Behind The Mic Entertainment has announced their latest signing, bringing Poor Mountain Records artists Backline from South Carolina into the fold. Dawn Mac and her agency will handle booking and publicity services for the band.
The young band has found success quickly after launching in 2016, based on the highly appealing voice of guitarist Katelyn Ingardia and their clever original songs. She is supported by a fine group including Travis Tucker on reso-guitar, Zach Carter on banjo, Louis Hughes on mandolin, and Jason Belue on bass.
Mac, who is the principal agent for Behind The Mic, and both a host and owner of Bluegrass Planet Radio, says of her new charges…
“From the moment I first discovered Backline, I knew they were destined for big things in bluegrass music. If there ever was a band that has the ‘it’ factor, this bands fits the bill. From their professional sound to their impressive image, Backline is a stand-out among the who’s who in Bluegrass. I am honored and thrilled for the opportunity to be working with Backline.”
Here’s the band with a live version of Katelyn’s song, Keep My Powder Dry.
For more information on Backline, visit their web site or contact Dawn online.
Chandler has been touring with his band since 2005 and signed last year with Poor Mountain Records. Like the label, he and his band focus largely on bluegrass Gospel. Nick plays mandolin, with Bo Bullman on guitar, Matthew Norton on bass, and Evan Fowler on banjo.
Dawn says of Chandler and his band…
“Nick Chandler and Delivered is one of the best kept secrets in all of Bluegrass music. I am excited and honored to be working with these fine folks.”
Borrowed Tyme is a newer group, working together since 2015. They are led by Roger Brown on mandolin with Josh Wood on banjo, Dan Canerday on guitar, and Rick Wilson on bass. They are signed to Bonfire Recording, an associated company to Pinecastle Records.
Of them, Dawn says…
“Borrowed Tyme Band is on course to be one of the hottest new bands out there and are quickly proving they have what it takes to not only make their mark in this business but will be around for years to come. I am excited about the opportunity to represent them in this new capacity and look forward to working with them.”
Behind The Mic will represent both of these groups for live performances, along with Beracha Valey and Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome. You can find more information online.
Last week she announced the new venture, with Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome as her initial client, and now comes news that she has taken on a second, Berachah Valley, from Dayton, OH. The band was created by four ladies who enjoy traditional bluegrass Gospel, and each other’s company, and grew out of their pickin’ sessions that started back in 2005.
Cathy Baker sings lead and plays guitar, with Michelle Edester on mandolin, Becky Meyers on banjo, and Leisa Hinkle on vocals. The group is completed by Mike Elliott on reso-guitar, Larry Collins on bass, and Greg Beasley on fiddle. Together they are known for their powerful female harmony, and driving traditional sound.
Berachah Valley has been performing throughout the central US since they formed 13 years ago, and has three albums that mix bluegrass Gospel favorites with their own original songs.
Dawn feels that they are ready to move it up to the next level, and is proud to represent them to the industry.
“Berachah Valley is one of those untapped gems in the world of bluegrass music that, when discovered, is like a breath of fresh air. I am excited and honored to be working with these fine folks.”
Here’s the title track from their Mountains Memories Revisited CD, Mountains Memories.
For more information about Berachah Valley, contact Dawn online.
Being a bluegrass fan can be a curious thing. Some folks are born into it, listening to mom and dad play Flatt & Scruggs before they’re even out of the hospital. Others sort of just fall into it – perhaps they heard it on the radio, perhaps a friend dragged them to a festival, perhaps they heard about Steve Martin’s banjo playing and decided to look a little closer. Nonetheless, once you learn to love bluegrass, it seems that you’re stuck for life.
Rita Small is part of the second category. A bluegrass fan of ten years, she still considers herself a newbie to the music. According to Small, a little over a decade ago, she was asked to go with a friend to a local public radio station in the Cincinnati area and fill in for a DJ. “Broadcasting was actually something I thought about as a high school student, but knew I didn’t have the face for television,” she jokes. “Every once in a while, I would think about checking into radio broadcasting school, but never put action to the thought.”
However, after visiting the station that day, she was hooked. Not long afterwards, she began hosting Bluegrass in the Valley with the friend who had first invited her to the station – guitarist Tim Strong, who currently plays with the Missy Werner Band. The two started with a two-hour show on Saturday mornings on Cincinnati’s WAIF in fall 2005, and just over a year ago began a second weekly show on WOBO in Batavia, Ohio, broadcasting on Thursday nights.
Small says that she welcomes all forms of bluegrass music on her show and likes getting to hear both new and established artists. “I enjoy all forms of bluegrass, and try not to limit myself to a certain style,” she says. “From the traditional to the new acoustic, every style has something to contribute to furthering the music we all enjoy.”
We recently had the chance to ask Small a few questions about her thoughts on bluegrass music. Here’s what she had to say.
How would you define bluegrass music as a genre?
“As we all know, defining bluegrass music can spark a huge debate. I think that bluegrass music is continually evolving and I really can’t put a definition to it. Since my taste runs from traditional to contemporary, it’s more of the ‘I know it when I hear it’ school of thought.”
What form of bluegrass do you most enjoy?
“Contemporary.”
What bands do you consider examples of the form you most enjoy?
“Turning Ground, Balsam Range, Dale Ann Bradley.”
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
“There is no way to pick only one. My mood has a lot to do with what I am listening to at the moment.”
What album is currently in your car stereo?
“The Missy Werner Band’s Turn This Heart Around.”
Artists who are interested in submitting their music to Small for airplay consideration can send CDs of their music to her at the following address:
5594 Taylor Mill Road
Taylor Mill, KY 41015
If you host a bluegrass radio show and would like to participate in our chart as a weekly reporter, please fill out this form and we’ll get right back to you.
It’s hard to keep a good man down in bluegrass music (although we all do like to be lonesome now and then), and radio broadcaster Larry Roberts is a prime example of that. Roberts has been a DJ for almost thirty years, and for the past twelve he has been fighting multiple myeloma.
Roberts has been hosting a radio show on Goshen, Indiana’s 91.1 The Globe since 1985, with the exception of one year. “I have had two stem cell transplants that kept me from doing my show,” he says. “I missed one year.” He first became involved in radio as an underwriter for the Folk Sampler program on his local public radio station. The station manager knew he had an interest in radio, so he later asked Roberts to come on the air and bring his bluegrass collection with him. At one point, Roberts was hosting three different shows – one folk, one bluegrass, and one “new age stuff.” However, he says he’s been focused on only bluegrass for the past eighteen years, and currently co-hosts Down Home with Jim Fisher.
Throughout his battle with cancer, Roberts has faced some tough times, but he says that bluegrass has helped him through it. “I love the music and it has the power to get me up after being very down,” he says. “There have been a few down days and all I have to do is play some bluegrass to start feeling good again.”
We recently had the chance to ask Roberts about his thoughts on bluegrass music. Here’s what he had to say.
How would you define bluegrass music as a genre?
“Hard to do today. When I started it was High Lonesome. Today, since all the young folks have been raised on rock or country music (which is just rock with a twang), High Lonesome has just about vanished. In its raw form, Old Time music is the base for all bluegrass. Just listen to Adam Steffey’s New Primitive.”
What form of bluegrass do you most enjoy?
“Contemporary.”
Which artists do you consider examples of the form you most enjoy?
“Steep Canyon Rangers, Blue Highway.”
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
“Up in the Woods by John Reischman. I listen to it all the time now! A close second would be Manzanita by Tony Rice or Drive by Bela Fleck. I’m a banjo nut.”
What album is currently in your car stereo?
“I mix my own CDs. I do this about every six months and it’s fun to go back and see if I still like stuff a year later.”
Artists who are interested in sending their music to Roberts for airplay consideration can mail a copy of their album to him or direct him to their Airplay Direct site. However, Airplay Direct is not always his favorite place to find new music. “I have a love/hate relationship with Airplay Direct,” he says. “If everything works, it’s fine, but when I don’t get track names and have to type everything in, it’s a pain. I also worry about losing everything in a computer crash, even though I back up.”
His mailing address is:
22533 Remington Ct.
Elkhart, IN 46514
If you host a bluegrass radio show and would like to participate in our chart as a weekly reporter, please fill out this form and we’ll get right back to you.
Bluegrass is sometimes viewed as music for old fogies. The emphasis on tradition, the lack of electric instruments, the sheer lonesomeness of it all – it’s not Katy Perry or Justin Beiber, that’s for sure. In the past several years, however, it seems like more and more young people are becoming interested in bluegrass. While they may be coming to the genre in somewhat unconventional ways (Mumford and Sons, anyone?), many folks are glad to see teens and college students taking an interest. Scott Donnelly, host of The Pickin’ Parlor on the University of New Hampshire’s campus radio station WUNH, is one bluegrass fan who welcomes the younger generations.
“I like the fact that young people are discovering it and bending the rules,” he says. “The interest has increased tremendously over the years with the advent of “jam bands” and, believe it or not, the playing of the banjo on songs from all genres.”
There is one place where he’d like to see some younger faces, however. “The bluegrass festival crowd needs an infusion of youth,” he says. “I think over the long run this will happen. Let’s keep encouraging them to keep the music alive.”
Donnelly has been a broadcaster for over thirty years. He got his start when the DJ he replaced was trying to plan an exit from the radio business. “He snagged me after learning I played banjo and loved bluegrass music,” Donnelly says. Now, listeners can hear him every Sunday morning from 8:00 to 10:00. He has no plans for stopping any time soon, either.
“As a volunteer DJ, I have a relentless passion for this music,” he says. “I want to thank the listeners for keeping these musicians doing what they love to do. Together, we can keep this music alive for many generations.”
We recently had the chance to ask Donnelly a few questions about his thoughts on bluegrass music. Here’s what he had to say.
What form of bluegrass do you most enjoy?
“Modern Traditional.”
What bands do you consider examples of the form you most enjoy?
“Blue Highway.”
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
“J.D. Crowe & the New South – self-titled. It captures the energy, groove, and mastery of the music from all of the eras.”
What album is currently in your car stereo?
“Window View by Nick DiSebastian.”
Artists who would like to submit their music to Donnelly for airplay consideration can send a hard copy to him at:
WUNH Radio
Memorial Union Building
Durham, NH 03824
If you host a bluegrass radio show and would like to participate in our chart as a weekly reporter, please fill out this form and we’ll get right back to you.
When we think of “radio voices,” smooth, rich, polished tones come to mind – think Casey Kasem. Broadcaster Jim Fisher was a little surprised when, years ago, someone told him that his voice was well-suited for the radio. As he tells it, he was emceeing an event, and afterwards, was told that his voice would be perfect for the radio. Although Fisher was urged to pursue a radio show, he didn’t follow up on the idea for quite some time.
“Needless to say, it took me a long time to actually have the chance to do a broadcast,” he says. “Six years ago, I purchased a two hour DJ slot on WGCS at a benefit auction, and the rest is history.”
Although Fisher’s main job is as plant manager at Essenhaus Foods in Middlebury, Indiana, he now also co-hosts Down Home, a weekly bluegrass and folk music program on WGCS, a radio station based out of Goshen College in Indiana. The station is largely run by students and faculty at the college, although a number of community volunteers (such as Fisher) host shows throughout the week.
Fisher doesn’t dispense therapy along with the banjos and fiddles on his show, but he’s still a big believer in the healing power of music. “Music is something that can soothe our souls no matter how bad your day is going,” he says.
We recently had the chance to ask Fisher a few questions about his thoughts on bluegrass music. Here’s what he had to say.
How would you define bluegrass music as a genre?
“Bluegrass music can be defined by the instruments played and the vocal style. The instruments could include acoustic guitars, mandolins, banjos, bass guitar, dobro, fiddle and even drums. The vocal style is generally infused with four part harmony.”
What form of bluegrass do you most enjoy?
“Contemporary.”
What artists do you consider examples of the form you most enjoy?
“The Boxcars, Balsam Range, Chris Hillman, Byrd & Street.”
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
“Byrd & Street’s Words and Music.”
What album is currently in your car stereo?
“Balsam Range – Five.”
Artists who are interested in submitting their music to Fisher for airplay consideration can send a CD to him at:
18339 County Road 42
Goshen, IN 46526
If you host a bluegrass radio show and would like to participate in our chart as a weekly reporter, please fill out this form and we’ll get right back to you.
Part of the fun for bluegrass concerts and festivals for some folks is recording them for later listening. Of course, some venues prohibit this, and some artists frown upon it, but for many fans, it’s a great way to recall that awesome banjo break they heard, or expose a friend to a new artist. YouTube and other websites are full of performances, although most of them are fairly recent. For older live performances, a little more digging is required. However, thanks to fans like longtime broadcaster Nick Barr, access to some of those older concerts is now a little easier.
Barr, who is currently the host of Bluegrass Time on Albany, New York based WAMC, donated a large collection of his own personal reel-to-reel tapes and digital copies of the recordings to the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky in 2008. Barr’s collection consisted of recordings of concerts (including house concerts and some he had produced himself) and festivals from the 1960s through the 1980s – one of the most important and transitional eras in bluegrass music. For several years, the recordings were broadcast on Radio Bluegrass International under the title “Nick’s Tape Treasures.”
Although RBI is currently on hiatus, listeners on twenty-six different Northeast Public Radio stations across New York and a few other areas of the northeast can still hear Barr spin his favorite music from the past and present every Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. His radio career spans the past twenty-nine years, with spots on several commercial country stations before he came to WAMC in 2001. Over the years, he has also worked as an emcee and stage manager at bluegrass festivals and has actively worked with the IBMA, IBMM, and other local and regional music associations. Barr is also a musician himself, playing numerous instruments and singing both lead and harmony vocals.
Bluegrass music – and the sharing of it – has obviously been an integral part of Barr’s entire life. We recently had the chance to ask him a few questions about his thoughts on bluegrass. Here’s what he had to say.
How did you first become interested in radio?
“Listening to radio as a teenager.”
How would you define bluegrass music as a genre?
“I can’t write a definition but I know it when I hear it.”
What form of bluegrass do you most enjoy?
“Traditional.”
What artists do you consider examples of the form you most enjoy?
“No single one.”
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
“Bear Family box sets.”
Artists who are interested in submitting their music to Barr for airplay consideration can send physical copies to him at:
318 Central Ave.
Albany, NY 12206
If you host a bluegrass radio show and would like to participate in our chart as a weekly reporter, please fill out this form and we’ll get right back to you.
Some folks, when asked to define bluegrass music, might simply hand you a picture of Bill Monroe. Others might put forth an argument about banjos, or harmonies, or electric instruments. Many folks in recent years have been leaning toward a more a “big tent” description. However, one of the best definitions I’ve heard in recent years comes from bluegrass broadcaster Charles Hayes.
What’s bluegrass to Hayes? “The heartbeat of America,” he says. I think that’s one we can all agree on.
Hayes, the producer and host of The Grass Roots Bluegrass Show on Hendersonville, North Carolina’s WHKP, is a longtime bluegrass fan who has been involved with radio for the past thirteen years. He started out purchasing airtime for a radio ministry, but several years ago, the station offered him a Saturday morning time slot at no cost. Now, he’s on the air every Saturday, splitting his airtime into two segments: an hour of classic country music from 6:00-7:00 a.m., followed by a longer chunk of bluegrass. Hayes is also on the air every Sunday, hosting the station’s Gospel Train show, and occasionally can be heard on special live remote broadcasts.
Although his “regular” job is working as an electrical contractor, Hayes loves spending his weekends in the bluegrass world. “I do this for the love of the music and to expose people to the art of bluegrass, both young and old alike,” he says.
We recently had the chance to ask Hayes a few questions about his thoughts on bluegrass music. Here’s what he had to say.
What form of bluegrass do you most enjoy?
“Traditional.”
What artists do you consider examples of the form you most enjoy?
“Jimmy Martin.”
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
“Jimmy Martin, The King of Bluegrass.”
What album is currently in your car stereo?
“Balsam Range, Five.”
Artists who are interested in sending their music to Hayes for airplay consideration can send him MP3 files to bluegrass@whkp.com, or send physical copies of their music to him at:
4423 Sugarloaf Road
Hendersonville, NC 28792
If you host a bluegrass radio show and would like to participate in our chart as a weekly reporter, please fill out this form and we’ll get right back to you.
Many of the bluegrass broadcasters we’ve written about in this series are volunteers, spending chunks of their evenings or weekends spinning some of their favorite songs for listeners of community, campus, and even commercial radio. For others, however, broadcasting has been their life. One bluegrass DJ for whom radio became a career is Peter Bruce of Flagstaff, Arizona’s KAFF.
Bruce says he first became interested in radio as a kid listening to late night AM shows from around the country. His interest continued as he grew older, picking up FM radio in his car, and then in college as he studied broadcasting and began working on-air. “As a career broadcaster, I’m committed to the world of radio,” Bruce says.
He currently hosts three different shows on KAFF. His main program is the daily Flagstaff Mornings, which Bruce says is a mix of local and regional news, and interviews with local personalities such as teachers, politicians, small business owners, and musicians, as well as weather, music, and sports. His two other programs focus on more specific musical genres. Under Western Skies features western music (both classic and contemporary) and cowboy poetry, while Blue Mountain Bluegrass is a weekly one-hour bluegrass show.
Even with constantly evolving technology and the rise of Internet and satellite radio, Bruce still believes in good old AM and FM. “Despite competition from other entertainment arenas, radio remains a vibrant and integral element of American culture and life, and it’s free!” he says.
We recently had the chance to ask Bruce about his thoughts on bluegrass music. Here’s what he had to say.
How would you define bluegrass music as a genre?
“Bluegrass to me is an innovative musical art form, combining improvisation and structure with an ear on past tradition. With elements of folk, country, jazz, and blues, bluegrass is a truly unique American genre.”
What form of bluegrass do you most enjoy?
“Progressive.”
What artists do you consider examples of the form you most enjoy?
“Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen.”
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
“New Grass Revival – Friday Night in America. Excellent song selection, combining covers and originals. Impeccable musicianship, soaring vocals, and solid songwwriting.”
What album is currently in your car stereo?
“Kruger Brothers – Between the Notes.”
Artists who are interested in submitting their music to Bruce for airplay consideration can send a CD to him at:
Peter Bruce, c/o KAFF
1117 W. Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
If you host a bluegrass radio show and would like to participate in our chart as a weekly reporter, please fill out this form and we’ll get right back to you.
