Some Music News

Well, Hello Folks, hope everyone is doing well and has good health.  Just going to catch up on a couple of new music items,that I have come across recently. The first one is on my CD player right now. It is a new CD by the Group called The Boxcars. They are a form of a bluegrass supergroup with Adam Steffey and Ron Stewart who play mandolin and banjo respectively. They had been in Dan Tyminski's Band while AKUS was on sabbatical and Alison Krauss was singing with Robert Plant. They had enjoyed playing together with the others in the Band ,backing up Dan Tyminski.
   The CD is called "All In" and it has a very traditional type sound. Some great high lonesome harmonies and Bluegrass music. There are some really nice gospel songs too.

    Next up is the latest guitar effect pedal from Wampler's Pedals. He has a line of at least 15 pedals before this. His pedals are used by artists like Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Johnny Hiland and me(LOL). This pedal has created alot of interest and attention on the internet and amongst guitarists. Brian Wampler has been working on this pedal for about a year. It is made to approximate the sound of the late 50s tweed amps made by Fender.  It is called the "Tweed 57", and it does give you that vibe, but more than that, the pedal is a great overdrive pedal on it's own merit.There are several tones and drive effects that you can do using this pedal besides just giving an imitation of the Fender Tweed amp. You can get sounds from ZZ Top to Joe Walsh to some incredible blues tones. A feature that I really like is you can clean up the tone with the guitar volume knobs. You can hear many videos of the pedal on youtube, by doing a search or just going to Brian's new website www.wamplerpedals.com .  I am happy for Brian, He has been doing this for a number of years and I am happy that his pedals are catching on very well. He also does a video himself which is very interesting, because He is a very skilled guitarist, He really brings out the sweet spots on the pedal and the type of songs that it sounds well with.

   Very happy to report that Carrie Hassler has made the Billboard Bluegrass Chart with the song "The Distance" from her latest CD. Well, hope to have some more for you soon. I do have a new CD just in.

                               Brian Wampler

JUDDS RECEIVE HIGH HONORS AS #15 OF BILLBOARD MAGAZINE'S TOP 25 COUNTRY ARTISTS, 1985-2011

                                      
THE JUDDS RECEIVE HIGH HONORS AS #15 OF


BILLBOARD MAGAZINE’S TOP 25 COUNTRY ARTISTS, 1985-2011



Nashville, TN (August 12, 2011) – The Judds, one of the most successful Country music duos of all time, have been named #15 of Billboard Magazine’s Top 25 Country Artists from 1985-2011. Earlier this summer, Billboard ranked the top 25 country artists of the last twenty-five years, combing their Country Songs and Country Album charts since 1985.



Kentucky natives, The Judds became country music’s sole successful mother-daughter duo and practically owned the country charts during the ‘80s. Naomi and Wynonna shot to stardom with a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Had a Dream (For the Heart)” in 1983, followed by heartfelt ballads such as “Mama He’s Crazy” and “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days).” After launching their career with Curb/RCA Records, The Judds sold 20 million albums in just six short years. All but two of The Judds’ 16 radio singles between 1984-1989 topped Billboard’s Country Songs chart. By 1989, The Judds were one of the top-grossing and most popular touring acts in America, earning more than 60 industry awards, including multiple CMA, ACM and GRAMMY awards.



Sadly, at the height of their career, Naomi Judd announced her impending retirement at the end of 1991 due to health complications. Their subsequent tour sold more concert tickets than any artist that year except for The Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones. The pair reunited on Dec. 31, 1999, for a New Year’s Eve show, prompting a successful reunion tour, multi-media partnership and CBS Special in 2000 sponsored by Kmart. Then, ten years later, after a performance at the 2009 CMA Music Festival, and with encouragement from their fans, the duo decided to tour another time for their 2010 tour, The Judds: The Last Encore. During this significant time, they invited the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) to document their journey.. In April 2011, their six-episode docu-series, “The Judds,” debuted with the highest rated premiere outside of OWN’s launch week. Viewers tuned in every Sunday night to watch the moving exploration of Wynonna and Naomi’s mother-daughter bond weaved throughout the backdrop of this momentous concert tour.



How This Chart Was Created

The Top Country Artists 1985-2011 ranking is based on actual performance on the weekly Country Songs and Country Albums charts dated Jan. 5, 1985 – June 4, 2011. Artists are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at the lower end of the chart earning the least.



Prior to the Country Songs chart’s implementation in January 1990 of monitored radio airplay by Nielsen BDS and the Country Albums list’s incorporation of point-of-purchase sales date from Nielsen SoundScan in May 1991, titles on those lists had shorter reigns at No. 1 and shorter chart lives. To ensure equitable representation from all 25-plus years, earlier time frames were each weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years and the turnover rates that have occurred since the advent of Nielsen music data. (Used by permission)







Media Contact:

Kirt Webster

615-777-6995 x230

kirt@websterpr.com

The Judds - I Will Stand By You - Essential Judds

Curb Records has released a new compilation of greatest hits for the Judds, which includes two new songs. The bulk of songs is from the Eighties when The Judds ruled country music, with a huge following, with their signature acoustic country sound, produced by Don Potter and Brent Maher really was unique. "I Will Stand By You" is a good example of classic Judds with a sparkle.




This new compilation is very similar to the first greatest hits CD which I have, plus some newer songs from later in their career, like "Love will Build A Bridge". The sound quality is excellent sounding alot like the first Greatest hits CD which was very good, this is a bit tonally better, a very good listen. The newer two songs fit right in.



Here are some of the great songs from the eighties on here. "Mama He's Crazy", "Why Not Me" , "Love Is Alive", "Have Mercy", "I Know Where I'm Going", "Grandpa,Tell Me About the Good Old Days".



"Back Home" is the other remarkable new song with Alison Krauss, very nice lyrics, and a new sounding melody. It is a very good acoustic arrangement. I really enjoyed listening to the remastered older songs and the new songs too, It would be a great addition to your music collection.



http://www.thejuddstour2011.com/

Judds Take Trip To Los Angeles On Talk Show Circuit

THE JUDDS TAKE TRIP TO LOS ANGELES TO APPEAR ON THE TALK AND THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON AMONG OTHERS


The Duo is Featured on the Cover of Country Weekly



Nashville, TN (April 11, 2011) – The Judds continue their recent media blitz as they travel to the west coast in support of their new series on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), which debuted last night. After wrapping up their NYC trip last week, the mother-daughter duo are now traveling to Los Angeles in support of their new show, simply titled The Judds, which follows the pair on their journey during their final tour together, The Last Encore.



Tune in to catch The Judds as they discuss their new series which continues next Sunday at 9pm EST on OWN. The duo will be making guest appearances on the KTLA morning show, The Talk, TV Guide Channel and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Tuesday, April 12.



The Judds also spoke with Country Weekly about their new documentary series, their relationship and their latest projects including their new album I Will Stand By You: The Essential Collection. Be sure to check out the April 11 issue.