What started out as a project of promise is heading towards ever growing difficulty.
The ongoing saga of the now ill fated Bluegrass Hotel Project has turned more difficult for all involved.
The following extract from the Bluegrass Hotel Website cited difficulties with contract negotiation between Tony Rice and Sam bush management: –
To my friends and fans March 14, 2009. I apologize to you all. I cannot perform in Louisville on March 20. I promise you I will work fervently to restore my reputation and earn your trust that Bill Millet has stolen from me.
To say this situation is out of control is a major understatement. The duplicity with which self-titled executive producer Bill Millet has and continues to conduct himself towards you the fans, the performers, vendors and participants of the Bluegrass Hotel Project has undermined the foundation, principal and loyalty of those involved.
For those that ask how this could happen? so do I. I couldn’t stop him from using my name before and I can’t stop him now. What he continues to do to me and others through the anonymity of the internet makes him, among many nasty things, a cyber stalker. He has hurled so many lies at all of us. Only some have been addressed in the Cease and Desist letter to Bill Millet from my attorney; that you can read on this site.
What Bill Millet continues to do to you, me, my friends and my family is ethically immoral and morally reprehensible. Not to mention expensive. In my 40 years in the music business, I have never been placed in a more despicable situation than this. I apologize to all of you. – Sam.
The following statement appears on the Bluegrass Hotel website:
The Bluegrass Hotel Project has been attempting to negotiate agreements with Sam Bush and Tony Rice since Jan. 2008 to appear in the film, but paying those artists a fee to perform at a benefit event for the American Cancer Society was not included in the terms. Part of the process was negotiating a broadcast of the film on PBS Television, which was recently completed. Therefore it came as a surprise to receive notification from Bush and Rice informing the benefit event that unless they were paid fees of $10,000 and $3000 respectively, they would not perform on March 20 at the Galt House Hotel.
After consultation with our charitable partner, it was agreed that paying these artists fees would take money the organization expected to make from the event. Paying Mr. Bush and Rice, but not the other artists would also create an inequitable situation for all the other performers.
Based on that directive, we have declined to pay Bush and Rice fees to perform at The Bluegrass Hotel benefit concert on March 20 in Louisville, KY. Sam Bush is a cancer survivor and his father recently passed away from the diseases. New Grass Revival founder Courtney Johnson also died from cancer. And Tony Rice is ill and presently not in good health.
The Bluegrass Hotel concert on March 20 at the Galt House in Louisville, KY features the original members of Kentucky’s greatest Newgrass era bands, The Bluegrass Alliance, New Grass Revival and J.D. Crowe & the New South. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. – Bluegrass Hotel.
Tony Rice’s website contains the following statement from his management company:
This is an official notification that Tony Rice will not be part of the “Bluegrass Hotel” presentation in Louisville next weekend, March 20, 2009. The proper arrangements were never agreed upon and I never officially said that Tony would be part of this presentation. The organizer never completed negotiations with me and has been out of touch with me for more than a month – Keith Case
One thing is becoming clear. The Bluegrass scene, while growing in strength year to year, remains a small player in music’s global marketplace. We can ill afford this division.
Previously:
Hi. I am a long time reader. I wanted to say that I like your blog and the layout.
Peter Quinn