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Laura Barton, UK Guardian, Interviews Mumford and Sons

The pub is filling up: City boys in pinstriped suits, women clutching dry white wines; candles are lit on upstairs tables, voices rise to fill the room. In a back booth, far away from the clamour of the bar, four fastidiously attired young men nurse pints of ale. Mumford & Sons are here on a break from a nearby studio, where they have been rehearsing in ­preparation for an upcoming tour that will take them from Australia to the US and back to the UK for a run of sold-out dates, and which will likely cement their reputation as one of the best live bands in Britain…

I find it easier to sing songs over and over if they feel honest, if we feel passionate about them. That’s an important thing: we need to be able to feel what we sing every night, and believe it - Marcus Mumford.

Read the full interview here

Article, International News Mumford & Sons

Gibson Contributing Editor Ellen Barnes talks to Randy Scruggs.

Randy Scruggs grew up watching wide-eyed as his dad — legendary banjo player Earl Scruggs — took part in jam sessions at the family’s Nashville home with artists like Johnny Cash, Ravi Shankar and Linda Ronstadt. Besides his enviable vantage point, Randy also received personal tutelage from Mother Maybelle Carter.

When Randy was six, it was Carter who taught Randy to play autoharp. She instilled in him a lifelong affinity for Gibson guitars. Her Gibson of choice was an L-5, while his ultimately would become the Advanced Jumbo, a model he turned to so long ago that he can’t recall when or where he first fell in love with it.

It didn’t take long for Randy to earn his reputation as an artist in his own right; he was barely out of his twenties before he became a first-call session player and producer for artists like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, George Strait and Alison Krauss. He’s since won a Grammy and has thrice been named Musician of the Year at the Country Music Awards, among other honors. But at the end of the day, Randy says he is grounded by the guitar and by the example of his famous father.

Read the whole article at Gibson Guitars

Article, Artists, International News Gibson, Guitar

The American Made Banjo Company has made us aware of a major new television documentary called The Banjo Project. It details the history of America’s quintessential musical instrument, tracing its 250 year path from its African roots to the present day.

The documentary is written and produced by Marc Fields and narrated by Steve Martin. Tony Trischka is the musical producer. It brings together contemporary players in all styles including Earl Scruggs, Pete Seeger, Bela Fleck, Taj Mahal, Don Vappie, Cynthia Sayer, Steve Martin and others including folklorists, historians, instrument makers and passionate amateurs all of whom tell the story of America’s instrument in all its richness and diversity.

The piano may do for lovesick girls who lace themselves to skeletons, and lunch on chalk, pickles, and slate pencils. But give me the banjo… When you want genuine music—music that will come right home to you like a bad quarter, suffuse your system like strychnine whiskey…ramify your whole constitution like the measles, and break out on your hide like the pin-feather pimples on a picked goose—when you want all this, just smash your piano, and invoke the glory-beaming banjo - Mark Twain, 1865.

The Banjo Project is a cross-media cultural odyssey: a major television documentary, a live stage/multi-media performance, and a website that chronicle the journey of America’s quintessential instrument—the banjo—from its African roots to the 21st century. It’s a collaboration between Emmy-winning writer-producer Marc Fields and banjo virtuoso Tony Trischka one of the most acclaimed acoustic musicians of his generation.

Full details on the Banjo Project Website.

Article, International News Steve Martin, Tony Trischka

Rural Rhythm Records has announced the album, “My Sisters and Me” by the award-winning bluegrass band, Gold Heart, appears on this week’s Billboard Magazine Top 50 Bluegrass Chart.  This project includes the stunning vocal harmony by Gold Heart sisters, Analise, Jocelyn and Shelby along with their Dad, Trent Gold and Russ Carson.

Gold Heart was recently chosen by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) as an official 2009 IBMA Showcase Artist where they performed during the annual IBMA World of Bluegrass convention in Nashville.

The popular, BlogCritics recently gave the CD an amazing review stating -  Not only do the siblings display excellent musicianship, and warm, heartfelt singing, but Jocelyn Gold is also a talented songwriter. Most of the songs on the disc flow from her pen – three-quarters to be precise. All of her offerings are solid, but some absolutely shine.

Article, International News Gold Heart

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

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

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

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 Mumford & Sons

What is Country Music?

The age old debate over what does or does not constitute country music continues throughout the nation and more particularly in Tamworth this past week. Indeed there was much debate about the music content of the festival in various media reports last week, even prompting this year’s Golden Guitar winner, Troy Casser-Daley to tell the audience to enjoy the music, whatever it is.

On the same note, Toowoomba-based music industry photographer and writer delivered a lecture at the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame which he named Let’s Get Real: the Need for Authenticity in Australian Country Music.

…there’s still some great country music, but it’s become overwhelmed by stuff that is just ordinary. It’s not rocket science,  it’s country and it’s music. There has to be some sort of connection with the country for it to have meaning.

…mediocrity in country music can almost be traced to the day Slim died. Slim was a shining light. Everyone aimed at being that good, that credible and that authentic. Since Slim died, it’s almost like the day the music died.

I feel the essence of the music slipping away, in the past 10 years has become very ordinary. Country music has always had respect for what’s come before. Without that respect, it becomes very bad pop music - John Elliott.

While the debate would seem to be without and, perhaps the laws of supply and demand might prevail and allow the market to determine what they want to listen to.

The debate aside, there are far more important issues to be raised:

The news of who won which Golden Guitar award at this year’s Tamworth ceremony has made national news. Meanwhile, bluegrass music fans across the nation wait for news on who took out the Bluegrass fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin championships for 2010. Unless you were there last Sunday to witness the event, the results would appear to be a well kept secret. In fact the CMAA’s website is so far behind the news that it is still offering to sell tickets to an event that has since passed. Where are their priorities?

Websites are wonderful resources when they are current and a source of frustration when they are out of date.

Article Tamworth

For bluegrass fans, 2009 was a great year for music.

Pop Matters has evaluated and listed 2009’s top 10 bluegrass albums.

1. Circles Around Me – Sam Bush
2. One More for the Road – Adam Steffey
3. Ring the Bell – Gibson Brothers
4. Whatcha Gonna Do – Claire Lynch
5. Songs My Dad Loved – Ricky Skaggs
6. Mountain Soul II – Patty Loveless
7. Almost Live – Bryan Sutton and Friends
8. The Crow – Steve Martin
9. Deep in the Shade – Steep Canyon Rangers
10. Brothers from Different Mothers – Dailey and Vincent

Article General News

Mandolin Cafe reports that Mike Marshall will be accepting a limited number of students next month, by offering lessons both in his Oakland, California studio and for those who wish to study with him via the Internet utilising Skype technology.

Read the full article on Mandolin Cafe.

Contact Mike Marshall via his web site

Article, Promotions Mandolin, Mandolin Cafe

The Mike Compton Interviewed by David McCarty

O Brother, Where Art Thou? was the movie that returned interest to traditional American music. Mike Compton was at the forefront of that music soundtrack with the  immensely popular version of Man of Constant Sorrow. More recently he featured on British star Elvis Costello’s  new acoustic CD, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. Mike Compton is interviewed by David McCarty for Mandolin Cafe.

Catch the full interview and sound clip at the Mandolin Cafe

Article Mandolin Cafe, Mike Compton

Holiday Photo Treats III – Merlefest 2009

Ted Lehmann has posted up his third series of Merlfest photos on his blog Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms.

Blog’s 3rd Anniversary

Ted also celebrates three years of blogging. His first blog entry is dated 4th December 2006. Since that time, Ted has contributed over 400 entries the majority of which are reports on bluegrass events.

In the past year, Irene and I attended sixteen bluegrass festivals and twenty-five other events devoted to bluegrass music in some form or other. We went to fewer festivals, I think because the economy, especially through the winter, frightened us…

All told, we spent 216 nights on the road with 200 nights in our trailer. We’re painfully aware that age is slowing us down; we don’t drive as far or as hard, and it takes us longer to recover from a trip. Nevertheless, we spread out geographically and broadened both our circle of bluegrass friends while learning more and more about this world we’ve come to value and love so much - Ted Lehmann.

Read Ted’s anniversary post on Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms.

Article Merlfest, Ted Lehmann

An article by Tom Roland on the Great American Country site caught my eye this week with a story on Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.

Two of the most influential singing cowboys,  Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, are being recognised once again by the U.S. government’s Library of Congress. They are adding the movie that gave Roy Rogers his first staring role, Under Western Stars, to the National Film Registry.
The film was released in 1938, and had Rogers portraying a rancher who runs for Congress to bring water to his constituents.  Both Gene Autry and Roy Rogers were signed to Republic Pictures, which distributed Under Western Stars.

Read the full story on GAC Website

Article Gene Autry, Roy Rogers

News just in from the Illawarra Folk Festival is that their program has been announced. The program reveals that the comically irreverent team of  pickers masquerading as a bluegrass band, otherwise know as Coolgrass are scheduled to play at the 2010 Illawarra Folk Festival. Performance times and locations are:

• Fri 15/01/2010 08:15pm to 09:15pm – Grandstand Bar
• Fri 15/01/2010 10:15pm to 11:15pm – Show Pavilion
• Sat 16/01/2010 10:15pm to 11:15pm – Show Pavilion
• Sun 17/01/2010 02:45pm to 03:15pm – The Shed
• Sun 17/01/2010 04:30pm to 05:15pm – The Chapel

Article, Events Coolgrass