A celebration in honor of Mac Wiseman’s 85th birthday was hosted May 23 by the Ernest Tubb Record Shop at their Troubadour Theater in Nashville, in conjunction with WSM-AM. Anchored by Eddie Stubbs, the live broadcast included commercial recordings and conversation with Wiseman, as well as interviews with some of the invited guests.
Dale Ann Bradley will be teaming up with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper for selected dates in late 2010, beginning with an October 23 show at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir, N.C. Cleveland will join Vince Gill June 24 for Vince’s set for the Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman series in Nashville, Tenn.
Pete “Dr. Banjo” & Joan Wernick will travel to Russia in July to perform and teach at the first Russia-America Bluegrass Jamboree in Vologda, and in St. Petersburg. The jamboree will offer free outdoor concerts by both American and Russian bluegrass artists, informational presentations about the genre, and bluegrass jam sessions. The Wernicks will perform at Vologda, the main event site, and will also present a bluegrass program for Russian teens in Semenko. Pete says, “My grandparents all came from Russia in the early 1900s, actually from the Ukraine region. Joan and I grew up in the era when Russia was America’s number one scary rival, and so it’s gratifying to be enlisted for this event intended to bring our cultures a bit closer together.” Info: www.rabluegrassjamboree.info
Congratulations to Joe Mullins, who received the Outstanding Musician Award at the 14th Annual Appalachian Unsung Hero Ceremony presented by Sinclair Community College May 14. In addition to his work at WBZI in Xenia, Ohio, Mullins produces bluegrass events and leads his own band, The Radio Ramblers. “Joe Mullins is one of the most prominent Appalachian business, cultural and civic leaders in the Miami Valley,” notes bluegrass historian, Fred Bartenstein. “Tens of thousands of Appalachians who listen to the radio already know who he is, but maybe not the full extent of his inspiring story and contributions. The 2010 Appalachian Award will help to remedy this and win him much-deserved recognition from other leaders in the region.”
Dierks Bentley, the country music star who spent most of his waking hours at Nashville’s Station Inn soaking up bluegrass music before he signed a record deal, recently wrapped up his “On the Ridge” tour at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, May 22, for a sold-out crowd. Backed by The Traveling McCourys, the last show also featured guest appearances by Del McCoury and The Punch Brothers, and it was filmed for an upcoming television special. Bentley hit 24 cities in 30 days, previewing music from his bluegrass-influenced album, Up on the Ridge, which hits retail June 8. In addition to the McCourys and Chris Thile & the Punch Brothers, the CD features guest appearances from Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Tim O’Brien and Sam Bush. “I never want this tour to end,” says Bentley. “There were so many amazing nights. I’m not sure what memory I will hold closest…playing that first night in Portland, seeing New York City going absolutely nuts over bluegrass music, or getting to play at the Ryman this past weekend with some of my best friends and biggest musical influences. It has been a once-in-a-career type of tour!” Produced by Jon Randall Stewart and engineered by Gary Paczosa, USA Today picked Dierks’ new project as the stand alone country recording in their “Top 12 Albums of Summer” preview, and The Washington Post calls it “one of the more remarkable major label country albums.”
Cherryholmes will perform on the Plaza in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum June 13 at 1 p.m. during the CMA Music Fest, followed by an autograph signing session in the Museum’s Gift Shop.
Our apologies to Balsam Range, whose name we misspelled in the last issue of International Bluegrass. Check out the lasted from this band at www.balsamrange.com
Happy Birthday to Wade Mainer, who turned 103 on April 21. Mainer’s first hit was “Maple on the Hill,” in 1935.
Bluegrass Hall of Famer Curly Seckler, 90, has recovered from a mild heart attack in April followed by triple bypass surgery. His fans will want to catch his set at the Pioneers Gathering during ROMP on June 24, in Owensboro, Ky.
Cadillac Sky, Darrell Scott and Blackberry Smoke have been invited to join the Zac Brown Band and other artists on Brown’s inaugural Sailing Southern Ground Cruise Sept. 2-6, on the Carnival Inspiration. Departing from Tampa, Fla., the ship will cruise through the Cayman Islands. Info: www.saillingsouthernground.com
Congratulations to the Grass Cats, who have the #1 single on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey June 1 for their song, “A Good Way to Get the Blues,” from the album by the same name. Adam Steffey’s album, One More for the Road, is at #1 on the album chart. Two-time IBMA Entertainers of the Year Dailey & Vincent were back at #1 on Billboard magazine’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart the week of May 22, with their album, Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers, on Cracker Barrel/Rounder. The duo was also at #49 on the Top Country Albums chart.
Carrie Hassler announced recently that beginning in 2011 she will take some time off to focus on her family and pursue some new career opportunities. She will be fulfilling her 2010 tour dates, but no longer as “Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain.” The members of Hard Rain will be touring separately with their own new band, Still House. Carrie will be backed by Brand New Strings or The Mashville Brigade at dates this year.
Marty Stuart will release what critics are calling his “quintessential traditional country album” Ghost Train (The Studio B Sessions) on August 24. Stuart participated in his first recording session at the age of 13, playing mandolin with Lester Flatt.
Maro Kawabata organized the Sunset Drive Tour May 12-24 in Chicago and Japan. Bandmembers included Terry Baucom, Don Rigsby, Rachel Johnson and Patty Mitchell, along with Kawabata. Donations for flood victims in Nashville were collected at each venue. Info: marokawabata@me.com. For a clip of banjo player Terry Baucom sitting in with Longing for the Southland, a bluegrass band from the Kochi region of Japan, playing the Doyle Lawson hit, “Yellow River,” go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v+6Hq-bvvv1pM.
Pre-orders of Chatham County Line’s new album, Wildwood, will include an exclusive bonus mp3. The first 50 orders will include a limited-edition Chatham Country Line keychain modeled after the microphone stand that the band uses during live shows. Info: www.chathamcountryline.com, www.yeproc.com