The N.C. Music Hall has announced its newest class (Class of '10). These pioneers will be honored in October in Kannapolis as the newest members of the Music Hall.
Among the honorees are Andy Griffith, Doc Watson, Shriley Caesar and Donna Fargo.
The induction ceremony will be held October 7 at the Core Labratory Building on the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis. The N.C. Music Hall opened there in 2009.
N.C. Music Hall Class of 2010
Performing Artists:
Maurice Williams, recording artist, Charlotte
Andy Griffith, gospel recording artist, Mount Airy/Wilmington
Donna Fargo, country recording artist, Mount Airy
Arthur Smith, country composer, performer, producer, Charlotte
George Hamilton IV, country recording artist, Winston-Salem
Doc Watson, country/bluegrass vocalist, musician, Deep Gap/North Wilkesboro
Curly Seckler, bluegrass vocalist and musician, China Grove
Dr. Bill Taylor, jazz pianist, composer, Greenville
Shirley Caesar, gospel recording artist, Durham
Deceased:
Don Gibson, country recording artist and composer, Shelby
Les Brown, Big Band leader, Durham
Oliver (William Oliver Swofford), recording artist, North Wilkesboro
Non-Performing Artists:
Don Schlitz, composer, guitarist and soloist, Durham
Showing posts with label bluegrass. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bluegrass. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Steve Martin to play MerleFest; met his band in North Carolina
Comedian, author, musician and "wild and crazy guy" Steve Martin will bring his band the Steep Canyon Rangers to Wilkesboro's MerleFest later this month, according to reports. The band is on its second nationwide tour.
Martin, in fact, told the crowd at a recent performance at the 250-seat Largo theater in Los Angeles that he met the band at a party in North Carolina, but joked, "when we're in California, I tell people we met in rehab."
Yet when it comes to the music from his Grammy-winning bluegrass album, "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo," Martin is all serious.
A banjo player for 45 years, Martin says he wrote all 15 tracks on his album, which spent a year atop Billboard's bluegrass charts. The previous tour included stops in Charlotte, but the band's Web site listed none so far this time around.
Other Carolinas dates are planned for this tour, including MerleFest, the annual tribute to the music of North Carolina's own Doc and Merle Watson. The band plays solo performances there on April 30 and May 1 and with Martin on May 1.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Quick hits: Musical bonanza
Pickler's latest will separate her from the country-music pack
"It's hard not to like Albemarle's Kellie Pickler, especially if you're from the Carolinas," says the Charlotte Observer.
"Pickler's down-home charm, unapologetic honesty and humor has helped the former 'American Idol' finalist establish herself as one of country music's rising young female stars. She picked up three CMT Music Awards earlier this year; she'll compete for New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards on Nov. 12; and her self-titled sophomore album hit stores Tuesday.
"Having recorded her gold-selling debut 'Small Town Girl' while touring with “American Idol,” Pickler took a larger role in crafting her follow-up: She co-wrote half the disc's tracks. ..."
North Carolina Music Hall of Fame ... in Kannapolis?
"What do Earl Scruggs, Thelonious Monk, and Shirley Caesar have in common? They are all Grammy Award Winning Musicians from the state of North Carolina. Earl Scruggs (Shelby), Thelonious Monk (Rocky Mount), along with fellow North Carolinians, John Coltrane (Hamlet) and Doc Watson (Deep Gap) have been honored with the Grammy lifetime achievement award. Shirley Caesar (Durham) has received 11 Grammy awards and 7 Dove Awards throughout her career as a gospel singer. In fact North Carolina has produced some of the finest musicians in the modern world, but surprisingly, very few people are aware of North Carolina’s rich musical heritage.
"North Carolinians have helped shape every category of the music world, from country to rap, indie to pop, and from big band to jug band," writes New Raleigh. "Nina Simone (Tryon), Tori Amos (Newton), Charlie Daniels (Wilmington), George Clinton (Kannapolis), and of course Andy Griffith (Mount Airy), all have received numerous awards for their various contributions to the field, yet where would a person go to be explore this history?
"Many people might believe that the young James Taylor was baptized in the ol’ well at UNC on the day of his birth, although he was actually born in Boston. Both he and Tift Merrit were born outside the state, but graduated from the University of North Carolina.
"But nowhere in the entire state are all of these musicians and their achievements showcased. Why doesn’t North Carolina have a Music History Museum? Also, why is North Carolina creating the NC Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis? ..."
"It's hard not to like Albemarle's Kellie Pickler, especially if you're from the Carolinas," says the Charlotte Observer.
"Pickler's down-home charm, unapologetic honesty and humor has helped the former 'American Idol' finalist establish herself as one of country music's rising young female stars. She picked up three CMT Music Awards earlier this year; she'll compete for New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards on Nov. 12; and her self-titled sophomore album hit stores Tuesday.
"Having recorded her gold-selling debut 'Small Town Girl' while touring with “American Idol,” Pickler took a larger role in crafting her follow-up: She co-wrote half the disc's tracks. ..."
North Carolina Music Hall of Fame ... in Kannapolis?
"What do Earl Scruggs, Thelonious Monk, and Shirley Caesar have in common? They are all Grammy Award Winning Musicians from the state of North Carolina. Earl Scruggs (Shelby), Thelonious Monk (Rocky Mount), along with fellow North Carolinians, John Coltrane (Hamlet) and Doc Watson (Deep Gap) have been honored with the Grammy lifetime achievement award. Shirley Caesar (Durham) has received 11 Grammy awards and 7 Dove Awards throughout her career as a gospel singer. In fact North Carolina has produced some of the finest musicians in the modern world, but surprisingly, very few people are aware of North Carolina’s rich musical heritage.
"North Carolinians have helped shape every category of the music world, from country to rap, indie to pop, and from big band to jug band," writes New Raleigh. "Nina Simone (Tryon), Tori Amos (Newton), Charlie Daniels (Wilmington), George Clinton (Kannapolis), and of course Andy Griffith (Mount Airy), all have received numerous awards for their various contributions to the field, yet where would a person go to be explore this history?
"Many people might believe that the young James Taylor was baptized in the ol’ well at UNC on the day of his birth, although he was actually born in Boston. Both he and Tift Merrit were born outside the state, but graduated from the University of North Carolina.
"But nowhere in the entire state are all of these musicians and their achievements showcased. Why doesn’t North Carolina have a Music History Museum? Also, why is North Carolina creating the NC Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis? ..."
Friday, November 16, 2007
Bill Leslie on the Hometown Opry
WRAL stalwart Bill Leslie writes about North Wilkesboro's "Hometown Opry" on his Carolina Conversations blog.
"Doc Watson has played there. So has Ricky Skaggs and many others. If you're into bluegrass music I would suggest a trip to North Wilkesboro some Friday morning to Minton Pawn & Music Company downtown," writes Leslie.
"Every Friday morning at 7:00 A.M. pickers and grinners gather for a two hour back porch bluegrass session. It's free and tons of fun."
There's even a multimedia, black-and-white slideshow of the opry here. Definitely worth checking out.
"Doc Watson has played there. So has Ricky Skaggs and many others. If you're into bluegrass music I would suggest a trip to North Wilkesboro some Friday morning to Minton Pawn & Music Company downtown," writes Leslie.
"Every Friday morning at 7:00 A.M. pickers and grinners gather for a two hour back porch bluegrass session. It's free and tons of fun."
There's even a multimedia, black-and-white slideshow of the opry here. Definitely worth checking out.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Quick hits: Bluegrass pioneer honored, as is Biltmore's Inn
Bluegrass great low-key about N.C. Heritage Award
"George Shuffler is the first to admit he doesn't move as fast as he used to. But he still gets around his farm pretty well, even though he has to lean on a cane," writes our good friend David Menconi of the News & Observer.
" 'My hips are just about wore out,' Shuffler says, showing a visitor around the farm. He has lived on this Burke County spread 180 miles west of Raleigh for all of his 82 years -- except for the decades he spent on the road playing guitar behind the Stanley Brothers, Don Reno and other legends of bluegrass. ...
"Standing in the bright autumn sunshine, lamenting a farmer's hardships, Shuffler could be any other old-timer. For long stretches of his life, that's who he has been. A visitor would likely never guess that Shuffler is one of the most influential bluegrass guitarists to ever hoist a pick.
"That will be discussed at some length today in Raleigh, where Shuffler will be feted with an N.C. Heritage Award.
"He'll attend the ceremony, and he'll probably enjoy it. But like another famous Tar Heel guitarist, Doc Watson, Shuffler isn't entirely comfortable with people making a fuss. ..."
The Inn on Biltmore Estate one of the Top 10 resorts for parents & kids
The readers of Travel + Leisure have voted for the Top Resorts for Parents & Kids. Making the list - which includes properties from the U.S., excluding the states Hawaii and Florida -- is Asheville's Inn on Biltmore Estate.
Writes the publication: "Some grounds! 8,000 acres of field and stream surround George Vanderbilt's 1895 Biltmore mansion. Kid magnet: the on-site River Bend Farm, which re-creates rural life in the 1890's."
"George Shuffler is the first to admit he doesn't move as fast as he used to. But he still gets around his farm pretty well, even though he has to lean on a cane," writes our good friend David Menconi of the News & Observer.
" 'My hips are just about wore out,' Shuffler says, showing a visitor around the farm. He has lived on this Burke County spread 180 miles west of Raleigh for all of his 82 years -- except for the decades he spent on the road playing guitar behind the Stanley Brothers, Don Reno and other legends of bluegrass. ...
"Standing in the bright autumn sunshine, lamenting a farmer's hardships, Shuffler could be any other old-timer. For long stretches of his life, that's who he has been. A visitor would likely never guess that Shuffler is one of the most influential bluegrass guitarists to ever hoist a pick.
"That will be discussed at some length today in Raleigh, where Shuffler will be feted with an N.C. Heritage Award.
"He'll attend the ceremony, and he'll probably enjoy it. But like another famous Tar Heel guitarist, Doc Watson, Shuffler isn't entirely comfortable with people making a fuss. ..."
The Inn on Biltmore Estate one of the Top 10 resorts for parents & kids
The readers of Travel + Leisure have voted for the Top Resorts for Parents & Kids. Making the list - which includes properties from the U.S., excluding the states Hawaii and Florida -- is Asheville's Inn on Biltmore Estate.
Writes the publication: "Some grounds! 8,000 acres of field and stream surround George Vanderbilt's 1895 Biltmore mansion. Kid magnet: the on-site River Bend Farm, which re-creates rural life in the 1890's."
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Quick hits: Shells, Scruggs and slices
Bill to preserve oyster shells moves ahead
"The state legislature is a step away from preventing a repeat of the oyster controversy that saw the N.C. Department of Transportation shelled with criticism earlier this year," according to the Wilmington Star-News.
"On Tuesday, the state House approved, 115-1, its final version of a bill that would prohibit any state government agency from using oyster shells in landscaping or highway beautification projects. ...
"The passage of the law will bring to an end an episode that began in March when roadside crews dumped 2,000 bushels of shells as part of a beautification project near the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge.
"The scene was also piled with irony as just a few hundred feet away was a popular drop-off site that is part of a statewide effort to collect shells for use in programs to restore the state's oyster fishery.
"As the shells went down, other state agencies were trying to increase awareness of oyster recovery efforts and the General Assembly had banned shells from landfills and was working on establishing oyster hatcheries at the state's aquariums. ..."
Pickin' and grinnin'
"Bluegrass great Earl Scruggs was in attendance as he and fellow Shelby native Don Gibson were honored by both the House and Senate [on Tuesday at the General Assembly]," according to the Associated Press. "The chambers passed a resolution celebrating Scruggs and Gibson, the country performer and songwriter who died in 2003, for their contributions to the arts and the prestige they brought to their home state.
" 'I'm really delighted and pleased to be here,' Scruggs told the Senate. 'My heart's always in North Carolina.'
"A number of lawmakers rose to praise the performers, with only Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, finding a downside to the proceedings: 'There's one thing missing from this bill -- a requirement for Earl Scruggs to play for the House today.' ..."
Take a Pinehurst 'sabbatical'
"How good a golfer could you become if you could take time off and really work on your game, with top-notch instruction, equipment and world-class places to play? For just a thousand bucks a day, you can now find out," blogs Larry Olmsted on USA Today.
"I get a lot of bizarre press releases and package 'deals' across my desk these days, but this one, from Pinehurst Resort, really stood out. On the one hand it is a lot of money, and very few readers will even be able to consider it halfway seriously. On the other hand, who wouldn’t want to try it? Especially since this is no gimmick destination, but rather the nation’s most storied golf resort, the first destination golf resort in the United States, the only place that has hosted the PGA Championship, the US Open and the Ryder Cup, and the closest thing we have to St. Andrews, an entire charming town that lives and breathes the spirit of the game.
"So what is this package? It is the Pinehurst Golf Sabbatical, and it was introduced to celebrate this year’s 100th birthday of the legendary Number Two course, the most revered of the eight layouts that make Pinehurst the nation’s largest golf resort, and the second largest in the world. Number Two hosts all the big tournaments and was the seminal work of Donald Ross, considered by many the greatest American designer (at least after he moved here from his native Scotland, living out his entire adult life in Pinehurst in a house alongside the course). ..."
"The state legislature is a step away from preventing a repeat of the oyster controversy that saw the N.C. Department of Transportation shelled with criticism earlier this year," according to the Wilmington Star-News.
"On Tuesday, the state House approved, 115-1, its final version of a bill that would prohibit any state government agency from using oyster shells in landscaping or highway beautification projects. ...
"The passage of the law will bring to an end an episode that began in March when roadside crews dumped 2,000 bushels of shells as part of a beautification project near the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge.
"The scene was also piled with irony as just a few hundred feet away was a popular drop-off site that is part of a statewide effort to collect shells for use in programs to restore the state's oyster fishery.
"As the shells went down, other state agencies were trying to increase awareness of oyster recovery efforts and the General Assembly had banned shells from landfills and was working on establishing oyster hatcheries at the state's aquariums. ..."
Pickin' and grinnin'
"Bluegrass great Earl Scruggs was in attendance as he and fellow Shelby native Don Gibson were honored by both the House and Senate [on Tuesday at the General Assembly]," according to the Associated Press. "The chambers passed a resolution celebrating Scruggs and Gibson, the country performer and songwriter who died in 2003, for their contributions to the arts and the prestige they brought to their home state.
" 'I'm really delighted and pleased to be here,' Scruggs told the Senate. 'My heart's always in North Carolina.'
"A number of lawmakers rose to praise the performers, with only Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, finding a downside to the proceedings: 'There's one thing missing from this bill -- a requirement for Earl Scruggs to play for the House today.' ..."
Take a Pinehurst 'sabbatical'
"How good a golfer could you become if you could take time off and really work on your game, with top-notch instruction, equipment and world-class places to play? For just a thousand bucks a day, you can now find out," blogs Larry Olmsted on USA Today.
"I get a lot of bizarre press releases and package 'deals' across my desk these days, but this one, from Pinehurst Resort, really stood out. On the one hand it is a lot of money, and very few readers will even be able to consider it halfway seriously. On the other hand, who wouldn’t want to try it? Especially since this is no gimmick destination, but rather the nation’s most storied golf resort, the first destination golf resort in the United States, the only place that has hosted the PGA Championship, the US Open and the Ryder Cup, and the closest thing we have to St. Andrews, an entire charming town that lives and breathes the spirit of the game.
"So what is this package? It is the Pinehurst Golf Sabbatical, and it was introduced to celebrate this year’s 100th birthday of the legendary Number Two course, the most revered of the eight layouts that make Pinehurst the nation’s largest golf resort, and the second largest in the world. Number Two hosts all the big tournaments and was the seminal work of Donald Ross, considered by many the greatest American designer (at least after he moved here from his native Scotland, living out his entire adult life in Pinehurst in a house alongside the course). ..."
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