Down On The Corner

By Paul Moffett

Everyone at Louisville Music News was saddened to learn of the death of Bluegrass Beat columnist Berk Bryant's wife Esther on August 12. We all extend our our deepest sympathies to Berk for his loss.

• Keeping up with last month's cover story, we hear from Rock Ridge Music that Five.Bolt.Main's video for their song "Pathetic" debuted on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball" on August 13. F.B.M also has been included in the new Rock Ridge Ringtone store and their full CD project Venting, will be out on September 13. Find out more at www.rockridgemusicnews.net

• The Kentucky Center continues with the upgrading and changing, most recently in the office of President, where Stephen T. Klein, 58, will take over. His credentials are good: he was the Executive Director of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. He also headed the Pittsburgh Public Theater and served as Orchestra Manager of the Cleveland Orchestra and is currently the Managing Director of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.

But wait, as the commercials say, that's not all. Whitney Hall is getting new carpeting and paint (after twenty-two years) and, perhaps most interestingly, the Kentucky Center has changed their in-house ticketing system, dumping Ticketmaster in favor of Tessitura. We'll be interested to see how that works.

• Zevon sang "Send lawyers, guns and money." Warren is no longer in need of any of those, but the event on September 22, hosted by the Ellen B. Ewing Foundation needs two of the three: to wit, money and lawyers. The lawyers will be onstage, performing; the money is to benefit the Ewing Foundation, which provides up to $4,000 in internship funding for a student at the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law. Tickets are $25 at the door and are tax deductible. Group Tickets will be available. Contact Mary Jo Gleason at 852-8850 for more information.

If you are a lawyer in a band, your band is eligible to play the event, which starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Roof Garden at the Phoenix Hill Tavern. If you want to play, donate money or time, please contact Barbara Dicken, 767-7814, bdicken@laslou.org.

• Have you and/or your band gigged in Europe? Do you have any records getting played on radio or TV across the pond? Have you gotten any royalties for any of that? I didn't think so. The folks at the newly formed company Lost in the Grooves know you didn't either, which is why they're in business as a sub-publisher, focused primarily on collecting and disbursing those unclaimed royalties overseas. Get your attention? Find out more at http://www.scrammagazine.com/subpub.html or contact Kim Cooper at amscray@gmail.com or (323) 223-2767.

• John Timmons, owner of ear X-tacy Records, has announced that he will match filmmaker Cameron Crowe's donations to a local charity. Crowe has decided to donate $1 from each sale of a limited edition, pre-release soundtrack to his upcoming movie Elizabethtown, which was filmed largely in Louisville, to the Center for Women and Families. Timmons will ad an additional $1 donation per disc for all copies sold at ear X-tacy, or through the ear X-tacy website at http://www.earx-tacy.com.

The 6-song EP, which retails for $5.98, includes a song from one of Louisville's best-known bands, My Morning Jacket, along with other Kentucky-themed tunes performed by Heart's Nancy Wilson, Elvis Presley, Patty Griffin, Bill Monroe and Sun Kil Moon.

• Recent studies have indicated that the most reliable indicator for the likelihood that a family will file for bankruptcy is whether or not they have children. Heidi Howe wants to avoid that with her new soon-to-be-adopted child, so she's organized a benefit, Heidi Howe's BabyPhest, at the Phoenix Hill on Sunday, September 25 from 6 p.m. until midnight to raise the money for the adoption fees. Featured artists will be Hog Operation, danny flanigan and the rain chorus, Digby, Tim Krekel, Brigid Kaelin, Johnny Berry, John Mann, John Gage, The Betweeners and, of course, Heidi. In addition, there will be a silent auction of signed memorabilia from PINK and Stacey Earle and several raffles featuring gift certificates to area stores and restaurants. There will be entertainment for families with children from 6-8 p.m. featuring balloon sculptures, a magician, face painting and music. Anyone under 21 is welcome to stay until 10 p.m.

Mr. Wonderful Productions, Inc. has released a compilation CD featuring various Louisville R&B, gospel, jazz and rap acts, including The UnHooked Generation, Herlon Robinson, Jerry Green and Sylvester & Cheryl Gough, on "The Wonderful" Label. The disc is available at Better Days Records in Lyles Mall or at www.cdbaby.com.

• Lynn Elliott of Irrational Fear has recovered sufficiently from the injuries received in a car wreck earlier this year that she and the band are ready to return to the musical battleground. Their first gig back will be at Uncle Pleasant's on September 16.

• Club owners and managers don't often send email when they are not quite exactly in the position yet, but, hey, Eric "Rico" Rakutt (Valley High) is not shy. He's apparently taking over the St. Andrews Pub and looking to book acts that "rawk." His band is The Glasspack, which should tell you all you need to know. Contact him at rico@theglasspack.com

• The Louisville Youth Orchestra will be holding auditions for interested young musicians (through age 21) for the 2005-2006 season on Friday, September 9 to Tuesday, September 13. For information or an application, contact Melody Welsh, Executive Director, at 502-896-1851.

• The Music Department at Indiana University Southeast is looking for players in the Southern Indiana / Louisville Metro community who have choral, orchestral, or band experience to join the university's performing ensembles. String players are particularly encouraged to participate. For information, contact the IU Southeast Music Department at (812) 941-2655, or visit www.ius.edu/music.

• The 2005 International Songwriting Competition deadline for submitting is October 14, 2005. You can find out more at www.songwritingcompetition.com.

CODAS

• Chesser, Omer L., "Shorty," 83, died in Louisville on August 18, 2005. He played steel guitar, electric guitar and also sang. A TV and radio personality with "Early Morning Frolic" and "Hayloft Hoedown, Chesser also was a regular on the WHAS Crusade For Children. His membership in the American Federation of Musicians began in 1946 and continued to his death.

• Henry, Stanley A., 83, of Louisville, died on Monday, August 22. He was member of the American Federation of Musicians and a professional musician.