New music from Steep Canyon Rangers - "Radio"

North Carolina string band Steep Canyon Rangers will return this summer with a new album on Rounder Records titled Radio. The album, produced by dobro wizard Jerry Douglas, will hit stores on August 28. Listen to the driving title track from Radio below where you will also find the album's complete track list.

Steep Canyon Rangers will play the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival in downtown Raleigh on Friday, October 2. Ticket are on sale now via Etix.

The group will also play Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill on Saturday, December 12. Tickets are on sale now HERE starting at $49.

Lucinda Williams, Buddy Guy, McCoury & Grisman, more to play Carolina Performing Arts 2015-16 season

Carolina Performing Arts at UNC has just announced the lineup of their 2015-16 season and as we've come to expect, it is made up of quite the eclectic mix of musical genres as well as dance, theater and more.

Among the big musicians coming as part of the new season are Lucinda Williams on October 2, Buddy Guy on October 3, Del McCoury and David Grisman playing the music of Woody Guthrie on November 14, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Denzal Sinclaire on December 11, Steep Canyon Rangers on December 12, Count Basie Orchestra on February 20, and Abigail Washburn and friends on April 17. Check out the full schedule below.

Skaggs, Hornsby, McCoury, Fleck, Douglas & more slated for Wide Open Bluegrass 2014

As we mentioned last week, the International Bluegrass Music Association will be sticking with Raleigh through 2018. But moving on to more pressing matters, the initial acts for the big Wide Open Bluegrass Festival on October 3 and 4 have been announced and feature a smorgasbord of bluegrass all stars.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder with Bruce Hornsby, the Del McCoury Band with special guests, Hot Rize (who have their first new studio album in 24 years due out this year), Gibson Brothers, local stars Steep Canyon Rangers, and Sierra Hull will play the big event. There will also be the Wide Open Jam featuring Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton, and Stuart Duncan.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now via Etix.

Carolina Performing Arts announces 2014-15 season, Merle Haggard, Robert Cray, Audra McDonald & more

The Carolina Performing Arts at UNC has just announced their tenth season and it includes an eclectic mix of music, dance and theater.

We're focused on the music which includes country Legend Merle Haggard, The Robert Cray Band, The Steep Canyon Rangers and Mipso, Broadway singer and actress Audra McDonad, jazz singer Dianne Reeves and many more. Check out the full 2014-15 Carolina Performing Arts schedule below.

Ticket packages for the general public will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3. UNC student, faculty and staff packages will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 29.

Tony Rice awes at Raleigh's first IBMA Awards Show

Photo by Justin Weber

They’re already starting to call it the “Miracle in Raleigh.”

Tony Rice – known as one of the greatest guitar players of all time and a classic bluegrass baritone who started with J.D. Crowe and The New South and went on to a storied solo career – spoke in his real voice for the first time in two decades in front of an awed Memorial Auditorium crowd during the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards show.

Rice was inducted into the IBMA Hall of Fame last night. It was clear all night it would be a special moment. People cheered at every mention of his name. Nobody knew just how monumental it would be.

Alison Krauss, Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, Punch Brothers & more coming for Wide Open Bluegrass

As we first mentioned almost a year ago, the International Bluegrass Music Association is bringing their annual World of Bluegrass festivities to Raleigh for three years starting in 2013. Now we have the first details of the bevy of musicians who will be making their way here this fall.

Performances at the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival on September 27 and 28 at the Raleigh Convention Center and the Red Amphitheater will include a collaboration between Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck, Del McCoury and Tony Rice in addition to Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers with Edie Brickell and Punch Brothers. Abigail Washburn will serve as the mistress of ceremonies for the event.

Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Avett Brothers & more earn Grammy nominations

The 2013 Grammy nominations were announced on Wednesday night and artists with Triangle ties have fared fairly well again this year.

Carolina Chocolate Drops received another nomination for Folk Album of the Year for their latest album Leaving Eden. The band won this award in 2011 for Genuine Negro Jig (the award was called Best Traditional Folk Album then).

North Carolina favorites The Avett Brothers are up for Best Americana Album for their new album The Carpenter.

Steve Martin announces 2012 dates with Steep Canyon Rangers, returning to Durham

After playing a sold out show at the Durham Performing Arts Center last year, legendary comedian, actor and musician Steve Martin will return to the venue this year with local string band Steep Canyon Rangers by his side once more.

They'll play DPAC on Sunday, June 3. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 24 via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $58 to $125.

Martin's latest album, Rare Bird Alert, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album, but lost to Alison Krauss' latest. Stream the title track from Rare Bird Alert below.

WUNC announces 2011 Music on the Lawn series

This Friday, April 29, The Small Ponds will kick off WUNC's 2011 Back Porch Music on the Lawn concert series at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham.

This year's series is fantastic as a whole, but a performance by Chapel Hill born singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III towards the end of the season, on September 16, certainly stands out

Shows will happen on Fridays throughout the summer and will feature Steep Canyon Rangers, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Chatham County Line and others. Check out the full schedule below. Each show starts at 6 p.m.

Steve Martin coming to Durham with Steep Canyon Rangers

One of the funniest guys around, who happens to be a hell of a banjo player, yes, Steve Martin, will be bringing his multitude of skills to the Triangle in March.

He'll perform at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) on Saturday, May 21 with North Carolina bluegrass quintet Steep Canyon Rangers. Tickets for the show will go on sale on Friday, December 10 at 10 a.m. and will start at $42.

Martin and Steep Canyon Rangers have performed together quite a few times before, including television appearances on Letterman and The View. Check out their performance of "Jubilation Day" from The View below. Steve Martin's