Television Icon Andy Griffith Dead at 86

Emergency medical crews responded to Andy Griffith's home in Dare County, North Carolina this morning around 7am according to a local law enforcement spokesman.  Griffith, who introduced countless millions to bluegrass and a simple way of life through his 1960’s TV show and subsequent reruns for more than 4 decades was dead at age 86.

Griffith was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, a city often mentioned in the dialogue spoken by the characters on the Andy Griffith show about live in the slow-moving fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, which was widely believed to have been based on Griffith's own hometown.  The show ran on the CBS Television network from 1960 to 1968 and featured a recurring role of a fictitious mountain family band “The Darlings,” played by The Dillards,  with actor Denver Pyle as their jug-playing, mountain wisdom spewing, father and actress Maggie Peterson as sister Charlene.  The Dillards' roots sank deep into the mainstream of popular music.

The “Darling Look” on PBS!

Darling Boy to Appear on Song of the Mountains March 3rd

He was one of the Darling Boys on the 1960s "Andy Griffith Show" and he is going to tape an episode of Song of the Mountains at the Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Virginia on Saturday, March 3^rd.

Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band will headline the concert on March 3^rd which will also include musical performances by the "Close Kin Project" and "Bobby and Blue Ridge Tradition".

Rodney Dillard has had a long varied career.

2 Grammy Nominations, induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, a well known acting stint on the Andy Griffith Show, many other movie, commercials and TV appearances, recipient of The Outstanding Missourian Award, and worldwide acclaim for his over 50 yrs. of recording both traditional Bluegrass and his own brand of ‘DILLARDGRASS’. Rodney Dillard as founding member of the legendary group, ‘THE DILLARDS’ (aka the Darlings) is seen nearly everyday somewhere in the world thanks to the still enormous popularity of The ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW reruns.

DON’T WAIT FOR THE HEARSE TO TAKE YOU TO CHURCH!

New album by

RODNEY DILLARD & The Dillard Band

(Featuring Beverly Dillard)

DON’T WAIT FOR THE HEARSE TO TAKE YOU TO CHURCH

Rodney Dillard’s long and illustrious career has resulted in two GRAMMY® Nominations, induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, a well-known acting stint on The Andy Griffith Show, and worldwide acclaim for over 50 years of recording both traditional bluegrass and his own brand of DillardGrass.

It is with great pleasure that Rural Rhythm Christian announces the August 16, 2011 album release, “DON’T WAIT FOR THE HEARSE TO TAKE YOU TO CHURCH” by Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band (Featuring Beverly Dillard).

The album features stand out tracks like the title cut, and also the“The Devil Just Can’t Knock Me Off My Knees”, written by the Dillard’s friend and 5-time Dove Award winning songwriter Bruce Haynes. 

Musicians on DON’T WAIT FOR THE HEARSE TO TAKE YOU TO CHURCH include: Rodney Dillard (lead & harmony vocals, guitar, Dobro); Beverly Dillard (lead & harmony vocals, banjo); Steve Bush (banjo, mandolin, bass);George Giddens (fiddle, mandolin, harmony vocals); Tim Crouch (fiddle, mandolin); Bruce Hoffman (fiddle); Marty Wilhite (bass); Pete Generous (Percussion); and Jim Glaspy (harmony vocals).  

The Grascals' Terry Eldredge Talks About Andy Griffith and the Group's New CD - "Dance Til Your Stockin's Are Hot and Ravelin'

In a special tribute to the 50th Anniversary of "The Andy Griffith Show", The Grascals have released a 7-song mini-CD featuring music performed on the show plus a bonus track never heard before.

 "I firmly believe that each of the episodes (the Andy Griffith Show) offers up a real moral code that we should all aspire to live by. Smitty and I watch the show every night." - Terry Eldredge

Terry Eldredge, guitarist and one of the founding members of the extremely talented group The Grascals talked with us on the phone recently. 

Edredge is a longtime fan of the show and confesses to have seen each episode numerous times.  "The Andy Griffith Show had a moral lesson that every human being should live by," Eldredge comments. "It's an honor and privilege to be associated with the best TV show ever made. It was - and still is - awesome family entertainment."

Rodney Dillard Signs with Mountain Music Entertainment!

MUSIC AND TV ICONS RODNEY DILLARD AND THE DILLARD BAND

SIGN WITH MOUNTAIN MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

FOR MANAGEMENT AND ARTIST REPRESENTATION

Mountain Music Entertainment proudly announces exclusive representation of multi-award winning Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band. Dillard is well known for his contributions on television as Rodney Darlin on The Andy Griffith Show. He has also enjoyed an incredible career with his additions to different musical genres as an artist, producer, writer, and vocalist. The group announced today their affiliation with Mountain Music Entertainment.

Grascals Salute Andy Griffith on His 85th Birthday Today!

Thanks to the Grascals for remembering Andy today and asking us to publish this video. Another FANTASTIC effort from the hardest working group in bluegrass today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY!

Weekend Update for March 26, 2011

WEEKEND UPDATE

The Weekend Updates are provided as a courtesy to those who don't get to check the news during the week.  Here's a list of what's been happening in the world of bluegrass this past week.

IBMA Announces Official Showcase Bands for 2011 World of Bluegrass Conference.

THE ROYS WORLD PREMIER VIDEO "COAL MININ' MAN" plus radio interview.

http://prescriptionbluegrass.blogspot.com/2011/03/laurie-lewis-updates-fans-on-world-wide.html

Patuxent Records releases new CD from Tom Mindte and Jeremy Stephens - Radio Favorites and Sacred Songs

The Grascals Salute 50 years of Andy Griffith with "Dance Til Your Stockin's Are Hot and Ravelin'

The European World of Bluegrass (EWOB) Announces their 2011 Program and Artist Lineup

U.S. Bluegrass Bands wanted for Scottish Bluegrass Festival in September 2011

Doc Watson to be honored in Boone, NC with life-size statue downtown where he used to pick for tips.

Grascals' Hot 'n Ravelin' coming soon!

DANCE TIL YOUR STOCKINGS ARE HOT AND RAVELIN'

Grascals Release Mini CD Tribute To Andy Griffith Show!

In a special tribute to the 50th Anniversary of "The Andy Griffith Show", The Grascals have released a 7-song mini-CD featuring music performed on the show plus a bonus track never heard before.

Available digitally via BluGrascal Records/Saguaro Road Records on March 29 and via CD on June 7, the seven-song EP features tunes that were an integral and humorous part of the show's eight-year run.  The disc's release coincides with The Andy Griffith Show's celebration of its 50^thanniversary.

THE GRASCALS' guitarist, Terry Eldredge, is a longtime fan of the show and confesses to have seen each episode numerous times.  "The Andy Griffith Show had a moral lesson that every human being should live by," Eldredge comments. "It's an honor and privilege to be associated with the best TV show ever made. It was - and still is - awesome family entertainment."

"The Andy Griffith show, The Grascals, and Bluegrass music is a quintessential American combination and The Grascals have given us another great listen," says Saguaro Road / Time Life Senior VP Retail Mike Jason.

DANCE TIL YOUR STOCKINGS ARE HOT AND RAVELIN'

Grascals Release Mini CD Tribute To Andy Griffith Show!

In a special tribute to the 50th Anniversary of "The Andy Griffith Show", The Grascals have released a 7-song mini-CD featuring music performed on the show plus a bonus track never heard before.

The album will be available for digital download on March 31st and hard copy discs will be available in retail stores sometime in May 2011.