• Ed Ingley, the strummer for The Ken Tardley Playboys, has taken an early bath due to pressure of new house, new baby, new job . . new labour ? Ken has taken over major strumming duties but will continue to play dobro when cousin Clint Tardley takes over on the six string. The KTPs are to record at Harrisonix Studio this autumn as part of a three-band CD project. Other bands are the Backwater Band and Hickory Swing.
• Earl Scruggs appeared on USA TV recently looking good. He even played the banjo a little, and is getting into Newgrass... He described the early days in bluegrass and discussed the development of the Scruggs tuners.Any bands wishing to be considered for a booking at the Leeds Bluegrass Club (The longest running BG club in UK and maybe in Europe) should phone 01484- 307424. Last season Slack Street and Baker's Fabulous Boys turned in excellent performances to the appreciative Leeds crowd. Also, Write to pete@zeus.hud.ac.uk
• Generation Gap are back as a working band and made their first festival appearance at this years Didmudton Festival. The Gappettes are also one of the three house bands at The Leeds Bluegrass Club, along with The Ken Tardley Playboys and Hired Hands.
• It’s going full circle again! Whilst on a visit to England, banjo picker Scott Vestal saw an old, traditional English 5-string banjo. These have the 5th string machine inconspicuously placed along with the other four on the peg-head. He thought it a neat idea to have the 5th string running through a tube inside the neck and liked the way the absence of the 5th string peg makes getting around a lot easier. Scott now makes a banjo along these lines and markets it as the ‘Stealth Banjo’. Production is currently only about 2 each month, but this is set to increase.
• Chris Moreton has left The Next Band. He reports that his place has been ably taken by Bill Titsley. The rest of the personnel remains unchanged (Joff Lowson, Sue & Mike Prior)
• Bluegrass veteran, Milnrow’s singer-guitarist Bev Williams, has been talent-spotting to form a new working band. He now has the personnel he needs - much of it “from out of the woodwork”!
• Edale 1996 Star Kathy Chiavola is to perform at the British Country Music Awards in Birmingham on November 16th. Phone 01210-212-3333 for tickets.
• Fiddler of finesse Phil Newton read a paper entitled Resuming Playing after Tenosynovitis at The British Peforming Arts Medicine Trust conference Health and the Musician, 1997. The paper was based on his own experiences. Further details: Phil, 0151-489-9080.
• Terry Baucom, banjo in Blue Ridge (see IBMA Awards) is back on his Stelling following a spell on an R&T. He appears in the Stelling adverts.
• The new Tablature book, “Sammy Shelor - AcuTab transcriptions, Vol.II” is now available and getting rave comments. If you have been purchasing AcuTab books from a local shop or a mail order dealer, contact them for more info. Available from Frets Old & New.
• Sammy Shelor, of The Lonesome River Band, is the new IBMA Banjo Player of the Year. Congratulations, Sam! Wow - it's now three years in a row. The nominees were: J.D. Crowe; Rob McCoury; Ron Block; Sammy Shelor; Scott Vestal. Last year was a split decision, with Sammy and Scott each receiving an identical vote count so they were co-winners.
• A Band Like Alice is the first British band to take advantage of BBMA funds to make a CD. The Association of Country Music DJs in Britain has agreed to give airplay to the recording to celebrate World Bluegrass Month next May.
• Chris Moreton, 1997 Guitarist Magazine ‘Acoustic Guitarist of the Year’, has been invited back as a judge for this years event on 29th November, and to partake in a “Handing over of the crown” ceremony. After the contest Chris will give a showcase performance.

Updated 23rd Jan 1999