For the fifth year in a row, the Oxford American magazine, "The Southern Magazine of Good Writing," has released its annual double issue on Southern music, which includes a CD featuring a variety of Southern music and highly talented Southern artists. Very rarely, however, are we fortunate enough to include a duet with as high caliber musicians as Ralph Stanley and Bob Dylan. Their duet on Stanley's "The Lonesome River" is the highlight of the CD, and Alan Light, editor-in-chief of Spin magazine, wrote the accompanying article. Included with this e-mail is a press release that details more about the magazine, the music issue, and everything we have to offer, which we encourage you to share with fan club members, web site visitors, and any other Stanley or Dylan fans you may be aware of. Our annual music issue helps us to preserve and promote lesser known Southern artists and musical forms: Ten percent of our proceeds go to the Music Maker foundation, an organization that provides monetary relief to struggling blues artists, and this year we were given the Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive award. Look for the Fifth Annual Music Issue on newsstands at the beginning of July, and please indulge yourself in all it has to offer. If you have any questions, please contact the Oxford American at the address below or at [EMAIL PROTECTED] MEDIA ALERT: HHHTHE OXFORD AMERICAN MAGAZINE HHH PRESENTS: EARL SCRUGGS with BILLY BOB THORNTON and other surprises on its fifth Music Issue with CD. This limited edition sells as an ANNUAL and donates A Substantial portion of newsstand proceeds through September to MUSIC MAKER CHARITY. You know The Oxford American, the indie magazine out of Oxford, Mississippi. This is the fifth consecutive year that, in the hottest part of the summer, they offer a whopping double issue dedicated to finding the best music writers to distinguish what�s great and grassroots from what�s stale and music-industry driven. And, FOR THE PRICE OF THE MAGAZINE (retail: $8.95), they�ll throw in a kick-ass compilation CD of classic, hard-to-find new releases and pre-releases in blues, jazz, rock �n� roll, country, bluegrass, Cajun�all music rooted in the American South. Last year The Oxford American helped push out the lead track, "Down in the River to Pray," for the Coen brothers� movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? This year�s news is Billy Bob Thornton and Earl Scruggs teaming up for a genre-busting version of the classic "Ring of Fire." OA CD Producer Rick Clark, of Nashville, interviews Thornton in the issue. Billy Bob Thornton singing "Ring of Fire," is one of 22 songs on the Oxford American CD. Other newsworthy tracks include Ralph Stanley with Bob Dylan; Toots Hibbert (of the legendary reggae band Toots & the Maytals) performing Otis Redding�s "Hard to Handle"; plus The Gants: Mississippi�s garage rock answer to the British Invasion; the Delta Rhythm Boys with Les Paul; the yet-to-be-signed Tricia Walker; as well as great performances by Kevin Gordon and Lucinda Williams, Ann Peebles, B.B. King, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and an obscure Bill Nettles 78 called "Oxford, Mississippi Blues." What�s cool about the Oxford American Music Issue is that you get to hear the great songs and then read the behind-the-music stories by the most vibrant music journalists in America. Among the highlights: Grant Alden�s profile of Kevin Gordon�a songwriter, singer, poet, father, and collector of folk art; Lee Durkee�s dynamic essay on his odd friendship with hick-hop pioneer Jim White; Matt Dellinger�s hunt for juke joints in the heart of the Mississippi Delta; and Alan Light on the difference a lifetime of experience makes when Bob Dylan joins Ralph Stanley on "The Lonesome River." The National Magazine Awards has recognized the Music Issue three years in a row and has even given it top honors over The New Yorker for best single issue. But maybe their proudest accomplishment is that this year the Blues Foundation gave The Oxford American the Keeping the Blues Alive Award. "This is the best deal on the newsstand," said the Washington Post. "It�s a magazine people will steal from you," said writer William Gay. "I lend �em out and don�t get �em back." A percentage of the proceeds from the Music Issue help fund The Music Maker Relief Foundation, the good guys that give payback to blues artists, who for one reason or another are not swimming in royalties, and are national treasures. CONTACT: Katharine Walton 919.563.1353 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] FAQs SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (ANSWERED BY EDITOR MARC SMIRNOFF): Ten percent of Music Issue sales benefit a charity called Music Maker. Why is that? OA: We love what Music Maker is doing�giving money to indigent and generally elderly down-on-their-luck blues and folk musicians. Music Maker gives money to help these guys buy food, medical and dental care, to help pay the rent, even to help get them instruments. Tim Duffy, who runs this charity out of North Carolina, has an extremely low overhead�I think it�s like ten percent, and that�s unheard-of in the charity business�and he also has the respect of many great musicians. It�d be great if you could give people their Web site address: www.musicmaker.org. Tell us about the magazine. Not every issue is a Music Issue, is it? OA: Our annual Music Issue is the only issue we release with a CD. But each issue features music in some way. And what�s different about us is that literary writers often do the music reviews so you get that perspective. The thing is, you can�t publish a magazine out of the South and ignore mus Is it the great CD or the writing that makes it possible for a magazine from the South to sell so well nationally on the newsstands? OA: Almost all of what we consider to be essential American music�blues, jazz, rock �n� roll, country, bluegrass, etc.�came from the South. There are so many untold stories to explore and write about. People want to read about soulful music, not irritating and shallow gossip about the love lives or income of performers. The Oxford American Music Issue�s success proves there are people out there who want to read stories that are respectful and passionate about music (and they like to get the CD). Why are compilation CDs, the OA�s Music Issue�s in particular, so popular? OA: The South has an amazingly rich and wildly diverse range of music. The challenge and fun of it is to create a musical journey that unfolds in a way that turns the listener on to music that he or she may not normally get to hear. What does John Grisham have to do with the magazine? OA: John Grisham is the publisher and the person who continues to have faith that our mission to explore Southern culture, in all its varieties, is a valid and exciting one. Can I get back issues of the Music Issue? OA: We have some remaining copies of our CDs, and they are available on our Web site, www.oxfordamericanmag.com. Where can I buy The Oxford American Music Issue with CD? OA: The magazine is on most newsstands through September, and through the end of the year�while supplies last�at your favorite independent bookstore and at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Tower Records, Virgin Records, Music Millennium, Hear Music, and in many independent record stores. It�s also available online from Amazon.com and MilesofMusic.com. How can I subscribe to The Oxford American? OA: The easiest way is to call our subscription service at 800-269-6926. A one-year subscription includes the new Music Issue with CD, which they�ll send you right away. You can also contact us at our Web site or at 662-236-1836. Media contact: Katharine Walton, 919.563.1353 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # # -- The Oxford American P.O. Box 1156 Oxford, MS 38655 Phone: 662.236.1836 Fax: 662.236.3141 www.oxfordamericanmag.com Bluegrass Bulletin Board brought to you by the fan club of Dr Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys subscribe or unsubscribe at http://drralphstanley.com/
