Skip to content
Kenny Smith just called with some news. They have hired Trent Callicutt to play banjo with The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band. Trent is an 18 year old picker from Asheboro, NC. He has been doing shows with the band this past two weeks. Kenny said that when Joey Cox left them to go to [...]
The Gospel Music Association has announced the nominees for the 2008 Dove Awards, and their bluegrass categories are chock full of familiar names. The awards will be announced at the 39th Annual Dove Awards on April 23 in Nashville, TN. The Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year nominees are: He's In Control from Austins Bridge [...]
Our Grasstowne buddies, Alan Bibey and Phil Leadbetter, both contacted us earlier this week mentioning the big doin's in Bristol, TN on Saturday (1/26). It's the 3rd annual Pickin' at the Paramount all star show where top bluegrass artists get together for two shows, performing together in round robin-type groupings quite different from the way [...]
Our friend Cindy Baucom wrote in to tell us about a new festival she's a part of this year. The 1st Annual FarmFest will be held at the Farmington Dragway in Farmington, NC. The dates set for the festival are April 11-12. The festival is more than just bluegrass music, it's a celebration of traditions [...]
The Transatlantic Bluegrass School, scheduled for May 7-11, 2008 in the Welsh town of Pembrokeshire, has announced the formation of a scholarship program for young students, aged 16-25, based on financial need. The scholarship awards will cover the full tuition costs, and are available for banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin or vocal. Applicants must submit essays [...]
Over the weekend my wife and I had the good fortune to attend the Kenny & Amanda Smith Band concert at New River Community College in Dublin, VA. The show was presented by the college's Fiddle, Banjo and Dance Club free of charge as part of their Christmas program. I've got to give credit to [...]
Kenny & Amanda Smith will join Mike Kelly this morning on A Cumberland Sunday Morning, broadcast on WDVX in Knoxville, TN from 8:00 a.m. until noon (ET). Mike will be playing fine bluegrass Gospel music all morning, and talking with Kenny and Amanda in between songs. Mike said that we are sure to hear some [...]
Spring 2008 will find a bevy of top American bluegrass musicians heading to Wales to serve as instructors at the Transatlantic Bluegrass School. The school will be held starting on May 7 in the scenic coastal village of Newport, Pembrokeshire and are designed for students who have passed the most beginning stages of learning to [...]
As the festival season roars into full throttle, a few band members are changing hands as bands reshuffle once again. Kenny & Amanda Smith have brought on one new full time team member, and one temporary member. First let's talk banjo. With Joey Cox leaving the band at the end of June, banjo legend Terry [...]
Blue Plate Special has a special 90 minute edition of the program on tap for Friday (3/30) on WDVX. It's a triple bill featuring live (in studio) performances from The Jerry Douglas Band, Kenny & Amanda Smith and Missy Raines and the New Hip. Each will get a 30 minute spot, and it's not clear [...]
