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The Bluegrass All-Star Jam will celebrate American roots music this weekend with performances in Troy, New York and Alexandria, Virginia. Performances will be held Feb 10 and 12, 2012. The Bluegrass All-Star Jam will celebrate American roots music this weekend with performances in Troy, New York and Alexandria, Virginia. This all-star event is truly a unique experience with the best and brightest in bluegrass music featuring the award-winning talents of: Claire Lynch, Sammy Shelor, Michael Cleveland, Josh Williams, Kenny & Amanda Smith, and Missy Raines.

On Friday, February 10, 2012, the group will perform at the Troy Savings Band Music Hall located at 30 Second St., Troy, NY 12180 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $25-$35 and can be purchased at TroyMusicHall.org.

This Sunday, February 12, 2012, they are set for a performance at The Birchmere, located at 3701 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305 at 8:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone at (800)745-3000, and at The Birchmere Box Office from 5-9pm any night during shows. For more information, please visit Birchmere.com or call (703) 549-7500.

Claire Lynch is a two-time International Bluegrass Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award winner – In 2010, in recognition of her current work with the Claire Lynch Band and in 1997, for her influential work with the Front Porch String Band, and her impressive career as a solo artist. Blazing her own trail in the mid 70's when there were few role models for a young woman in the genre, Claire Lynch made history when she led the Front Porch String Band, which evolved in the 80’s and 90’s into one of the sharpest and most exciting post-modern bluegrass bands on the circuit. She formed her own Claire Lynch Band in 2005 and has consistently been a top pick of prestigious publications, critics and audiences across the nation ever since.

Josh Williams is an International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) multi-award winner including three-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year (2008-2010) and The Josh Williams Band as the 2010 IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year (2010). He was nominated for the IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year (2011). Not only is he a top vocalist and guitarist, Josh is adept on all bluegrass instruments. He is currently on tour with his band also sits in with the Tony Rice Unit on mandolin. In 2011, The Josh Williams Band was caught on camera performing at the Doyle Lawson Bluegrass Festival in NC where a fan captured a special moment on stage when a small bird lands on Josh's guitar while he's singing. The video is receiving an impressive number of views on youtube.

Virginia Country Music Hall of Famer, Sammy Shelor is a 4-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year award winner. He is the leader of the super bluegrass group, Lonesome River Band who are celebrating their 30th Anniversary. Last November, Sammy was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass during an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman followed with a performance by the Lonesome River Band with special guest Steve Martin. Banjo pickers all over the world have studied Sammy’s tab books and instructional DVD.

Missy Raines is the most decorated bass player in the history of the International Bluegrass Music Association with 7 Bass Player of the Year Awards to her credit. A former member of the Grammy Nominated Claire Lynch Band, the acclaimed duo, Jim Hurst and Missy Raines, Missy is one of the most popular figures in the bluegrass community and a trailblazer in her field for as long as she’s been playing music. Her rich pedigree in the field reaches from legends such as Mac Wiseman, Kenny Baker, Josh Graves and Eddie and Martha Adcock, to contemporary artists like Peter Rowan, Laurie Lewis, Dudley Connell and Don Rigsby. Missy also toured and recorded with the rootsy, edgy Brother Boys.

Michael Cleveland is an impressive 9-time IBMA Fiddler Player of the Year Award winner (2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011). As a bandleader, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper won the IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year Award (2002, 2004, 2006) and the IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year Award (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.)

Kenny & Amanda Smith –Kenny is widely considered one of the most impressive and influential flatpicking-style guitarists of his generation. He is a two-time IBMA Guitarist of the Year Award winner (1998, 1999). In 2001, Kenny left the Lonesome River Band to perform in as a duo with his wife Amanda who is an acclaimed vocalist. They met in 1995 at a Lonesome River Band concert and married soon thereafter. In 2003, Kenny and Amanda won the IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year Award.

For more information on the Bluegrass All-Star Jam, please visit BluegrassAllStarJam.com.

The Oil City Arts Council and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Venango County, Inc. are teaming to host Oil City's Fifth Annual Oil Country Bluegrass Festival. This annual event will be held on February 24, 25 and 26, 2012 at Americas Best Value Inn and Suites, 'The Arlington Hotel', in Oil City, PA. All proceeds will benefit the sponsoring non-profit organizations.

The prior four festivals have been extremely successful. Each year, numerous bluegrass bands from throughout the region have donated their time and talent; near capacity crowds attended the three-day event; and, many local eateries experienced an increase in business during the festival weekend.

Like last year, the festival performances will take place approximately every half hour beginning at 6 p.m. or shortly thereafter on Friday, February 24; by 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 25; and, at 9 a.m. on Sunday, February 26. A band competition will highlight and kickoff Saturday's performances, provided that enough bands elect enter the competition. The winning bands will receive cash prizes.

All bluegrass bands that take part will be donating their time to benefit the sponsoring entities. Ron Shoup comments, "We are fortunate to have so many outstanding bluegrass bands in our region. It is wonderful so many of these bands have participated in our festivals, both to benefit a worthy cause and to bring bluegrass music to the forefront. We are now in the process of seeking additional participation and making contacts with other bands with the hope that they will also participate. This event also ties in nicely with Oil City's ongoing arts-revitalization efforts and activities."

Thus far, bands that have committed to performing at this year's festival include: The Grand Old Radio, Grover and the Nighthawks, Road Apple Ridge, The Dempseytown Ramblers, The Pine Valley Boys, Higher Mountain, The Done Inn String Band, Full Steam Ahead, The Keister Family Band, Well Strung, Midnight Drive, Backwoods Bluegrass, Midnight Rooster, The Old Hats, The Tyler Smilo String Band, the Darl Weckerly Family Band and a newly formed group that includes members Ted McCague, Ray Bruckman and Gordon Neidinger.

Individuals seeing more information about the Annual Oil Country Bluegrass Festival may contact Ron Shoup at (814) 676-3465 (e-mail: rshoup@csonline.net.) or Dan Feroz at (814) 677-2373.

Most performances will take place on the fifth floor of The Arlington Hotel in the Riverview Ballroom which offers a very scenic view of the Allegheny River. Other performances will take in other areas of the hotel, including some pick-up band performances in the Drake Rooms, lounge and other first floor areas. All performances are open and free to the public. The Oil City Arts Council and CASA of Venango County, Inc. will benefit from monies raised from 50/50 drawings, a guitar raffle, a mandolin raffle, basket raffles, t-shirt sales and donations. Many energetic Arts Council and CASA volunteers will be on hand to help out with the 3-day festival.

The hotel management will again be giving special reduced lodging rates for the festival. Food will be available at the hotel restaurant, with dinner buffets being served on Friday and Saturday evenings and breakfast buffets being served on Saturday mornings. A continental breakfast will be served on Sunday morning. Luncheon food and beverages will also be available on site. Fine food is also available at numerous other surrounding restaurants. Bluegrass festival goers can also take the opportunity to enjoy shopping at local businesses, the Transit Fine Art Gallery, Transit Artist Studios and community specialty shops.

This year's festival will be complemented by a juried exhibition entitled "Sound Palette - An Art Exhibit about Music” that will be held at the National Transit Building Annex and will be sponsored by The Oil City Arts Council, Arts Oil City, and the Graffiti Gallery. The exhibit seeks to provide a glimpse into the expression of music and music related performances as art. For more information about the exhibit, contact Holly Berlin at (814) 673-5641 or e-mail her at hollyjarzenskiberlin@gmail.com

Weather permitting, the Oil City Civic Center's National Transit Express trackless trolley will be available on Saturday, February 25, from noon until 4:00 p.m., to shuttle festival goers from the hotel to the Transit Fine Arts Gallery, Transit Artist Studio, or possibly to other locations.

At the bluegrass festival, attendees will be provided with information pertaining to other activities or entertainment going on in community during the same weekend. Festival goers are encouraged to visit restaurants, businesses, exhibits, the Transit Fine Art Gallery, or other venues offering entertainment.

The colorful painting created by Melody Fisher to represent the 2012 Live Oak Music Festival resembles a postcard with multiple vignettes that will be instantly recognizable to seasoned “Oakies”. The artwork will adorn 2012 Live Oak Music Festival t-shirts and other merchandise sold at the annual outdoor concert & camping event that benefits KCBX Public Radio. The popular festival takes place in the hills above Santa Barbara each Father’s Day weekend, June 15th – 17th, 2012.

Raised in the mountains of Colorado, and trained in fine art in Texas, Melody moved to the Central Coast nearly 20 years ago. She divides her time between Arroyo Grande and her property in New Mexico, and works locally as a scenic artist and stage hand. Melody was introduced to Live Oak through friends and has been a volunteer on the production crew of the Live Oak Music Festival for the last several years. She loves the setting of the festival and wanted her acrylic painting to emphasize the beauty of the place, with festival images superimposed in much the same way that the festival is created on the land.

The Live Oak Music Festival is a three-day concert and camping event held every year on Fathers’ Day weekend (June 15-17, 2012). One hundred percent of festival proceeds go to support KCBX Public Radio. Nestled under the oak trees of the quiet Santa Ynez Valley, Live Oak comes alive every year as an outdoor music festival showcasing some of the finest musicians from around the world in genres ranging from traditional, folk, bluegrass and gospel, to blues, jazz, classical, and world music. Performers announced so far for 2012 include Austin singer-songwriter James McMurtry; Texas blues singer Carolyn Wonderland; the soul, gospel, and blues of Quinn DeVeaux and the Blue Beat Review; and Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic.

2012 Live Oak Music Festival tickets, the up-to-date entertainment lineup, and complete festival information are available now at www.LiveOakFest.org , on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/LiveOakMusicFestival, or by calling 805-781-3030.

Freeman & Williams, a new fresh sound from award-winning veteran performers, Jeanette Williams, Johnny Williams and Scott Freeman. This trio comes together with an arsenal of talent... all are accomplished musicians, vocalists and songwriters and bring these talents together to create magical sounds that move from old-time straight through bluegrass to old-time country music. Each artist brings tremendous talent to the table but when combined, the result is incredible. The group has completed their first recording for Mountain Roads Recordings, a self-titled release, Freeman & Williams that was released yesterday, February 7th, 2012. This album showcases the group with original creations along with some well-known favorites and some not so well known classics.

Come join the CD Release Party on Saturday February 11, 2012 beginning at 6 pm at Heartwood in Abingdon, Virginia. Heartwood, home of The Crooked Road, presents a perfect place to feature this great group and the music they make. Come see Johnny & Scott as they join Jeanette, who was selected this past weekend as the 2012 Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year at the annual convention and awards show for the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA, pronounced spig-mah).

Jeanette Williams, vocalist, bass player and award-winning songwriter, began her singing career in 1989, with a local country band performing at amateur recreations of the Grand Ole Opry. Since that time, she has been the recipient of a number of awards including holding the title of current 2012 SPBGMA Female Vocalist of the Year Award in the traditional category, a title she also held in 2009, she was named the Virginia Folk Music Association's State Champion Female Vocalist, PICABO Entertainer of the Year (4 times), and PICABO Female Vocalist (4 times). She has garnered no less than 8 nominations for SPBGMA Female Vocalist of the Year and is a 2005 graduate of IBMA Leadership Bluegrass. Jeanette and Johnny have been fortunate to tour most of the USA, Canada and five foreign countries taking acoustic music around the world.

Jeanette has been featured in both Bluegrass Unlimited, Bluegrass Now magazines to name a few. She has recorded more than 10 projects, including the critically acclaimed 1999 Doobie Shea Records release, "Cherry Blossoms in the Springtime", which spent 9 months on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Survey Album Chart. Her latest solo project "Thank You For Caring" rated high on the National charts also. She is featured on the Daughters of Bluegrass, "Back To The Well" album that earned group the prestigious IBMA Recorded Event of the Year Award in 2006 and on the group's 2008 album, "Bluegrass Bouquet." Notable guest on Jeanette's CD's include George Jones, Tony Rice and Tim Stafford. She has also appeared as guest on concerts with Alison Krause and Ralph Stanley!

Johnny Williams, a 2006 graduate of IBMA Leadership Bluegrass, plays guitar, shares vocal and emcee duties, and writes most of the band's original material. An award winning singer and songwriter, he has been named Virginia State Champion Male Vocalist, PICABO Male Vocalist (twice), and PICABO Songwriter of the Year. He was the bluegrass division winner of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at Merlefest in 1998 & 1999. He penned three of the four songs that JWB recorded for "Bell Witch, The Movie" soundtrack. Rambler's Choice, New Classic Grass, Larry Stephenson, Special Consensus, and Mark Newton have also recorded his songs. He has co-written with notable writers, such as Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall. His 2009 solo release on Mountain Roads Recordings, Last Day of Galax, includes nine original compositions.

He was featured in Bluegrass Now Magazine in the July 2004 "State of the Union" column. Johnny was President of the Dan River Region Bluegrass Association for 5 years, and produces many local music events. Johnny has been included on vocal workshops with John Hartford, Gillian Welch, Jim Lauderdale, Louisa Branscomb and Guy Clark. He currently produces and records with bands in varied genres of music but primarily bluegrass.

Scott Freeman plays mandolin, fiddle and vocals. He plays, arranges and writes songs, which have been recorded by some of the top touring bands in acoustic music. He has recorded three solo projects, "Southern Souvenirs", "Friends For The Journey", and "Carolina Welcomes You", each showcasing his varied musical tastes. Scott spends his time now teaching fiddle and mandolin. He also tours and conducts workshops for the NCTA and folk festivals.

The Infamous Stringdusters have announced, "We are thrilled to announce the first studio release from High Country Recordings, Silver Sky. The new album will be released on Tuesday, March 12 at the start of the tour.

When asked about the meaning of Silver Sky which is taken from a lyric in the song 'Rockets', Travis said, " The song's about the potential of youth and the blossoming of the human spirit, inspired by a group of young musicians in Boston. This is a heavy time in the history of our country and our planet, change is in the air, but this is our time, our opportunity to do great things and experience life while we are alive. We can be and do whatever we want, the range of potential experiences is like no other time in history. Like a rocket streaking through a silver sky toward endless space, there's almost limitless potential. That's what we're feeling as a group and what we've become about."

Pre-Order Silver Sky through PledgeMusic. Visit The Infamous Stringdusters Facebook Page to stream the aforementioned 'Rockets' from Silver Sky

As many of you know, the Pledge campaign will not only help us complete the production of Silver Sky, but will also allow the band to tour at a whole new level with a cool stage scene and sound rig. So with the new tour dates comes a list of Pledge tour incentives as well as another pair of tickets to The Festy Experience 2012.

Pledging now will give you access to a growing database of really cool exclusive content like videos of van jams, the New Years Eve Countdown and solo songs like this version 'Rockets' that was just released today. We have a lot of exciting content to release in the coming weeks. Support our Pledge Campaign to be a part of it.

The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) held their 29th National Convention and the 38th Anniversary Bluegrass Music Awards February 2-5, 2012. The four-day event was held at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. The awards were posted by SPBGMA yesterday evening. The awards are the big item of the convention and we have the winners listed below. Jamie Dailey, pictured, took home the 2012 Entertainer of the Year honors.

The National Convention featured an extensive lineup of America's top bluegrass bands, many who received awards during the event. Bands included Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Lou Reid & Carolina, Audie Blaylock & Redline, Larry Stephenson Band, The Grascals, Dailey & Vincent, The Martins, The James King Band, Danny Stanley & The Bluegrass Gentlemen, Bluegrass Brigade, The Newfound Road, Special Consensus, Punches Family, Mountain Faith, The Bluegrass Brothers, Revonda Roberts & Harvest Wind, Michelle Nixon & Drive, The Expedition Show, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, The Marksmen Quartet, Ronnie Reno & The Reno Tradition, Jeanette Williams Band, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Midwestern Town, Don Rigsby & Midnight Call, Grasstowne, Tony Holt & The Wildwood Valley Boys, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, Gibson Brothers, Tim Graves & Cherokee, Nothin' Fancy, The Chapmans, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Buck & Company, Randy Waller & The Country Gentlemen, and Big Country Bluegrass.

The event also included the 29th International Band Championship. Flatt Lonesome was crowned the champion of the competition for 2012.

Rhonda added another award to her collection with Female Vocalist of the Year. She and her group are the Most Awarded Artist in bluegrass music with over 80 awards. Rhonda proved once again why she is the Queen of Bluegrass, when she performed with her new generation band, The Rage, for the half time show at the National SPBGMA Awards in Nashville, TN. Her performance debuted a historical mark in her band, as she featured her newest member "Brent Burke" on dobro, who is proclaimed to be the "next Jerry Douglas." Burke wowed the crowd with his dobro wizardry, to add yet a new dimension to the multi-award winning group. Brent Burke is also the first and only recipient of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music from East Tennessee State University.

Bluegrass phenoms Dailey & Vincent were voted Bluegrass Band of the Year (Overall), Vocal Group of the Year, and Gospel Group of the Year (Contemporary). Jamie Dailey was also awarded for being Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year (Contemporary), while Darrin Vincent picked up the Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year award. This group has taken the bluegrass community by storm since the duo started performing together. The fire still burns!

2012 SPGBMA National Awards Winners Are:

• BLUEGRASS PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
  • DA Calloway
• BLUEGRASS RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
  • WDVX-FM - Knoxville, TN
• BLUEGRASS DJ OF THE YEAR
  • Joe Mullins (WBZI-AM)
• BLUEGRASS SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
  • Leigh & Eric Gibson
• BLUEGRASS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
  • "HELP MY BROTHER" - by The Gibson Brothers for Compass Records
• . BASS FIDDLE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
  • Darrin Vincent
• DOBRO PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
  • Tim Graves
• GUITAR PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
  • Josh Williams
• MANDOLIN PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
  • Larry Stephenson
• BANJO PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
  • Kristin Scott Benson
• FIDDLE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
  • Michael Cleveland
• FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Contemporary)
  • Rhonda Vincent
• FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Traditional)
  • Jeanette Williams
• MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Contemporary)
  • Jamie Dailey
• MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Traditional)
  • James King
• GOSPEL GROUP OF THE YEAR (Contemporary)
  • Dailey & Vincent
• GOSPEL GROUP OF THE YEAR (Traditional)
  • Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
• VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
  • Dailey and Vincent
• INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
  • The Grascals
• BLUEGRASS BAND OF THE YEAR (Overall)
  • Dailey & Vincent
• SONG OF THE YEAR
  • "HELP MY BROTHER" - by Gibson Brothers for Compass Records
• ENTERTAINING GROUP OF THE YEAR
  • Nothin' Fancy
• ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
  • Jamie Dailey

The Sheraton Music City Hotel is located just south of Opryland USA, just off Jct. I-40 and Briley Parkway. From Opryland take Briley Parkway south to Elm Hill Pike, then turn east to third signal light at McGavock Pike, turn right and go 1/4 mile to the Sheraton Music City on the left at the top of the hill.BANJO PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Nashville, TN -- International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) Entertainers of the Year the Steep Canyon Rangers announced the April 10 release of their Rounder Records solo band debut album, Nobody Knows You. With this 5th album, the band – current Grammy nominees for ‘Best Bluegrass Album' for 2011's Rare Bird Alert collaboration with Steve Martin – takes a giant step forward as songwriters and performers who continue to redefine both traditional and progressive approaches to the genre.

With a 2012 schedule that features their most ambitious international theater, university and festival tour to date – including headlining the Winnipeg Festival in Winnipeg, Canada, the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California and the Rhythm and Roots Festival in Bristol, Tennessee – they remain the band bringing bluegrass to perhaps its biggest audience ever. "The Steep Canyon Rangers, with whom I have had the great pleasure of touring and have shared the wonderful honor of IBMA's Entertainer of the Year Award," says Martin, "are not only great musicians who continue to explore both the new and old styles of bluegrass and bring a fresh energy to the traditions of American music, but they are also really fun on a bus."

Nobody Knows You is the next level for the North Carolina quintet – Mike Guggino (mandolin/vocals), Charles Humphrey III (bass/vocals), Woody Platt (guitar/lead vocals), Nicky Sanders (fiddle/vocals) and Graham Sharp (banjo/vocals) – known for forging their own distinct path within a famously traditional genre. Having defied all notions of "déjà bluegrass" since their beginnings more than 12 years ago at UNC Chapel Hill, the new album – co-produced by the band and nine-time Grammy-winner Gary Paczosa – is fueled by deft musicianship, impeccable songwriting, distinctive vocals, and creative arrangements that eschew all formulas.

"We've made enough records by now that if we can't just follow what we want to do," says Graham Sharp, who wrote seven of the album's dozen songs, "then what's the point of us doing it?" The result – which blasts out of the box with the album's buoyantly mold-breaking title track – is the most adventurous and fully realized accomplishment Steep Canyon Rangers have achieved to date, and the record is poised to bring them to audiences beyond their already devoted bluegrass, folk, americana and jamband fanbase.

The band's acclaimed 2010 album Deep In The Shade remained in Billboard's Bluegrass Top 10 for 18 weeks. In March 2011, Rare Bird Alert – the band's Grammy nominated collaborative and featuring special guest vocals from Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks – debuted at #1 on Billboard's Bluegrass Chart and at #43 on the Billboard Top 200. Contributing key performances at festivals like MerleFest and Bonnaroo alongside Steve Martin throughout 2011, the Steep Canyon Rangers also performed alone as a quintet on stages such as Telluride, RockyGrass, and ‘A Prairie Home Companion' with Garrison Keillor.

Recent national and international television appearances by the band with Steve Martin include The View, Late Show With David Letterman, The Colbert Report, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, Austin City Limits and Later With Jools Holland. The band and Steve Martin will be attending the 54th Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles on February 12th. Steep Canyon Rangers will celebrate the release of Nobody Knows You with CD release events in both Nashville and New York during the last week of March in preparation for the April 10th, 2012 release date.

Sao Paulo, Brazil -- Bluegrass remains hot in Brazil and the Sao Paulo, Brazil Bluegrass Music Association and the band Motorgrass will be hosting a series of workshops to get it even better. The acoustic string instruments of bluegrass music and the styles in which they're played will be part of the agenda.

Bill Monroe style bluegrass, 5-String banjo, mandolin, viola flat picking, acoustic bass and even cross picking will be available. The sessions will take place February 11, 2012. This will be a one day workshop that we will explain the basics of bluegrass, the instruments, the history for both musicians and fans. Everybody is welcome.

The São Paulo Bluegrass Music Association promotes acoustic music and helps to inegrate the music with their own national music segments such as the Brazilian choro, valuing the artist musician, honoring traditions and creating presentations and events of gratifying cultural recognition.

The last bluegrass workshop that the Sao Paulo Bluegrass Music Association had was about ten years ago and Erio organized that. And now, Cesar Benzoni has recreated the Bluegrass Experience. These workshops are not only for musicians, but for fans and people that are curious to know what is bluegrass all about. The course is going to explain the chronology, talking about fiddle tunes, Bill Monroe and his influences, Earl Scruggs and his 3-finger banjo picking style and a summary about those three generations. São Paulo Bluegrass Music Association is promoting it and Motorgrass, Cesar Benzoni's band, will lead the workshop.

It's happening on february 11 at 2:00a.m. at H-Unit, that is an school of music. If you're interested in a multi-cultural experience, contact Cesar Benzoni at cesar@bandablacksmith.com.br or visit them on the web at H-Unit.com for the full flyer (in Portuguese).

Founded by songsmiths Brandi Hart and Buddy Woodward, the band is named for Kentucky Highway 41 – The Dixie Bee-Line. The Dixie Bee-Liner's brand of traditional-meets-contemporary music has earned them a reputation for breaking new ground. Saturday, February 25th, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a bluegrass concert by the Dixie Bee-Liners. Admission to the concert is $7 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.

Brandi Hart, a native of the Bluegrass State, grew up singing and playing music in Southern Baptist church choirs. In addition to handling the band's vocals; Brandi is an accomplished, prolific songwriter. Her work has been featured on IBMA's Songwriter's Showcase and by ASCAP at the IBMA conference. Brandi plays guitar, fiddle, and the mountain dulcimer.

Buddy Woodward is a bluegrass veteran who plays nearly every instrument you can mention – mandolin, guitar, banjo, and bass to name a few. He was a founding member of the alternative country Ghost Rockets and later the honky-tonk group the Nitro Express. Buddy was featured in the Barter Theatre play Man of Constant Sorrow, and he also worked on the soundtrack of the film Freedom. He has played with John Starling, Steve Earle, Rosie Flores, Jim Lauderdale, the Coal Porters, Bill Keith, Laura Cantrell, Beat Rodeo, Sid Griffin, Smalltown Parade, the Jet Set, the Chelsea Mountain Jamboree, and many others.

The group records for Pinecastle Records. Their second CD, Susanville, follows the 2008 release of Ripe which earned the band four number one hits on the bluegrass charts. This critically-acclaimed group of accomplished musicians has performed and taught in hundreds of venues around the world including BBC Radio Scotland, NPR, the Food Network, Sirius radio, and SM satellite radio. Their dynamic musicianship adds grit, humor, and emotion to their performances. For more information on the group, go to www.dixiebeeliners.com

For an unforgettable evening of music and dance, be sure to see the Dixie Bee-Liners at the Carter Family Fold. Known for their high-octane harmonies and beautiful original songs, the Bee-Liners represent bluegrass at its' finest. Be sure to bring along your dancing shoes, too! The Bee-Liners are high energy, and you'll want to hit the dance floor.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to www.CarterFamilyFold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at www.CarterFoldShow.com.

Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at TheCrookedRoad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on Saturday's concert, contact the Mountain Music Museum at 276-645-0035. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054.

"Folks Are Talking" is a double CD that includes 28 oral histories of folks Garret Mathews interviewed as a young feature writer on the Bluefield, W. Va., Daily Telegraph between 1974 and 1979. The mountainous circulation area includes Mercer, McDowell, Wyoming, Monroe and Raleigh counties in West Virginia and Tazewell, Buchanan, Bland, Wythe, Russell and Giles counties in Virginia. It's rural America. No community in the two-state area has more than 20,000 residents. Some places visited for this collection – Bandy, Rhodell, Jenkinjones and Beeson – have fewer than 300 inhabitants. Music evocative of the region is included on the double CD.

During his stay in Bluefield, Mathews published two books – "Folks" and "Folks 2" – about some of the characters he met while prowling back roads in search of feature stories. "Folks Are Talking" seemed a logical title for the looking-back project that also contains original songs by his wife, MaryAnne, as well as Appalachian-related music contributed by friends in the Evansville area.

Mathews, who moved to Evansville, Ind., in 1987 to write the metro column for The Courier, retired in 2011 after penning more than 10,000 articles on a variety of subjects from a 91-year-old female bootlegger in Princeton, Kentucky, to the members of a snake-handling church in Jolo, West Virginia.

Mathews selected 28 of his early Daily Telegraph stories – gathered primarily in southern West Virginia but also in southwest Virginia – for "Folks Are Talking." They include an early UMW organizer, a horse trader, survivors of coal mine explosions, coal camp baseball players, a girl born during the deadly flood of 1977 and a female furrier who carves muskrats while eating peanut-butter sandwiches.

"These men and women are from a bygone era and most are long dead," Mathews says. "I wanted to record our time together as a way of keeping their stories alive."

Copies of "Folks Are Talking" will be made available to public and school libraries in that two-state area as well as to historians and colleges and universities that offer Appalachian studies.

"It's as I point out in the introduction: You just don't find these folks any more," Mathews says. "What they shared with me, I want to share with future generations."

The double CD costs $17 plus $3 shipping. Checks should be sent to "Folks Are Talking," c/o Garret Mathews, 7954 Elna Kay Drive, Evansville, Indiana 47715. For more information, see www.FolksAreTalking.com

The DC Bluegrass Festival is growing to two days and moving to a new home in Maryland. Join us indoors and out of the winter weather for the Great 2012 DCBU Band Competition on Friday night (see below for entry details), stay to hear top national and local bluegrass performers and attend workshops all day Saturday, or just pick to your heart's content from Friday night through Sunday morning.

Headlining this year's festival will be two of bluegrass music's top artists - The Boxcars and Sierra Hull & Highway 111. Also appearing will be the U.S. Navy Bluegrass Band, Country Current. Bluegrass legends Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray, Dede Wyland, Randy Barrett & Mama Tried. Big Chimney and Mitch Harrell & The Virginians will also be performing.

The Boxcars have been confirmed to perform at the DC Bluegrass Festival. This new group brought four awards at the 2011 IBMA awards show. 2011 Emerging Artist of the Year, 2011 Instrumental Group of the Year, 2011 Banjo Player of the Year, 2011 Mandolin Player of the Year!

Young mandolinist Sierra Hull and her group have been confirmed to perform at the DC Bluegrass Festival. Sierra's band was nominated for 2011 IBMA's Emerging Artist of the Year and Sierra was also nominated for Mandolin Player of the Year.

Tom Gray says, "I hope you will come to the two-day bluegrass festival sponsored by the DC Bluegrass Union where I will perform with my partners in music, Eddie and Martha Adcock. It will be held on Friday and Saturday February 24 & 25 at the Holiday Inn on U.S. 1 in College Park MD. For more info about schedules, prices, tickets, etc., see www.dcbluegrassfest.org You can even stay there at the Holiday Inn and enjoy a whole weekend of bluegrass music."

Workshops and jamming will continue to be a part of the fare at this fun-filled bluegrass festival. Learn from the best in bluegrass. Sit in on instrument and vocal workshops with members of the Boxcars, Sierra Hull and her band, and local legend Dede Wyland. Jamming is always encouraged, so bring your instruments. A secure instrument check room will be provided.

Show off your chops to a new audience too. Bring your best bluegrass tunes to the festival Friday night to compete for $1,300 in prizes and the opening performance on Saturday. The Great 2012 DCBU Band Competition will offer three great prizes.

Heather Berry grew up in Sherando, Virginia, which is located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. She got her first experience singing in front of a crowd in her grandfather's church in Waynesboro, Virginia, at age five. Listening to old Carter Family records, Heather learned early to accompany herself with guitar and autoharp. By age 12 she was singing with the Lewis Family and the Country Gentlemen. She formed her first band and recorded her first CD. Saturday, Febraury 18th, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by the Heather Berry and Tony Mabe Band. Admission to the concert is $7 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.

At 16, Heather recorded a gospel CD that included several songs she had written. Heather has released multiple CDs. She's worked with the Whites, Mac Wiseman, Eddie & Martha Adcock, Wayne Benson, Mike Bub, Chris & Sally Jones, Don Rigsby, Alecia Nugent, the Issacs, and many more notable musicians.

Tony Mabe, on banjo and vocals, was born and raised in Walnut Cove, North Carolina. His love for music began at the early age of four when he started playing southern gospel style piano. His instrumental abilities include banjo, upright bass, guitar, mandolin, autoharp, and piano. He's played for Bobby Atkins and the Countrymen (at age 14) and also with the Jeanette Williams Band. Tony and Heather have been married for several years and now reside in Meadows, North Carolina.

For more information, go to www.heatherberrymusic.com There will be several fine musicians backing Heather and Tony. We'll have lots of fiddle tunes for the dancers and some of the finest harmony this side of Heaven. Don't miss Heather Berry and Tony Mabe at the Carter Fold!

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to www.CarterFamilyFold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at www.CarterFoldShow.com.

Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at TheCrookedRoad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on Saturday's concert, contact the Mountain Music Museum at 276-645-0035. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054.

Clintwood, VA -- The Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center will host Dr. Ralph Stanley's 85th Birthday Dinner and Fund Raiser at Heartwood at 6:00 PM on Saturday, February 18, 2012 in Abingdon, VA. Heartwood is Southwest Virginia's Artisan Gateway, situated off Interste 81 at exit 14. Come and be with us to celebrate Dr. Stanley's birthday with Dr. Stanley himself. A first-class buffet-style dinner will be served and much more at this once-in-a-lifetime event! Tickets to the dinner are priced at $100 per plate, and guests may purchase them by calling the Museum & Center at 276-926-8550.

The Museum & Center presents this special birthday event each year in celebration of Dr. Stanley's life and work. With a career spanning 65 years in the music business, Ralph Stanley has made an indelible mark upon the music industry. From old-time to bluegrass to country to gospel, Dr. Stanley has influenced countless artists and continues to break new ground in the industry. To celebrate his accomplishments, previous events have featured such well-known performers as Alison Krauss & Dan Tyminski, Porter Wagoner, Larry Sparks, Jim Lauderdale, Marty Raybon, Judy Marshall, Stella Parton, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Ricky Skaggs and more!

This years entertainment to include two time Grammy award winner Jim Lauderdale, The Jeff and Tony Brown Band with Austin and Noah, plus Special Guest Don Rigsby.

This annual event also serves as an important fundraiser for the Museum & Center to ensure that regional music will be an important part of our area in the years to come. All proceeds from this dinner will be used to support the Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center's operating and programming needs. No proceeds from the dinner will benefit Dr. Ralph Stanley and family. A portion of the ticket price may be tax-deductible.

The Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center is a state-of-the-art music museum that opened its doors in October of 2004. Located on Main St. in Clintwood, VA, the Museum houses exhibits and artifacts from Ralph Stanley's life and career, the Stanley Brothers, and the traditional mountain music of Dickenson County and southwestern Virginia. The Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center also presents a full lineup of programming each year including the Passing the Pick and Bow Program and concerts throughout the year at our local venue, The Jettie Baker Center.

For more information or to order tickets, please call the Museum at 276-926-8550 or 276-926-8383.

Banjo player Kevin Decker and his wife Amy are in need of help with a mountain of medical bills following multiple surgeries and an induced coma. Several people are throwing in to help organize this event. The SouthEastern Bluegrass Association (SEBA) is are offering a free 1-year electronic membership (E membership only) to anyone who donates $100 or more to the Deckers. The bands and sound crew are donating their time to this benefit. Johnny's RV Resort in Foley, AL is donating their concert venue for the event. You can help also.

After complications from two major surgeries on Nov. 2, 2011, long time Foley resident and banjo player, Kevin Decker has been in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator. After 5 1/2 weeks in intensive care, he awoke on Jan 25th facing a long road to recovery. The family has been left financially devastated. This benefit has been organized by those who know and love The Decker's. Good news is that Kevin may be able to go home soon. It's been a very long and expensive hospital stay.

The benefit will feature the Justice Family Band, Delta Reighn, High Cotton, Down Home and more. This family has always been ready to drop what they are doing to go anywhere to help others with any need and now they are the ones in need. This benefit is for both Kevin and Amy and has been organized by those who love the Decker's.

The benefit will be held Saturdasy, February 18th at At Johnny's Lakeside RV Resort located at 15810 Hwy 59, Foley, Alabama. Music runs from Noon to around 6 PM. Admission is just $10 with children under 12 free. Come for the music and cometo help Kevin and Amy out of medical and financial crisis.

A benefit account for Kevin has been established at United Bank, PO Box 1885, Foley, AL 36536 and donations can be made to the account by referencing Kevin Decker. For those interested, a Facebook page with more information titled Prayers for Kevin Decker and has the most current information available.

Nashville, TN -- Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Sonny Curtis will take a seat at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum on Saturday, February 25, as the latest subject of the quarterly programming series Poets and Prophets: Legendary Country Songwriters. The 1:30 p.m. in-depth interview and performance, held in the Museum's Ford Theater, is included with museum admission and free to museum members. The program will be streamed live at www.CountryMusicHallOfFame.org

The 90-minute program, hosted by Museum Editor Michael Gray, will include recordings, photos and film clips from the museum's collection and marks the Poets and Prophets series' fifth anniversary. Immediately following, Curtis will sign autographs in the Museum Store. (Visit the museum's website for signing details.)

Curtis has written a host of country and rock & roll hits in his 50-plus year career. Among them are "I Fought the Law," "Rock Around with Ollie Vee," "Walk Right Back," "I'm No Stranger to the Rain," "More Than I Can Say" and the theme for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, "Love Is All Around."

Sonny Curtis was born on May 9, 1937, near Meadow, Texas. He grew up performing with his brothers in talent shows and on radio stations across Northwest Texas. Listening to bluegrass artists Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs, Curtis taught himself to play the fiddle and the guitar. In his teens, Curtis performed with fellow West Texans Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings.

When Holly recorded his first Nashville sessions for Decca Records in 1956, Curtis played lead guitar as a member of Holly's pre-Crickets band, Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes. In addition to "Blue Days, Black Nights" and "Midnight Shift," the band cut Curtis' "Rock Around with Ollie Vee."

Later that year, Curtis left Holly's band to play with Slim Whitman and other country artists. In 1957, Webb Pierce took Curtis' "Someday" to #12 on the Billboard country chart. Shortly before Holly perished in a 1959 plane crash, Curtis joined the Crickets. After Holly's death, Curtis toured with the band--first as a guitarist and later as the lead vocalist. He and band mate Jerry Allison wrote the Bobby Vee hit "More Than I Can Say" in 1960. The song also was a major pop hit for Leo Sayer in 1980.

After a 1960 tour of England with the Everly Brothers, Curtis was drafted and reported for basic training at Fort Ord in California. While on a weekend pass in February 1961, Curtis played his song "Walk Right Back" for the Everlys. They took the song to #11on the pop charts, and it became a million-seller. In 1978, Anne Murray took the song to the Top Five in the country market.

When Curtis returned from his 17-month tour of France, he rejoined the Crickets and while working with the band he also released a string of recordings as a solo artist for Dimension Records, Imperial and Viva Records.

In 1966, the Bobby Fuller Four reached the Top 10 with "I Fought the Law." The song became one of Curtis' biggest hits. It has been recorded by diverse artists including the Clash, Kris Kristofferson, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Roy Orbison and Hank Williams Jr.

In the late 1960s, Curtis began composing for advertising campaigns, writing jingles for Buick, Continental Airlines, McDonald's, Olympia Beer, Yamaha and many other companies. As the decade came to a close, Curtis received an offer to write a theme song for a new sitcom about a Midwestern girl who strikes out on her own in the big city and gets a job in a newsroom. The result was The Mary Tyler Moore Show's "Love Is All Around," which Curtis wrote and recorded in 1970.

Curtis moved to Nashville in 1976. He signed with Elektra and released songs such as "The Cowboy Singer," Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover" and "The Real Buddy Holly Story"--his reaction to The Buddy Holly Story, a film starring Gary Busey.

The late 1980s brought Curtis another big hit in the #1 "I'm No Stranger to the Rain" by Keith Whitley, co-written with Ron Hellard. The Country Music Association honored it as its 1989 Single of the Year. In the early 1990s, Curtis again got the opportunity to write a TV theme song--this time for Evening Shade.

Curtis was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991. Five of his songs--"I Fought the Law," "I'm No Stranger to the Rain," "More Than I Can Say," "The Straight Life" and "Walk Right Back"--are certified by BMI for airplay of one million or more.

After a 10-year absence, Curtis rejoined the Crickets in 1994 and continues to perform with them.

The Poets and Prophets series honors songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music history. Previous Poets and Prophets honorees include Bill Anderson, Matraca Berg, Bobby Braddock, Wayne Carson, Jerry Chesnut, Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon, Jerry Foster, Dallas Frazier, Red Lane, John D. Loudermilk, Bob McDill, Roger Murrah, Dan Penn, Curly Putman, Don Schlitz, Whitey Shafer, Jeffrey Steele, Norro Wilson and Craig Wiseman.

The Poets and Prophets series is made possible, in part, by grants from the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and by an agreement between the Tennessee Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts.

Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum's mission is the preservation of the history of country and related vernacular music rooted in southern culture. With the same educational mission, the Foundation also operates CMF Records, the museum's Frist Library and Archive, CMF Press, Historic RCA Studio B and Hatch Show Print®.

More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.CountryMusicHallOfFame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.

Saturday, February 11th, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by the Tim White and the VW Boys. Performing with Tim will be some of the finest bluegrass musicians in the region. Admission to the concert is $7 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.

A longtime supporter of the musical traditions of Appalachia, Tim White settled in east Tennessee in 1974, where he pursued his dream of being an artist, sign painter, and banjo picker. Tim's music has gained a strong following throughout the Appalachian region, and he's fronted several bands over the past two decades - including Troublesome Hollow, the Beagles, and the VW Boys. While he is well-respected for his musical skills, Tim is arguably best known as host of the PBS television concert series, Song of the Mountains. This popular program features bluegrass, old time, Celtic, gospel, and Americana music.

Tim's interest of recognizing, preserving, and perpetuating the historic music of the area led him to organize the Appalachian Cultural Music Association. Tim currently serves as ACMA president. The ACMA helps to support the Mountain Music Museum, which Tim helped found, in 1999. The museum is dedicated to preserving the musical heritage of the southern Appalachians. In addition, Tim produces one of the most popular bluegrass radio programs in the region, The Bluegrass Show, on WAXM (FM 93.5), which airs every Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm as well as a nationally syndicated radio show.

Come join us at the Carter Family Fold for some of the best bluegrass music the region has to offer. Tim & the VW Boys will be doing bluegrass, gospel, and lots of dance tunes - a little something foreveryone. Load up your family and friends and get ready for an evening of unforgettable music and fun!

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to www.CarterFamilyFold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at www.CarterFoldShow.com.

Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at TheCrookedRoad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on Saturday's concert, contact the Mountain Music Museum at 276-645-0035. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054.

Franklin, TN -- Williamson SOCIAL Magazine, Williamson County, Tennessee's premier publication focusing on life, events and living in and around Williamson County and the Nashville area, has added a new staff member. Shari Lacy joins the magazine as the new Managing Editor. As a longtime writer and publicist, Lacy brings her vast experience to Williamson SOCIAL, handling numerous aspects of the magazine including working with all photographers and contributing to editorial as well as assignment based essays.

Publisher Rob Youngblood says, "I am thrilled to have Shari as the newest member of the SOCIAL team. Her background and professionalism combined with her knowledge and love of Williamson County are a perfect fit for the magazine. As SOCIAL continues to grow in 2012, Shari will be a huge part of that growth and one of the main reasons that our magazine will continue to get bigger and better."

As owner of Williamson County based PR company GoodStuff PR (GoodStuff Public Relations), Lacy will continue with her GSPR Co. client base as well as managing the magazine's needs alongside Youngblood. She's spent years working with numerous media outlets on different stories and projects for her clients. She has also worked as a freelance writer for multiple publications including Readers Digest, Nashville Parent Magazine, Bluegrass Now Magazine, Southern Exposure Magazine and more.

Lacy will oversee numerous aspects of the magazine and her artistic eye, editorial experience, and promotional background are a perfect combination to help take Williamson SOCIAL into the future.

Prior to opening the doors of her own company, Lacy worked as the Marketing/PR Director for the International Bluegrass Music Association and was Director of Publicity for Nashville based Compass Records prior to her years with IBMA. She began her editorial/promotional career with the Anchorage Daily News in Anchorage, AK. If you would like to contact Williamson SOCIAL or send information about your upcoming event, please send Lacy an email at shari@williamsonsocial.com

The February issue of the magazine hits stands and area locations later this week.

Williamson SOCIAL was formed in 2010 by Publisher Rob Youngblood with a desire to spotlight one of the most unique counties in the country - Williamson County, Tennessee. SOCIAL can be found at 20-30 primary, "high traffic" locations in Williamson County such as Belk, Cool Springs Galleria, Boxwood Bistro, The Factory at Franklin, Harris Teeter Stores, The Heritage Foundation, Puckett's, Williamson Medical Center and Whole Foods Market. SOCIAL is also available at an additional 10-20 secondary locations in WC and Green Hills and via the web at www.WilliamsonSocial.com

Event slated for Wednesday, September 12th through Saturday, September 15th, at many premiere venues in Nashville, Tennessee. To all artists looking to apply for a showcase at the Americana Music Festival; great news! Submissions are now open!

Applications for this year’s event will be accepted through Saturday, March 31st. Applicants have two submission options:

1. For non-members or those preferring to submit electronically, we’re also very happy to announce that we will be accepting online submissions exclusively through our friends at Sonicbids. If you’re not already a Sonicbids member, as part of our partnership with Sonicbids, your application to 13th Annual Americana Music Festival & Conference will also come with a two-week free trial of Sonicbids membership. This membership allows you to connect with promoters in your area and/or overseas as well as promote your events to fans with tools from ArtistData (now part of Sonicbids).

To check out more info on the event, benefits on submitting through Sonicbids and how to submit your act, click here.

2. If you are a member of the Americana Music Association, you may submit your materials directly to the Americana office via mail. All submissions must include the application form. For complete details, please click here.

If you are not currently a member of the Americana Music Association, we welcome you to join us. JOIN NOW.

All applicants will be notified by Friday, June 29th, 2012 as to whether or not they’ve been selected for this year’s event.

The 13th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference is proud to return to the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel, 623 Union Street, Nashville, TN (tel 615-259-2000). The Sheraton is offering a special rate of $169 per night for single or double occupancy. To take advantage of this great rate, click here.

Register now for the 13th Annual Americana Music Festival & Conference! Dates are set for September 12th – September 15th 2012 in Nashville, TN.

Described by Southern Living Magazine as Nashville's "Best Music Festival," the Americana Music Association is offering, for a limited time, a SUPER registration rate, available at $300 for AMA members and $400 for non-members. Offer Expires April 30.

Review by Joe Ross
North Carolinan brothers Josh (guitar) and Wayne (bass) have been singing and playing bluegrass for over forty years. They called themselves The Blue Ridge Mountain Boys in the early 1970s. From 1975 until they formed their own band about 1991, they worked with legendary banjo player Raymond Fairchild. During the late-1990s and 2000s, The Crowe Brothers released some stellar albums on the Copper Creek, King and Gusto labels.

Associated with the Rural Rhythm record label since 2008 when they put out their Brothers 'n' Harmony album, The Crowe Brothers continue to display remarkable powerful music in fine brother duet fashion. Their second CD on that label shows that they're still able to present a sound that is both traditional and contemporary. They find good songs from decent songwriters, and Josh even contributes three self-penned compositions (I Knew It Wasn't You, Grandma's Little Boardside Cabin, The Winds are Blowing in Maggie Valley). His songs wistfully tell of love, winsome thoughts, and carefree life in Maggie Valley. It's an old style of bluegrass, but it has a unique contemporary and spiritually-tinged flair.

The instrumental accompaniment is first-rate with experienced veterans Steve Sutton (banjo), Brian Blaylock (mandolin on 9 cuts, lead guitar), Steve Thomas (fiddle, mandolin), Ashby Frank (mandolin on 3 cuts), Randy Kohrs (Dobro). The charm of two brothers singing together with sincerity and honesty is what we've come to expect in unassuming, leisurely songs like Steve Watts' "If It Takes More Than Love to Hold You." The lively barn-burner "I'm Going Back to Old Virginia" shows another side of The Crowes. Strangely, the CD jacket does not provide songwriter or publisher credits for that song, as well as "Southern Moon." The former was originally recorded on the classic Josh Crowe & David McLaughlin 1994 album, and I'm informed that it was written by McLaughlin. And, of course, the latter is a snappy Delmore Brothers classic, complete with a short yodel to bring it home. All in all, everything fits very nicely on this harmonious album.

Rural Rhythm RUR-1087, www.ruralrhythm.com and www.crowebrothers.com

Nashville, TN (February 1, 2012) – Will the circle be unbroken? If "Country's Family Reunion" has anything to do with documenting the stories and songs of country music's legendary family, it will remain firmly and enjoyably intact. Since 1997, Gabriel Communications has been bringing artists together into one room to reunite and reminisce about their careers, perform signature songs and share stories while the cameras roll. The result has been pure magic, leading to popular TV airings and successful DVD sales leaving country fans clamoring for more.

RFD-TV (America's Most Important Rural Network) will air a new "Country's Family Reunion" show each Friday and Saturday in February beginning with the popular "Salute to the Kornfield," featuring the beloved cast members from the long-running television show HEE HAW and The Nashville Edition, Mike Snider, Gene Watson and Roy Clark. Portions of "Getting' Together," featuring performances by Moe Bandy, Linda Davis, Dailey and Vincent, Gene Watson, Joey + Rory, Neal McCoy, Jean Shepard, Johnny Lee, T. Graham Brown, The Whites, Larry Gatlin, Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius, will close out the stellar February line up:

"Salute to the Kornfield" with The Nashville Edition, Mike Snider, Gene Watson and Roy Clark:
Fri., Feb. 3 at 7 P.M. CST
Sat. Feb. 4 at 5 A.M. CST & 11:00 P.M. CST

"Gettin' Together" with Moe Bandy, Linda Davis, Dailey and Vincent and Gene Watson:
Fri., Feb. 10 at 7 P.M. CST
Sat. Feb. 11 at 5 A.M. CST & 11:00 P.M. CST

"Gettin' Together" with Joey + Rory, Neal McCoy, Jean Shepard (with commentary by Larry Butler), Johnny Lee and T. Graham Brown:
Fri., Feb. 17 at 7 P.M. CST
Sat. Feb. 18 at 5 A.M. CST & 11:00 P.M. CST

"Gettin' Together" with The Whites, Larry Gatlin, Roy Clark, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius and Dailey & Vincent:
Fri., Feb. 10 at 7 P.M. CST
Sat. Feb. 11 at 5 A.M. CST & 11:00 P.M. CST

Check local listings for exact air times.

"Country's Family Reunion Salute to the Kornfield" and "Country's Family Reunion Getting' Together" are both available for purchase in their entirety at www.cfrvideos.com or by calling 1-800-820-5405.

Started in 1996 as the idea of long-time disc jockey, Larry Black, Gabriel Communications specializes in "Reunion Videos." The success of this television and DVD series spurred the creation of more than a dozen more projects featuring hundreds of songs and stories as well as Country's Family Reunion News, a monthly newspaper which highlights the music of yesteryear, as well as a weekly format spin-off television show on RFD-TV called "Larry's Country Diner." Gabrielle Communications has additionally applied the Reunion concept to sports and created videos involving the legends of stock car racing and collegiate football teams. For more information on Country's Family Reunion products, please visit: www.cfrvideos.com . You can find all music reunion products under the Country's Family Reunion portion of this web site.Salute to the Kornfield