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Floyd Tolston - A True Texan Troubadour
         What is it that makes great country music? Is it the straight-talking of world-weary troubadours? Is it the unpretentious stripped-down sound of one man and a guitar pouring his heart out? Or is it the storytelling lyrics of real life and all its myriad tiny dramas? One listen to Floyd Tolston and you'll see that it's all of these things. And more.
         Following in the tradition of great Texas folk music from the likes of John Prine, Merle Haggard and Townes Van Zandt, Tolston turns the ordinary and the everyday into something which is in turn beautiful, funny and true.
         Tolston's debut album Something Special is the product of more than 35 years of songwriting, honed through his years as a teacher, before his retirement gave him the opportunity to polish and record the songs which have been his life's work.
         The 14 original songs on this record are the heartfelt reflections of a life in and around music, in all its comedy, pain, regret and pathos. That is exactly what country music should be. From the hilarious consumer-age love-story of 'Wal-Mart Lovers' to the lovelorn musings of 'Primal Scream' or 'Something Special' and the loving homage to old style Texas beer, music and life in 'Lone Star'.
         There is a certain truth to this music, above all its other qualities. Tolston rails against the false prophets of the material world and of the music it has produced. His music, by contrast, is straight-edged.
         The first single from the album, 'Austin', shows these qualities as clearly as any other. The tale is of the rise and fall of an aspiring musician chasing the rainbow that is the Nashville scene. Though as Tolston sings "life don't always work out the way you'd planned it." The universality of this song, though routed firmly in the Lone Star state, is demonstrated by its international popularity.
         'Austin' has already been picked up and played on the Honky Tonks and Heartaches radio show in Melbourne, Australia. This follows on from the success of 'Everybody's Got'em a Song', which became the 21st most requested song on Radio Free Texas.
         Indeed, every one of these 14 diverse musical poems could have been picked up because everyone one offers a different glimpse into the soul of the creator. His growling baritone and simple but deft guitar playing compliment the feel of the songs in every case.
         Floyd Tolston is truly the undiscovered gem of Texas music. Something Special may well soon change that.
        Lezley Norris
        SaMolly/Tolston Music
        P.O. Box 144
        Ennis, TX 75120
        Phone: 214-543-6817
        Fax: 972-846-3005
        Email: tolstonmusic@gmail.com
        Website: www.myspace.com/floydtolston
        www.floydtolston.com



Joe Berry Update

        In June of 2008 Joe Berry started "The Honkytonk Highway" CD which should be ready for distribution in May 2008. According to management this will be the best CD Berry has ever completed featuring all original songs written by Joe Berry and cowriters. The CD was recorded at Ruff Patch Music and South Eastern Sound Studios Engineered by Lee Sinclair, produced,mixed and mastered by Gary Buddy Strong who also produces "The Marshall Tucker Band" Some highlights of Joe's career include: Singing two songs, one of which he wrote in the Lions Gate Film "Bad Trip" in 2004. Becoming an Inductee in the "Traditional Country Hall Of Fame in April 20th 2005. SInging and performing with his good friends "Grand Ole Opry Stars Ernie Ashworth and Charlie Louvin" Joe Berry is being inducted in the Ole Time Country Music Hall Of Fame in Iowa August 29th 2008 Joe Berry's CD "The Dark Side Of The Moon" won Traidional Country CD of The Year voted by The TCMA in 2002 He is soon to sign with a major indie to be revealed soon which will be another article.
Note: Joe Berry wishes to say a big thanks to Bob Timmers for what he does to help keep traditional country music alive! Joe Berry - berrymusic@charter.net




"A Little Bit of Lefty Left in Me"

        Posted March 13, 2008 - F.H.M label group has just announced the official release date of the highly anticipated Allen Frizzell "A Little Bit of Lefty Left in Me" disc will be March 18, 2008. The 12 song collection will include recordings such as: Saginaw Michigan, She's Gone Gone Gone, Long Black Veil, Mom and Dad's Waltz and I Never Go Around Mirrors(duet w/brother David). Pre-orders will be available soon at www.allenfrizzell.com. It will also be available for download on the web at a number of sites including myspace.com/allenfrizzell, iTunes and CD baby. FYI for those in the Nashville area: March 22, 2008-2:00 ... there will be a Tribute to Lefty show at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum Store.



Dan Tyminski

         "For those of you who don't know who Dan Tyminski is, he has been guitarist and mandolin player for Alison Krauss since 1994 and sang "Man of Constant Sorrow" on the O' Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. Here is my Interview with Dan Tyminski"
Scott Preston - cariboustudios73@gmail.com



CORNFIELDS OF IOWA

AMERICA'S REAL COUNTRY MUSIC IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE CORNFIELDS OF IOWA
         LeMars, Iowa.....Rural 'American' music is still alive, though Hee Haw is not around any more to make fun of it. Some of America's rural music is the only genuine country music left in the USA. And, some of it is still rural, rustic, acoustic, and fun, just as bluegrass music is. Honoring this great American music tradition, is the National Traditional Country Music Assn., made up of about 3,000 members from all across the United States and foreign countries, who are concerned about America's musical heritage, especially it's rural music.
         "Rural music," according to Bob Everhart, President of the National Traditional Country Music Assn., and "Ambassador of American Folk Music," a title bestowed upon him by foreign journalists writing on the subject from the U.S. State Department, "is the music of our settling pioneers. It has been handed down from covered wagons and fur trading expeditions through the generations, and is still prevelant, much like it once was, among the rural America we know today, especially among those who still practice the music genre, and play it in varying degrees of ability. Iowa is a very fertile State for 'genuine' country and bluegrass music, and it's not just corn that we grow here. We also grow some incredibly gifted performers and musicians that practice 'genuine' country and bluegrass music, or as we prefer to call it, 'rural' music."
         Celebrities turn out to make sure this very American musical art form survives. Jim Ed Brown of the Grand Ole Opry, has been nominated twice for induction into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. "I've been in country music a long time, and as a young boy used to eat what we called mule corn. Bob Everhart has promised to trade some mule corn for some of my figs when I get to Iowa." Mule-corn, according to Everhart is just plain field corn, very edible when it is just making kernels. Everhart also said Whispering Bill Anderson, of the Grand Ole Opry, who will be at the festival, is also interested in Iowa's corn, but perhaps from a different angle. According to Mr. Anderson, "Tennessee has been making mash whiskey for many many years. Now Iowa is doing it, and calling it Ethanol. There's no doubt that this is the future for removing our dependence on foreign oil, and I'm glad to be able to be part of not only that endeavor, but also to be part of an event that is so concerned about the future of America's rural music. I grew up singing among rural people, and one of my biggest hits "Po Folks," is our very own style of 'rural' music, so I hope Iowa keeps right on keepin' on when it comes to saving a musical genre."
         Other guests with similar attitudes about being on the festival, especially helping keep authentic rural music alive include Jay Ungar and Molly Mason from New York. Ungar is the violinist who created "Ashokan Farewell" as the theme music for the popular Public Television series "Civil War." Jim Glaser of the Glaser Brothers who grew up in Spaulding, Nebraska, said, "I have a committment to 'real' country music too, just like the Glaser Brothers did. It will be my pleasure to accept the Glaser Brothers Hall of Fame induction this year in LeMars, Iowa. The Stanley Brothers, Carter and Ralph, are also nominated. Carter Stanley's daughter is the spearhead behind getting Uncle Ralph to the festival this year. "The Stanley Brothers were among the first to have their rural music recognized by commercial interests, and Uncle Ralph is still doing the music much as it was when he and my dad started."
         By the time the festival is off and running more than 25 celebrities will be on hand for the lift off. The festival takes place at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in LeMars, Iowa, just 19 miles north of Sioux City. The seven day event goes from August 25 through August 31.. A day pass is $15 per person, and includes all entertainment on all ten stages from 9am to midnight everyday, including celebrities. A senior citizen discount has tickets available at $11 per day, and those under age 16 are admitted free. A weekly pass is $55. Everhart suggests people bring their own lawn chairs, although there is some seating available. There are five motels in LeMars, and more in Sioux City, and RV camping is permitted at the fairgrounds at a low fee.
         According to Sheila Everhart, Bob Everhart's wife, and Director at the Festival, "We are very fortunate to have so many performers keeping America's rural music alive. Perhaps the most unusual aspect of this is the participation we get from foreign artists. Greta Elkin, for instance, from North Ireland, has lived many years in a land shaken by violence. She comes to us for the serenity of our rural area, and being known as the "Queen of Ireland's Yodelers," she has made many friends doing what rural music does best. It's the same with a performer like "Lucky Susan," Crowe of New Zealand. Susan was married to Dr. Charles Crowe (father of several children, before his first wife passed away, Russell among them), who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. That makes her a "Lady" in the hierarchy of kings and queens, and she's a traditional country singer. "I simply love the 'realness' of traditional music stryles," Susan said, "it's the simplicity of it, the true heartfelt and genuine sincerity in it, and the fact that it's open to everyone, that impresses me so much with this event that Bob & Sheila Everhart do." The ten sound stages include room for many different genres of music that fall under the umbrella of 'traditional country music' according to Everhart. "This music didn't just simply evolve from nowhere, it came from the very strong need of our settlers to all parts of the United States, to have some kind of entertainment in their midst. Once the homesteads and settlements were established, the simple fiddle or harmonica gave way to small bands and entertainments of all kinds. Ragtime, blues, bluegrass, mountain music, cowboy music, gospel music, polkas (we even have a polka party in the dance hall), great plains music, and a lot of the traditional music from the homelands of the immigrants who came to the upper midwest. It's all available at the festival, now in it's 33rd year, in LeMars, Iowa."
         Sheila Everhart, who helps schedule over 600 performers and groups is also quick to add, "We've got a tremendous number of things to see and do at this event. There are showcases for groups wanting to reach talent buyers, and we've been very fortunate over the years to have buyers come from Branson's Silver Dollar City, Wal-Mart, the Crackerbarrel Restaurants, Waffle House, and every year we send out well over 50 free invitations to other festival producers and venue promoters. Now, we have talent buyers coming from foreign countrys. Bob & I have been touring New Zealand for the past two years, and we've already managed to bring together several promoters and talent from our festival. It's the same with our friends who come from Europe, Canada, even China and Japan. This is the oasis. This is where 'traditional' music makes it stand." Also on the fairgrounds will be a tipi village, started by Kathy "Bullhead" Grinstead. A large rendezvous-style village with absolute authentic costume, music, and tipis. It sits in the middle of a small pioneer village on the fairgrounds. The porchs of the village will become the focal point of the "Busker's Championships" as anyone and everyone can participate, by simply performing on one of the small porchs. There's a small Ag Expo to keep us up to date on the doings of agricultural history, and pioneer arts and crafts are everywhere.
         "Jamming" is one of the key interests of many participants. It's everywhere and very spontaneous. However there are three 'organized' jamming areas, including an outdoor stage hosted by "One On The Mountain" from West Virginia. This is an opportunity for anyone wishing to play, wishing to learn how to play, wishing just to be part of the incredible music that surrounds them to enjoy the music and the fantastic brotherhood that surrounds the music and the players of it. Workshops are held in all areas of interest all seven days, by professional teachers and performers.
         "It's the music!" Bob Everhart says to the question of why he has been involved for so many years. "The music is paramount. Sometimes egos and money take a toll, but the music still prevails, and we intend to keep it going as long as we can for whoever likes it no matter where they come from." More information about how you can be a part of saving America's rural music or attending the festival, or performing on it, is available at the NTCMA website http://www.oldtimemusic.bigstep.com or writing the NTCMA P O Box 492, Anita, Iowa, 50020, or at 712-762-4363, or by e-mail bobeverhart@yahoo.com



Jack JohnsonR.I.P.

Country Music Manager Jack JohnsonR.I.P.
         Jack D. Johnson, 79, the brash and colorful manager of Charley Pride, Ronnie Milsap, T.G. Sheppard and others, died Thursday morning (January 24, 2008) in Nashville after battling congestive heart failure. Mr. Johnson confronted segregation and presumption in helping Pride to become the first African-American singing superstar in country music.
         Johnson, named for the prize fighter Jack Dempsey, was born in Knoxville, and he spent most of his youth in East Tennessee. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in journalism in 1958. He and his wife, Edie, moved to Nashville in 1961, so he could pursue a career in the music business.
         In 1964, Mr. Johnson founded Jack D. Johnson Talent. After hearing Pride sing, he promised to manage the scuffling ex-ballplayer, and he pitched Pride's music to labels and producers around Nashville to no real effect. Finally, Mr. Johnson bent the ear of Cowboy Jack Clement, who decided to produce some records on Pride.



James Monroe

James Monroe to sell Bluegrass Music Hall
         December 1, 2007 - The son of the late bluegrass legend Bill Monroe is selling the music hall he opened two years ago near the Kentucky-Tennessee state line. James Monroe said the duties of running the venue conflicted with his own musical career. The property, which includes the Bluegrass Music Hall and nearly 18 acres of land, is scheduled to be sold at auction December 13th. The property is just off Interstate 65 on U.S. Highway 31, about 40 miles north of Nashville.



Wilburn Brothers Update


         November, 2000 - Thought I'd update ya'll on Wilburn Brothers information. First, they have a website run by the family at www.myspace.com/thewilburnbrothers. Secondly last years' Wilburn Brothers Tribute was held in Hardy, Ark Memorial Day Weekend. Don Helms was the headlining artist with the Malpass Brothers. A Blvd and Bridge were both named in honor of the Wilburn Brothers and the family attended. Mrs. Geraldine Wilburn Grisham was given the key to the City. They are raising money in Hardy to build a Wilburn Brothers Museum. The event will become an annual event with the next one scheduled for May 24, 2008.
-Susan Brant, maggdoodle@yahoo.com



Johnny Cash Christmas Show

From 1976 and 1977- Found, Reissued
         Lost since 1977, the famous and wildly popular Johnny Cash Christmas Specials from 1976 and 1977 were recently found in the vaults of ABC Television in Hollywood. These Christmas Specials feature a personal, heart-warming look at Christmas through the eyes of Johnny Cash, one of Country's Biggest Stars. In addition to an unbelievable list of guest stars, Cash delves into the meaning of Christmas for himself and talks about the traditions he enjoyed as a boy growing-up in rural Arkansas. These stories, coupled with the joyous Christmas Music, and Carols make this a show one you'll watch over and over again.
         Through a special arrangement with a Hollywood Studio, Country Music Greats is taking pre-orders for these shows. The show will be available for shipment November 13, 2007. The Christmas Shows are available individually (1976 DVD or 1977 DVD) or, as a 2 DVD set. Catalog Music Corporation . PO Box 159297 . Nashville, TN 37215. help@purecountrymusic.com - 1-800-591-2968



Tater Tate dies

Blue Grass Boy Tater Tate dies
Friday, October 19, 2007 -
         Clarence "Tater" Tate, who had two different stints playing for Bill Monroe, died Thursday at 77. Tate first joined the Blue Grass Boys as a fiddler in the late 1950s, replacing Bobby Hicks when he was drafted. Tate stayed with Monroe for about six months. About 30 years later, Tate returned to the band as a bassist. When Kenny Baker left Monroe in 1984, Tate temporarily took over the fiddling chores. For the rest of Monroe's life (he died in 1996), Tate switched between bass and fiddle as needed. Tate played fiddle with performers including Hylo Brown, the Bailey Brothers, and Carl Story in the 1950s. He joined Red Smiley's Bluegrass Cutups in 1965, which became the Shenandoah Cutups after Smiley's retirement in 1969. In 1977, he left the Cutups to join Lester Flatt's Nashville Grass. He also played with the Cumberland Highlanders.



Roots Music Association's Convention

Roots Music Association's Convention, Radio Seminar and Music Festival
         (October 2nd, 20087 - Festival is now underway which will take place June 26-29, 2008 in San Antonio in the middle of the beautiful Hill Country of Texas.
         RMA is the fastest growing international music association that actively promotes, supports and celebrates roots music. The RMA is committed to providing an international voice and forum for all roots based music formats in an alliance that will strive for the advancement of independent artists and will continue to encourage radio stations to play music outside of mainstream Top 40 charts. We strive to work in collaboration with any association or entity that shares our goals and vision towards the advancement of roots music.
         The 3 day event will also include a series of interactive and educational panels, a trade fair, once in a lifetime events and networking opportunities geared toward all facets of the music industry. The convention stream will provide opportunities for artists, musicians and industry professionals to network and educate each other through a series of interactive panels and presentations.
         The music festival will provide multiple stages which showcase performers to both the conference and seminar attendees as well as the general public. Expect to hear music from artists that range from established headliners to exciting up and coming newcomers across a multitude of roots based genres including, but not limited to, Blues, Bluegrass, Americana/Country, Western Swing, Western, Roots Rock, Reggae, Folk, Cajun/Zydeco and Tejano. The initial lineup of performers will be announced soon.
         The Convention and Music Festival will be held at the Alzafar Shrine Center in San Antonio. The center is located on approximately 20 wooded acres, at the edge of the Texas Hill Country. For information on registration, sponsorship opportunities or submitting for performance consideration please contact the RMA at 888-391-0983 or rma@rootsmusicassociation.org.
         More information about the Roots Music Association can be found at www.rootsmusicassociation.org



Bobbie Nelson

Bobbie Nelson Continues Family's Musical Legacy

         For the decades she has played in his band, Bobbie Nelson has been more than content to stay out of the spotlight that engulfs her younger brother Willie. Now - at age 76 - the talented pianist is finally releasing her first solo album. The better known of the two Texas music makers jokes that his sister will never be the same.
         It seems unlikely that fame could change friendly, plainspoken Bobbie Nelson, who has honed her craft with brother Willie for about 70 years. It all started with gospel songs performed around the piano with the grandparents who raised them in tiny Abbott.
         "I don't sing. When I was very young, I used to harmonize with Willie when we would sing in church," she said. "His voice is so good, and I never had that quality of voice. He didn't need me. I could get in his way. So I just played piano for him to sing. That's what we still do."
         The Nelson musical legacy is a strong one. A new generation is gaining attention, including Willie's sons Micah and Lukas of the band 40 Points, which released its first album this summer. Daughters Paula and Amy also are performers.
         Bobbie Nelson's debut album had been long encouraged by her brother, whose long line of hits includes "On the Road Again," "Always on My Mind" and "Whiskey River." It took shape during a lunch with Randall Jamail, founder of Houston indie label Justice Records. He suggested she should write her life story. She responded that the only way she could do it was through music.
         The result, Audiobiography, scheduled for release September 25th, takes listeners back to the popular boogie-woogie tunes of the 1930s and '40s and also features melodious jazz pieces.
         Even while stepping out on her own - Bobbie Nelson, two years older than her brother, never strays far from Willie, who penned two songs to bookend the album.
         After their grandfather bought her a piano for $35, Bobbie Nelson was playing by the age of 6. She retains a clear image of their grandmother singing the gospel standard "The Great Speckled Bird" as she and Willie played.
         Bobbie married fiddler Bud Fletcher when she was 16, and she and Willie joined his band. In the 1950s, Fletcher died in a car accident, and she concentrated on raising her three young sons.
         For years, she worked for the Hammond Organ Co., demonstrating the instrument. In 1972, she joined her brother's backing band and has been with him ever since.



WORTH A CLICK

Ricky Skaggs has Sturdy Roots in "Jazzgrass" Blend




TRAVIS LeDOYT SELLS OUT SHOWS

TRAVIS LeDOYT SELLS OUT SHOWS ACROSS THE US "World's Best Young Elvis" Proves The King Is Still A Hit
Nashville, TN
         Travis LeDoyt, who has been called "the World's Best Young Elvis," commemorated the 30th Anniversary of Elvis Presley's death by keeping Presley's memory alive in the hearts of thousands of fans across the United States.
         LeDoyt has been selling out shows and receiving accolades from audiences from all across the United States and around the world, but this recent tour was nothing short of amazing. From Harrah's Rincon Casino in San Diego, Prairie Band Casino near Topeka, KS, the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines to Caesars Indiana, LeDoyt played to standing room only crowds. At Caesars Indiana, LeDoyt sold out five shows in their 900-seat Coliseum show room and more than 400 people were turned away for the last show on Sunday according to Audrey Hager, Entertainment Manager at Caesars.
         In addition to playing to capacity crowds in more than 25 states, LeDoyt has sold out shows in China, Scotland, England, Canada and Chile.
         To those people who think they have seen it all when it comes to Elvis tribute acts, this is the one that makes them do a double-take. There is simply no way to describe LeDoyt and his performance except unbelievable.
         LeDoyt, who is based in Nashville, flawlessly captures the essence of Elvis in his prime, and restricts his shows to the hits and ambience of 1954-1962. Utilizing a three-piece Nashville band featuring bass, guitar, and drums, LeDoyt takes his audience back to a genuine 1950's concert. For those who missed an Elvis concert during those years, it is a chance to relive that exciting era. For further information, bookings and interviews, please contact Dick McVey in Nashville at 615-264-3637. www.travisledoyt.com
         Here are some of the things people are saying about Travis LeDoyt
         "This guy is the world's best young Elvis." Dave Elliott, WLOX-TV - Biloxi, MS.
         "This is as close as you're going to get to seeing an Elvis Presley concert in the 50's" - D. J. Fontana (Elvis Presley's drummer in the 50's) after actually playing a show with Travis.
         "I met Elvis Presley when he was a young man in the 50's and you are almost exactly like him." Little Richard following a show where Travis was his opening act.
         "I met Elvis in the 50's and meeting Travis was like meeting Elvis all over again." Marshall Lytle - original bass player with Bill Haley's Comets.
         "Travis was the surprise hit of our festival." - Elvis Presley Festival - Tupelo, MS.
         "I heard people all day talking about Travis LeDoyt so I went to see for myself. I thought Elvis was dead but I tell you he's alive – I just saw him perform. He's the surprise hit at the (Iowa State) fair." Ken Fuson, Des Moines Register.
         "Our guests were amazed at the likeness of Travis to young Elvis Presley. His great looks and wonderful voice, along with a vibrant live show and Elvis-like stage presence, have made Travis a favorite among our customers (and those of our competitors)!" Pete Bonner, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Harrah's Tunica Casino & Hotel
         "It makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand on end when you see him perform." Simon Wilson, Nottingham Post, England
         "Travis show was much more than we expected. We will definitely have him back." Hard Rock Casino, Tampa, FL
         "Being and old jaded entertainment guy, I am not easily impressed, but Travis definitely impressed me. The casino people were knocked out, and want to have him back. He was a real pro, and a pleasure to work with." Lou Baskin, SRO Entertainment, Scottsdale, AZ
         "Not only does LeDoyt look almost exactly like the twenty year old Elvis, he has the voice and stage style." Lee Cotton, Rock and Blues News magazine and author of "Did Elvis Play In Your Hometown Too."
         "I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. It could have been Elvis Presley himself." Tom Robinson, Kingston Upon Hull, England
         "The guy is just amazing!" TV personality Charlie Chase after interviewing Travis and watching him perform.
         "My favorite was the incredible Travis LeDoyt, an Elvis impersonator from the states who was the star of the weekend, driving the crowd crazy with his amazingly realistic take on ‘The King'" John Baikie, Award Winning Photographer from Scotland.
         "Travis LeDoyt's show will make you think you've gone back to 1956 and you're actually seeing Elvis." Bob Timmers, Curator of the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame(R)
         "Travis, accompanied by his own band, got a taste of the adulation the young Elvis used to attract – fans stood three or four feet deep in front of the stage." The John O'Groats Journal, Caithness, Scotland
         "What's so unsettling is that he not only looks like Elvis, he naturally acts like him. If there is such a thing as 'channeling,' Travis is doing it." Jeannie Johnson - Nashville Newsletter - Nashville, TN.
         "Unbelievable - Travis generated more response from our patrons than anyone we have had here." Dave Hilbert, Casino Magic - Bay St. Louis, MS.
         "His performance was phenomenal - we'll definitely have him back." - Trela Wilson, Isle Of Capri Casino, Bossier City, LA.
         "He looks more like the early Elvis than anyone I've ever seen!" - Bill Griggs - Rockin' 50's Magazine - Lubbock, TX.
         "Of all the people I've seen do Elvis material, this boy is more like him then anybody!" - W. S. Holland - Drummer for Johnny Cash.
         Dick McVey Enterprises – 876 Springfield Hwy – Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Phone 615-264-3637 – Email: dickmcvey@comcast.net - www.travisledoyt.com



COUNTRY MUSIC STARS DESCEND ON SMALL TOWN

INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC STARS DESCEND ON SMALL TOWN OF ANITA IOWA
Anita, Iowa
         For a small town of less than 1,000 citizens, the opportunity to have international music stars visit, is a rare treat. But that is exactly what will happen September 7, at the little performance center in Anita, Iowa, known as the Oak Tree Opry.
         The Oak Tree Opry opened its doors ten years ago, mostly as a restored theater offering down-home entertainment for anyone who cared to attend. Today, it is the focal point of top entertainment from Nashville, Tennessee, to an incredible line-up of international performers from many distant countries.
         In the United States to participate in the National Old Time Country Music Festival in Missouri Valley, Iowa, a number of the international stars are staying over to perform at the Oak Tree Opry in Anita. They have a dual reason. Several of the stars have been inducted into "America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame," which is located just across the street from the performance center, and they'd like to see what the Pioneer Music Museum is all about. They are also interested in performing in a small-town theater, just to see what the audience is like, and if the audience likes what they do.
         According to Sheila Everhart, who books much of the talent at the Oak Tree Opry, "My husband Bob and I went to New Zealand last year to perform, and we met huge numbers of incredibly gifted country music singers there. We invited some to our festival, and some have been nominated for induction into the Hall of Fame, so it was natural for them to extend their time in the United States to not only see the Hall of Fame, but also to perform for the audience that makes it all possible. We are quite impressed with their abilities, and there is probably no other place quite like Anita's museum and performance center anywhere else in the USA, that does what we do."
         On the September 7 program, the audience will have the opportunity to see and hear Greta Elkin from Londonderry, North Ireland. Greta has been on the program before, and has a new CD out that is reaching the number one spot on foreign radio shows. She sings old-time traditional country music, and is a champion yodeler.
         Two New Zealand artists will be on hand, Ginny Peters, an RCA-Victor recording artist, songwriter, singer and performer from Otorohanga, New Zealand, is one of the biggest country music stars in that country. She is also a very successful music publisher (Pegasus Music Publishing) in both New Zealand and Australia. Her poignant ballads and songs of romance are heart touching and simply beautiful to listen to. Ginny will be recording a 'down-home' country music CD while she is in Iowa at the R&H Studios in Underwood, Iowa.
         With her is another famous Kiwi, Marcie Alexander. Before her marriage, Marcie was known as Marcie Fergusson of the famous Fergusson Sisters, who toured the United States when she was much younger. They established a very special connect to their many friends and fans through their wonderful harmony gospel songs. Today Marcie specializes in children's music, and guests at the Oak Tree will hear both gospel and children's songs from this famous Auckland, New Zealand artist.
         Not confirmed, but very probably will appear, is Jenny Blackadder the "Queen of the Banjo" from Christchurch, New Zealand. She plays a tenor four-string banjo in much the same way as old time vaudville music.
         Ben Steneker, from Hawkesbergan, Holland, has never performed at the Oak Tree, but he has been on the National Festival many times. He is the number one country music recording artist in Holland, and is joined by his daughter Carmen in their performance at the theater. Ben and his wife Irene were inducted into the Hall of Fame over ten years ago, so this will be his first time to actually see his display in the museum. He specializes in songs written by Dick van Altena, a songwriter from Amsterdam, who writes country songs. His biggest hit being "Take A Ride In The Country With Me."
         Gordon Wilcox from Canada is on his way to Nashville for a new recording session, and specializes in Jimmie Rodgers music.
         Joining all these famous international stars are our own local music-makers who work hard making sure their music is outstanding and professional. Marge Lund, a local resident of Anita, is a beautiful vocalist of old-time country ballads. Rick & Harriette Andersen is a backing couple that also does comedy and old-time hillbilly songs. Wild Iowa Rose is a family harmony group led by Barb Hutchens, and Bob & Sheila Everhart, international performing artists and Smithsonian recording artists will also perform on the show.
         Regular admission is $7 per person, reserved seats at $10 are sometimes recommended, especially if you are driving long distances. Simply call 712-762-4363 for more information, or to reserve seats.
         Please join us for our 32nd National Old Time Bluegrass N'Country Festival August 27-Sept 2, 2007, at the Harrison County Fairgrounds, Missouri Valley, Iowa. Over 600 performers on 10 stages with celebrities. Also come be with us at our "new" festival at the Christensen Field House, Fremont, Nebraska, October 5-6-7, 2007. Visit our website at: www.oldtimemusic.bigstep.com for all the latest information! Thank you!



RALPH EMERY OVER THE YEARS

RALPH EMERY TALKED TO REAL CHARACTERS OVER THE YEARs
By BEVERLY KEEL
         When I sat down recently with legendary broadcaster Ralph Emery, he had no idea that he was among the newest crop of inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He talked to me about his past and his present, including Ralph Emery LIVE, his RFD-TV show that has featured interviews with Eddy Arnold, Barbara Mandrell, Lorrie Morgan, Bobby Bare, Ronnie Milsap, Sonny James and others.
         "It's just me," he said of his hosting style. "I try to make my guests look interesting." That was pretty easy for much of his career because he's had a front-row seat during some of country music's greatest years. "Insofar as I have observed and know, we had more characters years ago. There will never be another Roger Miller. Talk about characters: Faron Young," he said with a laugh. "Will there ever be another Johnny Cash? I have always said the two people with the most charisma that this town ever produced were Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton." Ralph considers himself fortunate to have worked before corporate consolidation, when musical giants roamed Lower Broadway and music men like Chet Atkins and Owen Bradley ran things. "Everybody is fond of saying, 'If Owen and Chet had been here, that would have never happened.' They protected their acts." The radio industry has changed along with Music Row. "I was very lucky to come through the system where I had total autonomy," he said. "I could play any record I wanted to play; nobody sat down and told me what to play. No one sitting in Dallas was programming the radio station where I worked." A favorite part of Ralph's DJ job was breaking records such as "He'll Have to Go" by Jim Reeves, Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans" and "Alabam" by Cowboy Copas.
         "It didn't make me any more money, but it was fun," he said. "I couldn't be a disc jockey today if I was hemmed in. I would have probably chosen another profession. In the beginning, I wanted to be a sports announcer anyway. There just weren't any opportunities where I worked, so I fell back into what worked for me, and that was country music. "I got to know the people. I found that they were very good people and very interesting people. You've probably noticed, we are basically a large family." On Tuesday, the master of gab struggled to find the right words during one of his life's greatest moments. "It's very difficult to come out here this morning to tell you how I feel," he said during the Hall of Fame induction news conference. "It's somewhat overwhelming. I never thought I would be in the Country Music Hall of Fame, or at least in my lifetime."




"John Law"
         Homer Joy has released a new duet with special guest Buck Owens. This is the last known recording by Buck Owens. Homer was more than honored to have his friend Buck Owens join him in the studio to record John Law. Homer Joy is proud to present his new album "Someday It'll Be Country" to radio stations around the globe. He is noted for his songwriting and singing talents, penning such songs as "The Streets Of Bakersfield" and more.




Steep Canyon Rangers

Steep Canyon Rangers Are Lovin' Pretty Women 2006 IBMA Emerging Artist Winners Release New Studio Album

Nashville, Tenn.
         The Steep Canyon Rangers, one of the most vital, exciting bluegrass bands working the format today, are set to release Lovin' Pretty Women, the band's latest CD since winning the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) "Emerging Artist" award. Hit songwriter and fellow IBMA award-winner Ronnie Bowman produced the album. Rebel Records is the esteemed home to this incendiary and road-tested band. The record will drop nationally on August 14, 2007. Lovin' Pretty Women will guarantee this group's continued ascent to the top of the bluegrass ranks, while reaching new audiences as they expose their own unique and timeless style to a wider and more diverse audience on the road.
         The Steep Canyon Rangers are Graham Sharp (banjo, lead and harmony vocals), Woody Platt (guitar and lead vocals), Charles R. Humphrey III (bass and harmony vocals), Mike Guggino (mandolin and harmony vocals), and Nicky Sanders (fiddle and harmony vocals).
         The Steep Canyon Rangers dig even deeper into a traditional bluegrass sound on Lovin' Pretty Women, but with a sophisticated twist. It's an album filled with the vim and vigor of a band in love with making music. The Rangers have written their own material since they first started jamming together in a stairwell on the campus of UNC. The group is blessed with artistic vision, a gift for songwriting and an intense desire to create their own unique sound. That's why the Rangers have been able to honor the bluegrass masters who came before them while nudging the genre forward in new and exciting ways.
         "Traditionally bluegrass bands have gotten by playing all the standards," says Sharp. "Most of those songs have all been done and they've been done really well. Why try to recreate something that you can't outdo? So that was our motivation, to just be original. It gave us the opportunity to figure out how to be unique within a format steeped in tradition."
         The new album showcases a band at the top of its game, whether dipping their banjos and guitars in the gospel water of "Be Still Moses" or telling stories from the coalmines in "Call The Captain" and "Cumberland Moon." The Rangers' compelling harmonies throughout are a testimony to the band's belief that the voice is as vital a musical instrument as anything with strings.
         Their super-tight harmonies and unique style caught the ear of legendary artist manager Don Light (Jimmy Buffet, Delbert McClinton, Keith Whitley, and the Oak Ridge Boys). Light built his reputation by spotting music visionaries early in their careers. He saw the same spark and intense desire in the Steep Canyon Rangers and signed on to manage their career.
         Together the Rangers and Light have been taking the band's music to an ever-widening audience. In fact, the Rangers export their uniquely American music across the Atlantic this year when they tour Europe for the first time.
         This fall they'll also be hosting the 2nd Annual Mountain Song Music Festival, a festival they started to benefit the Boys & Girls Club in Brevard, NC.
         Whether they're Lovin' Pretty Women or making new fans all over the world, there's one thing the Steep Canyon Rangers will definitely be doing-creating timeless acoustic music that honors tradition, while boldly moving it into the future.
         For hi-resolution images, listening tracks, as well as more supporting documents, please visit www.lotosnile.com and click MEDIA and ARTISTS. For review copies or interview requests, please hit reply.
SCR's Website
SCR's MySpace
For more information contact:
Kissy Black
Lotos Nile Media
P.O. Box 90245
Nashville, TN 37209
615.298.1144
kissyblack@lotosnile.com




BAKERSFIELD PAYS HOMAGE TO MERLE HAGGARD


Merle Haggard Drive

         Finally after many years the city of Bakersfield pays homage to Merle Haggard by erecting a sign in his honor. Known as Merle Haggard Drive the road is two and a half miles long connecting Hwy 99 to North Chester Avenue in Oildale which is the town Merle grew up in.







32ND OLD TIME COUNTRY & BLUEGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL

IOWA'S 32ND OLD TIME COUNTRY & BLUEGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL HOSTS MORE CELEBRITIES AND INTERNATIONAL PERFORMERS THAN EVER BEFORE

        Missouri Valley, Iowa.....Tucked away between the Loess Hills clay bluffs, and the Missouri River, is the rural hamlet of Missouri Valley, Iowa. Normally a quiet and serene pastoral village, come August 27th, it triples in size as traditional country music performers, fans, celebrities and heroes descend upon it, to not only play the great music of America's rural roots, but to listen to it, and to honor it.
        Started in 1976 as a Bicentennial celebration 32 years ago, this event has become the largest of its kind west of the Mississippi River. It is not uncommon for as many as 600 singers, pickers, entertainers, performers, storytellers, dancers, and songwriters to find their way to this Midwest haven of old-time acoustic music and dance. They bring with them fans of 'authentic' country music, and 'bona fide' entertainers who play music going all the way back to the pioneers who settled these prairie lands and great plains. Sponsored by the National Traditional Country Music Association, and the Poneer Ag Expo, it has become a national, and an international focus, for what many describe, as the 'real deal' when it comes to America's legitimate country and bluegrass music.
        According to the NTCMA President, Bob Everhart, "We have been in existence since 1976, our primary purpose is to maintain country music as an identifiable American musical art form, by staying within established rules of recognizable characteristics of the music, maintaining principles and standards, and in our case keeping it acoustic and old time, much like it was in the past, and in pursuit of excellence. We not only perform it this way, we recognize those who have made generous and credible contributions to this musical genre. Each year, at our annual meeting, and the public festival (at the Harrison County Fairgrounds in Missouri Valley, Iowa), we honor those that have made these significant contributions. It is a week-long celebration of well over 600 performers, on no less than ten sound stages, all of it an acoustic format. Along with general traditional music we will be celebrating America's very own rural roots country music. It's a high-quality event, and includes other activities like the "Masters" workshops. Deeply intense and concentrated learning sessions offered by some of the best in the business. There are old-time country dances six of the seven nights, everything from a cowboy dance to a polka party, with instructors teaching everything from the two-step and clog-dance to the Virginia Reel and the waltz. Specially themed programs (over 250 of them throughout the week) share the diversity and huge variety that is to be found in America's rural roots music. But most important of all is this opportunity to "honor" those that have done so much for rural music and dance. That is the induction of these deserving people into "America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame."
        "It just simply blows us away that these celebrities that have given so much to this musical genre will still step out of retirement in some cases, and turn their tour bus toward Missouri Valley, Iowa, in others, to accept the honor the rural roots music fans of Iowa place upon them," says Bob Everhart, the curator of the Hall of Fame. "When we get the go-ahead from someone as notable and thouroughly authentic as Red Steagall, host of Cowboy Corner and currently holding the title of America's Number One Cowboy, it just makes us wonder what it is that we are doing that attracts these folks to our great upper Midwest."
        The only way into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame is to be nominated by someone already in the Hall of Fame. Each inductee gets one nomination. If an inductee does not nominate, or nominates someone deceased, that nomination reverts back to the President of the Association. The Hall of Fame is located in the typically small rural town of Anita, Iowa. Everhart remarks with humor, "I get a big kick out of telling folks, especially celebrities who come each year from Nashville, that I'm calling from the Hall of Fame which is located in the middle of a cornfield in Iowa. They enjoy their trip to Iowa, and they lend incredible authenticity to our festival."
        Topping the list of foreign guests this year is the Queen of Country Music from Ireland, Greta Elkin. Ms. Elkin came to the festival last year, and was so totally impressed with the music and the players of it, she recorded her first USA session at the R&H Studios in Underwood, Iowa. The CD has now been released internationally, and has already garnered a number of awards including "International Album of the Year" by the Rural Roots Music Commission.
        There are many other activities at the 7-day extravagant old-time music festival (August 27 through September 2) Everhart and his wife Sheila direct. "Free food the first four days is lots of fun," says Sheila. "We cook up 80 gallons of soup, steak soup on Monday, potluck on Tuesday, ham and beans on Wednesday, and cajun food on Thursday. All our visitors have to do is bring a bowl and dig in, until it's gone. Sometimes 80 gallons isn't enough."
        Fine country cookin' is a standard at this event. One of the most unique and original food offerings is the candle-light, Iowa corn-fed steak supper with all the trimmings, served while watching the main stage show activities. Some of the best country food in Iowa is available at a number of food outlets on the grounds. Alcohol and illicit drugs are prohibited at this event,making it a 'true' family oriented festival.
        "We also have contests for those who are still climbing the ladder in musical proficiency," says Sheila Everhart. "There are over 30 of them, in just about anything you can think of when you think of America's rural roots music. Lots of prizes, awards, ribbons, certificates, even cash is presented to the winners on Sunday night."
        The list of celebrities attending this year is pretty mind boggling too. Mel McDaniel ("Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" and "Louisiana Saturday Night") on Monday; Charlie McCoy (Known as America's greatest harmonica player) on Monday; Red Steagall (Host of Cowboy Country, western swing music, and cowboy poetry) on Wednesday; Tommy Horton (son of Johnny Horton) on Saturday; Bobby G. Rice ("You Lay So Easy On My Mind") on Saturday; Jim Owen (Branson's Hank Williams Sr.) on Tuesday; Jim Murphy (one of the longest running traditional music performers in the northeast) from New Jersey on Wednesday; Jimmy Payne (wrote Woman Woman) on Thursday; The Morris Brothers from Georgia on Friday; Bobby Atkins (a Bluegrass Boy in the Bill Monroe Band) from NC on Saturday; Terry Smith (wrote Far Side Banks of Jordan) all week; adding to this about 25 performers from foreign countries to fill out the international flavor of what America's rural roots music sounds like coming back from it's homelands. Ramblin' Riversiders from England; Ben & Carmen Steneker from Holland; Greta Elkin from Ireland; Wolfe Milestone & Cheryl Marianne from British Columbia, Canada; Stew Clayton from Manitoba, Canada; and Gordon Wilcox from Toronto, Canada. The performers coming from New Zealand after the Everharts first visit there last fall is incredible. "I didn't realize how very dedicated and 'real' the New Zealanders are about American country music," says Bob Everhart. "At first we just thought we would invite a few that have made really significant contributions, but as we traveled around this beautiful country we began to realize how very dedicated and 'zealous' they are about America's country music."
        Heading the list of dignitaries coming from New Zealand is Ginny Peters, RCA Victor recording star, and songwriter of a number of all-time number one hits. On the list with her for New Zealand honors, is the Johnny Possum Good Time Hootin' Band. "The New Zealand "Queen of the Banjo" Jenny Blackadder, who plays an old rag-time style four-string tenor plectrum banjo is an act not to be missed," said Sheila when asked about the large number of participants from that country. "Marcie Fergusson of the famous Fergusson Sisters will be a special guest, as will be Helen and Ian Braithwaite, patrons of the New Zealand Country Music Hall of Fame. Anne George, promoter of a huge country music festival in Marton, New Zealand, and, from the south island of New Zealand, the Partridges, a father-daugher duet that is a knock-out on mandolin, guitar and old-style singing. Susan Crowe, a strong advocate of old-time style singing and preservationist of old-style New Zealand singing will also be visiting us in Missouri Valley, this year.
        The Everhart's contract for the festival to be held in Missouri Valley is up at the conclusion of this year's event. "It just seems impossible that five years have already sped by doing this event at Missouri Valley. We bring an incredible amount of money into a community. All of Missouri Valley's motels are full for the entire seven days. Even motels in Council Bluffs and Blair are filling up, although there are still rooms available in both of these towns. Restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, drug stores, clothing stores, automobile and RV repair shops, and even garage sales benefit from our convention. It's large, and seems to be growing larger all the time. We are always open to any suggestions as to where we might hold our 33rd annual National Old Time Country, Bluegrass, and American Rural Roots Music Festival & Contest, Pioneer Ag Expo, and Convention of American Dance."
        An authentic Native American Tipi Village, rounds out the full scope of all of America's traditional music, and with RV camping facilities with electric hook-ups on the grounds, this makes it one of the most delightful American music and dance experiences available today. More information is available from the NTCMA at P O Box 492, Anita, Iowa, 50020, or telephoning 712-762-4363, or e-mailing bobeverhart@yahoo.com



JIM MURPHY TO BE INDUCTED

JIM MURPHY TO BE FIRST NEW JERSEY ARTIST INDUCTED INTO OLD TIME COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME

        In recognition of his nearly 45-year involvement in the traditional country music realm, singer-songwriter Jim Murphy, of Brick Township NJ, will be inducted into "America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame" on August 28, 2007, during the National Traditional Country Music Association's (NTCMA) annual old time music festival held in Missouri Valley, Iowa. Murphy is the first artist from New Jersey to be recognized by the NTCMA, which has been inducting deserving artists since 1976 in recognition of their impact and significant contributions to this traditional genre.
        Murphy's professional affiliation with country music started in 1963 when he began hosting the "Country and Folk Concert" program on WJLK radio, Asbury Park, New Jersey.
        He formed his band, Jim Murphy and the Pine Barons, in 1969, focusing on authentic traditional country music presented in the bluegrass style. The group quickly gained a considerable following and remains a mainstay of the legendary Albert Music Hall, in Waretown, New Jersey, in the heart of the Pinelands.
        Songwriting has been a hallmark of Murphy's work. In 1998 he took home four awards from the Traditional Music Association (now merged with the NTCMA), including Album of the Year, for his CD, NewBilly Music. His latest recording, Go New Jersey, is devoted entirely to people, places and events in his beloved home state, with "Garden State Waltz" receiving wide airplay as a single.
        Yet another aspect of Murphy's multi-faceted music career is his interest in and devotion to the music and memory of Hank Williams. For ten years, Murphy served on the Board of Directors of the Hank Williams International Society; he remains active with that organization.
        The NTCMA serves 2,000 members, primarily rural folks - farmers, ranchers and "down home" country people - that have "a deep and abiding respect for America's great traditional country music," as its president, Bob Everhart, explained. In his letter to Murphy, Everhart stated that Murphy had "attained a high status as a performer of classic country music. It is this achievement that our rural folks wish to honor."
        Murphy joins this year's honorees which include Mel McDaniel and Charlie McCoy, plus more than two dozen others. The week-long festival will also feature a performance by Murphy. Among past inductees are such notables as Johnny and June Carter Cash, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Monroe and Ernest Tubb, to name only a few. Under the auspices of the NTCMA, the Hall of Fame is housed in the Pioneer Music Museum, located in the middle of a corn field, in rural Anita, Iowa.
For more information about Jim Murphy, visit his web site,

For a closer look at the NTCMA, its museum, hall of fame and festival, go to oldtimemusic.bigstep.com
For interviews or more information, contact Jim Murphy, 732-892-1466 or jimmurpb@verizon.net.



"Lost" Johnny Cash Performance

"Lost" Johnny Cash performance on tap for summer
Fri Jun 15, 10:31 PM ET
        NEW YORK (Billboard) - Johnny Cash fans will soon have access to a new recording of the Man in Black, the 16th since his September 2003 death.
        "The Great Lost Performance," a 1990 Cash concert featuring duets with June Carter Cash and with singer Lucy Clark, will hit stores July from Universal Music.
        The 18-song banter-filled live album was recorded July 27, 1990, at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, N.J. Cash classics like "I Walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison Blues" are present and accounted for, the disc also features Johnny and Carter dueting on "Jackson" and "The Wreck of Old '97" and tracks "What is Man" and "Forty Shades of Green" with New Jersey native Clark.
        The most recent Cash release was "American V: Hundred Highways," the Rick Rubin-produced collection of Cash's final studio sessions, which made it to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in July 2006.
        Here is the track list for "The Great Lost Performance":
"Ring of Fire"
"Life's Railway to Heaven"
"Wonderful Time Up There"
"Folsom Prison Blues"
"Sunday Morning Coming Down"
"What Is Man"
"Forty Shades of Green"
"Come Along and Ride This Train"
"Five Feet High and Rising"
"Pickin' Time"
"A Beautiful Life"
"Hey Porter"
"Ragged Old Flag"
"Tennessee Flat Top Box"
"Ghost Riders in the Sky"
"Jackson"
"The Wreck of Old '97"
"I Walk the Line"



Ferlin Husky has leg surgery

Sat Jun 16 - NASHVILLE, Tenn.
        Country singer Ferlin Husky was resting in a Missouri hospital after surgery on his leg, his spokesman said.
        Doctors at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Mo., on Friday inserted a number of stents into the arteries in his left leg to aid his circulation, said Tracy Pitcox, president of Heart of Texas Records, Husky's label.
        Husky, 81, has been having problems with his legs for the past few months. Tests showed that arteries in both legs were nearly blocked.
        Surgery is planned on his right leg in the next two weeks.
        At the height of his career, Husky was a movie and TV star and recorded such hit songs as "Wings of a Dove," "Gone" and "Country Music Is Here to Stay."
        He made 18 movies with co-stars such as Jayne Mansfield ("Las Vegas Hillbillies" in 1966) and Zsa Zsa Gabor ("Country Music Holiday" in 1958).
        Husky, who also recorded under the names Terry Preston and Simon Crum, sold more than 20 million records, mostly in the 1950s and early 1960s.



Open Letter from Don Lummus

        Howdy.. My name is Don Lummus, from Henderson, Texas. I found your site while searching for info on Leon Payne. I forgot what year he had passed away, but remember it now after "refreshing" my memory on your site. I now have to figure out exactly who the "Leon Payne" is of whom I found a CD in our Record Files, recorded on "United States of Texas" Records a couple or three years back. There's a photo on the cover, but now I'm not sure who the photo is supposed to be! The title of the CD is "A Long Way Back To The Bandstand", and all the songs are really good Texas Swing type songs. I play it a lot on a portion of my daily radio program, "The Texas Twin Fiddle-Two-Steppin' Show" on KWRD Radio here in Henderson.
        I am one of two DJ's who work this station, and my on air shift if Monday thru Friday from 6am till noon. Our format is Traditional Country (with an emphasis on Country Legends), Southern Gospel, and a little Bluegrass.
        Since re-opening the station at the end of last year, the owner, Phillip Burr, has fairly well managed to get it up and running pretty sucessfully, and, (hopefully due to), hiring me to start working there a couple of months back, it has really been going great! We are the only radio station in Rusk County, and the 5000 watts of broadcast power covers quite a large area of surrounding East Texas, and parts of Louisiana. Our listening audience is very receptive to the fact that we play only "Real Country".. and are really supportive of our efforts.
        In addition to working as a DJ.. my "Main Focus" in life is as a Country Musician.. My wife, Sue, and I currently book as "Don & Sue, The Texas Two" in as many venues as we possibly can in and around East Texas ... playing what we refer to as "Texas Honky Tonk Dancehall Music". Together, we have combined experience in Music of over 60 years. (Yep.. we're "Seniors" ...in body only). Before Sue finally joined me on the stage about 20 years back, I worked Country Pickin' as my main and only true source of living ever since I was a teenager growing up in Houston and East Texas. I probably played, or sat in at, every live music Honky Tonk ever built in Houston in the 36 years I lived there ... and have worked with, or opened for, just about every "Country Legend" in the business during those years. I also (along with my wife) am a proud member of BMI and have about a hundred songs listed with them. I eat, sleep, and live for Traditonal Country/Texas Honky Tonk Music ... and will hopefully manage to croak my last note on a Texas Bandstand somewhere, but not too soon in the future please!
        If there is anything at all me and Susie can do to help you promote Country Music ... please let us know ... we're ready and willing ... and mostly able to do so! And.. if you know of anybody involved in Traditional Country who hasn't been receiving radio airplay lately ... tell 'em to contact me. I will get them back on Radio!
        Thanks.. and Keep It Country
Don Lummus
(Don & Sue, The Texas Two)
KWRD RADIO AM 1470
1101 Kilgore Drive
Henderson, TX 75654
903-655-7900 (Station Number)
903-404-0513 (our Cell)
www.donandsuelummus.com
info@donandsuelummus.com



Sammy Kershaw Announces Candidacy for Louisiana Lt. Governor

Kaplan, LA
        Speaking in his hometown of Kaplan, La, Sammy Kershaw ended weeks of speculation this morning and officially announced he will run as a Republican candidate for Lt. Governor of Louisiana.
        "I am proud to be a citizen of this state and I want to be a part of building its future. I'm committed to ensuring that the unique culture and proud heritage of this state is preserved and promoted," said Kershaw.
        Kershaw is running to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to help move Louisiana forward at a time when strong leadership is critical.
        "I am not afraid to make difficult decisions. I know that with leadership comes responsibility. For the past 20 years I have taken care of my employees and their families and have learned that leadership means personal sacrifice. It means putting the needs of others before your own. I am going to bring that same mentality to Baton Rouge. As Commissioner of the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, I will bring the entire experience of my career. I will lead the effort of expanding Louisiana's reach and creating economic diversification through what is uniquely ours."
        As Lt. Governor, some of Kershaw's top priorities include:
        * Making the entertainment industry a viable source of economic development in Louisiana.
        * Creating education programs that will train a sustainable labor force for this industry.
        * Ensuring that the people, places and culture of Louisiana are truly made a top priority within the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
        * Creating a program to promote the diversification of our natural settings to capitalize on the "sportsman's paradise."
        "I am excited about the positive change I know I can effect, but none of these things will happen until we change the outside perception of Louisiana. I want the people of this state to know that am going to be part of a reform movement that begins with strengthening our ethic laws. I will support any effort to make government more transparent. We've lost too many businesses to competing states because they are afraid to fall victim to 'politics as usual' in Louisiana. I am going to help revitalize our state and we are going to change our image."
        Sammy Kershaw is known for being one of country music's most talented artists with a Cajun kick. Since his debut in 1991, he has had platinum and gold records, but no amount of success has been able to tear him away from his Louisiana roots. He and wife, Lorrie Morgan, have seven children and two grandchildren.

www.sammykershaw.com



SPARKLE & TWANG:
MARTY STUART'S AMERICAN MUSICAL ODYSSEY

        Shake, Rattle and Roll on down to the Tennessee State Museum at 5th and Deaderick to see the new FREE exhibit entitled SPARKLE & TWANG: MARTY STUART'S AMERICAN MUSICAL ODYSSEY. Noe open, this exhibition features treasures from the late Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Sr., Patsy Cline, Elvis, Lester Flatt and other notable celebrities in the field of country, rockabilly, bluegrass and Southern gospel. This uniquely American premiere collection illustrates the impact of fashion and music on popular culture in the U.S. as revealed through performance costumes, accessories, hand-written lyrics, personal letters, instruments and unpublished photographs. Continuing through Nov. 11, 2007, the exhibition is a culmination of Stuart's nationwide celebration of the past, present and future of country music.
        The Museum is in downtown Nashville and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10 AM until 5 PM and on Sunday from 1 until 5 PM. For more information, please call (615) 741-2692.



Riders In The Sky Celebrate Centennial Salute To Gene Autry
America's Favorite Cowboys, Riders In The Sky, Pay Tribute To Public Cowboy #1 With National Tour & Album Re-release

        Nashville, Tenn.-"Public Cowboy #1" Gene Autry would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. Riders In The Sky, the modern day standard bearers of the grand and sweeping western music tradition that Autry popularized, are seizing the opportunity to celebrate the singing cowboy's life and music with a "Centennial Salute to Gene Autry!" The nearly year long festivities include a national tour and the re-release of their 1996 album, Public Cowboy #1: The Music of Gene Autry. Additionally, Riders In The Sky are guest artists on the tribute album Boots Too Big to Fill: A Tribute to Gene Autry (also featuring Vince Gill, Randy Owen, Glen Campbell, Charlie Daniels, and Pam Tillis). To commemorate this 100th birthday celebration, Riders In The Sky are also offering a brand new, limited edition poster on their website that features both Autry and the Riders in an old-style western movie poster design.
        "Paying tribute to Gene on the 100th anniversary of his birth is certainly The Cowboy Way," said Too Slim, the Riders' bespectacled bunkhouse bassman. "He was the first to embody Hollywood's unique melding of music, adventure and that most American of cultural icons, the cowboy."
        Ranger Doug added, "Gene Autry blazed the trail for Roy and Tex and Rex and eventually us. It's an honor to tip our huge hats to him every night in our show."
        The centennial celebration kicked off on May 24 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum with Ranger Doug performing some of Autry's music and Holly George-Warren reading from her biography, Public Cowboy #1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry. Ranger Doug also signed copies of his books Singing Cowboys and Singing in the Saddle: The History of the Singing Cowboy.
        Then the Riders hit the road to rekindle the romance with America that Autry created through his singing cowboy persona that made him a star of radio, film and television. The Centennial Salute To Gene Autry Tour lands at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles July 2-4. The Riders will team with the LA Philharmonic to present some of Autry's most beloved hits including "Back in the Saddle Again" and "Ghost Riders in the Sky."
        Too Slim has seen first hand the impact of Autry's music on generations of fans. "Gene's music has a timeless quality. But don't ask me. Ask the folks every night at our shows who remember 'Back in the Saddle Again' and 'Silver Haired Daddy of Mine' and get misty-eyed and come up after the show and thank us so emotionally for keeping the tradition alive. Or ask the young whippersnappers who are hearing these tunes for the first time and saying 'This music is cool.'"
        The tour makes a timely stop in Gene Autry, Oklahoma on September 29 (Autry's birthday) where the Riders will perform at the Gene Autry Film & Music Festival.
        Music was always at the core of everything that Autry did. His authentic, folksy singing style and affable personality made him the type of recording and film star that resonated with Americans of all walks of life. Fans old and new can now experience the magic of his music with the upcoming re-release of the Riders' Public Cowboy #1: The Music of Gene Autry album. This new version of an old favorite comes out in July on Rounder Records. It's been re-mastered and expanded with four bonus cuts and new liner notes by "Idol of American Youth" Ranger Doug.


Tour Dates:
Fri 6/15/07,7:00 PM
West Plains, Missouri
Court Square Old Time Music Ozark Heritage Festival Court

Sat 6/16/07, 3:00 PM
Draffenville, Kentucky
Kentucky Opry

Sat 6/16/07, 8:00 PM
Draffenville, Kentucky
Kentucky Opry

Sun 6/17/07, 7:00 PM
Brentwood, Tennessee
Eddy Arnold Amphitheatre

Thu 6/21/07, 8:00 PM
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Strings Music Tent

Fri 6/22/07, 4:30 PM
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Strings Music Tent FREE show!

Fri 6/22/07, 6:00 PM
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Strings Music Tent FREE show!

Sat 6/23/07, 7:30 PM
Breckenridge, Colorado
Breckenridge Music Festival: Riverwalk Center

Sun 6/24/07, 6:00 PM
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre

Wed 6/27/07, 7:00 PM
Lakewood, Colorado
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Amphitheater

Mon 7/2/07, 7:30 PM
Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Bowl, Special performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Tue 7/3/07, 7:30 PM
Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Bowl, Special performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Wed 7/4/07, 7:30 PM
Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Bowl, Special performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Fri 7/20/07, 8:00 PM
Napa, California
Napa Valley Opera House

Tue 7/24/07, 8:00 PM
Layton, Utah
Kenley Centennial Amphitheater, Pioneer Days Celebration!

Wed 7/25/07, 7:00 PM
Manhattan, New York
Rockefeller Park: River to River Festival

Sat 7/28/07, 8:00 PM
Jacksonville, Oregon
Britt Festivals: Britt Pavilion

For more information contact:
Kissy Black
Lisa Milburn
Lotos Nile Media
P.O. Box 90245
Nashville, TN 37209
615.298.1144
kissyblack@lotosnile.com
lisa@lotosnile.com



Bluegrass Bash 2007

        To be held August 2nd 4th at Medford, Wisconsin. Appearing: Cornmeal, DeWaybe Bros., Wayward Sons, Beef Slough Boys, Cedar Town Boys, Deep Fried Grass, Pickin' Up Steam, 357 String Band and many other bands to be announced. Presented by Funny Farm Productions, PO Box 12764, Green Bay, WI 54307. FunnyFarmPro@aol.com - http://www.funnyfarmproductions.bizland.com.



Midnite Jamboree 60th Anniversary
Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree 60th Anniversary Celebration
        NASHVILLE - It's Ernest Tubb Record Shops and Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree's 60th Anniversary Celebration ...and ... the 3,143rd consecutive broadcast on WSM at Texas Troubadour Theatre on May 5, 2007.
        Reception at 10:00 PM - 11:20 PM. Grand Ole Opry star, Jeannie Seely will be the hostess with special guests: a reunion of 1960's Texas Troubadour's Buddy Charleton, Don Mills, Junior Pruneda, Leon Rhodes and Steve Chapman The show will go on the air at 11:30 PM.
        If you are unable to attend, they would appreciate hearing from you. Your message will be aired that night on the Midnite Jamboree. A letter, email or audio (cd format only) if you can provide. Please help celebrate milestone of a world-wide country music institution. RSVP: David McCormick, P.O. Box 500, Nashville, Tennessee 37202, (615) 232-2288 - davidmcc@comcast.net



R.O.P.E.'s Annual Spectacular Summer Show

        NASHVILLE - Once again, America's favorite organization is holding its Spectacular Summer Show on June 7, 2007, at the Nashville Nightlife, 2620 Music Valley Drive, Nashville, TN. The show will start at 7:30 p.m. and will feature great country music stars like, CHARLIE LOUVIN, RAZZY BAILEY, STONEWALL JACKSON and JEANNIE SEELY. If that isn't enough, there will be a special "TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT STEEL GUITAR PLAYERS" and "Surprise Special Guests" to add to the entertainment.
        But it doesn't stop there either. For the first time, booths will be set up in the lobby of the Nightlife. Fans will enjoy getting their pictures with famous R.O.P.E. members, get autographs, buy music, books, jewelry, crafts and also visit the R.O.P.E. Booth for more items! And, as always, the Nashville Nightlife offers delicious refreshments.
        This is a night for the whole family to enjoy and bargain priced to boot. Adults are just $20 per person and children, ages 6-12 are only $10.00 each. Call Leslie Elliott early for tickets ... only limited seating is available at number 615-860-9257.
        Mail: IFCO, P.O. Box 40328, Nashville, TN 37204-0328



Hit Songwriter Glenn Sutton, 69, dies

        Glenn Sutton, the Grammy-winning songwriter who also produced Lynn Anderson's classic "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden," died Tuesday, April 17, 2007 of an apparent heart attack. He was 69.
        Born in Hodge, La., Mr. Sutton is responsible for writing or co-writing a slew of country hits, and he and frequent collaborator Billy Sherrill helped bring the smooth, piano-heavy "countrypolitan" sound into favor in the 1970s. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.
        Mr. Sutton's "Almost Persuaded," co-written with Sherrill, was a massive hit for David Houston in 1966. "Almost Persuaded" was Mr. Sutton's first No. 1 country single. It won a best country song Grammy and a country song of the year prize from performing rights organization BMI, and also was recorded by luminaries including George Jones, Don Gibson, Freddy Fender, Merle Haggard and Tammy Wynette.
        Mr. Sutton wrote or co-wrote other key country hits, such as Wynette's yearning "I Don't Want To Play House," Jerry Lee Lewis' "What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me)" and the stomping kiss-off "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad," a hit for Wynette.
        When he wasn't writing songs for others, Mr. Sutton spent a lot of time finding material and producing artists for Epic Records, where he served as an associate producer. In addition to his work with Anderson, his wife of nine years, he produced Tommy Cash, Jim & Jesse, Bob Luman and others.
        Along Music Row, Mr. Sutton was known for a sense of humor that helped him to write songs, to entertain his friends and to keep recording sessions loose and friendly.

- Courtesy The Tennessean, Peter Cooper and Ryan Underwood



TRAVIS LeDOYT SELLS OUT IN UK

Thurso Concert Attracts 1500 +
        [Nashville, TN] -- Travis LeDoyt, who has been called "the best young Elvis in the world," lived up to his reputation Saturday night in a standing-room-only, two-encore performance at the Northern Nashville Caithness Country Music Festival in Thurso, Scotland. Taking his audience back to the 1950's, LeDoyt and his Nashville-based band blew through hits like "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel" and "Jailhouse Rock" and strolled through the audience crooning tunes like "Love Me Tender" and "It's Now Or Never." The show concluded with two standing ovations and two encores from the sell-out crowd of more than 1500. According to one festival official, "We had to lock the doors."
        LeDoyt has performed extensively across the US and around the world in China, Chile, Scotland, England, Mexico and Canada where he typically receives the same response as he did this past weekend. His uncanny likeness to Elvis Presley in looks, vocal style and stage performance has garnered him a feature spot in the New York Times and the title of "World's Best Young Elvis" among people who have worked with Elvis Presley, and even more flattering, from Presley fans.
        LeDoyt has been experiencing great success over the past year being one of the featured entertainers at Harrah's properties all across the United States as well as other name casino chains, cruise ships, arts centers and festivals.
        To those people who think they have seen it all when it comes to Elvis Presley tribute acts, this is the one that makes them do a double-take. There is simply no way to describe LeDoyt and his performance except unbelievable.
        LeDoyt, who is based in Nashville, flawlessly captures the essence of Elvis in his prime, and restricts his shows to the hits and ambience of 1954-1962. Utilizing an outstanding three-piece Nashville band featuring electric bass, guitar, and drums, LeDoyt takes his audience back to a very believable 1950's concert. For those who missed an Elvis concert during those years, it is a chance to relive that exciting and wonderful era. For interviews or other information, please contact Dick McVey in Nashville at 615-264-3637.
All Star Publicity
9 Music Square South * PMB 177 * Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-264-3637 * Email: dickmcvey@comcast.net



Traditional Country Entertainer J. K. Coltrain to Host The Country Caravan

        J. K. Coltrain will be heading up a traveling show featuring some of the top traditional country artists of today.
        Princeton, TX, April 4th, 2007 - Traditional country great J. K. Coltrain will be heading up a tour featuring some of todays greatest old school country singers. There will be at least 2 bands and 7 artists including 2 traditional hall of famers performing each show. J. K. says: "It's the real country music fans dream come true as all the artists are banding together to do it for the music and not the money. So ticket prices will be kept extremely low so that the common man can bring the whole family out without breaking the bank."
        Their first scheduled stop will be in Salemburg, NC at The Laurel Lakes Family Campground and tickets for that event have already went up for sale on The Country Caravans website at just $15.00 for 6 hours of non-stop traditional country & bluegrass music.
        For more info or to order your tickets today go to: http://www.countrycaravan.com or send an email to: tickets@jkcoltrain.com

Contact Information
The Country Caravan
Solange Lavender
(972)-734-3034
imdreamweaver@msn.com
http://www.countrycaravan.com





Country Jack

        Wilburn Brothers hometown tribute: Hardy, Arkansas: May 26th: the songs that made them household names. Come see why mama Wilburn was so proud of her boys and why her boys were so proud of Hardy, Arkansas. come see the dedication of the new sign "hardy, arkansas, the proud hometown of teddy & doyle, the wilburn brothers" Share the history and the music of the all time #1 brother & family act of country music the Hardy Arkansas Chamber of Commerce and the office of the Mayor, Hardy, Arkansas, 870-856-2136. countryjack@bellsouth.net



"YOU BE THE STAR" Show

May 5, 2007 6:00 PM
Anson, Texas Opera House will be hosting and Traditional Country Music Foundation, Inc. will be directing this show. The TCMF house band will be performing and backing those that wish to be backed by the band.
Admission: Adults $5.00 Under 12 $3.00. Performers do not pay, but friends, family, guest must. This is how we recover some of our expenses!
If you think you sound like a traditional country artist, prior to 1980 then this show is for YOU! It would be a plus if you also look like that artist. If you qualify to perform on the show, you MUST dress like the star you will pay tribute to.
No one is ever paid for their performance or travel expenses in these shows!

Audition rules

Send a CD or tape of yourself singing three (3) songs of the artist you sound like. It does NOT need to be studio quality. Just a clear recording!
Include a recent photo of yourself and print your name on the back of your photo.
VERY IMPORTANT you MUST print this information on the CD or Tape Your name, phone number, email address (if you have one).

Title of the songs

If you wish to sing with band (add the key's you sing the songs in at the side of each song). Otherwise you may sing with your own sound tracks! Mail your audition CD's/Tapes to:
TCMF Legends
PO Box 57
Collinsville, Illinois 62234
If you have a printer, you can put your information on address labels and put on your CD or Tape.
If 2 or more auditon CD's or tapes are performing the same artist, we will choose the one that sounds most like that artist. We will NOT allow two (2) of the same artist on a show.

Deadline for all audition CD's/Tapes is April 14, 2007. All who are accepted will be notified on April 21, 2007. If you DO NOT have your information on the CD/Tape, you will NOT be considered for the performance. If you have your own CD's or tapes for sale you may bring them to the show to sell if you are chosen to be on the show.

We are looking forward to this being the BEST show around!!! And hope to make it a yearly show!!!
If you have any questions, or need more info contact:
Maggie: 618-792-3335
traditionalcountrymusicfoundation.com



J. K. Coltrain - Country Caravan
        I have assembled a fine group of traditional country entertainers and we are trying to return to the days of the old traveling country shows like The Midwestern & Louisiana Hayrides and such. So I wanted you to help me get the word out and if you are a traditional country artists and would like to perform at one of our shows. Not much if any money but we are making a lotta friends. The website is at; www. countrycaravan.com. All The Best, J. K. Coltrain - jkcoltrain@gmail.com or www.jkcoltrain.com




The Collaboration of John Prine and Mac Wiseman
        Nashville, TN - When two titans of industry join forces the results can be groundbreaking. If that industry is the music industry, and the titans are legendary songwriter John Prine and bluegrass genius Mac Wiseman, the results are groundbreaking, breathtaking and heartwarming. Prine and Wiseman joined forces to release, "Standard Songs for Average People", a duets album of classic American songs. It's an album so full of charm and humanity only John Prine would have the courage to record it. It releases April 24th on Prine's Oh Boy Record label. Concurrently, Prine's Oh Boy label is partnering with Shout! Factory to release the new "Live On Soundstage 1980" DVD.
        The genesis of the album came from an unlikely source - songwriter and producer Cowboy Jack Clement. He suggested Prine sing with Wiseman several years ago. Prine eventually contacted Wiseman, and the two spent time talking about music. It went so well they decided to each make a list of songs they'd like to record with no parameters on style, genre or age. When they reunited to compare lists, they were amazed to discover there were seven songs in common on their lists. It was all the impetus they needed to record a full on duets album.
        "Standard Songs of Average People" is filled with great American songs; some well known, some less so. Each track on the record, however, shares an innate humanity and emotional directness that binds them together into a poignant thematic collection. Prine and Wiseman put their own stamp on Lefty Frizzell's hit "Saginaw Michigan", and Tom T. Hall's beloved "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine". Other standouts include Kris Kristofferson's "Just the Other Side of Nowhere" and the old standard "Where the Blue of the Night", made famous by Bing Cosby.
        The album comes as Prine in hitting a creative and commercial peak. He picked up his second Grammy Award for his previous studio album, "Fair and Square", and recently crossed the million sales mark for albums sold on Oh Boy Records, the label he co-owns with longtime manager Al Bunetta.
        Prine is in a collaborative mood these days. He and Oh Boy have teamed up with Shout! Factory, a multiplatform integrated entertainment company that focused on audio music catalog development and home video/DVD projects. They've joined forces to release, John Prine "Live at Soundstage 1980", a DVD that captures Prine's celebrated concert for the PBS show soundstage. The DVD also features interviews with Prine as he tours his childhood hometown of Maywood, Illinois. The DVD releases March 27, 2007, but preorders are available now at www. musicfansdirect.com.



Silver Star Families of America awards Music artist TOMMY RIDDLE with the Silver Star Banner
        SSFOA has awarded Music Legend Tommy Riddle with the Silver Star Banner for his military service and support of our Wounded Heroes with his new CD, Three Screaming Eagles. It is a compilation of original writings by several artists, narrated by Tommy. He hopes to distribute to all our troops everywhere. Riddle was inducted into the Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame August 28, 2006.
        Riddle stated, What I am doing with my new narration CD, is to support the troops of America. I pray that the radio stations will support me on this CD, it is for a good cause, I hope to sell a lot of CD's, of "THREE SCREAMING EAGLES" ,so I can send them to the fighting men and women in this War. I need everybody's support to do this. God has led me to do this, so I am stepping out on faith to accomplish it and I thank the Families of America for their help.
        SSFOA, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit public charity organization was incorporated/founded in the state of Missouri December 2005 by Chief (Ret) Steven Newton of Clever, Missouri. The organization's primary mission is to honor the courageous efforts of each wounded hero (current and past) through the presentation of the Silver Star Banner and Certificate of Recognition. In addition, SSFOA sends care packages consisting of items of books, CD/DVDs, playing cards, phone cards, and toiletries to our wounded in Military Support Hospitals of Walter Reed in DC, Brooke Army Medical Center in TX, and the Balboa Naval Medical Center in CA, plus the Army medical center in Lundstahl, Germany, and Combat Surgical Support Hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. SSFOA operates with volunteers and obtains the Silver Star banners/flags via donations from the public. All donations to SSFOA are fully tax deductible as allowed by tax law and the organization recommends you discuss with your tax advisor.
        The Silver Star Banner is presented to a wounded hero and/or a fallen hero designated family member whether they are eligible for other military awards and medals or not. For many years we have had a Blue Star banner/flag for those who serve or have served in current and past conflicts/wars and the Gold Star banner/flag for those who have paid the ultimate price. According to Steve Newton, founder of SSFOA, there was a gap between the two banners which needed to be filled so that our wounded heroes (past, present, and future) are never forgotten. SSFOA defines wounded as military service members either currently serving honorably or those who have honorably served in the past who receive medical treatment or are diagnosed with an impairment which hs altered or will alter that person physically or mentally, to included, but not limited to "Wounded in Action", non-hostile injuries during deployment, or "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" (PTSD).
        For more information on SSFOA or to make a donation or purchase Tommy Riddle CD please visit www.silverstarfamilies.org. Please remember to support our troops, past present and future. Tommy Riddle - tcr27@cox,net



Honorary Doctorate for Loretta Lynn
        Soon you can call her the coal miner's doctor. Loretta Lynn is slated to receive an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music during her March 17 performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
        The honor from the Boston college puts the 71-year-old Lynn into a select group of recording artists that includes Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Earl Scruggs, Sting and Sarah Vaughan.
        "Loretta Lynn's songs have squarely addressed real-life situations faced by many women, and she's used her artistry to deal openly with themes like loyalty, divorce, desire and women's role in society before others in country music," Berklee President Roger Brown said in a release Wednesday.
        Lynn's many hits include "Coal Miner's Daughter," "You Ain't Woman Enough" and "The Pill."
        Since beginning her career in 1960, the Butcher Hollow, Ky., native has written more than 160 songs and released 70 albums, 17 of which have gone to No. 1.
        In 1972, she was the first woman ever named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association. She's won three Grammy Awards, was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003.
        Her most recent record is 2004's "Van Lear Rose," which she recorded with the White Stripes' Jack White.



REMEMBERING PATSY CLINE 2007
        Dear Customers & Patsy Cline Fans:
        Every year we honor Patsy Cline with two events. This year, Sunday, Mrch 4th will be 44 years since the tragic plane crash. Oyr schedule for this year's events is below. Please come out and help us remember a country music legend.
        Friday, March 2nd We invite all singers to come sing karaoke with Mike Hicks & his Hot Licks from 9pm-12am. Everyone welcome to pay tribute to Patsy Cline.
        Saturday, March 3rd Live band from 9pm-12am
        Sunday, March 4th Watch the Patsy Cline videos, view scrapbooks & listen to Patsy Cline music. Annual meal & party starts at 1 pm until ?. Music by many musicians & singers. All musicians & singers are welcome to come out for a big jam session. Bring a covered dish, the Troubadour will furnish the meats. It is all free except for drinks.
        Don't forget our second event, which will be held Labor Day weekend, September 1st & 2nd.
        Hope to see everyone there.
Thanks,
Jim McCoy

The Troubadour
25 Troubadour Lane
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
304.258.9381

mccoytroubadour@aol.com
www.troubadourlounge.com



Jamboree-by-the-Lake
        Colonel Buster Doss presents Jamboree-by-the-Lake August 31, September 1 and 2, 2007! Open to all independent artists, DJs, promoters, record labels, etc. WORLDWIDE! Held at the Winchester City Park in Winchester, Tennessee.
        As we all know Rome was not built in a day, and neither was FanFair (just ask the Johnson sisters!) Last year the weather did not cooperate with us and that is the reason for the change in date. The weather will be MUCH better this year and as it is a holiday weekend here in the States many artists who have other commitments will have that Monday off to use for traveling.
        Some changes this year: There will not be a gospel stage nor a tracks stage! All performers will be performing on the main stage. You may perform any style of music during your time slot. The jamboree will also not start until Friday nite about 6 p.m. and will kick off the nite with bands only. Track singers will be performing during the day on Saturday and Sunday and bands starting about 5 or 6 p.m. until about 10 p.m. Sound system will be supplied as we have done in the previous years.
        Also, track singers will be given 30 minutes time, just like the bands. So in saying this, then you know the amount of artists will be cut back from previous years. We felt it best to give the artists more time to make it worth their travel and to provide the people with QUALITY instead of QUANTITY.
        Artists--there will be a place for you to set up your product for sale. Just like FanFair, there will be one place where ALL the artists will be where people can come meet and greet you. In that same area there will be space for ANY DJ who would like to do a remote or interview the artists, etc.
        ATTENTION RECORD COMPANIES, STUDIOS, PROMOTERS: There will be space for you to have a booth as well to promote your company or your artists.
        There will also be a small program that will be handed out to everyone that will have some pictures of the artists, schedule, etc. We will be selling ad space in this program if you would like to get your name out there. The price of the ads is on the jamboree website.
        We are also working on a "Pickin on the Porch" stage. We are contacting a local company here who had the log gazebo from last year and there will be a small sound system set there for any person who would like to just "pick on the porch." No tracks on this stage. More like a guitar pulll for those who enjoyed having one last year in the pavilion. Just a place to "pick on the porch" with friends.
        ARTISTS: ALL ARTISTS MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION WHICH CAN BE FOUND at http://www.jamboree-by-the-lake.com website. There is a deadline date of April 28, 2007 for these submissions. There will be a committee designated to listen to each and every application and make the final decisions on the artists performing. This will also allow time to set a schedule so you know well in advance when you are performing. You must be available during the whole weekend as the timeslots will be drawn from a hat. It is the only fair way we can decide who is performing when. Once we have the timeslots drawn, we will contact each artist.
        We have already received emails from artists, djs and promoters who are already planning on attending. Remember, it will not work unless WE ALL work together. A wise man once told me, "a stick can be broken, but try breaking a bundle!"
        Barbara Doss, CEO
        Col. Buster Doss Music Group
        www.jamboree-by-the-lake.com
        cbd@vallnet.com



Calif. city to honor Merle Haggard by naming street for him
Associated Press
        02/08/07 - OILDALE, Calif. — Merle Haggard, the “Okie from Muskogee” with “Workin' Man Blues,” will be honored with a street bearing his name in the town where he spent his boyhood years.
        A two-mile stretch of road in the small community north of Bakersfield will be renamed “Merle Haggard Drive” after the Country Music Hall of Famer.
        “It will help the community so much. There's a turnaround going on,” said Oildale resident Jan Gary.
        Bakersfield and Oildale officials fought for months over who would get to name a street after Haggard, 69, who is credited with helping define country music's “Bakersfield sound” along with the late Buck Owens.
        The new Merle Haggard Drive will run along 7th Standard Road between Highway 99 and North Chester Avenue, near Haggard's childhood home.
        Merle recently did two shows in the Bakersfield area to help cover the cost of this project.



Grand Ole Opry Says Singer's Age Discrimination Suit is Groundless
        02/10/07 - Grand Ole Opry singer Stonewall Jackson's claims that the long-running radio show discriminated against him because of his age are false, and his lawsuit against the show and its manager should be dismissed, the Opry's owner said in court documents.
        "There is no age discrimination in Opry scheduling relating to Stonewall Jackson or anyone else," Gaylord Entertainment Co. said in papers filed Thursday. "Every action taken by Gaylord or Fisher with regard to Jackson was for a legitimate business purpose, not for any improper purpose, and was based on reasonable factors other than age."
        Jackson, 74, filed the federal lawsuit last month against Gaylord Entertainment and Opry General Manager Pete Fisher, claiming age discrimination, breach of contract and retaliation. He's seeking $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages.
        Jackson, who has been a member of the show since 1956, had a string of hits in the 1950s and '60s, including the No. 1's "Waterloo" and "B.J. the D.J."
        He claims his Opry appearances declined after Fisher was hired in 1998.
        Jackson said he approached Fisher on several occasions and was told things like, "I don't want any gray hairs on that stage or in the audience, and before I'm done there won't be any" and "You're too old and too country."
        Gaylord said Fisher never made the statements and never tried to eliminate older stars, many of whom remain Opry regulars.
        Jackson further alleged in his lawsuit that the reduction in appearances violated the Opry's union contract with The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He also said it breached a long-standing agreement between the Opry and its stars that in exchange for performing at least 26 times a year - even during the height of their careers when they could make much more money playing tour dates - they could always remain an Opry member.
        But Gaylord Entertainment said that while Jackson is a member of the Opry, he has never been an employee of Gaylord.



HANK WILLIAMS, JR. LOGO GUITARS AVAILABLE
        02/08/07 - The limited edition Copley guitar is up for sale exclusively for fans. Copley Musical Instrument Company has created an acoustic guitar exclusively for the Hank Williams, Jr. fan.
        The limited edition acoustic guitar, engraved with the Hank Jr. logo and created with superior craftsmanship, contains a 20 fret rosewood fingerboard, an adjustable neck and sealed tuners. The full-sized six-string guitar has a top consisting of laminated spruce; the back and sides of the guitar sport exotic rosewood with inlaid bindings.
        The guitar is priced at $299.95 and includes a hard shell carrying case. For more information and to purchase this unique item to enhance your collection, visit www.hankjr.com/merchandise
        Fans can catch Hank Williams Jr on the road starting in April with Lynyrd Skynyrd as the two acts will co-headline "The Rowdy Frynds Tour" with special guests 38 Special. Tour dates and information available at www.hankjr.com



Harmonica Great Terry McMillan Dies
        Terry McMillan, a versatile musician who recorded with many of Nashville's greatest stars, died Friday, Febraury 2, 207, in Sevierville, Tenn. He was 53 and had recently been hospitalized with pneumonia.
        Mr. McMillan was mentored by Country Music Hall of Famer Chet Atkins, who hired him for his road band in 1975 and who encouraged him to develop a harmonica style that would be adaptable to blues, country and rock music.
        In addition to his harmonica work, Mr. McMillan was a talented percussionist. His skills on those seemingly dissimilar instruments allowed him to become an in-demand studio instrumentalist. Like fellow harmonica ace Charlie McCoy, Mr. McMillan could switch tones, tempos and instruments as a song warranted.
        George Jones, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Roy Orbison, Kenny Chesney, Emmylou Harris, J.J. Cale, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, Waylon Jennings, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were some of the artists who chose to work with Mr. McMillan.
        He contributed to classic albums including Haggard's That's The Way Love Goes and Travis' Storms of Life.
        A funeral service will be held on Wednesday in Sevierville. Mr. McMillan is survived by his wife, three children, his brother and his father.



Wisconsin Musician Bill Jorgenson RIP
        Door County bluegrass musician Bill Jorgenson died February 5, 2007 morning at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. He was 76.
        Called "The Father of Wisconsin Bluegrass" by the legendary Bill Monroe, Jorgenson suffered a stroke at his log cabin home outside of Sturgeon Bay on Friday and never regained consciousness, said close friend Rob Billings.
        A guitar player since he was 12, Jorgenson also played fiddle, banjo, mandolin, ukulele and bass. His rich musical history crossed paths with countless greats through the decades, including Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, John Denver and Alison Krauss. It was Monroe who first anointed Jorgenson ’ "The Father of Wisconsin Bluegrass" after the two played together in northern Wisconsin in the 1980s. It was a title that the gentle, humble Jorgenson was hesitant to embrace.
        Jorgenson, who released eight CDs in 27 countries, was well-known in Northeastern Wisconsin for his Bluegrass in the Schools Program. Just last month, he played his 91st school, Emmeline Cook Elementary School in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and passed the milestone of 20,000 children.
        Jorgenson's fourth annual bluegrass festival at Heritage Farm near Kewaunee is expected to go on June 8 to 10 in his honor. A special tribute will be planned.
        Jorgenson is survived by a daughter, Jenni Jorgenson, and three grandchildren.



Yodeling for 40 Years
        Yodeling! You either love it or you don't! This 2-disc set features a combination of studio cuts, live performances, and demo sessions of 50 of more than 80 yodeling songs written and composed by Mike Johnson. Including some of his popular wordless yodeling songs like "Black Yodel No. 1," "Coyote Yodel," "Yodel Roundup," and "Wild Horse Yodel." You'll journey with Mike from his raw yodeling beginnings to the versatility that established him as Country Music's No. 1 Black Yodeler. The 8-page booklet gives you an insight on how this project came about, a brief background on the songs, the dates they were written, and several interesting photographs from Mike's varied background. Releasedate: 30 January 2007 on Roughshod Records http://hometown.aol.com/blackyodelno1/roughshodrecordstore.html.



Wayne Fleming R.I.P.
        Wayne Fleming, who played steel guitar on some of Ernest Tubb's biggest hits, died Tuesday, December 19, 2006 following a courageous battle with Parkinson's disease, at age 86, in Roanoke, Va. An accomplished musician who played several instruments, his first love was Hawaiian music and the steel guitar. After Army service in World War Two, he joined Tubb's band, the Texas Troubadors, and played on the 1947 hit recordings "Filipino Baby", "Drivin' Nails In My Coffin" and "Rainbow at Midnight". While with Tubb, Wayne played on the Grand Ole Opry and backed Tubb during the early days of the Midnight Jamboree from Tubb's Record Shop. He also played bass in the Stylist Orchestra big band for a time.
        Settling down back in Roanoke, Wayne pursued a very successful career as a test engineer for General Electric, while continuing to play steel guitar, with his own band, Wayne Fleming and Friends, and most recently in the Cundiff Bluegrass Boys, a group that regularly met to play in the low key setting of Cundiff's Drugstore in Vinton, Va. He also used his electronic expertise to build and operate his own ham radio gear (W4YKK). Wayne is survived by his wife of 58 years, Evangeline S. Fleming, a married daughter and son, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.



'Big Bill' Johnson Dies
        By Josh Suiter, The Courier-Journal - William "Big Bill" Joseph Johnson, who penned several songs about Louisville -- including "Where Were You When the Sewers Blew?" -- died Saturday (Dec. 6, 2006) at his home in Greenville, Texas. He had battled cancer and heart complications.
        Johnson, who was 6 feet, 5 inches tall, billed himself as "The Tall Kentuckian." His sewer song was written shortly after an explosion ripped through part of Old Louisville on Feb. 13, 1981, possibly set off when a car ignited hexane fumes being released from the former Ralston-Purina soybean processing plant.
        Johnson, who installed drywall for many years, began writing music in the early 1950s. He grew up in Highland Park and lived in Louisville until the early 1980s, when he moved to Texas.
        He also wrote "The Jefferson County Jail," in which he sang the song as "Hobo Bill," who was locked up after being taken off a freight train.
        A few of his songs gained national attention, including "I Don't Give a Diddly-damn Who Shot J.R." and "That's the Way I Like You the Best," which was sung by Carl Stewart.
        "Please Don't Close Durrett Down" was a plea to keep the high school open because one of his daughters wanted to graduate from there. But the school was closed in 1981 as part of an $8.5 million budget cut by the school system.
        "Dad wrote songs to deal with life," Emily Johnson said. Her father performed with Johnny Cash, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton, she said, and with Hank Williams Sr. at the Grand Ole Opry.




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Don Walser R.I.P.
        Long-time Austin musician and yodeler extraordinaire Don Walser died September 20th dye to complications from diabetes.
        An accomplished singer, guitarist and songwriter, Walser spoke about how he hoped the songs from those albums would live long after him in an interview with News 8 Austin in 2002.
        "If you think of me 20 years from now after I'm gone, with some of music, I'll feel good about it. But it's got to earn it like those old songs that I'm singing, you got to earn it," Walser said.
        He retired from live performances three years ago. Walser is best remembered for his series of records in the 1990s produced with Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson.
        Walser, who turned 72 last Thursday, was a country music icon in Austin. He had the fortune of a late-life career revival. He was a regular performer at Jovita's, The Broken Spoke, the Continental Club. And he was also famous for bringing country music to Emo's. He attracted a unique fan base, often opening for the Butthole Surfers.
        He's also known for keeping western swing alive by performing the music of Bob Wills and Eddie Arnold. A reviewer for Playboy magazine once referred to Walser as "the Pavarotti of the Plains." - Tracy Pitcox




Rough Guide To Yodel-CD
        Bart Plantenga's Rough Guide To Yodel-CD releases 25 September 2006. Mike Johnson, Country Music's No.1 Black Yodeler is one of the featured Yodelers. One of several yodeling projects by Plantenga, author of the 2004 Best Seller "Yodel-Ay-Ee-Ooo, The Secret History of Yodeling Around The World," Johnson is also included in Bart's forthcoming book "Yodeling In Hi-Fi." Performing since the mid-1960s, Mike Johnson was inducted into America's Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame on September 1, 2002 by the National Traditional Country Music Association. -Joe Arnold, Roughshod Records




David Schnaufer Gone at Age 53
        Auusy 24 2007 - David Schnaufer, whose work as a recording artist, studio musician and teacher brought the ancient-sounding Appalachian-style dulcimer into modern contexts, died today at Nashville's Alive Hospice after a battle with cancer. He was 53.
        Michael McCall of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum credited Mr. Schnaufer with making "a close to forgotten instrument relevant."
        As Jerry Douglas has done for the Dobro, Mr. Schnaufer found ways to take a supposedly quaint and "limited" instrument and produce sounds that were at once elegant, rooted and contemporary. In Mr. Schnaufer's hands, the simple, traditional stringed dulcimer was capable of leading symphonies, of adding to contemporary commercial country recordings and of inspiring students to find new ways of playing.
        Born in Texas, Mr. Schnaufer lived in Colorado and West Virginia before coming to Nashville and beginning work in a most unusual job: professional dulcimer player. He is the only dulcimer player to earn enough recording credits to join the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).
        Mr. Schnaufer recorded with a genre-hopping group of artists, including the iconic Johnny Cash, country guitar hero Chet Atkins, rock guitarist Mark Knopfler, honk