Bluegrass in the Bluegrass has been hosted for the past several years at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center in Lexington – famous in the bluegrass community as the one-time home of the Red Slipper Lounge in the 1960s and ’70s when the hotel was a Holiday Inn. Those in the know, of course, remember that the Red Slipper Lounge was where J.D. Crowe & the Kentucky Mountain Boys (and later the New South) honed their craft playing multiple nights a week.

However, according to a post on the festival’s Facebook page, a change in hotel ownership to the Marriott brand has raised prices. The new venue will be the Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport in Erlanger, which has welcomed the festival with open arms (yes, even those who plan to jam all night!).

SamJam Productions announced the festival lineup on Friday, as well as several promotions and events that will be featured. Junior Sisk, Dave Adkins, and Brad Kaylor & Mineral Bluff Revue are among the featured bands. The Holiday Inn is including free breakfast buffets as part of room prices for the event, and will also offer an evening buffet with a reasonably priced dinner for festival attendees. There will also be a watch party for the University of Kentucky vs. Arkansas basketball game scheduled for the Saturday night of the festival. 

Bluegrass in the Bluegrass is scheduled for February 18-20, 2027. Tickets are offered at a reduced price through December 1. For more information, visit Spirit of the Bluegrass Music Fest on Facebook or call Sammy Karr at 812-699-0962.

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“Many of you know Dad’s transplant history, and those who do not, unfortunately he is in dire need again,” Zach wrote. “We are searching for someone willing to consider becoming a living kidney donor. You could be the person who saves his life! Anyone interested can begin the evaluation process regardless of blood type, age, or relationship to Dennis, as the transplant team will determine eligibility and compatibility.”

According to Zach, the medical costs of donation are covered through health insurance, and the Vance family is willing to cover travel costs for potential donors. Anyone interested in being evaluated as a potential donor can apply through the University of Chicago’s Living Donor program, and list Dennis Vance as the intended donor. Evaluations are completed quickly, in as little as two to three days.

Zach asks that those who are unable to be considered for donation please help share the information for the living donor program. “You never know who might see it and become the person who gives Dennis another chance at life,” he wrote. “One person. One kidney. One extraordinary gift of life. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness, compassion, and support. Our family would be forever grateful.”

Like many of you reading this, I’ve been a customer of The Mandolin Store in the past (and wished I could have been a customer more often!). As the bluegrass community always does, let’s come together to help support the Vance family in their time of need!

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Now, Gover has partnered with eastern Kentucky artist Jeff Chapman-Crane to pair her lyrics with his beautiful illustrations, resulting in a children’s book published last month by the University Press of Kentucky.

The song was inspired by time Gover spent as a child with her grandmother, who lived in Clay County, KY, near the titular Red Bird River. The lyrics speak of experiences very familiar to those who grew up in Appalachia and other similar areas – making quilts, baking biscuits, frying apples – and capture both the daily life and joy of a rural existence.

Chapman-Crane and Gover worked closely together on the illustrations, with the paintings offering vivid images that help bring the song’s lyrics to life. Southeastern Kentucky author Anne Shelby served as the model for Gover’s grandmother, while Gover’s young son stood in for “young Carla.” One thing that really stands out about the paintings is the small details that pop out the more you look at them – small redbirds hidden throughout the book in kitchen canisters, the patches of a quilt, and the grandmother’s apron, to name a few; wall decor that will immediately transport you back in time to your grandparents’ house; a coal oil lantern on the mantel; all placed just so to capture a specific moment in time.

My wife recently purchased a copy of the book to read to our son, but she and I have been just as enamored with it – if not more – than he has. It’s an excellent addition to any child’s – or any adult’s – library.

Me and the Red Bird River is available for purchase from many popular online book retailers. For more information, visit Carla Gover online.

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Penned by Stafford and Bill Whyte, the song has a bouncy, bluesy sound that fits Dudley Connell’s lead vocals perfectly. Stafford’s historically-based songs are always among his best, and Typhoon is no slouch. Told from the perspective of a sailor, like Stafford’s father, who lived through the storm, the song captures the power and devastation of a tropical cyclone. Vivid lines like “Our transport started pitching… men went a-sailing over the railing, never seen no more,” stay with the listener long after the song is over.

Stafford assembled a group of heavy-hitters to contribute to the track. In addition to Connell’s unparalleled vocals, the song features Ron Stewart on fiddle and banjo, Nick Keen on mandolin, and Kameron Keller on bass. Stafford, of course, provides guitar, including a snazzy, smooth solo about halfway through.

History buffs will find Typhoon an intriguing look into an event little-known here in the US, while bluegrass fans in general will certainly have its catchy lyrics and melody stuck in their heads.

The track is available now from popular streaming services, as well as Stafford’s website. Radio programmers can download it from Airplay Direct and Get it Played.

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The designs include a banjo-themed “My Grass is Blue” print, as well as one that reads “Support Local Artists and Live Music” – both very fitting for bluegrass fans. Shirts and hats are available in several colors, with prices between $30-$35. The collection is currently available online from New Frontier, as well as from the brand’s storefront in Morehead. Additional retail locations will be added throughout the year.

Can’d Aid’s Instruments for Change program has donated almost 5,000 instruments to students in schools that lack funding and support for music programs. The nonprofit also provides music teacher grants and school programming from its Tunes Ambassadors, a network of nationally-performing musicians. The proceeds from the New Frontier collection will specifically provide instruments to underserved schools in eastern Kentucky.

According to Joshua Ravenscraft, co-founder and CEO of New Frontier….

“Music is such a big part of what makes Appalachia special, so this collaboration hits close to home for us. We wanted to create something people would genuinely want to wear while helping more kids experience music for themselves, something rooted in where we’re from that can make a difference well beyond Kentucky.”

For more information, visit New Frontier online or on Facebook.

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The university has acquired Alton’s typewriter and original autobiography manuscript on loan from the Country Music Hall of Fame. The exhibit will also feature the brothers’ awards, photographs, records, and other memorabilia from Athens State’s Delmore Brothers Collection. Much of the memorabilia comes from a 2008 collection donated by Alton’s daughter, Debby Delmore, and it is usually on display in the university’s Delmore Brothers Museum. According to museum curator Lisa Hoffman, “This will be the first time the collection has moved from its original home in McCandless Hall since 2008, and is being curated in a fresh and exciting way.”

The Delmore Brothers grew up in Limestone County, Alabama, and made their public debut as a musical duo at the Athens Fiddlers Convention in 1926. They are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and their song, Blues Stay Away From Me, is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. The new exhibit will coincide with the annual Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention, held each year at Athens State during the first week of October.

Truth is Stranger Than Publicity – Delmore Brothers 100th Anniversary will be open to the public on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Extended hours will be available during the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Museum Curator, Lisa Hoffman at 256-233-8184 or lisa.hoffman@athens.edu.

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The album has been in the works for several years, and its upcoming release date (September 16) was chosen to coincide with the Stanleys’ Country Music Hall of Fame induction. Parton recorded her vocals for the single at her home in 2022, accompanied by instrumentation from the First Ladies of Bluegrass (Alison Brown on banjo, Missy Raines on bass, fiddle from Becky Buller, Molly Tuttle’s guitar work, and mandolin from Sierra Hull).

Parton’s joy is evident on the recording, which she opens with a jubilant, “Are we ready, girls?” The song is classic Dolly-grass, filled with shout-outs to each of the band members before they take an instrumental break. It’s a foot-tapping good time that fans of Parton will surely have on repeat – as will fans of fun, energetic bluegrass.

Other artists featured on the album include Willie Nelson, Shawn Camp, Dierks Bentley, Della Mae, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Ralph Stanley II, among numerous other well-known names. In a statement on his band’s Facebook page, Stanley said, “Proud and honored to have been a part of this incredible album journey from the very beginning, and to finally see it come to life. Following the heartbreaking loss of the legendary Dolly Parton, this debut single carries an even deeper, more profound meaning for all of us. To top off this momentous chapter, my dad and Uncle Carter are being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum next month. What an extraordinary way to introduce this album to the world!!”

The album is available for preorder from several online music retailers now, and the single can be streamed or downloaded now.

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The full schedule of events is yet to be announced, but the event is set to feature musical performances, appearances by several “Friends of Mayberry” (Andy Griffith Show impersonators), opportunities for meet-and-greets, and plenty of stories and memories of Mayberry and the Andy Griffith Show. Rodney Dillard and the Dillards, along with the David Parmley Band, are the featured performers for the weekend.

A special VIP ticket will allow fans several bonus activities in addition to the weekend’s main events. VIPs will enjoy a Saturday morning breakfast with Rodney Dillard, premium seating at the concerts, and a behind-the-scenes conversation with Dillard focused on the museum’s new exhibit about him and the Dillards.

Tickets can be purchased from the Hall of Fame’s website, or by calling 270-926-7891. Reserved seating tickets are $50, while the VIP experience is $100.

The event is sure to be an enjoyable time for anyone who’s ever caught themselves saying, in the words of Briscoe Darling, “Got time to breathe, got time for music!”

For more information, visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum online or on Facebook.

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The Carter Family was among the award recipients August 19 at the ACM Honors, a ceremony that functions as an extension of the Academy of Country Music Awards and allows industry professionals, studio musicians, and other off-camera awards to be recognized. The Carter Family was celebrated with the ACM Poet’s Award in honor of their songwriting legacy.

The ACM Poet’s Award is given annually to songwriters for “outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of country music,” according to the Academy’s website. There’s little doubt that A.P., Sara, and Maybelle Carter are among the most influential artists to have impacted country and bluegrass music, and the songs they wrote, collected, and recorded have become legendary. 

A number of Carter Family descendents were on hand to accept the award, including Carlene Carter, John Carter Cash, Rita Forrester, Kevin Jones, Danny Jones, and Dewanna Cross. The award was presented by Brenda Lee, who also joined the family members in singing one of the Carter Family’s most well-known songs, Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By). Country singer-songwriters Margo Price and Logan Ledger also performed a medley of Coal Miner’s Blues and Ring of Fire in honor of the Carters.

This is a well-deserved honor for the first family of country music. Congratulations to the Carter Family, as well as the other ACM Honors awards recipients!

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To be accepted as an affiliate venue, the location must have been in continuous operation for at least two years, as well as primarily offering events related to traditional music. Three categories of venues are accepted: jams (weekly, monthly, or yearly), festivals, and affiliates (includes restaurants, lodges, clubs, hall, amphitheaters, and other similar venues). 

Being a part of the Crooked Road allows a venue to receive promotion from the Crooked Road’s Facebook page, as well as through other publications and media sponsored by the organization. Many Crooked Road venues, such as the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons and the Floyd Country Store in Floyd, are well known as keepers of tradition, and often host nationally touring bands. Others are locally famous, with packed evening jams or a focus on educational experiences. 

The application is open through September 30, and can be accessed online. The website also includes a detailed list of criteria for acceptance. For more information, email contact@thecrookedroadva.com.

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