Preparations for Nashville

Niall Toner's new album Onwards and upwards, his first release on the prominent US bluegrass label Pinecastle Records, will be launched upstairs at Jack's Barbecue on Lower Broadway, Nashville, TN, on Tuesday 25 September. The launch party extends between 5.30 p.m. and midnight, with Niall himself performing at 9.00 p.m. We can expect a full report from the 'front lines' in due course.

The launch takes place during IBMA's World of Bluegrass 2012 (24-30 Sept.), when both Niall and his compatriots and fellow Pinecastle artists I Draw Slow will be showcasing as part of US tours. These will include their performing (both separately and together) in the company of A-list bluegrass artists from the US scene. Niall is also preparing for radio and TV interviews and performances (involving two separate sets of American replacements for Clem O'Brien and Dick Gladney).

I Draw Slow's acclaimed album Redhills was released in the US on the Pinecastle label last Tuesday (7 August).