Digital Rodeo Launches New Songwriter Series, "In The Round, On The Row"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Jeff Walker - AristoMedia - 615.269.7071 - jwalker@aristomedia.comChristy Watkins - AristoMedia - 615.269.7071 - christy@aristomedia.comJohn Pyne - Digital Rodeo - 615.397.5758 - john.pyne@digitalrodeo.comScotty Huff - "In the Round On the Row" - scotty@scottyhuff.com
Digital Rodeo Launches New Songwriter Series, "In The Round On The Row"
Series Premiere Thursday, March 26 on DigitalRodeo.com
(Nashville, TN - March 25, 2009) Online social network and country lifestyle portal Digital Rodeo has unveiled "In The Round On The Row," a bi-weekly songwriter series available for viewing exclusively at DigitalRodeo.com. The series, hosted by Robert Reynolds, features some of Nashville's most successful songwriters performing and discussing their songs at the weekly "In The Round On The Row" events held at Music Row's Edgehill Studios Café last fall."Listening to songs performed acoustically by the artist that created them is a unique musical experience. You hear them on the radio, but songwriters have a very personal relationship with their music, and it affects their delivery in an amazing way," says Reynolds, Digital Rodeo's Director of Industry Relations. "Even though it's an intimate setting at the show, thanks to this series we're able to bring that intimacy worldwide now."
Songwriters Jason Matthews ("Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right"), Michael Peterson ("Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie") and Jason White ("Red Ragtop") are the featured performers on the premiere episode."We realized that songwriter nights are nothing new here in Nashville," says the show's co-producer Scotty Huff. "But, we also realized that for most of the world, it would be a unique way to get insight into how some of the biggest hits in country music are made and the songwriters behind those hits. By posting episodes online at DigitalRodeo.com, we hope that it makes for some new and exciting content for our viewers."Glenn Sweitzer, owner of Fresh Film & Design, began filming the show in October 2008. Webisodes will be posted every other Thursday as an original installment of DRTV at www.DigitalRodeo.com. New episodes of "In The Round On The Row" will resume filming in the coming weeks.The 20-25 minute installments are sponsored by Big Horn Safe Co. and Ariat Boots and recorded on audio equipment provided by 16 Ton Studios in Nashville. About DigitalRodeo.com:DigitalRodeo.com is the premier country news, music and lifestyle site for country music fans everywhere. Community membership is free and offers fans and artists alike the opportunity to connect with each other, upload and download audio and video, watch exclusive DigitalRodeo.com content and stay updated on what's happening in the world of country music. For more information, visit www.DigitalRodeo.com

What A Trip Entertainment Teams with Bob Kingsley's Top Forty For Country Music Fans

What A Trip Entertainment Teams with Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 to Bring Fans of Country Music to the CMA Music Festival in 2009!

For years, What A Trip Entertainment has been recognized as the leading source of unique trips and travel planning for an elite group of recording artists as well as radio and television stations. For the first time, What A Trip Entertainment is now offering their celebrated trip packages directly to the country music fans! In conjunction with the popular radio show, Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40, What A Trip Entertainment is offering several exclusive trip packages that include private events and performances hosted by the iconic Bob Kingsley himself!
With trip packages starting as low as $560 per person, this partnership brings the most exclusive experience to the fans at prices that are easy on the wallet. Offering great flexibility, the available packages give the fans the opportunity to get a flavor of CMA Music Festival for their choice of two consecutive nights or jump in with both feet and stay for all five nights! And if you need even more flexibility, fans can add nights to their trip for as little as $250 per night.
“We want to be sure CT40 listeners not only have a unique experience but one with value and flexibility. What A Trip! has created both, and no other entertainment company knows their way around country music events like these folks,” tells Bob Kingsley.
Delivering the ultimate VIP experience to the guests while offering reasonable prices and flexibility were a top priority to What A Trip Entertainment CEO, Grace Reinbold. “Being able to offer fans “insider” country music trips is great fun for everyone! We focus on the over-all experience and make these trips the most memorable events of a fan’s lifetime.”
And when we say unique, we mean it!

The packages include a private event exclusively for Bob Kingsley Country Top 40 CMA Music Festival Trip participants hosted by Bob Kingsley featuring Jeffrey Steele and Friends.
Jeffrey Steele is a hit songwriter and producer with accolades including two-time BMI Songwriter of the Year and Nashville Songwriters Association International's writer of the year for three consecutive years. His song "What Hurts The Most," recorded by Rascal Flatts, received several awards in 2007 as well as a Grammy nomination for the best country song. He also produced Montgomery Gentry's album "My Town" and "Some People Change" as well as projects by Keith Anderson, John Waite and the LoCash Cowboys. On the road, Jeffrey Steele has performed with Lynyrd Skynrd, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley. His publishing company, 3 Ring Circus, has churned out hits including "My Wish," "Brand New Girlfriend," "Help Somebody," and "Everyday You Saved My Life." And yes, you saw Jeffrey Steele along with Jewel and John Rich as a judge on "Nashville Star."
Bob Kingsley will also host the "New Artist Show," which will feature some of Nashville's most exciting new artists chosen by Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 for a very exclusive acoustic performance just for CMA Music Festival Trip guests. Guests will meet the artists, get autographs and enjoy a private event unlike any other presented during the Fan Fair Festival days in Nashville.
About What A Trip! Entertainment

Since launching in 1998, What A Trip! co-founders Grace Reinbold and Darlene Williams have guided the company to unprecedented success. Today, What A Trip! Entertainment is recognized as the leading purveyor of unique trips and travel planning for record labels as well as radio and television networks. In 2009, packages offering the public an opportunity to experience the extraordinary trips that What A Trip! Entertainment is known for have been introduced. What A Trip! Entertainment continues to offer the very best in exclusive experiences to everyone from industry leaders to celebrity artists to the fans that make it all possible, treating everyone as a VIP along the way.
About Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40

Every time he gets in front of the microphone, Bob Kingsley adds to his status as the most listened-to radio voice in country music history. The Host and Executive Producer of Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40, far and away the most successful show of its kind, has been the king of the country countdown for three decades now, and to hear him tell it, the process retains every bit of its magic. Bob's love for the genre, its people and its history has always been evident in that warm, rich voice, and the combination has given him both a vast and loyal audience and legendary status within the industry. He has twice been named the CMA's National Broadcast Personality of the Year and his show received Billboard's Network/Syndicated Program of the Year award no fewer than 16 times. Bob also received the ACM’s National Broadcast Personality of the Year Award in 2007 and, perhaps most tellingly, he was inducted in 1998 into the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame.
Media Contact

For Further Information Please Contact:Webster & Associates Public Relations 615-777-6995Bonnie Brozik / Bonnie@websterpr.comKirt Webster / Kirt@websterpr.com
Webster and Associates Public Relations

Pam Tillis Prepares to Cross The Pond for Ireland,UK Tour Run

Pam Tillis Prepares to Cross 'The Pond' for Ireland, UK Tour Run
Mar 26, 2009
(Nashville, TN) - Grammy Award winning Country music star Pam Tillis is prepping her band for a trip across the Atlantic with dates scattered throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom filling her April tour itinerary. With 14 dates scheduled throughout the region, Tillis will depart for Ireland later this month, giving her a little extra time to play tourist on the "The Emerald Isle." "I've looked forward to this tour for such a long, long time. I'm happy to learn there's an awareness and interest in my music in Ireland and the United Kingdom." Tillis notes. "Everyone I know that has had the chance to tour there came back totally smitten with the people and the landscape. It's also a personal pilgrimage for me as I have Scotch Irish ancestry and feel very drawn to the music. Quite simply, I just can't wait!" Tillis currently has a new project in the works in which she plans to release later this year. IRELAND / UNITED KINGDOM TOUR DATES: April 11, Coleraine, Ireland April 12, Letterkenny, Ireland April 13, Belfast, Ireland April 15, Armagh, Ireland April 16, Enniskillen, Ireland April 18, Tipperary, Ireland April 19, Dublin, Ireland April 21, Cookstown, Ireland April 23, BBC Radio (National Performance) April 24, Barrow-in-Furness, UK April 25, Bedford, UK April 26, Buxton, UK April 28, Basingstoke, UK April 29, Aberdare, UK ###
www.pamtillis.com

Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers Host New Opry Country Classics Show

Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Host New Opry Country Classics Show This Thursday
(Nashville, TN - March 24, 2009) - Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers host the debut of country's newest and coolest live concert series to hit Nashville in years with the launch of the Opry Country Classics concert series this Thursday March 26, 2009 at The Grand Ole Opry.
Presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, the debut kicks off with host Larry Gatlin at the mic. There have been many great voices in country music and one golden one: Larry Gatlin. His bell-like tones and soul-stirring vibrato are works of art in themselves, quite apart from the lyrics they illuminate. Of course, Gatlin is equally distinguished as a songwriter. Of the 42 songs he charted between 1973 and 1990, including 17 Top 10s and the Grammy-winning "All The Gold In California," he single-handedly wrote every one, an achievement unmatched by any other artist in popular music.
"One of the great joys of my life is being a member for the world famous Grand Ole Opry," says Gatlin. "I look forward to being one of the hosts on the new Opry Country Classics show!"[Rumored to be recording a new album for a major label in Nashville], Larry and the boys, known for such signature hits as "Houston," "Broken Lady" and "All The Gold In California" are sure to light up the Opry stage, while Country Music Hall of Famer Loretta Lynn and Lorrie Morgan promise nothing but the finest for country music fans looking for that classic sound and spirit performed live by the originators.
For tickets call 1-800-see-opry or visit opry.com.
###
_____________________________________________________________________
Media Contact:
THE PRESS OFFICE
Jim Della Croce, Owner / Publicist
o. 615.750.5938
c. 615.419.9989
f. 615.810.9492
e. mailto:thepathfinder@mindspring.com
1009 16th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/refer.php?s=482265795&u=18980581&url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy50aGVwcmVzc29mZmljZS5jb20=&key=bab85808b87423bd05bf268d37face45
Publicity Support:ABSOLUTE PUBLICITY INC.
Don Murry Grubbs, Owner / Publicist
o. 615.275.8380
f. 615.810.9492
e. don@absolutepublicity.com
1009 16th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/refer.php?s=482265795&u=18980583&url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hYnNvbHV0ZXB1YmxpY2l0eS5jb20=&key=31a5f787d0be86cc25acfee2d5d25abaMAXIMUM PR!For the Entertainment Industry
The Press OfficeProudly Representing:John Anderson, Aaron Tippin, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Billy Dean, Leon Redbone, Thompson Ward, NASCAR's Chase Mattioli, The Liquid Fence CompanyAbsolute Publicity Inc.Proudly Representing:Pam Tillis, Alabama's Jeff Cook, 2008 Colgate Country Showdown Champions Nash Street, Bread's Robb Royer, The Finnigan Bros., Karissa

"Alison Krauss and Union Station, Live In Louisville"- Some Thoughts

Are we getting near the end of the Best bluegrass band in the Land, AKUS? Possibly, I reviewed her double live CD "Live in Louisville" quite awhile back, recently, I bought a nice universal Disc player by OppoDisc, nice player, so I could listen to CDs in higher definition sound and also watch music DVDs and SACDs. The DVD is from both of the shows at the Louisville Palace, quite a nice place for a concert. I never heard the band sound better, and Krauss sounded awesome, with the production of guitars sounding tonally incredible. They definitely enjoy playing together and they are all different. In case no one noticed, they have a drummer, can't think of the guys name, but I remember He played for Seatrain many years ago, a great crossover rock, bluegrass group. He just uses brushs most of the time.
Something you do not notice from listening to her sing and play, she has quite a sense of humor, since she is the spokesperson for the group, she has a very dry but funny way about her. Ron Block, lead guitar player and banjo player is quite good, but different than your average bluegrass picker, who mostly riffs off scales and fast note connections, Block stays near the melody, also has a nice voice, heard that he has recently put out a Christian CD. Tyminski's "Wheels" was a recent great success. There is something about Dan, when the band broke into "Man Of Constant Sorrow", The crowd went nuts. Very good version too. The group basically does all of their popular stuff, plus some of their individual cuts.
In closing, Jerry Douglas played a couple of songs, one by himself, There are many good Dobro players out there , but if you listen to Douglas's solo CDs you will know what I mean , this guy is the Josh Graves of the decade. Let us hope, that they continue on in their excellent ways.

"Heartbreaker's Hall Of Fame" - Sunny Sweeney - A Review

Sunny Sweeney is a very attractive young lady who has an exciting old time country record and a real good emotive country voice with a a set list of twelve very good songs by herself and some of country's best, including Jim Lauderdale. Sweeney has a way with a song and this Texas country soundin' band cooks with some great chickin' pickin' and plenty of great pedal steel and country fiddle.
Her songs range from rockabilly to hot Texas swing. I love the sound, her vocals are real country like the guitars and pedal steel. She really reminds me of nobody, but I love her sound. This disc will definitely get you moving. a lot of upbeat country rockers. Produced by Tommy Detamore and Tom Lewis, co-produced by Sunny Sweeney. Recorded, mixed, mastered by Tommy Detamore, who does more than an adequate job on this old timey masterpiece. "Lavender Blue" with Jim Lauderdale is a very good country love song. The CD starts out rockin' with a song called "Refresh My Memory" ,this song moves real well and is the sign of things to come, with an acoustic/ electric sound. She has such great control over her vocals, and the country accent is real, growing up in Eastern Texas. She was fronting her first band in 2004, doing what she says is the hardest she ever worked in her whole life, but loving it. Her Label "The Big Machine" is a good label for an artist like herself. She really sounds like the real thing, "If I Could" is a hot cooking song that is super fast and definitely sounds live with audience sound.
"16th Avenue" - This song ends the disc, she shows how she can sing a slow ballad. What a voice, nice harmonica here. A song about people following their dreams. Some more great country guitar. What else can I say , but Sweeney is a refreshing artist, and this whole album refreshed my memory. Check this out!!!

www.sunnysweeney.com --

Jeff Cooks Up Downtown Nashville As New Album Hits The Internet

JEFF 'COOKS' UP DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE AS NEW ALBUM HITS INTERNET CONSUMER MARKET
Alabama Co-Founder and Lead Guitarist Celebrates New Album Release in Heart of Music City, USA
(Nashville, TN - March 19, 2009) - After tearing the roof off The Billy Block Show last Tuesday night, Country Music Hall of Famer Jeff Cook decided he wasn't done 'pickin' on Music City, USA.
Cook and his entourage (Allstar Goodtime Band saxophonist Jim Nelson, 2008 Colgate Country Showdown Champions Nash Street and publicist Don Murry Grubbs) hit Nashville's lower Broadway hard, first making a stop at Legend's Corner. Much to the delight of fellow St. Patrick's day celebrators, Cook announced, "Well I'm not wearing green, but this will have to do," as he pulled his custom made lime-green Parker Fly guitar from its casing. Cook and Nelson took Legends' stage with a rockin' version of the Merle Haggard fan favorite, "Workin' Man's Blues."Legendary Tootsie's Orchid Lounge was the next stop on Cook's honky-tonk blitz. Cook and Nelson, joined on stage by Tootsie's own John Stone, filled the premises with onlookers as they plowed through Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Fishin In the Dark," Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" and Hank Jr.'s "Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound." The former Alabama lead guitarist and fiddler then jumped on keys with a ‘funtryfied' rendition of the Jerry Lee Lewis classic, "Great Balls of Fire.""I couldn't think of a better way of celebrating my album release," says Cook of his St. Patrick's Day pub-crawl. "Now THAT was fun!"Cook and his Allstar Goodtime Band digitally released Ashes Won't Burn the same day.***High resolution photos available upon request(Photo Credit: Randi Radcliff) _____________________________________________________________
Publicity Contact:
ABSOLUTE PUBLICITY INC.Don Murry Grubbs, Publicisto. 615.275.8380f. 615.810.9492don@absolutepublicity.com1009 16th Ave SNashville, TN 37212www.absolutepublicity.com

American Roots Music Superstars Mix it Up _ _ _

American Roots Music Superstars Mix It Up With Uzbek Jam Band, Jadoo,
To Form CEDAR HILL REFUGEES
John Carter Cash and Jack Clift Produce Culturally Transcendent Pale Imperfect Diamond
Nashville, TN - Although globalization has become a popular buzzword and topic in the twenty-first century world of business, music remains delineated as influenced by Eastern or Western culture. With the release of Pale Imperfect Diamond, on May 19, 2009, listeners all over the world will get the unique opportunity to enjoy an attuned blend of Eastern and Western musical influences.
Pale Imperfect Diamond is an ambitious collection of roots music standards and original tracks recorded in cultural poles. Co-producer Jack Clift met with John Carter Cash and the idea to marry the musical styles with an album formed; the two producers were committed to unifying American folk ballads and traditional Uzbek instrumentation from the album’s inception. Jadoo, an American-Uzbek band Jack Clift co-founded while living in Uzbekistan, recorded Pale Imperfect Diamond’s base tracks in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The bones of the album were then taken to Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee where they were masterfully blended and complemented with American roots music instrumentation and vocals. The lustrous cast that assembled at Cash Cabin included The Peasall Sisters, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Marty Stuart and John Cowan. The collective of participants from both countries, including Jack Clift and Cash, became known as Cedar Hill Refugees.
Of Pale Imperfect Diamond’s thirteen tracks, seven are roots standards dating back to the twentieth century or earlier. The other five songs were written specifically for the record and include the title track, penned by Jack Clift, Jack Propps and John Carter Cash. “Pale Imperfect Diamond” and the other originals aim to capture the renegade spirit and vitality of both genres. Among the standards, an album standout is the re-imagined “Wildwood Flower,” a touchstone of the American folk catalogue made famous by the Carter family. The Cedar Hill Refugees’ version features Peasall Sisters vocals and closes with an Eastern jam that lasts over four minutes.
Jack Clift realizes the importance of the Cedar Hill Refugees collaboration to the greater world view. “Globalization is, obviously, not an entirely painless process,” Clift explains. “It’s just a joy and honor to be a part of something so passionately positive and showing that divergent cultures can not only work together but that the final result actually enhances the richest qualities of each.” Jack Clift is also candid about the legacy of Pale Imperfect Diamond. “Certainly this is something that would be a great relief to all if it could be carried into the greater scheme of socio-political interaction,” Clift states. “This has not been lost on the participants in these projects.”
Intrigued by the music of Uzbekistan, composer and producer Jack Clift began visiting the Central Asian country to learn more about the music though studio work with Jadoo, a group of musicians who improvise using traditional Uzbek music. Clift’s first trip took place in 2004 and, almost immediately, he began to identify the similarities between Uzbek music and the music of his youth; he likened it specifically to Appalachian mountain music that stirred his imagination. Rather than think the rhythms and tones a world away from one another, Clift noticed the parallel construction.
Although thousands of miles separated the Cedar Hill Refugees musicians during the recording of Pale Imperfect Diamond, the result is a beautiful testament to the boundless reach and power of music.
###

Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival 8 Days

Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival8 Days – Over 50 Bands Scheduled June 13-20, 2009Are you ready for the biggest bluegrass week of the year?The legends of bluegrass are rollin’ into town!
BEAN BLOSSOM, IN –Saturday, June 13, 2009 will mark the forty-third anniversary for the oldest, continuous running bluegrass festival in the world- the Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival. A local legacy for the state of Indiana, this annual event features the top names in bluegrass drawing thousands of people from all over the world to make the pilgrimage to the historical Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in Bean Blossom, Indiana.Saturday, June 13th: Kick-off the festival with the great sounds of the The Grascals, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, Larry Stephenson Band, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, Tommy Brown & County Line Grass, Country Saloon Band from Russia and Bill Monroe’s son- James Monroe & The Midnight Ramblers. Music 11am-11pm.Sunday, June 14th: The Bean Blossom tradition continues as we worship and praise with Bill Monroe’s preacher- The Real Apostle Pastor Paul Baggett. Enjoy the sounds of bluegrass gospel from Paul Williams & Victory Trio, The Sullivan Family, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, Harvest Wind, Tommy Brown & County Line Grass, Reel Tyme String Band and New Old Timers. Music 9am-6pm.Monday, June 15th: Start your week off with the hard driving bluegrass from Lonesome River Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, David Davis & Warrior River Boys, Monroe Crossing, Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show, Tim Graves & Cherokee, and New Old Timers. Music 11am-11pmTuesday, June 16th: Join us for another Bean Blossom tradition as we enjoy a hot bowl of Ham & Beans and Miss Dixie Halls’ famous cornbread at the annual Ham & Bean Supper. Kick back and enjoy the bluegrass sounds of: Randy Waller & Country Gentlemen, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, Cadillac Sky, Wildfire, Karl Shiflet & Big Country Show, Bluegrass Parkway from Australia and Youth Boot Camp Band. Music 11am-11pmWednesday, June 17th: Get ready for the reigning IBMA Entertainer’s of the Year Dailey & Vincent are back in town! Other artists performing include: IIIrd Tyme Out, The Lewis Family, Special Consensus, Lizzy Long & Legacy, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, Wildwood Valley Boys and Lost River Risin’. Music 11am-11pm Thursday, June 18th: Enjoy the soulful sounds of bluegrass with Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers and the hard driving banjo of J.D. Crowe & The New South. Also performing are Charlie Sizemore Band, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, David Parmley & Continental Divide, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, Special Consensus, and Bluegrass Parkway from Australia. Music 11am-11pm Friday, June 19th: Bring your instruments and jam with the stars at the oldest of Bean Blossom traditions- the Bill Monroe Sunset Jam. On stage: Longview, Ralph Stanley II, J.D. Crowe & New South, James King Band, Ronnie Reno & Reno Tradition, Jesse McReynolds & Virginia Boys, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, Hard Ryde from Canada, Midnight Ramblers and New Old Timers. Music 11am-11pm Saturday, June 20th: This will be a night to remember featuring the Dan Tyminski Band, Dr.Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top Xpress, James King Band, Dixie Bee Liners, Don Rigsby & Midnight Call, Goldwing Express, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge and Summertown Road. Music 11am-MidnightAdvance Ticket Prices thru June 1st: $15-$30 for a single day admission; and $75-$150 for multi-day tickets. Juniors 13-16yrs SAVE $5 OFF per day; Children 12 and under are free. Included with your festival ticket is admission to Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Hall of Fame, Country Star Museum & Uncle Pen's Cabin self-guided tour; all music and instrument workshops and activities scheduled at the Artist Workshop Stage; access to all food concessions and merchants. Gates open at 7am. Parking is FREE and handicap accessible. Bring your lawn chairs; no large coolers or alcohol allowed in the concert area. No pets or smoking allowed in the concert area. On-site tent camping and self-contained RV camping is available. Youth Bluegrass Boot Camp will take place Sunday-Tuesday, June 14-16. Interested youth ages 6-18 years of age will be allowed to sign up prior to June 1st for the fun but structured camp. The Youth Bluegrass Booth Camp consists of professional instructors and will teach students in small group and one-on-one sessions-brand new through advanced. There will be over 15 hours of hands on instruction (banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar and bass) covering topics such as: basic instrument care and handling, vocals and harmonies, stage presence and working with microphones, songwriting, jam etiquette-you name it! Additional Admission charged: Youth Bluegrass Boot Camp (Single Child) $35. Youth Bluegrass Boot Camp (Multiple) $30For more information and directions call (800)414-4677 or visit www.BeanBlossom.com

Get Your Band Canned

GET YOUR BAND CANNED

NASHVILLE— Vietti Vinyl, an innovative program created by the makers of Vietti Chili, a popular product that has been enjoyed in American households for years, has launched its 2009 campaign to promote emerging and established musical talent through collectible product labels and other grassroots marketing initiatives. Vietti produces 150,000 to 200,000 cans of chili per label run and with distribution in more than 30 states, the power of your music and branding has unique potential to reach new audiences!
In 2007/2008, the Vietti brand featured musical entertainers such as The Grascals, the Warren Brothers, Heartland, Restless Heart, John Corbett, Riders in the Sky, Cherryholmes, Nashville Star winner Chris Young, Aly Sutton, Tom Hambridge, Lucy Angel, the Isaacs, the Povertyneck Hillbillies, Alecia Nugent, and Pat Flynn.
In addition to the can branding music fans are able to download the artist’s music right from the Vietti Vinyl website and actually track the traffic and downloads. This is a new way to build a fan base, gain recognition, brand an artists career in new markets and introduce the band to a whole new demographic!
All artists and bands wishing to be considered for this campaign should submit a press kit and music sample to:
Vietti Vinyl Music ProgramP.O. Box 23015Nashville, TN 37202(615) 777-6995 x30

The Oak Ridge Boys Set To Perform on SXSW

For immediate release
THE OAK RIDGE BOYS SET TO PERFORM ON SXSW LIVE MARCH 20TH AT 7PM CT/8PM ET ON DIRECTV’S THE 101® NETWORK

Nashville, TN – The Oak Ridge boys are making a special appearance this week at Austin, Texas’ trendsetting South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival. They will perform on SXSW Live, a live television broadcast airing exclusively on DIRECTV’s original entertainment channel, The 101® Network. Broadcasting live in HD and 5.1 surround sound, their performance will air Friday March 20th at 7pm CST / 8pm ET.

“For the third year in a row, DIRECTV customers will be able to experience SXSW Live with a front-row seat and an exclusive look into one of the premier music festivals in the world,” said Eric Shanks, executive vice president of Entertainment for DIRECTV.

The broadcast will originate from updated state-of-the-art venue – the Lonestar Lounge - constructed from the ground up in the Austin Convention Center to host the exclusive SXSW Live performances on DIRECTV.

SXSW Live is produced through a partnership with the SXSW Music and Media Conference, Blaze TV (www.blaze.tv ) and DIRECTV

For more information on the SXSW Music Conference, please visit: http://2009.sxsw.com/music

For more information on SXSW Live, please visit: www.sxswlive.com

About The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys have one of the most distinctive and recognizable sounds in the music industry. Their string of hits includes the pop chart-topper Elvira, as well as Bobbie Sue, Dream On, Thank God For Kids, American Made, I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes, Fancy Free, Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight and many others. They've scored 12 gold, three platinum, and one double platinum album, plus one double platinum single, and had more than a dozen national Number One singles and over 30 Top Ten hits.

The four-part harmonies and upbeat songs of the Oak Ridge Boys have earned them Grammy, Dove, CMA, and ACM awards and garnered a host of other industry and fan accolades. The Oak Ridge Boys continue to tour extensively, performing over 160 concerts each year. Every time they step before an audience, the Oaks bring three decades of charted singles to bear on a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere.

About DIRECTV, Inc.
DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTV - News), the nation’s leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 17.6 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with more than 130 HD channels. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed national cable companies for eight years running) and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.

About SXSW
South By Southwest (SXSW) Music and Media Conference, taking place March 18 - 22, 2009, features a legendary festival showcasing more than 1,800 musical acts of all genres from around the globe on over eighty stages in downtown Austin. By day, the Austin Convention Center comes alive with conference registrants doing business in the Trade Show and partaking of a full agenda of informative, provocative panel discussions featuring hundreds of speakers of international stature. In its 23rd year, SXSW remains an essential event on the music industry calendar.
For more information, access our website at http://sxsw.com/
###
For Further Information Please Contact:

Webster & Associates Public Relations 615-777-6995Jeremy Westby / jeremy@websterpr.comKirt Webster / kirt@websterpr.comThe Brokaw Company (310) 273-2060Sanford Brokaw / brokawc@aol.com
DirecTV Contacts:
Paki Newell, Lauren Kelcher Darris Gringeri
The Lippin Group DIRECTV
323-965-1990 212-205-0882
pnewell@lippingroup.com dagringeri@directv.com

"Cherryholmes III - Don't Believe" - A Review

Well, here we are at the third CD of this very talented group already. I loved their 1st CD very much, to me their second CD was a bit of a disappointment. Especially in the sound quality department.
Jere (Dad) was not happy with the sound quality of the second CD either and talked to label head Ricky Skaggs about it. Well, I guess the talk did something because this disc sounds great. From the talented production of Ben Isaacs to the HDCD mastering of Andrew Mendelsohn and friends at Georgetown Masters.
This is a well balanced mix of bluegrass and acoustic country music. The instruments sound rich and natural. Their self written songs are very good. Some subtle sound effects on some of the tracks are really neat, some nice tastefully used.
The whole mood of the disc is a bit on the dark side, the photography is really interesting. In the booklet with the lyrics, the centerfold is the 3 male Cherryholmes sitting on biker choppers with the women standing beside them in jeans and not how you would think this original family oriented group would look. The lightning bolts are back from the second CD, maybe they will be gone next time. The inside of the disc behind where the CD sits (jewel Case) is dark and moody, on the back of the jewelcase it is like fireworks and party time.
Very interesting upbeat cover of (Parsons, Hillman) "Devil in Disguise".
The CD has two short instrumentals and the first one "Sumatra" Has an Allman brothers like theme going on in the background. The second one "Mansker Spreel O Coughlins Reel" This let's their twin fiddles play some. The main instrumentalists of the group are Cia's banjo, Sandy's mandolin and Skip on guitar. But Skip is mainly the rhytmn player and leader of the group I have heard. I would like to see Skip playing lead guitar in the future. They should at least have someone like Bryan Sutton playing some bluegrass leads during the CD. (hint, hint) They do use Rob Ickes to play dobro a lot on this disc.

Just noticed something interesting ,the title "Don't Believe" does not have Mom "Sandy" on it. I think that possibly she did not the lyrics, so BJ puts his fiddle down and joins them on mandolin for this song and also the first instrumental.
"This is My Son" - Beautiful bluegrass ballad about a mom sending son off to war. It compares this to God's only son and what he does for us. Cia sings this one very much from the heart. Background vocals are not getting their Kudos here. I could have misread Cia's distress, but someone aint happy for this.
I have really enjoyed this review. I love bluegrass and this has more of a bluegarss twist than anything else. This group has grown since their first disc. Sidebar, I hate Discs and CDs, ok, had to get that out of my system. I am analog man the third. I record CDS I like on good Cassettes and frisby the sterile sounding DISCS. Was that a little too hard to get, I will say it again, Digital music stinks and is ruining the music business. There, (sorry Jere, had to say it). This is a creative album , musically even down to the artwork like on a LP. That stands for longplaying record. Vinyl. It's been a while since I sat and reviewed a CD on the first few listens because I like it so much, then typed it the same day. Not that I haven't been enjoying the music I review, cause I only review what I like. Well, it is getting early, like almost 4 in the morning.
Coming soon, new music by Mindy Smith and also The GreenCards. God Bless You til then.

www.cherryholmes.com

Carlene Carter Updates from Yep Roc

Check out Carlene Carter's latest record, Stronger

Order Stronger at the Yep Roc Web Shop and get the digital version FREE! The DRM-free MP3s will be available in your Stash right away.
"I couldn't let a day go by without writing a note about C.C.'s record. It is astounding." – Elvis Costello
"First album in more than a decade for the Carter Family scionette and rebel country star, after a succession of travails, so it's great to hear her again." –
USA Today
"A magnificent, and welcome, return." – Harp
"After a lifetime of highs and lows, Carlene Carter finds the key to survival at the core of her family tradition." – No Depression
"It may well stand as one of the best albums of this year." – Country Standard Time
"By fusing catchy choruses with downhome twang and sweet harmonies, Carter deftly straddles the fence between classic country and pop. Welcome her back." – Toronto Sun
"The emotional centerpiece is the title cut, which recalls her departed sister. Carter's stark, brave vocals are nothing short of stunning." – The Arizona Republic
"A meatier, juicier, more savory comeback than I Fell in Love was, this isn’t Carter coming back, this is our fair lady roaring back, in touch with the press on spirit that guided her mom and led her granny to invent country music... Betcha this is the comeback story of the year." – Midwest Record
"
Stronger proves she can still write and that her sometimes-throaty, always-seasoned country vocals can still sell a song." – Fort Worth Weekly
As part of country music royalty (the daughter of June Carter Cash and Carl Smith and step daughter to Johnny Cash) Carlene Carter has seen both the ups and downs of the music business and life. Inspired by her life experiences, Stronger is a raw but touching recollection of her life of the past few years. Years that included the wrenching sorrow of the sudden death of her stepfather, mother, sister and ex-lover, as well as the euphoria of falling in love with the cowboy of her dreams.

40th Celebration of Country Radio Seminar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeff Walker - AristoMedia - 615.269.7071 - jwalker@aristomedia.comEd Salamon - CRB - 615.327.4487 - ed_salamon@crb.org
Nashville Gears Up For 40th Anniversary Celebration of Country Radio Seminar®
CRS-40 Begins Wednesday, March 4
(Nashville, TN - March 2, 2009) Mark your calendar this week to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Country Radio Seminar in downtown Nashville, the preeminent annual event for country music radio industry personnel. Who: Country music radio industry executives, artists and employees from all across the countryWhat: The 40th anniversary of Country Radio Seminar, the annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas within the country music industryWhen: Wednesday, March 4 through Friday, March 6, 2009Where: The Nashville Convention Center in downtown Nashville, Tenn.This year's CRS-40 boasts an impressive lineup of educational panels, talented speakers and performances from some of the hottest names in country music. "Although there is no denying that our nation's economy affects the country radio industry greatly, Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. feels that the 40th anniversary of CRS continues to offer exceptional value to our attendees. We have created a good balance of education, entertainment and networking opportunities, the importance of which cannot be overstated in our industry," says CRB Executive Director Ed Salamon.A streamlined agenda of panels, performers and events at this week's CRS-40 follows below.Tuesday, March 3:The Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame events unofficially mark the beginning of CRS each year. The Hall of Fame Cocktail Party begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening. The Dinner and Induction Ceremony follows at 6 p.m. This year's 2009 inductees are Chuck Collier and Gerry House (DJ Hall of Fame) and Bob McKay and Moon Mullins (Radio Hall of Fame). Merle Haggard will receive the Career Achievement Award and Shelia Shipley Biddy will be presented the President's Award.Wednesday, March 4:Wednesday's events kick off at 9 a.m. with the Opening Ceremonies and Award Presentation. The keynote address, delivered by marketing expert Seth Godin, will follow at 10 a.m. in the Performance Hall, with the Motivational Speaker/Life Coach panel at 11:15 a.m. This year's speaker will be former No. 1 country artist Sylvia Hutton.New label Golden Music will sponsor Wednesday's luncheon, featuring performances by Benton Blount and Williams Riley. The previously scheduled morning Artist Radio Taping Session (sponsored by SESAC) will now be combined with the afternoon A.R.T.S. panel. As a result, the afternoon session will be extended by one hour (2:30 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.).Performers at ASCAP's KCRS Live! will include artists and songwriters Jimmy Wayne, Kelley Lovelace, Ashley Gorley and Jonathan Singleton. The popular Music City JamTM (7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. in the Performance Hall) will be hosted this year by Tim McGraw and sponsored by the Academy of Country Music. Additionally, two educational panels will be featured Wednesday afternoon: "Country Radio As Seen Through The PPM Lens," sponsored by Arbitron, and "Back to the Future: 1969-2049."Thursday, March 5:Designated as Music Industry Town Meeting Day, single day registration for Thursday's activities may be purchased on-site for $265. The day's agenda includes the return of the Tech Track and Small Market Track panels. Tech Track panels include "Spinning a Web" and "40 New Media Ideas." Small Market panels include "Come Hell or High Water: Disaster Preparedness," "You're a PD, Now What?" and "Champagne Production on a Beer Budget." Sixteen panels will be offered in all during the day between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday's events begin at 9 a.m. with The Country Music Association revealing the results of its 2008 Country Music Consumer Segmentation Study, conducted by Leo Burnett Co. and Starcom MediaVest Group. Sony Music Nashville's luncheon (noon - 1:50 p.m.) will feature performances by Miranda Lambert and Jake Owen. At 4:10 p.m. Bobby Pinson, Paul Overstreet, Josh Turner and Jamey Johnson will perform during WCRS Live! (sponsored by BMI and Country Aircheck).Friday, March 6:Friday is Radio Sales Day. Single day registration, including entrance to the New Faces of Country Music Show®, is available for $370 on-site. Friday's events will kick-off with the Managers' Breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by CRS-40's second research study, which will present findings from the Edison Research / CRB National Country P1 Study 2009 at 10 a.m. Panels during the day will focus on important topics that affect the Country Radio format, such as consumer habits, promotional and research ideas, voicetracking and tools to increase sales. Prominent sales panels include "20 Ideas Even a PD Would Love," "PPM! Selling the Country Format," "What's NTR Got To Do With It?" "Creative Closing" and "A Car Dealer Tells All About Advertising." More than a dozen panels will be offered during Friday's activities. Friday's luncheon, sponsored by Capitol Nashville, will feature performances from Darius Rucker and Little Big Town. Also during lunch, Operation Troop Aid, a non-profit charity organization, will send 500 care packages from CRS-40 to deployed U.S. troops. Packages will contain phone cards, MP3s, beef jerky, trail mix, hand wipes, hand sanitizer, cookies, candy, granola bars, toiletry items and thank you letters. At 4:10 p.m., Barbara Mandrell will interview Kix Brooks during the Life of a Legend series.

One of Country Radio Seminar's most popular events, The New Faces of Country Music Show and Dinner (sponsored by R&R and CMA) starts at 6:30 p.m. with performances from Lady Antebellum, James Otto, Kellie Pickler, Chuck Wicks and The Zac Brown Band. CRS-40 will then officially close with the unique 40th Anniversary Jam: A Musical Thanks to Radio, to be held at Cadillac Ranch and sponsored by DigitalRodeo.com. Artists will cover their favorite radio hits from the last 40 years, featuring performances by Emerson Drive, Andy Griggs, Julianne Hough, Jamie O'Neal, James Otto, Blake Shelton, Jimmy Wayne, Chuck Wicks, Mark Wills and Darryl Worley, among others.
A new CRS documentary can be seen during the three-day seminar at the Renaissance and Hilton hotels in downtown Nashville. The film, produced by Art Vuolo and titled WCRS-TV, chronicles various CRS highlights over the last 21 years.CRS-40 will be held March 4-6, 2009 at the Nashville Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. Detailed seminar information and a full agenda can be found online at www.CRB.org. On-site registration is still available for $699 and may be purchased at the Convention Center.About CRB:The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. ® is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring radio broadcasters from around the world together with the Country Music Industry to ensure vitality and promote growth in the Country Radio format. More information may be obtained at: www.CRB.org or at the CRB office at 615-327-4487.About CRS:The Country Radio Seminar is an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas in the country music industry. Country Radio Seminar is a registered trademark of Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.
The AristoMedia GroupP.O. Box 22765 Nashville, TN 37202Phone: 615-269-7071 Fax: 615-269-0131 Email: publicity@aristomedia.com

"Sleepless Nights" - Patty Loveless - A review

This new album by Patty Loveless follows the road she has been on since "Mountain Soul", finding new mixes on the traditional mountain side of Patty's life. She had planned to do a CD for her older sister Dot and this was it. Her sister, she always considered to be a better singer and always kept her close by, then a few years back, she died. Her and Emory went thru 500 songs to get down to the 14 on the disc. On the road, she changed labels too, going with Saguaro Road Records. This is an interesting label, interested in rootsy singers, attracting the likes of Rebecca Lynn Howard and Joan Osborne, besides Patty.
Emory produced the disc, and went with half old school studio musicians and half contemporary types like Biff watson, Al Perkins, and Vince Gill on background vocals.
As for Old school ,there is Pig Robbins, Pete Finnie, Harold Bradley and Jedd Hughes. The result is what is called "traditional country soul", the records sub title.
"Sleepless Nights"(Bryant/Bryant) An awesome sweet ballad with Vince Gill, the title track. There is some really pretty pedal steel here.
"Crazy Arms"(Mooney/Seals) I love this song, heard Linda Ronstadt do a very similar version of it in '73. This is a timeless song.
"Color of the Blues" (Jones/Williams) has guitarist Guthrie Trapp ,a member of her road band for two years answering her vocals with some sweet understated blues guitar, great track. Patty sounds rejuvenated after going thru some trials of family deaths over the last couple of years.
"Cold, Cold Heart" (Hank Williams) Well, Patty closes this record up with a real classic and she is singing full of emotion with nothing to prove. That is a real comfort level.
Overall, this a gal that probably will not get a lot of radio play for these very well sung picks of songs that she loved when she was growing up, but we get to look a little deeper into the gal who helped make country music what it is today.

"Waking Up Laughing" - Martina Mcbride

The title of this record gives a good description of the vibe. The sound is refreshing, Martina with crisp acoustic guitars, mandolins, fiddles. All under the solo production of Mcbride.

Mcbride sounds refreshed, her songs are hot with a great balance of acoustic and electric instruments in one song. Her emotion is back. Timeless was a break for her, now she is vibrant, relevant, encouraging with the theme "Anyway" ,the hot single co-written by her and Brad Warren. She is blessed to have the best musicians Nashville has to offer, plus her own studio, so she admits, not having to rush this one. Her last original self titled disc "Martina" was great, a bit more on the traditional side. This is contemporary country that is probably the best new Nashville country CD this year.

The syncopated rhytmns and cohesiveness of each note is so sweet on the ears. Mcbride is a great producer. She really obsesses over each note, reverb type, emotion of an individual line. What a great voice, wow, the neatest song just came on, "Beautiful Again" ,lots of bluegrass influence, incredible background vocals. Another song by Mcbride and Warren.

"House Of A Thousand Dreams" - This is a really moving acoustic ballad that is loaded with great hooks and lyrics. Some accordion is in the background with great acoustic guitar and pedal steel going on.

"Loveland" is another intense slow ballad about getting married in a Vegas chapel, because the gal was pregnant. Brilliant song over all.

How cute, she has her daughter say goodbye after the last song. This is the strongest CD in any genre that I have heard in a long time. Not a bad or filler song here.

"Tryin' To Find A Reason" is a killer heartbreak ballad. The guitars are great, plus some very good mandolin and fiddle. The airy quality she gets out of the acoustic guitars would make another producer envious.

Martina has always tackled songs to address issues, encourage and here she is, back at it again. Thanks Martina, music needed to go up a couple of notches this year and you have more than done it.

http://www.martinamcbride.com

"Where I Am" - Tammy Cochran - a Review

This is Tammy Cochran's third CD and I'll say that it is her best. Produced by Mark Thompson and Anita Cochran, it is sonically what hi-resolution music is all about, great tones, no distortion, but most of all, twelve great tracks.

Each song has her print on it. She always wanted to have a part in the writing. I loved Cochran's "Life Happened" , what a song, very good CD too. Cochran is still a blond bombshell and has a country voice that is still more country than most. She really puts herself into these songs. Too bad that major labels were not interested, her songs are too real and I guess too different from their format. I had been waiting for a followup for a long time and this is well worth the wait. In her recent interview with DJ and CSO webmaster Jim Weaver, she is real excited about this project. The interview is still on the site.

Mike Johnson gives you that old pedal steel that weeps subtlety with Pete Finney helping out. Drummer Steve Turner is great. Lots of nice acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, violin(fiddle). What really impresses me is the electric guitar playing of Anita Cochran and Mark Thompson who also plays some great lap steel. These guys have unique playing that is different than your average Nashville sessions player. They get interesting tones and fire off some great melodic lines, not the same old rock stuff you are hearing on commercial country music today.

This CD has soul, Cochran's soul. She's the first artist on Straybranch records, where the disc is for sale, also from her website and CD baby, you won't find it in a store unfortunately, but it is very worth the buy.

This is stuff you can relate to, cerebral stuff, not beer drinking and cowboy songs. When I listen to this, Rosanne Cash, Joan Osborne comes to mind. Cochran has gone out in her own style with great lyrics, great hooks and great melodies.

Cochran really has a confident feel about her and the band rocks out, tight bass and just some beautiful cohesive music that is missing from most of today's country music. Patty Loveless's last album "Dreamin' My Dreams" does come to mind, a disc mostly ignored by the country community.

"As Soon As I'm Over You" is a bouncy, jazzy, bluesy piece that really takes off well with some great guitar work.

"Long Way Down" is a country rocker that rocks, incredible electric guitar playing, reminiscent of The Marshall Tucker Band.

"Nobody's Home" is a slow ballad about a big house that is nobody's home, a really moving song. "This beautiful house I own is nobody's home".

"Where I Am" - The title track of the disc is a beauty of a country gospel song about her battles. "I've had to go through the worst to get to the best I've ever been."

Well, think you get my drift. This is good real country music that has an eclectic appeal.

http://www.TammyCochranfans.com

Mindy Smith Updates

It took eight years for Mindy Smith to become an overnight sensation.

The world discovered her suddenly around ‘04; that’s when she started winning awards, appearing on national TV, inspiring critics and artists to sing her praises (and her songs), and riding the momentum of One Moment More, her Vanguard debut.

But when she wasn’t accepting Best New Artist honors from the Americana Music Association, sharing stages with the likes of Mavis Staples, Patty Griffin, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris, or winging across the ocean to recruit new fans in the U.K., she was often doing the same thing she’d done when she was new to Nashville.

She was, in other words, in a room with a guitar, closing a door and coaxing music up from somewhere down inside.

The songs of Long Island Shores, her new Vanguard release, come from that process, untainted by success and its distractions. What they reveal is an artist who is moving forward, which means digging inward as well as bridging out toward her colleagues in the mutual obeisance of co-writing.

The energies of Long Island Shores are as contradictory as the tides that wash the coast near Smithtown, where she was raised, on the northern side of the island. Beautiful to the ear, these songs are turbulent beneath the surface. The first single, “Out Loud,” breathes cautious hope over a breezy beat. “Please stay,” a playful love song, masks a deeper meditation on possessiveness and freedom. “You Know I Love You Baby” sets a hint of rage to a jazzy, toe-tap groove. Layers of meaning open to other layers, exposing these songs as complex in their simplicity. But then Mindy takes another turn on songs that bring one theme – the nestling comfort of “Tennessee,” the lazy pace of untroubled love on “What If the World Stops Turning?” – to a single blossom. “You Just Forgot,” transforms into something emotionally elusive, an intricate interweave of anger, pain, and ethereal detachment. Maybe Mindy didn’t conceive this one, but it’s hard to imagine anyone else singing it.

You can feel the presence of co-writers on some of these tracks: Beth Nielsen Chapman, Maia Sharp, John Scott Sherrill and the others, all of whom Mindy meets on some common ground of emotion and idea. And you can sense the privacy of those songs she wrote on her own, in which her convictions and doubts, her passions and humor, speak universally, through the poetry of her lyric and the beckoning in her voice.

All of this colors her words too, as she remembers how she felt after One Moment More changed her life. “It tripped me up,” she admits. “I felt like I needed to make a drastic musical change. I guess I wanted to be cooler, so I wound up wasting a lot of time until I realized I’m not cool after all.”

A laugh punctuates her speech; like her gestures, quick changes of expression, and sudden bursts of New York argot. Then we’re back to the story: “But I also came to allow myself more room to grow than I did on the first record. This one sounds more like me; nobody who hears it will be confused when they hear me playing these songs live, because I know they want to hear me tell the truth and be honest.”

Expectations were high for Long Island Shores, but none were higher than Mindy’s. “I’ve always had this need to keep improving,” she says. “I’m always under the gun to top my last song. I guess that comes from being a ‘professional songwriter’” – and here she wiggles her fingers, signaling quotation marks that also betray a self-deprecation that traces back to her first experiences with music.

She still remembers, for example, being confused and embarrassed, as the young adopted daughter of a minister and his musically gifted wife, over the looks she would get for singing out loud wherever she was, whenever the spirit seized her. “I had to learn how to not be excited about singing as I was walking through a mall,” she says. “My teachers hurt me a lot too, when I’d do it in class. That led to learning how to not love having music stuck in my head. I became very guarded. I wrestled with what to do with my life. I tried so many other avenues, but I kept having this desire to make music.”

Her mother’s death, her relocation to Knoxville with her father, and her move to Nashville in 1998, after giving college a whirl in Cincinnati, all hastened Mindy’s decision to pursue music without reservation. Recognition came locally first, beginning with first prize in the Tin Pan South writer’s contest of 2000, which prompted an invitation to join the writing staff at Yellow Dog Music the following year. 2003 led toward her appearance with Lee Ann Womack at South by Southwest and her electrifying rendition of “Jolene” on the Dolly Parton tribute CD, Just Because I’m a Woman. Though she was the only unsigned performer on that collection, Parton herself as an artist of special promise singled out Smith.

Even now, though, you get this sense from Mindy that she’s running everything she’s written through her head again – not just the new songs, but things she wrote years ago. Could she have done better on this one? Will she ever do better than she did on that one? She does know the answers, and she accepts that they point toward her continuing development in every aspect of music, from the writing and the singing to production as well.

That, of course, makes Long Island Shores a masterwork of intuitive artistry. The fact is, for all of her insistence that she’s still just tapping into her creative resources, the scary thing is that she may be right. And for all acclaim that’s come her way, and all of her drive to keep pushing ahead, Long Island Shores captures an artist who is at peace with where she is and where she has yet to go.

Joan Osborne News

Joan Osborne
to release “Pretty Little Stranger” on November 14th
Vanguard Records debut features guest performers such as Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Sonny Landreth & Rodney Crowell


Santa Monica, CA - Premier vocalist and songwriter, Joan Osborne, will be releasing her Vanguard Records debut, “Pretty Little Stranger” on November 14th.

Recorded in Nashville and produced by Grammy winner, Steve Buckingham, “Pretty Little Stranger” highlights the soulful sound of Joan Osborne with elements of country blues and Americana. This 12 song collection features six original tunes written by Joan including the first single, “Who Divided”, “Shake That Devil”, “After Jane” and the title track and also compositions by Kris Kristofferson (“Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends”), Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter (“Brokedown Palace”) and Patty Griffin (“What You Are”).

Joan stated, “I would call this my version of a country record -- some of it very traditional, some less so. It tells feelings and stories in very simple language, and I wanted to focus on that simple way of communicating, rather than be flowery and poetic. I needed to get down to the bare bones and I feel like we did a good job of doing that.”

“Pretty Little Stranger” features some of music’s finest performers lending their talents including Vince Gill on “Time Won’t Tell,” Alison Krauss, “Holy Waters”, Sonny Landreth playing slide guitar on “Dead Roses” and Rodney Crowell providing harmony vocals on his own “When The Blue Hour Comes.”

Joan Osborne had one of the biggest releases of the mid-90’s with “Relish” and participated in the historic and successful Lilith Fair Tour. She has worked with a myriad of artists like Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, The Chieftains and Bonnie Raitt. She toured with The Dead in the summer of 2004 and recently finished a tour with Phil Lesh & Friends.

For more information contact Lucy Sabini @ Vanguard Records 310-829-9355x137/ lsabini@vanguardrecords.com or Lauren Gaffney @ 310-829-9355x158/lgaffney@vanguardrecords.com.

Mindy Smith News

MINDY SMITH’S LONG ISLAND SHORES SET FOR RELEASE OCT. 10Singer/songwriter’s sophomore album is a follow-up to her stellar debut
One Moment More

Los Angeles, CA—On the heels of her critically acclaimed Vanguard Records debut, singer-songwriter Mindy Smith is back with her highly anticipated sophomore CD, Long Island Shores, a nod to her family and her heritage growing up in Smithtown, New York. The album is scheduled for release on Oct. 10th.

Long Island Shores retains the raw, emotional intimacy of Mindy’s songs and haunting vocals but adds some sharp edges both musically and lyrically, broadening the landscape of Mindy’s storytelling. Mindy co-produced this record with Steve Buckingham and Lex Price along with additional production by Roger Moutenot.

Smith’s debut album, One Moment More, featured the hit single, “Come to Jesus,” which earned her critical accolades and went on to sell close to 300,000 copies. She recorded a version of “Jolene,” the first single on the much-praised Dolly Parton tribute album, Just Because I’m a Woman, which included contributions from Norah Jones, Sinead O’Connor, Melissa Etheridge and Alison Krauss. She made her national debut on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, performed on Lifetime’s “Women Rock” Television Special, had a video in top rotation at CMT and was part of VH1’s “You Oughta Know” Program. She went on to perform on Conan O’Brien and was featured on National Public Radio. The album took on a life of its own with several songs being heard on national television shows such as HBO’s “Six Feet Under” and the WB’s “Smallville” and “Summerland”.

The press was effusive in its praise of the Nashville-based singer-songwriter, “One of the most buzzed-about albums of the new year,” raved USA Today, while Rolling Stone said simply, “Smith’s voice is marvelous.” Harp magazine called her “a contender if ever there was one,” while The New York Times enthused, “…excellent debut album.”

Mindy also co-wrote with John Scott Sherrill the current Alison Krauss single, “If I Didn’t Know Any Better.”

For more information on Mindy Smith contact Lucy Sabini, lsabini@vanguardrecords.com, 310-829-9355x137 or Lauren Gaffney, lgaffney@vanguardrecords.com, 310-829-9355x158.

www.vanguardrecords.com/publicity