Grascals Set Broadcast Today

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.

Grascals at CMA Music Fest

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.

CMA Music Fest Photos Online

As Wichita Rutherford would say, "We had the best time" at the CMA Music Festival yesterday. As you know, Bluegrass Junction broadcast the bluegrass show, and it featured "killer" sets from The Steeldrivers, Mountain Heart, Dan Tyminski, and Sierra Hull. I hope you got to hear it.

I've now posted 40+ photos taken yesterday to the Bluegrass Junction Photo Gallery. Check 'em out! Also, if you want to see some other (non-bluegrass-related) photos from CMA Music Fest, go to the Highway 16 Photo Gallery.

CMA Music Fest Bluegrass Show

Don't miss the CMA Music Festival's bluegrass show tomorrow at 3 PM ET. We'll be broadcasting the show uninterrupted and in its entireity, live from the Chevy Stage at the Sommet Center (Fifth and Broadway) in downtown Nashville. I wrote a bit about this show a few days ago (here's the earlier post.)

Here's the schedule of artists appearing (and bear in mind, it's subject to change):

3:00 Steeldrivers
3:45 Mountain Heart
4:30 Dan Tyminski
5:15 Sierra Hull

Again, all times are Eastern.

If you're in or planning to be in Nashville, you should know that this show is free and open to the public. So come on down and enjoy the bluegrass!

CMA Music Fest Bluegrass?

The CMA Music Festival (formerly known as Fan Fair) begins next week--June 5 to be exact. Country music fans from all around the world will come to Nashville to see the currently-hottest acts in the music perform on stage. They also come with the hope of meeting--or at least seeing up close--some of their favorites.

What does this mean for bluegrass? Not much, really. For years--indeed, for much of its history--bluegrass has been only a small part of CMA Music Fest. Back in the day when Fan Fair was held at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, there was always a bluegrass show staged--usually headlined by Bill Monroe--to kick off the festival, but it was poorly attended. I emceed several of those shows during the '80s and '90s, and remember well the great music and relatively small crowds. I always attributed that to the fact that the shows weren't promoted well, and also that there were often competing events which drew attendees away.

CMA Music Fest is now held in downtown Nashville. Although there is still very little emphasis on bluegrass, the good news is that it is still represented. In fact, it's represented well. This year's all-bluegrass show, which takes place on Thursday the 5th at 2:00 P.M., features The Steeldrivers, Mountain Heart, Dan Tyminski, and Sierra Hull. Now that's a strong lineup. If that's not enough, the Grascals will be appearing on another show (not bluegrass-only) on Sunday the 8th at 11:45 A.M.

The best part is that both of these shows are free--you don't have to be a registered CMA Music Fest participant to see them--and they'll be held on the Chevrolet-sponsored show just outside of the Sommet Center at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway. Just walk up and enjoy the music. And if you can't be there in person, Bluegrass Junction will be broadcasting the Thursday show live, and the Sunday show on a delayed basis.

In an age when many of country music's biggest stars eschew CMA Music Fest for more lucrative concert appearances elsewhere, it's interesting that some of the best bluegrass has to offer will be out in force. I think that's good for bluegrass and the CMA.