The Kyle Cantrell Blog

Albums, anyone?

2010-02-03T10:53:00.004-06:00

In my business--playing music on the radio--we're always talking about new music releases by one artist or another. In this day and age, they tell me, most people are buying tracks off the Internet (iTunes and the like) and downloading them. However, artists still make albums for those folks who want more than just a random track, or for people who want to purchase physical CDs.

I'm often getting into trouble when I talk about new albums (using that term) with certain listeners who enjoy pointing out mistakes those of us who speak publicly make. They say (and you can hear the large grin and the "Ah ha! I caught you!" coming right through their emails) "You meant to say 'CD,' didn't you?"

Well, I certainly make my share of mistakes--and I don't mind criticism, especially the constructive type--but my hackles get up on this point. Because no, I didn't "mean" to say "CD." "Album" is what I said, and I meant it.

Let me tell you where I'm coming from. The term "album," used in this sense, means "a collection of songs." That collection of songs can exist as a group of files on your computer, tracks on a CD, or the songs on an LP record (which is the thing most of these people think of when they hear the word "album").

Albums first came into being in the early days of recorded music, long before computers, CDs, or even LPs were thought of. In those days, music was distributed on 78 RPM records, with (usually) one song on each side. Some ingenious person (who knows who it was) came up with the idea of packing several 78s by the same artist in hard-backed book full of record sleeves which resembled a photo album. The record album was born.

Before long--and I think this really gained steam in the 1940s--record companies were using albums to package together songs that, well, went together--collections of songs on related themes, for instance. The next natural step in this progression was for artists to begin recording songs for albums deliberately. Instead of having their labels choose records to package into albums, some artists began recording songs that were intended to be sold in the same package. The 78 album pictured on the left is an early example of a country concept album.

In the late 1940s, recording technology was undergoing rapid change. RCA introduced the 45 RPM record, which sounded better, stored easier, and was less likely to break than the brittle 78. In a short time, it replaced the 78 as the perfect format for delivering single records to the public. 45s were also packaged into albums, just like their faster-spinning older siblings had been.

Meanwhile, Columbia Records, RCA's arch competitor, introduced the 33 1/3 RPM Long-Playing record (the "LP"), first as a way of more efficiently marketing classical music with its longer musical selections, and later as a medium for the collections which had been packaged up to that time as albums.

78 and 45 albums continued to be produced for some time, but it wasn't long before the LP replaced them all as the medium of choice for albums because it, too, sounded better (even better than the 45, although RCA wouldn't say so), was virtually unbreakable, and was a much cheaper and more efficient way for the public to get several songs at once. Over the following 35 years, the terms "LP" and "album" became synonymous in the eyes of the public.

When recording technology changes went into overdrive in the 1980s with the introduction of digital audio and the compact disc (CD), music that had previously been delivered on LP, naturally, moved to the new format. Many people, following years of habit, continued to refer to their LPs as "albums" as a way of distinguishing them from their CDs. But in reality, an LP is no more exclusively an "album" than a CD is. Heck, if you want to be really picky on this point, it's been nearly 60 years since any record "album" was made, because that's about when they quit packaging single records in album-like books. All those years of LP albums, though, give us strong precedent for applying that term to today's technology.

So the next time you pick up a favorite CD, go ahead--call it an album. You have my permission. More importantly, you'd be correct.

Whither Blogging?

2010-02-02T08:56:00.003-06:00

I used to use this space to promote events for XM Satellite Radio's Bluegrass Junction. But with the advent of Facebook, along with better and more frequently-updated websites since the merger of Sirius and XM, that purpose is obsolete.

Over lunch with a friend yesterday, we talked about how some folks seem to be incessant bloggers. Not that there's anything wrong with that--I've just never been one with a desire to constantly "bare my soul." I don't have a "need" to express my feelings or share my thoughts with the world. I figure if anyone wants to know something about me, they'll ask directly--whether it's via a Facebook post, an email, an phone call, or--hold 'er, Newt!--a face-to-face conversation. And I feel the same way about my friends--because they're friends, I feel free to contact them whenever I want to visit.

That's why I don't often change my Facebook status, and I refuse to "tweet."

Again, it's perfectly OK with me if anyone who feels the urge to do those things. In fact, I enjoy reading and receiving such messages. They just don't seem to work for me.

(I did find the Facebook status line to be very useful when Becky, my wife, was in the hospital. It was a great way to disseminate information about her status and recovery to lots of friends quickly and efficiently. I've been a big supporter of Facebook ever since.)

Now that I've said all that, my conversation with my buddy yesterday got me to thinking about this blog thing. Maybe there are some things I can say that are worth hearing. At least, I might feel better to say them. So maybe I'll start writing once again.

Just don't expect a lot.

New Program Schedule

2008-11-12T10:05:00.013-06:00

Now that Bluegrass Junction is heard on both the Sirius and XM platforms, we've revised the schedule for the feature programming you've been hearing on both services. The idea is to make sure the shows you're looking for air at user-friendly times. Here's the rundown:

The Studio Special series now airs at 8 AM ET on Fridays and Saturdays and 9 PM ET on Sundays and Mondays.

Track-By-Track, as I mentioned in my earlier p os t, now airs weekly at 11 AM ET on Wednesdays and Sundays and 9 PM ET on Tuesdays.

Grassroots, our classic bluegrass show, has been expanded from two to three hours and renamed Truegrass (the name under which it aired on Sirius Bluegrass). Hosed by award-winning broadcaster-artist Chris Jones, it airs from 3-6 PM ET Fridays and 6-9 PM ET Sundays.

Hand Picked with Del, a show hosted by Del McCoury on which he shares some of his favorite music every week, airs Saturdays and Mondays at 11 AM ET and Thursdays at 9 PM ET.

Finally, Gospel Grass is now called The Gospel Train and airs Sundays from 8-11 AM ET and Wednesdays from 9 PM-Midnight ET.

TBT Goes Weekly

2008-11-11T20:44:00.006-06:00

One of your favorite "irregular" features on Bluegrass Junction--judging from your comments--is Track-By-Track, where we play all the songs on a current bluegrass album, in sequence, with the artist in the studio to add his or her comments.

Because of your interest in the show, Track-By-Track is becoming a weekly series as of tomorrow morning. And we kick off the weekly version of the show with a rebroadcast of the show we did with Dan Tyminski back in September built around his album, Wheels.

Every week, we'll debut a different show on Wednesday mornings at 11 AM ET. Rebroadcasts will follow on Sundays at 11 AM ET and Tuesdays at 9 PM ET.

Future shows on the schedule will feature the Cherryholmes (that show airs next week), Kristin Scott Benson, Michael Cleveland, and more!

Mornings at the Junction

2008-11-11T20:34:00.002-06:00

Well, it's been an extremely busy few days behind the scenes for me, but I'm pleased to report that I'll be back on the air tomorrow morning.

That's right--I said morning. Every now and then, I think it's a good idea to freshen things up, so I'm moving my show from afternoons to mornings from 7-11 AM ET.

This will be a "returning" of sorts for me, because I used to be on in the mornings on Bluegrass Junction a couple of years ago. I'm looking forward to it.

By the way, there will be some other schedule changes starting tomorrow. More on that later.

The "Where's Kyle Jam"

2008-10-28T16:25:00.008-05:00

The final track on CHHR2, the album we're featuring on our Track-By-Track with Carrie Hassler, is a tune called "Where's Carrie Jam." While I'm not sure of the exact origin of that piece, by substituting my name in the title I can definitely relate to its sentiment.

If you have been wondering as to my whereabouts, I'm here--but I'm not. I mean, I'm in the office, diligently working on programming assignments (bor-ing!), but I'm not on the air, where I belong. In fact, Marty Fitzpatrick will be in for me on Grassroots again this week, and I'll miss another request show this coming Monday.

There's not a whole lot I can say at the moment about my activities behind the scenes, except to say that I hope to be back on the air in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, Studio Specials, etc. will continue to air as usual. Actually, the work I'm doing isn't really boring--it's quite interesting--I just miss getting to interact via my shows on the channel.

Thanks for your patience.

By the way, Track-By-Track with Carrie Hassler airs again tomorrow [Wednesday] afternoon at 4 PM ET. Don't miss it!

Marty Fitzpatrick does Grassroots

2008-10-24T09:21:00.002-05:00

Marty Fitzpatrick is pinch-hitting (great baseball metaphor, huh?--after all, the World Series is airing on XM!) for me this afternoon on Grassroots because I'm currently on assignment working on programming-related projects.

I'll likely be away for the request show on Monday as well. Look for more details on an updated programming lineup for Bluegrass Junction soon.

Thanks for your understanding.

Studio Special with Jerry Douglas

2008-10-24T09:07:00.003-05:00

Jerry Douglas recently brought his fine band to our studio to play on the Studio Special, and that show debuted this morning.

If you heard the show, it's no doubt apparent that what the guys played wasn't middle-of-the-road bluegrass. But wow! The spirit and musicianship were definitely present. I'm truly blown away and amazed at the ability of Jerry to seemingly become one with his instrument. In fact, after the show, Jerry and I talked off the air about how the dobro has a "voice" of its own, and even augmenting a vocal number it becomes another voice alongside the one that's actually singing.

The band Jerry brought along with him was fantastic as well, and their song selection, while progressive, was great and drawn from Jerry's new album, Glide.

The next airing of this show is tomorrow [Saturday] at 11 AM ET. For other air times, follow this link: Studio Special Air Times.

Ramblers Choice Rides the Studio Special

2008-10-17T09:29:00.004-05:00

What a week this has been--Just when you think you have everything under control, "Zoom!" It's gone.

Such has been the case with my week. Here we are on a Friday, and it didn't occur to me until I was driving in this morning and heard it on the radio that I hadn't written anything about Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice's appearance on the Studio Special.

These guys make traditional bluegrass music at its finest, and it starts with the fine vocals turned in by Junior himself. For my money, he has one of the most expressive country/bluegrass lead voices in the industry. I've been a fan of his since hearing him with Wyatt Rice & Santa Cruz several years back, and we first had him on the Studio Special when he was still in Blueridge with Alan Bibey about two years ago. Since then, of course, Blueridge has disbanded and Junior has formed this fine new unit.

The song selection is fabulous. The songs they do on the show are taken from the new CD, Blue Side of the Blue Ridge, and listen for them to perform the title track, "How Could I Explain," and "You Let the Dog Off the Chain." They're standouts, although all the songs are excellent.

Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice on the Studio Special airs again tomorrow [Saturday] morning at 11:00 ET. Other air times can be found by following this link: Studio Special Air Times.

Dailey & Vincent Repeat

2008-10-15T16:15:00.001-05:00

FYI, we'll be rerunning the Dailey & Vincent interview I did this afternoon in just a few minutes--at 6 PM ET.

'Just so you know!

Dailey & Vincent Visit Wednesday

2008-10-14T15:24:00.000-05:00

Wednesday afternoon, be sure to check out my afternoon show when Dailey & Vincent visit the studio. We'll get underway with that interview during the 3 PM (Eastern) hour.

I haven't seen the guys since their big night at the IBMA Awards nearly two weeks ago, so they should have plenty to talk about.

See you then!

Carrie Hassler Track-By-Track Coming Up

2008-10-14T15:08:00.006-05:00

As you can see in the photo to the right, I really have a tough job! I mean, I have to hang out with people like the nice looking lady in this picture.

That, my friends, is Carrie Hassler, and her new album, CHHR2, is sensational. I'm looking forward to bringing to Bluegrass Junction a Track-By-Track show I recorded with her a few weeks ago this coming Tuesday at 8 AM ET. CHHR2 is a cutting-edge disc with generous amounts of tradition and innovation. Carrie, with her big Patsy Cline-esque voice, blends both with ease.

As usual when we do a TBT, we'll be playing through the entire CD in sequence. When I recorded the show, Carrie was on hand with me in the studio to lend her commentary to many of the songs and share some unique insights you won't hear anywhere else.

If you can't listen on Tuesday, we'll be rebroadcasting the show at the following times:

Thursday (10/22) at 6 PM ET
Saturday (10/25) at 4 PM ET
Wednesday (10/29) at 4 PM ET

Valerie Smith and Becky Buller Jet In

2008-10-09T15:00:00.003-05:00

If the group in the picture looks a little tired, it's because they are. Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike visited us back in August to record a an episode of our Studio Special series. The session took place just hours after they had returned from a European tour. That show debuts (at last!) this week--Friday at 8 AM ET.

Although they may have been a bit ragged because of lack of sleep, jet lag, and "jet head" (a malady Becky Buller describes on the show), the result of their appearance in our studio was outstanding. Valerie and Becky have just released a duet CD titled Here's a Little Song, and the songs they perform are drawn from that. While not hard-core bluegrass, the numbers they did were impressive, the harmonies were fantastic, and the playing was awesome.

I especially enjoyed "Your Goodnight is My Goodbye" and "The River." Also, don't miss "Four Wet Pigs." It's a unique and quirky song which almost became the title song of the new album (actually, "Here's a little song" is a line from "Four Wet Pigs," so I guess that makes it the title song...sort of).

We're excited about this show! Don't miss it.

The Studio Special is a series of live, in-studio performances by some of bluegrass music's hottest bands. For more information about the regular air times, follow this link: Studio Special Air Times.

Studio Special Poll

2008-10-09T09:29:00.003-05:00

One of our important features on Bluegrass Junction is the Studio Special, that show where the artists appear in our studio to play live and share their thoughts on their lives and careers. Since we started this feature in early 2006, we have done nearly 70 shows and, from your feedback, you seem to have enjoyed them.

I'm constantly looking at our programming to determine if it's meeting your needs, and now I need your help. As you know, every week a different Studio Special airs multiple times (the full schedule is here: Studio Special Air Times). The idea behind that is to give everyone a chance to hear the show regardless of which time zone they live in, or what type of schedule they keep. However, I sometimes wonder if we're airing them at the right time, airing them too much, or if we need to add more broadcasts.

If you will, please take a moment to vote in our poll on this subject. You'll see it on the right. You'll be helping me make Bluegrass Junction more user-friendly for you, and I'd appreciate it.

Once More with Michael

2008-10-08T16:32:00.006-05:00

It's an incredible show, and you don't want to miss our Studio Special with Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper.

It airs once more, tomorrow [Thursday] afternoon at 3:00 ET.

Helpful links:

Michael's website
Studio Special Air Times

A Word of Thanks

2008-10-08T16:28:00.001-05:00

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for the congratulations and good wishes in connection with the IBMA Awards last week. I'm truly honored by the recognition, but I'm even more honored to get to have you as a listener family.

I've been keeping a low profile on-air this week, but I'll resume my normal schedule with Grassroots this Friday afternoon at 3 PM ET. See you then!

IBMA Winners Announced

2008-10-03T00:13:00.001-05:00

What a night! ...And what a wonderful awards show! Congratulations to all the winners in tonight's International Bluegrass Music Awards.

For a complete list of winners, follow this link.

Studio Special with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

2008-10-02T18:00:00.007-05:00

There's no time to catch our breath after the IBMA Awards, because we jump right in on Friday morning with a fresh Studio Special featuring the 2008 IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper. It debuts at 8 AM ET.

What a band!! These guys are some of the best musicians around. And for this show, I use the term "guys" judiciously, because Kristin Scott-Benson sat in on banjo and did her usual superb job. Kristin, by the way, took the Banjo Player of the Year award in tonight's IBMA Awards.

If, as I do, you love traditional bluegrass, there is none finer than that being made by this band. Be sure and join us for a great show.

The Studio Special is a series of live, in-studio performances by some of bluegrass music's hottest bands. For more information about the regular air times, follow this link: Studio Special Air Times.

A Big Day At The Junction

2008-10-01T21:32:00.010-05:00

Thursday promises to be a HUGE day for Bluegrass Junction.

The day's Studio Special wraps up our week-long salute to IBMA nominees with the band nominated for more awards than any other--Dailey & Vincent. Their stunning show airs at 3 PM ET.

During the 4 PM ET hour, we visit with the Steep Canyon Rangers, in town for the Awards Show (they're performing on it, in fact). I always look forward to having them in studio.

Starting around 5 PM ET (or so), I'm planning a special preview to the Awards Show. I'll be playing songs by the nominees in many of the major categories, and will include some interview clips and other neat stuff.

THEN...tomorrow night...it's the "big show": The 19th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, which we'll broadcast live from the Ryman Auditorium. Our live coverage begins at 9 PM ET (with a rebroadcast planned for Friday morning at 10:00 ET).

If you love bluegrass, tomorrow is your day. I hope you'll plan to be with us through it all.

IBMA: One Big Shake & Howdy

2008-10-01T21:22:00.006-05:00

One of the joys of the IBMA's World of Bluegrass Business Conference each year is getting to renew acquaintances with old friends and catch up.

For instance, when I first arrived at the Nashville Convention Center on Monday, among the the first folks I saw were the guys in this photo (Larry Cordle, Sonny Osborne, and Carl Jackson). Although I had seen Larry and Carl within the past few months, it was great to see Sonny. It's been over a year.

This has been a fun week...and it's only Wednesday.

IBMA Poll Results

2008-10-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

Here are the official results of our IBMA Awards Poll:

Entertainer of the Year: Dailey & Vincent
Vocal Group of the Year: Dailey & Vincent
Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Male Vocalist of the Year: Jamie Dailey
Female Vocalist of the Year: Rhonda Vincent
Album of the Year: Dailey & Vincent by Dailey & Vincent
Song of the Year: "By the Mark" by Dailey & Vincent
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: "By The Mark" by Dailey & Vincent
Instrumental Album of the Year: Sound of the Slide Guitar by Andy Hall
Recorded Event of the Year: Salt of the Earth by Ricky Skaggs & The Whites
Emerging Artist of the Year: Dailey & Vincent
Banjo Player of the Year: J. D. Crowe
Bass Player of the Year: Darrin Vincent
Fiddle Player of the Year: Michael Cleveland
Dobro Player of the Year: Rob Ickes
Guitar Player of the Year: Tony Rice
Mandolin Player of the Year: Doyle Lawson

Once More with Ricky Skaggs

2008-10-01T02:00:00.003-05:00

Don't miss the final broadcast of our Track-By-Track with Ricky Skaggs this afternoon at 4 PM ET. Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass is one incredible CD, and I know you won't be disappointed with the music. You'll enjoy Ricky's comments, too.

This guy is one of bluegrass music's great treasures. Thanks, Ricky, for joining us for this special show!

Poll Results Announced Today

2008-10-01T02:00:00.000-05:00

The results of our informal poll of Bluegrass Junction listeners on the IBMA Awards will be announced at 5:30 PM ET today.

Tune in, and then get set to compare notes when we broadcast the IBMA Awards tomorrow night.

Grascals Celebrate #1 Billboard Status

2008-09-30T18:22:00.006-05:00

The Grascals' Keep On Walkin' has now spent five consecutive weeks at the number one position on the Billboard online bluegrass chart after debuting at the top on August 30.

In celebration of that fact, the boys held a number one party at the Music Row SESAC offices this afternoon and presented Bluegrass Junction (among others) a nice plaque commemorating their success with this CD. As you may remember, we premiered the album on XM on July 1.

Congratulations, Grascals--we're proud of you!

IBMA Week Is Here!

2008-09-28T02:15:00.001-05:00

Well, it's here at last folks...the busiest week in bluegrass culminating with the biggest night in bluegrass...the annual IBMA Awards. And if that's not enough, music fills the air during IBMA Fan Fest, which takes place this next weekend.

Here are some links which might be helpful:

Have a great week!

Archival Programs Airing This Week

2008-09-28T02:14:00.004-05:00

During a week when we celebrate all things bluegrass here in Nashville--and a week in which I'll be away from the studio a lot celebrating--it seemed like a good idea to revisit the ever-growing Bluegrass Junction archives for a look back a some of the shows we've aired in the past but which deserve another listen. Soooo, on my afternoon show (which airs at 3 PM ET each weekday), I've pulled out some "blasts from the past" which I hope you'll enjoy.

Monday

On Monday at 3 PM ET, I won't be around for the request show as usual, so I'm using this opportunity to rebroadcast a superb 2006 show we did with Barry Poss, the founder of Sugar Hill Records. At the time, the label had released a boxed set Barry had produced celebrating their first 25 years, and Barry joined me in studio to play and comment on songs from the box. We called that show A Salute to Sugar Hill, and it's over two hours of great music and great history.

Following A Salute to Sugar Hill Monday at 5:15 PM ET, we revisit another show from '06 featuring the IBMA's current Female Vocalist of the Year, Dale Ann Bradley. At that time, Dale Ann's Catch Tomorrow was just out, and she dropped by to share it with us.

Tuesday

Tuesday starting at 3 PM ET, we bring you a pair of our best Track-By-Track shows of the past six months. First up are the Infamous Stringdusters, who brought in their self-titled second album back in May. Andy Hall, Chris Pandolfi, and Travis Book joined me in-studio for that show.

The second Track-By-Track for the day, which will begin just after 4:30 PM ET features the show from earlier this month we built around Dan Tyminski's Wheels.

To round out the day, Tuesday at 5:30 PM ET we rebroadcast an April appearance in our studio by the Cherryholmes. At that time, they were beginning to talk about their forthcoming album, and they offer some interesting insights.

Wednesday

At 3 PM ET Wednesday, tune in for a visit with Michelle Cupit, who visited our studio on August 5. This was a great opportunity for us to get to know this fine singer, who's new to many bluegrass listeners.

Although it's not an archival program, Wednesday is the day for the final airing of our Track-By-Track with Ricky Skaggs. It airs at 4 PM ET.

Ricky Tracks Again

2008-09-27T10:13:00.005-05:00

Our Track-By-Track with Ricky Skaggs airs again Sunday at 12 Noon ET.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, Ricky is an enthusiast of vintage microphones, so in honor of his appearance in our studio, engineer Travis Turk fixed us up with some old mics for the interview. In the photo below, Ricky is behind an RCA 77-D, while I'm on an RCA 44-BX. These classic mics still sound great, even though they're both over 60 years old!

Tracking The Fathers

2008-09-26T02:00:00.001-05:00

Track-By-Track with Ricky Skaggs airs again tonight (or this afternoon, if you like) at 7 PM ET.

As I told you in my earlier post, this is a great show with exceptional music. Don't forget to tune in!

It also airs on Sunday at 12:00 Noon, and again on Wednesday at 4:00 PM--both times Eastern.

A Series Within the Series

2008-09-25T10:48:00.006-05:00

As you know, our Studio Special series is the program where we feature a different artist each week performing live in our studio.

This week, in anticipation of the IBMA Awards coming up on October 2 (which we're broadcasting live on Bluegrass Junction), instead of presenting the same show all week as we usually do, we'll be featuring a different band in each Studio Special show which has 1) Appeared on the program during 2008 and 2) Been nominated for an award this year.

Our first show features Blue Highway, who are nominated for Vocal Group of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. It airs tomorrow morning at 8 AM ET.

The full week's schedule goes like this:

Friday, 8 AM ET: Blue Highway
Saturday, 11 AM ET: The Steeldrivers
Sunday, 6 PM ET: Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
Monday, 8 PM ET: The Grascals
Tuesday, Midnight ET: The Infamous Stringdusters
Thursday, 3 PM ET: Dailey & Vincent

These are all terrific shows, so be sure and tune in and celebrate IBMA week right along with us!

IBMA Awards Live on XM

2008-09-23T12:50:00.011-05:00

It's hard to believe that they're only a few days away, but the 2008 IBMA Awards Show takes place a week from Thursday--October 2--at 9:30 PM ET. The show will be held at the historic Ryman Auditorium and will be hosted by Del McCoury.

Again this year, Bluegrass Junction will be broadcasting the show live, and we'll bring you every award presentation, acceptance speech, and live performance, complete with all the laughter, tears, and excitement that always accompany this exciting show. Ours will be the only live, over-the-air broadcast of this event.

Marty Fitzpatrick and I will begin our live coverage from the Ryman at 9 PM ET. Prior to that time, I'll be on the air from the studio starting about 4:30 PM ET on, recapping the nominees and replaying songs and interview clips featuring those artists.

As always, it will be a very special time and I hope that if you can't be there in person, you'll be there with us.

For a complete list of this year's nominees, click here.

On Track With Pine Mountain Railroad

2008-09-23T11:20:00.006-05:00

Our current Studio Special, which features Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, airs again tonight at Midnight ET, and on Thursday at 3 PM ET.

This was a fun show to do. While not quite as "wide open" as the Grascals (and who could be?), the camaraderie, joking, and laughter all around is indicative of the youth and vigor in this group.

And they are a young group. While Pine Mountain Railroad has been around for nearly a decade, Cody Shuler, the band's leader, is only in his early 20s, having joined the band at age 19 about five years ago. While some of the other players are older, I would attribute the vitality and energy of the group to Cody's youthful leadership.

Chalk up the music, however, to fine musicians. While their latest gospel CD, Preachin', Prayin', and Singin' is just out, not all the tunes they do on the show are taken from it. One of the treats for me was when they did "Cindy Mae," which currently is a hit for the Crowe Brothers but was written by Cody. If you're like me, you'll enjoy the "writer's version" of this fine song.

It's a great show, so be sure and tune in!

The Studio Special is a series of live, in-studio performances by some of bluegrass music's hottest bands. For more information about the regular air times, follow this link: Studio Special Air Times.

IBMA Poll Has Ended

2008-09-23T11:18:00.002-05:00

As you no doubt have noticed, if you've tried to access it, voting ended in our "unofficial" IBMA poll on the 19th.

Be listening on October 1--we've set 5 PM ET as the time, although that could change--when we'll announce who you chose in the various IBMA categories.

Thanks for participating!

Ricky Skaggs Track-By-Track

2008-09-22T13:45:00.007-05:00

Folks, this is the real deal. Pure, unabashed, unashamed, in-your-face bluegrass. And we're gonna listen to it all.

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 ET, our long-awaited Track-By-Track show with Ricky Skaggs debuts on Bluegrass Junction. This is a show I recorded a few weeks ago (as I mentioned in this post) and I'm excited to get it on the air at last.

Ricky joined me in studio and, behind vintage microphones (it just seemed to "fit" to bring out the old equipment, since Ricky is an enthusiast of that sort of thing), we visited for well more than an hour talking about this album, which is an authentic yet up-to-date treatment of several classic Bill Monroe songs. It's clear that this was a labor of love, not just for Ricky, but for his band, Kentucky Thunder.

I know you've been hearing songs from the album for some time, but it will take your breath away to hear the entire project track-by-track, which is exactly what we do on this show. Don't miss it!

Full Broadcast Schedule (all times Eastern):

Tuesday, September 23 8:00 AM (premiere)
Friday, September 26 7:00 PM
Sunday, September 28 12:00 Noon
Wednesday, October 1 4:00 PM

Paul Williams CD Info

2008-09-17T11:59:00.007-05:00

I don't often do this here on the blog, but because I've received so many queries about it, here's the email and phone info Paul gave out on the Studio Special for ordering his new CD, What a Journey:

victory3paul@aol.com
(423) 581-8964

You can also order the CD from your local record store or any number of online retailers, including County Sales.

Once More With Paul Williams

2008-09-17T11:31:00.011-05:00

Our Studio Special with Paul Williams and the Victory Trio, the 61st in the series, airs again tomorrow [Thursday] afternoon at 3:00 ET.

The reaction to this show has been strong. Of course, you tell me you enjoy the Studio Specials and I get positive comments about all of them, but the consensus on this one seems to be that it's really a favorite. In fact, I got a call from Paul himself earlier this week, and he tells me he has been inundated with congratulatory phone calls and CD orders ever since the show first hit the air Friday morning.

All this is for good reason, I think: As I wrote in my earlier post, Paul and his band turned in an exceptional performance and did it in a relaxed, natural way. So, if you haven't heard the show, don't miss tomorrow's broadcast.

For more information on broadcast and rebroadcast times for all Studio Special shows, follow this link: Studio Special Air Times.

Don't Forget to Vote!

2008-09-11T17:29:00.002-05:00

Voting continues in our fun and informal (not to mention unscientific) listener poll on the IBMA Awards.

Be sure to let us know what you think! To make your choices, follow this link.

Studio Special with Paul Williams & The Victory Trio

2008-09-11T17:19:00.006-05:00

Sometimes when life is really busy, it's great to settle back and reflect on the more important things. There are many ways to do that, of course, but one of the best is to listen to relaxing and inspiring music such as that played by Paul Williams and the Victory Trio.

Here's your chance to do just that. Friday morning at 8:00 ET, our Studio Special with Paul debuts on Bluegrass Junction.

This is some seriously good bluegrass gospel! Paul and his fine group came by our studio a few days ago to record this show, and I was amazed at the ease and confidence with which they played and sang. The harmonies were wonderful and the playing was top-notch. The tunes they played came from Paul's new album, What a Journey.

I was fascinated by Paul's reminiscences of his years in the business. As you may not be aware, Paul has a 60+-year history in the music, having been a major player in groups like The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and Jimmy Martin's Sunny Mountain Boys. He's a first-generation pioneer with a lot to say about how this music came to be.

It's a really special show...be sure and catch it. If you can't hear the debut broadcast Friday, catch one of the rebroadcasts. The full schedule is listed here.

Wheels Rolls Again

2008-09-08T02:00:00.002-05:00

Our Track-By-Track with Dan Tyminski airs again tomorrow morning at 8:00 ET.

Don't miss this great show. Dan joined me in studio for it, and shared some great insight as we played through his latest album, Wheels.

Dan Tyminski Track-By-Track airs again Saturday afternoon at 4:00 ET.

The Studio Special Presents the Grascals

2008-09-04T02:00:00.003-05:00

It's back to new shows this week as we present a never aired program featuring the Grascals. It premieres Friday morning at 8:00 ET.

I emphasize "never aired" because you may be tempted to think this is a re-run. There are a couple of reasons you might arrive at this conclusion: 1) This is the Grascals' third appearance on Studio Special--which means they've done the show more than any other band, and 2) By rights, this show should have aired before now.

Let me explain. We originally recorded this show back in March. Our original plan was for it to air shortly thereafter, but the day we recorded the show we began talking about the new CD and the guys generously gave us permission to air the World Premiere of the new CD on XM which, as you may remember, took place on July 1. At the time, it seemed better to hold off on broadcasting the Studio Special until after the World Premiere ran.

All this makes for an interesting show. First of all, since March, Jimmy Mattingly has left the Grascals (replaced by Jeremy Abshire) and, since Jimmy plays on this show, this is one of his last public appearances with the group. Secondly, at the time this show was done, I hadn't heard most of the songs they did, which would be included on the new CD. You'll hear me comment on the fact that most of the songs are new to me and we talk about the upcoming release of the new album.

With all that said, this is a superb show. I hope you'll tune in for some fine music from the reigning IBMA Entertainers of the Year.

For a complete listing of Studio Special broadcast times, check out this post: Studio Special Air Times.

Dan Tyminski Tracks At 6 PM

2008-09-03T02:00:00.002-05:00

You may have missed the premiere of Dan Tyminski: Track-By-Track on Labor Day.

If you did, never fear! We have three rebroadcasts (schedule here) of that show planned, the first of which is this afternoon/evening at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

Dan's CD, Wheels, is a remarkable collection of music featuring great songs and fantastic playing. When Dan and I recorded the show originally we didn't know, of course, that three of the pickers on the album (Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, and Barry Bales) would be nominated for IBMA Awards. Dan himself is nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year.

Don't miss a chance to hear these honored musicians and some great insight from Dan.

It's Time to Vote!

2008-09-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

In these politically-charged times, you may have heard more than you want to about voting but, nevertheless, Bluegrass Junction is conducting a little "election" of its own.

We want your thoughts on the 2008 IBMA Awards!

If you'd like to vote in our "private" IBMA poll, follow this link: The Bluegrass Junction IBMA Poll. Then select one nominee in each category listed. Also: Although this is meant to be fun, informal, and unscientific, it will certainly work better if you will vote only once.

On October 1 (the day before the actual awards show), I'll be doing a show highlighting the winners you select. More details on that later.

Hurry! You have until September 19 to cast your votes. It'll be interesting to see how your voting compares to the actual awards!

Dan Tyminski Track-By-Track Today

2008-09-01T02:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Labor Day, everyone! I hope you're having a great day as we bring the curtain down on the Summer of 2008.

Because of the holiday, I won't be around as usual this afternoon, but at 3 PM ET (my usual air time) tune in as we go Track-By-Track with Dan Tyminski and play through his new CD, Wheels. This is a show Dan and I recorded a few weeks back, and I'm excited to get to share it with you today.

If you can't listen today, catch one of the rebroadcasts. A complete listing of all the times is here: Dan Tyminski Track-By-Track Scheduled.

Capping Off A Special Month

2008-08-29T16:33:00.002-05:00

This has been a very special month for me as we've dedicated our Studio Special time to the "Best of 2008 (So Far!)."

This morning we rolled out our final "best of" show for now, which features Bradley Walker, the reigning IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year. I know I say this about all of them, but this is really a special show. I first heard this fine band at an IBMA showcase last fall--they had just started working together as a unit--and was completely blown away. The relatively small room in the Nashville Convention Center that evening was jam-packed with people and there was no sound system, but you could have heard a pin drop when these folks began playing. And when Bradley's rich voice was first heard, you could almost feel the excitement in the room.

This man is a talent.

Don't miss this wonderful show, and get set for an all-new show next week featuring the Grascals. More on that later.

The Studio Special is Bluegrass Junction's showcase for bluegrass music's top talent. Each week, a different band plays live in XM's Nashville studio and tells about their lives and careers. The complete broadcast schedule can be found by following this link: Studio Special Air Times.

A Salute to IBMA Nominees

2008-08-28T15:23:00.003-05:00

Joyce Rizer snapped this photo of me working at my desk (I'm the guy in yellow shirt. 'Office looks pretty deserted, doesn't it?).

What I'm working on this afternoon is our series of "salutes" to artists nominated for IBMA Awards. You'll begin hearing them on Tuesday, September 2.

Every couple of hours or so, listen for an artist nominated in one of the artist-based awards categories (Entertainer, Vocal Group, Instrumental Group, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, and Emerging Artist of the Year). We'll play a song by them and mention the awards they and their band members are nominated for.

It's just a small way of saying how much we appreciate the performers who have achieved so much in bluegrass.

New Studios Featured on Local TV

2008-08-23T14:10:00.005-05:00

I haven't commented much on them since my initial "under-construction" post back in May, but we are really enjoying our new studios in the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville.

Now one of the local television stations, WTVF/Channel 5, has aired a profile of the studio space on their 6 PM newscast. I thought you might enjoy getting to see some inside shots of our new home, now that they're (for the most part) up and running.

To view the story and video, click here.

New Photos Posted

2008-08-23T13:57:00.004-05:00

OK, so J. (the Blogger name for Joyce Rizer, our Bluegrass Junction super-producer) commented in my earlier post, "IBMA Nominations Announced," that she was hijacking my blog readers over to hers since I didn't get the pictures from Nominations Day posted in a timely-enough manner.

I guess I deserved that.

Now, however, I finally have them posted and hopefully you'll find them worthwhile. You can view some great shots of our guests on our broadcast from the Country Music Hall of Fame the day the IBMA Nominations were announced. Just go to the Bluegrass Junction Photo Gallery and view the album titled "2008 IBMA Nominations." You'll see some great snaps of folks like Del McCoury, Dailey & Vincent, and more.

Oh, and by the way, Joyce took the pictures.

Dan Tyminski Track-By-Track Scheduled

2008-08-22T16:21:00.003-05:00

I'm excited to announce the air times for the Track-By-Track show I promised you some time ago with Dan Tyminski, built around his new CD, Wheels.

Air times are as follows:

Monday, September 1 (Labor Day), 3 PM ET
Wednesday, September 3, 6 PM ET
Tuesday, September 9, 8 AM ET
Saturday, September 13, 4 PM ET

We recorded this show back in June and I've been looking forward to getting it on the air ever since. It's always great to listen to an album, in sequence, as it was intended to be heard. It's even better to have the artist who recorded it right there to talk about it. And the best part about all this is this is a fantastic album. You won't want to miss this show.

Studio Special with Carolina Road

2008-08-22T15:56:00.003-05:00

Our August "Best Of" series of Studio Special rebroadcasts continues as we replay another program from March of this year. This week, we're featuring Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road, and the next broadcast of that one is Saturday morning at 11:00 ET.

We took the photo you see here at the session, and we had a great time as usual with these folks. The atmosphere is always so "easy" when Lorraine and crew are around. They clearly enjoy each others' company and playing bluegrass.

A standout performance for me on the show was when Josh Goforth led the group in a wonderful version of "Just a Little Talk with Jesus." Josh not only sang the lead vocal on that one, but his finger-picked guitar on that performance was truly outstanding. Josh, as you know, normally plays fiddle in Carolina Road, so it was a treat to hear him play something so radically different. The rest of the band contributed some fine harmony on that song, which was included (with the same arrangement) on Why Don't You Give Jesus a Try, the gospel album Carolina Road has released since this show was originally broadcast.

Also listen for the in-studio version of "A Stop in South Port Towne" featuring Jerry Butler on the lead vocal.

The full schedule of Studio Special rebroadcasts is listed here. Don't miss this outstanding show.

New Music This Week

2008-08-19T12:31:00.002-05:00

Today and tomorrow, be sure to check out my afternoon show (3-6 PM ET). I'm going to be playing some of the new tunes which have been released in the past few days.

The Crowe Brothers, The Lonesome River Band, Valerie Smith & Becky Buller, Paul Williams, Kenny & Amanda Smith, and the Cherryholmes are among the artists who have sent new music to radio recently. I'll be playing tracks from each of them this afternoon and tomorrow.

2008 is going to go down in history as one of the most creative and fertile (musically) years bluegrass has seen in some time. I hope you're enjoying it!

Through the Window of Our Studio

2008-08-14T17:12:00.004-05:00

Blue Highway returns to our Studio Special series Friday morning at 8:00 ET as we continue our "Best of" series during the month of August.

All this month, we're re-running some of the memorable shows we've broadcast so far during this year, and the one featuring Blue Highway was a real highlight for me. This was the 49th show in the series, and it was originally broadcast back in March.

Needless to say, this is incredible music from one of the top established bands in bluegrass. On the show they perform several songs from their current album, Through the Window of a Train which, in addition from being one of finest discs they've ever done, received quite a notice Thursday in the International Bluegrass Music Awards Nominations. It received an IBMA nomination for Album of the Year, and the title song is up for Song of the Year. The band is nominated for Vocal Group and Instrumental Group of the Year, and Tim Stafford and Rob Ickes are nominated in the Instrumental categories (Guitar and Dobro Player of the Year, respectively).

You'll enjoy this show. If you can't catch it Friday morning, check out our list of rebroadcast times.

IBMA Nominations Announced

2008-08-14T16:58:00.004-05:00

What a great time we had this morning at the IBMA Nominations announcement! It was a real kick getting to visit with Dan Hays, Mark Newton, Carl Jackson, Eddie Stubbs, Dan Tyminski, Jeremy Garrett and Andy Hall of the Infamous Stringdusters, Terry Eldredge, Terry Smith, Aaron McDaris, and Jamie Johnson of the Grascals, Sonya Isaacs, Jamie Dailey, Darrin Vincent, and Del McCoury (am I leaving anyone out??). Thanks to everyone who took the time to be on the air with me, and to all those who came by just to say hello.

Congratulations to the nominees, too. The complete listing can be found on the IBMA Website.

By the way, our producer, Joyce Rizer, took several pictures at the event, and I'll post those as soon as I can.

Williams & Clark Today

2008-08-07T11:48:00.002-05:00

Brand New Set of Blues, the new CD by The Williams & Clark Expedition, tracks again once more this afternoon/evening at 6 PM ET.

I haven't mentioned this in the earlier posts I did on the subject, but an added "bonus" the W&C folks included on the new album is the comedy set from Blake Williams at the end of the disc. If you've ever seen him on stage, you know already that Blake is a funny guy, and yes, we will air that track again at the end of today's broadcast.

The Return of Balsam Range

2008-08-07T11:30:00.005-05:00

Our August run of the best of the Studio Special series continues this week with a show which was originally broadcast in April featuring Balsam Range. It returns Friday morning at 8:00 ET.

One of the "up-and-coming" bands in the music, these guys combine fine harmony and fabulous playing to produce music that's fresh and engaging. Their current album, Marching Home, was produced by Jerry Salley, who did a masterful job of pulling together all the talents of the group into a terrific debut CD.

As good as the album is, however, their performance on the Studio Special was very impressive, too. Listen especially for the in-studio version of "Blue Mountain," which finds lead singer Buddy Melton delivering an emotion-packed vocal which I think rivals the quality of that found on the record. That song, by the way, has become highly requested by our listeners on Request Monday in recent weeks.

By the way, our Studio Special with Dailey & Vincent airs one more time this afternoon at 3:00 ET. And, for a complete listing of all Studio Special times, as well as our August schedule, follow this link.

New Chart Posted

2008-08-07T11:07:00.004-05:00

As you may have noticed, our latest edition of Bluegrass Junction's Top Tracks & Albums has been posted. This month's "leaders" are:

Top Tracks:

"Sweet Carrie" / Dailey & Vincent
"Through the Window of a Train" / Blue Highway
"Here Comes That Feeling Again" / Grasstowne
"Cabin Down Below" / Gibson Brothers
"Alison's Band" / Charlie Sizemore

Top Albums:

Keep on Walkin' / Grascals
Good News / Charlie Sizemore
Deep in the Mountains / Longview
The Room Over Mine / Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
The Road Headin' Home / Grasstowne

You may have noticed that the Grascals' album debuted at #1 this month, and Danny Paisley's new effort checks in at an impressive #4. This might bear some explanation.

The "Top Tracks" chart is based on the recording's general popularity based on several factors, including

Chart activity (on other charts, such as those published by Bluegrass Unlimited, Billboard, and Bluegrass Now)
The age of the track (How long has it been out?)
Radio airplay on outlets other than XM
Listener requests at XM
The artist(s)'s overall profile, reflected by bookings, reviews, and listener popularity
The "fit" of the song into the overall programming scheme of Bluegrass Junction

While this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list, you get the idea that some songs are played more than others on the channel based on factors like these. The tunes judged to fit more of these criteria for the current month get a higher position; those which fit fewer for that month rank lower. You get the idea.

The "Top Albums" chart, on the other hand, is purely based on Bluegrass Junction airplay. Since our programming is made up of tracks which, in turn, make up albums, artists which have more tracks which fit the criteria shown above get more play for their albums, and this chart reflects this. Also, if in a given month we feature a particular album in a special program, such as a World Premiere (as was the case with the Grascals) or a Track-By-Track show, the broadcast/rebroadcasts of that show, combined with the "routine" airplay that album may receive, will typically push an album up the chart, if only temporarily.

I hope you find this info helpful. I realize some of you may not really care about all this, so let's all remember, it's about playing great music! To me, all of these songs and discs are terrific and represent the best bluegrass has to offer.

Click here for the complete chart.

Don't Miss Dailey & Vincent

2008-08-06T14:17:00.007-05:00

Our Studio Special with Dailey & Vincent airs one more time: Thursday afternoon at 3 PM ET.

I mention this because this is one of the truly great shows in the series, in my opinion. They're all wonderful, of course, but occasionally one stands out above the rest. I covered some of the reasons I think this in my earlier post.

This will be the last time we air this show for some time, so don't miss this opportunity to hear it again.

Michelle Cupit Visits XM

2008-08-05T08:02:00.003-05:00

This afternoon on my show, I'll be sharing an interview I recorded last week with Michelle Cupit. We'll get started with that around 3:15 ET or so.

Michelle visited our new studios on Thursday. It was my first time to meet her (although she had visited us some time ago and was interviewed by Marty Fitzpatrick). I found her to be a delightful young lady and thoroughly enjoyed our time together.

If you've been listening to Bluegrass Junction over the past few months, you've heard songs from Bluegrass Baby, her latest album. In addition to the title track, we'll be playing several of her tunes during the interview.

Williams & Clark Expedtion...Again!

2008-08-02T02:00:00.001-05:00

Another rebroadcast of the Williams & Clark Expedition Track-By-Track, featuring their current CD, Brand New Set of Blues, airs this afternoon at 4 PM ET.

Don't miss this chance to hear a fine new album. Other rebroadcast times are listed here.

August Studio Specials

2008-07-31T14:05:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned in my earlier post about Dailey & Vincent, the August shows in the Studio Special series will consist of some of the best programs we've aired this year. Here's the schedule for the next few weeks:

Friday, August 1: Dailey & Vincent
Friday, August 8: Balsam Range
Friday, August 15: Blue Highway
Friday, August 22: Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
Friday, August 29: Bradley Walker

Each show debuts at 8:00 AM Eastern on Fridays, with rebroadcasts at the following times:

Saturday 11 AM ET
Sunday 6 PM ET
Monday 8 PM ET
Tuesday Midnight ET (12:00 AM ET Wednesday)
Thursday 3 PM ET

One Incredible Studio Special

2008-07-31T13:30:00.005-05:00

During much of the month of August, we'll be presenting encores of some of our best Studio Specials from this year. It's appropriate, then, that we begin the month with Dailey & Vincent, who kicked off the new season back in March. The show airs at 8 AM ET Friday, followed by the usual run of encore broadcasts (complete schedule here).

Here's another chance for you to get to experience some of the finest music we've ever presented in the series. Jamie and Darrin came into our studio with their fine band, and from the very first note, it was readily apparent that they had come to play. Every song flowed effortlessly from one to the next, and the band worked like a well-oiled machine. They were also a lot of fun to interview and made some interesting comments and observations about their music, as well as bluegrass in general.

If you're familiar at all with Dailey & Vincent, I don't need to tell you what a great job these guys have done in selecting just the right songs. Each one they have recorded and performed since their group formed, in my opinion, fits their voices perfectly and is a showcase for their unique talents. On this edition of the Studio Special, they performed nine songs and did an incredible job with each.

What struck me most about this show, though, was the same thing that most folks cite when asked why Dailey & Vincent are so special: the harmony. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something about the blend that these guys have that is very special. I can't think of another modern-day duo with the same "something special" that Dailey & Vincent have. Their getting together is truly a perfect match.

In any event, don't miss this show. If you're not greatly impressed, I'll be very surprised.

Williams & Clark Tracks Tomorrow

2008-07-29T15:36:00.006-05:00

The long-awaited Track-By-Track show featuring the Williams & Clark Expedition's new album airs tomorrow [Wednesday] at 3 PM ET. Blake and Kimberly Williams, Bobby Clark, and Wayne Southards all joined me in studio to discuss the new disc a few days ago, and I'm excited to be airing the show at last.

The new CD is called Brand New Set of Blues and, while we've been playing it for a few weeks on Bluegrass Junction, I know you'll enjoy hearing it in sequence.

If you can't make tomorrow's broadcast, check out the list of rebroadcast times in my earlier post.

Infamous Stringdusters Studio Special

2008-07-23T09:42:00.004-05:00

I'm soooo excited to present our Studio Special with the Infamous Stringdusters this week. It premieres Friday morning at 8:00 ET.

As you're aware if you listened to the Track-By-Track we did with these guys a few weeks ago, their newest CD, The Infamous Stringdusters, is a masterpiece of instrumental excellence and stunning vocals and harmony. On this new show (which we recorded at the same time we did the TBT, but have been holding until now), they perform mostly songs from the new project. The results are first-rate.

Besides making great records, these guys are simply amazing. When we recorded the Studio Special you'll hear this week, we may as well have done it live. There were no retakes, false starts, re-tuning--they performed confidently and perfectly. What's more, from a quality standpoint, I'd put their performances on this show up against any show or recording they've ever done. The show ran for more than an hour and fifteen minutes (one of the longest we've done) and I believe these guys could have gone on all day.

Whether you're a staunch traditionalist or lean toward the more progressive sounds, you can't help but appreciate music of this caliber. The Stringdusters, of course, provide a good mix of both tradition and innovation.

As always, if you can't make the Friday broadcast, there will be plenty of other opportunities for you to hear the program. Here's the complete list of broadcast times: Studio Special Air Times.

And don't miss our show with the Steep Canyon Rangers, which airs one more time tomorrow [Thursday] at 3 PM ET. It, too, is a new show in the series and is excellent. I highly recommend it.

Jesse McReynolds Today

2008-07-22T07:06:00.007-05:00

This afternoon, I'm honored to have as my guest Jesse McReynolds. We'll get underway with that interview shortly after 3:00 PM ET.

Late last week, I traveled to The Pick Inn, a music park Jesse has established on the grounds of the home of his late son, Keith. It's located in Gallatin, Tennessee (about 30 miles north of Nashville). The log house which Keith and Jesse built is now being used for conferences, weddings, and the like, and Jesse and I had a great time visiting around the dining room table for nearly an hour. We talked about what he's doing currently, his 55 years of work in Jim & Jesse, and his plans for the future. It was a delight to visit with him and I'm going to play the entire interview during the course of this afternoon's show.

If you love classic bluegrass--particularly that of Jim & Jesse--you don't want to miss today's show.

Jamie Johnson's Latest Release

2008-07-16T17:22:00.008-05:00

The Bluegrass Blog is reporting the birth of Jackson Cole Johnson, son of Grascal Jamie Johnson and his wife, Suzanne. The new arrival came Saturday the 12th.

Mother and baby are apparently fine and, as you can see from the photo to the left, little "Cole Train" (weighing in at 8 pounds, 2 1/2 ounces) is a fine looking young man.

I bet he has a great singing voice, too.

Congratulations, Jamie and Suzanne!

Steep Canyon Rangers on the Studio Special

2008-07-16T02:00:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, I mentioned here that I had recorded a Studio Special with the Steep Canyon Rangers.

That show hits the air this Friday morning at 8:00 ET. As I mentioned in the earlier post, it was a wonderful time with a band that just seems to get better and better.

This is "must-hear radio." Be sure to tune in, and if you can't catch the premiere, there are plenty of rebroadcasts. Here's the schedule: "Studio Special Air Times."

By the way, don't miss our current show with the Dixie Bee-Liners. It airs once again tomorrow [Thursday] at 3 PM ET.

Williams & Clark Times Set

2008-07-15T18:49:00.009-05:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote in this space about the upcoming Track-By-Track show with The Williams & Clark Expedition. I can now tell you that we've set our schedule for that show. Here's when you can hear it (all times Eastern):

Wednesday, July 30, 3 PM
Saturday, August 2, 4 PM
Tuesday, August 5, 7 AM
Thursday, August 7, 6 PM

As with all the Track-By-Track broadcasts, here's your chance to hear an entire album in sequence, just as it was intended to be heard. In the case of this show, you also get the thoughts of Wayne Southards, Blake Williams, Kimberly Williams, and Bobby Clark (shown in this exceptional photo, along with yours truly), who joined me in studio to review the new disc.

You're going to love this new CD, so mark your calendar and join us at the Junction!

The Hits Just Keep On Comin'

2008-07-15T14:25:00.006-05:00

The latest edition of Bluegrass Junction's Top Tracks and Albums has been published. Chart information reflects the most-played and popular songs and albums on the channel for the month of June.

The top five tracks are:

"Sweet Carrie" / Dailey & Vincent
"Drinking Dark Whiskey" / Steeldrivers
"Through the Window of a Train" / Blue Highway
"The Day that Lester Died" / Claire Lynch
"Down on the Crooked Road" / Dixie Bee-Liners

Our most-played albums in June were:

Dailey & Vincent / Dailey & Vincent
The Infamous Stringdusters / Infamous Stringdusters
Good News / Charlie Sizemore
Lovin' Pretty Women / Steep Canyon Rangers
Deep in the Mountains / Longview

The complete chart hasn't been posted to the XM website yet, but will be shortly. You can view it by following this link, or by clicking on the link to the right (under "Favorite Links").

Keep On Walkin' Released

2008-07-14T02:00:00.000-05:00

Keep On Walkin' by the Grascals, which premiered on XM July 1, hits the streets Tuesday.

In celebration of that, we'll be airing our World Premiere broadcast one more time--Tuesday at 9:00 AM Eastern. If you've missed one of the previous broadcasts, this is another chance for you to hear the entire CD, track-by-track, along with commentary from Aaron McDaris, Terry Eldredge, and Terry Smith.

Bluegrass Junction would like to congratulate the guys on an outstanding release. You've done bluegrass proud.

A Visit From Ricky

2008-07-13T15:16:00.003-05:00

Last week, I had the privilege of sitting down with Ricky Skaggs in our Music Row studio for an interview.

We spent more than an hour discussing his album, Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass, and I'll be sharing that interview with you on a Track-By-Track show this fall.

In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying his CD. We've been playing tracks from it for some time on Bluegrass Junction. This is Ricky at his finest, in his element, with one of the greatest bands in the history of bluegrass behind him.

Check Out This DBL Post

2008-07-11T09:15:00.004-05:00

Our Studio Special with the Dixie Bee Liners was written up on The Bluegrass Blog yesterday.

Not to steal the Blog's thunder, but you've got to check out this article. Buddy Woodward makes some interesting insider comments about the show, and you'll also get to see some artwork from J. D. Morrow, the seven-year-old son of Sam Morrow, the DBL's banjo picker.

Don't miss this show...it's a good 'un! The next broadcast is tomorrow [Saturday] morning at 11:00 ET. A complete listing of Studio Special times can be found here.

T. G. I. (almost) Friday

2008-07-10T15:00:00.003-05:00

I know it's only Thursday, but it's OK to start talking about the Friday early, isn't it?

Friday's going to be a great day here at the Junction. For starters, our Studio Special with the Dixie Bee Liners premieres 8 AM ET. You can also hear it Saturday at 11 AM ET and Sunday at 6 PM ET. The complete listing of times is posted under "Studio Special Air Times."

Friday afternoon, Grassroots airs at 3 ET. As always, there's a heavy dose of the legends of bluegrass, as well as some old-time pioneers as well (Uncle Dave Macon among them, the guy in the picture--I love his music!). You can also hear Grassroots on Saturday nights at 10 ET, if you can't listen on Friday.

Wichita Rutherford's Grand Old Time Machine airs at 5 PM ET Friday, with his usual blend of the old, the new, and the in-between--delivered as only Wichita can do it.

Finally, we cap off the day Friday with another rebroadcast of the Grascals World Premiere, which originally aired on July 1. This is the chance for you night owls to hear the Grascals' new CD, Keep on Walkin', in its entirety, along with some insight from guests Terry Eldredge, Aaron McDaris, and Terry Smith. That show airs at Midnight Eastern.

Now, if I can just make it through Thursday...

J.D. Crowe: Once More with a Legend

2008-07-10T02:00:00.003-05:00

This afternoon's Studio Special features one more rebroadcast of our 2006 show with J. D. Crowe and the New South.

At the time we did the show, which features a bunch of tunes from the band's then-current Lefty's Old Guitar, we had no way of knowing that CD would receive Album of the Year honors in the '07 IBMA Awards. It was a special time in studio, and I hope you won't miss the show.

On the next Studio Special you'll hear the Dixie Bee-Liners. It deubts Friday morning at 8 AM ET, and you can read more about it in my earlier post. For a complete listing of air times for the show, see the post titled "Studio Special Air Times."

"Walkin'" with the Grascals

2008-07-09T06:53:00.004-05:00

Again tonight (at 8 PM ET), we'll replay the World Premiere of the Grascals' new CD, Keep On Walkin', which originally aired July 1.

Aaron McDaris, Terry Eldredge, and Terry Smith (shown in this dashing photo, along with your reporter) joined me in studio as we played through all the tracks from the CD.

If you've been listening at all to Bluegrass Junction, I'm sure you've heard at least a track or two from the new disc, but this is a great chance to hear the entire CD in one sitting. It's worth the effort, because this is a great project. The show runs just over an hour.

Release day for the Keep On Walkin' is July 15. More info is on the Grascals and Rounder Records websites.

Dixie Bee-Liners "Ripe" for the Pickin'

2008-07-09T02:00:00.004-05:00

OK, corny headline aside, these folks CAN pick. They can sing, too. I mean real good. And we're pleased to have them on the Studio Special this week.

I hope you'll be listening Friday morning at 8:00 ET when the Dixie Bee-Liners join me in studio for an hour+ of live music and conversation.

When I first heard "Down on the Crooked Road" sometime back, I found myself immediately captivated by the song. To me, the one of the hallmarks of a truly impressive song is the way you catch yourself humming it for hours after you hear it, and this one really got into my head quickly. Then, when the full album containing "Crooked Road" came out, Ripe, I discovered there was a lot of depth to this group.

Buddy Woodward and Brandi Hart head up the Dixie Bee-Liners and, along with Rachel Renee Johnson, provide most of the vocals. Their playing and singing are superb, and I know you'll be impressed. Sam Woodward on banjo, bassist Jeremy Darrow, and Jonathan Maness on guitar round out the group. Beyond their talents, however, is a respect and reverence for bluegrass which fully lives up to the the tributes found in the lyric of "Down on the Crooked Road."

Join us for a terrific show. If you can't tune in Friday, catch one of the rebroadcasts, a complete listing of which can be found here.

And don't miss the current edition of the Studio Special with J.D. Crowe & The New South. It airs once more: Tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 ET.

Open the Request Floodgates!

2008-07-07T13:13:00.005-05:00

I'll be going live this afternoon, so don't hesitate to submit your requests for today's show.

I'm on every weekday starting at 3:00 PM ET, and on Mondays I play all requests. You can phone them in to 877-267-0375, or you can send me an email.

Since I wasn't able to do the request thing last week, I'm sure you have a lot of them "bottled up," so cut loose!

Related Post:
Request Monday at the Junction!

Grassroots Déjà Vu

2008-07-05T02:00:00.000-05:00

Since I wasn't around to do a new show yesterday, tonight's Grassroots rebroadcast (heard at 10 PM ET) will be a rebroadcast of last week's show. Bill Monroe, the Dillards, Jimmie Rodgers, Reno & Smiley, 15-year-old Marty Stuart, and Vernon Dalhart are among the artists featured.

A fresh show will air next week at 3 PM ET.

Happy Fourth!

2008-07-04T02:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

We're celebrating the day with patriotic bluegrass--Every hour, as close to the hour as possible (right after our hourly gospel tune), we'll be playing something red-white-and-blue-flavored to help keep you in the spirit of our nation's birthday.

I'd urge all of you to take a moment today to pause and give thanks for the liberty and prosperity we enjoy as citizens of the greatest country on earth. I would also take a moment here to express appreciation for our men and women in uniform around the world who are working to preserve that precious freedom. And finally, on another level, I'm particularly grateful that I live in a country where bluegrass rules! Let's pick!

Grascals Rebroadcast Today

2008-07-04T02:00:00.000-05:00

If you missed the World Premiere of Keep On Walkin' by the Grascals earlier this week, you can hear it today at Noon Eastern on Bluegrass Junction.

Terry Eldredge, Aaron McDaris, and Terry Smith joined me in studio when we played the new album for the first time on radio this past Tuesday afternoon. It's a superb project and I know you'll enjoy hearing it. The new CD is to be released on July 15.

A complete list of broadcast times for this special show can be found in my earlier post.

More New Music

2008-07-03T09:06:00.004-05:00

Yesterday on my afternoon show, I focused some on the new CDs which have arrived on my desk lately. Now, I have in hand advance copies of the new CDs by Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain and Cadillac Sky. I'll be playing tunes from those this afternoon.

As you might guess, there's some real cutting-edge music here.

Of course my Thursday show always starts with the week's Studio Special, which features the Steeldrivers. It'll run from 3:00 to about 4:15 Eastern, after which I'll be in to play tunes as usual.

Hope you can tune in!

Studio Special "Blast from the Past"

2008-07-03T02:00:00.003-05:00

The next Studio Special, which debuts for the week Friday morning at 8:00 Eastern, features another encore from our archive, this time featuring J. D. Crowe and the New South.

This program was recorded in December, 2006. J. D.'s new project at the time, Lefty's Old Guitar, had been out a fairly short time and he and the guys turned in (no surprise here) a stunning performance in the hour+ that they spent in our studio, doing mainly songs from the new record.

Rickey Wasson, who's on the verge these days of releasing a new solo project, sang lead on most of the songs on the record, as well as on this performance in our studio. You'll also hear some great vocals from Dwight McCall, as well as some fine harmony and superb pickin' from Mr. Crowe himself.

It was an honor for me to get to do this show, and we're pleased to present it again this week. A complete list of Studio Special showtimes can be found by following this link. Be sure and join us!

The Steeldrivers' appearance on the Studio Special airs one more time--this afternoon [Thursday] at 3:00 ET. More info about that show can be found here.

New Tunes This Afternoon

2008-07-02T02:00:00.001-05:00

In my earlier post, "New Music on XM," I talked about the multitude of excellent new albums that have been released lately.

I'm going to turn the spotlight on a few tunes from those albums on my afternoon show today, which airs from 3-6 PM ET. 'Hope you can join me!

Grascals Album Premieres Today

2008-07-01T02:00:00.003-05:00

Today's the day--and we're excited here at XM to present the world premiere of the new CD by the Grascals, Keep On Walkin'.

Be sure to tune in to Bluegrass Junction/14 this afternoon at 4:00 PM ET when we'll be playing through the entire CD and visiting with Terry Eldredge, Aaron McDaris, and Terry Smith, who (as you might expect!) have some interesting insights about the new album.

If you can't make it today, you'll find a complete listing of rebroadcast times in my earlier post.

A Steeldrivin' Good Time

2008-06-30T09:12:00.003-05:00

This week's Studio Special is featuring the Steeldrivers, as we encore a show originally broadcast in March. It's a killer show...these folks are soooooo good! Catch it again tonight at 8 PM ET.

Next up: J.D. Crowe & The New South. More on that later in the week.

Related posts:
"Steeldrivin' This Weekend"
"Studio Special Air Times"

"Can't Trust That Day..."

2008-06-30T09:02:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday morning, everyone. I hope you've had a great weekend and are all primed for another work week.

'Couple of reminders: As I mentioned on Grassroots this past weekend, there will be no request show this afternoon. I'm on assignment today.

Also, in my post over the weekend about the new music on the channel this week, I didn't mention that you'll be hearing the Grascals' Keep On Walkin' shortly on Bluegrass Junction as well. In fact, the World Premiere airs tomorrow afternoon at 4 ET (Click here for the complete on-air schedule). I'm VERY excited about this show and I hope you'll be tuned in.

Have a great day, and thanks for being a part of the Bluegrass Junction family!

New Music on XM

2008-06-27T17:15:00.016-05:00

These are great times for bluegrass, to be sure. I was thinking just yesterday about how many great new releases we have added or are about to add to our playlist at Bluegrass Junction.

Just within the past few days, for example, we've added the long-awaited and much-admired album by Dan Tyminski. Wheels is an outstanding collection of traditional bluegrass, done by a man who is one of the masters of the art. You'll hear all the tracks from the CD at the Junction, and we're particularly emphasizing the title track.

Just recently, we've begun airing tracks from Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King. This album is a compilation of several of the gospel tunes The Bluegrass Storyteller has recorded over the years, but listen for some freshly-recorded cuts as well. Particularly striking (to me) are "Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore" and "It's Hot Down Here."

Ever since his version of "A Memory of You" first hit our airwaves last fall, you've been asking when you were going to hear more from Danny Paisley. Dan's single was released as part of a Rounder compilation CD handed out to DJs at the IBMA convention, with the promise that a new album would be coming soon. Well, that time is now. His new album, The Room Over Mine, is a fabulous set of new traditional bluegrass that's sure to please. Be listening for it over the next few days on XM.

Here's one from a group you probably haven't discovered. High Windy plays mostly traditional-flavored tunes, and their new album, A Greater Storm, is composed almost entirely of original songs. Patrick McDougal and Shane Lail handle the lead vocals and play guitar and banjo, respectively, while Mark Davis (bass), Tim Gardner (fiddle, clawhammer banjo), and Ty Gilpin (mandolin) provide some very nice harmony and instrumental work. They're also supported on the new project by Rob Ickes (Blue Highway) and Cody Kilby (Kentucky Thunder), among other guests. You'll be hearing tracks from this one soon on Bluegrass Junction, and I think you'll be impressed, as I was.

Finally, there has been quite a lot of discussion about the new Moneyland CD, headed up by the Del McCoury Band. It's an interesting CD with songs intended to make statements about the economic plight of rural America, and the official word from McCoury Music is "The goal of Moneyland is to raise awareness of serious economic issues facing Americans today through a thoughtful selection of six new (or newly recorded) songs, mixed with eight neglected gems and classic favorites that offer a hard-hitting look at today's economic injustice. In addition to songs from the Del McCoury Band, the album features songs from Marty Stuart, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Bruce Hornsby along with the Fairfield Four, Chris Knight and others."

Well, it'll be interesting to see whether this project achieves its goal, but there's nevertheless some interesting music here, and songs from the disc arrive on the Bluegrass Junction airwaves this coming week.

As I said, it's a great time for bluegrass. Join us at the Junction and check out the new tunes!

Steeldrivin' This Weekend

2008-06-25T02:00:00.004-05:00

This weekend, the Studio Special revisits a show which originally aired in March featuring the Steeldrivers.

Mention this group among bluegrass fans and you'll get a variety of reactions. While their approach to bluegrass may be somewhat unconventional--lead vocalist Chris Stapleton doesn't have the "typical" bluegrass delivery, and their song selection and arrangements may be described as adventurous--it is precisely this type of freshness which will propel bluegrass forward. In my opinion--and it's just that, an opinion--there's quite a bit of "sameness" in today's bluegrass, and the fact that the Steeldrivers stand out among the crowd is one of their strongest selling points.

In any event, listen when the encore broadcast airs Friday morning at 8:00 ET and see whether you agree. I can promise you that these folks are for real--they're all excellent musicians and highly dedicated to their craft. This is a great show.

The current Studio Special features the Mashville Brigade, and that show airs once more--on Thursday at 3:00 PM ET. More information about it can be found by following this link. The complete listing of air times for all Studio Special shows is found here.

Dailey & Vincent: Once More with Feeling

2008-06-24T02:00:00.003-05:00

You've got one more shot (for now, at least!) to hear the Track-By-Track I recently did with Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent. It airs tomorrow [Wednesday] morning at 9 AM ET.

If you're a regular XM listener, you've probably heard several songs from the new album (simply titled Dailey & Vincent), and if you're like me, you're completely bowled over. Hearing the entire disc in sequence, however, only serves to heighten that effect, and with Jamie and Darrin on hand to comment on the songs, I think this show is a home run.

Don't let this one slip by!

This Weekend at the Junction

2008-06-20T02:00:00.011-05:00

In addition to our Studio Special with the Mashville Brigade, which debuts this morning at 8 AM ET, there are more bluegrass goodies on the XM schedule this weekend!

First of all, Grassroots: I'm not sure you realize how much I enjoy getting to spend some time with the legends every week, but I can truly tell you it's one of the highlights. As usual, you'll hear healthy doses of artists like Bill Monroe, the Stanleys, Reno & Smiley, and Lester and Earl on this week's show. Catch it Friday at 3 PM ET and/or Saturday at 10 PM ET.

Sunday, you don't want to miss our Track-By-Track show with Dailey & Vincent. Jamie and Darrin visited earlier this week and we played their album in its entirety. It was a great time, and we're planning to rebroadcast it Sunday at Noon Eastern. (More info is in my earlier post.)

Finally, I always have to mention Gospel Grass. It's our pleasure to bring you three hours of bluegrass gospel twice every Sunday--7 AM and 9 PM ET.

Have a great weekend and thanks for listening to Bluegrass Junction!

New Photos Online

2008-06-19T09:46:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, I taped an interview with Dan Tyminski for an upcoming Track-By-Track show built around his new album, Wheels.

Intern Rebecca Jones snapped this photo at the session, and I've added it and some others recently to the Bluegrass Junction Photo Album. If you haven't been on it lately, we've added a whole bunch of shots taken at the CMA Music Festival, as well as some pictures of guests that have visited our studio.

Dan's Track-By-Track will air in August, and I'll have more details about it as the time approaches.

Dailey & Vincent Track-By-Track Rebroadcast

2008-06-19T02:00:00.001-05:00

Tonight at 8:00 PM ET, be sure to listen for our Track-By-Track show featuring Dailey & Vincent.

Jamie and Darrin joined me in studio this past Tuesday and we played through all the cuts on the CD, track-by-track. They're a lot of fun and we had a great time chatting between songs.

The show will also air a couple more times if you can't make it tonight. More info is here.

Studio Special with The Mashville Brigade

2008-06-18T02:00:00.003-05:00

This week's Studio Special, which debuts Friday at 8:00 AM ET, will be one of your favorites, I'm sure. The Mashville Brigade, in case you're not familiar with them, is a group comprised entirely of members of other, major bands in bluegrass who together have a regular Tuesday night pickin' gig at Nashville's Station Inn.

Darrell Webb (Rhonda Vincent & The Rage) and Ashby Frank (Special Consensus) handle most of the lead vocals and play guitar and mandolin, respectively. Randy Barnes (New Found Road) plays bass, Jim Van Cleve (Mountain Heart) plays fiddle, and Aaron McDaris (Grascals) is the banjo picker. Together they form a very compelling, high-energy unit playing hard core, "in-your-face" bluegrass. The material on their new album for Rural Rhythm, Bluegrass Smash Hits, Volume 1, is made up entierly of familiar bluegrass standards, and that's what you hear on this show.

There's no way to not like this music, in my opinion. And to see these guys perform, as I did when they came in to do the show, completely reinforces my faith in bluegrass musicians' love for the music. These guys certainly do, and you can't help from getting caught up in their enthusiasm.

You can hear this show when it premieres Friday morning, or you can catch one of the rebroadcasts. The schedule is here.

Dailey & Vincent Track-By-Track Airs Today

2008-06-17T02:00:00.003-05:00

This afternoon at 4:00 PM ET, Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent join me in studio as we track their new CD, Dailey & Vincent. We'll be playing through the entire album and in between cuts, you'll want to hear the guys' insight.

If you can't catch today's show, the rebroadcast schedule is here.

Grascals World Premiere Times Set

2008-06-15T02:00:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned in my earlier post, XM is pleased to get to present the World Premiere of the Grascals' new CD, Keep on Walkin', on Tuesday, July 1. Of course, the premiere will air on Bluegrass Junction/14.

We've now finalized the broadcast schedule. In addition to the premiere broadcast, there will be several rebroadcasts as well. Here's the complete schedule:

Tuesday, July 1, 4 PM (premiere)
Friday, July 4, 12 Noon
Sunday, July 6, 10 AM
Wednesday, July 9, 8 PM
Friday, July 11, 12 Midnight (technically Saturday morning)
Tuesday, July 15, 9 AM

All times are Eastern.

The album is to be released on July 15, so our final broadcast of the premiere coincides with the day you can actually go out and buy the album. And I promise you that you'll want to--it's really wonderful. Don't miss a chance to hear this special broadcast.

Steep Canyon Rangers In Studio

2008-06-14T10:47:00.005-05:00

Sometimes Friday afternoons are pretty uneventful around here, but that was definitely not the case yesterday. The Steep Canyon Rangers visited our studio to record a show for our Studio Special series. It's slated to premiere on July 18.

These guys are a class act. Aside from all being great guys, they are incredible musicians and artists. Their current album, Lovin' Pretty Women, is incredible, of course, but hearing them do some of the songs from that project live in our XM studio was a wonderful experience. "Kuykendall", especially, blew me away. You must hear that performance (and be sure to listen to the show as we discuss the correct pronunciation of "Kuykendall"--it's not what you think!).

The Studio Specials are a joy to do--especially with bands like this one. Thanks for all your nice comments about the series and for listening.

More info about the Studio Special series (including broadcast times) is here. Follow this link for a writeup about this week's show.

New Blog Feature

2008-06-14T10:44:00.005-05:00

You'll notice to the right I've added a link to The Bluegrass Blog. Since we don't cover bluegrass news per se on this site, I thought you might like a link to what I consider to be the premiere source for up-to-the-minute news about our music.

I'm also including a feed (scroll down to see it on the right) of the top headlines from the Blog, so you can see what's going on right now at a glance anytime you visit our site.

Trackin' Dailey & Vincent

2008-06-13T11:10:00.007-05:00

Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 PM ET, don't miss our Track-By-Track with Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent. They'll be in-studio with me as we play their entire new album, Dailey & Vincent, in sequence.

As you may recall, Dailey & Vincent were the lead-off artists on our Studio Special series when we began the 2008 season in March, and I've been wanting to track their album for some time now. With the Studio Special and other shows, however, there just hasn't been the right moment.

Well, the "moment" has arrived. Here's the full broadcast schedule for the new TBT:

Tuesday, June 17, 4:00 PM (premiere)
Thursday, June 19, 8:00 PM
Sunday, June 22 12 Noon
Wednesday, June 25 9:00 AM

All times are Eastern.

By the way--I probably don't need to tell you this, but this is one incredible CD. Check out the Dailey & Vincent website for more information.

Gibson Brothers on the Studio Special

2008-06-13T10:38:00.004-05:00

It's Friday again, and this morning another great show in our Studio Special series made its debut.

This week, our guests are the Gibson Brothers. We had the privilege a few weeks ago to premiere theire new CD, Iron & Diamonds, on Bluegrass Junction, and it seems to me that this band keeps getting better and better. While their Studio Special appearance wasn't focused entirely on the album, they performed several songs from it.

I was so impressed with the guys' work on this show. This is their second visit to the Studio Special, and it's one of the finest shows we have ever done. Their playing was superb. Even on one song where Eric says (on the air) something to the effect that he could have played his part better, I couldn't detect any problems whatsoever. In addition, the entire band performed like a well-oiled machine, deftly moving song to song (and from interview segment to song) with a smoothness and naturalness that made it sound like they do shows like this every day. Every song was played without any retakes--although the show was pre-recorded, we could have done it live without any hitches.

Don't miss this one. The next airing is tomorrow [Saturday] morning at 11 AM ET, and the full schedule of rebroadcasts can be found here.

Grascals Set Broadcast Today

2008-06-11T02:00:00.002-05:00

This afternoon during the 4 PM ET hour, I'll be airing the Grascals' live set from the CMA Music Festival, which we recorded Sunday.

You can read more about it in my earlier post.

Infamous Stringdusters Release Today

2008-06-10T02:00:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to the Infamous Stringdusters, whose second album for Sugar Hill, The Infamous Stringdusters, hits the streets today.

In celebration of the release of the new CD, we're going to re-run the Track-By-Track we did with them originally on May 20 one more time--this afternoon at 3:00 ET.

You can read more about the new record here.

Grascals at CMA Music Fest

2008-06-09T09:58:00.012-05:00

Here's a little unfinished business from last week's CMA Music Festival. Wednesday, during the 4:00 PM ET hour, we'll bring you a performance we captured at the event by the Grascals.

You may have been listening last Thursday when we brought you a live broadcast from the Chevy Stage at CMA Music Fest. One of the highlights from that stage we didn't broadcast was Sunday's show with the Grascals. We were there, though--as the pictures in the Bluegrass Junction photo album will attest--and our recorders in the XM Master Control Room in Washington were humming. So, you get to hear it!

For this show, I got to introduce the guys, who turned in their usual outstanding performance. I was especially interested to see Jeremy Abshire, the new fiddler for the group (replacing Jimmy Mattingly, who has left the group to join Dolly Parton). While his style might be a bit different from Jimmy's, he did a teriffic job and it's certain he'll be a huge asset to this group. Also, they did a few songs from the forthcoming album Keep on Walkin', which we'll premiere on Bluegrass Junction July 1.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, bluegrass typically hasn't meant much to the CMA Music Festival, which has always been geared toward mainstream country music. However, this year's offerings, meager as they were, were long on both energy and quality. If the fans who took the time to visit the Chevy Stage weren't impressed with these performers, they're tone deaf.

Again, the Grascals were great--you don't want to miss this little slice of live bluegrass. I hope you can tune in for the replay.

Grasstowne on the Studio Special

2008-06-06T11:36:00.008-05:00

Highlighting this weekend's programming on Bluegrass Junction is our Studio Special with Grasstowne, which debuted this morning.

The founding members of this supergroup, Alan Bibey, Steve Gulley, and Phil Leadbetter, have never sounded better. Although they're all veterans of bluegrass, they seem driven and invigorated by being a part of Grasstowne, which they formed in late 2006.

The Studio Special brings you an hour+ of exclusive live music and interview content, recorded in XM's Nashville studios. It's a show you can only hear on Bluegrass Junction, and I promise you that you won't be disappointed--especially with this edition of the program.

The next airing of the Grasstowne show is Saturday morning at 11:00 AM ET. The full listing of rebroadcast times is listed here.