Pinecastle Artists Eligible For IBMA Awards Nominations
Emerging Artist of the Year:
Town Mountain brings a unique energy with their mix of original bluegrass material mixed with slow country crooning and a honky-tonk edge. Born out of the all night jam sessions and fertile picking scene of western North Carolina, Town Mountain has emerged as one of the premier young American bluegrass bands. With superb original material about topics ranging from love lost and heartache, to the weariness of a midnight drive across America’s heartland, to environmental commentary on mountainside development, Town Mountain’s music is sincere, honest, and heartfelt. They’ve played national festival stages like Merlefest (where they shared the stage with Jim Lauderdale during his bluegrass set this year), Rockygrass, and Pickathon.
“One of the finest up-and-coming bluegrass bands on the scene, Town Mountain plays a brand of music whose rawness and grit is a driving force. Besides their impeccable instrumentalism, lead singer Robert Greer has a voice you won’t soon forget.” – Kim Ruehl, About.com
Everyone is about to hear what all the fuss is about. Nu-Blu’s The Blu-Disc is beginning to be played by radio stations across the country. Their newest project is also their label debut with an August 9th street date. Husband and wife team Daniel and Carolyn Routh front the band, backed by the hard-hitting duo of Kendall Gales (mandolin) and Levi Austin (banjo). Nu-Blu creates a distinctive brand of bluegrass that draws from the band members’ collective experience in several different genres. The bluegrass drive is definitely a priority throughout all the diverse material they perform ranging from older bluegrass standards to selections ported from other genres.
“…If I could make a prediction, Nu-Blu will become a household name in the world of today’s Bluegrass music industry!” – Michael L. Browns (Deep Cut Bluegrass, BluegrassMix.com)
Dobro Player of the Year:
Phil Leadbetter has recently been touring with The Whites as well as performing dates around the Knoxville, TN area with his family band, The Leadbetters. Since his recent diagnosis with Hodgkins Lymphoma several benefits have been set up. Last month’s event at the Dumplin Valley Farm RV Park in Kodak, TN was well attended and featured some great music including The Whites, John Cowan, JD Crowe and The New South and a Wildfire reunion. Leadbetter was able to play several tunes with a few bands even though he had undergone a recent chemo treatment.
“He’s a resophonic guitar trailblazer and not one who is merely content to slide the established groove. Why, he’s even got Gibson “Phil Leadbetter Signature Dobro” named for him!” Joe Ross