Grass Cuttings and News InBrief
British and Mainland European News
Mainland European news | USA News
7 April 2003
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Sorry - I haven't time to chase news... British News (space to spare... for free...) Mainland European News (March 11)
10 March: updated 27 March NWBN Sponsor Jim Hyndman e-mails "There is a new Bluegrass band in Scotland - Longway. New name, new lineup but old faces! The lineup is Jim Hyndman (fiddle, banjo and mandolin), Robin Wallace (banjo, mandolin, and Dobro), Bob Stevenson (lead vocals/guitar) and Hugh Kelly (bass, mainly)."
The Runaways had run their course. When Jim Hyndman became available
the guys decided on a new, fresh, more versatile lineup to perform more
challenging material. So they got together in January for a jam and it went
so well that they plumped for that lineup.
Runaway band photo We hear that the band's debut gig (27 March) was a storm! 16 Mar. Ty Gilpin (a Mandolin player from Black Mountain, North Carolina) writes "I ams still visiting the U.K. in May and interested in meeting other bluegrass musicians. I grew up in middle Tennessee a few miles from where Bill Monroe made his home. I grew up around his music and have been playing it for some time. If you are interested in befriending a yank could you give me some information? The plans my wife and I have are wide open and I would like to seek out some pickers as we wander through the country. Thanks!" Click to contact Ty 11 Mar: Lloyd Coles of radio station Swansea Sound would like to receive Bluegrass CDs from record companies and independent recording artists. If you have a project that you would like to receive airtime, please contact Lloyd via write to LColes6121@aol.com or forward CDs to Lloyd Coles, 29, North Street, Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire SA72 6QT 6 Mar. Organiser Julian Vincent informs that the Bath Banjo Festival (UK) will be held on June 20-22, 2003 at the University of Bath, with all styles of playing. More info: Website | Write to 25 Feb Joe Locker has joined up with Rick Townend, Rosie Davis, Bob Winquist for a special series of three shows in the London and SE area, under the title 'Bluegrass Hootenanny Show'. The shows will include traditional bluegrass and old-time music, some called barn-dances and Rosie's Appalachian clogging. Dates: 1st March (7.30pm, Surbiton Tennis Club, Berrylands, tel. 020 8390-5194), 5th March (8pm, Beacon Hotel, Tunbridge Wells (details from Rick or 01892 782412) and 30th March (8pm, Cecil Sharp House, NW1 (details from Rick) 28 Jan: Steve "Chester" Cooper, the unofficial photographer at the Heart Of England Bluegrass Venue who, from his wheel chair, took some great photos of bands and events at the Heart of England Bluegrass Club, had been absent for some time due to his poor health. We are sorry to report that Steve has passed away after a long and weary battle with Multiple Sclerosis. He never recovered from the car accident he was involved in over a year ago, and it seemed to speed his demise. He was a lively lad despite his health problems and made many friends in and around Bluegrass and Country Music. Steve's funeral is to be held on Tuesday the 4th February 2003 at the Sutton Coalfield Crematorium at 2.00pm. His Mum has asked for NO flowers (except from Steve's family), instead if anyone wishes they can make a donation to the Tamworth Multiple Sclerosis Society who did an awful lot to help Steve during his illness. Please send your donations/cheques made payable to Tamworth Multiple Sclerosis Society, via Mrs C.Cooper, 37 Welford Road, Dotshill, Tamworth, B77 1NH The British Bluegrass Music Association decided at a recent Committee (board) meeting to plan a special Autumn Showcase for Bluegrass, Folk and some Country music performers. The object is to enable the artistes to present their music to invited festival/concert promoters, music industry personnel and the media. It is hoped the event, which will also include paid entry workshops, will become an annual occurrence. There is a lot of confusion regarding the various uses of the term "EWOB". I have procrastinated on putting up an article on the misjustices but recent events have given me the impetus I need... I will try to get one up as soon as possible (but it won't be right away...) 11th March: Liz Meyer & Mark Cosgrove have completed a soon-to-be-released new studio album, The Storm. It features 12 original songs by Liz, and 2 instrumentals - a Mark Cosgrove original (Good Medicine) and Mark's great flatpicking guitar arrangement of the traditional fiddle tune Katy Hill. The following great musicians are featured on the album: Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes, Ron Block, Glen Duncan, Emmylou Harris, Stuart Duncan, Byron House, Kenny Malone, Mark Johnson, Shad Cobb, and Chris Brown. The Storm has a mainland European tour from 12th to 31st March incl. They will have for sale Mark's new instruction book/CD Hot Solos For Flatpicking Guitar from Mel Bay Publishing, and his new CDR teaching video. Mark Cosgrove is the newest member of the Jerry Douglas Band! He played his first shows with Jerry in January 2003 and will be touring with the band, playing both acoustic and electric guitar. You can keep up with Jerry at www.jerrydouglas.com Thier CDs can be purchased from and you can hear complete tracks from the albums at www.ibluegrass.com/lizmeyer 3 March Andy Glandt (Fox Tower, Germany) writes: "For anybody in the UK who is interested in one of my CDs or the book The 5-string Banjo in the D Tuning can now order them from the Scottish website www.tradmusic.com. But also anybody else should check this website. You find a lot of information on it and can also promote yourself. Unfortunately, the CD to the book is not ready yet. But I’m already working on it. I just would need more time. After the big success of the European tour with Steve Kaufman and me in fall 2002, we now plan a new one. This one is planned from February 11 to 23 (incl), 2004. For infos, please check my website http://www.andy.glandt.com or the one of Steve www.flatpik.com.
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Jim,
onetime fiddle player with John Sheldon's group Gold Rush, while Robin
and Bob are of long-standing, top outfit, Runaway String Band (famous
for the great singing of Bob). This new band could be hot!
