Music

Long time mandolinist with The Gibson Brothers, Rick Hayes, recently announced his intention to retire from the road to focus on Hayes Mandolins, his budding mandolin building endeavor. Eric and Leigh Gibson are happy to welcome young mandolinist Joe Walsh in

As always seems to happen this time of year, a number of top bluegrass bands are making personnel changes. Aaron McDaris is leaving The Grascals, and Kristin Scott Benson will be leaving Larry Stephenson's band to accept the job. She will

Fiery flatpicker Cody Kilby has released a new solo project, Many Roads Traveled. It's the third album under his name, but the first since he has matured into a serious professional player. The first two CDs were produced when Cody was

Missy Raines, seven-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year, has signed a multi-project deal with Compass Records, run by fellow IBMA Award winner Alison Brown and her husband, Garry West. A new CD will be released on February 10, 2009, the

Ralph Stanley II has just signed with Mike Drudge at Class Act Entertainment. Drudge will handle Stanley's concert booking exclusively. Known affectionately as "Two," Stanley is continuing to tour in support of his newest CD This One Is Two. The CD

Swedish bluegrass heartthrobs, G2, are making plans to spend substantial parts of the next few years touring in the US. In 2009, they will be here July through September performing at festivals and music events, based near Nashville. They want to

Randy Kohrs' record label, Left of Center Records, is soon to release a new resophonic guitar CD entitled, Hornography. Hornography serves as a tribute to resophonic guitar luthier, Tim Scheerhorn. Kohrs is joined on the CD by an all star line

A Victorian Christmas, a new coffee table gift book from museum archivist Lucinda Cockrell, combines images of Christmas cards from the early 20th century with the mandolin music of Butch Baldassari. The book is a 64 page, hardbound and foil-embossed edition

Barry Scott & Second Wind have signed with Rebel Records. Rebel will release the band's current Gospel project, In God's Time, in Spring 2009 with a new, secular album to follow later in the year. Barry was a member of Doyle Lawson

Gena Britt Tew is a real bluegrass trooper. Since hitting the scene with her own band in 2001 she's done time with Lou Reid & Carolina, appeared on all three projects from Daughters Of Bluegrass, won several awards from both