Mel Bay Publications will exhibit at the following conventions:

GFA	Montreal, Canada	TBD
Great American Guitar Show	Pittsburgh, PA	TBD

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Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert, "For Hope and Togetherness" in Beverly, MA this Friday

North Shore musicians -- representing a variety of styles -- have banded together to raise money for Hurricane Relief in concert this Friday, 10/7, 7:30 PM at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 225 Cabot St. in Beverly, MA.

Denise Koelsch, vocalist, and Dominic Priolo, guitarist (both of Beverly) will be playing their song "Angel". Mark Retallack (of Beverly) and Mitch Clark-Goldfeld (of Hamilton) will be performing fine jazz piano works. Angelique Bolduc, pianist of Wakefield, will give the premiere of Swampscott composer Diane Anderson's "Elegy"; Jeffry Steele, guitarist of Gloucester, will commemorate the Gulf Coast with "Golliwogg's Cakewalk" (Debussy) and "Song of the Fisherman" (de Falla). Also performing are Marc Silverberg, vocalist from Long Island, NY; Bonnie Barish, pianist of Gloucester; Nancy Williams, vocalist of Rockport; and Daniel J. Kennedy, pianist of Beverly.

There is a $10 suggested donation. 50% of the net proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross, and 50% the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Crisis Fund. Please contact Daniel J. Kennedy danieljkennedy@verizon.net for further information.

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JEFFRY HAMILTON STEELE guitarist & composer
http://www.jeffrysteele.com
Performance Offerings, CDs, MP3s, Sheet Music, Articles

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Phil Leadbetter's recording of "California Cotton Fields" by Earl Montgomery and Dallas Frazier has been chosen as the #1 song on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey of the Top 30 Bluegrass Songs. The tune is included on Phil's latest CD Slide Effects on the Pinecastle label.


See: http://www.bluegrassmusic.com/index.php?issue=29389&page=survey

LATEST NEWS

Phil Leadbetter Takes Home IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year and Dobro Player of the Year!

Nashville, TN-After performing his hit single, "California Cotton Fields" with Marty Raybon, Stuart Duncan, Scott Vestal, and members of Wildfire at the International Bluegrass Music Awards show, Phil Leadbetter went on to receive the award for Instrumental Album of the Year for 2005's Slide Effects. Leadbetter was later called back to the stage to receive the award for Dobro Player of the Year and in doing so, became only the 3rd Dobro player in 16 years to earn this honor.

This year's IBMA awards show was broadcast live in front of a sold out audience at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on XM Satellite Radio and was recorded for later broadcast on over 315 radio stations.

We are also pleased to announce that Slide Effects' "California Cotton Fields" has remained at the top position on November's Bluegrass Unlimited chart for the second month in a row. Although heavy on instrumentals, the album also includes some well-chosen songs sung by Shenandoah's Marty Raybon on "California Cotton Fields", Mountain Heart's Steve Gulley with "There's More Pretty Girls Than One", Steve Wariner's "Tattoos of Life" sung by Ronnie Bowman, and Alice Vestal's interpretation of Sting's hit "Fields of Gold."

Phil and the Pinecastle Staff would like to thank everyone for their continued support!

Phil's band, Wildfire, is on the road in support of their new album, Rattle of the Chains. The band will soon be appearing on Woodsongs and WDVX's BluePlate Special. For a complete tour schedule visit www.wildfireband.com, www.unclephilonline.com, or www.myspace.com/wildfirebluegrass. Phil also writes a monthly column for Mel Bay's www.guitarsessions.com.

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Songs from Ian Whitcomb's Ukulele Heaven Used in Vanguard Film

Stanley's Gig, a 2000 feature film directed by Marc Lazard and starring Faye Dunaway, will be released nationwide on DVD by Vanguard on September 20.
As the plot involves a uke-wielding middle-aged musician who lands a gig at a nursing home as an activities director, Ian Whitcomb was a shoe-in for writing and recording the film score. All of Ian's songs for this film are included in his Mel Bay book, Ukulele Heaven: Songs from the Golden Age of the Ukulele (98270BCD).

Ian will appear at several uke festivals in the coming months, including an important event held on Catalina Island.