Dixie Bee-Liners in Northeast this Weekend

The Dixie Bee-Liners are gearing up, packing up and heading north for their 2011 Nor’easter Tour. As always, they’ve got something new happening. The band has some new band members and—they are promoting trying to get George Shuffler inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame!

The Dixie Bee-Liners will be playing the Stanley Brother’s arrangement of “Will You Miss Me” at every show this year until George Shuffler is inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. As Buddy Woodward explains, “He deserves it, it’s way past time & to paraphrase Flatt & Scruggs, let’s give him his flowers while he’s living.”

The band is sticking by the on-air pledge that we made when we appeared live on WETS-FM’s Studio One with Dave Carter last month to try and get the fans to support getting bluegrass music pioneer and legend George Shuffler inducted while he is still alive.

The Dixie Bee-Liners are thrilled to kick off the new year with some fresh new faces! On fiddle and vocals, we’re pleased to welcome the lovely and talented Sara Needham. Sara hails from the Washington D.C. area. She’s a graduate of East Tennessee State University, where she studied with the legendary Clarence “Tater” Tate and performed with ETSU’s beloved Pride Band. Sara’s warm, earthy touch on the fiddle, along with her alluring vocals, bring an exciting new edge to the band.

Stepping into the DBL banjo slot is Mr. Zachary Mongan. Zach currently attends ETSU with a Public Performance scholarship awarded by the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music program. In 2008, he was awarded the Grey Fox Bill Vernon Scholarship, which is given annually to talented and motivated students who are involved in bluegrass music. Fittingly for The Dixie Bee-Liners, his playing style is an engaging blend of traditional and contemporary influences.

Joining The Dixie Bee-Liners on select dates in 2011 is dobroist Leah Needham. (Yes, she is Sara’s sister!) In addition to excellent musical instincts and a striking fashion sense, she’s got a singing voice that we can only describe as plaintively captivating. By spectacular coincidence, Leah is also a student of ETSU, where she performs with the Pride Band.

2/10 – Middletown, CT
The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts and Cultural Center – Join us for an intimate evening of music at Middletown’s premiere home for performance art, going strong since 1989.

2/11 – Hardwick, MA
The Cultural Center at Eagle Hill – This promises to be a night to remember! First… music and fun with the Bee-Liners at The Abbey Theatre, followed by a reception in nearby Barre, MA, at Picasso Restaurant, where “Dixie Bee” cocktails (made with local honey and ginger liqueur) will be served.

2/12 – Putney, VT
United Church of Putney – We’ve heard wonderful things about the town of Putney and are delighted to see this beautiful place for ourselves. Join us at the United Church, and see for yourselves why our sound has been described as “Bible Belt noir.”

2/13 – Brooklyn, NY
Jalopy – An evening that promises to be a raucous NYC reunion, featuring special guests and plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’.

For the Liners’ upcoming appearances all over the place, visit their calendar.

The Dixie Bee-Liners will be performing at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival July 14-17, 2011 in Oak Hill, NY. Click to see this year’s breathtaking lineup.

Yonder Mountain String Band | Grey Fox | July 15, 2011

Yonder Mountain String Band has just been added to the 2011 Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival for Friday, July 15.

Yonder has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending and blending bluegrass, rock and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their lineup of  traditional instruments, the band may look like a ‘normal’ bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music?” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather as an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.”  The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record “The Show.”

The Colorado-based foursome has crisscrossed the country over the past eleven years playing such varied settings as festivals, rock clubs, Red Rocks Amphitheater in the band’s home state, and recently the Democratic National Convention in Denver at Mile High Stadium opening for Barack Obama.  Their loyal fanbase has been built from this diverse setting of music venues as fans latched on to their genre-defying original sound. <read more>

The award-winning Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival runs July 14-17 on the beautiful Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, NY 12460. Other headliners include Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien, Del McCoury, SteelDrivers, JD Crowe, Peter Rowan, Crooked Still, and many others. You won’t want to miss it! Click for complete lineup! Or call 888.946.8495 for info & tickets.

Like Grey Fox on Facebook where we’re giving away tickets each month.

Dave Bruzza of Greensky Bluegrass performs on the Grey Fox main stage. Photo by Stephen Ide

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS is headin’ our way with five shows on the East Coast co-booked with CORNMEAL IN THE KITCHEN. Show dates and cities are Feb 9 at The Tralf in Buffalo, NY; Feb 10 at Sullivan Hall, NYC; Middle East, Boston, MA; World Cafe Live, Phila, PA; and 8×10 in Baltimore, MD. So, there are plenty of chances to see Greensky and their buddies, Cornmeal, this week!

Get out there and soak up some live music! You’ll see why they’re returning for the second consecutive year to GREY FOX BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL this July! For info and tickets to all their shows, visit GREENSKY BLUEGRASS ONLINE. And while you’re at it, check out Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival on Facebook!

Here’s a free song for you, compliments of Greensky Bluegrass! Enjoy!
http://greenskybluegrass.bandcamp.com/track/d2-05-id-probably-kill-you

Five artists under the radar at the Grammys
By USA TODAY music staff

THE STEELDRIVERS

The SteelDrivers were supposed to be a hobby band. Initially formed as a way for a bunch of Nashville pros to “keep their bluegrass chops up,” says mandolinist Mike Henderson, the band’s hard-edged, soulful sound quickly made them one of bluegrass’ top acts. Second album Reckless earned Grammy nods for best bluegrass album and best country performance by a duo/group (for Where Rainbows Never Die).

The group’s five members have impressive backgrounds in the mainstream. As a guitarist, Henderson has recorded with Bo Diddley and Mark Knopfler. Fiddler Tammy Rogers played in Patty Loveless’ and Trisha Yearwood’s bands. Bassist Mike Fleming has worked with several country and Americana acts. As for Richard Bailey, “he’s the only banjo player in the world that has worked with both the Rev. Al Green and Bill Monroe.” Chris Stapleton, who left last April but continues to supply tunes, has a catalog of country hits that includes Josh Turner’s Your Man and Kenny Chesney’s Never Wanted Nothing More. Gritty-voiced Gary Nichols of Muscle Shoals, Ala., replaced him as the group’s main singer.

Whereas mainstream country acts are likely to play honky-tonks and arenas, the SteelDrivers’ bookings favor festivals and listening rooms. They also travel in a 15-passenger van rather than a tricked-out tour bus. Henderson, who has looked at the world through both sets of windows, doesn’t seem to mind. “We’re doing what we ought to be doing,” he says, “and everybody is acting like we belong.” — Brian Mansfield

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/grammys/2011-02-07-fiveradar07_ST_N.htm

The SteelDrivers will perform on Friday, July 15 at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Oak Hill, NY — along with Del McCoury, O’Brien Party of Seven, Claire Lynch, Michael Cleveland, Peter Rowan and a long list of world-renowned bluegrass artists all weekend long. Grey Fox: Thursday thru Sunday, July 14-17, 2011. Tickets & Info.

Four Banjo Masters on the Masters Stage

Kathy Mattea joined us for the first time in 2010. The West Virginia native performed with Tim O’Brien at the Master’s Stage. And she was wonderful on the main stage. This is the first of four posts from her main stage show, a Nanci Griffith song, the lovely “Love at the Five and Dime:”

The BOXCARS and NEWFOUND ROAD play this Saturday Feb 5 with opening band EVA & THE DOG BOYS kicking off a full evening of live bluegrass at the Smith Opera House in Geneva, NY. Music starts at 6pm.

The BOXCARS is the newly formed supergroup of Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, John R. Bowman, Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon. With collective stints with Alison Krauss & Union Station (Adam Steffey, John Bowman), J.D. Crowe & The New South (Ron Stewart, John Bowman, Harold Nixon), Blue Moon Rising (Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon), The Isaacs (John Bowman) and The Dan Tyminski Band (Steffey and Stewart), this quintet is impressive to say the least. Steffey’s latest Sugar Hill project — One More For The Road — is enjoying huge airplay and features guest appearances by Alison Krauss, Ronnie Bowman and Dan Tyminski. Expect The Boxcars to feature this material as well as their own unique style of contemporary bluegrass laced with Steffey’s rock solid rhythm and stunning solos on the mandolin. Award-winning instrumentalist Ron Stewart will deliver jaw-dropping banjo and flawless fiddling. The Boxcars’ vocal performances draw from equally strong singers Keith Garrett, John Bowman and Steffey’s deep baritone. Check out The Boxcars on YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJpgz7FsR6M&feature=related

A new and upcoming band on the national bluegrass scene, Newfound Road, from Ohio, performs contemporary bluegrass that is original, soulful and sincere as this video on YouTube of  Newfound Road will prove!!! The evening’s opening act, Eva & the Dog Boys is made up of three long-time bluegrass musician friends now joined and led by bass player, Eva.

$25 General Admission/ $20 Seniors & College Students / Free for Students Grade 12 and under. Find out more!

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is proud to promote this very full evening of live bluegrass at the beautiful Smith Opera House in Geneva. Stop by the Grey Fox table in the front lobby and sign up to win free tickets to Grey Fox (July 14-17, 2011). The Boxcars are scheduled to play Grey Fox on Thursday, July 14 in Oak Hill, NY. Ticket drawing will be held from the stage just prior to The Boxcars’ performance at The Smith.

Come on out and support live acoustic music in the Finger Lakes Region of NY. We hope to see you there!