Urban Monroes Bluegrass Blog

Urban Monroes- Pickin' in a Winter Wonderland

2012-01-08T20:40:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!! 2011 has ended and 2012 has begun. It sure feels good to get back to an even numbered year again...

We have no reason to complain about last year though: another twelve months of playing music. What's there to complain about in that? If you've been following along in the blog, you already know most of what's been going on up through last October, so we'll rejoin the Urban Monroes saga in-progress.

Late in November, we released a Holiday Single. It was our version of "The Little Drummer Boy." That's right, a bluegrass version of "Little Drummer Boy" and it signaled the kickoff off of an eventful holiday.

With Drummer Boy in tow, we reached the top of the AirPlay Direct charts not only for bluegrass, but in all genres. It was gratifying to have the new single make its way into so many Yuletide playlists. It was combined with our version of Mr. Grinch as Dec. 25th drew closer. Among others, Gentleman Jim of World Wide Bluegrass' "Bluegrass in the BASSment" show spent the month playing both and on Christmas Eve, WYSO's Joe Colvin featured the cuts on his Christmas special. We were in the Top 10 Voted songs at the Downhome Den and were played on dozens of Holiday shows. Heading into the new year, we also found that the band had been featured on the European bluegrass broadcast, PeelGrass and the Nashville DJ Public Showcase.

Last fall, we announced that the Urban Monroes would be releasing another single. Originally planning the release for November, that decision was preempted by our release of "Drummer Boy." Now that Christmas has passed for another year, that preempted single has been "re-empted" and this new single has been released. The latest UM offering is an original, uptempo bluegrass song entitled, "Lamp in the Window" and it's available for DJ's to download at AirPlay Direct. The song can also be heard in our player at www.urbanmonroes.com. You can tune into Bill Knowlton's Bluegrass Ramble in Syracuse New York, Gentleman Jim's shows on World Wide Bluegrass and lots of others to hear it on the radio. We are also currently in high rotation on CFBX and we wish to thank them.

Well, we hope you have a wonderful 2012. I've always like the number 12, too. It reminds me of my cousin who had that many toes. Yep, five on one foot, seven on the other. He always ran in circles.

Urban Monroes Release DJ Stocking Stuffer

2011-12-01T23:10:00.001-08:00

The Holidays are here! Okay, no big surprise there, but we wanted to let DJ's know that there's a gift (well it's free anyway) just for them from the Urban Monroes. The band has loaded a new Christmas single into their AirPlay Direct account. Gift wrapped on 11/22, it's ready to be opened and played with right away. We peeked under the wrapping paper and discovered it to be a rollicking bluegrass version of Little Drummer Boy and it's available for download now. Also on the UM's AirPlay Direct page is another shiny package; an additional Christmas single, the Seussian bluegrass classic: Mr. Grinch. Both singles are available for download right now and you should be able to stream them from their Airplay Direct account.

With a little help from Santa's elves and a lot of help from Santa's dj's during the eight days that the songs were in Airplay Direct, on November 30th the Urban Monroes found themselves with the #1 album in all genres, http://tinyurl.com/7wtoogc, #3 in the top singles All Genres, http://tinyurl.com/7vjsjrd and # 6 in the Global Top 50 Bluegrass Albums for the month.

Fashioned from the heart of tradition and infused with adrenalin, the Urban Monroes' bluegrass style combines the skills of some of the Pacific Northwest's finest talent. Fast paced and highly energetic, the band performs both traditional and original material with a style and delivery uniquely its own

If you'd like to know what else the band is planning to put under its tree, there's an up-to-date news stream at their domain www.urbanmonroes.com

Urban Monroes November Update - Thanksgiving Turkey in the Straw

2011-11-08T20:43:00.000-08:00

UPDATE
Urban Monroes News

November 2011

Halloween came and went along with many bags of candy, all tried and tested in advance of course,...for safety...that is, and now suddenly Thanksgiving is approaching. What a great time to put out an update as the Urban Monroes are thankful for so many things. In October as well as November, the band has been moving steadily up the Fireball Mail Top 20 Bluegrass singles chart and is now at number #5. Chart as follows:

At this time one year ago, we sat in the #1 spot at Airplay Direct on the Global Top 50 Bluegrass chart. We held that spot for many weeks, then we continued onto the Roots Music report and others including Nashville's Powersource Magazine Top 35 Bluegrass. It's been a great year so far and we're looking forward to the excitement that the rest of the year holds.

We celebrated Halloween by kicking off the Lonesome Pine RFD Show on WAMU's Bluegrass Country. We will be giving an interview on the show in the coming weeks.

Recently we played at the Issaquah Salmon Days Festival, a massive event in Issaquah, Washington that included an equally massive rain storm. By the end, I think the honored salmon were returning to the spawning grounds via the sidewalk, but that day included what was perhaps one of the most rewarding moments we've experienced. As a wall of rain was dumping EVERYWHERE, people gathered, more than had been there before we played, and stood till the last song during a torrential downpour. We played to the end and they stayed to the end. We were on a covered stage, they were drenched. We were so grateful to them for their support. It should have been awful, but it was ridiculously FUN!!!

The following week, we played to a packed-to-the-rafters, standing-room-only Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield, Washington for the Bluegrass at Birdfest festival. Nothing beats a bluegrass audience...but you already know that!

Photos by Eric Frommer

Here Is Some Recent Fan mail:

"You were AWESOME at Birdfest! What a GREAT show!!! Can't wait to hear you again!" - Sandy

"I caught "Time of Your Life" on KBCS last night and thoroughly enjoyed it! I'm planning on catching you @ Salmon Days and anticipate purchasing your CD." - Kevin

"Dear Urban Monroes,
Thank you for your music. I heard your "Secret Agent Man" on KVMR and had to have it! The CD is very good! When you're in Sacramento I'd really enjoy seeing your show" - Jim

Thank you for your time! We hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving.
~the Urban Monroes

www.urbanmonroes.com
www.myspace.com/urbanmonroes
www.reverbnation.com/urbanmonroes
www.urbanmonroes.blogspot.com

Urban Monroes New Bluegrass Single

2011-10-07T12:52:00.001-07:00

Read Article Here

Urban Monroes Flying into Fall at the Historic Old Liberty Theater

2011-09-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Urban Monroes are excited to perform at the historic Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield, Washington on October 8th at 8pm for the 12th annual Bluegrass at Birdfest Festival. Sponsored by the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, the National Wildlife Refuge System and the City of Ridgefield, the entire town will be transformed over the course of the weekend in a celebration of the changing of the season and the influx of migratory birds to the area that results. As part of that celebration, from breakfast til bedtime, an entire flock of bluegrass bands will be performing at the Old Liberty Theater and there will be ongoing jamming throughout the town with multiple locations designated specifically for that purpose. Along with all the bluegrass there will be food vendors, dozens of birding events, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, a wide variety of family activities, discussions and demonstrations of Northwest Native American traditions, and a traditional salmon bake just to name a few of the happenings to be enjoyed throughout the weekend.

With fall fast approaching and the outdoor festival season cooling off both literally and figuratively, the Urban Monroes will be migrating as well, moving to indoor stages. Playing the Old Liberty Theater kicks off this year's shift to weather-proof venues. Bluegrass at Birdfest offers the band a delightful seasonal transition, which is good because it might be hard to let go of the last few months. This summer saw the Urban Monroes' single "You Don't Have to Move That Mountain," in Powersource Magazine's Top 35 Bluegrass chart and tracks from their latest CD, Pavement and Pathways, on the Roots Music Report National Top 50 Bluegrass chart. As a result, the band is justifiably excited to see what fall has to offer.

Fashioned from the heart of tradition and infused with adrenaline, the Urban Monroes’ bluegrass style combines the skills of some of the Pacific Northwest's finest talent. Fast-paced and highly energetic, the band performs both original and traditional bluegrass with a style and delivery uniquely its own.

Urban Monroes-New Review-"Pavement and Pathways is a joyride down the Appalachian Trail's fast lane."

2011-09-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

"Pavement and Pathways, the Urban Monroes' second CD, rolls down the band's backwoods super-highway on a tour of bluegrass' rural roots and modern skylines; a stretch of road where Old Joe Clark and Secret Agent Man merge from the same onramp. The vehicle that drives Pavement and Pathways is an adroit arranging ability fortified with a divine pairing of sublime voices and precision picking. Navigating that pavement and those pathways, the Urban Monroes put an added twist into every mile of the excursion, taking the most scenic route at every opportunity and seeking the adventure in every song. With a panoramic view through inspiring originals and a driving rootsy style unrelentingly their own, Pavement and Pathways is a joyride down the Appalachian Trail's fast lane." The Fireball Mail

Urban Monroes are in the Fireball Mail Bluegrass Top 20

2011-09-17T23:48:00.000-07:00

"You Don't Have to Move that Mountain" from Pavement and Pathways is in the Top 20 Bluegrass Singles chart in The Fireball Mail Magazine.

Urban Monroes-Music News Nashville

2011-09-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

Here is an article at Music News Nashville about the Urban Monroes at Issaquah Salmon Days Festival. Click the following link Music News Nashville

Urban Monroes-Pavement and Pathways on Rhapsody

2011-09-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Urban Monroes new CD Pavement and Pathways is available for download at Rhapsody at the following link.

Rhapsody

Urban Monroes-Pavement and Pathways on iTunes

2011-09-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Just letting you know that at the following link you can download tracks from the Urban Monroes new CD Pavement and Pathways. Click here iTunes

Urban Monroes-Two Days and 100,000 People, Jammin' With Salmon

2011-08-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Urban Monroes will be joining Danny Barnes, Scott Law, Wayward Vessel and many other great artists as they perform at the Issaquah Salmon Days Festival just 15 minutes east of Seattle, Washington on Oct 2nd, 2011. They will be appearing on the Salmon Hatchery Stage which is located near the actual salmon hatchery grounds along the river. Sponsored by Microsoft and the City of Issaquah Arts Commission, the band is part of an event expected to draw over 100,000 people with food, free activities, vendors, crafts, and the backdrop of the Cascade Mountains in addition to the live music. The Salmon Days Festival is in its 42nd year of music and celebration of returning salmon and the Urban Monroes are pleased to be a part of the 2011 lineup.

Salmon Days will be one of the last “outdoor” festivals of the season for the Urban Monroes, but the last few months have been as busy away from the stage as on it. During the summer, the band has been enjoying the successes of its most recent CD, Pavement and Pathways, which in June and July appeared on Powersource Magazine’s Top 35 Bluegrass chart with their latest single “You Don’t Have To Move That Mountain,” which was released on Poetman Record’s radio sampler. Tracks from Pavement and Pathways spent three consecutive weeks on the Roots Music Report National Top 50 Bluegrass chart as well as being on the Roots Music Report Chart in Washington state for all genres, where it continues to remain. The Urban Monroes are also currently enjoying the band’s presence on the Folk and Bluegrass DJ Org’s most played bands chart.

Fashioned from the heart of tradition and infused with adrenaline, the Urban Monroes’ bluegrass style combines the skills of some of the Pacific Northwest’s finest talent. Fast-paced and highly energetic, the band performs both original and traditional bluegrass with a style and delivery uniquely its own.

For more information please visit www.urbanmonroes.com

Urban Monroes- Rolling Along the Pavement and Pathways

2011-07-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since there has been a general Urban Monroes update, so this 73 degree, sunny, Pacific Northwest summer afternoon seems like the perfect time to replenish that dearth of information. In late May the band's new CD, Pavement and Pathways, was released on Mountain Sky Media. The CD had been preceded by three single releases on Kentucky's Poetman Records' radio samplers, so the project had already been making plenty of radio traction starting last October, long before the official release. Thanks to many DJ's adding us to their playlists with some playing every cut on consecutive weeks and others having it in high rotation, the Urban Monroes appeared on numerous radio charts with several #1 positions.

Things are still buzzing from all this activity. As of today, the band is on Powersource Magazine's Top 35 Bluegrass Chart with the song "You Don't Have To Move That Mountain" and continues to be on the APD Top 50 Global Bluegrass Albums Chart and the band's heads and hearts are spinning with joy right along with the songs. Links to those charts and specific pieces of news can be found in the News Blog at www.myspace.com/UrbanMonroes or www.UrbanMonroes.com

Here are a few reviews that came in during the last couple of days:

"Pavement and Pathways, the band's second full length CD travels across 38 minutes of high flying, energetically infused bluegrass that spans the gamut from powerful original vocal beauties like "Hole in My Heart" to the adventurous instrumental arrangement of "Old Joe Clark" and the picturesque "When the Aspens Turn". None of this would be possible without the band's combination of vocal talents, instrumental skill and fearless execution of un-explored country as in their grassed version of "Secret Agent Man". This four piece band has all three in their guidance system expertly mapping a musical highway that is fast, furious and fun. From start to finish Pavement and Pathways traverses a road of original and traditional material that takes you to places you've never been before." - Blue Jam Magazine

"I received the new CD today and all I can say is WOW!! Every song is great!" - Jim Chatfield World Wide Bluegrass

The Urban Monroes have had a wonderful festival season which continues as August approaches. Here's an article about an upcoming festival on Cybergrass. Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful season!

www.urbanmonroes.com
www.myspace.com/urbanmonroes
www.reverbnation.com/urbanmonroes

Urban Monroes July Pros

2011-07-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

UM EVENTS
Urban Monroes News

July 2011

Hello Everyone,

We want to let you know if you don't already that there is a truly wonder festival happening Aug 3-7 and it's Clatskanie Bluegrass Festival. Here is an article from the venerable Bluegrass Music News Network with details about Clatskanie BGF. http://www.cybergrass.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8921

New Reviews for Pavement and Pathways From Blue jam Magazine and World Wide Bluegrass

"Pavement and Pathways, the band's second full length CD travels across 38 minutes of high flying, energetically infused bluegrass that spans the gamut from powerful original vocal beauties like "Hole in My Heart" to the adventurous instrumental arrangement of Old Joe Clark and the picturesque "When the Aspens Turn". None of this would be possible without the band's combination of vocal talents, instrumental skill and fearless execution of un-explored country as in their grassed version of "Secret Agent Man" . This four piece band has all three in their guidance system expertly mapping a musical highway that is fast, furious and fun. From start to finish Pavement and Pathways traverses a road of original and traditional material that takes you to places you've never been before." Blue Jam Magazine

"I received the new CD today and all I can say is WOW!! Every song is great!"-Jim Chatfield World Wide Bluegrass

Here's more on Clatskanie-----> camping, jamming, eating, listening to live bluegrass music, having a wonderful time with your family and friends...that's all you need to know:)

All of us in the Urban Monroes are having a wonderful festival and event season. We hope you are too.

www.urbanmonroes.com
www.myspace.com/urbanmonroes
www.reverbnation.com/urbanmonroes
www.urbanmonroes.blogspot.com

Urban Monroes-4th of July Update-Is it just me or does the backyard smell like gun powder?

2011-07-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Well, either it's the Fourth of July or someone is trying to blow up the neighborhood. My concern is that those things may not be mutually exclusive. But by the rockets red glare and with the bombs bursting in air, it's an exciting time for an Urban Monroes' update...especially since sleeping is out of the question any time soon.

June has come and gone and we look back on a wonderful month. Our new CD "Pavement and Pathways" spent 3 consecutive weeks on the RMR Top 50 Bluegrass Chart and all four weeks in the Top 10 on the APD Global Bluegrass Albums Chart with seven singles in the Top 50 Bluegrass Singles chart. We were also in the APD Top 50 Albums for all genres in the last week and on the Top Artist of June Fok Music Airplay Chart: A very successful CD release! Besides that...Just got back from a great week at the festival in Weiser. We all needed showers ...badly!...and a lot of sleep!

Click HERE for Urban Monroes at Clatskanie Bluegrass Festival Event Listing. Also, for our schedule check www.urbanmonroes.com.

The following is a list of recent shows playing our music that either sent us info, or that fans let us know they heard us on, or that we heard ourselves: Thanking, Pacific Pickin', KPVL-Yellowstone Public Radio, Sirius XM, Galaxy Radio, WGWG, KRSU, Bluegrass Mix,KRLC, WMNF WXCS,WKSU,WGLT,WAMC-Bluegrass Time, KCSN-Bluegrass Etc...,KVMR, CHRW,KAFM, the Bluegrass Ramble, WAMU-The Bluegrass Breakdown, Worldwide Bluegrass-Bluegrass in the Bassment,WNHU,Festival Radio,Radio Eagle-107-FM, WVGF, Peelgrass Radio, Daybreak in Dixie, KPFC, KXCV, Southern Style-PBS-106.7 FM, Hillbilly Rockhouse, CITR, WYSO, WMNF, Highway 61, KCSN, WUSB, ECMA, WNHU, WHFR, WNEC, CKUT,Inner-fm org, Mike Kears,WildmanSteve Radio, Backroads Bluegrass, Lonesome Pine RFD, The LION FM, KPDO, WSPN, GotRadio, Siskiyou Bluegrass Show, Hillbilly Rockhouse, WNHU,KXCV,KRNW.

It is impossible to know each station playing us and we know there are many. We extend our gratitude to all of you. Thanks so much for playing the UM's! We greatly appreciate it!

Pavement and Pathways... No Lane Changes Next 1/4 Mile

2011-06-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

UM EVENTS
Urban Monroes News

June 2011

We officially released Pavement and Pathways in May and the response couldn't have been better. We were in the top sellers at various outlets. We had three singles released from the album on Kentucky's Poetman Records. The singles were "You Don't Have To Move that Mountain", "When the Aspens Turn" and "Time of Your Life". The CD showed up on many different charts and we appreciated all of the attention it got and the people who featured our music. We especially want to thank Gentleman Jim from World Wide Bluegrass who has been playing our music on every show, twice a week since 2008. We could never thank him enough for his support and friendship. We selected the song "Secret Agent Man" and recorded it with Jim in mind. It's dedicated to him and his show Bluegrass in the BASSment. So when we got the following review from Backroads Bluegrass yesterday, it made us very happy:
"The piece de resistance was "Secret Agent Man". What a great finish!! I was speechless the entire time thisproject was playing."

Some of the songs from the album were released as singles in prior months in advance of the release of the full project and the following are some of the charts that we have been on going back to October.

http://tinyurl.com/3j3flb2
http://tinyurl.com/37w5sa8
http://tinyurl.com/3qdfnw2

http://tinyurl.com/3gg8bwg
http://tinyurl.com/3vnwpck
http://tinyurl.com/3z5nwu3
http://tinyurl.com/3dc45cy
http://tinyurl.com/3vnxmel
http://tinyurl.com/3r8xqms

Here are some new reviews for Pavement and Pathways:

"With You Don't Have to Move that Mountain and Hole in My heart you have taken it to a whole new level"
-Fan Review

"I love your voice and the soul in your sound"
Lonesome Pine RFD /WAMU

"You have a great sound!
I can't wait to share your music with my listeners"
Jeanie at the Bluegrass Mix

Our new CD Pavement and Pathways is #4 in the APD Global Top 50 Bluegrass Albums Chart. We have 7 singles on the APD Global Top 50 Bluegrass Singles Chart. It is #2 on the Washington Roots Report Chart and it is in the National Top 50 Bluegrass Albums on the Roots Report Chart.

June Charts at links below:

http://tinyurl.com/3kcpgnb
http://tinyurl.com/3mgvh9c
http://tinyurl.com/3mnc25b
http://tinyurl.com/4xwrc7s

All of us in the Urban Monroes are having a great festival and event season. We hope you are too.

Thank you for your time.

www.urbanmonroes.com
www.myspace.com/urbanmonroes
www.reverbnation.com/urbanmonroes
www.urbanmonroes.blogspot.com

Spring Time in the Soggies

2011-05-08T22:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Now that we've all made it through the rainiest, coolest April EVER, what could be more appropriate than starting an equally unseasonable May? But as the old saying goes; April showers bring May rain... So, if we let a smile be our umbrella, here are a few things that have managed to keep our metaphors dry:

First of all, our new CD, Pavement and Pathways, is available for digital download at CD Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/urbanmonroes2). In the next few weeks it will also be at iTunes and will be turning up in various digital outlets at an Internet near you. Physical CD's are available through our website at www.urbanmonroes.com

The Urban Monroes' charting activity for the month included the APD All Time Global Bluegrass Albums Chart, where 1410 downloads by DJ's put the band at #13 (http://tinyurl.com/3vnwpck) and the Root Music Report (RMR) bluegrass Top 50. (http://tinyurl.com/3vnwpck)

We also turned up on The Nashville Showcase DJ Playlist Board. Two of those playlists can be found at: http://lnk.ms/NPGyC Country and Souvenirs, and at: http://lnk.ms/MTCDN Peelgrass. We thank all the DJ's that have been playing the Urban Monroes.

Please tune into World Wide Bluegrass for Bluegrass in the BASSment on Thursdays and Saturdays. You can usually hear us in the playlist and one of us often haunts the chat room on Saturdays. Come join us. You can ask us anything... as long as you don't expect a straight answer.

Lastly, we've received some nice words that really made us smile:

"I love your vocals and the soul in your sound!" WFDU-FM
"Blown away...you've taken it to a whole new level" Fan Review
"It is very good stuff indeed, very fresh and appealing approach to bluegrass." Highway 61

Aww shucks,
the Urban Monroes

March: Not Only a Month...It's Also a Verb

2011-03-31T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to spring! That time of year when the flowers bloom and the annual lawn mower migration begins anew. (If you listen close, you might be able to hear one calling at this very moment.) I can tell it's spring here because the rain feels a little warmer than it did a few weeks ago and the furnace is running most of the time rather than all of the time. We hope it's not too cold (or too hot) wherever you are. But have faith, bluegrass festival season is on its way and with it the weather is always perfect! (Isn't it?)

Speaking of festival season, I can guarantee, well almost guarantee, that the weather will be greatly improved when we travel to Ogden for the OFOAM festival. As it turns out, OFOAM is not what you get when you lather up with Irish Spring; it is an organization in Utah dedicated to supporting acoustic music. You can read more about the festival at Cybergrass. The Urban Monroes are really looking forward to heading to Ogden and traversing the "Endless Road of Rock" again as we travel south east to get to the great Southwest. We have also just added Kootenai River Bluegrass and Beyond Festival in Montana and Clatskanie Bluegrass Festival in Oregon. We'll tell you more about those and others in our next blog.

In the meantime, since we can't warm up the weather, the Urban Monroes will try to warm your hearts instead with some new music playing on our pages at www.urbanmonroes.com and www.myspace.com/urbanmonroes. It includes our single "You Don't Have to Move That Mountain" which was released on Poetman Records' premier bluegrass sampler. The sampler also includes cuts by the Grascals with Dolly Parton, Larry Stephenson with Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Si Kahn with Kathy Matea, Steve Martin with Steep Canyon Rangers and Kathy Kallick. We also have some brand new tracks streaming in our player on most of our websites. Those songs include "Secret Agent Man" which racked up quite a few 'iLikes' when it went online a couple of days ago and an original called "Hole in My Heart" which will be in the player soon.

The UM's are still on APD's DJ driven Top 50 Global Bluegrass Chart. We spent most of March in the Top 10 which definitely gives us a warm feeling regardless of the weather. Reading playlists and receiving DJ comments does the same. (Or did the furnace just kick on again?) WAMU, World Wide Bluegrass, the Bluegrass Mix are just a few...There's not room here to thank them all of individually, let alone express how much it means to us.

Here is a brief list of some of the stations that have played us in the last few days:

KCBL, European Country Music Association ECMA Radio, Highway 61 Italy, Bluegrass Around the World- England, KALH (Hot Rotation), CFBX-(multiple spins Top 30), CJAM-FM- 99.1, RADIO ARIA 99.6 France, Daybreak in Dixie US and Canada, East Coast Radio Ireland, KEMC MT, KRSC OK, WAMU (multiple shows), WWB (multiple shows), WYSO, 90.3 FM -The Railroad Runaround, 90.7 FM The Lion, 1ClubFM, The Bluegrass Ramble, The Bluegrass Review and so many more, Radio Avesta, WHFR, Alt Country Cookin'

Here are a few things that DJ's had to say about our new music from Pavement and Pathways:

"It is very good stuff indeed, very fresh and appealing approach to bluegrass"
Highway 61

"My listeners keep asking for the cd that contained "You Don't Have to Move That Mountain". KCBL

"I also am excited about getting to hear your full project. After 18 years as a bluegrass host it takes something pretty solid to get me excited about another CD! "

WYSO

"I have just listened to your "You Don't Have To Move That Mountain" cut on the Acoustic Rainbow Bluegrass sampler. I'm very impressed! This cut will get air play."
Down Home Bluegrass

"I love the Urban Monroes, they have a great sound"

WXIN

So pull up a lawn chair in front of the heat register, shut your eyes and pretend festival season is already here. We're very grateful to all the stations and DJs playing the Urban Monroes as well as to everyone listening to the music. The airplay and comments really took the chill off a March came in like a lion and left like a snow leopard, now if we could only do something about the whole "April Shower" thing.

28.25 Days of Music, Chocolate, and Presidents

2011-02-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

In case you hadn't heard, the planet Pluto has been demoted in the Solar System's hierarchy of who's who among celestial bodies. The last time I checked, Pluto had been reclassified as a dwarf planet. In honor of that, I think the 28.25 day long February should also be reclassified as a dwarf month. It deserves special recognition for supporting President's Day, Valentine's Day, Washington's birthday, Lincoln's birthday, and Oregon's birthday all during its short span.

But even as the abbreviated month passes into history for another year, we managed to pack it full of UM-activity. For the month, tracks from our new CD Pavement and Pathways as well as tracks from our first release One Fret Makes a Difference put the band on the "All Time" APD Top 50 Global Bluegrass Albums Chart.
Click here for February chart That made five straight months of charting there. Thanks to a lot of DJ's playing our music, in January we were on the Top 50 APD Global Bluegrass "Albums" Chart. We were there for the entire month just as we had been in December for our Christmas release. Earlier in October and November, we held the #1 spot on the Top 50 Global Bluegrass Albums Chart and the Top 50 Global Bluegrass Singles Charts.
Click here for January chart We also managed to squeeze in having the CD of the Month at Country Festival Radio.

Looking forward, some things have already overlapped from the tightly packed February into the more spacious March. One of these is an article in Cybergrass magazine about our single release on Poetman Records/Acoustic Rainbow. It can be found by CLICKING HERE

And just in case you missed it, you can read our Artist of the Week interview in Bluegrass Music Profiles by clicking on the image below.

We hope everyone had a wonderful February full of chocolate candy and Federal holidays, but if your February wasn't the greatest... well, at least it goes by fast!

~the Urban Monroes

New Years Resolutions

2011-01-07T17:41:00.000-08:00

Urban Monroes' New Year's resolution: Tell everyone "Happy New Year!" So here we go... Happy New Year! Glad that's taken care of.

Just a few tidbits to start off 2011. The band finished up December in the Top 10 Global Bluegrass Albums at APD. We've managed to remain there for three months. Thank you to the DJ's playing the Urban Monroes. One of the songs recently added there, our version of You Don't Have to Move That Mountain, will be on Poetman Records' premier bluegrass sampler, which comes out at the end of January. The sampler will also include cuts from the Grascals with Dolly Parton and Kathy Matea with the amazing Jens Kruger. I'm looking forward to hearing this CD myself. You can get a preview of that brand new UM's cut along with our other new tunes in our player at www.urbanmonroes.com or www.myspace.com/urbanmonroes. The new songs feature Martin Stevens who is a recent addition to the Urban Monroes. Martin's playing is hot enough to melt tortoise shell picks so it's a good thing you can get a chance to listen to him now during the cool winter months.

Here are some recent live shots

APD Global Bluegrass Chart

2010-11-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

We know you have lots of things to read in this computer and gadget based
world of information overload, so we will make this as snappy as possible
and try not to send you off into a deep pre-winter/post-Halloween candy
hybernation.

"A fantastic sound...really impressive!" (fan review from WF festival)

As you may or may not know, we have released three radio "singles" through
the Poetman Records label: When the Aspens Turn, Time of Your Life, and most
recently the song Sink or Swim which will be on the label's January release
along with a track from Rhonda Vincent. This will be Poetman's premeir
Bluegrass Sampler and we're excited to be on it.

We were also excited to see that the Urban Monroes are currently number one
on the APD Global Bluegrass chart. The chart is generated as DJ's add a
bluegrass band's music to their program and the November chart includes
Daily and Vincent, Claire Lynch, Rhonda Vincent, Del McCoury and so many
other great bluegrass artists. We are honored to be sitting at the top of
that list. Here's a link to a screen capture of that chart:
http://tinyurl.com/37w5sa8 from the first week in Nov. We haven't had time to make a new screen capture but we are still number one on that chart as of Nov 16 with four singles from our new CD Pavement and Pathways in the top singles charts as well.

Last month, we discovered that we were number 9 in the top 35 bluegrass
artists reported at ReverbNation. Again, that list includeds some familiar
names like Daily and Vincent, Steel Drivers, Rhonda Vincent, Cadillac Sky
and so many more. This was a big surprise to us because it was right after
the IBMA named Daily and Vincent as the Entertainers of the Year. We didn't
expect to be named on a list of anything that had their names on it, yet
we've found it on two global radio charts in a month, a nice way to start
off a season full of reasons to celebrate.

We like to share a playlist from time to time. Here is a recent playlist posted on November 15th from Bluegrass on the Hill with Jeanie Evans.

Bluegrass on the Hill Playlist 11/15/2010

WHOLE LOT MORE LIVIN/RICKEY WASSON
AIN'T NO WAY OF KNOWING/STEEP CANYON RANGERS
CAROLINA SMOKEY MOUNTAIN HOME/SPEC. CONSENSUS
RAWHIDE/MARTY STUART
BOYS IN HATS & TIES/BIG COUNTRY BLUEGRASS
NORTHWARD BOUND/BEARFOOT
1946/DAVID PETERSON & 1946
GOING BACK TO OLD KENTUCKY/RICKY SKAGGS
THAT BLUEGRASS MUSIC/GIBSON BROTHERS
DON'T THAT ROAD LOOK ROUGH AND ROCKY/OSBORNE BROTHERS
REBECCA/HEARTLAND XPRESS
SYCAMORE HOLLOW/BLUE HIGHWAY
TAKE THIS HAMMER/MASHVILLE BRIGADE
WHEN THE ASPENS TURN/URBAN MONROES
WHICH WAY TO GO/CAROLINA ROAD
YOUR LOVE IS LIKE A FLOWER/DAILEY & VINCENT
PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES/DALE ANN BRADLEY
MEMORY OF YOU/COUNTRY BOYS
FIFTY MILES OF ELBOW ROOM/DRY BRANCH FIRE SQUAD
MODEL CHURCH/BLUEGRASS ALBUM BAND
LOSE AGAIN/ALISON KRAUSS
BLUE MEMORIES/PATTY LOVELESS
IF THOSE OLD TRAINS/RANDY KOHRS
MATTHEW/SPRING STREET
BEEN ALL AROUND/DAVID DAVIS & WARRIOR RIVER
BLACK HEARSE FOLLOWING ME/JUNIOR SISK
RAIN PLEASE GO AWAY/ALISON KRAUSS
WAY DOWN DEEP/RALPH STANLEY & VERN GOSDIN
FOGGY MOUNTAIN ROCK/BLUEGRASS ALBUM BAND

Hope everyone is doing wonderful and that your Halloween was filled with fun
and sweetness. Here come the Holidays!!!! Bring 'em on. I love the Holidays.

~the Urban Monroes

P.S APD does not stand for Atlanta Police Department

2010-09-30T22:31:00.000-07:00

Where did the summer go? I swear I left it right here, but now the stores are all haunted with ghoulish apparitions, black and orange candy, and out of place looking Christmas lights, so it seems a change in the season has occurred. (Does it seem a bit odd to you that all that prepackaged, artificially sweetened, food like stuff is surrounded by images of skeletons, ghosts, and tombstones? It doesn't seem like a good selling point to me. As a result, I'm sticking with cake.)

For some non-caloric entertainment, the band has a new page at www.urbanmonroes.com and a new look at www.myspace.com/urbanmonroes. Stop by and see the changes and let us know what you think and while wandering the web, remember that you never know what a little browsing will turn up. We found a familiar name at around #9 on the National Bluegrass Chart compiled from ReverbNation. Here's that chart:

There are over 20,000 artists on these charts. Here are the top 35 Bluegrass artists reporting on the national folk chart at ReverbNation.

Top 35

Punch Brothers

Henhouse Prowlers

Cadillac Sky

Farewell Drifters

Spring Creek

Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen

Steep Canyon Rangers

Head for the Hills

Urban Monroes

The Expedition Show

Dixie Bee Liners

Lonesome Traveler

Hardline Drive

Liberty Bluegrass Band

Straygrass

Del McCoury

Mountain Heart

Ashleigh Caudill

Amanda and Scott Anderson

Exception to the Rule

Monroe Crossing

Pete Wernick

Anderson Family Band

Nu Blu

Rhonda Vincent

Greensky Bluegrass

Eric McDonald

Justin Moses

Daily and Vincent

Bluegrass Parlor Band

Unstrung Heroes

SteelDrivers

Sandy Pickers

Lindsay Lou

Speaking of summer...I think that got mentioned earlier, if not just go with it...a new video of our of the song "Fireball Mail " is below. The story line is the Urban Monroes blasting all over the western U.S playing festivals. Does it get more summery than that?

And lest we forget, here's the cover of our new CD, Pavement and Pathways. Two singles from it have already been released on Poetman Records. The most recent "Sink or Swim" appears on Poetman's inaugural bluegrass radio sampler with a track from Rhonda Vincent.

Every now and then we like to post a playlist. Here is a recent one from KGNU Boulder

Urban Monroes- When the Aspens Turn
The Hillbenders- Highway Gambler
Romano Paoletti- Ragtime Blues
Martin Gilmore- Don't Talk About Hard Times
Lonesome Traveler- Right Where I'm Supposed to Be

Ryan Spearman- Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans
Blue Highway- Lonesome Pine
Sam Bush- Sailin' Shoes
Giddyup Kitty- Colorado
Lonesome River Band- Record Time Machine
Tim O'Brien/Darrell Scott- Walk Beside Me
J Douglas/P Rowan- Tribulations
Jerry Douglas- Little Martha

Jimmy Martin- I Like to Hear 'Em Preach It
Laurie Lewis- Going to the West
Tony Trischka- Fox on the Run
Trampled by Turtles- Victory
New Grass Revival- Sapporo
The Bluegrass Band- Duelin' Banjos

Infamous Stringdusters- God's country
Mountain Heart- Deadwood
Hot Rize- Climbing Up A Mountain
Frank Solivan and D.K- Line drive
The Farewell Drifters- sunnyside drive
Blue Canyon Boys- Rocky Mountain Bound
The New Tradition- Daniel Prayed
The Dillards- The Old Home Place
Peter Rowan- The Family Demon

Tim O'Brien- I've endured
Gillian Welch- Red Clay Halo
Yonder Mountain S.B- rain still falls
Strength in Numbers- Slopes
Ralph Stanley- Mountain Folks
Bluegrass Patriots- High Country
The Churchmen- Take Me in the Lifeboat

Steve Martin- Daddy Played The Banjo
Punch Brothers- rye whiskey
Del McCoury Band- Recovering Pharisee
Tony Rice- Church Street Blues
John Hartford- I'm Still Here
Pete Kartsounes- Old Bluegrass Home
Psychograss- hot nickles
Laurie Lewis- Maple's Lament

Urban Monroes Bluegrass Cruise

2010-09-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Whidbey Island

We played Whidbey Island Bluegrass Festival last weekend...sun, sand, whales, volcanoes and lush vegetation adorn the home of the Whidbey Island Bluegrass Festival in Puget Sound. The festival had a record turnout this year. Not surprising considering how beautiful that place is.

We ran into a lot of people who had made the trip to see us play, including some of our Myspace friends. Thank you for coming and helping to make that day wonderful.

Favorite Surprise Comment About Whidbey Run Across Accidentally While Surfing the Net: "Listening to the Urban Monroe's music was pure joy" Colette

The blue waters of a Pacific inlet and the setting sun back-lighting Whidbey Island as seen from the ferry on our way to play the bluegrass festival there.

That's Camano Island, but those storm clouds are billowing over the distant mountain range in Canada.

Braving the winds and looking for killer whales in the Puget Sound

Sunset over the Olympic Mountains as seen from the scenic lookout of Taco Time on our way to play the Whidbey Island Bluegrass Festival.

A view from the ferry of Puget Sound

On stage at the Whidbey Island BGF. The ocean is visible through the trees.

A perfect day and setting for playing bluegrass Northwest String SummitHere are a few pics from out show at NWSS . We also would like to point out that the first two tracks in our player (on this page to the right) are live from our String Summit Show. Thanks to the String Summit sound crew and Peacock Radio for providing them
A striking chalkboard sign with the schedule at NWSS. Glad all that work got preserved in a picture before it got erased.

On stage at NWSS. Our friend Ki is smiling at the camera.

Northwest String Summit stage and the crowd as viewed by the audience on the hillside.

Every now and then we post a playlist. Here is one from KRVM 3pm.
Moe - Can't Seem To Find - L
Hot Buttered Rum - Summertime Gal - Limbs Akimbo
Great American Taxi - Fuzzy Little Hippie Girl - Reckless Habits
The Gourds - Country Gal - Haymaker
Darol Anger & Mike Marshall - Coal Burnin' Grease Fire - Brand New Can
Danny Barnes - Caveman - Pizza Box
Crooked Still - The Golden Vanity - Some Strange Country
I See Hawks In L.A. - Raised By Hippies - Live In The KRVM Studio
I See Hawks In L.A. - Dear Flash - Live In The KRVM Studio
I See Hawks In L.A. - Byrd From West Virginia - Shoulda Been Gold

4pm.
Shinnyribs - East TX Rust - Well After Awhile
Truckstop Honeymoon - Homemade Haircut - Homemade Haircut
The Sugar Beets - The Reason We Make Love - Secret To Happiness
The Infamous Stringdusters - Fork In The Road - Fork In The Road
The Urban Monroes - My Window Faces The South/ Wheel Hoss - When The Aspens Turn
Brian Cutean - Mississippi John n Taj - Guitared & Feathered
Ashleigh Flynn - The 7th Sea - American Dream
Casey Neill - Memory Against Forgetting - Memory Against Forgetting
Jim Page - More Than Anything Else In The World - Head Full Of Pictures
Sarah Jarosz with Black Prairie - Queen Of The Silver Dollar - Twistable Turnable Man
Yonder Mountain String Band - Kentucky Mandolin - Mountain Tracks: Vol. 5
Lewi Longmire Band - Allegheny County - If I Live To Be 100

High Desert Museum

Shots below were taken on the way to play a show at the High Desert Museum.

Looking into part of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation

A beautiful day to travel

Mount Jefferson (a volcano)

Well stickered guitar case on the floor at the High Desert Museum

Dam JamWe headed to Dam Jam in Rockport, Utah

I think this place was laid out just to have its picture taken!

Stone monoliths stare down at the speeding traffic on I-84. I think the one in front is making a face at the camera.

Clouds over the "endless road of rock" somewhere in Idaho. There are a couple hundred miles similar to this. Even so, the variation in the scenery is still remarkable.

Speaking of variation in scenery, I don't remember taking a side trip to another planet, but some of the photos look like I did. Still in Idaho not far from the Utah border.

Jamming at the Dam Jam. Looks like they saw me coming with the camera.

Early evening at the Dam Jam. That's the dam in the background.

Jamming and eating...

Lots of people were there. The Rockport reservoir is on the the other side of that dam. It's a bit disconcerting if you dwell on it too long.

July Is the Best Month Ever

2010-07-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone, We sure hope your July has been as fun as ours. We played some amazing shows and had an interview in Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine which you can read by clicking the link.

We played Darrington Bluegrass Festival and had a wonderful time as you can imagine. This was our second year there. It's always a great privilege to play at the grand daddy of the bluegrass festivals in the Pacific Northwest. I love this place. Below are a couple of photos taken by Betty Jo Rose. The mountain photo was our view from the stage. Life is tough isn't it?

Favorite Surprise Comment About Darrington Run Across Accidentally While Surfing the Net: "The Urban Monroes blew me away"

At Darrington, we were impressed with the big Martha White tour bus and since it was National Hot Dog Month, we joked about what it would be like to be sponsored by Oscar Meyer. We thought it might look something like this.

With apologies to Rhonda,the Rage,and Martha White

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We recently played Northwest String Summit 2010. This was our second time. Below are some NWSS pics. What a fantastic festival. We had the most wonderful time.

We have new live tracks from our performance at NWSS streaming in our player at our Myspace site. The first two live tracks from NWSS.
Click Here: Myspace Urban Monroes

For those of you who haven't been there before, I shot this video from back stage to give you a feel for that amazing festival. It's of the Infamous Stringdusters. We played right before them.

Urban Monroes NWSS Parking Video

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Some Favorite Moments:

We blew the roof off the stage at Olalla Bluegrass Festival during our sound check...or we like to think we did anyway. It was very windy that day. The photo just above is of the stage crew desperately trying to re-attach the sail they inadvertently created. This area is not far from the infamous Tacoma Narrows bridge that was blown down in 1940.

Newsreel Footage of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse

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These are photos taken on the road traveling to and from festivals. Unexpected views in beautiful places

Leaving the festival at Walnut Valley in Winfield Kansas

Miles of Sky in Wyoming...

The sign in the photo says "Ranch Exit". There was nothing more there than a weather beaten building and a lonely horse

This is only a quarter mile from the festival at Snowbird, Utah

The instrument competition stage at Snowbird, Utah

Scenes like this are everywhere on the festival grounds at Snowbird

On the way to San Francisco you see this view of Mount Shasta

Beautiful Mount Shasta