Crooked Still Celebrates Critically Acclaimed New Release, Debuts New Line-up

Crooked Still, Still Crooked: Maybe the most cohesive of the Boston dark-folk/bluegrass band's three excellent albums -- chilling and otherworldly, what fantasy writers like to call "eldritch."
- Ken Tucker, USA Today

Nashville, Tenn.— Signature Sounds recording artist Crooked Still releases their highly anticipated third album, today June 24th, titled Still Crooked. A world tour to support the record will follow. The band, made up of founding members Aoife O'Donovan, Greg Liszt and Corey DiMario, along with two new players, presents fluidity across musical genres: old time, folk, bluegrass and world music, on all of their recordings. Journalist Greil Marcus recently recognized the worldliness of their capability in Interview Magazine, "The songs to which Crooked Still applies itself were made to capture whole countries of experience, fantasy, forgetting, revenge, guilt and escape...The band takes up the songs as if they contain knowledge far beyond any person who might sing them."

Crooked Still is an energetic band who thrive from their collective and collaborative energies. After five years together, the departure of Rushad Eggleston forced Crooked Still to amend their ensemble. Moving from a quartet to a quintet, two new members join the group, Brittany Haas on five-string fiddle and Tristan Clarridge on cello and second fiddle. Crooked Still drew inspiration from the new, raw creative energy when recording their third record, Still Crooked.

The band, determined to capture the magic moments of inspiration that happen during live performance and musical exploration, recorded the album “live” in a large room together. In a world of computer-altered music, the band wanted to create a sincere album that respects the musical roots from which their sound stems. After three days of intense rehearsal, the ripening of the new Crooked Still took place. Producer Eric Merrill captured the songs on the album in one day, the fourth day of the new line-up.

Major players in what is being touted as a "folk revival movement" in both No Depression and The London Times, Crooked Still is singled out as an ensemble who records songs steeped in history, sometimes with such seminal works that go all the way back to oral tradition, all the while delivering them with a modern freshness that demands attention. A testament to their abilities is repeated invitations to participate in classic American music festivals such as Newport Folk Festival, Merlefest and Telluride Folk Festival. Lauded in the foreign press and regular performers on the international festival scene, Crooked Still has a global and ever-growing audience.

The release of Still Crooked cements their reputation as a vital, young band that dances around the tenets of musical genres with acoustic instrumentation of fiddle, banjo, cello and bass. Central to the music is the haunting voice of Aoife O’Donovan, a captivating songbird whose vocal inflection taps into the pathos of the human experience. Songs on the album range from sedate to raucous. "Did You Sleep Well?" is a fast paced and sassy tune while "Captain, Captain" is an over four hundred year old song with hauntingly applicable contemporary lyrics. Every one of the thirteen tracks features virtuosic playing, insightful vocal delivery and clever rhythms.

Crooked Still merges classical, traditional and modern American styles and raises the bar of dynamic musicianship. They are a blended musical family, whose influences - ranging from iconic folk to modern hip-hop and funk - coalesce into a modern musical hybrid played on classical instruments. “We’re a groove-based band without a drummer,” O’Donovan explains. “We push the beat, staying true to the tradition while we bring old songs into the 21st century.”

Crooked Still Website
Crooked Still eCard

Corinne West Announced As Finalist For Indie Acoustic Project Best Of 2007

Singer/songwriter Corinne West's self-released 2007 album, Second Sight, has been selected as a finalist for the The Indie Acoustic Project's "Best CDs of 2007" Award. West shares the honor with "Acoustic Ensemble" category-mates Darol Anger & Mike Marshall and Storyhill. Winners will be announced on April 30, 2008.

West released Second Sight to wide critical acclaim in October 2007. Produced by IAP finalist Mike Marshall, the album features the world-class talent of Jerry Douglas, Darol Anger and Tony Furtado joining West and fleshing out her potent songs.

West, currently on a month-long tour of the United Kingdom is featured in the April 2008 issue of Maverick magazine. Her overseas appeal is anchored by BBC legend Bob Harris, who began featuring West on his radio show in 2006. Fans across the ocean fell in love with West's eclectic mix of folk, rock, bluegrass and Americana.

Few songwriters deliver both the artistic integrity and popular commercial appeal that are hallmarks of West's music. It's a one-two punch that solidified her reputation as one of the most successful songwriters to emerge on the Americana scene in the past few years.

Suzy Bogguss Offers Blueprint For Musical Success In the Digital Age

Appears in National TV Commercial, Builds Relationship with Prairie Home Companion, Joins Tour

Nashville, Tenn.- Talented singer/songwriter Suzy Bogguss is blazing a new path with her music and her career. In this post-digital, iPod-fueled musical landscape, she's driving CD sales and selling concert tickets the old fashioned way - by building relationships. It's a blueprint for success that includes interacting with her fans through her website, aligning herself with meaningful sponsorships and forging bonds with like-minded musical luminaries such as Garrison Keillor and the folks at A Prairie Home Companion (PHC). Her latest CD Sweet Danger earned rave reviews when it was released last fall and led to several appearances on A Prairie Home Companion. The relationship between the sweet-voiced singer and PHC continues to grow stronger with her recent invitation to join the PHC Rhubarb Tour 2008 for 17 shows in 21 days this August and September.

A savvy business woman from her earliest days on the coffee-house circuit, Bogguss has always had an innate knack for building relationships and creating mutually beneficial marketing partnerships. She continues to add to her promotional arsenal through national media appearances and sponsorships. The buzz around Sweet Danger began because of Bogguss' fearless exploration of the boundaries of jazz, folk and country. The buzz continues to grow because of her willingness to diversify the ways she gets her music in front of a national audience.

That includes a stellar appearance on Good Morning America on Jan. 1, 2008 and a national media campaign as spokesperson for SinuCleanse, the innovative Neti Pot nasal washing system that provides relief to those suffering from sinus problems. The campaign features a TV clip with Bogguss singing her own composition "One Clear Moment" from the Sweet Danger CD, and singing the praises of the benefits she's received from SinuCleanse. The commercial is set to air beginning March 31 in 18 major markets, and will introduce her music to an audience that might never otherwise have heard it.

Fearless in making her music, fearless in marketing her music - Suzy Bogguss is successfully navigating the waters of the digital music age. The doors that continue to open for her are testament to her boundless energy, unflappable spirit and wildly creative nature. It's proof that great music and great musicians are as vital as ever, no matter how they get their music to their audience.

Angel Band Takes Flight With Roots & Wings on May 27

Trio of Amazing Singers Release Lloyd Maines Produced Album

Nashville, Tenn.- The aptly named Angel Band features soaring, angelic three-part harmonies from three amazing singers - Nancy Josephson, Jen Schonwald and Kathleen Weber - each possessing a powerful, expressive voice that would make her the lead vocalist in any other band. Their sound is grounded in world-class musicianship, inventive and original songwriting and an irresistible mission to have and share a great time. That's evident on their sophomore CD, With Roots & Wings, due out May 27 on Appleseed Recordings. Legendary producer and pedal steel player Lloyd Maines produced and played on the album.

Angel Band first formed out of a weekly jam session headed up by Josephson's husband, GRAMMY-nominated folk music legend David Bromberg. As the band coalesced, they often served as openers and backup singers for Bromberg as he began touring after a long hiatus. He returned the favor, becoming the cornerstone of Angel Band's backing musicians. Playfully named Chum, the rest of the band is Bob Taylor (bass), Bobby Tangrea (mandolin, guitar, fiddle), Nate Grower (fiddle) and Jeff Wisor (fiddle). They were joined in the studio by Richard Crooks (drums), Bukka Allen (accordion), Marc Moss (hand drums, piano), Johnny Duke Lippincott (guitar) and Terri Hendrix (handclaps and the invaluable get down).

In a chaotic and rapidly changing music industry landscape, Angel Band focuses all their energies on the things they can control and the things that they believe in - making great music and hitting the road to perform and connect with fans. With the release of With Roots & Wings, the band will continue to tour as opener for Bromberg, as well as playing an increasing number of concerts on their own.

Josephson is remarkably succinct and straightforward in detailing the band's vision for broadening their audience. She says, "We play. The best part of Angel Band is the authenticity we bring to the music...in performance, writing, musical integrity...flexible yet uncompromising."

Angel Band's fearless and open-minded exploration of both music and theme is winning the band fans everywhere, including some high profile ones. Legendary singer Linda Ronstadt raves, "I love Angel Band's harmonies, wonderfully strong voices, and beautiful songs!"

David Dye, host of NPR-syndicated World Cafe, has his finger on the pulse of the hottest things happening in the acoustic music scene. He says, "The stunning harmonies are just the beginning. Fine writing, three distinct voices, and Lloyd Maines tying it all together."

The initial two tracks are an ear-opening declaration that Angel Band does not believe in boundaries. With Roots & Wings leads off with "Hey Papa Legba," an Afro-world-beat a cappella tour de force that segues into the breakneck Zydeco of "I'll Sing This Song For You." It's a jump that in less capable hands would not work, but Angel Band makes it a seamless transition. It is a bold move and one that pays off as it immediately gives the listener a sense of the depth and breadth of the band's musical style. Both songs are originals, as are 12 of the album's 13 tracks.

It all adds up to a wildly eclectic, yet tightly cohesive sound. It is a sound that leads the listener to one undisputable conclusion: Let these angels sing, let them soar.

Austin's "Best New Band 2007" to Release First Studio Album

The Band of Heathens Follow Live DVD Release with Self-Titled Studio Debut

Immensely popular Austin-based musicians The Band of Heathens take one more step beyond their Texas borders when they unveil their self-titled studio release on May 20, 2008. The five "rough around the edges" members of The Band of Heathens have a grit and authenticity reminiscent of other notable fan-driven rock bands like Little Feat, The Black Crowes and Drive-By Truckers.

Known for their live recordings, the Heathens present a polished studio album that showcases the individuals who came together partly by accident and marks their actualization into a unified band. The Band of Heathens were making a name for themselves long before they actually had their present moniker. While performing in other bands at the same venue, the guys began to jam together and were affectionately called the Heathens. Before long, the Austin press picked up on the name, which later evolved into The Band of Heathens. The Heathens' brand of Southern rock soon garnered the Austin Music Awards "Best New Band of the Year" accolade in 2007.

Living and performing in the live music capital of the US, The Band of Heathens have been able to forge musical relationships with local luminaries, many of whom contribute their talents to the new record. Produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard, the studio release features guests Stephen Bruton, Patty Griffin and Gurf Morlix. With no single front man, Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist and Colin Brooks are each showcased in their vocal delivery, songwriting and guitar interplay. The unified front downstage is cemented by a heavy groove courtesy of Seth Whitney on bass and John Chipman on drums.

Touring all over the United States has also added layers of flavor to their songs. With raucous favorites like, "Bumblebee" and "Jenny Was a Keeper," the audience participation is a key ingredient. The guys definitely do not disappoint those looking for a live vibe on their latest record. The Heathens' fans will eat up the buoyancy of "Cornbread" and the old time rhythm of "Jackson Station." Conducive to dancing and swaying, the release is a record that, refreshingly, does not take itself too seriously. There is a comfort and ease in the material and lyrics; a perfect marriage of roots and jam allows the casual tone of the songs work anywhere from a back porch party to a packed club.

Even in their studio effort it is clear The Band of Heathens loves playing this music they create together. The five will continue their aggressive touring schedule supporting the new material and honor the relationship with their fans. The studio release will make their creative melange more accessible to a variety of audiences in 2008 and solidify their reputation in the American music scene.

Singer-Songwriter Holly Long Digs Deep While Leaving Kansas

Long Pulls From Life Experience To Create Gripping Record

As her own heroine, Holly Long tells a realistic and unapologetically frank story in every one of the thirteen tracks on her latest release, Leaving Kansas, available April 15, 2008. Reminiscent of Annie Lennox, Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan and Fiona Apple, Long's piano-infused album is the epitome of candid beauty. Her songs, all self-penned, are like personal conversations with her favorite people and private moments with the ones she loves. A grace and effortless poise ties the music together; the tracks weave in and out of soulful gospel and quiet poetics. Regardless of the song's tempo or subject, Long's conviction bleeds from every line.

Mortality and redemption are central themes on Leaving Kansas and, like all good writers, Long draws from personal experience. After becoming ill with what she initially thought was the flu, Long was diagnosed with Endocarditis, a severe heart infection. The infection soon wreaked havoc on her entire body and she fell into a coma. The coma, which lasted a week, forced her to begin the process of rebuilding her strength. She began reconditioning her muscles and relearning how to walk, putting her resiliency to the test. On Leaving Kansas, Long contributes the same strength she used to recover from illness to her songwriting, and the incident seems to have removed all shades of fear from her craft. She uses the near death experience to humbly offer up the entirety of herself for her art. Her sentiments echo through the song, "Excess" where she refuses to find herself "dying from an excess of no living."

In 2000, shortly after her recovery, she released City Girl, a record that illustrated her determination to free herself from something still so close and so raw. The record was met with critical adoration. Every Little Seam, City Girl's follow-up, came four years later and drew inspiration from her new family, especially her young daughter Josephine.

Today, Long lives in Venice, California, known as a hangout for the creative and the artistic, with her husband, concept creator of the hit ABC television show, Lost. As a mother, a wife and an artist, Long finds herself invigorated by the everyday, genuine love around her. "He and I," written for her son, Truman, is one of the most personal tracks on Leaving Kansas and illustrates the closeness of their relationship.

Leaving Kansas is Long's third full-length release. For this project Long compiled a stellar production team to help achieve her sonic aspirations, including respected music producer Anthony J.W. Benson, renowned recording engineer Ian Terry (David Bowie, Diana Krall, Leonard Cohen) and mastering wiz Dominick Maita (Fall Out Boy, Jewel, Curtis Stigers). The results of their collective efforts and years of experience are evident in their organic approach and the intimacy of the recording.

Like the music of the muses, Holly Long is able to take any listener away with her, captivating us with her enticing stories of love and life. Long's voice is smooth, inviting and comfortable - at moments powerful, strong and committed and at other times vulnerable, seductive and real. In Leaving Kansas, Long inspires, hypnotizes and asks the listener to trust her, and the captivated are happy to oblige.

Caroline Herring's Lantana Reestablishes Singer as Preeminent Storyteller

Austin Music Award Winner for Best New Artist Returns with Album that Re-images the Gothic South

Nashville, Tenn. - Caroline Herring confidently returns to the forefront of the American roots music scene with her new album Lantana, due March 4th, 2008 on Signature Sounds Records. The Mississippi-born, Atlanta-based singer/songwriter took the producing helm for the first time on the new record, co-producing with long-time collaborator Rich Brotherton (Robert Earl Keen).

Intimate, powerful and honest, Lantana is a masterpiece of understated intensity and in many ways an artistic re-birth for Herring. After making a name for herself in Mississippi as band member and co-founder of the now renowned Thacker Mountain Radio music series, Herring moved to Austin, TX. Herring quickly took the town by storm, releasing the critically acclaimed debut album, Twilight. She won Best New Artist at both the 2002 SXSW Austin Music Awards and also from the Austin American Statesman. Herring soon after released an equally impressive follow-up, Wellspring.

Though Herring had established herself as an authentic, original voice, Herring paused to focus on marriage and motherhood as she continued to tour and play festivals nationally and internationally. The insights she gained over these few years are profoundly apparent in the songs of Lantana. Herring's songs represent the experiences of women who have not only faced the challenges inherent in a rural South childhood, but also the heartrending and often complex experiences of adult women who feel pressured to choose between tradition and career ambitions. The songs show that the results can be both awe-inspiring and sometimes even devastating.

"I just got to the point where I knew I had to write songs again," Herring says of re-launching her career. "Music is my life-blood, even as the career of the singer/songwriter is most unusual, especially in the South where the jobs of women are often mother first, wife second. There's a line in one of my songs about a woman who lives in a backroom and begins to disappear. I didn't want that to be me."

With a new batch of songs in hand, she returned to Austin to record Lantana with Rich Brotherton, who had produced Wellspring. The album is made up entirely of Herring originals, save her artful interpretation of two traditional songs. Because Herring had the chance to sit with the songs for a while, she developed clear ideas about the overall feel of the album. Lantana is clearly grounded in the acoustic traditional sounds of her early work. With Brotherton behind the soundboard, his and Herring's collaboration made for a quiet masterpiece.

In many ways Lantana is Herring's re-imaging of the Gothic South, with a rich alto voice that soothes the listener even as she addresses difficult subjects. Herring has a journalist's eye for detail, a poet's sense of scale and language, and a life-long Southerner's understanding of the issues that shape the culture below the Mason Dixon line. Herring tackles poignant themes of womanhood in "Fair and Tender Ladies", "Stone Cold World" and "Song For Fay." Herring also expertly throws her hat in the ring of the long-standing murder ballad tradition, this time representing Susan Smith in the song "Paper Gown." Herring's commitment to uncovering the truth in her songs led fellow artist Dar Williams to call Herring "the elusive real thing."

There is no artifice on Lantana. It's an album full of delights, lyrically and musically. And just like Caroline Herring, her new album is the real thing.

Blue Highway Releases Through The Window Of A Train on February 12, 2008 on Rounder Records

Nashville, Tenn.-- One of the most influential groups in contemporary bluegrass, Blue Highway fuses tradition with progress to create their own unique and timeless style. The band's forthcoming February 12 Rounder Records release, Through The Window Of A Train, reveals not only the instrumental virtuosity and impeccable vocal interplay of today's top progressive musicians, but also a depth of songwriting talent unrivaled on today's bluegrass scene.

Having played roles in bluegrass music's most influential acts such as Alison Krauss And Union Station, Larry Sparks, Doyle Lawson and Ricky Skaggs, the members of Blue Highway -- Tim Stafford (guitar, vocals), Wayne Taylor (lead vocals, bass), Shawn Lane (tenor vocals, guitar, mandolin, fiddle), Rob Ickes (Dobro, Scheerhorn acoustic slide guitar), and Jason Burleson (banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass vocals) -- refuse to rest on their past accomplishments. Instead, they forge forward, carefully balancing tradition with innovation, continually contributing to the depth and breadth of a flowing bluegrass river. Skaggs himself provided the accolade, "Blue Highway is writing their own history in bluegrass: fresh, but as old as the hills."

The band's eighth album, Through The Window Of A Train was self-produced by the band and recorded at Maggard Sound Studios in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and features 12 songs, all written or co-written by Blue Highway's five accomplished songwriters - composers whose songs have been recorded by bluegrass staples Ronnie Bowman, Mountain Heart, the aforementioned Skaggs, and others. The recording showcases Blue Highway at their songwriting, instrumental, and vocal peak. With a nod to family, tradition, and travel on the album's title track, the account of a fading cowboy on "My Ropin' Days Are Done," the characterizations of wars past and current on "Homeless Man" and "Two Soldiers," and through the virtuosic picking on the instrumental "The North Cove," Blue Highway simultaneously deliver the past, present, and future of bluegrass.

Through the Window of A Train Complete Track Listing:
1. Life of a Travelin' Man
2. Through the Window of A Train
3. Sycamore Hollow
4. Homeless Man
5. Where Did the Morning Go?
6. Two Soldiers
7. The North Cove
8. A Week from Today
9. My Ropin' Days are Done
10. Blues on Blues
11. V-Bottom Boat
12. Just Another Gravel in the Road

GrandVista Music Brings New Vision To Old Standards - 3 CD Box Set Includes Booklet From Musicologist/Best Selling Author Robert Morgan

Also Included: Bonus CD Featuring New Orchestrations Of Christmas Hymns

Nashville, Tenn. - What is old is made new again - that's the philosophy behind GrandVista Music and their new 3-cd box set How Sweet The Sound. Chris Walters and Paul Binkley have united to produce a new sound in hymns. Fusing smooth jazz and old-fashioned melody through orchestral arrangements reveals yet another facet of these timeless songs. The Christmas Hymns bonus CD is especially interesting because a children's choir has been integrated into the flow almost like a jazz instrument - not taking front and center stage - but providing contrast for the rest of the arrangement.

It's not just the arrangements of these classic hymns that are getting a new, exciting, yet still reverent update. GrandVista Music is also taking a fresh approach to delivering and marketing music by using direct response television advertisement, direct mailing, and extensive Internet advertising to promote their products. GrandVista Music has launched several new marketing initiatives that are in the test stages right now.

A key component that differentiates GrandVista from other music companies is the very foundation upon which the company was built. In an increasingly complex world, filled with more and more distractions, GrandVista's mission is simple - "Make time for music."

"Music provides both entertainment and a catalyst for our imagination," says GrandVista Chairman David V. Mastran. "Basically, music enriches our lives, intensifies our experiences, and gives more meaning to who we are. That's why we say: 'Make time for music.'"

The music on How Sweet The Sound box set and Christmas album is courtesy of the GrandVista Recording Orchestra, whose members represent the uniquely diverse talent pool that is a hallmark of Nashville. Collectively, the musicians, arrangers and producers who make up the Orchestra have worked with biggest names in popular music including Michael McDonald, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Michael W. Smith, Alison Krauss and more.

GrandVista strives to deliver the finest quality possible with every release, including packaging and production. The company teamed with Robert J. Morgan, minister, hymns musicologist and best-selling author to create the Heritage of Our Hymns companion booklet included in every How Sweet The Sound box set. The booklet outlines the origin and history behind these beloved hymns.

That kind of commitment to excellence is helping GrandVista build a brand as a leader in lifestyle music. GrandVista is a new company built on old principles - quality, integrity and passion. Now that does sound sweet. Check them out on the web at www.grandvistamusic.com.

Owen Temple Travels Two Thousand Miles - New CD Propels Texas Singer Beyond The Lone Star State, Records Album With Legendary Producer Lloyd Maines

Nashville, Tenn. - With grit and a grin, Texas-based singer/songwriter Owen Temple comes barreling out of the Lone Star state with his new album Two Thousand Miles. The record, produced by famed Texas-music legend Lloyd Maines (Dixie Chicks, Terri Hendrix, Terry Allen), is a dusty backroads blend of heartache and hope. The album is being released on a staggered schedule. It's been available since late summer as a digital download on LoneStarTunes.com and will be released on iTunes in December. The physical record releases nationally on Jan. 22, 2008.

It's just the latest bold move from the charismatic singer who strives to be as innovative with the business side of his career as he is with his music. Temple says, "The idea was to not put any barriers between the fans hearing the new record right away - and then to let things grow from there."

If the growth of CD sales follows Temple's career arc - steadily upward - then he'll soon be as well known to the rest of the country as he is in Texas. Since his 1997 debut, General Store, he's been building fans, wowing critics and winning accolades at a heady pace. His 2002 release, Right Here and Now sold nearly 20,000 copies. His career's been picking up steam ever since. In fact, just this year he won the prestigious B.W. Stevenson Songwriting Contest, awarded every year in April at Poor David's Pub in Dallas, Texas. He's also been a New Folk Finalist at the world-renowned Kerrville Folk Festival.

When his distributor went belly up before paying him for sales of Right Here and Now, Temple decided to return to school and pursue a graduate degree in psychology in Madison, Wisconsin. It's hard to beat the songwriting bug into submission once it bites and the 31-year-old singer felt he'd left some business undone. So, one class shy of getting his master's degree, he decided to go after an advanced degree in making great music. A self-described family man, he approached his wife about giving the music thing another go. With her blessing he jumped back into the fire.

He reunited with Maines, who had produced his first two albums, and went into the studio with a new batch of songs. The results and Temple's growth as artist are evident throughout Two Thousand Miles. He's at home in the gritty realism that harkens back to his songwriting heroes like Steve Earle and Joe Ely. Rough and ragged characters on the edge ("Like We Still Care," "Demolition Derby") sit comfortably alongside heartfelt ruminations on love ("You Want To Wear That Ring," "You Don't Have To Be Lonely"). The stirring title track is a radio-ready, roll-down-the-windows anthem that showcases a singer ready for prime time.

Owen Temple is a man and songwriter who has traveled thousands of miles, literally and artistically. The new record has been a lifetime in the making. Through all the miles and highways he's traveled, Temple has come to a new beginning. One that finds him on the verge of greatness. And you can't get there without putting the miles behind you.

Nashville Chamber Orchestra Launches Acoustic Cafe Series at Grace Chapel - NCO Leads the Industry in Unique Initiatives, Online Projects

What: NCO Acoustic Cafe "Series 1"
Where: At Grace Chapel, Leipers Fork, TN
When: Friday, November 2, 2007; 8:00pm
Who: Performance by NCO String Quintet and Artist-in-Residence Darrell Scott
Special Guests: The Acoustic All-Stars: Bryan Sutton (guitar), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Dan Dugmore (pedal steel guitar), Viktor Krauss (bass) and Kenny Malone (drums).
Tickets: $25 General Admission. To buy tickets call the NCO at 615-322-1226 ext 201.

Nashville, TN - NCO Artist-in-Residence, Darrell Scott, returns to create a program that is sure to lead you to new and undiscovered musical landscapes. A Grammy-nominated artist, an award-winning songwriter, and a first-call session musician, Scott begins his second and final year as Artist-in-Residence for the Acoustic Cafe Series by bringing together some of the some of the greatest pickers on the planet, dubbed The Acoustic All-Stars, to create a band that will integrate with the NCO String Quintet for a sound like no other. Playing inspired arrangements by Don Hart, this event will blend the best of Nashville's eclectic music community into a fresh, new sound.

As Scott's career has evolved as a master instrumentalist and high caliber songwriter, the accolades have come streaming in making him one of Nashville's most decorated songwriters. He was named Songwriter of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International in 2001 and ASCAP's Songwriter of the Year in 2002. His critically acclaimed Theatre of the Unheard won 2005 Album of the Year with the Independent Music Awards, and was listed as one of the 2003 Critics Top Albums by Rolling Stone Magazine. With Scott's most recent solo effort, The Invisible Man (2006) the praise continues to roll in with his highest critical acclaim to date from the likes of NPR's "Fresh Air" and USA Today.

As a songwriter, Scott has contributed a string of hits that reads like a list of the best country music has to offer - GRAMMY award winning "Long Time Gone" and "Heartbreak Town" were both top hits for the Dixie Chicks, and "Born to Fly" was a No. 1 hit for Sara Evans. Scott has had more than 45 cuts by other artists including Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Keb' Mo'.

Scott is a master of both the infectious, Appalachian-inflected riff, and of the instruments that bring them to life. His songs are propelled by his knack for blending tradition-soaked hooks with personal, contemporary lyrics. He quite simply loves to push musical boundaries and this led him to his relationship with NCO. Intrigued by Paul Gambill (NCO founder and director) and his innovative approach to creating music, Darrell became an Artist-in-Residence after being a featured performer in one of the original Acoustic Cafe Series shows at Belcourt Theatre. With a desire to further break musical bounds, Darrell sought out Gambill and began to collaborate to further develop the Acoustic Cafe Series.

The November 2nd performance will feature new arrangements of two of Darrell Scott's biggest hits recorded by other artists: "Great Day To Be Alive" - Travis Tritt (No. 2 US Country hit) and "Long Time Gone" - Dixie Chicks (No. 2 US Country hit) along with Scott's powerful instrumental, "Alton Air." Darrell will also perform some of his previously NCO commissioned arrangements, including an NCO special arrangement for his most covered song, the highly acclaimed "Harlan County".

Along with Scott, the Acoustic All-Stars include A-list performers, Bryan Sutton (guitar), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Dan Dugmore (pedal steel guitar), Viktor Krauss (bass), and Kenny Malone (drums). Every one of the All-Stars is a renowned sideman, all of whom are stars in their own rights and all of whom have shared stages with top name artists in many musical genres including Lyle Lovett, James Taylor, Tricia Yearwood, Jerry Douglas, Alison Krauss and a host of others.

The NCO will feature the All-Stars with new charts by Don Hart on works they composed or, in the case of Stuart Duncan, feel particularly close to emotionally and artistically. In this way, each special guest is featured as a solo artist. Those works will be Bryan Sutton - "Walk Among The Woods" (B Sutton), Stuart Duncan - "Angelina Baker" (traditional), Dan Dugmore - "Kneeling" (D Dugmore), Viktor Krauss - "Hop" (V Krauss), Kenny Malone - "Let's Ride" (K Malone). Also, violin soloist and NCO concert master David Davidson will be performing "Fairy Dance" from his Keltic Fantasy album with the whole band.

All Access: A brand-new journey for the NCO is "Uncovered," an online initiative offering an insider's look at the creative process behind the music. Fans pay a one-time fee for one year's access to behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and more as the orchestra works on new music and new recordings. It's VIP access at the click of a mouse. The NCO "Uncovered" project will offer a glimpse at Nashville's world-class orchestra as it prepares for a new season, creates new compositions and more. At the end of the season, members can choose between the "best of" the Adventure Series, the Acoustic Cafe Series or they can select both offerings.

Don't spend an evening AT the orchestra. Spend an evening WITH it! Be a part of something magical. Get to know the musicians, and fall in the love with the music. Log on to nco.org for information about the "Uncovered" projects, a complete season lineup, to purchase season or individual-show tickets and more.

The NCO season is made possible in part through support from the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

A Whole New NCO - Nashville Chamber Orchestra Leads the Industry in Unique Initiatives, Online Projects

NASHVILLE - The Nashville Chamber Orchestra (NCO), a leading orchestra that commissions new music that integrates classical traditions with jazz, folk and world music, recently launched its 18th season. Unique performance lineups are something for which the NCO is known, and the all-new online presence shows a commitment to continual evolution.

Gambill is "Practically Perfect"
The NCO was founded and led by Musical Director Paul Gambill, who was chosen as one of nine "highly gifted, emerging conductors," by the National Conducting Institute. It's Gambill's talent and innovation that have led the NCO to enjoy local and national acclaim for helping pioneer a movement in orchestral fusion. Gambill is held in the industry's highest regard, with his recordings called, "practically perfect from every perspective," by Classics Today.

Since 1996, the NCO has commissioned and premiered the works of 36 American composers and recorded albums for six different labels. Composer residencies have included the industry's premiere musicians, and the NCO's community engagement initiatives are widespread. From the interactive education programs like songwriting project Kid Pan Alley, to the orchestra's ENCORE project for teens, the NCO's dedication to Nashville's youth is deeply rooted and proven to change lives.

Intimate Interaction: A Night at the Orchestra
An evening with the NCO is always an experience to behold. In keeping with the NCO's unspoken mission - to reach beyond the typical boundaries set forth by traditional orchestras - Gambill interacts with his audience adding a true element of intimacy to each live show. It's these asides that make each concert different. Audience and conductor interact as comrades. Gone are the lines that divide a patron and the performer. It's artistic immersion in the truest sense. Additionally, when performances call for sound reinforcement, performers wear state-of-the-art clip-on microphones allowing them to hear fellow performers and move about freely during concerts. An evening with the NCO is like sitting in on a jam session with the industry's most talented, most respected performers. It's personal, and audiences feel the freedom they are given to interpret NCO's eclectic sounds however they wish.

This season features another year of originality most definitely topping years' past. The orchestra's two series offer completely different options undoubtedly appealing to all musical tastes. The Adventure Series, which kicks off on October 13, starts with Tango!, a partnership with Tango Nashville. The evening will feature an unusual mix of jazz, English folk, tango and classical music, all the while spotlighting the sounds of Raul Jaurena on the bandoneon. The Acoustic Cafe series, launching November 2, features artist-in-residence Darrell Scott and an all-star lineup of accompanying musicians. Season tickets are available as well as on a per-show basis.

Sign of the Times: Uncovered
As any creative entity must, the NCO is meeting and exceeding expectations for technological integration with the artistic experience. Reaching out to all nations, the NCO is pioneering unexplored territory with the launch of Uncovered, a behind-the-scenes look at how the music is made. Fans pay a one-time fee for one year's access to never-before-seen footage, interviews and more as the orchestra works on new music and recordings, collaborating with stellar performers who share the same vision. It's VIP access at the click of a mouse.

The first NCO Uncovered project, which was launched in July, features NCO artist-in-residence and famed guitarist, John Jorgenson (Desert Rose Band, the Hellecasters), as he collaborates with the NCO to make new music. The first series was awaited with much anticipation and received with much excitement. Next up is NCO Uncovered, a glimpse at Nashville's world-class orchestra as it prepares for it's latest season, creating new compositions and more. Fans will especially appreciate the access Uncovered gives them to relive the best from both the Adventure and Acoustic series.

Don't spend an evening AT the orchestra. Spend an evening WITH it! Be a part of something magical. Get to know the musicians, and fall in the love with the music. Log on to nco.org for future Uncovered projects, a complete season lineup, to purchase season or individual-show tickets and more.

A Whole New NCO - Nashville Chamber Orchestra

(NCO) Gets a New Look, a New Lineup and a New Online Initiative

Loosen the tie, and prep your ears for something different. This isn't the symphony, and this definitely isn't your parents' chamber orchestra. It's the Nashville Chamber Orchestra (NCO), and as it launches into its 18th season, music lovers will relish in what's on tap.

The NCO provides "Music Without Boundaries" to Nashvillians, and while nationally recognized for its traditional sounds, the NCO's reputation for breaking musical molds makes it stand out as a leader in the field. Performances with Trey Anastasio of jam band Phish and klezmer band Brave Old World are rarities in the world of orchestras, yet it's collaborations like these that make the NCO a diamond in the rough. NCO's mission is to reach beyond the comfortable, taking listeners on exciting journeys into unexplored worlds. Composer residencies have included the industry's most innovative and the NCO's community engagement initiatives are widespread. From interactive education programs like the songwriting project Kid Pan Alley, to the orchestra's ENCORE project for teens, the NCO's dedication to Nashville's youth is deeply rooted and proven to change lives.

New Season, New Initiatives, New Move
With a solid reputation for offering original works with a fusion flare, the NCO has a dedicated following of music lovers with pedigreed palettes. But you don't have to be a refined listener to be a fan. This year, the NCO is committed to spreading the music to the masses through an all-new lineup, a new headquarters and a groundbreaking online initiative.

Founded by music director Paul Gambill, the NCO is always on the path to newer, greater, more innovative projects. Gambill knows the reputation that typical chamber orchestras have, and it's that knowledge that drives him to break out, take risks and uncover unexplored musical worlds. His marriage of orchestral music to world, jazz and folk music is both his talent and his passion. The 2007-08 season renews those marital vows to bring the most original NCO season to date. This year's HCA Adventure Series kicks off on October 13 with Tango! The collaboration with Tango Nashville will feature an appearance by a Tango dance duo and spotlight the sounds of Raul Jaurena on the bandoneon. The NCO's Acoustic Cafe Series, sponsored by Vanderbilt-Williamson and Bank of America, launches November 2 when the orchestra plays with artist-in-residence Darrell Scott and features all-star acoustic musicians Kenny Malone, Stuart Duncan, Dan Dugmore, Viktor Krauss and Bryan Sutton, all of whom are stars in their own right, and all of whom have shared stages with top name artists in many musical genres.

Becoming a true contender in Nashville's largely country-dominated music scene and helping contribute to its burgeoning diversity, the NCO has brand new headquarters on Nashville's world-famous Music Row. The Music Row office positions the NCO in an even greater leadership role to create new outlets for the unlikely collaborations for which it is known.

A brand-new journey for the NCO is "Uncovered," an online initiative offering an insider's look at the creative process behind the music. Fans pay a one-time fee for one year's access to behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and more as the orchestra works on new music and new recordings. It's VIP access at the click of a mouse. The first NCO "Uncovered" project features NCO artist-in-residence, famed guitarist John Jorgenson (Desert Rose Band, the Hellecasters) as he collaborates with the NCO to make new music. The second "Uncovered" project is a glimpse at Nashville's world-class orchestra as it prepares for a new season, creates new compositions and more.

The NCO season is made possible in part through support from the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

To learn more about the renowned NCO or for a closer look at what this season has in store including "Uncovered" projects, a complete lineup and more, log on to nco.org.

Suzy Bogguss Is In Sweet Danger This Fall

Platinum-selling Singer Explores Jazzy Side on New Album

Nashville, Tenn. - Multi might be the best adjective to describe talented singer/songwriter Suzy Bogguss. Multi-award-wining, multi-platinum, and as her new CD Sweet Danger so expertly proves, she's multi-faceted. She co-produced the album with famed jazz/pop keyboardist and producer Jason Miles, who's worked with Miles Davis, Luther Vandross and Sting. The two brought together Nashville and New York musicians, culling the best of both worlds to create an instantly engaging, groove-oriented record infused with jazz rhythms and Bogguss' signature vocals. This highly anticipated album will be released September 4th on Loyal Dutchess Records.

She says recording the album was one of the most challenging and freeing experiences of her career. "I love the sweetness of making a snap decision and the danger of living with the consequences. When I went to New York the first time and we started to record I thought 'oh my God, what is this music?' I didn't know what it was. I didn't know how to control it. But then I just let go, enjoyed the process and followed the music wherever it needed to go. I came home with these tracks that were new and different and that was so exciting. I couldn't wait to get started writing the rest of the album."

Fans will soon be able to share her enthusiasm. Sweet Danger, like all of her previous work, is filled with songs full of emotional integrity. She covers Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now" and creates a totally new vibe by stripping the song down to its emotional core and rebuilding it with a tight acoustic ensemble. "No Good Way To Go" is a tongue-in-cheek lesson in "the break up" delivered in a bluesy, whispered rap. She turns to husband/songwriter Doug Crider for "In Heaven," the emotional centerpiece of the album written about some of the couple's best friends.

Throughout her career Bogguss has shown a knack for blending songs of substance and depth with mass-market appeal. Songs like "Aces," "Drive South," "Someday Soon," "Outbound Plane" and "Letting Go" took her to the top of the country music charts. Along the way she won raves from critics and her peers. She won the Country Music Association's Horizon Award in 1992 and Album of the Year Award in 1994.

Sweet Danger is a natural evolution from the universally praised album, Swing she recorded in 2003 with Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel, and Simpatico, her earlier much loved collaboration with Chet Atkins. Still, as the title of the new album implies, she had to risk following her muse into uncharted musical territory in order to find these newest treasures.

With great risk comes great reward, and discerning music lovers are the real winners here. Suzy Bogguss dares to take the road less traveled and that has made all the difference.

Corinne West Lands All-Star Musicians For Second Sight

New CD Features Mike Marshall, Jerry Douglas, Darol Anger, and Tony Furtado

Nashville, Tenn. - Corinne West has a rare gift - she sings as eloquently and powerfully as she writes. Her new album, Second Sight, showcases a singer and songwriter hitting her creative stride. She recorded the album, which releases October 23, 2007 with producer Mike Marshall, known for his work with David Grisman, Mark O'Connor, Bela Fleck, and Edgar Meyer.

West's collaboration with an outside producer (she self-produced her critically acclaimed debut, Bound for the Living) kicked open the creative floodgates.

"Mike was brilliant and easy to work with," says Corinne. "He was so focused on making sure we served the songs well. It took the recording process to a whole new level."

That included bringing in the world-class talent of Jerry Douglas, Darol Anger and Tony Furtado to join Marshall in fleshing out West's potent songs. The secret weapon turned out to be West's incredibly emotive voice. It leaves an indelible stamp on the heart as it twines through her subtle yet sophisticated songs.

Few songwriters deliver both the artistic integrity and popular commercial appeal that are hallmarks of West's music. It's a one-two punch that solidified her reputation as one of the most successful songwriters to emerge on the Americana scene in the past few years.

She's toured relentlessly, building her reputation the most authentic way - one fan at a time. On her travels, she's also won such top honors as finalist in the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival songwriting contest. That launched her onto the national festival circuit and helped kick her touring schedule into overdrive, including a tour of England and Ireland in early 2007.

Her overseas tour became possible when BBC legend Bob Harris began featuring her on his radio show. Fans across the ocean fell in love with West's eclectic mix of folk, rock, bluegrass and Americana. The tour was so successful that she's headed back for a return engagement in early 2008.

The emotional power, raw soulfulness, and understated beauty of Corinne West's music has her on the brink of stardom. It's a rare gift to witness the birth of an important new creative force in American music, but that's what you'll discover with Second Sight. It's essential listening for anyone who keeps an ear on the pulse of great music.

Terri Hendrix is The Spiritual Kind

New Album Releases August 28

Nashville, Tenn. – On August 28, San Marcos, TX-based singer/songwriter Terri Hendrix shows her spiritual side on an all-new album. The Spiritual Kind, her 10th - and current - release, reveals her constant evolution of spirit and art.

Produced by long-time friend and mentor Lloyd Maines (Terri Allen, Dixie Chicks), this album is an exploration through new music avenues, a journey that Terri attributes in large part to the motivation she gets from Maines to dig even deeper into her creative well. "Lloyd demands excellence," says Terri. "And when you're constantly put in a position where you have to be at a certain level for things to fly, I think it makes you better."

Terri's raw talent is exposed in its most natural form on The Spiritual Kind, making it unquestionably her best album to date. On it, she sheds (though never permanently) her harmonica neophyte reputation and embraces her hard-core inner harpist. "What intrigues me about the harp is that it can sound like so many things: a voice, a fiddle, an accordion, even percussion." Her solos on songs like, "No Love in Texas," and the Jimmy Driftwood cover, "What is the Color of the Soul," showcase her passion and desire to master what Terri describes as a "complex, beautiful instrument."

The rest of the album displays Terri's growing self-confidence, like a blossoming flower reaching past the garden gate to explore the world beyond. Each song runs the gamut from folk to pop to blues to jazz all the while casually carrying off the "anything goes" eclecticism that is typically saved for her live shows. "The idea was to venture into new territory," says Terri. "There's not one song on here that has a pattern that we've done before."

Terri's foray into uncharted waters is most evident on "Jim Thorpe's Blue," a song written for and about the Native American athlete who was stripped of his 1912 Olympic medal in a racially driven decision. The song, which comes later in the record, vibes with social awareness and a heated desire to change the very injustices that still plague the world today. "For me, that's really what makes this record different," says Hendrix. "It's about awareness, and it's about a tribute to the things and people that too often go overlooked," like Lloyd Maines' body of work and her dear friend, the late philanthropist and musician Marion Williamson, who passed away of cancer in 1997. "Acre of Land" is a tribute to Williamson, who taught Terri to play guitar in exchange for a little help on Williamson's goat-milking farm. Terri credits Williamson with instilling in her the will and confidence to make a go at the music business, consequently creating one of the most successful DIY music careers to date.

Hendrix taps into her soulful side on the album's title track, "The Spiritual Kind." The song was written about an old cross that Lloyd Maines found and gave to Terri. This little cross became a peace symbol of sorts, bringing her comfort as she faced one of the most difficult times in her life - being diagnosed with epilepsy. "I feel I have had epilepsy my whole life but was diagnosed with it in 1993," says Terri. "I kept it hidden till 2003. It was then that I faced the music and began a life-long plan to keep myself healthy and face the illness."

Terri shares her cross with her fans who are struggling, hoping that it will serve as a source of strength and peace for them as it did for her. The only catch: the power of that cross must be ever shared and passed on. "Spiritual people have always inspired me," says Hendrix. "I try to be one myself - it's a work in progress." Currently, Terri's cross is with a woman battling cancer.

Beyond her music, Terri continues to reach out to and inspire her fans through "Goatnotes," her blog whose name is an affectionate throwback to her days on Williamson's farm. Terri shares her heart through her journals, showing others that absolutely anyone can do any thing when they work hard and dream even harder. With all of her heart in every self-produced record, it's Terri's fans that keep her soul full. "The music has let me be part of my fans' lives," says Hendrix," and that is my true reward."

In addition to recording and performing, Hendrix shares her creative spirit with the students in her "Life's a Song" workshops, a program she conducts periodically with Maines. Each session, all of which are consistently sold out, exposes songwriters and musicians of all levels to a positive, non-critical and creative atmosphere for a weekend. "We brainstorm, write, go on dolphin tours, walk on the beach and play lots and lots of music!" Each student also gets a Hendrix-penned booklet called, "The Part That Ain't Art," an introspective look into the music business - warts and all - from this true industry veteran.

Terri's spiritual flame is ignited by the friends and mentors surrounding her, and it is fanned by the songs that branch off of that very foundation. The Spiritual Kind guarantees a diverse journey pausing only briefly to reflect on the beauty that life brings. And, then the journey continues.

The Spiritual Kind is available August 28 in stores and online at terrihendrix.com and other music hotspots.

Steep Canyon Rangers Are Lovin’ Pretty Women

2006 IBMA Emerging Artist Winners Release New Studio Album

Nashville, Tenn.— The Steep Canyon Rangers, one of the most vital, exciting bluegrass bands working the format today, are set to release Lovin' Pretty Women, the band's latest CD since winning the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) "Emerging Artist" award. Hit songwriter and fellow IBMA award-winner Ronnie Bowman produced the album. Rebel Records is the esteemed home to this incendiary and road-tested band. The record will drop nationally on August 14, 2007. Lovin' Pretty Women will guarantee this group's continued ascent to the top of the bluegrass ranks, while reaching new audiences as they expose their own unique and timeless style to a wider and more diverse audience on the road.

The Steep Canyon Rangers are Graham Sharp (banjo, lead and harmony vocals), Woody Platt (guitar and lead vocals), Charles R. Humphrey III (bass and harmony vocals), Mike Guggino (mandolin and harmony vocals), and Nicky Sanders (fiddle and harmony vocals).

The Steep Canyon Rangers dig even deeper into a traditional bluegrass sound on Lovin' Pretty Women, but with a sophisticated twist. It's an album filled with the vim and vigor of a band in love with making music. The Rangers have written their own material since they first started jamming together in a stairwell on the campus of UNC. The group is blessed with artistic vision, a gift for songwriting and an intense desire to create their own unique sound. That's why the Rangers have been able to honor the bluegrass masters who came before them while nudging the genre forward in new and exciting ways.

"Traditionally bluegrass bands have gotten by playing all the standards," says Sharp. "Most of those songs have all been done and they've been done really well. Why try to recreate something that you can't outdo? So that was our motivation, to just be original. It gave us the opportunity to figure out how to be unique within a format steeped in tradition."

The new album showcases a band at the top of its game, whether dipping their banjos and guitars in the gospel water of "Be Still Moses" or telling stories from the coalmines in "Call The Captain" and "Cumberland Moon." The Ranger's compelling harmonies throughout are a testimony to the band's belief that the voice is as vital a musical instrument as anything with strings.

Their super-tight harmonies and unique style caught the ear of legendary artist manager Don Light (Jimmy Buffet, Delbert McClinton, Keith Whitley, and the Oak Ridge Boys). Light built his reputation by spotting music visionaries early in their careers. He saw the same spark and intense desire in the Steep Canyon Rangers and signed on to manage their career.

Together the Rangers and Light have been taking the band's music to an ever-widening audience. In fact, the Rangers export their uniquely American music across the Atlantic this year when they tour Europe for the first time.

This fall they'll also be hosting the 2nd Annual Mountain Song Music Festival, a festival they started to benefit the Boys & Girls Club in Brevard, N.C.

Whether they're Lovin' Pretty Women or making new fans all over the world, there's one thing the Steep Canyon Rangers will definitely be doing - creating timeless acoustic music that honors tradition, while boldly moving it into the future.

The Derailers' Under the Influence of Buck a Freewheeling, Loving Tribute to the 'King of Bakersfield'

Nashville, Tenn. - It was their mutual love for the music of legendary country artist Buck Owens that originally brought The Derailers together back in the '90s, and with the July 31 release of their eighth album, Under the Influence of Buck, the honky-tonkin' boys from Austin bring their music all the way back to the source with a rollicking and heartfelt tribute to the timeless music of Buck Owens.

As the band has evolved over the years, perfecting its patented "Beatles-meets-Bakersfield" sound, The Derailers have always looked to Owens and his band, the Buckaroos, for inspiration. Their love and respect for the music Owens made is as unabashed and real as the performances that are captured on this special album. Well-loved standards like "I've Got a Tiger By the Tail," "Cryin' Time" and "Together Again" are delivered fresh, and the band dusts off lesser-known Owens songs like "Down On the Corner of Love" and "Who's' Gonna Mow Your Grass" with passion-fueled versions that do the Buckaroos proud.

The band met their hero in 1995, performing at a Buck Owens' birthday celebration in Austin, TX. Owens was visibly touched by the extent to which The Derailers honored him with their faithful adherence to the sound he created. He invited the band to come and play his club in Bakersfield, California, the Crystal Palace, and thus began their musical relationship. And it was Buck who personally asked The Derailers to be the house band for his 70th Birthday Bash in 1999. Buck stood up and cheered for them in front of all in attendance: his friends and family, as well as his business and musical associates - including a reunion of the classic Buckaroos line-up. The back cover photo of Under the Influence of Buck holds the image of Buck looking on with pride at the band who carries on in his footsteps. It is clear that Buck gave the group his genuine seal of approval.

"Over the years, we talked to him extensively about music, what he had done and what we were trying to accomplish," says The Derailers leader Brian Hofeldt. "He offered insight and sympathy for what we had ahead of us, and most importantly, encouragement. He put his money where his mouth was and continued to book us in his club and get together with us whenever we came through Bakersfield. It was an honor to be recognized and boosted by a man who was our musical hero and the times we had to spend with Buck are cherished memories."

The road to Under the Influence wasn't without its bumps and potholes. After signing with Palo Duro Records and touring behind their critically acclaimed 2006 release, Soldiers of Love, Derailers frontman Brian Hofeldt survived a run-in with a drunk driver (Brian's fine!) and the theft of his beloved vintage guitar (it's been recovered!). The tireless energy of a seasoned Derailers lineup - including pedal steel guitarist Chris Schlotzhauer and keyboardist Sweet Basil McJagger - together with these Owens' classics makes for a potent mix and a meant-to-be musical moment. These songs haven't sounded so contemporary since the day they were first released.

From the album's opening track, "Foolin' Around," to "Big in Vegas," the mournful track that closes this remarkable collection, Under the Influence of Buck is a loving look back and a natural step forward for one of the coolest bands in the land.

Abra Moore A Featured Artist For Luna Guitars

May 30, 2007

The lovely Abra Moore will be taking the world by storm with her upcoming release On the Way (June 12, 2007, Sarathan Records). The first video from the release, "Sugarite," was directed by famed photographer Jack Spencer and is currently making its way across the YouTube stratosphere.

Abra is also a featured artist for Luna Guitars. You can see Abra playing her Luna guitar, "Spirit in the Night," in the "Sugarite" video.

Antsy McClain On NPR!

May 24, 2007

Antsy and the Troubs are playing several shows in support of Trailercana, which was released worldwide May 22nd. They're leaving folks holding their sides from laughter with their trailer park humor. We couldn't be prouder if we were Ron Howard's brother.

Antsy recently talked with Debbie Elliot on NPR's All Things Considered. You can listen here or here.

Stoll Vaughan Featured On Paste Podcast

March 31, 2007

Stoll Vaughan took a quick break from the road (playing dates with Marty Stuart) to sit down in the Decatur, GA, Paste Magazine headquarters to record a podcast interview and performance.

The Paste Culture Club Podcast features Stoll performing "Alright," Fade Away" and "Savior" and discusses his music and the last few hectic months of his life. Also featured on the podcast is R.E.M.

http://www.pastecultureclub.com

RCPM in Harp Magazine

Courtest of http://harpmagazine.com

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers Launch Album, Tour Sophie Schwadron

March 27, 2007

Roger Clyne is the essence of the Arizona wilds: his band the Peacemakers’ new album, No More Beautiful World, released last week, is a 14 track double-disc CD/ DVD portrait of the beauty and spirit of Southwest America and the artists who call it home.

In classic Clyne style the record celebrates American and Mexican roots, with upbeat catchy choruses that invite you to sing along. He also probes contemporary issues ranging from politics (“Goon Squad”) to society—the scarcity of selflessness (“Plenty”) and cultural ignorance (“Lemons”). Clyne, who studied anthropology and psychology, questions life and the passing of time on “Hourglass”: “When will this current find the ocean?/ Where will this river meet the sea?/ And I don't know why we float/ But I like this buoyancy.”

A sophisticated thinker and adventure-seeker with a passion for nature, Clyne has his quirks. Seasoned to life on the road, he travels whenever possible on foot or bike; when his band tours their bus runs on biodiesel. He issued an instructional video on Margarita mixing and launched his own line of tequila. He loves a conversation over backyard barbeque and brew. An unrepentant rock and roller, he hosts thousands of fans biannually for Circus Mexicus, a weekend of music and festivity.

Clyne wasn’t serious about music as a career until he was climbing alternative rock charts in the nineties as frontman for the Refreshments. With the Peacemakers, Clyne demonstrates how he’s grown and matured—now a husband and father of three—and the new record is a reflection of the place he has reached both personally and artistically.

Without the support of a major-label, RC&TPM have driven each of their albums into the Billboard Top 20, and their 2004 release ¡Americano! ranked among the top Internet sales debuts in its first week. In support of No More Beautiful World the band is embarking on a 30 plus date nationwide tour, kicking it all off on March 30th at the Gothic Theatre in Englewood, Colorado.

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers Tour Dates:

3/30/2007 Gothic Theatre Englewood CO
3/30/2007 Twist & Shout Denver CO
3/31/2007 Belly Up Aspen Aspen CO
4/1/2007 Rum Bay Grand Junction CO
4/3/2007 Suede Park City UT
4/4/2007 Big Easy Boise ID
4/5/2007 Big Easy Concert House Spokane WA
4/6/2007 Crystal Ballroom Portland OR
4/7/2007 El Corazon Seattle WA
4/11/2007 The Boardwalk Orangevale CA
4/12/2007 Moe’s Alley Santa Cruz CA
4/13/2007 Slim’s San Francisco CA
4/14/2007 The Roxy Los Angeles CA
4/20/2007 Wormy Dog Oklhoma City OK
4/21/2007 Antone’s Austin TX
4/22/2007 Continental Houston TX
4/24/2007 Smith’s Olde Bar Atlanta GA
4/25/2007 Hideaway BBQ Raleigh NC
4/26/2007 Stone Pony Asbury Park NJ
4/27/2007 Harper’s Ferry Boston MA
4/28/2007 BB King’s New York NY
4/30/2007 Horseshoe Tavern Toronto ON
5/1/2007 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland OH
5/3/2007 Magic Bag Detroit MI
5/4/2007 Joe’s Bar Chicago IL
5/5/2007 FineLine Music Cafe Minneapolis MN
5/6/2007 TBA Des Moines IA
5/7/2007 Skinner’s Pub Brookings SD
5/9/2007 Blueberry Hill St. Louis MO
5/10/2007 Hurricane Kansas City MO
5/11/2007 Aggie Ft. Collins CO
5/12/2007 Black Sheep Colorado Springs CO
5/19/2007 Circus Mexicus Puerto Penasco, Mexico

visit www.azpeacemakers.com for more information

Pam Tillis Rediscovers Roots -courtesy of GAC TV

GAC TV.COM Pam Tillis Rediscovers Roots March 28, 2007 — Although she's not big on labels, Pam Tillis says the term "neo-traditionalist" fits her upcoming album, Rhinestoned, pretty well.

Of the new CD, set for release April 17 on her own Stellar Cat label, Pam tells blogcritics.org, "I've heard it called neo-traditionalist and I kind of like that. It's firmly rooted in the past, but it's also inclusive of many things that are in the moment. [It's] a roots record, but it's a little left of center of commercial country that you might hear on the radio: a little Americana with shades of bluegrass."

After recording some albums that had more of a country-pop feel, Pam says she made a conscious decision to turn her focus back to her origins or "to turn back to the barn," as she jokes.

Pam's previous album, It's All Relative, was a tribute to her father, Mel Tillis, and Pam says she felt some pressure covering his music. "I wanted to do it justice and I wanted to make him proud," she says. "I wanted to please the older fans, but also find a way to turn the younger generation on to his music. Maybe they'll go back and seek his work out. I had a lot of goals with that one."

As for the future, Pam says, "The music business is not like, 'Well, I knocked that out, let's go on to the next thing.' Every year you're doing the same thing, only new. Yes, we've made 10 albums, but this is the new album. And yes, we've been on the road, but this is the new tour. We're going to different towns and different places in the world, and I just want to keep doing what I'm doing, only better."

Clear Channel Buckles Under Fed Pressure and Ends Payola

New Consent Decree Will Force Big Radio to Play Indie Music

March 5th, 2007

Credit: Moses Avalon Newsletter

Well, well. I never thought I would live to see the day, but I did. In a landmark settlement announced today radio monolith ClearChannel as well as three other radio conglomerates have bowed their heads in shame and tentatively agreed to pay the FCC $12.5 million in fines for payola. But they didn’t stop there. Part of a sister settlement will require Big Radio to provide about 16,000 hours of free airtime for independent record labels as a form of reparations.

Two FCC officials would only speak off the record until final details are ironed out, but the skinny is this: a consent decree between the FCC and Clear Channel Communications Inc., CBS Radio, Entercom Communications Corp. and Citadel Broadcasting Corp, has been reached wherein these entries will be required to allocate 8200 half hour blocks of airtime each for small labels to garnish public awareness in their artists.

Allegedly, the free airtime would be granted to companies not owned or controlled by one of the nation's four dominant music labels -- Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and EMI Group.

Also under the new deal, broadcasters would also have to keep a data-base and log of all gifts and promotional items they receive from label and independent promoters to inspire play-list rotation, so that the station may be audited for potential graft and abuse. There will even a new "payola hot line" for employees to report infractions. (Can I have that job—please?)

Good news it seems for small labels except that the FCC and we, in the business have a couple of things to consider:

--How a label will be defined as “not controlled by one of the nation's four dominant music labels” will be very challenging indeed, when one considers that RIAA affiliated labels touch 80-90 of the product in the retail market space in one way or another (Even indie distributors like RED and Fontana are controlled by majors like Sony and UMVD.) And…

--Can you imagine being the whistle blower, (likely an intern at a radio station) with the type of serous disregard for their career it would take to call the FCC when they spot “potential infractions.”

-- 16,000 hours sounds like a lot until you start carving it up among the 3000 active indie labels in the US.

--We have now successfully invited government regulations into our industry. In fact, Big Radio is financing Fed intervention with the $12.5 million in fines to be paid. We already have the Fed influencing compulsory rates. Isn’t that enough? Who knows what will come next. And, finally…

--None of this will apply to satellite, HD or internet radio. Only terrestrial radio, which some feel is losing market share by the hour.

So… too little, too late? I don’t think so. Despite the cautions above, I’m really an optimist. And unlike some of my other bloggy pundents, who have given up on terrestrial radio I still believe in it as a strong platform for getting new music in the ears of the general public-- if you could afford to. In the past, this was near impossible. Now, it will still be hard but hope springs eternal with this new ruling not only because it makes a point but because it will likely influence other decisions along these lines in the future. Imagine, if you will, a future ClearChannel being caught violating this decree and being required to post 50,000 hours of free time. That starts to hurt.

I believe that it’s a major victory for he little guy even if the Fed will make a few million off the deal. Small labels have something reasonable to compete for and low-budget Indie promoters will be tooling up to get their clients on the block for this “free time.” If you use a radio promoter, expect a call from him sometime this week.

Hopefully, the $12 large in fines will go towards policing the efforts to make sure that small shell-companies or three-deep labels, owned by majors (who often refer to themselves as “indies”) will not be able to get their hands on this precious gift. With new opportunity, will certainly come new opportunists.

The world just got a bit more interesting.

Reporting from the front,

Moses Avalon
For the full story go here: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070305/payola_settlements.html?.v=8

Pam Tillis Hits The Road!

Pam Tillis is back on the road! Her first stop? South by Southwest this week.

Pam will be performing multiple times throughout the festival: first at the Conqueroo Showcase on March 14th at 4pm, next at the Austin Music Showcase on March 15th at 8pm, then again on March 16th (her Official SXSW Showcase) at the Continental Club.

Also, in support of the April 17th release of Rhinestoned, Pam will be making stops in Owensboro, KY on April 12th, Branson, MO on April 13th and Poteet, TX on April 15th before returning to the Grand Ole Opry for her album release. Check www.pamtillis.com for more details.

Pam Tillis On Woodsongs Tonight!

Pam Tillis will perform on Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour tonight, Monday, March 5, 2007.

Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour is recorded live every Monday evening from the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington, KY. The Woodsongs credo is to encourage grassroots, Americana music and explores the worlds of folk, bluegrass, songwriting, new artists and literature.

While some of Woodsong's radio affiliates broadcast the show live over the air, you may view the show in its entirety and catch encore performances not heard on the radio broadcast on the Woodsongs Webcast!

The Woodsongs Webcast runs from 6:55pm-8:15pm Eastern.

Antsy Takes Over YouTube!

Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours have once-again invaded Google's most addictive portal, YouTube. Live footage from the band's recent video shoot in Grass Valley, CA, has been cut together for your viewing enjoyment.

The video features clips of the band performing "I Married Up," "Falling In Love In America" and many more, as well as a dancing "Aunt Beulah" and a shout-out to Flamingoheads! It's a must see - truly three minutes of love from the band to their fans.

YouTube link - "Troubs In Grass Valley"

Pam Tillis releases first album in 5 years!

Rhinestoned is Pam Tillis’ first album since 2002’s tribute to her father, Mel Tillis, titled It’s All Relative. Co-produced by the trio of Tillis, Matt Spicher (Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs) and Gary Nicholson (Delbert McClinton, Wynnona), the new CD is also her first independent release. A child of Music City royalty and a former rebel, Pam Tillis was determined to find her own way as a singer and songwriter — and she succeeded. A CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, she has written songs for some of the top singers in and beyond Nashville, including more than a few of her own hits. That’s one reason why Rhinestoned marks the first album to be released on Stellar Cat, Pam’s own imprint. With total creative control, she let her heart lead the way toward material that she could perform honestly and emotionally.

To hear tracks off her upcoming record, visit www.myspace.com/pamtillis or check out her brand new website-www.pamtillis.com

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers gear up for their March 20th release!

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers (RCPM) raise the bar again with the release of their fourth studio album, No More Beautiful World, on March 20, 2007. The much-anticipated, CD/DVD combo-album features 14 new songs and an 83-minute DVD containing interviews, recording sessions and more. It will be available via the band’s website – www.azpeacemakers.com – as well as through traditional retail and online outlets. The album will be launched with a kick-off concert on March 24th at Phoenix’s Celebrity Theatre.

No More Beautiful World circles around choice and accountability and how individuals truly can affect change in their own lives, as well as others – for better or for worse. Even its title suggests a glass is half-empty/-full perspective and Clyne wrote many of the songs to encourage personal introspection. From the pop goodness of “Hello New Day” to the straight-ahead “Maybe We Should Fall in Love,” to the edgy “Andale,” he continues to weave the song mastery that ensures that words are never wasted.
Check our their eCard here: http://www.azpeacemakers.com/ecard/

Humorist/Songwriter Antsy McClain Returns With New Trailercana CD

Antsy McClain is quintessential Americana, but not in the musical genre kind of way. Oh no, McClain is Americana in the reared-in-a-trailer-park-by-a-truck-driving-father-and-Avon-selling-mother kind of way. Like a surreal Norman Rockwell painting come to life, McClain is the embodiment of the small-town, blue-collar life he experienced growing up in a little Kentucky trailer park called Pine View Heights.

The characters and characteristics he witnessed in Pine View Heights made an indelible impression on the young artist in training. He grew into a first-rate songwriter, incredible visual artist and insightful humorist. He was also hit with a touch of the mad genius. His latest CD, Trailercana, is a showcase for his diverse talents. He made the record, which releases on April 3rd, with his longtime band The Trailer Park Troubadours.

New Cadillac Sky Interview Online!

Cadillac Sky River Runner - and The Virginia Prograsser Internet radio broadcaster - Steve Sikes-Nova is broadcasting an interview he recently conducted with Bryan Simpson, lyricist, lead singer and mandolinist of our bluegrass phenoms Cadillac Sky. What a great way to spread the word!

The interview runs on the station from 5-6pm (Eastern) on Tuesdays and again at 8:30pm (Eastern). Please head on over to his station's Live365 page for a listen to this as well as great bluegrass, newgrass, prog and alt-country!

Cadillac Sky CD Release and Tour Dates

Cadillac Sky will be releasing their new Skaggs Family Records record, Blind Man Walking, on January 23, 2007. To celebrate the release, Cadillac Sky has planned a special, FREE CD Release party at Nashville, TN's Mercy Lounge on the release date! We welcome all River Runners to come by the Mercy Lounge for the show.

The band will also be playing a string of dates leading up to their performances at The Spirit Of Bluegrass Music Festival in Live Oak, FL.

1/23/2007 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge - 06:30pm - Free CD Release Party!
2/23/2007 - Fort Worth, TX - Jack's Off the Wall - 09:45pm
2/24/2007 - Linden, TX - Music City Texas Theater - 08:00pm
3/15/2007 - Live Oak, FL - Spirit Of Bluegrass Music Festival - 08:00pm
3/16/2007 - Live Oak, FL - Spirit Of Bluegrass Music Festival - 08:00pm
3/24/2007 - East Tawas, MI - Corsair Concert Series - 07:30pm
3/25/2007 - Ortonville,MI - Folk with Shades of Blue - 08:00pm

Please head over to Cadillac Sky's MySpace page and check out some great progressive Bluegrass!

John Starling and Carolina Star Contest

This week, we are launching a John Starling and Carolina Star Tell A Friend Contest! Please join us in spreading the word about Slidin' Home, the great new record from these Seldom Scene cohorts which includes a guest appearance from long-time friend, Emmylou Harris!

The Tell A Friend contest will run weekly through February 12, 2007. At the end of every week, a prize will be awarded to the person with the most fan referrals. Prizes can range from a signed CD to concert tickets. Weekly contest stats will be featured on the John Starling and Carolina Star MySpace page.

Two New River Runner Campaigns!

Lotos Nile has recently launched two new River Runner Campaigns: Cadillac Sky and John Starling and Carolina Star.

Both artists offer spine-tingling Bluegrass, but each has a very unique take. John Starling and Carolina Star, a band that includes co-founders of the legendary Seldom Scene showcases artists with 30 years of experience under their belts while Cadillac Sky, a 5-piece from Fort Worth, TX, are setting the progressive Bluegrass world on its ear with virtuosic picking skills and inspired songwriting.

Everybody's already talking about the upcoming 2007 releases from these bands! Don't just take our word for it, here's what the critics are already saying:

John Starling and Carolina Star
Cadillac Sky

Stoll Vaughan Plays Texas, Smiles For The Camera

Stoll Vaughan will be playing three dates in Texas with the legendary Robert Earl Keen: 12/7 in Dallas (Poor David's Pub), 12/8 in Helotes (Floore's Country Store) and 12/9 in Stephenville (Bostock's).

In other news, Stoll Vaughan recently stopped by the Lotos Nile offices to record a Holiday greeting for his River Runners! We plan to have the special message available before December 22nd, so keep checking back.

River Runner Exclusive Content Page Launched

Lotos Nile has just put the finishing touches on the River Runner Exclusive Content Page! We plan on using this page to provide live footage, rare songs and other goodies to current River Runners.

The first piece of exclusive content is a video from the amazing Jeff Black. Recorded live on November 15th, 2006 at Nashville's Country Music Hall Of Fame for the taping of XM Radio's "Artists Behind The Hits" program. Here, Jeff performs "Cakewalk" with accompaniment from host and mandolinist extraordinaire Sam Bush.

Getting to the exclusive content couldn't be easier.... Just log into Your Dock and click on "Exclusive Content" in the panel on the right.