I suppose I ought to be glad to see any bluegrass at all mentioned in a list
of hot upcoming releases, but that was pretty short. Some others to be
anticipated, per the latest issue of the IBMA's International Bluegrass:
Ron Spears (Copper Creek, February) - good writer, now with Rhonda Vincent
Mountain Heart (Doobie Shea, April) - ex-Quicksilvers Abernathy, Gulley &
Van Cleve plus more
Jeanette Williams (Doobie Shea, April) - a quantum leap over her last one
Jeff Autry (Pinecastle, April) - good guitar man
Blue Highway (Ceili, March?)
Charlie Cushman (RME) - Reno tunes by a very under-appreciated banjo picker
Lynn Morris (Rounder)
Longview (Rounder, April, last I heard)
Dale Ann Bradley (Pinecastle, April)
plus, a bit later, Rhonda Vincent & IIIrd Tyme Out, both on Rounder; and, in
months as yet unknown to me, Alison, Ronnie McCoury, Claire Lynch, all on
Rounder; Blueridge, on Sugar Hill; the Whites (Ceili), Gibson Brothers
(Ceili), Bashful Brother Oswald (RME), Don Rigsby & Dudley Connell (though I
seem to recall I just heard April) on Sugar Hill, David Parmley on
Pinecastle, and some others I'm probably just overlooking or will, um, be
surprised by.
I also got a call from Tony Holt of the Wildwood Valley Boys, a band I've
worked with from time to time, telling me of an impending deal with one of
the bluegrass majors; their album is already in the can, and mighty good, so
there's a strong likelihood it will be out in April or May. These guys are
unbelievable singers. Details as they emerge.
Also on tap that falls somewhere between a new issue and a reissue is a 4-CD
set of Bill Monroe performances taken from recordings made by Steve Gebhardt
in the course of doing his movie: Bill Monroe: Father Of Bluegrass Music,"
due out in the fall on Copper Creek.
Oh, and some important reissues, including sets encompassing Doyle Lawson's
first 4 secular CDs, which is, as far as I'm concerned, A Very Big Deal;
also a lot of old-time reissues from County, a Roy Acuff RC Cola Shows
series from RME, possibly Stanley Brothers and Country Gentlemen sets from
IMG (Starday), a possible Red Allen boxed set, and goodness knows what else.
Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
