The Grascals (and Bradley Walker) are coming!

Okay, so this subject line doesn't carry quite the same urgency as those words from Mr. Revere, but fans of the the 2006 IBMA Entertainers of the Year -- the Grascals -- will be delighted to know that they have something to which they can look forward coming up very quickly in the new year. The Reader's Digest condensed version is this: The Grascals & Bradley Walker will be playing at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, MA on Saturday, January 13th at 7:30PM. Tickets are available now through the BBU website: www.bbu.org. If you'd like more-detailed information about the performers or the show itself, here's the announcement email from BBU's Gerry Katz. Read on:

Holiday greetings from the BBU -

We continue our 31st concert season on Saturday, January 13 with the Grascals plus special guest Bradley Walker at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, MA. I'm a huge fan of these guys and believe this will be the hottest show that the BBU has presented in in a long, long time. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased on line or via mail. I encourage you to get your tickets early for this performance.

The Grascals exploded onto the bluegrass scene in 2005, and it only took them a few months to be named IBMA 2005 Emerging Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for "Me And John And Paul." In 2006 they vaulted right to the top, winning the 2006 Entertainer of the Year, one of the most coveted awards in bluegrass. With their latest Rounder release, Long List of Heartaches they now have two best-selling CD’s, a recent Grammy nomination, and a huge legion of fans. Dolly Parton, who hired the Grascals not long after they formed as both her opening act and her backing band, called their debut "one of the greatest albums I’ve ever listened to."

The Grascals have new member with the addition of banjo player and vocalist Aaron McDaris. McDaris replaces David Talbot, who recently resigned from the band in order to pursue other opportunities. McDaris has played bluegrass music professionally for twelve years. He started out with Second Exit for three years, followed that with a three-year stint with New Tradition, and for the last six years has played with the Larry Stephenson Band."We're delighted that Aaron is ready to join us on this incredible journey," said Grascals vocalist/guitarist Jamie Johnson. "He's an incredible player and singer, and he's eager to be a part of our team." Visit the Grascals at www.grascals.com and visit their music page to hear what's in store for January 13th.

Rising country/bluegrass vocalist Bradley Walker is making serious inroads with his debut CD, Highway of Dreams. Entertainment Weekly's editor-at-large Ken Tucker said that Bradley Walker is "One of the most striking debuts of the year...”. It is an astonishingly accomplished debut album, featuring Walker's rich, soulful baritone across a selection of new and classic songs, supported by an illustrious cast of instrumentalists and vocalists. Produced by Grammy Award-winning musician and songwriter Carl Jackson, Highway of Dreams winds skillfully between bluegrass, honky-tonk, and acoustic country music, introducing a new sound spun from classic cloth, and is an essential showcase for one of the finest new roots music vocalists to emerge in the past decade. Brian Mansfield echoed this sentiment in a 3 ½ star record review in USA Today, calling Highway of Dreams "a marvelous piece of work, by turns inspirational and heartbreaking, showcasing a voice that would make Lefty Frizzell proud." Have a listen to Bradley at www.bradleywalker.com.

Advance Tickets are $21 (BBU Members $20), or $23 at the door, and can be purchased online at www.bbu.org or by mailing a check (payable to the BBU) and self-addressed stamped envelope to Boston Bluegrass Union, PO Box 650061, West Newton, MA 02465.More info can be found at www.bbu.org. The National Heritage Museum is located at 33 Marrett Rd. (Route 2A), Lexington, MA 02421.Doors open at 6:30pm and concert begins at 7:30pm. Directions can be found at www.monh.org or call (781) 861-6559.

BBU tickets and memberships make great holiday gifts. Both can be purchased online at www.bbu.org

All the best for the Holidays,
Gerry Katz
Boston Bluegrass Union