Newsletter : April 2010

Strings LP - Now Available
The blogosphere meets the physical world with Parlortone's latest release entitled "Strings," a compilation of stringed instrument music from around the world. This is the first record in a series which takes its title from compiler Jonathan Ward's excellent blog Excavated Shellac. Although none of the tracks on the "Strings" LP have been featured on Ward's site, fans of the blog will be familiar with his superb musical selections accompanied by his insightful notes for each track. Those unfamiliar with Ward's work should check out this recent write-up on Boing Boing, and click here for a sample track from "Strings." If you would like more information about this title, or if you want to order a copy, here is the Paypal link, and here is the Visa/Mastercard link.

Celebrating a Sesquicentennial
Friday April 9th marks the 150th anniversary of the recording of "Au Clair de la Lune" by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville — the earliest recognizable record of the human voice yet recovered. To commemorate this landmark achievement First Sounds will be introducing fresh new facsimiles of Scott’s manuscripts taken directly from their scans of the documents, as well as notations and inscriptions on every known phonautogram. Here in the Dust-to-Digital office, we will be playing Parlortone's one-sided 45prm record of the release. If you would like to blast this 20-second-long piece of audio history on your turntable, copies are still available.

Website and Radio Updates
Earth Is No Resting Place is a website that serves as an audio/visual aggregator of old-time music and traditions found around the web. Visit this site to check out noteworthy items we would like to share with you. Bookmark the address to take advantage of the daily updates: http://norestingplace.tumblr.com/ or use this address for your RSS Reader: http://norestingplace.tumblr.com/rss

In the past six months, there has been an increase in Dust-to-Digital's presence via both the terrestrial and virtual airwaves. Joe Bussard's Country Classics is now available as a free weekly podcast. Art Rosenbaum's Backroads & Banjos recently received its own webpage on the newly revamped website of WMLB - Atlanta's Voice of the Arts. Speaking of WMLB, the station has also given a bi-weekly show to Rev. Johnny L. "Hurricane" Jones. In the meantime, we have posted one of Johnny's vintage sermons entitled "Life Is Like a Ball Game." As Atlanta rushes to usher in the Jason Heyward era of baseball, listeners can listen to a sermon written in the times of Hank Aaron and learn "how to keep Satan from striking us out."

Recent Events
Photos taken at the Great Southern Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee and at the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, North Carolina have been posted to the Dust-to-Digital Flickr page. We had a great time at both events and are happy we got to see some familiar faces and meet some folks who share similar interests.

Upcoming Events
The fact that everything outdoors is covered in neon-yellow pollen can mean only one thing. Spring is right around the corner, and so are many great concerts, festivals and gatherings — some of which are listed below.

34th Annual Hillbilly Days
When: April 15-17
Where: Pikeville, Kentucky
Festivities include the Corn Hole Tournament, the Hillbilly Hero Banjo Pickin' Contest, the Hoe Down Contest and the "Hillbilly Legends" Contest.

Juke Joint Festival
When: April 16-18
Where: Clarksdale, Mississippi
This “half small-town fair, half blues festival” does more than simply entertain attendees. It aims to educate and enlighten native Deltans and blues tourists alike through a series of performances, exhibits, and presentations involving music, art, storytelling, film, and children’s events.

Carolina Chocolate Drops with the Gee's Bend Quilters
When: April 17
Where: Atlanta, Georgia
The Carolina Chocolate Drops invite you to support the Music Maker Relief Foundation by purchasing a special VIP ticket for their performance on April 17th in Atlanta, GA with opening acts the Gee’s Bend Singers and Music Maker artists including Sweet Betty, Eddie Tigner, Albert White, Lil’ Joe, Tommy Brown, Beverly “Guitar” Watkins & Mudcat.

Class with Gee's Bend Quilters
When: April 17
Where: Decatur, Georgia
Spend an afternoon quilting with a few of the quilters from Gee's Bend, Alabama. They will be in Decatur to take part in a fundraiser for the Music Maker Relief Foundation on Saturday April 17th, and singing with the Carolina Chocolate Drops at the Variety Playhouse. They have offered to teach at Intown Quilters. Come spend the afternoon with the quilters, tearing into old clothing, learning how they go about their quilt-making and have some fun.

International String Band Festival
When: April 24
Where: Calhoun, Georgia
Free performances with contests throughout the day and a concert at night.

Festival International de Louisiane
When: April 21-25
Where: Lafayette, Louisiana
Festival International de Louisiane is a community-based, non-profit arts organization formed in 1986. The Festival places special emphasis on highlighting the connections between Acadiana and the Francophone world. Each year performing, visual and culinary artists from Europe, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean and the Americas are invited to share their talents with Louisiana artists, residents and visitors.

Odds and Ends
Ian Nagoski has a good bit going on these days.

Tiger Woods did not really send these text messages to Joe Bussard.

Roseanne Cash really has been saying nice things about Goodbye, Babylon.

The Brother Claude Ely book + CD should be out in early July.

The John Fahey set is looking like it will be 5 CDs + a record, and it should be ready for an end-of-August or early-September release.

Several two-CD sets that have been in the works for a long time are getting finished up and should be ready by June.

The first Rev. Johnny L. Jones CD is being finalized and should be complete soon.

More information will be provided in the near future. Until then, have a great Spring!