Sorry - I haven't time to chase news...
...but you send it and I'll post it, if it is of general interest!

Ted Silverman (San Francisco) sent this (from countrystandardtime .com):

Blue Grass Boy Tater Tate dies.

Friday, October 19, 2007 Clarence "Tater" Tate, who had two different stints playing for Bill Monroe, died Thursday at 77. Tate first joined the Blue Grass Boys as a fiddler in the late 1950s, replacing Bobby Hicks when he was drafted. Tate stayed with Monroe for about six months.

About 30 years later, Tate returned to the band as a bassist. When Kenny Baker left Monroe in 1984, Tate temporarily took over the fiddling chores. For the rest of Monroe's life (he died in 1996), Tate switched between bass and fiddle as needed.

Tate played fiddle with performers including Hylo Brown, the Bailey Brothers, and Carl Story in the 1950s. He joined Red Smiley's Bluegrass Cutups in 1965, which became the Shenandoah Cutups after Smiley's retirement in 1969. In 1977, he left the Cutups to join Lester Flatt's Nashville Grass. He also played with the Cumberland Highlanders.

Please pay a visit to The Dixie Flyers, "Canadian bluegrass since 1974" to read about their history as a band: www.dixieflyers.ca

and/or for some live video visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX3Qwi8KqFo

and/or for information on the Flyers and to hear cuts from their latest CD Right on Track go to www.myspace.com/dixieflyers

The Bluegrass Calendar

Gary Reid writes:
We are pleased to announce the release of the 2008 Bluegrass Calendar, a striking 14-month publication that – this year – pays homage to the Women in Bluegrass. For folks who can’t wait to get started, this edition contains the months of November and December for 2007, as well as all of 2008. Additional information can be found at:

http://www.bluegrassproductionsofvirginia.com/cgi-bin/shop.cgi/page=z-calendar.htm/

We also offer discounted pricing to associations (the calendars make great fund raising items), retail establishments, and musicians wishing to re-sell items on their show dates. Please ask for details!