Radio playlists

Kabel 87.5 MHz - Omroep Venray - Ether 90.2 MHz:
Peelgrass playlist: 2347th Country Programme, Sun. 11 May

NeoRadio.nl:
NEO Country playlist, Tues. 15 Jan., 8.00-9.00 p.m.

Radio Vrolek, 107.7 MHz; local cable 105.5 MHz; Information TV-channel 2:
Country Music Round-up playlists, Tues. 19.00-20.00, Sat. 12.00-13.00

Radio Free FM Ulm, UKW 102.6:
Americana 220 playlist, Mon. 28 Apr., midnight-02.17*
Americana 221 playlist, Mon. 5 May, midnight-02.19*
Antistatic Country Time playlist, Mon. 28 Apr.

* Programmes in this series are broadcast live on Radio Free FM and Countrymusic24.com and repeated the following day at 17:30-20.00 European Continental time on Countrymusic24.com.

Bühl Festival to expand to two days in 2009

Walter Fuchs introduces Don Rigsby & Midnight Call at the Johannes Platz

Walter Fuchs reports that on 3 May at 19.00 it was officially announced that from next year on, the Bühl International Bluegrass Festival in south-west Germany will expand to two days as a result of the success of this year's festival, which was nearly sold out with two open-air concerts in the morning on two different stages in the middle of the city, in addition to the afternoon and evening shows. Photos from this year's event can be seen on the festival website.

On the plans for next year, Walter adds:

We start Friday night with two bands and on Saturday the usual four bands. In 2009 it will be held on Friday 1 May and Saturday 2 May. As far as our plans go there'll be four U.S. groups, one Austrian, and one German band. Our mayor is mighty proud and happy and so am I.

Niall Toner composition on Grand theft auto 4

Press release

Songwriter Niall Toner is delighted to announce that a song of his is featured on the biggest-selling video game of all time, Grand theft auto 4, with sales in excess of $7 million since its launch on 29 April.

Niall's song is called 'The Real Reel', aka 'The Dublin 2-Step', and is played during the scene in an Irish pub in NYC. Niall composed the song in 1990, and recorded it originally as a single for release on the Irish market which never happened. Then, through a publishing deal with Bardis Music in Dublin and Crucial Music in LA, the song was pitched and accepted for inclusion in GTA4.

When asked what this meant to a songwriter, Niall replied: 'This is the kind of break that every songwriter dreams about, and it's the biggest thrill of my writing career. It goes to show that you should never lose faith in a song you are proud of, and I hope it serves as an example to other writers who are waiting for a break. I would also have to say that this would never have happened without the hard work and dedication of two very determined publishers, Peter Bardon of Bardis Music in Dublin, and Tanvi Patel of Crucial Music in LA. Thanks, guys, let's get working on another one.'

Niall's new CD with his band, NTB3, which is his third all-original, all-acoustic project, is to be released on Avalon Records (AVCD006) on 25 May at Studio One in the RTE Radio Centre in Donnybrook, Dublin 4. For further information contact Niall at +353 (0)59-9157570/(0)87-2877299 or by e-mail.

Portrait of a winning band

Acousticure (Hungary), #1 European Bluegrass Band 2008, celebrate the award on stage near midnight on Saturday 3 May at the eleventh European World of Bluegrass Festival at Voorthuizen, the Netherlands.

Below: Zsolt Pinter (fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocal) delivers the acceptance speech on behalf of bandmates Geza Kremnitzky (mandolin, banjo, vocal), Peter Gyergyadesz (bass, vocal), and Andras Toth (guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin, vocal). Photos by courtesy of Liz Meyer.

EWOB Events, 6 - 13 May 2008

.357 Stringband 07-05-2008 Fuerth Germany

Infamous Stringdusters 07-05-2008 Lauf Germany

Sally Jones & the Sidewinders 07-05-2008 Spanbroek (Wadway) Netherlands

Midwob Festival 07-05-2008 Zoeterwoude Netherlands

Chatham County Line 07-05-2008 Leicester United Kingdom

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 07-05-2008 Manchester United Kingdom

Bill Keith Banjo Workshop 08-05-2008 Solingen Germany

Infamous Stringdusters 08-05-2008 Meiningen Germany

Fredericia Bluegrass Festival 08-05-2008 Fredericia Denmark

Acoustic Night 08-05-2008 Genova Italy

Sally Jones & the Sidewinders 08-05-2008 Valthermond Netherlands

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 08-05-2008 Cardiff United Kingdom

Chatham County Line 08-05-2008 Renfrewshire United Kingdom

Beverly Smith & Carl Jones 08-05-2008 Pembroke, Wales United Kingdom

CCC Inc 09-05-2008 Hoofddorp Netherlands

Infamous Stringdusters 09-05-2008 Lutherstadt-Eisleben Germany

Fredericia Bluegrass Festival 09-05-2008 Fredericia Denmark

Acoustic Night 09-05-2008 Genova Italy

Chatham County Line 09-05-2008 Chorley United Kingdom

Beverly Smith & Carl Jones 09-05-2008 South Molton United Kingdom

Irish Night 10-05-2008 Greifenburg Germany

Bluegrass 10-05-2008 Skrolovice near Zdar nad Sazavou Czech Republic

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 10-05-2008 Duesseldorf Germany

Fredericia Bluegrass Festival 10-05-2008 Fredericia Denmark

Acoustic Night 10-05-2008 Genova Italy

Mideando String Quintet 11-05-2008 Vlagtwedde (Harpel) Netherlands

Beverly Smith & Carl Jones 11-05-2008 Bridgewater (Somerset) United Kingdom

Chatham County Line 11-05-2008 Newcastle United Kingdom

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 11-05-2008 Brussels Belgium

Infamous Stringdusters 11-05-2008 Lievelde Netherlands

Chatham County Line 11-05-2008 London United Kingdom

Big Bear Festival 12-05-2008 Zuidlaren Netherlands

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 13-05-2008 Paris France

Sally Jones & the Sidewinders 14-05-2008 Teufen Switzerland

The 2008 European Bluegrass Band Awards

The weather was almost perfect for the 11th European World of Bluegrass Festival, sponsored by the European Bluegrass Music Association on 1-3 May. Attendance remained at peak level, the little Dutch town of Voorthuizen bursting with bluegrass music for 3 days as bands performed throughout the village, and musicians jammed in every corner of the festival venue. The EWOB 2008 Festival featured 41 wonderful bands from 15 countries, including special USA guests Sally Jones & the Sidewinders, Appalachian Uprising, and Dick Staber & Judith Chasnoff, and EWOB's first groups from Norway (Ile Auto and The Holstein United Bluegrass Boys) and Spain (Lluis Gomez Quartet and Autopista 6).
The EWOB 2008 Festival in the Netherlands is the apex of the 30-day European World of Bluegrass, fostering the growth of bluegrass music in cooperation this year with 195 European festivals and events taking place during the "International Bluegrass Month" of May. The EWOB Festival is a music festival and professional convention with trade show and workshops, and hosts the annual European Bluegrass Band competition. In 2003, EWOB became the only European festival ever to win the International Bluegrass Music Association's prestigious Bluegrass Event of the Year Award.
We are very pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 European Bluegrass Band Awards, chosen by the EWOB 2008 Festival musicians as their reigning champions:
#1 European Bluegrass Band 2008: Acousticure, Hungary
#2 European Bluegrass Band 2008: Petr Brandejs Band, Czech Republic
#3 European Bluegrass Band 2008: Four Wheel Drive, NL/G/B
In addition to the professional band awards, the EWOB Festival audience always elects its own favorite groups from the three days of showcase performances:
#1 Audience Popularity Award, EWOB 2008: Bluegrass Cwrkot, Czech Republic
#2 Audience Popularity Award, EWOB 2008: Blackjack, Czech Republic
#3 Audience Popularity Award, EWOB 2008: Sunny Side, Czech Republic

The #1 European Bluegrass Band 2008, Acousticure, is the first bluegrass band from Hungary to appear at this colorful international gathering, performing at the past 2 European World of Bluegrass Festivals. An energetic 4-piece group of impressive multi-instrumentalists, Acousticure keeps the sound crew hopping with frequent instrument changes. Their young spokesman, mandolin-fiddler-guitarist Zsolt Pinter, has spent enough time in the USA to speak English like a native, and has a remarkable command of bluegrass-country vocals. Acousticure's musical vision playfully fuses bluegrass influences from old-time to newgrass, often incorporating their native Hungarian folk music. (An example of the latter, Kis Kece Lanyom, can be heard on the European World of Bluegrass 2007 CD from Strictly Country Records.) The US bluegrass scene will get a chance to experience Acousticure onstage in Nashville at the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) World of Bluegrass convention in October 2009, where they will perform as the #1 European Bluegrass Band.
ACOUSTICURE:
Zsolt Pinter: fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocal
Geza Kremnitzky - mandolin, banjo, vocal
Peter Gyergyadesz - bass, vocal
Andras Toth - guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin, vocal
Congratulations to all the EWOB 2008 award winners, and many thanks to all the talented musicians who traveled to Holland to share their music at the EWOB 2008 Festival. It was unforgettable.
www.ewob.eu

"10 Years of European World of Bluegrass" is #1 on FOLK RADIO for airplay in April 2008

Liz Meyer of Strictly Country Records and EWOB reports "European bluegrass is making its mark! Our new double CD, "10 YEARS OF EUROPEAN WORLD OF BLUEGRASS" is #1 on FOLK RADIO for airplay in April 2008! The 3 songs listed are the tracks most played, but many tracks from this remarkable album have been getting airplay. The album features 48 bands from 15 lands, including the #1 European Bluegrass Bands, 15 guest artists from the USA and Canada, and 33 of Europe's finest. Most of the radio programs reporting their playlists here are located in the USA and Canada, but a handful of Australian DJs report, as well as Israel, New Zealand, and Germany.
We'll be sending more news on the heels of this report, because the European World of Bluegrass 2008 Festival has just ended, and we are preparing the press release to let you know the winners! And the 10 YEARS OF EWOB CD has just received its first press review, from the Louisville Music News in Kentucky - a "5-star" review from bluegrass writer and DJ Bob Mitchell!"
View complete list here...
Strictly Country Records/ Strictly Music
PO Box 628, 2130 AP Hoofddorp
The Netherlands
TEL: +31-297-347-101
www.strictlycountryrecords.com