Bluegrass television news Archives - Page 3 of 64

Floyd Country Store adds live streaming TV options

One of the gems of the live acoustic music scene is a small venue in the tiny town of Floyd, VA.

Yes, the same town that hosts the mega FloydFest most years. But while FloydFest is a huge celebration of all sorts of alternative music, the Floyd Country Store is a showcase for bluegrass, old time, and traditional Appalachian music. In form and function it is a general community store like you might have seen a hundred years ago, but they also offer live music several days each week, and house a Handmade Music School that passes along the traditions of music and dance that were created in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Located in southwestern Virginia between Roanoke and Galax, Floyd is such a small community that when people give directions in town, the typically reference the one stoplight. But municipal leaders have done a fine job building a tourism industry based on these same traditional arts and crafts. People drive in for miles for the big Friday night bluegrass jam sessions, which take over the Country Store parking lot, and those of neighboring businesses during the warmer months, and pack the store inside when it’s too cold outside. Same on Sunday afternoons for the old time jam.

Plus they host touring artists in the bluegrass and old time music world on a regular basis. This weekend, for example, features a concert on Saturday evening from Mike Compton & Joe Newberry, with instrumental workshops by both artists in the afternoon. Then Sunday finds the Jerry Douglas Band on stage with their eclectic style. Next Saturday they will host an old time dance with music from the Crooked Road Ramblers.

The Floyd Country Store has recently installed a high definition video system to compliment their existing high end audio, and are offering live streaming of their various events, plus edited and mixed replays of most of the store concerts. Typically, after a concert event has streamed, the Floyd Country Store TV staff will work for several days on editing the multi camera video and hi-def audio before re-uploading the edited version. So subscribers can catch both the live concert in real time, and then an updated version after the fact for the standard $9.95/month we are used to seeing for specialized content.

Current subscribers can watch all the archived content, and see all upcoming streams with their membership. There are apps for smart TVs, and iOS and Google phones and devices. The existing catalog includes full, hour-and-a-half to two hour, edited shows from The Malpass Brothers, Special Consensus, Tim O’Brien, Wayne Henderson & Friends, Jason Carter, John Cowan & The New Grass All Stars, Bill and The Belles, The Kody Norris Show, Jake Blount, Darrell Scott, Lonesome River Band, Dan Tyminski, Seldom Scene, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, High Fidelity, Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Alice Gerrard, and many more, with new ones being added weekly. Video from the Friday Night Jamborees are also included.

Here are a couple of sample clips to show the quality of the content…

Full details about subscribing to Floyd Country Store TV ($9.95/month or $99.95/year) can be found online, where you can also see a listing of the existing catalog and upcoming streaming events.

Lost River Sessions filming Sister Sadie at Bluegrass Hall of Fame

Lost River Sessions, the Emmy-winning live music program from Western Kentucky University PBS and WKU Public Radio will be filming an episode next week from the Bluegrass Music Hall of fame & Museum in Owensboro, KY.

We have mentioned in past coverage of the Hall of Fame facility that they have a professional audio and video recording system installed in their Woodward Theater, capable of live switching as well as video capture. Part of the reason for designing such a system during construction of this $15 million home for the Museum in 2018 was to attract just this sort of opportunity, and to use it for their own programs like My Bluegrass Story, which airs on RFD-TV and was recently nominated for its own Emmy.

Sister Sadie will be the featured act for this live concert on May 18, highlighting the new lineup of the band. Along with veteran founders Deanie Richardson on fiddle and Gena Britt on banjo, and guitarist/vocalist Jaelee Roberts, the group now includes singer and songwriter Dani Flowers on guitar, and Maddie Dalton on bass and vocals.

Opening the show will be Owensboro’s own Kentucky Shine, which consists of JB Miller on guitar, Steven Stewart on fiddle, Ross Clark on bass, and Jordan Riehm on banjo.

Tickets for this concert taping are available now from the Hall of Fame box office.

Lost River Sessions airs on WKU PBS each week on Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. (CT), and again on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. It can also be heard on WKU Public Radio out of Bowling Green at 97.5 FM on Saturdays at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. (CT). Online archives of the full four seasons are also available for viewing online, and the WKU TV and radio services both also stream live online.

My Bluegrass Story nominated for an Emmy

My Bluegrass Story, the RFD television program produced in Owensboro, KY by the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum and the Tanner+West agency, has been nominated for an Emmy Award. The nomination is in the Arts and Popular Culture Program category.

Each episode of My Bluegrass Story, running 26 minutes in length, involves a mix of interviews and low key performances from top bluegrass artists. Guests during this debut season included Del McCoury, Rhonda Vincent, Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Joe Mullins, Becky Buller, Dan Tyminski, Joe Mullins, and Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley. They are filmed at the Hall of Fame, using the video facilities installed during the recent building of their new space in Owensboro.

Tanner+West has received seven regional Emmy Awards for their advertising and design efforts, and principal Jason Tanner says that he and all the folks involved in this production, are looking forward to attending the national awards this summer.

“I’m really proud of the fact that this is truly an Owensboro production. The award show will be held in Los Angeles in June, and we plan to represent Owensboro and bluegrass music in Hollywood.”

Owensboro folks involved in the production of My Bluegrass Story include:

Chris Joslin – executive producer
Mike Simpson – executive producer
Jason Tanner – executive director, producer
David Grinnell – director of photography, producer, editor
Jared Tanner – audio director, audio editor
Dave Docimo – episode director
Eric Bivens – stage lighting director
Daniel Benedict – assistant editor
David Mackey – grip
Erin Rouse and Carly Smith – Hall of Fame staff contributors
Natalie Tanner and Jill Mackey – craft services

Joslin, who is Executive Director of the Bluegrass Museum Hall of Fame & Museum, says that the theme of this show fits in perfectly with the idea behind the Museum.

“We are storytellers, and this show is an opportunity to tell the story of each bluegrass artist and to learn more about their creative process, influences, challenges, and career highlights.”

If you aren’t an RFD TV subscriber, all 13 episodes from season one can be viewed on YouTube.

Congratulations to My Bluegrass Story, and best of luck during the Emmy Awards ceremony on June 17, which will be broadcast online.

Woodsongs Kids TV and radio program goes nationwide

WoodSongs Kids has hit radio air waves and is set to be broadcast on public television this month. Folksinger, Michael Johnathon, and his 8-year-old daughter, Makayla, host the new 30-minute spin-off of his popular Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour series.

“It’s Mr. Rogers meets the Grand Ole Opry,” explained Johnathon. “Mr. Rogers said it best. He said, ‘Listening is where love begins.’ And there’s no better listening than when parents listen to their own children. Your living room couch can be the biggest, best stage in the world.”

“We’re celebrating the front porch world as celebrated by kids from all over North America. We tell them, ‘you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to have fun.’ It’s a lot of bluegrass and mandolin, and banjo pickers and kids who play the fiddle. It’s so adorable. The cute quotient is amazing with these kids, and I’m so glad we were able to pull it off.”

Makayla opens and closes the live audience program alongside her dad. “I just like it,” she shared. Her twin brother, Caleb, is involved in technical support, rolling cables and turning on stage lights.

“I wanted it to be like a family project,” Michael explained. “When you’re doing a show about kids, you can’t leave your own kids out.”

“The series on PBS is made up of 13 episodes (per season),” Johnathon outlined. “We’re filming it in between WoodSongs broadcasts. We tape two 30 minute shows in one evening.”

The first episode featured three Kentucky youth: the Singleton Brothers, 13-year-old Cash and 16-year-old Cutter, along with 12-year-old yodeler/multi-instrumentalist Candice Gunn. The young artists performed three songs each on the premier of WoodSongs Kids.

Johnathon further offered, “It’s already on the radio from New Zealand to Oregon, Wisconsin to Florida. It just got picked up by a network in South Africa. The first season feeds to PBS stations on May 15.”

The other 12 shows have been completed and will feature young talents 6-16 years old, such as bands New Found Gap and Cotton Pickin’ Kids; duos the Spencer Boys and the Sullivan Sisters; and individuals Ashlyn Smith, Reese Carroll, and Alex Davis, just to name a few.

Another performer, 12-year-old Ohio banjoist, Owen Brockman, said, “I felt very honored to be a part of this program. I’m thankful that Michael Johnathon and the bluegrass community create opportunities that encourage kids like me that have a love for this music. I find it to be a great way to learn by sharing with others. I’ve been lucky to meet kids all over the country that love this music just like I do. And I was fortunate enough to meet with my friends the night of the WoodSongs Kids taping. We put together a song that Michael Johnathon included as an encore. I love that bluegrass music brings people together. The whole experience was a special memory for me that I’ll never forget.”

Also appearing this season will be a 13-year-old Kentucky country singer and keyboard player, Reed Elliotte. His mom, Larrietta, shared. “We absolutely LOVE WoodSongs! It is always a special time when Reed gets to perform there. Michael Johnathon is great and has such a heart for performers and kids! His staff is great as well! There’s just something special about WoodSongs. Reed has made great friends there!”

Filmed on Monday evenings before a live audience at the Lyric Theatre in Lexington, KY, Johnathon is actively seeking young talent to feature on the next season.

“If you’ve got a youngster that you think belongs on our broadcast, we hope the parents and guardians of these kids would send us a little YouTube clip.”

Clips of youth performances may be sent to radio@woodsongs.com.

Here’s a link to two of WoodSongs Kids episodes. Episode 9 features 13-year-old Tennessee mandolinist Wyatt Ellis, and a Tennessee duo called She’s My Sister comprised of 14-year-old guitarist Amelia Brown and her 12-year-old mandolin playing sister Reagan. The next installment highlights banjoist Brockman and 16-year-old singer/songwriter/guitarist Ian Shaw from Wisconsin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_PClxNObMo

More information plus all the shows of season one are posted on their website, WoodSongsKids.org.

Michael Cleveland on NBC Nightly News tonight

A profile on bluegrass fiddle wizard Michael Cleveland, and his new album on Compass Records, Lovin’ of the Game, is set to run tonight (March 7) on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt at 6:30 p.m. (ET).

Michael sat with NBC correspondent Sam Brock for an interview prior to a recent show in Florida, where they discussed the new record, and Michael’s remarkable career as a musician, despite being completely blind and very nearly deaf.

Lovin’ of the Game finds him in the studio with some heavy hitters of bluegrass, like Billy Strings, Béla Fleck, and The Travelin’ McCourys, plus appearances by country star Vince Gill, and Charlie Starr of Georgia rockers Blackberry Smoke. Cleveland’s first rate touring group, Flamekeeper, also appears on several tracks.

Compass has gone all out on publicity for this release, as you can see with this TV segment, plus a feature in the New York Times, and Michael, who has always maintained an unassuming attitude about his music, says that he is loving it.

“This has been one of the most exciting times of my career. I’ve always wanted to make the best possible records and stretch the boundary as much as I could, while still staying close to my love of bluegrass. For the album to be received in this way has been such an honor, and to be interviewed by The New York Times and NBC Nightly News has been a thrill!”

Knowing network news, it’s unlikely to be a lengthy piece, but it will be great to have Michael Cleveland, and his remarkable fiddle playing, exposed to such a large audience.

Tune in at 6:30 tonight, or set the show to be recorded, to see him in all his glory on TV.

Hats off to Michael, Compass Records, and Kimberly Williams with East Public Relations for getting Michael’s music so much attention outside the bluegrass realm.

Darin & Brooke sing the anthem in Chapel Hill

While football fans came away impressed by former Steeldriver Chris Stapleton singing the national anthem at last night’s Super Bowl, he wasn’t the only bluegrass artist on sports television over the weekend.

Saturday found Darin & Brooke Aldridge in Chapel Hill, NC singing the anthem before the ACC basketball game between the University of North Carolina and Clemson University’s men’s teams.

The Aldridges tell us that, as native North Carolinians, they were excited for this privilege.

“Cheering on UNC Basketball in person, and getting to see them bring home the win, was a thrill for us last Saturday. We were proud to be honoring our country as we sang the national anthem, singing in The Dean Dome (Dean Smith Center), and sharing these exciting moments with family and dear friends. Most importantly being reminded of how blessed we are that music has given us some of the sweetest friendships and opportunities we could’ve ever imagined.

Thanks to our friend Ralph Meekins, a former manager of the UNC 1982-83 basketball team and a member of the Board of Trustees, for asking us to come to the game to sing.”

Darin and Brooke not only did a fine job on The Star Spangled Banner, they sang it in harmony!

After enjoying the game, they got their picture taken with the Tar Heels former Hall of Fame coach, Roy Williams.

Sounds like a great day. Well done, Darin and Brooke!

Song of the Mountains receives major cash grant

Big news last week for one of the few nationally-syndicated television programs that regularly features live bluegrass music. Song of the Mountains, produced this past 18 years in Marion, VA, was awarded a grant of $120,000 from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.

The stated purpose of this cash award is to help the series pay the booking fees for top line acts to appear on the show. Song of the Mountains is recorded on video as a live concert with multiple artists, and then edited into segments for airing the following season on 190 PBS affiliate stations around the country.

Hosted by Tim White, a popular performer, entertainer, and radio host in western Virginia and east Tennessee, the show has long been hampered by the difficulty of financing these concerts outside a major population center. Despite the loyal support of the town of Marion and Marion Bank, along with a number of other long term underwriters, White has regularly found himself with hat in hand, attempting to keep the show on the air, especially during the COVID shutdowns.

He tells us that these fundraising efforts are made more difficult by an assumption that since the show is nationally syndicated, resources are available from PBS.

“Song of the Mountains is starting season 19 on February 4. For 18 seasons we have survived on a shoestring budget. Many folks mistakenly think we are funded by PBS, but that’s not the case. We must raise our own dollars to make this happen.

We are a nonprofit 501c3, and depend on generous tax deductible donations from viewers and underwriters. This recent grant is a matching grant so any donations are much needed and appreciated.

Info on how to donate is at our website. Please support us in ‘Keeping the Music Alive.'”

For those unfamiliar with the term, a matching grant means that the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission will donate dollar-for-dollar the amount that Song of the Mountains is able to raise, up to $120,000.

Nearly every top bluegrass band and artist has appeared on the show over the past 18 years, filmed before a live audience with high quality audio and video. In addition to providing enjoyment to dedicated fans of bluegrass music, the program serves as a tremendous outreach to potential new music lovers.

The history of Song of the Mountains is told in this brief mini-documentary.

As White has said many times, if everyone who enjoys Song of the Mountains on their local PBS station or cable/satellite provider would make a small donation of $10, most of their financial worries would be over. Many folks think that such a small contribution wouldn’t make a difference, but it certainly does.

Tax deductible donations of any size can be sent to Song of the Mountains at this address: Song of the Mountains P.O. Box 304 Marion, VA 24354.

Tickets for the live concerts are also available from the web site.

Here’s to another 18 years!

Molly Tuttle on Jimmy Kimmel Live! tonight

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway will be appearing on tonight’s (1/6) episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC Television.

Molly is the rare bluegrass artist who grew up playing the music with her family’s band, only to detour as a young adult into an alternative pop style, and then return again to bluegrass where her popularity has skyrocketed. As a teen, we would see Molly playing both banjo and guitar, but since finishing music school she has focused on her flatpicking, and singing her original songs.

She and Golden Highway have been touring all of 2022 in support of their Crooked Tree album.

Her talented and adventurous band includes Kyle Tuttle (no relation) on banjo, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle, Dom Leslie on mandolin, and Shelby Means on bass.

The show airs at 11:35 (ET/PT) on ABC affiliates and on Hulu, and the musical guest is typically the final segment of the one hour program. Sounds like appointment television tonight.

UPDATE 1/7: Here’s video from last night’s performance…

https://youtu.be/UsNeF2MkRZA

Ear To The Common Ground launches on PBS in 2023

Todd Mayo, producer of the popular PBS television series, Bluegrass Underground, has announced a new show set to debut in January 2023.

Ear To The Common Ground has a simple and laudable goal, to use music as a way to bridge the political and social divides that separate Americans of every type across so many issues. In each episode, a prominent alternative artist will host a small dinner party for eight of their fans, chosen to represent differing positions on a major issue in contention in this country. The fans will be chosen so that viewpoints can be expressed from left, right, and center, with music and food as the common ground for each discussion.

While not a specifically bluegrass program, two artists from our world will host episodes in this first season, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen and Sister Sadie.

Mayo says that his goal is quite straightforward.

“Ear To The Common Ground was one of the most simply profound undertakings I’ve ever been involved with. We had twelve diverse artists and a complete American tapestry of racial, religious, geographic, sexual orientation, and gender diversity. They all broke bread together and talked about very divisive issues—and everyone volunteered to do it!”

The show is set to debut January 2 on Nashville Public Television, the PBS presenting station, with additional affiliates coming aboard later in the year.

Becky Magura, president and CEO of Nashville Public Television, also speaks highly of what the show offers.

“In a time of great division, Ear To The Common Ground offers a downhome approach to bringing us together through civil conversation and music. Without a doubt, our country is a haven for diverse voices, opinions, and music, which this series captures beautifully, and I’m so proud that producer Todd Mayo and Nashville Public Television are working together to present it to our system!”

Episodes ready to air in 2023 include:

Wu Fei – Immigration
Kyshona Armstrong – Voting Rights
The Sweet Lizzy Project – Abortion
Gustavo Moradel – Race in America
She Returns from War – LGBTQ Issues
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen – Gun Rights & Gun Control
Susto – Environment
Sam Lewis – Polarization
Bill Miller – Separation of Church & State
Sister Sadie – Urban/Rural Divide
Louis York – Education
Minton Sparks – Sexual Politics

If the producers truly offer equal time to all the divergent opinions on these contentious issues, and no side is pushed aside, this could be a very useful series, if only to show people with strongly opposing views speaking calmly and respectfully to one another.

For example, we know Frank Solivan to be a man of the left, but also a strong supporter of the individual right to own a weapon, for both sporting and self defense purposes. His discussion with those pro, con, and in the middle on this question should be quite illuminating for all.

The show was filmed at the Smith-Carter House in Madison, TN just north of Nashville, a property that has been home to a number of country icons, like Carl Smith, June Carter, Patsy Cline, Marty Stuart, and others over its life. Now the home of Todd Mayo, it is regarded as an important property in the history of country music.

Of the series, Mayo says that he hopes the show starts similar discussions all over the country.

“We hope the series inspires viewers to host and attend their own common ground dinner parties where folks consciously and compassionately listen to those that you have differences of opinions with on issues, and that you can disagree with respect and, in the end, remember the flavor of the casserole they made more than the taste of an opinion you didn’t agree with.”

Check with your local PBS affiliate to see if Ear To The Common Ground will be airing in your region in 2023. You can also find out more about the program online.

Ron Block talks music and his new book on Nashville TV

Noted bluegrass artist Ron Block appeared on local Nashville television yesterday to talk about his new book, Abiding Dependence: Living Moment by Moment in the Love of God, which we covered earlier this month.

Ron, of course, has played banjo and guitar with Alison Kraus & Union Station this past 30 years, where he also sings harmony and contributes his original songs. His new book is about living the Christian life with a set of daily meditations that runs for 40 days, a time span familiar to Christians of all denominations.

In his interview with Local on 2 on WKRN News 2, he discusses his music career, his faith, and what prompted him to publish his first book of non fiction.

Have a look…

Abiding Dependence is available from Ron’s web site, where you can also find his many recordings and instructional offerings.