Down On The Corner
Cheryl Woods, a former member of the LASC, called to say that she had made the trek to the Blue Bird Cafe in Nashville to audition. She's scheduled to play her three tunes in March 1998.
The Nashville Entertainment Association is once more searching for bands willing to give them ten dollars to listen to their demo tapes for teh NEA Extravaganza '98, set for February 18-21 in Nashville. Call 615-327-4308 for more info.
I failed to mention that at the MERF Blues & Barbeque event, the celebrity judges picked Rollin' Ribs to take home the trophy.
Tune in your TKR Public Access channel (14 or 18) on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. for a new show,Louisville Music News. Guess what it's about. For the first show in August, we got Paul Kand Muffy.
The Chaz has picked up another endorsement, DR Strings. Smashing Pumpkins, Adam Clayton (U2) and Sting all play DR Strings. Keep it up, guy, and you'll never have to buy gear again. Chaz is also close to inking a deal with John Conti Coffee for "Black Coffee," a recent composition. Details will unquestionably be forthcoming.
Chaz is not the only Louisville act getting in on the endorsement opportunities. The Velcro Pygmies have signed a national sponsorship agreement with Water Joe, the caffeinated bottled water company. Water Joe will be available at all Pygs shows (as well as theother important beverage – beer.)
How about a FREE guitar clinic, at the Toy Tiger, featuring Bobby Rock, Neil Zaza and Bill Dickens? Hm? If that rattles your chains, touch base with Music Warehouse to confirm that there's room. It's on Friday, August 1, 7p.m. The clinic is sponsored by Music Warehouse and Peavey Music Instrument Co.
Tim Krekel has been taking up the time of several local musicians as well as that of Todd Smith, studio engineer at Allen Martin Productions, during his current recording project. The project has no name as yet. Plans are to shop the album. With Krekel's recent successes, particularly with his collaboration with Matraca Berg, "You Can Feel Bad If It Makes You Better," he should get a somewhat warmer reception at his record labels of choice.
Jack Fry regular Scotty MacLaury got a nice write-up in the July/August issue of Louisville Jazz Society's newsletter. Among the other facts about MacLaury's life is the tidbit that a relative, Tom MacLaury, was involved in the famous shoot-out at the O. K. Corral.
Shelby McDowell has put together Obasa, a bossa nova band. He said he figures it's the one kind of fun music that's not currently being played in the Kentuckiana area.
E-mail from the band Backyard Grill: They're leaving town soon. Their last show as Backyard Grill will be on August 14 at the Rudyard Kipling. In January of next year, they will be moving to the Philadelphia area The band's name will change to Full Moon Jam.
Ken Hardy of String Relief is offering a free page on the Web to musicians in Louisville.. Go play on the Wednesday Artist Night at the Flashback, 2126 S. Preston, and Hardy will take a picture, assemble a biography or other promotional copy and post it on a free page at http://www.ntr.net/~khardy.
Fans of the Cajun boogie Queen, Marcia Ball, will no doubt jump on Ball's new Rounder Records CD,Let Me Play With Your Poodle. The title tune has been getting airplay on WFPK and is the source of much amusement, as well as licentious leering.
Rounder has also releasedYou're Nice People You Are, an album of children's music by those noted children's performers, NRBQ. That should be worth a listen.
Ricky Skaggs has signed on to host the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, set for Thursday, October 16, at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. What, you haven't heard that the IBMA is moving their October convention to Louisville? Bluegrass in downtown Louisville again? It's enough to make the bluebloods bilious, no doubt.
There may be some tickets to the awards show, which is ordinarily sold out. The larger KCA space may make it possible for a few lucky souls to get in to hear the very best bluegrass in the world.
While we're on the subject of bluegrass, a couple of local bands' recordings got nice write-ups in the IBMA magazine. Kentucky Blue'sEighteen Years Ago and Gary Brewer's project with Phillip Sexton,The 5th Generation, both were reviewed in the July/August edition.
Fans of public radio were saddened by the arson fire at the Electric Building, which was to be the new home of the Public Radio Partnership. We'll all be keeping our fingers crossed that the structure can be saved and converted into the radio stations' offices.
Keyboard magazine has a review of the Java Men'sA Letter to Saint Paul in the August issue. The review is short, but, better late than never and itis a national publication.
Mel Bay, 84, the legendary music publisher and instructor, died on May 14.
James D. Collard, 61, died July 14 in Louisville. He organized and sang with the Echoes of Faith gospel group.
Ordie Lee Day, 71, died in Louisville on July 18. Day was an accordionist who played with Clayton's McMichen's Georgia Wildcats and with the Ragtime Trio.
John Lawson Robinette, 69, died on July 12 in Louisville. He was a country singer.