Alan Bartram Archives - Bluegrass Today

Welcome Willa Bartram!

At this weekend’s DelFest festival in Cumberland, Maryland, Alan Bartram will surely have reason to celebrate.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to catch up with Bartram, bass player extraordinaire with the Del McCoury Band and the Traveling McCourys, and he had some exciting news to share. He and his wife welcomed a new baby girl last week, Willa Rose Bartram, born on May 18 at 12:48 a.m. and weighing 7lbs 15oz. Alan indicated that both mother Kristina, who is sister to Amanda Smith, and baby are doing well.

We at Bluegrass Today certainly congratulate the family!

Welcome to the world, Miss Willa!

Christmas single for Kenny & Amanda

Kenny & Amanda Smith have released a new single, just in time for Christmas.

It’s When Love Was Born, written by Bernie Herms, Mark Schultz, and Stephanie Lewis, and previously recorded by Schultz.

The Smiths cut their version recently with Austin Ward on bass, and Andy Leftwich on mandolin and fiddles. Kenny plays guitar and Amanda sings. Alan Bartram was in for harmony vocals along with Kenny, with Steve Thomas engineering.

Amanda tells us that this track, which retells the Nativity story, represents a number of firsts for her and Kenny.

“It’s the first Christmas song that we have ever recorded. And the first time we have ever gotten to record with Andy Leftwich. That is something we’ve always wanted to do.”

Though it could end up on a future full-length project, the song is only available now digitally.The single is available for sale at iTunes, Google Play, CD Baby and other popular download sites.

Radio programmers can get it via Airplay Direct.

Welcome Ella Grey Bartram

Alan Bartram, bass player for The Del McCoury Band and The Travelin’ McCoury’s, and his wife Kristina are celebrating yesterday’s birth of their first child, Ella Grey Bartram.

She was born at 3:39 p.m. (CDT) on April 25, weighing in at 8 lb, 2 oz.

Kristina is also part of the bluegrass family. She is the sister of Amanda Smith, and she and Alan met when he was playing bass for The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band.

Congratulations to the happy parents, and welcome little Ella!

Dierks Bentley is Fiddlin’ Around

Dierks Bently has a new video from his heralded Up On The Ridge CD, which mixed some modern bluegrass in with his mainstream country sound.

The new video is for the song Fiddlin’ Around, the number he performed on the 2010 IBMA Awards show with a phalanx of bluegrass superstars. The live concert footage in the video was taken from Bentley’s 2010 tour with The Traveling McCourys – Rob and Ronnie McCoury, Alan Bartram and Jason Carter.

Enjoy.