New Enterprise Created to Help With Marketing, Promotions and More!

H.W. “Bill” Smith has launched Crooked Road Enterprises  in Big Stone Gap, Va., with the goal of assisting venues, attractions, individual, small businesses in historic, music and cultural asset production development, marketing and promotion.

Bill currently represents the Dixie Bee-Liners and History Alive. Info: (276) 523-0040, crookedroadenterprises@gmail.com

Job Opening–Dixie Bee Liners Looking for Fiddler!

Here’s an  opportunity for a fiddler who wants to travel with a touring and recording band.  

The Award-Winning Dixie Bee Liners’ Buddy Woodward told Prescription Bluegrass the band is searching for a fiddler who can also sing the female harmony parts behind the group’s co-founder Brandi Hart.
Woodward said, “we're looking specifically for a female fiddler who can sing the female harmony parts behind Brandi”.
They should know how to handle bluegrass chops and beyond.   Although the Bee Liners can pick traditional bluegrass all day long, Woodward said they don’t limit their sound to just “Bluegrass”.  They’ve been described as “Revolutionary”, “Steeped in Tradition, yet very  21st Century” and “Genre Transcending” so the person they select will need to have a broad ability  and willingness to perform in a variety  of musical styles.

Bee Liner Line Up Change!

…Now batting relief ……Todd Livingston in for Leah Needham.

Earlier this week Mark Newton’s press release gave us a hint of yet another bluegrass band member change-up  (The only thing that changes more often than bluegrass is baseball)  when they announced Leah Needham was joining Mark’s trio “The Stillhouse Band”

Clarification from the Dixie Bee Liner’s Buddy Woodward confirmed that Leah was indeed making a switch and according to Woodward, "the parting was amicable".  

The Bee Liners press release coming in the form of their regular newsletter states:

Noteworthy News....  In other news, we're bidding farewell to dobroist Leah Needham, who has been appearing with the Bee-Liners on select dates this year.  This weekend will mark Leah's final shows with the band.  We'll be welcoming back our friend and special guest, Todd Livingston, for several fun shows this fall.  Stay tuned for more dobro news!

Bluegrass Artists Discover Kickstarter!

"And if you loosen up looser, even you sir can become a producer" -Quote from DooDoo Wah's "Make A Pledge"

Now two years old, (as of April 28, 2011) Kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/) is the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world. Every month, tens of thousands of amazing people pledge millions of dollars to projects from the worlds of music, film, art, technology, design,food, publishing and other creative fields.

A search today using just the word "Bluegrass" revealed that 42 different bluegrass artists/bands either are currently using a Kickstarter campaign or have just recently reached their goal including a few we've posted stories about here on this blog (Sav Sankaran, Bass player with the Dixie Bee Liners funded a solo project and reached his goal - his history-making CD is available to the public as of today. And Della Mae, the all-girl bluegrass band making waves out of Boston is currently underway with their campaign.

Dixie Bee Liners On The Road ! Part 4

Prescription Bluegrass offered the Bee Liners a chance to be guest bloggers during the month of May as a way to keep fans up-to-date on the groups road tour, to give us all a glimpse into just what it really takes to put a touring band on the road and hopefully a method of attracting some "Dixie Converts" into the hive. So far it's working. Readership on their posts is so incredible we've extended the posts into June to cover the beginning of their "Summer Swarm" Tour. Here, in this fourth installment, group founder Brandi Hart picks up where Buddy Woodward left off. See if you've been buzzed into the Bee Liners' swarm. [Read previous posts here and here]

"Bananapocalypse Cow"

Hello, friends!  Brandi Hart of The Dixie Bee-Liners here.  Our 2011 Summer Swarm Tour is going swarmingly.

Dixie Bee Liners On The Road ! Part 3

Dixie Bee Liners L-R: 

Sara Needham, Sav Sankaran,
Brandi Hart, Leah Needham,
Zachary Mongan,
Buddy Woodward

Prescription Bluegrass offered the Bee Liners a chance to be guest bloggers during the month of May as a way to keep fans up-to-date on the groups road tour, to give us all a glimpse into just what it really takes to put a touring band on the road and hopefully a method of attracting some "Dixie Converts" into the hive.  So far we think it's working. Readership on their posts is incredible.  Here in this third installment, group founder Buddy Woodward picks up where Sav Sankaran left off.  See for yourself if you've been buzzed into the Bee Liners' swarm.  [Read previous posts here]

George Orwell once observed that the first obligation of the intelligent man is sometimes to restate the obvious.

Which is a clever way for me to segue into Dixie Bee-Liners' Road Rule #2: No matter how hungry you are...no matter what time it is...no matter how tired, dispirited and cranky you are...NEVER eat gas station hot dogs.

Especially with "chili."

Guest Bloggers - Award Winning Bluegrass Artists, The Dixie Bee Liners - Welcome!

Dixie Bee Liners L-R:
Sara Needham, Sav Sankaran, Brandi
Hart, Leah Needham, Zachary Mongan,
 Buddy Woodward

Welcome to the Dixie Bee Liners, our Special Guest Bloggers this month as they run down the highway sharing the blogging duties and driving duties alternately while on their way to some special shows. We'll let them tell you all about it. We're just a tad late posting their first story due to some technical glitches but continue to watch for more updates from one of Bluegrass and Acoustic Music's most exciting groups.   Their first entry is written by founding member and mandolinist Buddy Woodward.

The Dixie Bee Liners Campaigning for George Shuffler Hall of Fame Induction.

George Shuffler & Buddy Woodward

We received this note from Buddy Woodward of the Dixie Bee Liners and are more than willing to publish the message.  We can't say it any better than Buddy already has.

We have publicly announced that The Dixie Bee-Liners will play the Stanley Brothers' arrangement of "Will You Miss Me" at every gig from now until George Shuffler is inducted into the IBMA's Bluegrass Hall of Fame. It's long past time, & he deserves it for being a pioneer in bluegrass music, first as the Stanley's bass player where he developed the walking bass style taken up by so many subsequent players, & later as lead guitarist with his cross-picking style.
We're all huge Stanley Brothers fans of course, but I have a special connection. In 2005 I was hired to play the part of George Shuffler in a musical play called "Man Of Constant Sorrow: The Story of the Stanley Brothers" produced by The Barter State Theatre of Virginia. I performed in that production from 2005 - 2007, both on Barter stages, & in a national tour to packed houses all across the country.  
Both James Alan Shelton (Dr. Stanley's current lead guitar player, & also a very close friend of George's) & George himself were encouraging, & extremely helpful giving me pointers & playing tips that enabled me to approximate George's cross-picking guitar style, which I've used to great advantage with The Dixie Bee-Liners. I've also been very fortunate to become friends with the whole Shuffler family, a nicer bunch of people you'll never meet.
Sav Sankaran (our bassplayer) & I were both invited to George's 85th birthday party last year, & it was an amazing honor to be there.
FYI, Inductees into the IBMA Hall of Fame are voted on by an appointed Panel of Electors -- NOT by the general membership of the IBMA. The electors receive ballots with the names of candidates selected by a committee, but they can also write in votes for people they deem worthy.

If one is an IBMA member, send an email to the IBMA-L list. Undoubtedly some of the members of the Hall of Fame Committee will read it. Also contact Nancy Cardwell at IBMA; she may have some additional suggestions. Also, see http://www.ibma.org/ibma.awards/hall.of.fame/index.asp .Thanks for getting on board with this, we need a groundswell of support & really make this happen in 2011...to paraphrase Flatt & Scruggs, let's give him his flowers while he's living.
-Buddy

* * * * *

You Could Be 'Executive Producer' on Ground-Breaking Bluegrass CD!

Sav Sankaran's new album- 

"Back to Bass-ics"

Sav Sankaran, bass player for Pinecastle recording band The Dixie Bee Liners, is working on his first solo project which may just be, according to Sav, "the very first professional bluegrass project by an Indian-American, and I am proud to be breaking new ground"!


Using some of the most accomplished acoustic musicians in the country, including legendary mandolinist Adam Steffey, twin threat Ron Stewart on fiddle and banjo, and fine Asheville guitarist Ricky Cooper, Sankaran is heading for the studio in March and April to record 10 great tunes, including 8 original songs, an instrumental tune, and a traditional bluegrass cover. This album is the culmination of 10 years of writing, playing and traveling. 


To assist with the funding of this project, Sankaran has launched a "Kickstarter" campaign so that friends, family and fans can contribute in donations as small as one dollar.   For a $500 donation Sankaran will include your name in the Executive Producer credits on the CD liner notes and Sankaran and the band will perform a personal house-concert for you in your home. "My goal is to raise a small percentage of the budget for this project via Kickstarter, and as a result, this album will be as much yours as it is mine", Sankaran writes on his website

Sav Sankaran with Prescription Bluegrass Host Brian McNeal
IBMA World Of Bluegrass Trade Show 2010

Born and raised in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Sankaran began playing music at an early age, having been classically trained as a vocalist from age 6, and eventually moving onto many other forms of musical expression. After hearing a jazz record while in junior high featuring legendary bassist Ray Brown, he fell in love with the double bass. In addition to double bass, he plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, pedal steel guitar, and even bagpipes! After extensive musical training at Gettysburg College and The Pennsylvania State University, he has brought his talents to the bluegrass world. In the last six years, Sankaran has performed all over the Eastern United States with many different bluegrass and roots music ensembles.

Sankaran currently tours the world with renowned bluegrass outfit The Dixie Bee-Liners, 2008 RMA's Bluegrass Artist of the Year. Sav has played with groups such as The Last Complete Show, Sweetwater, Payin' The Rent, and many more. He has shared the stage with many incredible musicians such as Dan Paisley & The Southern Grass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Chris Sharpe, The Bluegrass 45, etc. Sav recently relocated to Asheville, NC, and is already one of its' most in-demand bassists and vocalists.

Sankaran is listed in the Bluegrass Legacy's Who's Who in Bluegrass:
Facebook
Kickstarter

Sweet-Pick'd For Freshness - Dixie Bee Liners Add 3 New Members

(L-R) Leah Needham, Zach Mongan, Sara Needham

NEW MEMBERS FOR A NEW YEAR!
The Dixie Bee-Liners are thrilled to kick off the new year with some fresh new faces! On fiddle and vocals, the lovely and talented Sara Needham. Sara hails from the Washington D.C. area. She's a graduate of East Tennessee State University, where she studied with the legendary Clarence "Tater" Tate and performed with ETSU's beloved Pride Band. Sara's warm, earthy touch on the fiddle, along with her alluring vocals, bring an exciting new edge to the band. 
   Joining The Dixie Bee-Liners on select dates in 2011 is dobroist Leah Needham. (Yes, she is Sara's sister!) In addition to excellent musical instincts and a striking fashion sense, she's got a singing voice that we can only describe as plaintively captivating. By spectacular coincidence, Leah is also a student of ETSU, where she performs with the Pride Band. 
   Stepping into the DBL banjo slot is Mr. Zachary Mongan. Zach currently attends ETSU with a Public Performance scholarship awarded by the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music program. In 2008, he was awarded the Grey Fox Bill Vernon Scholarship, which is given annually to talented and motivated students who are involved in bluegrass music. Fittingly for The Dixie Bee-Liners, his playing style is an engaging blend of traditional and contemporary influences. 

   According to founding member Buddy Woodward, "The new kids rule".


Dixie Bee Liners On Line
Dixie Bee Liners - Facebook