Dailey & Vincent’s 2013 album, Brothers of the Highway. Photo courtesy of APEX Entertainment Management.

Three-time IBMA Entertainer of the Year Dailey & Vincent stay the hardcore bluegrass course on their newest project, Brothers of the Highway, with a record full of immaculate harmonies, expert musicianship and more than a touch of nostalgia. Producing the album themselves, Jamie Dailey (vocals, guitar) and Darrin Vincent (vocals, bass) chose songs that have long inspired the duo after a meaningful conversation with bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs left them wanting to revisit some of their all-time favorites. The result is a blistering 12-song set that covers the likes of The Louvin Brothers, Kathy Mattea and Vince Gill as banjo and twin fiddles fly.

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Kentucky HeadHunters photo by Ash Newell, courtesy of LCMedia.

The Kentucky HeadHunters will be inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Lexington Center Bluegrass Ballroom on April 12. The museum is located in Renfro Valley, Kentucky, home of Bill Monroe, Merle Travis, The Everly Brothers, Loretta Lynn, Rosemary Clooney, Dwight Yoakam and many more.

Now in their 45^th year, the band was formed on Richard and Fred Young’s family farm in Edmonton, Kentucky with cousins Greg Martin and Anthony Kenney. Then called Itchy Brothers and sometimes referred to as “The Best Known – Unknown Band in the South,” the group had several close brushes with record deals in the ’70s, including Led Zeppelin’s Swansong Records and Capricorn. Continue Reading

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INDIO, CA – APRIL 25: Musician Earl Scruggs performs onstage during day one of California’s Stagecoach Country Music Festival held at the Empire Polo Club on April 25, 2009 in Indio, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Country Music Hall of Famer Earl Scruggs passed away at a Nashville hospital on March 28. He popularized a three-fingered style of playing banjo that transformed the instrument and inspired countless musicians. He was 88.

Born in Shelby, North Carolina and raised on a farm in the Flint Hill area, Earl started playing banjo at age four after his father George, also a banjo player, died in 1928 following an illness. He and his musical partner, Lester Flatt, were the face of bluegrass in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Before that, he was a member of bluegrass creator Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. Continue Reading

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The Academy of Country Music has pledged $2.5 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Working on a Building: Country Music Lives Here campaign. The capital campaign will help finance the Museum’s expansion from 140,000 square feet to more than 350,000 square feet. The new space will include the ACM Contemporary Gallery which will display modern developments and current trends in country music.

The Academy has been a supporter of the Museum for years. In 2009, the ACM donated a lead gift of $300,000 to assist in the Museum’s acquisition of four instruments that were integral to the creativity and legacies of Maybelle Carter, Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe. The Academy has also supported the Museum’s All for the Hall Los Angeles benefits and is one of the sponsors of the museum’s new major exhibition, The Bakersfield Sound: Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and California Country. The Academy has also donated usage of their entire photo database to the museum.

“It is the Academy’s honor to help ensure that the history of country music can be told for generations to come,” Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, said. “We are able to make this kind of contribution only because of the incredible country music artists who give of their time for Academy charitable endeavors; we can’t thank them enough for the impact they have on our industry.”

“We are deeply indebted to the ACM for this wonderful gift, which will help us continue to fulfill our educational mission and serve our worldwide audience,” said Museum Director Kyle Young.  “The genre we chronicle is a living thing, constantly evolving; country music history is being made every day.  Great museums must remain relevant, and the ACM Contemporary Gallery will allow us to not only expand our examination and celebration of modern stars, important background players and new developments in the genre, but also to spotlight new artists, trends and issues as they break.”  Continue Reading

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INDIO, CA - APRIL 25: Musician Earl Scruggs performs onstage during day one of California's Stagecoach Country Music Festival held at the Empire Polo Club on April 25, 2009 in Indio, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

GAC extends condolences to the family, friends and fans of Country Music Hall of Famer Earl Scruggs. The Tennessean reports Mr. Scruggs died Wednesday morning at a Nashville hospital. He was 88.

Scruggs popularized a three-fingered style of playing banjo that transformed the instrument, inspiring countless musicians and giving bluegrass one of its signature sounds.

Earl Eugene Scruggs was born in Shelby, N.C., and raised on a farm in the Flint Hill area. His father George, who played the banjo, died in 1928 following an illness. Earl started playing the banjo that year, at age 4.

“Dealing with the trauma of the death of his father at a young age, his emotional outlet turned to music,” Earl’s late wife (and manager) Louise Scruggs wrote in the liner notes to 2001’s Earl Scruggs and Friends album.

Scruggs and his musical partner, Lester Flatt, dominated bluegrass in the ‘50s & ‘60s. Before that, he was a member of bluegrass creator Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. He also influenced and played with a number of artists in other genres, including folk, country and rock. To this day, many music fans can still sing the 1962 Flatt & Scruggs song, “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” which was the theme from the TV show The Beverly Hillbillies. In 1969, Flatt & Scruggs won a GRAMMY for Scruggs’ instrumental, the now-classic “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.”

Here’s just a taste of some vintage Flatt & Scruggs, courtesy of our friends at the Grand Ole Opry:

“He was the man who melted walls, and he did it without saying three words,” said Marty Stuart in 2000. For a complete Earl Scruggs obituary and career retrospective, visit The Tennessean.

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Kentucky HeadHunters photo by Ash Newell, courtesy of LCMedia.

The Kentucky HeadHunters, Steven Curtis Chapman, Exile, Skeeter Davis, The Hilltoppers, Old Joe Clark and Emory & Linda Martin will be inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum as the 2013 class of professionals honored for their contribution to music in Kentucky and around the world. The announcement was made during a live press conference on WKYT-TV by Robert Lawson,executive director of the Hall of Fame.

“On behalf of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum board of directors and staff I am honored to announce the 2013 Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Induction Class,” he said. “The 2013 class showcases why the state of Kentucky has produced some of the world’s greatest music achievers in all genres of music, and I am truly honored to recognize them with induction into the hall of fame.”

“I can’t tell you what an honor this is for us,” Richard Young of the Kentucky HeadHunters said. “We’re obviously proud to be from Kentucky, and this kind of recognition with this group of people is such a privilege.”

The induction ceremony will take place on April 12, 2013 at the Lexington Center Bluegrass Ballroom. Tickets for for the ceremony will go on sale April 9, 2012. For more information,  visit www.kentuckymusicmuseum.com. Past inductees include Loretta Lynn, Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner, Keith Whitley, Crystal Gayle, Dwight Yoakam, Wynonna & Naomi Judd, Ricky Skaggs, Tom T. Hall, Bill Monroe and many more.

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The JaneDear girls photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s latest spotlight exhibit will be in support of the American Heart Association and Go Red For Women. The Exhibit, Something in Red, will feature red ensembles from several country stars including Sara Evans, Naomi Judd, and Lorrie Morgan. The exhibit opens on February 3, National Wear Red Day, and runs through April 2012.

The red dress symbolizes the fight against heart disease in women. Several country artists have parented with the American Heart Association and the museum to raise awareness for the disease, which is the number one killer in women.

Some of the dresses featured in Something in Red include Sara Evans’ dress from the1999 Academy of Country Music Awards, Naomi Judd’s leather-like jacket and skirt she wore at the 1987 Country Music Association Awards, the dress worn by the JaneDear girls’ Danelle Leverett on the cover of the duo’s debut album (photo above) and Susie Brown’s dress from the 2011 ACM Awards, and gowns worn by Lorrie Morgan and Julie Roberts on the Grand Ole Opry. Continue Reading

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened a new spotlight exhibit dedicated to legendary fashion designer Nudie Cohn on October 28. The “Silver Threads and Golden Needles: Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors” exhibit will run through November 2012. The exhibit traces Nudie’s journey across America from designing burlesque costumes in New York to opening his shop in North Hollywood. Gene Autry, Elton John, Gram Parsons, Elvis Presley, Roy Rogers and Hank Williams are among the  artists who wore Nudie’s designs.

Born Nutya Kotlyrenko in Kiev, Ukraine, in 1902, Nudie immigrated to the United States when he was 11. He became ‘Nudie’ when immigration officials mistranslated his first name. His first job was shining shoes in Brooklyn and in 1918, he headed to California where he worked as a movie extra and film cutter before returning east. On his way back, he met Bobbie Kruger, whom he would later marry. The couple moved to New York, where Nudie found work designing burlesque costumes with his brother.

The Cohns returned to the west coast in the 1940s where they ran a small tailoring shop out of their Los Angeles-area garage for seven years. In 1947, Tex Williams commissioned ten outfits for his band from Nudie. With Tex’s endorsement, business started rolling in and Nudie opened his famous Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors. His slogan was ‘Everything for the Horse and Rider,’ though he began to cater to country artists and stars of western movies.

Nudie found his niche in the industry with the creation of a rhinestone-accented suit for Lefty Frizzell and began creating custom outfits for performers. He designed wagon-wheel suits for Porter Wagoner, Native-American motifs for Ray Price and a railroad-themed suit for Hank Snow inspired by Hank’s hit “The Golden Rocket.”

Working with embroidery specialist Rose Clements and fashion designer and one-time son-in-law Manuel, Nudie also designed instruments, cars, rugs and other items. Nudie was as much a celebrity as any of his clients and was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1969. He passed away of kidney failure in 1984. Continue Reading

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The last day of October is more than just an excuse to put on a funny costume. As it turns out, the date has been quite an important one for country music. Here’s a list of some notable events that happened on Halloween, courtesy of RolandNote.com, the ultimate country music database! For more country music and Halloween, check out our Halloween section with pumpkin carving templates, fright night memories from the stars and more!

Oct 31, 1912 – Dale Evans born in Uvalde, Texas. In December 1947, she marries Roy Rogers, with whom she stars on radio and TV. She also writes their classic closing theme “Happy Trails”

Oct 31, 1921—Malissa Monroe dies at the family home near Rosine, Kentucky. No one bothers to tell her son, 10-year-old Bill Monroe, that she’s dead until after she’s already been buried

Oct 31, 1931 – Lester Flatt marries Gladys Stacy at the courthouse in Cookeville, Tennessee

Oct 31, 1934 – At a Halloween party in Halifax, Hank Snow meets his future wife, Minnie Aalders

Oct 31, 1947 — Promoter Connie B. Gay books Eddy Arnold for the first-ever country show at Washington, D.C.’s Constitution Hall. Also on the bill are comedians Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield

Oct 31, 1952 – Hank Williams checks into a Shreveport hospital with acute intoxication

Oct 31, 1954 – When Eddy Arnold plays Memphis’ Ellis Auditorium, a young Elvis Presley finds his way backstage. Presley meets Arnold and The Jordanaires, and spots–though he does not talk to–Colonel Tom Parker

Oct 31, 1960 – Elvis Presley records “Crying In The Chapel” at Nashville’s RCA Studio B. The single goes unreleased, however, for more than four years

Oct 31, 1964 – Darryl Worley born in Savannah, Tennessee. Noted for the strong traditional influence on his music, the lanky singer builds a solid career after his 2000 debut, striking a major chord for patriotism with his 2003 release “Have You Forgotten?”

Oct 31, 1966 – Decca releases Loretta Lynn‘s “Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)”

Oct 31, 1974 – Emmylou Harris records “If I Could Only Win Your Love” and her first single, “Too Far Gone”

Oct 31, 1983 – Lee Greenwood tapes the syndicated “Solid Gold” in Los Angeles, then visits the home of MCA chairman Irving Azoff to present him a tape of “God Bless The U.S.A.”

Oct 31, 1987 – Dolly Parton opens a restaurant in Honolulu, the Dockside Plantation

Oct 31, 1991 – Randy Travis accepts a unique Halloween treat: a gold album for “High Lonesome”

Oct 31, 1993 – Actor River Phoenix dies of a drug overdose outside the Viper Room in Los Angeles. His final picture was “The Thing Called Love,” based on Nashville’s famed listening room, The Bluebird Café

Oct 31, 1995 – Bryan White, Derek George and John Tirro write “So Much For Pretending” on Halloween, distracted periodically by trick-or-treaters

Oct 31, 1998 – Lari White blows out the speakers when she sings the national anthem before the Miami Hurricanes’ football game against Boston College

Oct 31, 2000 – “I Hope You Dance” becomes Lee Ann Womack‘s second platinum album

Oct 31, 2005 – “Inside TV” lists the Top 10 TV witches of all-time, ranking Lisa Hartman Black at #9 for her portrayal of Samantha Stevens’ grown-up daughter in the late-’70s series “Tabitha”

Oct 31, 2006 – During a Tuesday edition of the Grand Ole Opry, Jeff Bates gets down on one knee at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to propose to Kelly Vaughn. She nods yes

Oct 31, 2007 – Taylor Swift goes trick-or-treating in Hendersonville, Tennessee, disguised as the hairy “Star Wars” character Chewbacca

Oct 31, 2010 – Trace Adkins performs for U.S. soldiers in Basra, Iraq, near the outset of a USO tour

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Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers. Photo by Alane Anno, courtesy of JEMMedia.

On the strength of a busy touring schedule, a string of national television appearances and the release of a new album, Rare Bird Alert (read our review HERE) on Rounder Records, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers took home the Entertainer of the Year award at the 22^nd annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Thursday night, September 29 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Steve, who always included banjo picking in his early stand-up comedy routines, has become more serious about recording and performing bluegrass music during the past two years, with the release of two albums of original music.

Steve appeared at the microphone to receive the bluegrass music industry’s highest music award, leapt a few times into the air, congratulated the other Entertainer of the Year nominees and jokingly thanked them for losing. He went on to thank producers John McEuen and Tony Trischka as well as his band mates, and then he talked about how hard they’ve been working on their music, as well as the humor and entertainment aspects of their show, while never denigrating the music. Martin said that while half of their audience usually comes to see him not knowing anything about bluegrass, “they all leave loving it, and maybe they seek out other musicians. We’re really, really honored to win this award tonight.”

Steep Canyon Rangers lead singer, Woody Platt quipped, “Working with Steve, we might be the most entertained of all. Most of all we thank Steve for giving us this most amazing ride.”

Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers, a young group based in North Carolina named IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year in 2007, played “Me and Paul Revere” during the Awards Show—a song Steve wrote from the perspective of Revere’s horse and performed on national television at the Capitol 4^th Concert in Washington, D.C. July 4.

Hosted by legendary mandolin player and band leader Sam Bush, the 2011 IBMA Awards Show were a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Bill Monroe, recognized as the Father of Bluegrass.

Sam Bush told a story about how a young musician once approached Bill Monroe and played a tune he’d written squarely in the Monroe style.  The older mandolinist listened carefully and said, “That’s real good. What can you do on your own now?”  The question was answered at the IBMA Awards, as band after talented band hit the stage.

As bluegrass music heads into the second hundred years after its founder’s birth, the genre is stronger than ever—as evidenced by a number of virtuoso level, high energy live performances from The Sam Bush Band, The Grascals, Balsam Range, The Del McCoury Band, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Sierra Hull & Highway 111, Lonesome River Band, The Boxcars, The Gibson Brothers, Dailey & Vincent, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver—later joined by J.D. Crowe and Paul Williams, George Shuffler, Hall of Famer Tom Gray and new Distinguished Award recipient Roland White.

The moment that probably would have made Bill Monroe smile was when White kicked into “Wheel Hoss,” with the next break played in twin harmony by Sam Bush and Ronnie McCoury on their mandolins. Dailey & Vincent thrilled the crowd with triple fiddles added to their usual line-up for “Close By,” and The Grascals brought two young girls from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital who are battling cancer onstage with them to sing “I Am Strong,” a song inspired by the band’s trip to St. Jude. 

Ronnie and Rob McCoury inducted their father into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and guitarist James Alan Shelton inducted George Shuffler, the bass and cross-picked guitar stylist known as “the third Stanley Brother.”  The evening ended with a guitar rendition of “Life is Like a Mountain Railway” from Shuffler and Shelton, backed by Gray, and a medley of Del McCoury songs delivered in his trademark, scalding tenor range.

Congratulations to the following winners of 2011 International Bluegrass Awards:

Hall of Fame Inductees – Del McCoury, George Shuffler

Entertainer of the Year – Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers

Vocal Group of the Year – The Gibson Brothers

Instrumental Group of the Year – The Boxcars

Male Vocalist of the Year – Russell Moore

Female Vocalist of the Year – Dale Ann Bradley

Emerging Artist of the Year – The Boxcars

Album of the Year – Help My Brother by The Gibson Brothers (artists), Eric & Leigh Gibson and Mike Barber (producers), Compass (label)

Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year –  ”Goin’ Up Dry Branch,” Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (artist), Buddy Spicher & Jimmy Martin (songwriters), Jeff White & Michael Cleveland (producers), Rounder (label)

Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year – “Prayer Bells of Heaven” by J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, & Paul Williams (artists), Ben Isaacs (producer), Mountain Home (label)

Song of the Year – “Trains I Missed;”  Balsam Range (artists); Walt Wilkins, Gilles Godard & Nicole Witt (songwriters)

Recorded Event of the Year – “Prayer Bells of Heaven” by J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson & Paul Williams (artists); Ben Isaacs (producer); Mountain Home (label)

Banjo Player of the Year – Kristin Scott Benson and Ron Stewart (tie)

Guitar Player of the Year – Bryan Sutton

Fiddle Player of the Year – Michael Cleveland

Bass Player of the Year – Marshall Wilborn

Mandolin Player of the Year – Adam Steffey

Dobro Player of the Year – Rob Ickes

Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients – Greg Cahill, Bill Knowlton, Lilly Pavlak, Geoff Stelling, Roland White

Broadcaster of the Year – Katy Daley, WAMU Bluegrass Country

Print Media Person of the Year – Juli Thanki, Engine145.com

Bluegrass Event of the Year – Silver Dollar City’s Bluegrass & BBQ Festival; Branson, Mo.

Best Graphic Design – Ricardo Alessio & Erica Harris (designer & artist), Abigail Washburn (artist), Rounder (label)

Best Liner Notes – Colin Escott (writer), A Mother’s Prayer, Ralph Stanley (artist), Rebel (label)

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