australianbluegrass.com

Gerry Hale from the Guitar Gallery advises that they now run regular monthly workshops.

The Guitar Gallery is located at 30 Johnston St, Fitzroy, and specialises in acoustic instruments. The focus of the shop has broadened to include a great selection of banjos, mandolins, and dobros as well as guitars. The Guitar Gallery is owned and staffed by musicians who also run a range of workshops and take classes and lessons in guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin in various styles such as Irish and bluegrass.

The tutors have many years of experience as performers and teachers of their chosen instruments. They create a warm and encouraging environment for students, from beginners to advanced.

Workshops run on Wednesday nights 7:00pm  to 9:00pm:

1. the first Wednesday is always banjo workshop
2. the second Wednesday is always mandolin,
3. the thiurd Wednesday is always Dobro
4. the fourth Wednesday is  usually eother fiddle or guitar

For forty years, Rounder Records has been on a singular mission, recording a glorious range of American roots music – bluegrass, New Orleans R&B, old time fiddling, singer-songwriter, blues, country, rockabilly, roots rock, Cajun and a few that cross enough boundaries to be genres of their own.

On 12th October, Rounder Records will release The Rounder Records Story, a 4 CD box set that includes 87 songs (see complete list below) selected to tell the label’s 40 year story and show the true breadth of their catalog.  From the old time folk music of Ola Belle Reed to the Grammy sweeping triumph of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, it is fascinating to hear both the underlying consistencies and the ongoing evolution of the label’s vision.

The list of musicians includes many of the defining names in roots music. The discs are arranged by decade, and the package also includes extensive notes by Washington Post journalist Geoff Himes in a 100 page book.

News from Western Australia and the Bluegrass Parkway team is that they will be performing at the Greenhill’s Inn this Saturday, 4th September from 4:00pm until late.

Bluegrass fans are encouraged to head off to Greenhill’s Inn to join them for a night of bluegrass music at this great little secret just 10 minutes out from York.

This beautifully restored old pub set amongst the foothills surrounding York is an ideal setting for a great night of bluegrass.  The accommodation at the hotel is excellent but limited, although the pub is within easy reach of York where accommodation is plentiful.

Spicks and Specks on ABC TV – 1st Sep 2010.

The Davidson Brothers will be the feature act on Spicks and Specks in September.

What is Spicks and Specks? It’s a TV quiz show which features two of three people as they sing, shout and delve deep into the recesses of their collective memories to help earn their teams an extremely inglorious victory.

Whether discussing the lyrical genius of Gilbert and Sullivan, The Beatles or just how a musician can choke on a harmonica, no musical genre is overlooked. Featuring video clips, album covers, and information you never thought anyone could know the answer to, Spicks and Specks enlightens and entertains – and exposes the world of music like never before. It often features a live band or musical ensemble playing versions of tunes which the teams also need to guess or deduce the names of.

Adam Hills, one of Australia’s favourite comedians and winner of Edinburgh’s Best of the Fest award, is joined by two team captains, comedian and actor Alan Brough and radio breakfast announcer Myf Warhurst, as well as brave personalities who enjoy having long forgotten embarrassing stories laughed about on national television.

This was an experience. It humbles you when you realise that for the 7 people you see on telly, there’s a heap of people running around behind the scenes making sure everthing runs smoothly. They really looked after us. It was a fun, and exciting place to take bluegrass - Hamish Davidson.

Cheryl Byrnes is heading off to the CMT in June, and in order to finalise two editions of Capital News she is offering two for the price of one opportunities.

Buy a full, half or third page advertisement in both June and July’s editions and receive two for the price of one.  Simply act on this offer by this Friday, May 14 to confirm your interest.

We wish to tempt you with an offer of a crazy deal that simply doesn’t come around too often and one you won’t want to miss. Think about your CD’s you want to sell, your upcoming tour dates or special festival events or even merchandise you want to sell - Cheryl Byrnes.

Email Cheryl Byrnes to take up the offer.

After nearly a year, the Gibson Editorial Blog is once again up and running — with an all-new editorial team at the helm.

Visit the blog, oh-so-cleverly titled ‘Blog and Roll,’ weekly for music and guitar talk, sneak peeks at upcoming features and a behind-the-scenes view of Gibson.com. The first blog is up and running, so give it a read, leave us your comments (we’d love to hear what you’re thinking) and tell your friends - Gibson Editorial Team.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Shop

News just in from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is that they have just opened their new merchandise shop online.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band formed in Southern California during the spring of 1966 as a scruffy, young jug-band. Forty-two years later, the quartet is still picking, touring and creatng. NGDB includes, Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter and John McEuen. Perhaps best remembered by some in Australia for their hit, Mr Bojangles from the pen of Jerry Jeff Walker, the group has has its feet planted in a variety of genres from pop, country and bluegrass.

Quite apart from their own string of albums, the band was been instrumental in the production of 3 albums of significant note over the years, where they brought together various artists to deliver the Will The Circle Be Unbroken series. The first album, a recording of three LP’s from 1971 remains such a significant achievement, that 30 years later it is one of 50 recordings to be honored and preserved by the Library of Congress.

We’ve just opened our very own custom merchandise store.  Our fans have been asking for hats and hoodies and other great items, now we can bring them to you - NGDB.

Check it all out at: www.zazzle.com/nittygrittydirtband

The Gibson Brothers are now blogging on bluegrasscountry.org.

The Gibsons are posting their spring tour details, providing loads of photos, videos and a journal of their travels running from California through to Germany.

WAMU’s Bluegrass Country’s signal reaches around the world and heard by many. 2010 is the year of “special correspondents” — people who blog and cover events both far and wide on behalf of BluegrassCountry.org.