Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Grammy Announcement

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have been honored with nominations in five categories for 'Raising Sand' (Rounder Records). In addition to 'Album Of the Year' and 'Record Of the Year' (for "Please Read The Letter"), 'Raising Sand' garnered nominations for Best Contemporary Americana/Folk Album, Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (for "Rich Woman"), and Best Country Collaboration With Vocals (for "Killing The Blues"). The nominations add to last year's win for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Gone Gone Gone." - more on this story

Blackmore's Night Go To The Movies

PR reports: Renaissance rock act Blackmore's Night, featuring legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, and singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Candice Night, can now be heard in Warner Bros. major motion picture release Yes Man.

The film, starring Jim Carrey, featured their song "Olde Mill Inn" from their CD The Village Lanterne (released April 2006 on SPV).

This will not be the only film exposure for Blackmore's Night this year. Candice stars in the feature film Pray For Light, which is slated for release later this year. - more on this story

Jon McLaughlin Kicks Off Headline Tour

PR reports: American heartland singer-songwriter and pianist Jon McLaughlin has returned to the road with his first headlining dates of 2009 including a series of high-profile gigs this week in Philadelphia (WXPN's World Café Live radio broadcast), Boston (The Paradise), and New York City (The Blender Theatre at Gramercy).

Opening all shows (which run through the first weekend of March) will be fellow Island Def Jam band Parachute VA, the first act signed to the newly relaunched Smash division of Mercury Records.

The tour comes on the heels of McLaughlin and Parachute VA's exclusive live performances last weekend at the Island Def Jam Music Group's House Of Hype at the Sundance Film Festival. McLaughlin and Parachute VA appeared on "Park City TV" while in town for the festival. - more on this story

Rock Legend Aynsley Dunbar Releases New Album

PR reports: After the successful rereleases of his Retaliation CD's, comes the brand new studio album from acclaimed British drummer and musician, Aynsley Dunbar.

Mutiny was recorded throughout 2008 between Aynsley's other touring and session work. This CD is available at iTunes, Amazon and most of your typical sources for great music.

The Mutiny line-up includes some of the best blues musicians today and are as follows: Alastair Greene - Guitar and Vocals * Malcom Anderson - Keyboard & Backing Vocals * Jack Kennedy - Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals * Brad Cordle - Vocals * Tom Savell - Guitar * Joel Savell - Bass Guitar * Carl Wakeland - Keyboards * Aynsley Dunbar - Drums - more on this story

Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza Touring With The Faceless and Misery Index

PR reports: Bottle of whiskey in one hand, sawed-off shotgun in the other, Tennessee's Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza is locked and loaded for the "Patrons of Destruction" tour.

Jim Beam coursing through its veins, TDTDE hits the road for a brief set of South Western dates, joining The Faceless and Misery Index - dates

Eddie Van Halen Pimping His New Guitar

Van Halen reports: We all know the signature sound, the trademark guitars, the incomparable songwriting, and the innovation. But fans of Eddie Van Halen will soon get a rare, up-close-and-personal peek behind the magic of the legendary guitarist.

Throughout early February, Eddie Van Halen will be appearing in several media outlets chatting about the new EVH "Wolfgang" guitar, his most recent line of EVH products, and giving fans an unparalleled look into his world.

The brand new EVH "Wolfgang" guitar, debuted January 15 at the 2009 NAMM show in Anaheim, CA to a truly amazing reception and created one of the biggest buzzes at the show attended by musical instrument retailers from around the world. - more on this story

Michael Hurtt and his Haunted Hearts Gras Mardi Gras

PR reports: Michael Hurtt and his Haunted Hearts Gras will celebrate Mardi Gras this year with the release of their "Lonely Mardi Gras" on 45 as well as the vinyl LP of their acclaimed album, Come Back To Louisiana, both on Allons Records.

At this most festive time in New Orleans, The Hearts announce a literal blitz of performances, from their record release party on February 18th at The Saint to numerous parades and DJ dance parties at Mimi's on the Marigny. Longtime Haunted Hearts supporter Jimbo Mathus of the Squirrel Nut Zippers will be on hand, joining the band for at least two of their Mardi Gras parades. Members of the band will also spin Gulf Coast favorites at the Alligator Chomp Chomp Gulf Coast Party, an event founded by multi-instrumentalist Mitch Palmer, vocalist Michael Hurtt will join him and friends DJ Matty and DJ Pasta for both scheduled nights. Count on the Hearts to convert the unsuspecting with their brand of Louisiana hillbilly, swing and Cajun music.

The Haunted Hearts first Mardi Gras song titled "Lonely Mardi Gras" was written by Michael Hurtt and Matt Uhlman, his cohort in DJing and the Royal Pendletons, it is backed with a Detroit rarity called "Orbit Twist" on the new 45. Both are previously unreleased, providing fresh fodder for Hearts fanatics. Come Back To Louisiana was named for the band's fervent rendition of the Jay Chevalier classic which is now Louisiana's official recovery song.
- more on this story

This Providence Preview

PR reports: Fueled By Ramen recording group This Providence has announced details of their new album, entitled "WHO ARE YOU NOW?" The Seattle-based quartet's follow-up to their 2006 self-titled Fueled By Ramen debut will land in stores and at all digital retailers on March 17th.

This Providence will herald the release of "WHO ARE YOU NOW?" with a major U.S. tour alongside Ludo. The dates begin February 3rd at Milwaukee's The Rave and continue through early March (see attached itinerary).

The album's release is being preceded by the online premiere of its first track, "That Girl's A Trick." The song will be featured on This Providence's popular - MySpace page

Sam Grow Debut Debut

PR reports: Maryland-based singer-songwriter Sam Grow is set to independently release his debut full length album "Ignition" on February 10, 2009. Grow has blended the best of pop, rock, and soul sounds to create an album completely unique to anything else being put out in the music industry today.

"I am extremely excited about the national release of 'Ignition,' " says Grow. "It is my first release and my first full length album that I have done. I put countless time and effort into the writing and recording of this record, and I hope that the songs can hold longevity within my listeners."

Produced by Ron Vento [Wakefield, Good Charlotte, Genuine] at Night Sky Studios, "Ignition" showcases not only Sam's musical talents, but his songwriting gift as well. The debut single off the record entitled "Wait a Minute," follows the story of an emotional man spilling his heart out to his true love. As a soulful romantic, Grow's lyrics stick to subjects that are timeless, including life, love and heartbreak. - more on this story

White Lies For America

PR reports: White Lies will release To Lose My Life March 17 in the United States and Canada (Currently The Number One Album In The UK).

The release will be followed by a North American tour beginning in Austin, TX with South By Southwest and continuing through a performance at Coachella in April.

White Lies who are the first breakthrough artist of 2009 in the UK, will arrive straight off the NME Awards Tour, the annual tour that has previously broken Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and The Killers overseas. - more on this story

thenewno2 Announce Album Release

PR reports: thenewno2 announces the cd release and digital rerelease of their debut album today. The re-released digital version will be available March 14 and the CD will be out March 31. The album is coming out through the band's own Hot Records with Vagrant providing distribution and marketing services for the project.

The band also announces some show dates starting with a February 11 show in Los Angeles at the Key Club and later that week they will make their New York City debut playing Brooklyn's Union on February 15 and the Mercury Lounge on February 17. Sandwiched between the New York dates, on February 16, the band will make its national television debut on Late Show with Conan O'Brien.

you are here was created by guitarist/synth/vocalist Dhani Harrison and drums/synth Oli Hecks. The album plays like a news ticker scrolling across the cultural landscape. Over the course of its creation - a process that took place outside London and inside Los Angeles - the world became a darker place, crippled by war, global warming and fiscal catastrophe. - more on this story

Order of Ennead U.S. Tour with Deicide, Vital Remains and Adrift.

PR reports: Floridian extreme metallers Order Of Ennead have just come off the Winterfest 2009 tour with Deicide, Samael, Vader, Devian and The Amenta, and with barely two weeks to recover, the band are preparing to head back out on tour in the U.S. with Deicide, Vital Remains and Adrift.

Order Of Ennead have also posted the rest of their tour diary reporting all of the events from each day of the Winterfest tour. Order Of Ennead vocalist/guitarist Kevin Quirion writes:

Day 7 Off In Frankfurt The Stuttgart show got canceled so we had the day off in Frankfurt. Spent the day walking around with John Li and some guys from the Amenta. It wasn't the most interesting city in the world. While waiting at the train station Jarod from the Amenta ended up getting stuck talking to a meth-head. I could have interrupted, but it was funny. We ate a good Italian restraurant. Later that night met up with about five others including the guitarist for Samael. Ate at a Thai Restaurant and headed back to the bus. - more on this story

. Linkin Park - Road to Revolution

Now, I don't usually get all girlish and fidgety over a band but upon first listening to Linkin Park Road to Revolution I felt that delicious surge of energy creep up through my veins. (5 stars) - Read the full Linkin Park - Road to Revolution review

. Arkan - Hilal

Hilal mixes modern death metal with ancient folk, the end result being an almost mystical journey through a desert called time. It is a trip well worth taking, for death metal fanatics and more general metalheads alike. - Read the full Arkan - Hilal review

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