australianbluegrass.com

Bluegrass stalwart Doyle Lawson has announced a new partnership with Caboots, a Texas-based boot and clothing company that specializes in custom designs and traditional manufacturing. Doyle Lawson has a long held reputation for his colourful clothing in his on-stage presentation.

Doyle Lawson’s career has stood at the center of bluegrass and bluegrass gospel for over 40 years. He is the one constant in a band that has featured over 40 different musicians over the years. The band has been a training academy for bluegrass players—initiating, training and then sending out into the world, some of the genre’s most respected musicians. Throughout it all, Doyle has maintained his devotion to a traditional sound with his signature vocal harmonies and stellar picking. Legends are made, not born and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have spent 30 years carving out their own eminent place in the bluegrass pantheon.

We are proud to work with Doyle Lawson and see this as a great fit. His music and style truly display the values we strive for and honor – a love of country American roots and quality fun - Priscilla and Joey Sanchez,  Caboots.

Artists, International News Doyle Lawson

The submission deadline for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2010 presented by Lowe’s, is fast approaching.  All entries must be received by 18th February 2010.

Now in its 18th year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.

Contest entries are now being accepted via the following methods:

• U.S. Mail – Send to  P. O. Box 121855, Nashville, TN 37212
• American Songspace – www.americansongspace.com
• Sonicbids – www.sonicbids.com

Details about entry fees, eligibility and other requirements are available at chrisaustinsongwritingcontest.org.
To be eligible to enter, a songwriter must not derive more than 50% of his or her total income from songwriting or music publishing. Entries Must Be Received by February 18, 2010.

Bluegrass News, International News Merlfest

Songwriter’s Opportunity

Song Central have advised of another opportunity for songwriters.  A producer is looking for Pop R&B songs for an album due out later this year.
More information is available for all songwriter/composer members in their home pages on Song Central.  However, if you are not currently a member and are interested knowing more about Song Central and/or this tender, you can contact sue@songcentral.com.au or elspeth@songcentral.com.au

Why showcase your songs on Song Central?

Because every song in showcase has the potential to be found in a search by an industry user and can be submitted to any number of tenders (appropriate to  brief).  Every song in a Tender on Song Central gets listened to and has the opportunity to be selected which means YOU make a new connection …

Some recent   connections   include:

• song selected by a producer & sent to international artist doing new album in the US
• songs selected for performance in a major NSW Primary Schools Combined Choir music event
• composers signing world-wide publishing deals with production house
• songwriter found by songplugger pitching songs in the US and Australia
• songwriter introduced to established artist to co-write
• songs selected for nationwide school music program (published in printed book & recorded on album)
• songs found by producer for band doing new album

Bluegrass News Song Central

News From The Davidson Brothers

Fresh after winning their Golden Guitar this year, Lachlan has been selected by the International Bluegrass Music Association to participate in the 2010 class of Leadership Bluegrass. Now in its eleventh year with more than 250 alumni, Leadership Bluegrass is an intensive three-day program of advanced level, interactive learning experiences that invites participants to examine the challenges and opportunities facing bluegrass music along with related leadership issues. Facilitated by Fred Bartenstein, the class will run at the BMI offices in Nashville USA on 9-11 March 2010.

Congratulations Lachie

Artists, Bluegrass News Davidson Bros, IBMA

From Sunday 7th Feb, Uncle Bill are playing a gig each Sundays in February at Burlesque at 42 Johnston St, Fitzroy, just near the Guitar Gallery. Doors open 3:00pm.

The jam session commences after the gig all are invited and onlookers are welcome.

Artists, Bluegrass News Jam Sessions, Uncle Bill

Jeff Crawford for the Eastern Courier Writes:

The Beggars a trio from Adelaide in South Australia topped the charts in Europe last year even though their audiences did not know what to make of them.

The Banjo Song, the first single from second album Desert Flower, hit the top spot on the European country chart with a little help from a 14-date tour.

But the acoustic outfit is categorised as a mix of country, bluegrass and folk, resulting in complicated advertising, and some people even doubt their Aussie pedigree. The Beggars  are Stuart Day, Renee Donaghey and Quinton Dunne.

Read the full story at the Eastern Courier

Article General News

Gruhn Guitars has taken on distribution of Duff Mandolins. Western Australian luthier Paul Duff will now have his highly sought after instruments available through one of the worlds most notable instruments dealers in Nashville Tennessee – Gruhn Guitars. This makes Duff Mandolins available through three USA music outlets including Elderly Instruments and Mandolin Central.

Paul told us of his recent experience while on tour with Bluegrass Parkway last year where George Gruhn bought one of Paul’s instruments. In fact he purchased the very mandolin which Paul was using on tour.  George fell for the instrument after hearing it and offered to take it after Paul had finished the tour. Paul delivered the instrument and it sold within a few weeks. George then bought another which was shipped to the USA just prior to the IBMA annual showcase. Four days later, that one sold too. Gruhn Guitars has since purchased a further two mandolins which they have taken delivery of and has agreed to become one of three Duff Mandolin distributors in the USA.

Gruhn Guitars claim to always have the world’s premier collections of vintage and used fretted instruments. Further, Gruhn Guitars also claim that if you  need information or advice about buying an instrument, their sales staff are one of the most knowledgeable and experienced in the vintage world.

Bluegrass News, Instrument Makers Duff Mandolins, Gruhn Guitars, Mandolin

Matthew H. Coogan, for the Harvard Crimson Writes:

American folk music is beginning — too late, as many enthusiasts insist — to be embraced and studied by the academic world. In that vein, Fire on the Mountain — a day-long symposium featuring world-renowned scholars and performers, including Grammy-awarding winning composer and banjo player Alison H. Brown ’84 — aims to explore the roots, methods, and culture of bluegrass this Saturday in the Barker Centre.

Read the full article in the Harvard Crimson

Article General News

Steve Martin received an award at the music industry’s most prestigeous event, the Grammy Awards. Steve Martin’s  The Crow: News Songs For the Five-String Banjo was named Best Bluegrass Album. Other nominees in this category were  Bryan Sutton and friends’ Almost Live, Rhonda Vincent’s Destination Life, Jim Lauderdale’s Could We Get Any Closer and Michael Martin Murphey’s Buckaroo Blue Grass.

Béla Fleck received two awards, Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Contemporary World Music Album for his album Throw Down Your Heart.

Association Events, International News Bela Fleck, Grammy Awards, Steve Martin

Submitted by Ed Lowe

W.A. Bluegrass and Old Timey American Music Club

The first jam for  2010 is on Tuesday 9th February at the Italian Club in Marine Tce., Fremantle. We will then meet on the second Tuesday of each month through until December 2010.

For those new to the evening, things get started around 7:30 pm. If you play Bluegrass or Old Time music, or have a hankering to get into it, or just like to listen, then you will be made very welcome.  It’s all pretty informal, but we do try to cater for a wide range of musical ability and experience.

Check out the website

Bluegrass Parkway News

Bluegrass Parkway will be playing at the Mundaring Folk ‘n’ Blues Club on Friday 19th Feb 2010.


Bluegrass News Bluegrass Parkway, Western Australia

The National Association of Music Merchants along with some American guitar manufacturers have been named in several lawsuits with claims of conspiring to artificially boost prices on their products in violation of the federal Sherman Antitrust Act.

Defendants include instrument makers Fender, Yamaha and Gibson along with The National Association of Music Merchants and US national chain retailer Guitar Center. Statements issued by the associations have said the suits are without merit and contain misinformation about the association and its members. Gibson have issued the following media statement:

Gibson Guitar Corp. is one of many manufacturers and organizations in the Musical Instrument Industry that has been named a party to approximately 30 lawsuits that claim they conspired to artificially increase and fix the prices of musical instruments. These lawsuits stemmed from an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission that lasted several years and was not pursued by the FTC after they concluded the investigation.

The allegation that Gibson participated in any scheme to artificially inflate or fix prices is wholly without merit. Gibson strives to provide customers with the best musical instruments in the world and to build lifelong relationships with musicians who choose the Gibson brand.

Gibson believes in the American system of justice and believes that, through that system, the claims against Gibson will show to have no merit. Unfortunately, that process will undoubtedly result in high costs to many organizations that, like Gibson, strive to provide music lovers everywhere with quality instruments and aggressively compete on price. They provide true and accurate information to their consumers, and continue to innovate and provide great value in product offerings overall - Gibson Guitar Corp.

Article, International News Gibson

News from Pinecastle Records this week reveals that after celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, that they will be ceasing operations from 1st February this year.

Pinecastle Records was founded in 1990 in Orlando, Florida by Mr. Tom Riggs when he expanded his hobby of bluegrass into a full-time business. Tom had been involved in bluegrass music professionally for over 30 years prior to starting Pinecastle Records.

Growing up in Louisville, KY, Tom Riggs began his love of bluegrass music at a young age.  His involvement in the music industry ranges from singing Ernest Tubb tunes in college bands, performing for 3 years on The Renfro Valley Barn Dance, TV production, hosting the first nationally syndicated bluegrass radio program (American Acoustic Country), festival production, and founding Pinecastle Records.

After the first release in 1990, Pinecastle has gone on to release the recordings of some of bluegrass music’s biggest legends including Jim & Jesse, The Osborne Brothers, Charlie Waller and The Country Gentlemen, Jack Cooke, and Eddie Adcock.  Pinecastle has also been instrumental in sparking the musical careers of Terry Eldredge, Josh Williams, and a long line of sidemen.  The Pinecastle catalog has grown to consist of over 200 titles.

In 2002, Mr. Riggs was awarded by the IBMA with the Distinguished Achievement Award for all the hard work and dedication he has put forth to ensure the success and future of the bluegrass genre.  As the company approaches its 20th anniversary in 2010, Pinecastle looks to the future of the bluegrass music industry by embracing a new generation of artists and ideas.

The Bluegrass Blog carries a letter this week from Cory Biggs, Tom’s son, citing health issues and the current business environment as reasons for their decision.

Bluegrass News, International News Pinecastle Records

Mumford & Sons and banjo-driven folk-pop popular, by Andrew Murfett in The Age.

Not so long ago I received a story from one of our Australian readers about a Brittish band featuring a 5 string in their instrument line up. The band was the most requested act on Tripple J and YouTube. The band Mumford and Sons has gone from strength to strength with its music and demand for ticket sales for their first Australian tour have exceeded supply.

You can catch the full story on the Melb Age Website.

Article General News

Skaggs Family Records has advised that The Cherryholmes have started working on their brand new album which is due to be released mid year.

Cia Cherryholmes has been posting updates on her Facebook page, and SFR will be posting videos from the studio as they get closer to the release date.
You can log on to SkaggsFamilyRecords.com & their YouTube channel at for all of the latest studio updates & footage.

Bluegrass News Cherryholmes

Submitted by Lachie Davidson

The 2010 CMAA Australian National Bluegrass Championships were held on Sunday, 24th January at 11:00am at Wests’ Diggers during the annual 10 day Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The Bluegrass Championships staring out in 1979 as part of the Tamworth festival, and  were reinstated in 2008 after a nine year absence. With the assistance of Rod McCormack, the CMAA and Fender Australia donating the prizes, we can look forward to the growth of Bluegrass in Australia and more young players coming to the forefront.

The championships have always attracted great crowds and over the years it has been a platform for young musicians to be noticed and compete for the titles. Previous winners have gone on to win Golden Guitars, tour with major touring acts in Australia and overseas and even become finalists in the Grammy Awards.

2010 Bluegrass Championship Winners:

Mandolin – Lachlan Davidson
Guitar – Rob Long
Fiddle – George Jackson
Banjo – George Jackson
Encouragement Award – Peter Cooper

Bluegrass News Tamworth