Down On The Corner

By Paul Moffett

• A Rick Towles Memorial Concert has been organized by Dan Gediman and will be held at Headliners on April 20, according to publicist Leslie Stewart. Patty Griffin will play, as will Tim Krekel, Don Conoscenti, Dan Gediman, Kathleen Hoye, danny flanigan, an all-star jazz group led by Java Men's Todd Hildreth and Ray Rizzo and others TBA.

Proceeds from the benefit will go to establish a trust fund for Towles' son Ian. A $15 mininum donation will get you in the door.

• We hear from Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson that the $70 million Louisville Live! project at the Galleria will begin in about two months, with a Grand Opening set for Spring of 2004. The Cordish Co. of Baltimore is the developer for the project, with plans by Beyer, Blinder & Belle of New York and Bravura Corp. of Louisville. The project will feature several different styles of nightclubs and retail stores (but not a Fashion Shop, apparently). To date, the Hard Rock Cafe has signed on to build its 208^th outlet, as well as has Borders Books and Music.

• The International Songwriting Competition is now accepting entries. with some $100,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. There will be sixty-eight winners in thirteen categories. All musicians, bands, and solo artists can participate. For more information and an entry form, go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com. Their judges include Rob Thomas, lead singer/songwriter for Matchbox 20, Bruce Lundvall, and a number of record company executives from various labels.

• For you bluegrassers, the Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival is staging a band competition on July 3-5. There is no entry fee and the first prize is a respectable $2,000 with a gig at the Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival in September. Second Prize is $2,000, third nets you $500. PMBF is located in Rowan County, Kentucky. For information, log on to www.poppymountainbluegrass.com.

• The 2003 Musician's Atlas now available. There is a lot of information about all manner of items important to independent musicians. The Atlas is available at bookstores, music stores and online at www.musiciansatlas.com .

• Mom's Musicians General Store is hosting a drum clinic by Anton Fig at the Jeffersonville store, 1710 E. 10^th St., on April 19. Fig is currently a member of the CBS Orchestra and has held clinics at Mom's several times in the past. For information, call Mom's at 812-283-3304 or 502-897-3304.

• In case you weren't paying attention, the Kentucky Center for the Arts has been renamed the Kentucky Center, with a new logo and ad campaign and a series of events for the 20^th Anniversary Festival in October. Log onto www.kentuckycenter.org for additional details.

Codas

• William Edward "Eddy" Kiger, 51, died on Sunday, March 8, of an apparent heart attack at work. He was a bass player who played with Cowboy George and the Beer Drinking Rodeo Band, Mike Lunsford and the Whiskey Renegades and the Gordon Ray Pomerlou Band.