 If any one album summed up one of the most successful bands in bluegrass, any genre really, it would be The Story We Tell by Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers. Released today on Rebel Records, this latest project is the band's sixth in seven years for bluegrass music’s most historic record label, and brings together a vibrant collection of songs that when heard, work together like chapters from a well-worn literary classic.
Filled with new songs from some of today’s top songwriters including Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, Ronnie Bowman, Steve Bonafel, and Raleigh Satterwhite, alongside forgotten gems the band dusted off from such varied sources as The Delmore Brothers, Merle Haggard, and The Browns, the balance achieved on The Story We Tell flows through the speakers like tuning in to your favorite radio broadcast — a claim only befitting of the reigning IBMA Broadcaster of the Year, Joe Mullins. "We gathered a very diverse set of songs, heavy on new material from great writers, allowing us to tell several types of stories -- tales of fun, family, fiddlers, faith, felons, and one funeral ... real bluegrass," said band leader and banjo player Joe Mullins. And if the lead off track and first single, "Long Gone Out West Blues," is any indication, the album is poised to do well with radio programmers. Released the latter part of June, "Long Gone Out West Blues" debuted on Bluegrass Today's Top 20 Songs chart, maintaining a strong presence five consecutive weeks. Featuring Mullins alongside bluegrass veterans Mike Terry(mandolin), Jason Barie (fiddle), Randy Barnes (bass), and Duane Sparks (guitar), The Story We Tell showcases the band’s most inventive and innovative arrangements to date, both vocally and instrumentally on 12 tracks. With an approach to the music that rings with authenticity, the band secures a rightful place among the traditional guard of bluegrass while standing comfortably shoulder to shoulder with more progressive type artists who find themselves drawn to not only JMRR's music, but their down-home, likable nature. In the album's liner notes, journalist Craig Havighurst brings The Story We Tell and its authors to one solid conclusion: "Joe and his superb band with its diverse strengths and multiple lead vocalists have patiently carved out a special place in the national scene. They’ve won some awards that you can look up, though fewer than they deserve and fewer than they will over time. What matters more is that Joe’s steady contributions and excellent performances are accumulating, year in and out. So is a larger story of an artist who’ll tend to traditional music for decades, something we very much need as the genre widens. Just remember that Joe and his band mates are standing sentinel over something even more profound than the cultural creation we cherish as bluegrass. They’re giving us all tuneful, truthful reasons to have faith in the future of the country." The Story We Tell is available to radio programmers via AirplayDirectand to consumers for digital download at iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon. Consumers may also order The Story We Tell direct from Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers at www.radioramblers.com. The Story We Tell Track Listing (August 18, 2018) Long Gone Out West Blues The Last Old Shovel Songs That Will Get 'Em I Could Have Gone Right If I'd Have Wrote That Song Neighbors I Heard That Train In The Short Rows Now I'm Nowhere Bound Would You Care The Fiddle Man's Delight When God's In It  In celebration of our brand new Rebel Records album, The Story We Tell, we're offering everyone a chance to win a night with us at the Grand Ole Opry!
Everyone has a story! Be it a story of love found or lost, family, adoption, survival, etc., our stories are what make us who we are! We want to hear yours! Send us your Grand Ole Story! We'll find the BEST storyteller and the winner will receive an opportunity to join us at the Grand Ole Opry on September 9th! Contest Details: • Email your Grand Ole Story along with your name, address and phone number to info@radioramblers.com • Contest begins August 9th • Deadline to Enter is August 29th • Winner will be announced August 31st Prize Package Includes: ♦ TWO Tickets to the Grand Ole Opry ♦ Backstage Opry tour and Meet & Greet with JMRR ♦ Lodging for TWO on the night of September 9th in Nashville, Tennessee ♦ A Big Ole Basket of Goodies courtesy of Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™, Rebel Records, and JMRR The Fine Print: Entry in the contest automatically gives JMRR and their publicist permission to publish your story. Tickets and lodging are only available for the night of Saturday, September 9th and cannot be transferred in any manner. Immediate family and team members of JMRR, Classic Country Radio, Rue Farms, and Rebel Records are not eligible to enter. Transportation to and from Nashville, TN is the responsibility of the contest winner.  Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers are pleased to announce the release of brand new music from their upcoming album, The Story We Tell, the band's sixth album in seven years for bluegrass music's most historic record label, Rebel Records. The first single, "Long Gone Out West Blues" drops to radio today and is also available for purchase, with the album hitting streets on August 18th.
With a presenting sponsor in Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers (JMRR) will find themselves on nearly 100 stages across the country and into Canada in 2017, delivering first class entertainment and being deemed one of the busiest bands in bluegrass. They've consistently delivered authentic, chart-topping and crowd-pleasing music, as evidenced by multiple International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards and Grand Ole Opry appearances on their resume, and will enjoy a feature in Bluegrass Unlimited magazine this fall. Fronted by the IBMA's 2016 Broadcaster of the Year, Joe Mullins "could be termed a double-threat in the music business," writes Chuck Dauphin for Billboard magazine. "Musically, he is one of the top bluegrass acts in the business along with his band, but he also is one of the top radio personalities in the genre. Spend any amount of time with him, and you'll be in amazement at his vocal chops -- whether singing or announcing.” And with personalities that match their music, the entire band is beloved by long-time fans and those just learning of the group's music. “Mullins and the Radio Ramblers do not rollick to a style that mimics first generation bluegrassers from Bill Monroe to the Stanley Brothers," stated journalist Tom Netherland in a recent concert review. "Mullins forges his own musical way. He found a theater full of believers in Bristol. His music brought them in, nailed them to their seats and prompted thunders of applause from song to song. So goes the music of substance." And substance is exactly what the band delivers with their new project, The Story We Tell. The album’s opening track and first single, “Long Gone Out West Blues” takes listeners on a trip on horseback through the wild west. This high-energy song came to JMRR via Canadian folk duo, Pharis & Jason Romero. “The uniquely styled lyrics and the melody made it a natural for us and the challenge of a song with no chorus is something I love,” says Mullins. “It's a powerful piece!” An instrumental and vocal powerhouse, the adrenaline is contagious, and proves an ample introduction to the new album from JMRR. "Long Gone Out West Blues" is available to radio programmers via AirplayDirect and to consumers for digital download at iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon. Consumers who pre-order The Story We Tell will receive an instant download of "Long Gone Out West Blues." For more information on Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers including upcoming performances, please visit www.radioramblers.com. Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers Ink Sponsoship Agreement with Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips!6/8/2017  The award-winning bluegrass group Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers (JMRR) hit the road this month with a new national sponsor, Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™. Mullins has been a spokesman for the products on Classic Country Radio, his network of five southwest Ohio radio stations, since 2015. Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ is also a presenting sponsor of the Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival, JMRR and Classic Country Radio’s biannual bluegrass festival occurring each March and November.
Bluegrass and classic country music fans have embraced Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ and in a few weeks the snacks will be available nationwide in over 1,400 Big Lots stores throughout 47 states. This development postures the company for an exciting partnership with JMRR. The band will be singing a catchy, signature Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ jingle at their live performances and distributing snack samples at their merchandise table for the remainder of 2017. An Ohio-based, Veteran-owned snack producer, Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ has a commitment to quality and an appreciation for farm fresh. Sliced just a bit thicker than your average chip, Russet potatoes are gently kettle cooked using non-genetically modified oils and seasoned with their own custom blend of gluten-free herbs and spices without additives and preservatives. The chips are also nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and vegan. Owners Matt and Jeanne Rue have worked diligently for over four years developing their unique, healthy snacks now available in six flavors: Sea Salt; Salt & Pepper; Dill Herb; Pink Himalayan Salt; Salt & Cider Vinegar; and Back Woods BBQ. Currently, the chips are available for sale at their retail location in Springfield, Ohio, and at hundreds of select retailers throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Customers can also order online at www.RueFarms.com. “Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ is honored to sponsor Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers," said Jeanne Rue. "What better combination could we possibly have asked for? We are big fans of the Ramblers and in turn, Joe and the boys are a huge support for Rue Farms™. We can’t express enough our sincere gratitude for their belief in us and for the success of our potato chip adventure! Joe has done wonders for us on the air at Classic Country Radio and now the show is going to go on the road with Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers. It is a natural fit, just like tater chips and dip." JMRR will also perform a special concert on Saturday, August 19, at the Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ headquarters in Springfield, Ohio, to celebrate the company’s expansion and the release of the band’s latest CD due to be released on Rebel Records in August. “Bluegrass musicians and discerning fans always place emphasis on quality, hard work, and genuineness," states bandleader Joe Mullins. "I've been acquainted with Matt and Jeanne Rue the past few years and they are our kind of folks. Their hard work and dedication in producing tasty, healthy potato chips is truly inspiring. Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ has become a delicious sensation in Ohio and I'm grateful for the opportunity to introduce them to our friends everywhere." Look for Rue on the road with the Ramblers this year and stay tuned for more details about their national Big Lots availability soon. Follow and like JMRR on Facebook for an opportunity to try Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips™ each week the band is on the road. For more information, visit www.RadioRamblers.com and www.RueFarms.com.  Once again, we were blessed with a wonderful Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival as the Roberts Centre was filled with over 2000 fans of bluegrass and old-time country music! We kicked off the festival with a performance by Alternative Strings, conducted by our dear friend, Doug Eyink. Forty students took the stage and performed their arrangements of many top bluegrass tunes. Later, they presented us with this very special commemorative plaque that we will hold dear for many years to come. Every artist was in top form throughout the event and folks from Montana to Maryland and from Canada to Florida enjoyed an exciting weekend. As always, we like to choose a charitable cause and raise money throughout the weekend's events. This year, we raffled a quilt for Hospice Care of Middletown in memory of Tammy Mullins' father, Carl Ray Carpenter. Together, we raised $1861.00 and the winner of the quilt was Lois Nichols of Batavia, Ohio. Thanks to everyone who supported our efforts for this very worthy cause. An album of photos from the weekend can be found on the SOIMF Facebook page as well as the JMRR website. Make plans to join us November 10th and 11th for another fantastic Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival!  We are excited to announce the release of a new album, produced by Rebel Records and Singing News Radio— Front Porch Fellowship - Joe Mullins Presents 20 Bluegrass Gospel Classics. This new album shares the title of Joe’s syndicated radio show, heard weekly on over 200 stations. The CD features songs specially selected by Joe, many being released for the first time and several favorites that have been out of circulation for years. Joe and The Radio Ramblers are featured, as well as Ricky Skaggs, The Primitive Quartet, Doyle Lawson, Ralph Stanley, Rhonda Vincent, The Isaacs, Blue Highway, Paul Williams and many more of our all-time favorites. See all the songs and order today at www.radioramblers.com. ENJOY FREE SHIPPING now through Father’s Day on this new CD and ANY OTHER PURCHASE!
Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers are pleased to announce the release of a second single from their critically acclaimed album, Sacred Memories. The title track features special guests Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White Skaggs, and is the latest focus track for radio programmers.
The album was initially released last spring and instantly reached the #5 on Billboard's Top Selling Bluegrass Albums chart (May 2016), becoming a huge hit with bluegrass and gospel music fans. The first single, "All Dressed Up," was so well received that it won the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for 2016 and is still in the Top 10nationwide despite being released over a year ago. Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers and Rebel Records are excited to followup that success with a second single, the title track, "Sacred Memories." “I am so thankful that our band’s second, all gospel recording has been so well received," says Mullins. "My faith runs even deeper than my lifelong love of quality Bluegrass gospel songs and recordings. So when we select songs and produce a gospel album, we hope the music will be 'soul food' for sure! I think something soul-stirring can be accomplished when Dolly Parton writes a sacred song AND Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White Skaggs help sing it. Dolly put this song together in the 1970’s and it was the flip side of a hit single. The song was perfect for a collaboration and needed male and female voices. Ricky and Sharon have been dear friends and mentors for me in so many ways, and they always sing from the heart. So I sing the first verse, then Ricky and I sing a duet. Ricky and Sharon each sing a verse and lead the quartet when Radio Ramblers’ Mike Terry and Randy Barnes join them. We really go to church when we create an entire choir, with Charli Robertson and Kelsi Harrigill of Flatt Lonesome, adding harmony with all the Radio Ramblers and the Skaggs’! Hallelujah!”  We had a fantastic time on our return visit to Music City Roots earlier this month! We shared the stage with some of our favorite people, The Isaacs and the Lonesome River Band, and made some new friends with Foghorn String Band! If you missed the show, you can watch it in its entirety online here. (We come in at about the 1:20 mark.) Special thanks to LuAnn Adams who took some great photos for us, including the one above. We've got all of them on our website.
We've been attending SPBGMA in Nashville for years and although we conduct a ton of business while there, it's also become a fantastic opportunity for some good ole socializing with so many of the friends and fans we've made over the last decade. We spent two full days at SPBGMA this year and performed on the main stage on opening night. On Friday, we hosted an Appreciation Luncheon for Talent Buyers and Radio Programmers with about 50 people in attendance. Thanks to EVERYONE who came to see us in Nashville - we look forward to returning very soon! Alternative Strings is an organization of young people that we have supported for a while now. In fact, they'll be making an appearance at our spring SOIMF! Led by our dear friend, Doug Eyink, Alternative Strings is a group of orchestra students who perform Bluegrass, Celtic, Bebop, Swing, Celtic, Funk & Rock music on orchestral instruments. This year, they are celebrating their 10th anniversary and we are honored to be with them on March 4th for The Bluegrass Blowout! The event will be held at the Centerville, Ohio High School Performing Arts Center and tickets are available now. General admission is $10 in advance or $12 at the door, and you may order your advance tickets by calling 937-619-8490. As we always tend to do this time of year, it's time to reflect on what an amazing year 2016 has been, while looking forward to an even better, more productive 2017! This year brought many highlights that took us to new places, allowing us to make new friends, while also affording us the opportunity to revisit familiar venues and reconnect with faithful friends!
In January, we traveled to Florida where we performed for new crowds of enthusiastic bluegrass fans. We were welcomed with open arms and we'll be returning to the area again in January 2017! We made our debut at one of the coolest places ever when we performed in February at Bluegrass Underground. The show was sold-out and we found ourselves in awe of Cumberland Caverns, and a little nervous about the giant rock hanging over our heads. March was a pivotal month for us as we released the first single from our gospel album, Sacred Memories. "All Dressed Up" was embraced by fans and radio, and immediately became one of our most successful singles to date. And, we enjoyed an absolutely perfect Spring edition of the Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival where we launched the "Share The Link, Share The Love" video fundraiser featuring our a capella version of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" with our special guests, The Isaacs, benefiting World Vision. April brought on the official release of Sacred Memories and a return guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry where we had more than just a little fun visiting with country star Terri Clark. Maymarked the 10th Anniversary for JMRR and what better way to commemorate such an important milestone than with a sold-out celebration concert at La Comedia Dinner Theatre and our first ever tour to Europe! We had a fantastic experience with our performances and travels to the United Kingdom and Switzerland and can't wait for more international travel. In June, our "Share The Link, Share The Love" fundraiser afforded us the opportunity to make a $1000 donation to World Vision and our single, "All Dressed Up" reached #1 for the first time on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 Songs chart! And, we shared the stage once more with Alternative Strings for a live Facebook concert on Father's Day. July brought about a significant addition to the JMRR team with the hiring of Laura Mainer as our full-time booking agent and office manager. Laura has been a well-respected agent for several years with her previous clients and when it became apparent she was such a big supporter of JMRR, well, it was a perfect fit. Laura hit the ground running and has been a crucial part of our team ever since! August brought along news of an IBMA nomination for Gospel Recorded Performance for JMRR as well as a Broadcaster of the Year nomination for Joe. This news arrived at the same time that Joe celebrated his first anniversary as host of the syndicated radio show, Front Porch Fellowship, which reaches 200 affiliate stations. September and October were full of welcome surprises! JMRR won IBMA's Gospel Recorded Performance for "All Dressed Up," Joe won for Broadcaster of the Year, and Joe's son Daniel, won for Best Liner Notes for his work on the Traditional Grass CD, The Blues Are Still The Blues. If that weren't enough, Joe was named Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Bluegrass Music Association. (Become a Member Here!) November and the first weekend of December wrapped up an incredible year for us. Our fall Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival was once again a joyous gathering of friends. We enjoyed some amazing talent, a very touching Veterans Tribute, and a capacity crowd! This year, the Dayton National Cemetery Honor Squad received over $3,000 in contributions thanks to our generous festival guests and community supporters. Something else major happened to us in 2016. Duane Sparks became a daddy for the third time! Duane and Makole welcomed beautiful little Camdyn to the world on November 17th! The reason we say this happened to JMRR as well, is because ever since Camdyn arrived, things on the bus are a lot quieter. You see, no one sleeps at home with a new baby in the house, so Duane hits the bunk the second he steps on the bus. It's been glorious! 2017 is just around the corner and we can hardly wait to see what it has in store for all of us. We pray you and your family will have a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous new year, and that you'll make plans to come visit us on the road!  What a wonderful Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival we had earlier this month! We enjoyed some amazing talent, a very touching Veterans Tribute, and a capacity crowd! Thanks to everyone who joined us and those who helped us fulfill one of our goals with the festival - charitable giving! This year, the Dayton National Cemetery Honor Squadreceived over $3,000 in contributions from generous festival guests and community supporters. Congratulations to Jim Holcomb of Xenia, OH, and Mike Newkirk of Franklin, OH! Their donations earned them the Martin and Cherrybend guitars, respectively. Special thanks to JD Music Company and Cherrybend Pheasant Farm for their instrument donations!
Check out our website for photos from the entire weekend!  Joe Mullins is the recipient of two awards presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association this past week during the World of Bluegrass Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. In a special ceremony celebrating industry contributions, Mullins, who has been in radio for over thirty years, was awarded Broadcaster of the Year. During the prestigious IBMA Awards held at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, he and his band, The Radio Ramblers, took the award for Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for their recent hit, "All Dressed Up," from the their Sacred Memories CD on Rebel Records.
Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers are previous IBMA Award winners, having been named Emerging Artists of the Year in 2012, but this is the first time for Mullins, who owns a network of radio stations in Ohio and is host of the syndicated weekly broadcast Front Porch Fellowship, to win IBMA's Broadcaster award. The week-long conference became a true family affair when Mullins' son, Daniel, was awarded Best Liner Notes for his work on The Blues Are Still The Blues, a retrospective collection of The Traditional Grass also released on Rebel Records, featuring Joe and his father, the late Paul "Moon" Mullins. Of the accolades Joe said, "I am so thankful for all of the support and encouragement this week. It's a great blessing to have my work as a broadcaster recognized, and having the talents of The Radio Ramblers and my son Daniel applauded just put it over the top." Earlier in the week, Joe Mullins was elected chairman of the board of directors of the IBMA, and has already begun his term by spreading his message that becoming a member of the IBMA is essential to the growth and sustainability of Bluegrass music. |
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