 2022, Tennes s ee Gov. Bill Lee partnered with the General Assembly to appropriate $25 million in the state budget for a fund designed to attract large-scale events expected to generate at least $10 million in visitor spending and $1 million in state and local taxes.

The Chattanooga Touris m Co. will use the award to invest in the support and growth of the WOB event.

“Tennessee is proud to welcome IBMA’s World of Bluegras s to Chattanooga. This event is not only a testament to our state’s vibrant cultural heritage but also a s ignificant economic driver for our communities ,” s aid Chair-

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

woman Pats y Hazlewood. “We are excited to support this event that will bring Bluegrass enthusiasts together in our city and give us an opportunity to s howcas e Tennessee and Chattanooga to an audience coming from li terally around the world.”

Barry White, pres ide nt and CEO of the Chattanooga Tourism Co., s a id “The Touris m Co. is honored to be the first recipient of Tenn es s ee’s new S p ecial Event Fund and to welcome the WOB to Chattanooga. We are extremely excited to bring this event to Chattanooga and highlight our city’s flourishing cultural scene, while also generating economic returns to our community.”

The 5-day IBMA World of Bluegrass event, s cheduled for Sept.

16-20, 2025, will feature a convention, tradeshow, awards show, artist showcases acros s downtown, and a two-day live mus ic festival with top bluegras s artists worldwide.

The Chattanooga Tourism Co. estimates the 2025 WOB event will attract 18K+ overnight vis itors and more than 45K+ including day vis itors , generate $30.1 million in econom ic impact, and yield $1.1 million in state tax revenue. V isitor spending will s upport local jobs and additional tax revenues, benefiting multiple industries beyond tourism.

“In our miss ion to s pread the music, IBMA considered 30+ destinations for a new home. While other cities could offer the necess ary commitment, the pas s ion and enthusiasm of the people of Chattanooga truly stood out. We are incredibly grateful for the support from the state of Tennessee and the welcoming spirit of Chattanooga. This city’s unique charm and hospitality makes it a perfect home for WOB artis ts and guests,” said Ken White, executive director of IBMA

.

Issue 104

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

7

Issue 104

Healed By A Song Once again, this beloved country is gearing up for our four year rigamarole as we creep toward the voting booths, to place a check mark by our choice for the next president of the United States. And, once again the atmosphere is heating up, with each side feeling righteous over issues and solutions. Once again doubt, anger, finger pointing, fear, blame, and news coverage is running rampant, leaving some of us in a quandary, trying to figure out what the next four years should look like for us. Once again, I am choosing to remain an escape for my audiences, standing on neutral ground. Oh, it’s a lovely thing.

Last night was an example of how precious both sides of this political arena are. I performed in a songwriting round; a very intimate

8

of my songwriting, there was common laughter, not blue or red, just a full mixture of colors that mingled together in the joy of entertainment. I watched as people escaped the cloudy, gnarly parts of their day, and it made me smile, because I loved the break too. I am quite sure there were “left” s houlders pressed against “right” shoulders in a room full of strangers and nobody cared; instead, for one hour, we were united.

reers, unafraid of what taking a political stand could do. They just followed their hearts and beliefs, and it worked for them. If I were writing and singing then, and young and fiery, maybe I would have been tempted to take my pen on like a silver sword and write my own opinions too; but now? I’m probably too long in the tooth to take those kinds of charged chances, and to be honest, I’m not interested in going that route. I love writing universal messages, I do. I love connecting to an audience through shared life and family experiences.

setting where the audience Bob Dylan I wish all our troubles was literally at splashed on the my feet. There could be healed by scene writing were probably political songs in Reality is with us all day long, and a song, wouldn’t that 40 peo ple in the 60’s, helping sometimes shows up in our sleep too. this small spur a moveI don’t know about you, but after the be something? room, sitting two years I’ve just survived, I seek ment during shoulder to those days. Acways to escape my troubles, and mushoulder, as I sang and told stories tually, lots of groups in those days sic is one of the most relaxing choices about where the songs came from. for me. I wish all our troubles could chose to write and sing about the poliNo one in that room, for our hour long be healed by a song, wouldn’t that be tics and protests going on. These talshow, gave a flying fig about all the ented troubadours of the 60’s were something? hoopla flashing across the news chanyoung, at the beginning of their canels. They were caught up inside the music, and the ride I was taking them Donna is the IBMA Songwriter of the year for on, skirting the crooked path, heading 2016, And 2017 Song of the Year winner. She was to the Clinch Mountains. I sang about also the 2018 SPBGMA Songwriter of the year. life in the rural parts of our world, of Her latest CD, Livin’ Large, on Blueboy Records, how folks get from day to day, of was released in February 2022. heartache, triumphs and sassy stuff DonnaUlisse.com too. As I was regaling them with tales

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Issue 104

Industry Award Nominations Follows are the IBMA nominations for the 35 annual bluegrass industry awards. The results of the balloting will be revealed at the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, September 26, at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the professional nonprofit association for the bluegrass music industry.

A partial list of nominations for this year include: ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Billy Strings Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway Del McCoury Band Sister Sadie The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Authentic Unlimited Sister Sadie Blue Highway Del McCoury Band Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Billy Strings Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper Travelin’ McCourys East Nash Grass Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway SONG OF THE YEAR “Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner Producer: Authentic Unlimited Label: Billy Blue Records “Willow” – Sister Sadie Songwriter: Ashley McBryde Producer: Sister Sadie Label: Mountain Home “Too Lonely, Way Too Long” – Rick Faris with Del McCoury Songwriter: Rick Faris Producer: Stephen Mougin Label: Dark Shadow Recording “Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster & Dolly Parton Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart

Producer: Daniel Grindstaff Label: Bonfire Music Group “Kentucky Gold” – Dale Ann Bradley with Sam Bush Songwriters: Wayne Carson/Ronnie Reno Producer: Dale Ann Bradley Label: Pinecastle ALBUM OF THE YEAR City of Gold – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway Producers: Jerry Douglas/Molly Tuttle Label: Nonesuch Last Chance to Win – East Nash Grass Producer: East Nash Grass Label: Mountain Fever Jubilation – Appalachian Road Show Producer: Appalachian Road Show Label: Billy Blue Records No Fear – Sister Sadie Producer: Sister Sadie Label: Mountain Home So Much for Forever – Authentic Unlimited Producer: Authentic Unlimited Label: Billy Blue Records

GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR “When I Get There” – Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out Songwriter: Michael Feagan Producer: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out Label: Independent “Thank You Lord for Grace” – Authentic Unlimited Songwriter: Jerry Cole Producer: Authentic Unlimited Label: Billy Blue Records “Just Beyond” – Barry Abernathy with John Meador, Tim Raybon, Bradley Walker Songwriters: Rick Lang/Mike Richards/Windi Robinson Producer: Jerry Salley Label: Billy Blue Records “God Already Has” – Dale Ann Bradley Songwriter: Mark “Brink” Brinkman/ David Stewart Producer: Dale Ann Bradley Label: Pinecastle “Memories of Home” – Authentic Unlimited Songwriter: Jerry Cole Producer: Authentic Unlimited Label: Billy Blue Records

continued on page 19

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

9

Issue 104

10

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Issue104

Thanks to our partnership with ReverbNation (www.reverbnation.com) we are honored to give you a peak at a few of the nation’s hardest working indie artists. Each month we select one entry to showcase for you here. Enjoy!

THIS MONTH’S FEATURE:

By Greg Tutwiler

Derek Wray message,” Derek said.

“For example, my first single, “Don’t Wanna Fight No More,” is about a guy in a relationship, where he really loves someone, but there is constant fighting, and he is struggling to decide to stay, or leave the relationship. Some of the songs that I have written (but haven’t been released yet), are more country/pop, fun summer songs.”

FEATURE ARTISTS ReverbNation.com

P ennsylvania is home for singer-songwriter, Derek Wray.

Derek says he began playing a guitar in high school, in his hometown of Warrington, a suburb of Philadelphia. But he never pursued it seriously, or played in bands, until after the school years. He picked it up again during the pandemic and found renewed interest in songwriting.

He works by day as a recruiter, while he also works to get his music career off the ground.

While he’s yet to release a full length album, he’s been recently releasing singles, and has seven available on his Reverb Nation page (https:// www.reverbnation.com/ derekwray), that he’s either written himself, or co-written.

“My latest three releases were actually with a Co-writer I met through NSAI, named Danah Alexander. She had a dream of writing and recording music for Pink. We worked together with a producer, got the songs recorded, and had Lindsay Jordan,

One of Derek’s big goals is to get signed as a writer for a publishing company, and/or record label, and start a band where he can play his original music, along with covers of his favorite country music.

“I would love to have one of my songs cut by Chris Stapleton,” he mused. “He is my favorite artist, and if he ever cut one of my songs, it would be such an honor. I did have two of my songs cut by Matthew Dame, who is lead singer of The Steeldrivers, Chris Stapleton’s original band.” a local up and coming artist, do the vocals on the songs.”

“I have written mostly country music, however,” he said. “I actually have a personal connection to Pink, so I agreed to cowrite these songs. I would say the three songs that we just released, “Everything I’m Not,” “Beautiful,” and, “Ageless,” are really written in a similar style

to Pink, in that they all have to do with self-identity, and realizing that everyone has an inner beauty, and their own identity inside of them, despite what anyone else says or thinks about them.”

“When I am writing on my own, I use my own personal stories, and try to make it a universal

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Derek’s song, “Don’t Wanna Fight No More,” made its radio debut as the “Country Catch of The Week,” on Brad Mercer’s Bands and fans, which gets syndicated nationally, and to number three on local country radio stations this past May.

Find Derek on the ReverbNa tion site!

11

Issue 104

Just Happened To Be Together For 50 Years Nearly 50 years ago, a group of fellow musicians all met at the Univers ity of Chicago.

They all shared a passion for bluegrass music, leading them to the likely decision to form a band. They eventually called thems elves S pecial Cons ens us , a nod to their unique blend of traditional bluegrass with a modern twis t. Their goal was simple: to bring the joyful sounds of bluegrass to new audiences and honor the genre’s rich heritage.

“We were all kind of learning together,” remaining founding member, b anj o player, Greg Cahill, shared with me recently. “The university has this folk festival (the Eastern European Folk Fes tival celebrates 50 years this year), and we’d all go down there and listen to the music. In between acts on the main stage, we would go out in the hallway, and everybody would be playing bluegrass music. That’s how we all originally got to be friends. It was a great time. Eventually, we

12

By Greg Tutwiler real beginning of the actual serious band concept.”

By late 1978 the band had recorded their firs t single, and released their firs t full album in 1979 on a local Chicago label.

started getting together in one of the guys apartments , and pretty soon we were a band.”

Taking It Serious In the beginning the group had several different names and different personnel. “When we finally narrowed it down, we were a five piece band. That was late

1973 or early 1974. We played s ome clubs around Chicago,” Greg told me, “but it was n’t until 1975 when the bass player and I said, ‘you know, we really want to give this a shot; go full time; quit our day jobs, give it a try for a couple years.’ That was in 1975, so that’s why we consider it the

The original line-up cons is ted of Gr eg Cahill on banjo, who had a reputation for his nimble fingers and inventive picking; Rick Faris on guitar, known for his smooth vocals and innovative rhythms; Dan Eubanks on bass , whose deep, res onant tones laid a solid foundation for their sound; and Rob Ickes on dobro, a master of both traditional and contemporary techniques.

The band released a second album, all the while trying to establish their niche’ in the bluegrass world. “We said we,re going to do it a couple years,” Greg said. “And we were clos ing in on that decis ion moment. It was like, ‘Oh, continued on page 17

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Issue 104

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

13

Issue 104

Bluegrass Festival Guide September / October 2024

October

Source: https://bluegrasscountry.org/festivals/

14

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Issue 104

Jeff Christie; The Music Still Flows Here and Now is the latest album

by Jeff Chris tie, due out in September 2024. It s erves as proof that the 78-ye ar-old s ingers ongwriter ’s be s t known hit, “Yellow River,” has never rested on his laurels and continues living out his musical calling after more than five decades.

Hailing from Leeds in northern England, Jeff found himself in the thick of the British pop rock scene in the late 1960s . In 1970, his band, Christie, had a worldwide hit with “Yellow River.” Jeff says the song was inspired in part by a favorite of his at the time, Glen Campbell’s version of “Galveston” (written by Jimmy Webb), with its protagonis t being a soldier thinking about his girl back home as he heads off to fight in the American Civil War. He had also been reading a lot about that conflict as well. “As a songwriter,” Jeff s ays, “you’re lis tening to other people’s s ongs all the time and you can’t help but be influenced

by things.” “ Ye l l o w River” flips the perspective to a soldier returning from war, w h i c h helped the s ong connect with many of the V ietnam War generation.

The s ong has proven to be a true classic, with a variety of artists covering it over the the years , including Elton John and R.E.M. Like many well-written songs, it easily translated into an Americana setting when Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver gave it an exhilarating bluegrass treatment in 2006.

By Dan Walsh

Jeff remembers first experienc ing the power of mus ic as a young child, when his par e nt s found it hard to drag him away from bras s band concerts at a local park.

Piano les s ons followed, then, when adolescence hit, he found hims e lf playing in bands. By the mid-Sixties one of them had landed some auditions with record c ompanies —and failed them all. But after one attempt, a word of friendly advice set Jeff on a new path. He remembers , “The A&R man at one of these sessions approached me afterwards and s aid, ‘It’s a good band you’ve got but you’ve got

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

to be doing original material, not covers ,’ which is what we were doing at the time.” It then fell to Jeff to begin writing material for the group. Fortunately, to go along with his basic drive to s ucceed, a seed had been planted during his previous piano lessons that was ready to sprout. While practicing classics by Beethhoven or Mozart, he says, “I would kind of wander off and s tart making up little tunes…” The rest, as they say, is history.

Here and Now is culmination of three or four years, including a bit of remote work during the pandemic, combin ing “newis h” songs with a few reworked older s ongs , which Jeff felt all fit together well. One of the older ones is “Man of Many Faces ,” originally a 1971 Ch ris tie releas e.

“There are so many ways you can work a s ong…” Jeff says. “I completely reworked that one. I used different chords…completely different rhythm…It’s almos t like a different song.”

15

Issue 104

Listen to the expanded interviews by searching Americana Music Profiles on all of your favorite Podcast platforms!

ARTICLES BY DAN WALSH

Adele Lassiter As a young girl, Adele Lassiter was inspired by the love of music her mom and grandmother exuded, and felt drawn, early on to singing and songwriting as her own mode of expression.

During her high school years, Adele developed her musical skills in a number of separate ways at first.

While she continued writing songs for herself that she only shared with friends, show choir introduced her to performing, and work on the high school tv station gave her some experience with how music and video could work together.

When she went to Nashville to attend Belmont U n i v e r s i t y, Adele s tarted playin g ou t.

“Even though it’s kind of embarrassing now, looking back at some of my earlier gigs, I did like every open mike night…It’s important to find those situations where you have…people who see the value in your music and want to help you improve. Because nobody’s perfect when they first start.”

It took a dramatic event to clarify what was truly important for Adele. While living in Montana to initially attend college there, she rolled her SUV on a gravel road, ending up with a broken neck and other injuries. “I woke up in the hospital, and literally right before that I had been praying and thinking that music was so important to me, that I really wanted to do something with music, like ‘please let there be a path toward this’...

“I made a full recovery, but during that recovery process that’s when a lightbulb went off in my head, like, I need to just go all in with my music.

American Nomad is Adele’s debut five-song EP, which has taken a while to come to fruition, but she says, “I wanted to have the best people on the album…” Eli Beaird of Beaird Music Group played bass and produced, and along with a team of session pros, “ kind of helped me…bring my vision to life,” Adele says.

Jeremy Parsons

Luanne Hunt

“It started for me when I was 17,” says San Antonio native Jeremy Parsons. “I was a junior in high school, and looking for a new hobby.” Sports had lost their luster for him (too much pressure from coaches). Luckily, he says, “there was a guitar lying around.” He was immediately hooked.

Luanne Hunt recently celebrated her 30th year in the music business and released her 24th album, fittingly titled Miles and Mem ories.

The current Floridian originally from Pennsylvania, has certainly logged countless miles and accumulated a treasure trove of memories along with many chart successes and accolades throughout her career as an independent singer-songwriter. About the new album’s title track, along with commemorating her artistic journey, she says it’s about “all the wonderful things and all the ups and downs that happen to everybody.”

Then, after six or eight months, he found himself in a state that he would periodically slip into, where the pressure of something in life would lead him to what he calls an extended rant: “I’ll start walking around, just like a sitcom, just ranting about random stuff…” This particular time, though, something change d. “My dad was like ‘Why don’t you just put it to music.’” This idea o ve r c a m e Jeremy’s usual irrational process and provided a helpful way to process emotions, as well as a creative outlet—and ultimately a career.

At age 20 he moved to Nashville and made some connections within only three months, the most consequential one being with the Grascals, who recorded one of his songs and opened a bunch of doors for him; a number of playing and touring experiences followed. Essentially, Jeremy says, “Nashville ended up being my college.”

Apparently Jeremy excelled in this practical music school of life, as he has recently won Country Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2024 New Music Awards. Additionally, he was named a finalist in the 2024 New Folk Competition.

After three albums, which leaned either toward the more traditional or the more Americana-based, Jeremy is now rolling out singles leading up to a triple EP release. “It’s Americana like you’ve never heard it before,” the Jeremy says. “It’s got electronic element. It’s got alt-indie stuff in there. And then there’s me, who just always sounds like Americana, altcountry, country, whatever you want to call it.” ” The first of the two EPs will be called Life, the second, Death and the third, The Inbetweens. Each record will contain six or seven songs and they’ll follow each other in quick succession.

Over time, her engaging stories set to music have touched a lot of listeners and garnered her numerous accolades. “It was awesome to finally have something tangible to show for what I had done,” she says. “Because as an independent artist, you don’t often get something tangible. So, it’s validating, for sure.” Her many awards include being a six-time American Songwriting Awards winner and a three-time “CD of the Year” recipient from the National Traditional Country Music Association (NTCMA), along with five Josie Music Awards nominations, as well as two Grammy nominations (Best Country Song and Best Female Country Performance) for her song “Solace In The Wind,” from her 2007 album, Breaking Through.

To find out more, visit www.jeremyparsonsmusic.com

To find out more, visit www.luannehunt.com

.

To find out more, visit www.adelelassitermusic.com

16

Despite having a deep love of music from her earliest days, she had to overcome a large amount of resistance from those closest to her, who discouraged her from pursuing music early on. It wasn’t until she got married in her twenties that she took more proactive steps in that direction. “I just started to take some voice lessons,” Luanne remembers. “...I was singing at county fairs and retirement homes and things like that, and got a little bit of experience under my belt.” When her newspaper writer husband discovered a gift for songwriting, the two began a new phase as Luanne recorded his songs, then began writing herself. She has chronicled this whole journey in a documentary, Luanne Hunt: I Won’t Stop Singing! (linked at her website), which is sure to be an encouragement to other artists with obstacles to overcome.

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Issue 104

Special C

, continued from page 13

well, we have this really great gig next year, and surely, after that, we’ll be better known, and can get some really good paying gigs.’ In the meantime, we’re driving around in an old station wagon, sleeping on friends floors. We just kept going. It was 10 years, and then 15.”

Eventually Greg and Mark (bass) were the remaining original members , and they became partners in the band. “He stayed about seven more years in the band once we did that,” Greg recalled.

Taking The Helm Greg became the remaining, original member of Special Conesus. “2025 will actually be the 50th anniversary of the band,” he said, “and we’ve probably, by that time, will have had maybe 53 members. But in the grand scheme of things, you know, a lot of bands have even more turnover than that. People will give me six months, or a year’s notice, or whatever.

Everybody’s been really good about that. Some guys stay 10 years, and some guys stay three.

It’s just the way this industry seems to go.”

I asked Greg if there was anything he could observe that makes a bluegrass band from Chicago different from a band more southern in it’s origins.

“You know, it’s probably phras ing,” he observed. “For example; we had Bobby Osborne sing on one of our songs, “She Took The Tennessee River.” He sang a verse. And we had to really listen to his phrasing, because it was a little different. It was different enough that you could tell. A lot of folks think the accents would be different, and they are, but I think they’re really noticeable things like phrasing.

And the more we’ve done it, we start leaning towards p robably s omebody f rom North Carolina instead of s omebody from Chicago, with regard to phrasing, just because it fits well with some of our Bluegras s stuff.”

50 More?

I as ked Gr eg what the future of S pecial Conesus looks like after 50. “I’m afraid to think

about that,” he laughed. “Well, of course, we’re booking up pretty well already for 2025, and we’ve already started booking some stuff in 2026. You know, we’ll j us t go with the flow and see what happens. I mean it. The reason I’m so shocked that it’s 50 years is because I’m always thinking, ‘let’s see where we’re going next week. And do we have to get plane tickets for two months from now. I’ve forgotten about that festival in California, the one in New York. So wait a minute, how are we going to route that?’ You know what I mean? And so you’re always thinking ahead about how you’re going to get there and what you’re going to do next. And then, when we record, we’re thinking about what was the arrangement on that song, and how did we do that? Yeah, so it’s never more than where are we going to go in five years , or anything like that. I don’t even think about it. There’s no time to really. We’re justa band that’s happened to be together for 50 years ”

.

The band that was just going to “try it for a few years,” over the span of the past 50 years, have amas s ed qu ite the lis t of acknowledgements. They released 21 albums.

Greg is a recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), and was inducted into the Society for the Preservation o f Bluegras s Mus ic in America (SPBGMA) Hall of Greats . The band has received seven awards from the IBMA, and two Grammy nominations. Current guitarist and lead singer, Greg Blake, was awarded the 2023 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year, and nominated again for the 2024 award.

Rivers and Roads, the band’s 19th recording, was nominated for a 2018 Grammy, and was awarded the 2018 IBMA Album of the Year.

The tune “Squirrel Hunters,” from that recording, received the Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year award.

The band now records for Compas s Records, and proudly celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2020 with th e releas e of Chicag o Barn Dance. This recording also celebrates the longstanding connection of country and bluegrass music with Chicago from the time of the WLS “National Barn Dance,” that was a precursor to the Grand Ole Opry. The songs on this recording either relate to Chicago and/or are written by artists who once lived in Chicago.

The title s ong “Chicago Barn Dance” received the 2020 IBMA Song of the Year Award.

International tours have brought the band to Australia, Canada, Europe, South America, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The band has also appeared on National Public Radio, The Nashville Network, the Grand Ole Opry at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nas hville, Tennes s ee, and in concert with s ymphony orchestras nationwide.

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

17

Issue 104

Listen to the expanded interviews by searching Americana Music Profiles on all of your favorite Podcast platforms!

ARTICLES BY DAN WALSH

Richard Lynch

Robert Ross

Rusty Gear

With four decades in country music under his belt and a membership in the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame, it’s safe to say Richard Lynch has become somewhat of an Ohio “institution” in the genre. He certainly maintains some real country street cred: “I’m a farmer. I’m a builder. I do a lot of things to make a living,” he says. “But the music is my passion.” His Keepin’ It Country Farm even combines it with working farm life, resulting in a unique southeastern Ohio attraction for country music lovers, featuring monthly appearances by Grand Ole Opry members and a residency of sorts for the Richard Lynch Band.

Hailing originally from small town New Brunswick, Canada, singer-songwriter Robert Ross grew up in a music-loving household and started singing at a young age. “I was shy as a kid. I kind of just sang in the back room,” Robert remembers. His first public performance came at the tender age of twelve, at a community fundraiser. He laughs, “I was kind of forced into it.” But the music bug had taken hold.

The next major step would come when Robert was 20 and serving in the Canadian military. Picking up a guitar for the first time and playing with friends led to a realization of “hey, this is cool…I can do this.”

When Connecticut’s Rusty Gear got started in music, he was playing bass along with his older brother John, who was an accomplished guitarist.

At a certain point however, Rusty decided that he too would like to play gui tar. “I went to a friend’s house, a guy who was pretty handy.

And we drilled a couple o f extra holes in it, put two more strings on it…it didn’t work great, but my first guitar actually was a bass.”

Pursui ng his passion since about age 15, Richar d paid his dues in the honky tonks, and over the last 12 years or so has unleashed his creativity, crafting a large reperto ire of original songs. “There is nothing more enjoyable for me,” he says, “than to take that idea that I got at the kitchen table and get into the studio and see it come to life with these session players in Nashville. That’s really rewarding for me.”

But Richard’s latest album (his eighth full-length studio effort) is a collection of other people’s songs, cleverly titled Pulling Up the Covers, featuring 14 of Richard’s favorites, lovingly interpreted. “I’ve always wanted to do a cover album. It’s something that we’ve just wanted to do forever,” he says.

He realized, however, that the timing in terms of his career was important. “I’m glad we didn’t do it earlier, because you need to get a little bit of experience and have a little bit of life under your belt before you can really dive into an album…I wanted to show respect for all these artists that I’ve grown up listening to.”

After completing more than a decade of service, Robert decided on a complete change of scene, so he moved to Australia. When asked for a reason, his answer is succinct: “No snow.” During fifteen years there, his part-time music-making developed into a full-time career, which then led to the decision to come to Nashville in 2023. He laughs about the timing: “...coming to Nashville, they had one of the coldest winters they’ve experienced in a very long time…unbelievable!” Although he enjoyed much success in Australia, Robert saw the shift to Nashville as the best way to take his career to the next level.

Compari ng and contrast ing the music scenes he has experienced in three different countries, Robert says, “There’s a lot of similarities when you’re playing festivals and concert-style…people are there for the music.” On the other hand, he finds the bar scene in Australia differs from that of the US and Canada, in that “people go to a pub for one reason and that’s to drink…whereas in the US, you still get a lot of people who are there for the music.”

Richard’s track list is not a “typical” one. He explains: “I wanted to pay tribute to some of my earliest references, and just show how much the original artists, people like Mel Tillis and Johnny Rodriguez…[and] Ronnie Milsap, were some of my big, big influences as a youngster. And I wanted to touch on some of those songs that you don’t necessarily hear any more.”

About his classic-country-tinged sound, Robert says, “I grew up listening to all the greats, like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson…I tend to classify myself as a neo-traditionalist…With the new album, there’s a little taste of rockabilly in there as well.”

To find out more, visit

To find out more, visit www.robertrossmusic.com

www.richardlynchband.com

18

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Rusty played in bands throughout his high school and college years, including grad school, then after that in a hit or miss fashion, until about 10 years ago, when he got a bit more serious with a mostly-cover band. Then, a few years later, he took the next big step. “I decided to go down to Nashville and record some music,” says Rusty.

“For the first time I wrote some original songs to work on in that session. And I enjoyed the process so much and the songs came out well…So I just kept doing it.”

Nine albums later, Rusty is still doing it. Although he has had a wide variety of musical experiences over the years, he says, “Nothing was as satisfying as writing a song, working on it, and then going and getting it cut, and having it come out in a way that you were proud of…Every time I go into the studio it’s just like the first time, honestly…”

“I’ve always been a passionate outdoors person.

And if you listen to my songs, there’s a ton of outdoor imagery…” For example, his recent song, “Rest Easy” was at least partially inspired by a 17-year cicada emergence and fishing with cicadas.

As far as the style of his music, Rusty enjoys the freedom that the realm of Americana provides.

“It gives me a license to do blues, to do rock & roll, to do contemporary country…I feel free to write whatever comes to mind, and as long as it fits within that very, very broad umbrella it’s really just a question of…how do I promote it most effectively.”

To find out more, visit www.rustygear.com

Issue 104 “Behind the 8 Ball” – Andy Leftwich Songwriter: Andy Leftwich Producer: Andy Leftwich Label: Mountain Home

Industry Award Nominations Continued from page 9 INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR “Rhapsody in Blue(grass)” – Béla Fleck Songwriter: George Gershwin arr.

Ferde Grofé/Béla Fleck Producer: Béla Fleck Label: Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers “Knee Deep in Bluegrass” – Ashby Frank Songwriter: Terry Baucom Producer: Ashby Frank Label: Mountain Home “Panhandle Country” – Missy Raines & Allegheny Songwriter: Bill Monroe Producer: Alison Brown Label: Compass Records “Lloyd’s of Lubbock” – Alan Munde Songwriter: Alan Munde Producer: Billy Bright Label: Patuxent

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR East Nash Grass Bronwyn Keith-Hynes AJ Lee & Blue Summit Wyatt Ellis The Kody Norris Show

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Dan Tyminski Greg Blake Del McCoury Danny Paisley Russell Moore FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Molly Tuttle Jaelee Roberts Dale Ann Bradley AJ Lee Rhonda Vincent BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR Kristin Scott Benson Gena Britt Alison Brown Béla Fleck Rob McCoury

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR Missy Raines Mike Bub Vickie Vaughn Todd Phillips Mark Schatz FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jason Carter Bronwyn Keith-Hynes Michael Cleveland Stuart Duncan Deanie Richardson RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR Justin Moses Rob Ickes Jerry Douglas Andy Hall Gaven Largent GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR Billy Strings Molly Tuttle Trey Hensley Bryan Sutton Cody Kilby MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR Sierra Hull Sam Bush Ronnie McCoury Jesse Brock Alan Bibey

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR “Willow” – Sister Sadie Label: Mountain Home “Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited Label: Billy Blue Records “The City of New Orleans” – Rhonda Vincent & The Rage Label: Upper Management Music “I Call Her Sunshine” – The Kody Norris Show Label: Rebel Records “Alberta Bound” – Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero, and Claire Lynch Label: Compass Records For a complete listing of all of the nominations, visit https://ibma.org/press-releases/ nominations-for-the-35th-annualibma-bluegrass-music-awardsannounced/

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Send us your name and address along with your check or money order for $20 for 5 issues, made out to Americana Rhythm, to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812. (PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY) You can also subscribe Via PayPal on line at www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Name: Address: City: State:

Zip:

PLEASE PRINT!

Or, Subscribe using PayPal VISIT www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Stay up to date with us at

www.AmericanaMusicMagazine.com www.AmericanaRhythm.com

19

Issue 104

20

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

“It Can’t Be 20 Years” ““It just feels like, it can’t be 20 years.” That’s what founding member, Danny Roberts said to me recently, when we sat down to chat about the 20 year anniversary of the Grascals.

“We’ve had some ups and downs, and a few member changes along the way, but it’s been a great ride this far. I just can’t I look back and think, ‘Wow, this 20 years has gone by so quickly.’ I’m just really looking forward to the next 20,” he laughed.

The beginnings of this band was magical. Danny shared that several of the guys from the original line-up were all hanging out at the Station Inn, in Nashville, back in the day, playing music together, and filling in with other musicians as needed. Jimmy Mattingly, Jamie Johnson, and Terry Eldridge, all eventual founding members, were there every week. “Jamie and Jimmy Mattingly got to talking about, ‘let’s put a band together,’ Danny recalled.

“At that time, David Talbot was playing there too, and they wanted him to join. Jimmy and I grew up together, in Kentucky; played music as kids; but we hadn’t got to play together since we were younger,” he recalled.

“So when they started talking about who they wanted to get together, Jimmy said, I’d like to try out Danny, on mandolin. And then it was kind of unanimous. Everybody wanted Terry Smith, because they’d all work together with him.

So we put this thing together, and it was just kind of like friends, hanging out, you know, having a good time doing music that we wanted to do.”

The guys went in the studio to work on their first record. They just happened to be in the same studio using the same engineer that Dolly Parton uses to do her records. He played some of their

Issue 104

another Nicholson-contributed number, the John Bryan-led “Just By Greg Tutwiler Let Me Know.” Ringing new changes on the group’s wellestablished sound are the instrumental “12th & Pine,” co-authored by mandolinist Roberts and teen phenom Wyatt Ellis, the contemporary flavor of “Reflection” — written by Johnson, sung by Bryan — and a masterful take on Stephen McWhirter’s “Come Jesus Come” that providentially was recorded before the recent cover from gospel sensation CeCe Winans.

There’s even a bluesy vocal contribution from new fiddler Jamie Harper, who takes on a “deep catalog,” typically whimsical selection from Country Hall of Famer Roger Miller.

So What’s Next? music for her, and she immediately knew she wanted to work with them.

Hello Dolly “Dolly called Jimmy and said, ‘I want to go out and do a tour. I want to have you guys open the show, and be my band,’ Danny recalled. “That just opened so many doors for us. From that, we toured with her for about two years, opened for her, and then became her band. Then we did two or three different tours with Hank Jr. We’ve gotten to open so many country shows. It was so weird. You know, We’d ask the audience, ‘how many folks here have ever heard bluegrass?’ You know, you’re in arena with 15,000 people, and there’s not 100 people raise their hands. We’d always go out after the show and talk to people, and they would come up and say to us, ‘we don’t like bluegrass, but we like what you are doing.’ It was a great feeling.”

As the band continued to carve a name for themselves in the bluegrass world over the years, band members have come and gone; and as in the case of Jamie Johnson, come back again. “It’s still fun,” Danny told me. “In fact, we feel a renewed since of energy with Jamie back.”

Celebrating 20 With 13 What better timing now, than with the 20 year celebration of the band, that they just released a celebration album, simply titled, 20. (Which is actually album number 13.) Among the songs, is lead-off track, “Tennessee Hound Dog,” and “Georgia Pineywoods,” two Felice and Boudleaux Bryantpenned Osborne Brothers classics — a third remaining founder, singer/bassist Terry Smith is an alumnus of the Brothers’ band, and the group was often joined at early Station Inn appearances

by Bobby Osborne — as well as a pair of ballads, “The First Step” and “Jenny,” that feature lush trio vocals throughout.

Johnson’s “I Go,” written with Darren Nicholson, and “Pull The Trigger,” written with Shawn Camp, fall into the already-hits category alongside

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

“Right now, we’re just touring to support this record; very busy over the next couple of months, and just always excited,” Danny said. “We’re on the Grand Ole Opry again tomorrow night, and then following that, going up to JD Crow fest, after that, off to Sam jam, and then Scruggs festival, and so on. So as far as the future, we’re just going to keep plugging along and doing what we do and just see where it goes. Maybe it will be another 20.”

21

Issue 104

22

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Issue 104

Music From Around The World

Music From Your Neighbors

As Fall season approaches, festivals continue to happening everywhere. We hope you made it to a few this year!

We have 14 more hot new CDs for your consideration.

Thank you for checking out all this great new music! Buy the ones you like. Support your favorite musician, so they can keep making new music for you! Oh, and tell them we sent ya.

Got one you want us to consider? send it to: Uncle Woody The Spin Doctor, PO Box 45 Bridgewater, VA 22812

Freddy Trujillo

Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus

American Folk Songs

Unfinished Bridges

Harbortowne

www.thelomaxonlomaxshow.com

www.rockheartsbluegrass.com

Back Home www.troyengle.com

.

Decend ed from the Alan Lomax fame, 52 year music veteran, John Lomax III, takes his turn at reimagining the American folk song catalog Old Dog, New Tricks. The Aug. 20th release also commemorated his 80th birthday.

Thanks John. What fun

This southern New England bluegrass band formed in 2013, with a passion for pickin’ bluegrass and traditional country music. They showcased at IBMA in 2021, and have been on the move ever since. They’ll gain momentum with this new CD

For this 12 track, new release from Troy Engle - Troy plays every instrument on the release.The Pennsylvania native also wrote or co-wrote every track. It’s contemporary bluegrass with a sophisticated feel. Watch for this one to show up on the charts

Ben Graves

.

Fayette ville, Arkansas is home for this internationally touring, Americana singersongwriter. She is often acknowledged for her distinctive vocals and melodies, passionate songwriting, and dedication to her craft. Her latest project is no exception

www.pattonbrokus.com This husband and wife duo take sketches of everyday life and transform them into musical stories that relate deeply to the listener. This classic, folk-rock collection is the seventh album from the Austinbased couple

Glen Erb

Greg Copeland

.

Virgil

Tiffany Williams & Dalton Mills

After a few years in a hiatus of sorts, A. Lee Edwards decided to reboot his music making in February, 2023.

With basically a new band, they laid down the tracks that would become the substance for this project. You will like these new songs

Ashtyn Barbaree Sent Through The Celing www.ashtynbarbaree.com

A. Lee Edwards

I Never Threw A ShadowAt It www.alfreddytrujillo.com Freddy Trujillo splits his time between Simi Valley CA, and Portla nd OR. His latest project is his fourth, and it’s music is based around his Chicano experiences. The flavor is this really cool funky, bouncy, folk, soul vibe. We like it

Catagory Four

Empire State

Interpreting Heart Sounds www.aleeedwards.com

.

John Lomax III

.

Wasted Luck

Virgil www.cordinternational.com

Two Kentucky songwriters come together for this EP collaboration. Their Kentucky heritage bleeds over into the lyrics of their originals, and the traditional flavor is evident in their A.P. Carter cover, “Gold Watch and Chain”

This self titled debut album of all original material is itself a celebration - of artist Virgil Wallace’s 60th birthday. It’s a rockin’ taste of Americana.

This four decades artist makes the transition into music flawlessly.

Rock Hearts

Troy Engle

tmwilliamsmusic@gmail.com

.

.

.

.

Alan Walker

Susan Santos

A Little Too Late

Sonora

Settle Down

www.martiniitmemusic.bandcamp.com

www.marathonentertainment.com

www.alanwalkermusic.net

www.susansantos.info

www.lancecowanmedia.com

Glen Erb has been making music in and around North Carolina for almost 60 years.

Born and raised in Kentucky, Glen has amassed a lifetime of stories and songs. In his latest project, Catagory Four, he’s decided to share some of those with us. Fun

Rooted in a tradition of songs that tell complicated stories in the fewest possible words, Greg Coplend’s latest project, Em pire State, brings the listener on an em otional ride.

This is album #4, in a career dating back to his debut in 1982. Gotta love that tradition

Former front man of the NYC band, The Brilliant Mistakes, A Little Too Late, is Alan Walker’s sophomore release.

The Boston Globe said this nine track CD was filled with “restlessly catchy hooks ... heart, soul, and smarts.” We agree with that assessment

We love it when foreign projects land on our desk!

Madrid ’s (Spain) Susan Santos won the 2018 Best Musician at the European Blues Awards, and Best Female Album at the 2019 LA Critics’ Awards. Her latest should enhance her cred!

Ben wanted “lightening in a bottle” with his band for this latest project, Settle Down.

Seems like it worked. This Americana rock laced collection reflects Graves Tenn. roots. He’s sung and picked with some of the industries best musicians. It shows

.

.

.

.

.

You can send new Americana CD releases for consideration to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812 / greg@americanarhythm.com www.AmericanaRhythm.com

23