Backcountry Music Newsletter Update

December 31, 2006

Welcome to the January 2007 Backcountry Music Newsletter. We hope you'll decide to continue receiving these once-a-month servings of band news, photos, studio happenings, and other tidbits, but we understand if you think it's more like spam and want to opt out. You can do it easily by selecting the Safe-Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the page.

	It's here! The long-awaited album from Eric Uglum and his two stepsons, Austin Ward and Christian Ward, is finally here. It's called The Old Road to Jerusalem, and it's on our Backcountry Record label. You can buy it from our website! You can listen to short samples of each song too. Produced by Janet Beazley and Eric Uglum, it features twelve amazing cuts of the soulful guitar and singing of Eric, and great work by Austin and Christian on bass and fiddle. The twelve songs include songs by Patrick Brayer ("Paper Heart"), and Christian Ward (a fiddle tune called "Stonewall), two new songs by Chris Stuart ("The Old Road to Jerusalem" and "First Train Robbery"), a song by Byron Berline, as well as wonderful new renditions of "Life is Like a Mountain Railway" and "Old Blue." And others! Each track is a gem! ****** We'll be teaching at a number of bluegrass and banjo camps in 2007. Here's where we'll be, so make those reservations now! April 9-13, 2007 Sorefingers Bluegrass Camp Cotswold, England, UK. Janet teaching banjo, Chris teaching songwriting. Sign up soon! June 1 - 3, 2007 Midwest Banjo Camp Janet teaching banjo in East Lansing, MI. July 29 - August 3, 2007 Augusta Heritage Center, Elkins, WV, bluegrass week workshops. August 20 - 31, 2007 Sorrento Bluegrass Workshop, Sorrento, British Columbia Workshop. Janet will teach intermediate banjo the first week, and Chris rhythm guitar; and the second week we'll teach bluegrass harmony class. September 7 -9, 2007 American Banjo Camp, Janet teaching banjo in Fort Flagler, WA.
	Other Interesting Band News: We'll be doing most of our dates in 2007 with Eric Uglum on guitar/mandolin, along with his stepsons Christian Ward on fiddle and Austin Ward on bass, and of course Janet on banjo and Chris on guitar. Janet's album 5 South continues to do well. And Dale Ann Bradley has also recorded a great version of "Julia Belle" on her new album Catch Tomorrow on Compass Records. Larry Cordle has cut Chris's song "The First Train Robbery." It should be out sometime in the late spring.
	Please consider buying CDs or Songbooks or caps or t-shirts for the New Year!
	Backcountry is not just a band name. We're involved with raising awareness of the needs of the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation. Please take some time to visit a National Park and contribute to causes that support the preservation of the American wilderness and historical sites.

	We're happy endorsers of D'Addario strings--the best strings in the universe.

Tour News
See recent tour pictures here:

Upcoming Tour Dates - We hope to see you!

Fri/Sun, January 19/21, 2007
Blythe Bluegrass Festival Blythe, California, Bluegrass Festival, out near the California/Arizona border.

Sat, January 20, 2007
Desert Gold R.V. Park, 7 p.m.
Salome, Arizona

Fri, February 16, 2007
Lonely Pines Concert Series, St. Cloud, MN

Sat, February 17, 2007
Lonely Pines Concert Series, Minneapolis, MN

Sun, February 18, 2007
Lonely Pines Concert Series, Winona, MN

We're about to start on the next Chris Stuart & Backcountry album and will be recording some new songs. . . some of which haven't been written yet!

And we finished the project for CMH records, a Pickin' On album covering songs by the pop artist Jack Johnson. We'll let you know when it will be available.

Thanks and stay in touch! chris@chrisstuart.com