MerleFest Announces Line-Up, Tickets On Sale Tomorrow!

MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe’s and slated for April 29 -May 2, is proud to announce the line up for the event’s 23rd year.  The following artists will join host Doc Watson on the campus of Wilkes Community College for a celebration of “traditional-plus” music­a term Doc coined to describe the unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, “plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play.”

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Steep Canyon Rangers Plan Busy October with Steve Martin

Award-winning bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers are preparing to embark on a fall tour with Grammy^® and Emmy^® winning actor, comedian and musician Steve Martin, which will include performances on Late Show with David Letterman on October 5 and The View on October 6.

Martin, who is touring in support of his album The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, met the Rangers through his wife, who is a friend of lead singer Woody Platt’s brother.  Martin and the Rangers played a few concerts together before performing on A Prairie Home Companion earlier this year.  During the program, Martin commented on the Rangers to host Garrison Keillor, saying, “They don’t need me.  I need them.”

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Steep Canyon Rangers to Launch New Album, Tour with Steve Martin

Acclaimed bluegrass quintet Steep Canyon Rangers will launch both a new tour and a new album this fall. In September they will embark on a 15-city tour with Grammy® and Emmy® winning actor, comedian and musician Steve Martin, who released The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo in May. The first date on the tour will be September 12, when Martin performs at the Rangers’ own Mountain Song Festival in Brevard, North Carolina, which has expanded this year to two days (Sept. 11-12).

The Rangers will release their fourth studio album for Rebel Records, Deep in the Shade, on October 6. That day they will perform with Martin at world-renowned Carnegie Hall and on ABC’s The View.

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International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass set for September 28 to October 4

NASHVILLE, TN – Twenty thousand fans and music industry professionals from all around the globe will converge on the Nashville Convention Center from September 28 to October 4 for the International Bluegrass Music Association‘s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass.  The week is equal parts homecoming, family reunion, expo, business conference, celebration, and music festival, highlighted by the International Bluegrass Music Awards which honor the year’s most outstanding talent.

To view a brief video about the unique World of Bluegrass experience, click here:
http://www.ibma.org/events.programs/wob/index.asp

The 20^th anniversary of the International Bluegrass Music Awards is the centerpiece of the week, when the music comes home to the historical Ryman Auditorium on Thursday evening, Oct. 1. While the best seats are among the celebrities in the hallowed pews of the Ryman for the all-star lineup, the show is also broadcast live on Sirius/XM and around the world via a syndicated radio network.  According to show co-producer Cindy Baucom, “The milestone 20th Anniversary IBMA Awards Show will truly be a night to remember as we bring together the biggest award winners of the past with the newest nominees, topped off with dynamic performances.”

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Pocono Raceway to Host Bluegrass Concert

Bluegrass Music and the Pennsylvania 500 – a great weekend happening

Long Pond, PA. – February 24, 2009. Billed as ‘The Music of the Mountains’, Pocono Raceway will play host to a weekend of Bluegrass prior to the August 2^nd Pennsylvania 500, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. The two days of concerts, Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1, will feature top artists – Ricky Skaggs, Steep Canyon Rangers, Charlie Sizemore Band, Dailey & Vincent, Del McCoury Band, Cherryholmes, Blue Highway and SteelDrivers – and is free to infield campers attending the race.

According to Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Pocono Raceway C.E.O., “For the past nearly forty years, in addition to outstanding racing, we’ve always endeavored to provide a fan experience like no other, and this year’s Pennsylvania 500 will be no different.” Mattioli added, “Two days of top flight bluegrass music, to an already exciting race weekend, provides our fans added value for their entertainment dollar – an outstanding weekend at the track.”

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The 2nd Annual DelFest May 22-24, Allegany County Fairgrounds, Cumberland, MD

The festival will offer 3 days of intimate bluegrass, a band competition, interactive children’s programs, a craft fair featuring regional and international artisans, and an eclectic food court along with the chance to simply relax and camp with good friends in a festive environment.

DELFEST 2009 LINE-UP

Three days of bluegrass with The Del McCoury Band * Old Crow Medicine Show * Leftover Salmon * Sam Bush * Railroad Earth * Dark Star Orchestra * Peter Rowan and The Free Mexican Air Force * J.D. Crowe and The New South * Tim OBrien * Ollabelle * The Infamous Stringdusters * Steep Canyon Rangers * The Lee Boys * Joe Craven * Cornmeal * Crooked Still * Great American Taxi * Dan Paisley & The Southern Grass * Ronnie Bowman and the Committee * Davisson Brothers Band * Vinegar Creek Constituency

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Bluegrass Underground Series Moves to a New Time Slot

(Nashville, TN – Feb. 9, 2009) Beginning this Saturday, Feb. 14, legendary radio station 650 AM WSM will move their acclaimed Bluegrass Underground series to a new time slot. The program will now broadcast on WSM every Saturday night from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. CST and stream worldwide at www.WSMonline.com. A performance by Nashville bluegrass band, The Steeldrivers, will be the first show broadcast at the new time.

“Having Bluegrass Underground as a part of the weekly WSM broadcast schedule enhances the diversity of our programming, which no other Nashville radio station can stake claim to,” says WSM program director Joe Limardi. “It is the perfect lead-in to our ‘crown jewel’ of programming, the Saturday Night WSM Grand Ole Opry.”

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