Michael Martin Murphey and his Buckaroo Blue Grass friends ride again on the February 9, 2010 album release of BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS II.  The album expands on his passions of his Grammy nominated album, “BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS,” creating fully acoustic bluegrass versions of songs about the region to which Murphey has been deeply connected for a lifetime – the American Southwest.

The high lonesome sound in bluegrass music has always appealed to the cowboy soul. Somehow the acoustic instruments used in bluegrass have a drive, energy and expansive quality – an almost mystical “wide open country” sort of feeling that seems built into the design. You can hear and feel it on Rob Ickes’ country sound in the new version of “Wildfire.” It seems the American West has produced “running-wide-open” acoustic musicians like Pat Flynn, Sam Bush, Rob Ickes and Ryan Murphey who have been key in developing the Buckaroo Blue Grass sound as they blaze a trail connecting Cowboy and Western music to Bluegrass by exploring Wild West sonic spaces.

Murphey has utilized his label’s strong roster of top bluegrass artists to help further define his Buckaroo Blue Grass sound. Included on the new album is a powerful duet performance with bluegrass veteran Audie Blaylock covering the classic Marty Robbins hit “Running Gun.” Also, included is a stunning duet version of his mega hit, “Wildfire” with # 1 hit artist, Carrie Hassler.

Michael Martin Murphey’s songs have been recorded by bluegrass artists such as Flatt and Scruggs, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Seldom Scene, Country Gentlemen, Bluegrass Cardinals, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and many others. BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS II reprises many of his songs covered by bluegrass bands, performed with a stellar cast of bluegrass players and singers that includes; Carrie Hassler, Audie Blaylock, Sam Bush, Rob Ickes, Andy Hall, Ronnie McCoury, Pat Flynn, Charlie Cushman, Andy Leftwich and more.

For more information on Michael Martin Murphey and his Grammy nominated album, BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS, and next week’s BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS II, please visit his site or Rural Rhythm Records

Pete Wernick (“Dr. Banjo”) announces the release of a two-hour instructional DVD, Make Up Your Own Banjo Solos, Vol. 2, (Homespun). Volume 2 is a follow-up Read more…

Rural Rhythm Records is proud to announce the upcoming April 13, 2010 album release of “CAROLINA HURRICANE” by bluegrass band, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road. Read more…

When a beloved musical group decides it’s time to retire, that doesn’t mean their music becomes a thing of the past. Just ask Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, Read more…

On March 2, Rounder will release Rounder Records’ 40^th Anniversary Concert, an album of the concert that celebrated the label’s 40 years in the music industry.   Recorded in October 2009 at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, the concert will also be presented as a PBS television special that will begin airing on the network in March, 2010 and released on DVD in May.  Read more…

Rural Rhythm Records is proud to announce the January 12, 2010 new album release, “SOUTHERN” by Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie. The band kicks off Read more…

Sugar Hill Records announces the signing of the Portland, OR based group Black Prairie.  The band is comprised of three moonlighting members of The Decemberists Read more…

2010 marks the 35th Anniversary for Greg Cahill’s continually evolving band Special Consensus.  Cahill and the boys are in the studio recording six new tracks featuring two new members, Rick Faris and Ryan Roberts. Read more…

Darren Beachley & Legends of the Potomac are nearing completion of “Take Off” the band’s debut release. The band had hoped for a January-February release but forces of nature have been standing in the way. ” I had an awful spell with bronchitis”, Darren Beachley shared,” It took 4 weeks and 3 different trips to the doctors to get over”. “We had to back up doing some of the vocals”. “We are really excited about the project, we have been really working hard and been very critical making sure it’s just like we want it”. Our single (Love You Don’t Know) has been getting great airplay and really great reviews”. “We have some great new songs from Paula Breedlove, Brad Davis, Country Music Hall of Fame Member Tom T Hall his wife Mrs. Dixie and Don Rigsby contributed “Tall Weeds & Rust”. “We even were able to get Tom T to do a guest vocal”. “Robert Gately, Rhonda Gunn, Hugh Moffet along with some chestnuts from The Louvin Brothers,Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens”. Mixing on the project continues through the month of December and the band is now hoping for a late February early March release.