so much MOORE media Tapped To Provide PR for Balsam Range!

Mountain Home Music Company has hired Martha Moore /so much MOORE media to handle PR for the upcoming Balsam Range Christmas project.

The New Balance Joins Wilson Pickins Promotions

Exciting news coming from Wilson Pickins Promotions going into a week of fun and music in Raleigh amidst IBMA WOB festivities! Truegrass Entertainment artists, The New Balance have signed on to work with Wilson Pickins Bluegrass Promotions for publicity and bookings.

Both sides of the equation are very pleased and excited to see what the future brings, as well as the band’s recently signed label, Truegrass Entertainment.

Petition wants Apple to Show the Album Credits!

More than sixteen thousand music fans including the bluegrass world's premier fiddler, Michael Cleveland, have endorsed this petition from Jon Burr who says that  "album credits are the lifeblood of musicians."

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You can sign the petition

Right Here on Prescription Bluegrass.

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$10M from Bluegrass Fans Into Raleigh Economy

A North Carolina Business Journal is reporting the IBMA’s Annual Convention held in Raleigh last week brought in 10 million dollars from direct visitor spending.

84 thousand visitors coming into the city from outside the Wake Country area were originally reported by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitor’s Bureau but new figures estimate the number to be 140 thousand.

New Management Team for Dr. Ralph Stanley

Bluegrass icon, Grand Ole Opry star and multiple Grammy-winner Ralph Stanley has signed with Moonstruck Management for management and booking.

Headed by Josh Trivett and Peter Keiser, Moonstruck has a client roster that also includes Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Lonesome River Band, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press and Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, among other award-winning groups.

Bluegrass Business News–Deering Banjos Having Record Year!

In a news story reported in the L.A. Times, The Deering Banjo Company from Spring Valley, California is having a record year expecting to top $4 Million in sales for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2013.

In 1997 the company hit the million dollar mark in sales for the first time and up until now, 2006 has been the record year at $3.9 Million.

Recessionary spending by consumers and foreign competition from China are credited with causing a sales slump down to $2.4 million in 2009.

Read the full Story.

Mark Newton and Steve Thomas Join Together

Pinecastle Records announces that it has signed Mark Newton and Steve Thomas to its roster.

Their debut album is titled Reborn and will be released on April 9, 2013. With the two banded together, the "sideman" becomes a "frontman," and the "frontman" becomes a "partner."

Both men are native Virginians who both struck out separately in the music business decades ago, with both having completely different experiences. Now that both of their paths have converged, they are eager to blend their various musical flavors together to share with bluegrass and Americana fans everywhere. They are joined by bass player Matt Wallace who rounds out the trio that will be touring the country.

IBMA Offices Moving

Boxing Day in the US has an entirely different meaning and that day is right now for the IBMA Staff in Nashville. They’re boxing up files and various office paraphernalia preparing for Moving Day which will come during the last week of February 2013.  

World Headquarters for the International Bluegrass Music Association will then be located at 608 W. Iris Drive, Nashville, TN 37204.

Republik Steel Signed to Rural Rhythm

Rural Rhythm Records has sent word that they have signed DAVE ADKINS & REPUBLIK STEELE to the label. 

A new single, "That's Just The Way I Roll" written by Tim Stafford, Steve Gulley and Terry Herd, will be released to radio later this month.  The song is the title track of their upcoming new album scheduled for release early 2013.   

Marc Dottore is New A&R Man at Compass Records

Compass Records Group is excited to welcome  veteran artist manager Marc Dottore as A&R for special projects.

The new alliance grew out of conversations between Dottore and Compass co-founder Garry West about the need for an intelligent, marketing support-driven distribution solution for established artists whose careers are no longer suited for the major label process but for whom the DIY model is too limiting. 

Make Welcome Entertainment and Mountain Music Entertainment Enter into Acquisition Agreement!

Nashville, Tennessee:  Steve Johnson of Mountain Music Entertainment and Andrea Ball of Make Welcome Entertainment have announced plans to enter into an acquisition agreement.

Under the agreement, Mountain Music Entertainment will transfer assets, including a number of artists on the agency roster, to Make Welcome Entertainment and the combined agency will operate as Make Welcome Entertainment.

Rigney Family Bluegrass Band–Newest Performers Under the Deep River Management Big Top!

Deep River Management, the newly formed partnership between John Lockaby and Laura Ridge, announces another contract signing – this time with the Rigney Family Band.  

The Rigney’s are a high energy band with a great sense of balancing the traditional with fresh new sounds.

Mountain Music’s Steve Johnson Tapped as New Artist’s Relations Manager at MerleFest

Steve Johnson, president and CEO of Mountain Music Entertainment, is proud to  announce that he has accepted the position of MerleFest artist relations manager at Wilkes Community College, Wilkesboro, N.C. Johnson will assume his new role on October 22, 2012.

“Our artists have been extremely supportive of my decision” said Johnson. “We are working to transition all of our artists to new agents in the coming weeks and will share additional information as it becomes available.”

Compass Records To Distribute Jim Lauderdale’s Carolina Moonrise

New album is second bluegrass collaboration with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter

The Compass Records Group to announces another dynamic partnership; the Nashville-based roots music company is handling distribution of Jim Lauderdale’s new bluegrass album Carolina Moonrise: Bluegrass Songs by Robert Hunter and Jim Lauderdale through Lauderdale’s personal label Sky Crunch Records.

The new album, available as of Sept 25th, is the natural next progression from the Grammy-nominated 2011 Hunter-Lauderdale bluegrass collaboration Reason and Rhyme and features a phenomenal band of Nashville super-pickers produced and engineered by Dobro master Randy Kohrs.

Click to stream the complete album.

Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice Sign with Roe Entertainment

Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice along with Steve Johnson of Mountain Music Entertainment are proud to announce the band has signed with Roe Entertainment for exclusive booking representation effective immediately.

"We're very excited about our new relationship with Jim Roe," states Junior Sisk. "He has a reputation for being one of the best agents in the business and I know we are in great hands with him. We feel like we've built a good business team around us with Steve Johnson of Mountain Music Entertainment and Kimberly Williams of East Public Relations and adding Jim to our team for booking is the icing on the cake for us."

Balsam Range Signs with Class Act!

Balsam Range has been signed exclusively and is proud to announce they are newest artist to be represented by Class Act Entertainment out of Nashville TN.

The band now joins such stellar acts as J.D. Crowe & The New South, Bryan Sutton, 18 South, Austin Lounge Lizards, The Whites, and Mountain Home.

Principal and founder Mike Drudge says: “We couldn’t be happier to welcome Balsam Range to the roster. Besides being a band with fantastic musicians and multiple strong vocalists, they have created a uniquely identifiable sound – something that is becoming a rarity in bluegrass these days.”

Five Bands All Sign with Deep River Management

Deep River Management is making a quick impact in the industry and is putting together a stellar lineup.

Owners John Lockaby and Laura Ridge had a goal of having eight bands on board by the end of year, but had no idea that they would already have five bands on board within just a few weeks. John said “We were going to be patient and see who was out there that could use our services, but when these caliber of bands come along you have no choice but to act upon it”.  The five bands are The Darren Beachley Band, Constant Change, Travers Chandler & Avery County, Mountain Faith, and Shannon Slaughter & CountyClare.

40 Year Bluegrass Festival Ends

The longest running active bluegrass festival in the state of Illinois has decided to pull the plug.  

According to spokesperson and promoter Cathy Wonderlich, the Barnes Family Bluegrass Festival which has been presenting top name bluegrass and acoustic music acts in Illinois since 1972 will end after 40 years. 

Roys Wrapped With New Corporate Sponsor

Award-winning brother/sister duo THE ROYS have aligned with Team RealTree™ Outdoor Energy Drink for a strategic partnership. 

THE ROYS will travel to their upcoming shows in a newly-wrapped bus with design and camouflage graphics courtesy of RealTree. 

"It looks amazing," says Lee Roy.  "Very earthy," Elaine adds with a wink. Other marketing efforts will be announced soon.

Asheville Forest Music Signs Jamie Johnson and Susanne Mumpower-Johnson

Crossroads Entertainment Establishes New Publishing Entity

Nashville, TN --- Asheville Forest Music, a division of Crossroads Entertainment & Marketing, has announced the signing of songwriters, Jamie Johnson andSusanne Mumpower-Johnson (aka: Iodine).

Spouses Jamie and Susanne are each accomplished writers and entertainers. Jamie is a member of the multi-award-winning bluegrass band, The Grascals(which earlier this year released the album LIFE FINDS A WAY on Mountain Home Records, a division of Crossroads Entertainment).