bluegrass

Larry Stephenson Band Releases New Single “Two Ol’ Country Boys Like Us”

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The Larry Stephenson Band is proud to announce their new single “Two Ol’ Country Boys Like Us.” The song was written by Larry Stephenson and features guest and co-writer Ronnie Bowman.  The song is now available to radio via and to consumers for streaming and purchase.

The song appears on the band’s upcoming album “30” that celebrates The Larry Stephenson Band’s 30th Anniversary.   This award-winning group has been entertaining audiences for 30 years including their numerous performances on the Grand Ole Opry, RFD-TV and headlining festivals and concerts across the US and Canada. The group is led by Larry Stephenson who is a Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame member and 5-time Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) Male Vocalist of the Year award winner. They also inducted Stephenson into their SPBGMA Hall of Greats in 2018. With numerous IBMA and SPBGMA nominations and awards, Larry records on his own label, Whysper Dream Music.

This past weekend The Larry Stephenson Band kicked off their “30 Tour” in Nashville, Tenn. with performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame for the ceremony of Doctor of Philosophy from Glenville State College in Glenville, WV for Bobby & Sonny Osborne, Jim & Jesse McReynolds and Mac Wiseman. They also had a fantastic show at the World Famous Station Inn and at the SPBGMA conventions.  Stephenson received a 2019 SPBGMA Nomination for Mandolin Player of the Year.  He and his wife, Dreama and their daughter were presenters at the Awards Show.

Stay tuned for more music and show announcements by visiting larrystephensonband.com and Facebook.

Lonesome River Band records catchy song, “Wreck Of My Heart”

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Arden, North Carolina (July 20, 2018) — The legendary and award-winning Lonesome River Band has released their second single of 2018, “Wreck Of My Heart” on Mountain Home.

With an iconic driving Bluegrass sound that has kept the band at the forefront of the genre this latest single, “Wreck Of My Heart,” shows why the Lonesome River Band continues to grow a fan base in their 35-plus years as performers and recording artists.
This bouncy, three-part harmony, “leavin'” song embodies the band’s enduring, driving-grass sound. Lead vocals from guitarist Brandon Rickman alongside the iconic banjo and baritone of multi-awarded IBMA Banjo Player of the Year, Sammy Shelor; the mandolin and tenor of gifted Jesse Smathers; the pulsing bass of Barry Reed and sharp fiddle of celebrated player Mike Hartgrove make for a perfected Grass single. It’s traditional-based with a contemporary feel. It’s a new song with a classic sound.

“It’s a great song by a great Texas songwriter Roger Brown,” says Rickman. “The cool, catchy melody — it’s something different we haven’t heard before.”

Listen to “Wreck Of My Heart” HERE and check out a video for the single produced by Mountain Home Music Company, to premiere July 27 at The Bluegrass Situation.

About Lonesome River Band
Since its formation 35 years ago, Lonesome River Band continues its reputation as one of the most respected names in Bluegrass music. Five-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Banjo Player of the Year, and winner of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, Sammy Shelor leads the group that is constantly breaking new ground in Acoustic music. With two stellar lead vocalists, Brandon Rickman (guitar) and Jesse Smathers (mandolin), with impressive talents of Mike Hartgrove (fiddle) and Barry Reed (bass), the band seamlessly comes together, performing the trademark sound that fans continue to embrace.

About Mountain Home Music Company:
Mountain Home Music Company, a division of Crossroads Label Group is a premiere Bluegrass label with global distribution, representing such elite artists as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Balsam Range, The Grascals, Lonesome River Band, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, NewTown, Donna Ulisse, Gina Clowes, Kristin Scott Benson, The Cleverlys, Adam Steffey, Danny Roberts, Lawson and Williams, Sideline, The Snyder Family Band, John Bowman and Unspoken Tradition. Established in 1993, Crossroads is a market leader in the Bluegrass, Americana, and Christian Music fields.

California’s Huck Finn Jubilee Music Festival is back in 2018

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West Coast’s Largest Bluegrass Festival Under New Ownership

Ontario, CA: For over 40 years, the annual three-day music festival in Southern California, Huck Finn Jubilee, delivered acts from a long list of luminaries such as Ralph Stanley, Alison Krauss,
Del McCoury, Punch Brothers, Rhonda Vincent, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, Emmylou Harris, Peter Rowan, and more. After a one-year hiatus, the festival will return to Ontario, CA on October 5, 6, and 7 in 2018 under new owners Nikki and Roger.

“It’s important that we honor the tradition of this festival because the community deserves it and we want to take you on the musical journey that we experienced” says Nikki and Roger. The couple, both executives at an experiential marketing firm in Los Angeles, attended the festival in 2016 and were impressed with the music, array of activities for people of all ages and overall positive vibe. When they heard the festival wasn’t going to return in 2017, they purchased the brand and built their dream team of industry experts in hopes of keeping the festival alive and maintaining the high-level of quality its fans and the community deserves.

Entering its 41st year, the 2018 Huck Finn Jubilee will offer the entire festival experience featuring traditional and progressive bluegrass music, local food, craft beer, a unique array of
handcrafted arts and crafts, access to beautiful park amenities, camping, fishing and general family fun.

Festival tickets and lineup announcements coming soon. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

Learn more about the 2018 Huck Finn Jubilee at HuckFinn.com and in this four-part video series:

Experience 2018 Huck Finn Jubilee (30 second spot)

Meet the New Owners of Huck Finn Jubilee: Nikki and Roger (60 second spot)

Meet the New Owners of Huck Finn Jubilee: Nikki and Roger (Full-Length)

2018 Huck Finn Jubilee: Mini-Documentary

Three Chart Hits from Shannon Slaughter’s Album Never Standing Still

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Shannon Slaughter’s “You Can’t Outrun The River,” written by Shannon Slaughter, Ronnie Bowman, Tim Stafford, made its debut on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 Song Chart today. This is the third track from Slaughter’s album Never Standing Still to receive chart success on the Bluegrass Today charts.

The first single release, “That Old County Road,” reached #1 in October on the Bluegrass Today Weekly Top 20, appeared numerous months on the Bluegrass Today Monthly Top 20,  and was included in Bluegrass Today’s Top 30 Songs of 2017 even after the album’s late 2017 release.

The third chart hit, “He Moved A Mountain” was written by Shannon Slaughter and Dale Felts.” The song was honored with the #1 spot on the very first Bluegrass Today Gospel Chart that was launched last month.

Not only has Slaughter received recognition on the Bluegrass Today charts, but numerous tracks have crossed genres on AirPlayDirect’s charts.  Never Standing Still was #1 on AirPlay Direct’s (APD) Top 50 BLUEGRASS/FOLK ALBUMS; #1 for “Better Move It On Home” and #2 for “Trying to Be My Own Man” on the APD Top 50 COUNTRY SONGS; #15 for “Going Home” and #16 for “Dying to Live Again” on the APD Top 50 AMERICANA SONGS; #38 for “That Old County Road” and #46 for “Movin’ On” on the APD Top 50 BLUEGRASS/FOLK SONGS charts in October.

Never Standing Still is available for purchase and streaming at numerous sites including iTunes, Apple Music, CD Baby, ShannonSlaughter.com and many more sites.

Slaughter co-produced the album with Wes Easter and Randy Kohrs who gathered the impressive talents of: Ron Inscore on mandolin, harmony vocals; Cliff Bailey  on acoustic bass and harmony vocals; Trevor Watson on banjo; Tracy Burcham on bass; Randy Kohrs on resophonic guitar and harmony vocals; Shawn Lane on fiddle and harmony vocals; Lou Reid on harmony vocals; Steve Gulley on harmony vocals; Ron Stewart on fiddle and banjo; Tim Crouch on triple fiddles; Doug Jernigan on pedal steel guitar; Josh Shilling on piano on one tracks; Shannon Slaughter on guitar, lead & harmony vocals; his wife Heather Slaughter on lead & harmony vocals; and a special track with two of their children, Rae Carroll Slaughter on vocals and Jed Slaughter. The couple recently welcomed the birth of their third child, Call.

For more information Shannon Slaughter, please visit shannonslaughter.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Shannon Slaughter Tops the Charts with New Album Never Standing Still

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Album Now Available on iTunes, Apple Music and more retail & streaming outlets

Shannon Slaughter has delivered yet another an outstanding album mixed with various styles, crossing numerous genres, and becoming an instant radio hit.  Never Standing Still hit #1 on AirPlay Direct’s (APD) Top 50 BLUEGRASS/FOLK ALBUMS; reached #1 for “Better Move It On Home” and #2 for “Trying to Be My Own Man” on the APD Top 50 COUNTRY SONGS; #15 for “Going Home” and #16 for “Dying to Live Again” on the APD Top 50 AMERICANA SONGS; #38 for “That Old County Road” and #46 for “Movin’ On” on the APD Top 50 BLUEGRASS/FOLK SONGS charts in October.

The first single, “That Old County Road,” hit the #1 spot on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 weekly song chart and is #6 on the November 2017 Bluegrass Today Monthly Chart.

Never Standing Still is available for purchase and streaming at numerous sites including iTunes, Apple Music, CD Baby, ShannonSlaughter.com and many more sites.

Slaughter co-produced the album with Wes Easter and Randy Kohrs who gathered the impressive talents of: Ron Inscore on mandolin, harmony vocals; Cliff Bailey  on acoustic bass and harmony vocals; Trevor Watson on banjo; Tracy Burcham on bass; Randy Kohrs on resophonic guitar and harmony vocals; Shawn Lane on fiddle and harmony vocals; Lou Reid on harmony vocals; Steve Gulley on harmony vocals; Ron Stewart on fiddle and banjo; Tim Crouch on triple fiddles; Doug Jernigan on pedal steel guitar; Josh Shilling on piano on one tracks; Shannon Slaughter on guitar, lead & harmony vocals; his wife Heather Slaughter on lead & harmony vocals; and a special track with two of their children, Rae Carroll Slaughter on vocals and Jed Slaughter. The couple recently welcomed the birth of their third child, Call.

For more information Shannon Slaughter, please visit shannonslaughter.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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#NewMusicFriday Shannon Slaughters Drops New Album to Radio

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In a surprise move, Shannon Slaughter dropped his new album, Never Standing Still to radio stations today at airplaydirect.com.  Physical copies will hit radio stations next week.  The album’s official street date is Friday, October 27.  Music fans can pre-order the album now at  iTunes Amazon, CDBaby, ShannonSlaughter.com and more physical and digital sites.

The first single, “That Old County Road,” is already a radio hit appearing in the #1 spot on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 weekly song chart and making its debut at #10 on the October 2017 Bluegrass Today Monthly Chart.

Never Standing Still was Produced by Wes Easter, Randy Kohrs, and Shannon Slaughter. Rhythm Tracks were recorded at Eastwood Studio in Cana, VA and engineered by Wes Easter.  Vocals were recorded at:  Slack Key Studio in Nashville, TN and engineered by Randy Kohrs. The album was mixed and mastered by Wes and Derek Easter at Eastwood Studio in Cana, VA.  Tracks Include:

  1. You Can’t Outrun the River (3:41) – Shannon Slaughter, Ronnie Bowman, Tim Stafford — (Elite Circuit Music) / (Never Wanted Nothing More Music) / (Daniel House Music)
  2. Find Your Own Highway (3:05) – Shannon Slaughter, Dale Felts, Bob Minner – (Elite Circuit Music) / (Missouri Boy Music)
  3. Old Kentucky Home (2:43) – Greg Preece (Weaver of Words Music)
  4. That Old County Road (3:50) – Rusty Hendrix, Shannon Slaughter – (Sonic Hill Publishing) / (Elite Circuit Music)
  5. Love is a Cross and Three Nails (3:33) – Shannon Slaughter, Mark Brinkman – (Elite Circuit Music) / (Brinksongs Music)
  6. The Girl I Love (2:56) – Jake Landers – (Glad Music)
  7. Going Home (2:58) – Roger Rasnake – (Pathwalker Music)
  8. Lonely Trail of Tears (3:44) – Shannon Slaughter, Terry Foust – (Elite Circuit Music) / (Creekbed Music)
  9. Better Move it On Home ( 2:29) – Ray Griff (Blue Echo Music)
  10. He Moved a Mountain (3:27) – Dale Felts, Shannon Slaughter (Elite Circuit Music)
  11. Dying to Live Again (3:39) – Marla Cannon-Goodman, Shannon Slaughter, Dale Felts – (Spirit Music) / (Elite Circuit Music)
  12. I Was a Farmer (3:25) – Cliff Bailey, James Paul Bailey, Shannon Slaughter – (Elite Circuit Music)
  13. Trying to Be My Own Man (4:23) – Shannon Slaughter, Terry Foust – (Elite Circuit Music) / (Creekbed Music)
  14. Movin’ On (2:39) – Merle Haggard (Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC)
  15. Rae & Jed (1:44)

 

For more information Shannon Slaughter, please visit www.shannonslaughter.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Media & Radio Contact:
Penni McDaniel, Moonstruck Management
770-367-1480
penni@moonstruckmanagement.com

 

Booking Contacts for Shannon Slaughter:
Shannon Slaughter
336-473-1706
nshannonslaughter@gmail.com

Wilson Pickins Promotions
Melanie Wilson
(864)-359-7999
wilsonpickins@gmail.com

www.wilsonpickins.com

Volume Five Wins Two IBMA Awards

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Volume Five was honored with two International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards that were presented during the 2017 IBMA Awards Show held at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.

Photo by Frank Baker, Bluegrass Today

The first award announced for the band was for Emerging Artist of the Year.  The group features the extraordinary talents of lead vocalist, fiddle player and band leader, Glen Harrell who is joined by Colby Laney on guitar and vocals, Patton Wages on banjo and vocals, Chris Williamson on bass and vocals, and aspiring young talent, Jacob Burleson on mandolin and vocals.

Photo by Mountain Fever Records

Volume Five was also presented with the prestigious the Song of the Year Award for “I Am A Drifter” written by Donna Ulisse and Marc Rossi. The crowd was delighted with Ulisse’s excitement while accepting the award with Glen Harrell and the band. The chart-topping tune appears on Volume Five’s album Drifter on Mountain Fever Records that debuted last year on Billboard’s Top 10 Bluegrass Album Chart.

“I would like to thank everyone for all the kind words to me and the V5 members. I also want to thank all the guys that have been with the band over the years and have contributed to our sound and success. I would like to thank Harry Formby Clark, Adam Duke, Jeff Partin, Mark Hodges, Casey Cullwell, Jesse Daniel, Shane Blackwell, and Aaron Ramsey. Thanks so much to Moonstruck Management as well. We just couldn’t do this without the entire team,” said Harrell.

For more information on Volume Five, please visit them at volumefivebg.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Check out Drifter at iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Google Play and more retail and streaming outlets here.

New Music Friday: Shannon Slaughter Releases New Single

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APD SINGLEShannon Slaughter is proud to announce the first single release, “That Old County Road,” from his upcoming album Never Standing Still.  The song was written by Shannon Slaughter and Rusty Hendrix, guitar player from the country band Confederate Railroad, and takes a nostalgic look at growing up in the country and what young people did back then – with maybe a nod to the present as well.  The new single is available to radio programmers at AirPlayDirect or by request.

Never Standing Still is the fourth project and second solo effort from the award-winning singer-songwriter Shannon Slaughter and is set for release on Elite Circuit Records November 15, 2017. Slaughter contributed 9 original songs written or co-written with industry luminaries such as: Ronnie Bowman, Tim Stafford, Mark “Brink” Brinkman, Dale Felts, Terry Foust and Marla Cannon-Goodman, along with songs by Jake Landers and Roger Rasnake. The well-respected talents of numerous musicians and singers are also showcased on this recording with the talents of: Heather Slaughter, Lou Reid, Shawn Lane, Randy Kohrs, Ron Stewart, Steve Gulley, Ron Inscore, Trevor Watson, Cliff Bailey, Tim Crouch, Doug Jernigan, Josh Shilling, and Tracy Burcham.

Slaughter is a proud alumnus of numerous leading bluegrass bands counting membership in The Lost & Found, Larry Stephenson Band, Melonie Cannon, Lonesome River Band, Lou Reid & Carolina, and Grasstowne.  These bands and bandleaders helped shape the foundation of his band County Clare which he formed in 2010.  “I am really proud of the unique sound of County Clare that we have created over the last 7 years,” said Slaughter.

In 2012, Slaughter was the 1st Place Winner in the Country division of MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest for his original song, “I’ve Hit Everything In My Life (But My Knees)“ co-written by Dale Felts and Mark Byrd. He has written songs for Blue Highway, Lonesome River Band, IIIrd Tyme Out, Lou Reid, Mike Bentley, Larry Stephenson, and more. In March 2013, Shannon & Heather Slaughter and County Clare released the album One More Road that included 3 radio chart hits including their killer cover of “If I Were A Carpenter.”  Shannon & Heather’s follow-up album Never Just A Song, released in February 2015, included their #1 chart radio hit “That’s What’s Good In America Today” co-written by Slaughter as well as other chart songs such as “Moonshiner,” “There Ain’t No Need To Be Lonely,” and “Ridin’ The Lightning, Ropin the Storm.”

Please visit shannonslaughter.com and Facebook for more upcoming announcements.

New Single from Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys

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Stanley Family Records is proud to announce a landmark new single, “Goin’ Round This World” by Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys. The song appears on the band’s self-titled album releasing this summer. This is the first recording released since Ralph II honored his father’s wishes by taking over the Clinch Mountain Boys band name last year after his passing.  These big shoes are being filled by the talents of previous Clinch Mountain Boy John Rigsby on fiddle and mandolin, Alex Leach on banjo, Noah Brown on the upright bass, and Ralph II on the guitar.

Ralph II has earned two Grammy nominations on previous albums including a Grammy Award on Lost in the Lonesome Pines along with his father, Dr. Ralph Stanley for their collaboration with Jim Lauderdale. Ralph II has also proven to be an accomplished songwriter and has six solo albums, along with the highly-acclaimed duet album with his father titled Side by Side.

The Ralph Stanley II and The Clinch Mountain Boys’ self-titled album will officially release on Friday, May 26, 2017 during Dr. Ralph Stanley’s 47th Annual Hills of Home Bluegrass Festival to be held Memorial Day weekend in Coeburn. For the past six years, Ralph II has successfully carried on his father’s legacy by running the event. This year will be no exception as it includes a stellar line-up with: Jim Lauderdale, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers, Dave Adkins Band, Flatt Lonesome, and a very special artist announcement coming soon.

 “Goin’ Round This World” was written by Ralph II, Alex Leach, and Joe Rose and will be serviced to radio stations today.  The song was released for sale March 30 on CDBaby  and available on  iTunes, Amazon and more digital outlets.

More on Ralph Stanley II

As one might expect for the son of a renowned banjo player, the first instrument Ralph II ever held was a banjo. At the ripe old age of three, Ralph (or simply “Two” as he is called by his family and friends), had his first lesson from the elder Stanley, learning a simple finger roll. It turned out, however, that he would not be following in his father’s footsteps, when it came to his choice of instrument. He soon fell under the spell of the undisputed king of boyhood musical desires, the guitar.

Despite his interest in the guitar, and the fact that he was occasionally traveling with the Clinch Mountain Boys on the road, he had not yet developed an ambition to play professionally. It took until age twelve and an old 1977 video of the late Keith Whitley during his tenure as lead singer for the Clinch Mountain Boys, to inspire him to become a professional musician. After seeing Whitley with the elder Stanley, he was hooked and spent hours in the family basement honing his skills, and weathering the comparisons to his late Uncle Carter. His persistence paid off, and he took the stage as lead singer with Ralph Sr. and the Clinch Mountain Boys in June of 1995. Since then, he has earned the respect of Stanley fans everywhere, and has garnered praise as a strong new artist in his own right.