10 February 2014

Three Compass Records artists were winners at the 40th annual SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards. Dale Ann Bradley, Michael Cleveland and The Gibson Brothers took home awards on the night Dale Ann Bradley was again crowned Female Vocalist of the Year, this was her seventh time receiving the award following wins in 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008 and 2007 and 2001. “I am truly humbled to receive this award. Thank you to everyone for your support and I look forward to making the next album!” said Dale Ann. Michael Cleveland took home Fiddle Player of the Year, after an amazing performance with his band. “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for the support and encouragement that you have shown! It would not be possible to do what we do without you all!” said Michael. Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper are the studio this month putting the finishing touches on their new album to be released on Compass Records in late spring 2014. Two-time reigning IBMA Entertainers of the Year, The Gibson Brothers, won the 2014 SPBGMA Song of the Year Award with They Called It Music, the title track from their most recent release which has held a top 10 spot on the Bluegrass Unlimited Chart for weeks. The Gibson Brothers are currently touring in support of the album. Compass Records has been called “one of the greatest independent labels of the last decade” by Billboard Magazine. The label is home to a diverse roster of artists including Colin Hay, The Gibson Brothers, Victor Wooten, Altan, BeauSoleil, AJ Croce and The Farewell Drifters.

This now annual and signature release presents a track from each of the nominated artists for The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2014. Released on February 17, this acclaimed 2CD set includes 27 tracks from the cream of the crop in the folk world: Lisa Knapp, Martin Simpson, Bella Hardy, Will Pound, Linda Thompson, Georgia Ruth, Chris Wood, Breabach, Lau, Full English Project, Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker, Fay Hiles, Greg Russell & Ciaran Alger, Melrose Quartet and many more… The Awards, which celebrate their 15th anniversary in 2014, are taking place on Wednesday February 19 at The Royal Albert Hall in London. The ceremony, including performances by some of the biggest names in folk music, will commence at 8pm and will be broadcast live on Radio 2, via the Red Button, and online at bbc.co.uk/radio2, with video highlights to follow the next day.

Charlie Daniels’ first new album project release since 2007 is the musical legends dedication to his own person icon – Bob Dylan. Daniels added his guitar to three of Dylan’s Nashville produced projects (NASHVILLE SKYLINE, SELF PORTRAIT and NEW MORNING) in the 60s. Charlie has explained that the Dylan sessions not only did a lot for his confidence, but helped legitimise him in Nashville circles and beyond as a serious musician. He certainly repays the debt of gratitude on this new project. “It was about 50 years ago when I first became aware of Bob Dylan—and no, I was not naive enough to think I could swim in the same stream, try to emulate what he had done, or cop his licks. Nobody could do that,” comments Daniels. “My ambitions were to provoke some thought, to colour the imagery of my songs, to think outside the box of conformity—in other words to be myself.” The new collection contains Daniels’ signature deft musical delivery on ten of Dylan’s finest writings: Tangled Up In Blue Times They Are a Changin’ I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight Gotta Serve Somebody I Shall Be Released Country Pie Mr. Tambourine Man Hard Rains A Gonna Fall Just Like A Woman Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) “Whatever it was Bob Dylan meant by his lyrics, they grabbed the attention of the world and changed the face of music forever,” continues Charlie. “He inspired musicians to knock down the restrictive, bubble gum, three minute a side, Tin Pan Alley world that set the parameters of popular music and turn their creative minds loose in a thousand new directions.” OFF THE GRID will be released on Blue Hat Records in association with MRI and distributed by RED. It is set for release on April 1, 2014.

Rhonda Vincent’s new album, ONLY ME, debuts at number one on Billboard Bluegrass Album chart, ending a 4-month reign by Alan Jackson. In addition, the album debuts on four other Billboard charts including number ten on Heatseekers, and number 36 on Top Current Country Albums, “It’s a dream come true!” says Rhonda Vincent. “I was hoping for a number one CD with ONLY ME, but never expecting it after only 2 days of sales. This is unbelievable! ” The album has been endorsed by country superstar Dolly Parton and features duets with both Willie Nelson and Daryle Singletary. Nelson said: “Rhonda’s voice is beautiful. I am thankful for her letting me be a part of it all,” while Singletary said that he loves singing with Rhonda “cause she makes you bring your A game.”

C2C Country to Country 2014 is excited to announce 28 up and coming acts to appear at the London 2-day festival at The O2 where tickets for the main concerts are almost completely sold out with less than two months to go. Fans will get a rare chance to discover new artists who will be playing intimate shows around the venue. These shows are free and will follow the huge success of last year’s gigs where the cream of new talent were given a stage to showcase their talents and prove that country music has a very strong future in the UK. Artists performing on the Pop-Up Stages include Jill & Kate from Nashville who have toured internationally as Kelly Clarkson’s backing singers, Emma Jade a former contestant on BBC’s The Voice and Jill Johnson who is a platinum selling artist in her native Sweden. Also appearing are the duo Striking Matches, who are in the UK courtesy of the CMA and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation and are also on the bill of the recently announced CMA Songwriters Series on 14th March. BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris: “”I am thrilled to be a part of this years C2C festival and am particularly looking forward to seeing the performances on the pop up stages. It’s a wonderful opportunity for these artists to broaden their audiences, while giving C2C fans a chance to hear their music. The pop up stages add hugely to the wonderful atmosphere of the weekend”. With artists coming from as far and wide as America (Houston, Nashville, New Jersey), Germany and Sweden to home-grown talent from the UK and Ireland, country music’s new stars performing on the pop-up stages will be a truly international get-together. C2C Country to Country returns to The O2 in March 2014 after already selling out weekend and Saturday tickets and a total of 25,000 tickets have been sold over the weekend in total. Pop up stages will be in the themed marketplace, in the main entrance to the venue and dotted along the boulevard within the O2. These exciting new artists will be heading to The O2 to perform alongside US megastars Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band, Dixie Chicks and Dirks Bentley and Country Queen Martina McBride. Full list of artists confirmed to play on the pop-up stages over the weekend: Ann Doka – Frankfurt Curran – New Jersey Dexeter – Connecticut Emma Jade Gary Quinn – Ireland Hannah Jane Lewis Hometown Show Jessica Clemmons – Houston Jill and Kate – Nashville Jill Johnson – Sweden Lisa Marie Fischer- Germany Lisa Redford Luke and Mel Maria Byrne – Ireland McKay Raintown – Glasgow Star Lane Stephen Kellogg – USA Steve Agnew – Scotland Striking Matches – Nashville The Diablos The Dirty Beggars – Scotland The Shires The Sonny Walters Band Thorne Hill Tom Wright Ward Thomas

Four-time GRAMMY Award winner Steve Wariner will go on tour again this April, to promote his new album. IT AIN’T ALL BAD. His process for putting together the concert’s set-lists will be much different this year as he asks his fans to help choose the songs that he will perform on tour. “I’m always hearing from my fans that they loved all the songs I performed in concert, but they wish I had performed one particular song or another,” says Wariner. “I want to give them a voice in this year’s set list, and hopefully their song will make the cut. I can’t wait to see what they choose!” With over 50 hit singles to his credit, Wariner has quite the selection of songs for his fans to choose from. In addition to his own, he has also written and co-written several hits for other artists, including “Longneck Bottle” for Garth Brooks, “Nothin’ But the Taillights” for Clint Black, “One Small Miracle” for Bryan White, and “Where the Blacktop Ends” for Keith Urban (among others), so fans may choose to vote for those songs as well. Voting began yesterday, Monday February 3 and will continue until Friday February 28, 2014. In order to vote, fans should visit www.SteveWariner.com, A list of Wariner’s hit singles and song-writing credits can be found on the website too. “Of course, I’ll also perform several songs from my new CD, IT AIN’T BAD, as well as an instrumental or two,” continues Wariner. “And since Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, the Del McCoury Band, Peter Tork, and Don Williams have all recently recorded my songs, I might occasionally perform my versions of those songs as well. I am really excited to create this set-list based on what I hear from the fans!” www.SteveWariner.com