The Grascals On GAC

TUNE IN ALERT
Multi-award winning bluegrass artists, THE GRASCALS, appear on GAC-TVs Headline Country this week! The band recently celebrated the release of their latest CD, Life Finds A Way (Mountain Home Music) with a “blue carpet” event at the SiriusXM Music City Theater in Nashville.

Check http://www.gactv.com/gac/program_guide/ for complete listings.


HEADLINE COUNTRY on GAC
Thursday, 4/19  - 8 p.m. Central and Midnight
Friday, 4/20 - 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Central
Saturday 4/21 - 9:30 a.m. Central

Keep up with The Grascals at www.grascals.com



MEDIA CONTACT
claire ratliff
laughing penguin publicity
po box 140396 | nashville, tn 37214
615.476.3200
laughingpenguin@comcast.net
www.penguinpublicity.com

"The Distance" - Carrie Hassler - A Review

 Carrie is back with eight great new songs and all is well with the World. This is a lush recording, and it is really tastefully done with some great players  like Tim Stafford, guitar; Ron Stewart(banjo), Justin Moses, (fiddle), Mark Fain,(bass), Dale Ann Bradley,(background vocals), and the CD's producer Steve Gulley,(background and lead vocals).

  "Give My Love" is a gospel song that is just a great melody, with great instrumentation, some real pretty pedal steel. Carrie sings this so well, this recording sparkles, very well done. The disc starts out with "Luxury Liner", originally done by Emmy Lou Harris, Carrie does it a bit more bluegrass oriented. It moves real well. Sweet Fiddle and banjo, plus some sweet dobro.  Steve Gulley and Tim Stafford gave her a great song. It is called "All I Have to do is Breathe". Some really great lyrics for Carrie to delve into. "Get Me Over You" is another upbeat song about getting over someone, she once loved. It is written by a friend of Carrie's (Jennifer Strickland).

    The title track "The Distance" is a hit, in a real world, this would be a Billboard Hit. I just put my phones on and the stereo spread is awesome. Bradley's harmonie's come out the other side of the Headphone. "Eugene and Diane" by
(Carl Jackson) is another winner.  Steve Gulley sings the Male duet part of this. It is a ballad and love song that is another winner,it is so plain pretty. Steve's vocals are so natural for this. The guitar picking is so pretty. Carrie is so fortunate to have all these bluegrass greats help her out. It sure does show.

     "Keep Your Memory Warm" is a super, slow love song that was written by Steve Gulley. This is really great. Gulley is a great song writer(starter of Mountain Heart). I have been waitng for Something by Carrie for a while, Well here it is,and it is no disappointment. Why is it so easy to write a review of something you love and sometimes I have to push myself through a mediocre CD. No mediocracy here on this Disc. This will be released by Rural Rhythm Records on April 24,2012. The artwork on The CD is very well done, in a traditional jewel case. Carrie looks stunning. Now, I would love to hear a new CD by Melanie Cannon next.  Check this out.

     www.carriehassler.com
     www.RuralRhythm.com

"Calls I Haven't Made" - Todd Fritsch - A Single Review

  Todd has been singing and recording for awhile. I was never really that impressed with his early songs. He was involved in a serious accident in a roping incident, that put him out of commission for awhile. This song is the first Single He has released from a CD He is working on. It really is full of that X factor that makes a song Special. He sings with a new Command to his lyrics and the record is a great production that isn't overdone, but it backs this song good. The subject about calls He hasn't made is a song that I think We can all relate to. The lyrics are just excellent and I love the use of pedal steel in this song. His voice is the top thing in the mix, which it should be.

  I think that the tough times can make us better and I think Todd's experience with the School of hard Knocks has elevated his game, yeh, this is real good, It's a song that will stay in your head. This is as good or better than anything on the Country top 40.
                         www.Toddfritsch.com

Carrie Hassler Has New CD Coming, The Distance

"UnderCover Folk" - Jason Serious - A Review

Jason Serious is from Maryland originally, Now He resides in Munich ,Germany. This is a seriously excellent CD. The sound quality is astounding. He has his road band with guests. Johannes Joss plays drums. Alto Kraus is on bass and vocals. Dave Ingleton does banjo and vocals. This CD is seriously good, it is real professional sounding.

    Many great songs, reminds me of a 70s album. Many great guitar parts, acoustic and electric. "Everybody's Somebody's Beautiful" is a killer ballad. Serious really can write a great melody. His songs are all over the place,from country rock to rock to Dixie Land Jazz. He sounds like a well seasoned singer-songwriter, He comes across as someone who has been recording albums for years. He reminds me of Gram Parsons for some reason. His lyrics are full of satyr and sly humor.

      Ten very good to great songs here, some very good instrumental parts everywhere. His songs are full of imagery in his lyrics. By the way, I did not mention, that Jason plays guitar and piano on CD. "Horse" is a song that rings to another century.

    "UnderCover Folk" fuels the fire for the disc, love the electric guitar riff that it is built on. It is full of political references and phrases that would make you know what he is thinking.

     I wish the Best for Jason, check him out, a special CD by a special person.

    www.JasonSerious.com

Please Remember Earl Scruggs, A key renovator in Bluegrass Music

  Earl Scruggs passed away this week. Earl was one of the most well known names in Bluegrass and Banjo picking, whether it was with Flatt and Scruggs, or with his son Randy in The Earl Scruggs Revue, He will always be known for his three finger picking style. God Bless Earl Scruggs.

"Life Goes On" - Musicians Against Childhood Cancer

             

Two Disc Set Includes All-Star List of Talent including:
Lonesome River Band, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Marty Raybon, The Grascals,
 Blue Highway, Tony Rice, Shawn Camp, Josh Williams, Rhonda Vincent, J. D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Chris Stapleton, Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle,
 Jerry Salley, Ronnie Bowman, Brandon Rickman, and many more
 
 

 
Nashville, TN (March 27, 2012) --  Rural Rhythm Records is proud to announce the highly anticipated new album release, LIFE GOES ON by the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer® is now released.  This new 2 CD set is now available for purchase at Amazon.com, County Sales, Ernest Tubb Records Shops, the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer website, Rural Rhythm Records, directly through the participating artists and many more locations.  LIFE GOES ON was recorded live during the annual MACC festivals from 2006 - 2011 with the exception of the new single "Life Goes On" that was recorded at Randy Kohrs' Slack Key Studio in Nashville, TN.  Tracks include:
 
Disc 1
 01  GOODBYE TO THE BLUES – Johnson Mountain Boys
 02  BEYOND THE SUNSET– Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore, Jamie Dailey, Josh Swift
 03  RAGGED MAN – Gibson Brothers
 04  I GOT A WOMAN – Pine Mountain Railroad
 05  PLEASE COME TO BOSTON – New Found Road
 06  SIX FEET UNDER THE GROUND – Michael Cleveland and Fame Keeper
 07  IN THE TIME THAT YOU GAVE ME – Shawn Camp
 08  GOIN’ ACROSS THE SEA – J. D. Crow & The New South
 09  HIGHWAY OF SORROW – Junior Sisk
 10  FRAULEIN – Lost and Found
 11  RAIN AND SNOW – Brandon Rickman (Lonesome River Band)
 12  REVELATION – Bradley Walker
 13  PANHANDLE COUNTRY – Clay Hess & Friends
 14  ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE – Josh Williams Band
 15  FORTY YEARS – David Parmely & Continental Divide
 16  THE WATER IS WIDE – Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
 17  HARD TIMES – The Grascals
 18  PAUL’S MINISTRY – Paul Williams
 19  STRUTTIN’ TO FERRUM – Lonesome River Band
 20  BLUE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN – The SteelDrivers
DISC 2
 01  MANZANITA – Tony Rice
 02  ROLLIN’ AND TUMBLIN’ - Dudley Connell, Randy Kohrs
 03  PRECIOUS MEMORIES – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
 04  LITTLE JOHN I AM – Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
 05  TENNESSEE WHISKEY – Chris Stapleton, Morgane Hayes, Bradley Walker
 06  SMASHVILLE – Sierra Hull & Highway 111
 07  GIVE MY LOVE TO ROSE – Sally Connell, Dudley Connell
 08  WHERE THE NEVER DIES  - Don Rigsby & Josh Williams
 09  NOTHING BUT A WHIPPORWILL – Blue Highway
 10  THE WATER SO COLD – Marty Raybon and Full Circle
 11  THE TURKEY BUZZARD – Joe Mullins & Aubry Hayine
 12  HE DIED A ROUNDER AT 21 – Junior Sisk, Randy Kohrs, Josh Williams
 13  THE LIKES OF ME – Randy Kohrs Band
 14  SHOUTING TIME IN HEAVEN – Kenny & Amanda Smith
 15  AT THE END OF THE A LONG LONELY – Danny Paisley & Southern Grass
 16  MEMORIES OF MOTHER – James King
 17  I SHOULD’VE CALLED – Larry Stephenson
 18  OLD VIOLIN – Larry Cordle, Michael Cleveland
 19  LIFE GOES ON – Jerry Salley, Carl Jackson, Ronnie Bowman, Rickey Wasson, Larry Cordle
 
 
Rural Rhythm Records will soon release a new music video of the first single, “Life Goes On.” The song  is currently #8 on the Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay Chart.  The VIDEO was filmed at Liberty Church in Gallatin, TN during the week of the 2012 SPBGMA convention and features Jerry Salley, Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Rickey Wasson, and directed by brothers, Sammy Passamano III and Anthony Passamano of Rural Rhythm Records.  Although the video is still in production, the label has released a short clip as shown below.  Family memory photos are courtesy of the musicians involved in this project and Darrel Adkins.  Darrell and Phyllis Adkins founded Musicians Against Childhood Cancer in honor of their daughter, Mandy who lost her battle with cancer on November 25, 2000.  Proceeds from the annual festival benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

"Life Finds A Way" - The Grascals - A Review

Well, The Grascals just inked with their new label "Mountain Home", and they waste no time releasing a new CD. They had been with Rounder Records for a number of recordings, even had their own imprint, "BluGrascal Records" for a couple of CDs. This new CD has a bit of a different flavor to it, with a more country sound to their mix than usual, They still have their Bluegrass roots to the sound, maybe it is just the recording style, more of a modern, contemporary sound, following a real Bluegrass sounding CD in their Andy Griffith Tribute EP.

   The Grascals still are Jamie Johnson, guitar and vocals, Danny Roberts, mandolin, Kristin Scott Benson, Banjo and guitar, Terry Smith ,vocals and bass, Terry Eldredge, vocals and guitar, and last,but not least, Jeremy Abshire on fiddle.
Their vocals and harmony's are excellent and moving. They have a real good selection of songs, a couple of covers and some real good new original songs and a few songs by friends. Some interesting artwork on the cardboard sleeve. The sleeve has several folds in it for pics and testimonies. Nice liner notes by Tom T Hall and his wife Dixie. It makes for some interesting reading.

   My favorite song on the CD is a cover by James Taylor, "Sweet Baby James", When Terry Eldredge goes into that with the beautiful pedal steel in the song, it really hits me emotionally and takes me back to when I was just getting out of High School, had always loved that song, The Grascals do a real emotive job on it and I really like Jamie's and Terry's  vocals. They do a nice upbeat Bluegrass jam called "Eleven,Eleven" which is a very good instrumental take. I really like their other cover song too, "Mystery Train" had always been a song that I had liked through the years. Nice mandolin on the song.

   Jamie does another original ballad that I love, "Pretty Melody", A very melodic song about a couple of school kids that ended up being life mates. Kristin's banjo is more restrained than usual on this CD, but she does some really sweet melodic parts here. The title song "Life Finds A Way" is another Grascals song that is a very melodic mid tempo ballad. The lyrics are great. The last song on the thirteen track disc is a beautiful gospel number called "Road To Surrender". This CD seems to be a real reflective type of musical creation. There are a couple of drinking songs that seem a bit out of place, but maybe, they are trying to break the serious vein of a lot of the songs. The instruments seem to be more in the background than usual, and the tones are not real crisp, but more on the mellow side. I would have loved to hear the award winning Kristin tear up a banjo break on a song or two.

    Grascal fans will love this, I enjoyed it alot, maybe it will bring some new fans. I love this mix of musicians and hope they stay together. Check it out.

   www.grascals.com
   www.crossroadsmusic.com      

"Bring It On Home" - Joan Osborne - A Review

 Joan Osborne has a real hot record here. She has given the Blues a shot this time around and boy, it really works for her. She has picked a great selection of blues classics and it really sounds hot. It is recorded on a studer multi track tape recorder and it is a great ,warm analog recording. There is great blues guitar, blues harp and it sounds like she is enjoying herself singing these songs. Osborne has a voice that is unique and she knows how to use it. I love the Digipak album cover, very nice picture of her face on front.

   The CD starts out with a hot reading of "I Don't Need No Doctor", this works well, then she breaks into a slower groove on the cover track, "Bring It On Home". "I'm Qualified" is a great song with some neat background vocals. Her co-producer and herself have put out a real work of art here. Jack Petruzzelli is the co-producer and also a guitar player on the CD. "Champagne and Wine" is a sensuous, love,bluesy tune with some killer guitar fades.

   Joan has come out cooking and maintains a good groove thru out the disc. The musicians and singers nail most of the songs on a couple of takes. This is something that you need to check out if you are a blues fan or an Osborne fan. Real nice booklet with some quotes from Joan about the songs she has picked. It has some great pics too. Look for it around March 27,2012.

www.joanosborne.com
www.saguaroroadrecords.com

"Computers, Social Networks, and the lack of Great New Bands and Artists"

 Being a Baby Boomer, I grew up in the Golden Age of American Music. The 60s and 70s brought out a lot of great new artists, genres and music which still shines today on CDs. In the era of  records, you had to be good to get a record deal, because making a good record required a big label studio ,real A and R people and a scene that was incredible in lots of ways.

  In Memphis, you had Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. You had a heavy influence of English musicians starting with the Beatles who propelled rock music to a new level. You had Cream, The Who and The Rolling Stones as iconic groups.

   In Nashville, music row and The Grand Ole Opry was in full flight with artists like Patsy Cline, Chet Atkins, and a thriving business which is alive now, more than ever.

  Artists had something to say or express with their music; the first protest musicians who were not afraid to use music and lyrics as a tool to protest Vietnam War. There was a generation that were not afraid to go against the grain and let their message out. Country Joe and The Fish with "It's 1,2,3 What are we fighting for". It was a time of questioning what was going on and protest and "4 Dead In Ohio" by Crosby,Stills,Nash and Young was a true story song that was a great song in it's own merits.

    They were part of the west coast hippie movement including the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service , Jefferson Airplane and a Spanish guitarist named Carlos Santana. This movement had a life of it's own.

  Meanwhile, Down South, We have the new southern Rock scene with many great bands featuring Lynyrd Skynrd, the Allman Brothers Band and the Marshall Tucker Band. I am just dancing around the periphery here with these groups, there were so many more important bands.

   So, What's going on Today? A lot of the same artists releasing new music from Thirty Years ago. And We have the computer and the vanishing CD. Along the way, We started with Records, to Eight track tapes, cassette tapes (which I still Like), to CDs and now the ipod with it's mp3 format. A generation of young folk who have grown up listening to mp3s, They can't appreciate what the Baby Boomers like myself had ,growing up with full bandwidth analog music. Music will always survive, in what form, that is the Question.

Check Out New Marty Stuart Music

A Tease From the Grascals. - Kristin Practicing in Studio

 This is a snippet of Kristin Scott Benson practicing with Grascals for their new CD, the song is called "Pretty Song".  It is a candid shot of studio time and how they work, notice, she is not playing her Gold colored banjo that she uses in show, but another one that probably sounds better to her, I don't know banjos, so I can't really say why she made the choice. One thing that I do know, I think she is one of the best banjo players in Bluegrass, that has proved itself in awards she has won, looking forward to their new CD. Hope there is some lead guitar on CD.

Lonesome River Band - Chronology - Volume One - A Review

This group is one of the true iconic groups of Bluegrass Music. To celebrate their last 30 years of recording and playing music, they will be making 3 of these EPs, eight songs on each CD and each disc will cover a decade. Their last two CDs with Rural Rhythm Records have both been very successful, each being #1 on the Bluegrass charts. Those were "Still Learning" and "No Turning Back". This band has had many of the bluegrass greats , like Dan Tyminski and Adam Steffey pass thru it over the years. The present Lineup consists of Sammy Shelor(banjo and harmony vocals), Brandon Rickman (guitar, lead and harmony vocals), Randy Jones (mandolin, lead and harmony vocals), Mike Hartgrove (fiddle), and Barry Reed  (bass and harmony vocals). 

   "Hobo Blues" is one of my favorites, it starts out with a very syncopated, jazzy type beginning, Bass is awesome. Then banjo comes in and it goes into a bluesy/bluegrass tune with a lot of punch. This recording is big studio all of the way, it has that sound of a big label CD. The mix and interaction of the banjo, mandolin,guitar and fiddle is quite excellent. Great vocal harmonies too and a nice reverb wash like records of old. Right after this song, the band kicks into a great hoedown type instrumental, with lots of fiddle, mandolin and all instruments get involved. It really has a live flavor to it. The rhythm guitar drives the song and there are snitches of lead guitar too.

   The CD starts out with "Close The Door Lightly when You Go". It is an upbeat ,heartbreak song. Great vocal harmonies. The instrument tones are great, This is a sparkling mix of songs. There is a very good booklet which describes where each song came from and who does the parts on the new versions. You have to get this if you like The NRB. It is remarkable, one of the best recordings that I have heard recently done in a very inspired fashion.

              www.lonesomeriverband.com

"The Gospel Side Of Dailey And Vincent" - a review

This is one of the most eclectic gospel ,Bluegrass CDs that I have ever heard. There is an incredible amount of talent in each of these songs. The most important feature is the wonderful way Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent sing together.

  The sparse "Family Bible" (W. Nelson) with just guitars in accompaniment is slow paced and beautiful. Bryan Sutton plays guitar, but just chords, no lead.

  On the other hand you have "The 4th Man in the Fire" which is an uptempo piano based gospel song. There is a real low voice in the mix,there are so many guest vocalists including the angelic Sonya Isaacs on this CD.

  "Until at last I'm Home" (Vincent and others) is moderate paced with piano and few instruments, but loads of beautiful harmony.

  "Come Back To Me" (Jimmy Fortune) This is my favorite featuring Sutton on guitar and also Darrin Vincent. A very sweet melody,Sutton's playing is very subtle with lots of sweet resonance.

  This Disc is engineered by Michael Latterell at Trinity Sound and He also mixed it. Excellent job here as this was no easy project to mix. Mastered by Paul Blakemore at CMG Mastering.

   This is Dailey and Vincent's second gospel CD. I did not hear the first one, but this would be hard to top. I think that there is a style here for everyone. Also, this is a CrackerBarrel project, I have yet to review a less than stellar CrackerBarrel CD. This Cd will leave you refreshed!!

  www.daileyandvincent.com
  www.crackerbarrel.com  

"Trailblazer" - The Roys

"Country Side Of Bluegrass" - Janie Fricke - A Review

  Thirty years ago, Janie Fricke would have been a household name in country radio. Now she is singing an excellent bluegrass style produced by Bill Vorndick,popular Nashville bluegrass producer, has produced a lot of Rhonda Vincent CDs. This set is a mix of some of her old hits and some other popular tunes. This mix has a real refreshing sound. Johnny Hiland sounds great playing acoustic guitar, he's a legend of a Nashville picker. His acoustic playing is so fluid, reminds me a bit of Tony Rice. He has some excellent company with David Talbot on banjo, Randy Kohrs on dobro, Andy Leftwich on fiddle, Glen Duncan and Jimmy Mattingly on mandolin and fiddle. Then, we have Chip Davis, Margie Cates and Judy Rodman on background vocals. Mark Fain on bass and Bob Mater on drums keep the bottom line. Interesting, but, back in the day, Hiland was playing on her records.

   The Roys are now touring with Janie. My Favorite song on the disc is "Faithless Love" (J.D. Souther), which is a standard made popular by Linda Ronstadt in the Seventies. The Roys back her up on it on the show. It is a very beautiful version. This is sort of a sad Heartbreak song.

   "He's A Heartache" (J.Silbar/L. Henley) - This was Fricke's third number one hit. It is a real upbeat toe tapper. It has more of Hiland's smooth guitar pickin'. I really like this version.

   "Please Help Me, I'm Falling(In love with you) (Blair/Robertson) - This is an old time country song that Janie did on the opry many times, nice country tune.

    "Down To My Last Broken Heart" (C. Rains) - I like this popular song done in a bluegrass style. Ricky Skaggs sang harmony on the original version. 

    "I'll need Someone to Hold me (When I Cry)" (Holyfield/Mcdill) - is a great song with a great message, the writer ,Bob Mcdill was popular in 1980 when this was released. She has always liked to do this song live.

    "Ring Of Fire" -(June Carter Cash) - This is an iconic country song, Fricke really does it justice, In case you are not familiar with it, it was made popular by Johnny Cash and The Carter Family. Really nice guitar riffs by Hiland, just a splendid version.

      This is definitely a CD to buy, if you are a fan of country and bluegrass, Splendid! Buy it at her site.

www.janiefricke.com

"Justified"- Cumberland River

Song on TV Show, Justified by "Cumberland River", a bit of rockin' bluegrass.

Mark Wayne Glasmire EP - A Review

  I like what this young man has to say in his liner notes. " I still believe that a good song can make a difference in the world ". I believe that, without good music, life would be pretty dreary in this world. How many times have I been influenced and had my outlook changed by a good song, whether it be sad, upbeat or  something that touches me deep inside.

  Glasmire has a very hi quality EP slotted for release on January tenth of this year. The recording has a very hi quality sound with great musicians and produced by the very talented John Albani. The songs are filled with infectious instrumental hooks and Glasmire has a very good ,warm voice.

  I really like the first single "I Like You", which has some traits of a Jimmy Buffet type tune in it. It has been released to the world market on Hotdisc and spent nine weeks as a number 1 song on the Hotdisc chart.

  The emotive ballad "Going Home" was the EP's first video and I just found out it has been upgraded to the GAC and CMT rotation. It is the story of a soldier who was coming home after ten years of duty.

  Mark knows how to write and project a song.Being a consistent songwriter is not easy and I believe it is a gift to those who do it best.  Mark has performed a lot with good artists like Guy Clark and Dierks Bentley, opening for them. He has a flare for a song. Check him out ---

                    www.markwayneglasmire.com

Vince Gill @ Mountain Stage,about new CD

Vince plays and talks about his hot new CD "Guitar Slinger", in my opinion, one of this years best.

Joan Osborne Singing The Blues

Next year, Joan will be sharing some great new blues, watch for it as She brings it on home.