Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Wednesday Update

Mississippi native Hubert Sumlin, the blues great who worked with Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, will be joining a star studded musical tour this summer performing Hendrix classics that includes: Jimmi Hendrix Experience alumni Mitch Mitchell (drums) and Billy Cox (bass), Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon from Double Trouble (Stevie Ray Vaughan's band), Memphis guitarist Eric Gales, Band of Gypsys drummer Buddy Guy, and contemporary guitar greats Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robbie Krieger of the Doors and Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones. (Full story here)

The Daniel Pearl Foundation congratulates teenage fiddle sensations Mike Barnett of Nashville and Ruby Jane Smith of Mississippi as winners of the 2007 Daniel Pearl Memorial Violins. Selected at the Mark O'Connor Strings Conference in San Diego, California they will have full use of these prestigious instruments for a year; including appearances at special concerts during the sixth annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days to be held October 1-15, 2007...Twelve-year-old Ruby Jane Smith is both the youngest winner of the Daniel Pearl Memorial violin and the youngest ever invited fiddler at the Grand Ole Opry. A fast-rising star in the landscape of country, bluegrass and Americana music, Ruby Jane exhibited an early connection to music. After only six fiddle lessons at age eight, she won first place in the first competition she entered - beginning a run of acclaim that has included appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and a feature piece on CBS News "Eye on America." She was the 2005 Mississippi State Fiddle Champion and was featured in a 2006 documentary about the legendary fiddler Jim Brock, with whom she has studied. (Full story here)

Leon Newton of Jackson, Mississippi was a top finalist in the 2007 SongOfTheYear.com songwriting competition in the country category with his song titled "Love Story". (Full story here)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ruby Jane's 2007


2007 has been a whirlwind for young fiddler, entertainer,
singer-songwriter Ruby Jane. Beginning the year in Detroit accepting the ASTA Award
in Alternative String Style in Detroit to performing this summer at CMA Music Fest
with Big & Rich in Nashville (which aired on ABC and still runs on
GAC), receiving the great honor of being awarded the Daniel Pearl
Memorial Violin by Mark O’Connor at the San Diego Strings Conference to moving to Austin and sitting in with Texas greats
like Johnny Gimble, Dale Watson, Jim Stringer, Erik Hokannan, and Bob
Schneider, and 9 time Grammy winner Asleep at the Wheel,
this year just keeps getting better.
In 2007, Ruby Jane also established her own publishing company,
Random Chocolate Tamale Music and recorded a 6 song EP, "Creekside" in Nashville, and played the Grand Ole Opry again!
"Creekside" features two original songs, two classic fiddle tunes, a
swingy jazz tune, and a Johnny Cash cover. These showcase not only her
talent as a great fiddler but her deep, bluesy voice and immense
maturity. Ruby Jane's talent as a multi-instrumentalist is heard on
the EP as well. Produced by Steve Fishell (Grammy winner / Emmy Lou Harris cd), it foreshadows a long and
exciting career steeped in the love of American music.


"She can melt a rock." Marty Stuart

"Ruby Jane is the next big news in country music." Bob Schieffer, CBS
Evening News

“When I listen to your music, a wave of pure bliss fell across me, for your talent and beauty are breath-taking. It's refreshing to see a strong young woman playin' fiddle and singin' from the heart!” Says a myspace fan of Ruby Jane



Ruby Jane can be found on the web at www.myspace.com/rubyjanesmith,
www.mississippifiddler.com,
www.youtube.com/tigerlovesmith.

Julie Arnold said...

Loved reading this thank yyou