Down On The Corner
David La Duke reports that his "Hey There, Who Am I?" track from his Have Rock Will Travel EP has been selected to be on Paradise Promotions' "Best Unsigned Act" CD. The CD will be distributed to all CMJ reporting stations. Way to go, DLD.
Steve Cooley of New Horizon sez he almost got on the Nashville Now show the other day. Unfortunately, the show was overbooked and he got bumped. Oh, well, he was in town on other business anyway. Maybe next month?
Mike Schroeder of the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra just won't let go of the details about the November convention of the American Classical Mandolin Society here in Derbytown, but he will say that there are going to be shows at the Macauley that he is trying to get taped for national distribution, plus there will be several players of international status, teaching master classes. He sez to stay tuned. . .
Jazz Guitarist Ann Howard Maxwell, daughter of Marian Maxwell of Shelbyville, is very happy with her new fusion album, Shadow of My Heart, on Voss Records. Proud mom Marian is spreading the word.
Rob Pickett filled me in on the changes with the Mighty Water Kings. Now there are two bands: Murphy's Law, with Mike Murphy, Jimmy Brown and John Burgard; and Rhino Ivory, composed of Paul McGerry, Jay Comstock, Jimmy Gardner and Jeff McAllister. Max Maxwell of Spanky Lee will fill for McAllister when McAllister is traveling with Lonnie Mack.
The April issue of Guitar Player magazine mentioned the KYANA Blues Society in an article called "Nothing But the Blues: a Guide to Resources." Ah, recognition, eh, Rocky?
Louisville is listed as number seventeen on the list of the twenty music scenes in the April issue of Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazine. Local bands The Boyz (misspelled in the mag) and Fire Department were the two local bands making the cut. The Phoenix Hill Tavern and the Toy Tiger made the club list. The overall list was determined by the readers of the magazine.
Speaking of The Boyz, they will be playing at a benefit concert at Lincoln Cotmty High school on Sunday, April 8. The benefit, also to feature Bugzy Moran, is to raise money to buy a Jaws of Life for the city of Stanford, Ky. fire Department bass player Mark Martin's brother, Mitchell Martin, was killed in an automobile accident in Stanford recently. His death might have been avoided had the town had the Jaws of Life device, which is used to pry victims of accidents out of their wrecked vehicles.
Marvin Maxwell says that the Spanky Lee CD project has reached the mastering stage, to be done at Masterphonics. A release date has not been set, but Maxwell is optimistic about the chance of a release within a month..
Jim Porter's Good Time Emporium has set April 6 and 7 as the Grand Opening Weekend for the redecorated nightclub. The Monarchs and the Experts will be in the Ballroom and Freddie George, Duke Marsh and Dana Roberts will handle the piano in the Melody Bar.
Prince Phillip Mitchell reports that Bobby "Blue" Bland has cut "Starting All Over Again," a Prince Phillip-penned song that was a pop hit for Mel and Tim in 1972 and again for Don Gibson in 1978 on the country charts. Mitchell says he has heard that the single is on the charts. He mentioned that he had just returned from Atlanta, where he is working on an eight-song album for Ichiban Records, tentatively called Starting From Scratch. May is the possible release date.