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An Interview with Clay Hess

24 Jul, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The Clay Hess Band have released their new album Just Another Story this month. I got to interview Clay Hess just before the album’s release. Here is that interview:

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One of the things I like to hear people talk about is not just who may have influenced on their current music styles but more specifically how that influence has manifested in your own music?

My main influence was Tony Rice when I was learning. This was true of almost every bluegrass guitarist of my generation. That has manifested itself in my choice of material, my rhythm guitar playing, my lead guitar playing, technique, and vocal phrasing.

What is it about the bluegrass genre that you enjoy?

The power! There is nothing like that power when everything clicks together. There is also nothing like playing acoustic instruments with no effects or anything to hide behind. It is the ultimate “working without a net” in music.

It would be inappropriate to interview someone who has played in Kentucky Thunder and not ask about that experience, given Ricky Skaggs’ reputation and the high calibre of his band Kentucky Thunder.

Playing with Ricky Skaggs was an experience that is worth more musically than anyone could imagine. For a bluegrass musician, it’s akin to taking painting lessons from Van Gogh. I learned so much in my time there that I use every day in the studio or on stage. I was truly blessed with that opportunity.

Your website bio reflects on your “syncopated sense of timing.” Where did that evolve from and what impact do you see it having on your music and your band?

I think that mostly revolves from listening to artists like Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, the piano playing of Moon Mullican, Leon Rhodes and many western swing musicians.

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Congratulations to Clay Hess and The Clay Hess Band on the new album and on behalf of your Australian fans we hope it does well. Enjoy a preview of Anita You’re Dreaming on video below.

Kristy Cox Hits #1 in US and Australia

6 Jun, 18 by Greg McGrath 2 Comments

A Big thank you from Kristy Cox on Australian and USA Number 1 Hit.

Kristy Cox has hit # 1 in both Australia and the US charts, with the third single, I Can Almost Smell The Smoke, taken from her internationally acclaimed album, Ricochet. .

This week the song hit #1 on the Bluegrass Today Chart in the US knocking Dolly Parton’s duet with Rhonda Vincent from the top spot. Kristy also has just claimed the #1 hit on this week’s Australian Country Radio’s Top 10.

I am overwhelmed with the ongoing support from the DJs, my labels and the industry as a whole back home in Australia and here in the USA … I am a lucky girl and will be forever grateful – Kristy Cox.

Kristy Cox is currently on tour in the US with fellow bluegrass star, Amanda Cooke and heads home to Australia in August for shows with The Weeping Willows and Travis List plus performances at the Gympie Muster.

Kristy Cox is signed to Country Rocks Records in Australia and Mountain Fever Records in the US and managed by Norval McClean.

Kristy Cox on Tour:

Fri 17 Aug – Saints & Sailors, Portarlington VIC
Sat 18 Aug – Sale Greyhound Club, Sale VIC
Sun 19 Aug – Goldmines Hotel, Bendigo VIC
Mon 20 Aug – Bittern House Concert, Bittern VIC
Wed 22 Aug – Tourist Hotel, Queanbeyan NSW

Thu 23 Aug – Royal Theatre, Quirindi NSW
Sat 25 Aug – Gympie Muster, Gympie QLD
Sun 26 Aug – Gympie Muster, Gympie QLD
Fri 31 Aug – Trinity Sessions, Adelaide SA
Sat 1 Sep – The Barn, Wombat Flat, Neale Flat SA

New Album for Mustered Courage In Development

3 Jun, 18 by Greg McGrath 1 Comment

Australian progressive bluegrass band Mustered Courage is seeking funding for the development and recording of their next album having released their last full CD around three years ago.

The band has been writing and touring over the past three years and are now hoping to fund the development of their new CD by CrowdFunding.

Why crowdfunding? The band have gone independent. Their last album was funded through their record label which also managed the release and distribution. Mustered Courage have parted company from their record label and going it alone once again. That’s where the CrowdFunding provides an opportunity to help them raise the needed capital to head to the studio.

While heading to the studio to record a new album seems quite straight forward there are loads of considerations, especially if you want to develop a high quality product. Quite apart from the costs of studio hire there are also fees required for producer recording engineer, mix engineer, a mastering engineer. Further there are outlays for guest musicians and equipment hire. Having recorded the songs there is then the need to market the result. Further costs include video production, location costs for the video shoot. Then we need to include the cost of print publicist, radio publicist, CD printing costs, photographers, videographers, artwork, and graphic design. Mustered Courage are budgeting some $21,500 for these costs. This is a modest budget fo CD production and distribution.

There are many benefits to having the support of a record label as you can see above. However, there are some limitations. Mustered Courage is at its best currently as is each member of the band. Their song-writing chops have matured once again they say, and they are keen to record.

What’s in it for you?

By buying in to their campaign you’ll be privy to amazing and unique perks such as:

have a song written about you
private house concerts
their shiny new record
the latest Mustered gear, including a bespoke t-shirt design
signed vinyl … and more

To help make the new Mustered Courage CD and reality – click this link.

Mustered Courage Team up with Mark Gable

22 May, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Famed Aussie Rock Song Run To Paradise now immortalised by Australian Bluegrass Music Band Mustered Courage and Mark Gable.

Golden Guitar Award winner and ARIA nominated Melbourne band Mustered Courage have themselves well established in the forefront of Australia’s folk and roots scene. Known for pushing the boundaries of what progressive folk-rock and especially bluegrass music, can be, they convinced prolific rock and roll songwriter, performer and Choirboys founder/singer, Mark Gable to record and perform Run To Paradise with a bluegrass twist. The result gave the song a new lease on life engaging an entire music community that may not be so familiar with the song first made famous in 1988 by Choirboys.

After a chance meeting in the main street of Tamworth during 2012’s Country Music Festival, with Mark introducing himself and praising the band for their work, never did the pair think it was the start of a magical music collaboration.

Being a young band and our first ever trip to the Festival, it really meant a lot to us – Julian Abrahams.

The pair continued to cross paths for many years in Tamworth and in 2014, the band managed to convince Mark to join Mustered Courage on stage at one of their Tamworth shows to perform a bluegrass arrangement of Gable’s successful single. Needless to say, Mark was all in and the audience were in raptures.

The chord progression lends itself very well to the traditional bluegrass sound so it made a lot of sense and Aussies love this bloody song and we loved delivering a version that the country and bluegrass people could get into as well. That audience absolutely brought the house down after we played it with Mark – Mustered Courage.

Featuring Nick Keeling on banjo, Julian Abrahams on guitar, Josh Bridges on double bass) and Josh Bennett on mandolin, Mustered Courage’s steady rise and insatiable work ethic caught the attention of Lost Highway Australia who signed the band to a worldwide recording deal in 2014. The signing was consummated with the release of a rootsy cover of Seal’s Kiss From A Rose which garnered further accolade from not only Seal himself but fans and media alike with Rhythms Magazine raving, “the four-part harmonies are right on the money. And the string picking, whether lightning fast or mellow and relaxed, is incendiary.” The single also featured an original instrumental B-side titled ‘Candle Creek’ which earned them merit, giving Mustered Courage their first Golden Guitar Award for Instrumental of the Year at the 2015 CMAA Music Awards.

That same year, the band released their third album White Lies & Melodies – their first album via Lost Highway, which earned the band a nomination for ARIA Country Album of the Year.

This is the band’s first new recording release since 2015 and leads the way for a new album release in September 2018. Keen to involve fans in the band’s next recording venture, Mustered Courage will begin a crowd-funding campaign via their official website in the coming weeks.

We have such a ball spending time with Mark and the music video was an absolute hilarious blast to shoot. His energy and sense of humour is second to none, and what a voice. Mustered Courage fans are no strangers to us doing left of centre cover versions, so we think this should be a nice addition to our repertoire. Maybe even a new country anthem that opens the doors of Aussie rock fans to a genre they don’t yet know they love. Time will tell… bluegrass paradise – Julian Abrahams.

Davidson Brothers Selected for 2018 Bluegrass Ramble

17 May, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

IBMA Selects Official Showcase Artists for 2018 Bluegrass Ramble

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has announced its 30 Official Showcase Artists for the Bluegrass Ramble, the IBMA’s innovative showcase series which will take place at select venues throughout downtown Raleigh, North Carolina September 25-27. The Bluegrass Ramble is one element of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass 2018 event, September 25-29.

The following artists were selected by the IBMA Showcase Selection Committee as Bluegrass Ramble Official Showcase artists:

Amanda Cook – Jay, Florida
Appalachian Road Show – Ellijay, Georgia
Ashleigh Caudill – Nashville, Tennessee
Bill and the Belles – Johnson City, Tennessee
Cedar Hill – Hillsboro, Missouri
Charm City Junction – Baltimore, Maryland
Circus No. 9 – Johnson City, Tennessee
Colebrook Road – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
David Davis & The Warrior River Boys – Cullman, Alabama
Davidson Brothers – Bendigo, Victoria (Australia)
Flats and Sharps – Brighton, Cornwall (United Kingdom)
Hawktail – Nashville, Tennessee
Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Parker, Colorado
JigJam – Fermoy, Cork (Ireland)
John Reischman and the Jaybirds – New Westminster, British Columbia (Canada)
Kim Robins and 40 Years Late – Bloomington, Indiana
Kristi Stanley & Running Blind – Coeburn, VA
Lonesome Ace Stringband – Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Man About a Horse – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Missy Raines – Nashville, Tennessee
Rebekah Long – Nashville, Tennessee
Special Consensus – Oak Lawn, Illinois
The Band of Kelleys – Spring Hill, Tennessee
The Barefoot Movement – Hendersonville, Tennessee
The Honey Dewdrops – Baltimore, Maryland
The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers – Stockdale, Pennsylvania
The Plate Scrapers – Hagerstown, Maryland
The Trailblazers – Mount Ulla, North Carolina
The Wooks – Lexington, Kentucky
Wood & Wire – Dripping Springs, Texas

These artists were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants from all over the world, with the goal of presenting the broad spectrum of styles, regions and personalities who represent bluegrass today. Each act will perform at least two times over the course of the three-night Bluegrass Ramble event, at one of five downtown Raleigh clubs plus the Raleigh Convention Center, providing multiple opportunities to see each act.

Each year, there is a great deal of anticipation to learn who was selected as Official Showcase Bands for the upcoming World of Bluegrass out of an incredibly competitive field. Once again, the Showcase Selection Committee faced difficult decisions but did a terrific job. It is fun to see a mixture of well-established bands with new material along with bands who are achieving success in the earlier stages of their careers. There is no better opportunity for talent buyers and other industry professionals to connect with new music and new talent than the showcases at IBMA’s Business Conference and Bluegrass Ramble – Paul Schiminger, IBMA Executive Director.

Access to Bluegrass Ramble shows is included with an IBMA Business Conference registration. Those not attending the conference may buy a full-access wristband to all Ramble venues for $75.00 or a single-day wristband for $30.00 on the World of Bluegrass website. Members of the IBMA receive a discount on regular registration fees. Early Bird registration for the Business Conference is just $225 for IBMA members and $265 for non-members. Conference attendees have until May 31 to take advantage of ALL that the Business Conference has to offer at this discounted rate.

The Bluegrass Ramble showcases will be held in the following venues:

Pour House Music Hall
Vintage Church
Raleigh Convention Center

The Architect Bar & Social House
Kings
Lincoln Theatre

More info about World of Bluegrass and the Wide Open Festival
IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, whose principal sponsor is Chiesi USA, is a five-day annual bluegrass music homecoming and convention. World of Bluegrass encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 26-28; the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 26-28 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 28th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, September 28; and PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass, September 29-30, a two-day festival. The ticketed Wide Open Main Stage features the best of the best in bluegrass today, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Bluegrass Trust Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies. The free Wide Open StreetFest brings bluegrass into the community and introduces the music to thousands of new fans every year.

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that last year’s World of Bluegrass events generated $11.7 million in direct visitor spending for that region, with total attendance for the week’s activities estimated to be a record-breaking 221,000 people. Over 220 acts performed throughout the entire week of World of Bluegrass.

As in years past, events during World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.

About Chiesi USA
Chiesi USA, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company committed to research, development, and commercialization of innovative products in the areas of cardiovascular, neonatology, respiratory, rare disease and special care therapeutics. Our primary focus is on people: the people we serve in the healthcare community; the people whose lives are touched by our products and services; and the people who work at Chiesi USA, as they strive to build their company, their family and their community. Chiesi USA, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.

About IBMA IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the nonprofit professional organization for the global bluegrass music community. The organization’s six-year run in Raleigh is the product of their successful partnership with The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Raleigh Convention Center, PineCone—The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, the City of Raleigh and a local organizing committee.

Nu Blu Video – Gypsies on Parade

13 May, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Rising Bluegrass and Americana group Nu-Blu has released their latest single, Gypsies on Parade. The song serves as the band’s debut release to Grassicana radio. The award-winning group partnered with Cowboys & Indians to unveil the official video for the track. The publication is well-known for spotlighting and featuring top entertainers in multiple fields such as Willie Nelson, Matthew McConaughey, Clint Eastwood, and more. Cowboys & Indians describes Nu-Blu as blending their Southern roots into heartfelt all-American music.

Touring over 200 days a year, ‘Gypsies On Parade’ is more than just a song, it’s our life. It’s a life of ups and downs, and we wanted to bring each of you a glimpse of that – Carolyn Routh, Nu Blu.

Gypsies on Parade is featured on the band’s latest release, Vagabonds, released via Voxhall Records. The lyrics from the track helped to determine the title of the album, with the key line, “gypsies on parade, vagabonds that got it made.” The track might sound familiar to some fans, as it was written by Sawyer Brown’s Mark Miller and released on their 1986 album, Out Goin’ Cattin’. The original served as the inspiration for Nu-Blu’s new, Bluegrass/Americana take on the Country band’s song.

Media is already raving about Nu-Blu’s version of the song. Backstage Axxess states, “It’s a bold statement but ‘Gypsies on Parade’ is to Bluegrass as Bob Seger’s ‘Turn the Page’ is to Rock and Roll.” Digital Journal calls the rendition a “delicate performance,” while Vents Magazine calls Carolyn Routh’s vocals on the track “mesmerizing, and one of the most standout performances in the genre in the last year.”

Nu-Blu will continue to spread their music to new audiences throughout North America during their “Vagabonds Tour.” With festival season kicking into high gear throughout spring and summer, Nu-Blu is set to have one of their busiest touring years to date. Already in 2018, the band has made major appearances at the national NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif., along with playing the Watson stage at MerleFest in N.C. For the latest tour dates, and all things Nu-Blu, visit their website.

Kelly Country Pick Takes Shape for 2018.

23 Apr, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

20th Annual Kelly Country Pick – 2018 – Friday 17th August – Sunday 19th August

International guests for this year will include Jake Blount a recent finalist in the prestigious Appalachian String Band Music Festival in West Virginia and Libby Weintnauer from New York.

Libby Weintnauer lives in Brooklyn New York. Libby has been playing and studying the violin for most her life commencing at age 4. Originally from East Tennessee, she was first inspired to play the violin by a concert she saw on PBS, after her grandmother offered to fund music lessons for the instrument of her choice.

The video below features Libby with one of her previous tutors Matt Brown:

Libby Weitnauer is a former fiddle student of mine at the Old Town School of Folk Music (she was, at the time, getting a B.A. in Violin Performance at DePaul University) and is now one of my favorite old-time fiddlers on the scene – Matt Brown.

There is a strong line up of additional artists listed on the Kelly Country Pick website.

Pre Festival Camp:

This year’s festival aims to feature a pre-festival camp from Tue. 14th to Thu. 16th August.

Festival organisers are seeking expressions of interest in the planned camp. The aim is to feature two sessions of 1.5 hours a day for the three days plus plenty of jamming. The cost for the pre-festival camp will be around the $250 no meals at this time. The format may change depending on interest. Classes will be bluegrass and old-time banjo, fiddle, mandolin, bass, guitar. At this stage organisers are still dependant on a tutor for Dobro.

VALE Randy Lynn Scruggs

19 Apr, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Today we learned that Randy Scruggs, famed son of the 5-string banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs has died at age 64.

Randy Lynn Scruggs was the second of three sons born to Earl and Louise Scruggs on Aug. 4, 1953 in Nashville Tennessee. He grew up surrounded by music greats like Maybelle Carter and Johnny Cash would stop by the house. Carter’s autoharp fascinated six-year-old Randy.

With a career that started at age 13, Randy Scruggs was Grammy-winning musician, songwriter and producer. Over the course of his career, he played on two of country music’s landmark albums, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Will the Circle Be Unbroken and John Hartford’s ground breaking bluegrass album Aereo-Plain. Scruggs went on to produce the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s next two Circle albums.

Randy Scruggs was an exceptional talent, highly respected in the Nashville music community although he maintained a low profile throughout his life, he was a played a significant role in the development of the Nashville music scene.

Grammy wins:

1990: Best Country Instrumental Performance, Amazing Grace
1999: Best Country Instrumental Performance, Soldier’s Joy (with Vince Gill)
2001: Best Country Instrumental Performance, Foggy Mountain Breakdown (with Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, Glen Duncan, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Marty Stuart, Albert Lee, Steve Martin, Leon Russell and Paul Shaffer)
2005: Best Country Instrumental Performance, Earl’s Breakdown (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Vassar Clements and Jerry Douglas)

Scruggs is survived by his wife Sandy, his daughter, Lindsey, and his brother, Gary. No funeral service is planned but details of a memorial event are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Contributions in Randy Scruggs’ name may be made to MusicCares or the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Flatt and Scruggs and Paul Kelly Feature on Southern Style.

17 Apr, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Jan Dale will be playing an interview with Paul Kelly and his collaboration with Gerry Hale’s band Uncle Bill this month on Southern Style, 24th April.

In 1999 Paul Kelly with Bluegrass band Uncle Bill released the CD Smoke. Ed Nimmervol conducted an extended interview with Kelly which was released for radio play. Jan will feature parts of this interview along with selected songs from the CD.

In addition she will feature several historically important recordings of Flatt & Scruggs performing live on radio in 1954 and 1957 and subsequently released on CD.

Southern Style can also be streamed to your computer, so you might like to also catch Jan’s special in the archives of the PBS website.

Southern Style with Jan Dale – PBS FM 106.7
Tuesdays 1:00pm to 3:00pm or online at www.pbsfm.org.au.

Huck Finn Moves to Ontario California.

14 Apr, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

For over 40 years, the annual three-day music festival in Southern California, Huck Finn Jubilee, has delivered acts from a long list of luminaries such as Ralph Stanley, Alison Krauss, Del McCoury, Punch Brothers, Rhonda Vincent, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, Emmylou Harris, Peter Rowan, and more. After a one-year hiatus, the festival will be re-emerge, relocated to Ontario, California, on October 5, 6, and 7 in 2018 under new owners Nikki and Roger.

It’s important that we honour the tradition of this festival because the community deserves it and we want to take you on the musical journey that we experienced – Nikki and Roger.

The couple, both executives at an experiential marketing firm in Los Angeles, attended the festival in 2016 and were impressed with the music, array of activities for people of all ages and overall positive vibe. When they heard the festival wasn’t going to return in 2017, they purchased the brand and built their dream team of industry experts in hopes of keeping the festival alive and maintaining the high-level of quality its fans and the community deserves.

Entering its 41st year, the 2018 Huck Finn Jubilee will offer the entire festival experience featuring traditional and progressive bluegrass music, local food, craft beer, a unique array of handcrafted arts and crafts, access to beautiful park amenities, camping, fishing and general family fun.

Festival ticket sales and artist lineup announcements coming soon.

Connect with Huck Finn Jubilee:

Experience 2018 Huck Finn Jubilee:

Meet the New Festival Personnel:

Huck Finn Jubilee: Mini-Documentary:

Editor’s Note: I attended this festival on one of my festival searches a few years ago and found it to be one of the most enjoyable festivals in the USA. The stage setting was as intimate as an open air stage can be; the artists were quite accessible; the jam sessions in the camp-grounds were hugely welcoming while the people were some of the friendliest I had experienced.
The new owners have a serious challenge ahead of them in building on the success of the Huck Finn Jubilee and continue developing the festival brand a completely new environment.