Grascals Celebrate #1 Billboard Status

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!

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:

• World of Bluegrass Schedule of Activities
• IBMA Awards Nominees
• Fan Fest Artist Schedule
• IBMA Home Page

Have a great week!

Archival Programs Airing This Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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.