Lee Marcus Releases “Grandpa’s Pond” CD

Lee Marcus who left former Navy band leader Wayne Taylor’s Appaloosa band just last year to pursue his education has now released his first solo CD.
Lee's freshman CD, "Grandpa's Pond", is now available and features Josh Shilling, Cia Cherryholmes, Jim VanCleve, Wyatt Rice, Christian Ward, Clint Wilson, Kalyn Hall, Aaron Ramsey, and Jason Moore.

“Lee Marcus is one of the great up-and-coming banjo players of this era,” Sammy Shelor (Lonesome River Band)

Sample – Click to Listen

Banjo Man Lee Marcus Wins Songwriting Competition - Congratulations Lee!

Lee Marcus, former Banjo Player for Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa is the 1st place winner in the International Songwriting Competition 2011 for the Instrumental Category.

We reported here back in March that Lee was in the competition and had reached the finalist round.

Lee's song "Gone Bezerk" was recorded by Dan Menzone, Adam Steffey, Wyatt Rice, Rob Ickes, Rickie Simpkins, and Ronnie Simpkins on Dan Menzone's CD, "Frostbite".

Clicking on the International Songwriting Competition Link above will give you a chance to hear Lee's song and see the winners in the other categories.

Bluegrass In The International Songwriting Competition!

Lee Marcus, former banjo player for Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa sent us a note to help spread his good news.

My song "GONE BESERK" recorded by Dan Menzone is a finalist in the INSTRUMENTAL category for the International Songwriting Competition 2011. People can go here and vote for it once a day every day until the end of March:  http://www.sonicbids.com/voting/Default.aspx?p=372

Listen to a sample of the song on Dan's Website HERE

Lee thinks this is the only Bluegrass Song in the competition.

It was recorded by Dan Menzone, Adam Steffey, Wyatt Rice, Rob Ickes, Rickie Simpkins, and Ronnie Simpkins on Dan Menzone's CD, "Frostbite"


Follow Lee's Voting Instructions below.  There are a few steps involved.  The voting requires that you register with your Email Address first and then confirm by opening a link sent to you.   


It also will then ask for your mobile number but we were successful in getting through by entering all "9"s in the field.


Lee's Instructions are below, click READ  MORE!

Banjo BUZZ Challenge to Benefit St. Judes!

Lee Marcus, banjo player for Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa has launched a unique challenge for his fans and Facebook friends.

 Lee says, "I will get a banjo buzzed (drawn) in my hair and use it as the back cover of my solo CD if the  BANJO BUZZ CONTEST status gets "LIKEd" by 1,000 people.  If you want to see this happen, go to the page below and "LIKE" the status.

St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research
center where families never pay for
treatment not covered by insurance.
No child is ever denied treatment
because of the family’s inability to pay.

What started out as a unique promotional stunt for a new CD has become a grass-roots fundraiser for a worthwhile cause.   The Bluegrass Legacy reports that "Lee has lost his mind, ...but in a good way".  He's up'ed the anti now and in addition to the CD Cover, if 1,000 people "LIKE" the "BANJO BUZZ CONTEST" status before March 12, Lee says, "I will also donate all profits from my first 100 CDs ($1,500) to ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL®".

According to Lee, "I started the whole thing as a promotion for my upcoming CD. Also, I thought that getting a banjo cut in my hair would be very memorable. Then, I realized that this would be a chance to do something important as well. I've been wanting to donate to St. Jude for a while, but I've never had the means of doing so.

It only takes a thousand mouse clicks to make Lee's idea a success and so far he says he's about 25% toward his goal.   The deadline is March 12, 2011.

*** HERE IS THE LINK TO THE STATUS THAT NEEDS TO BE "LIKEd" ***
http://www.tinyurl.com/banjobuzzcontest


If you are not a fan of the "Lee Marcus" page yet, click here so you can "LIKE" the page and then "LIKE" the "BANJO BUZZ CONTEST" status:
http://www.facebook.com/leemarcusbanjo

_________About St. Jude______________

Founded in 1962 by the late Danny Thomas, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Ranked the No. 1 pediatric cancer hospital by Parents magazine and the No. 1 children’s cancer hospital by U.S. News & World Report, St. Jude is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world, serving as a trusted resource for physicians and researchers. St. Jude has developed research protocols that helped push overall survival rates for childhood cancer from less than 20 percent when the hospital opened to almost 80 percent today. St. Jude is the national coordinating center for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium and the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. In addition to pediatric cancer research, St. Jude is also a leader in sickle cell disease research and is a globally prominent research center for influenza.

Click Here For more information on  St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®

Front Page Bluegrass for week of Dec. 27, 2010

Right Click on file above and chose: "Save As"

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A new facebook page is designed for anything bluegrass.  It's A Bluegrass Life is a project of Banjo man Lee Marcus and anyone with a bluegrass story can upload and share.  Bluegrass bands can use the page for extra promotion.
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Oklahoma's Rockin' Acoustic Circus has been picked by Elmore Magazine as The bluegrass group to watch in 2011.  The story is featured in the JAN/FEB 2011 edition.
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Lonesome River Band is looking for a new Mandolin Player.  Auditions are being conducted through the bands website at LonesomeRiverBand dot com.
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Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike have added smart phone applications to their list of ingenius marketing strategies.  Look for ValerieSmith on the itunes applications page.
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Dr. Banjo, Pete Wernick has announced dates for his annual winter banjo camps in Boulder, CO.  More information can be found at Drbanjo.com
that's  D R  - banjo dot com
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The Grascals' guitar man Terry Eldridge has announced his engagement although no wedding date has been set.  The lucky lady is miss Catherine Lundy of Delaware.
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Tony Trischka and Steve Martin are teaming up for a major television documentary called "The Banjo Project"  donations are accepted at the project website: The Banjo Project dot O R G.