Month: August 2022

Dan Tyminski honors bluegrass hero with new EP One More Time Before You Go: A Tribute To Tony Rice

‘Church Street Blues,’ featuring Molly Tuttle, is the first single from the EP. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Growing up, 14-time Grammy Award-winning guitarist and singer Dan Tyminski was not a six-string picker, favoring mandolin or banjo when he joined the jam—until he heard Tony Rice, that is. Hearing Rice kick-off “Ten Degrees and Getting Colder” with J.D. Crowe and the New South for the first time, Tyminski was overtaken by the sound, forever changing his trajectory as a musician. Like the rest of the tight-knit bluegrass world, Tyminski was devastated by the loss of his hero in late 2020. Upon hearing the news, Tyminski took to writing a song for Rice as a way to relieve some of his grief. “I cried all day on day one, and on day two, had written the instrumental part.” The song ended up being called “One More Time Before You Go,” and grew into the title track of Tyminski’s new EP One More Time Before You Go: A Tribute To Tony Rice. (Dan Tyminski, 2022)

Tyminski shared a taste of the upcoming star-studded tribute with his recording of “Church Street Blues” featuring the reigning queen of bluegrass guitar, Molly Tuttle. Sticking closely to Rice’s classic arrangement, Tyminski and Tuttle cross-pick their way through the long-beloved tune, trading solos and sharing vocals on the song’s iconic chorus. Fans can check out “Church Street Blues” now.

When all was said and done, Tyminski ended up with five songs featuring a number of fellow Rice devotees and friends. New guard pickers like Tuttle, Billy Strings, and Dan Tyminski Band-member Gaven Largent share space with Douglas, Bush, Dailey & Vincent, and more for a stunning all-star tribute to the man who influenced a whole genre of music.

One More Time Before You Go track list:
Church Street Blues (feat. Molly Tuttle)
One More Time Before You Go (feat. Jerry Douglas, Todd Phillips, Sam Bush, Josh Williams)
Ten Degrees And Getting Colder (feat. Dailey & Vincent)
Where The Soul Of A Man Never Dies (feat. Billy Strings)
Why You Been Gone So Long (feat. Gaven Largent)

Catch Dan Tyminski on tour:
August 12 – York, PA – Appell Center For The Performing Arts
August 13 – Goshen, CT – Podunk Bluegrass Festival 2022
August 18-20 – Marion, NC – North Carolina State Bluegrass Festival 2022
August 25 – Middlesboro, KY – Levitt AMP Middlesboro Music Series
August 27 – Lexington, VA – Lime Kiln Theater
August 28 – Doylestown, PA – Bluegrass at the TileWorks Summer Series
September 1-4 – Brunswick, ME – Thomas Point Bluegrass Festival 2022
September 1 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House
September 3 – Plymouth, MA – Spire Center for the Performing Arts
September 18 – Flagstaff, AZ – Pickin’ In The Pines 2022
September 27-29 – West Raleigh, NC – IBMA Bluegrass Ramble 2022
September 30 – Rocky Mount, VA – Harvester Performance Center
October 7-8 – Big Stone Gap, VA – Blue Highway Fest 2022
October 14 – The Woodlands, TX – Dosey Doe Big Barn
November 10 – Wilmington, OH – Roberts Centre
November 10-12 – Wilmington, NC – Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival 2022

Throughout his 30+ year career, Dan Tyminski has left his mark in every corner of modern music. Tyminski’s voice famously accompanies George Clooney’s performance of the Stanley Brother’s Classic song, “I’m A Man of Constant Sorrow,” in the film, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou and his vocal collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song “Hey, Brother” was a global smash, having been streamed over 1 billion times to date. Dan has also contributed guitar and/or harmony to projects by Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Aaron Lewis, and Rob Thomas, to name a few. In addition to his highly successful solo career, Dan Tyminski has played guitar and mandolin for Alison Krauss and Union Station since 1994. His unmatched instrumental skills and burnished, soulful tenor voice have been key components of the band.

Scott Krokoff announces new single Fortunately

Scott Krokoff’s new single Fortunately. Cover art by enchanted.marvel.

With a rich sound drawn primarily from his love of 60s and 70s music, New Yorker Scott Krokoff weaves elements of folk rock and country pop into confessional and compelling Americana. He is an evocative and introspective songwriter with a style that is reminiscent of Tom Petty and James Taylor and a voice that sounds like a mix of Jackson Browne and Steve Winwood. People of all ages find Scott’s music appealing and inspirational, relating to his music not only because of the infectious rhythm and energy each song possesses but because he represents the desire we each have to dream big and live life to the fullest. His latest single Fortunately, is now officially out and available for streaming on all platforms. It is a love song written for his wife in the bossa nova style reminiscent of those classic bossa sounds from the 60s. (Scott Krokoff, 2022)

He will be appearing at the Mercury Lounge in New York on Friday, August 5 along with Rory D’Lasnow and Victor V. Gurbo. Tickets are $10 and are available through Ticketmaster. Each be playing 30 minute full band sets.

To date, Scott has released 3 albums and several singles, including three singles with over 100,000 streams on Spotify (Far Too Many Times, My Own Terms and Groundhog). PopWrapped calls Scott “an artist to watch” and Music Crowns calls Scott’s latest release – 2022’s Fortunately – “a song you’ll want to hold your loved ones close to, and find harmony with one another while swaying along to the music.”

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

iFLY appoints Michelle Brumley to Associate Product Manager

Michelle Brumley will accelerate the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field trip program. Photo: iFLY Indoor Skydiving, used with permission.

iFLY Indoor Skydiving is pleased to announce that effective immediately, Michelle Brumley will return to the company as its Associate Product Manager to accelerate the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field trip program. Brumley, most recently STEM Education Program coordinator at iFLY, will oversee the implementation of new products from ideation to execution within the STEM program. (iFLY Indoor Skydiving, 2022)

“I couldn’t be more overjoyed to be returning to iFLY to enhance the current STEM product to reach an even broader audience. The future of STEM at iFLY is filled with excitement and new opportunities for teachers. We want to do everything we can to help teachers make the STEM field trips a reality for their students. This will include helping them find and apply for grant opportunities, looking for corporate partners to sponsor schools, and offering products aligned with school budgets.” – iFLY Indoor Skydiving Associate Product Manager Michelle Brumley

Brumley brings to iFLY 11 years of experience as an Aerospace Physiologist in the United States Air Force (USAF) where she developed the curriculum and standardization for the Aerospace Physiology career field during her assignment to the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine. In 2009, Brumley completed an Alternative Certification Program to become a secondary science teacher and taught a broad range of subjects to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. This ignited her excitement and passion for interacting with students to show them the world of STEM.

Ten years later, Brumley joined iFLY as a STEM educator where she presented grade-appropriate lessons and lab activities focusing on STEM topics associated with vertical wind tunnels. From 2019-2021, she served as the company’s STEM Education Program Coordinator and oversaw curriculum development and implementation for field trips conducted at over 30 iFLY locations. She also provided ongoing training and evaluation for more than 50 STEM educators working for iFLY throughout the country. 

“With the new and improved products, we will ensure we have highly qualified educators who get students fired up about STEM,” said Brumley. “The team is always looking for ways to refine the program such as creating new lessons and activities to align with national and state-specific education standards.”

To date, iFLY has hosted over 300,000 students and 10,000 schools for their STEM field trips in effort to increase awareness of exciting STEM careers and how STEM can be used in the real world. Led by a highly trained STEM educator, field trips include an interactive presentation on real-world STEM applications, a grade-appropriate lab activity, immersive experiments, physics demonstrations that come to life in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel, and one-on-one flights with a certified world-class iFLY instructor. iFLY STEM curriculum aligns with state-specific education standards while making STEM an exciting, one-of-a-kind learning experience.

Austin-based iFLY Holdings, LLC, is the world leader in the design, manufacturing, sales, and operations of wind tunnel systems for indoor skydiving. The company has flown more than 9,000,000 people in a dozen countries and at sea since launching the modern vertical wind tunnel industry in 1998. iFLY has over 70 facilities operating worldwide and close to 40 in the US. iFLY supports and utilizes the safety and training guidelines set out by the International Bodyflight Association (IBA) to ensure the safety and progression of the sport of indoor skydiving. iFLY Franchising enables aspiring business owners to have fun while working and empowering their community with iFLY’s products, which use advanced technologies and engineering to make the dream of flight a reality. iFLY is the world technology leader and operator of body flight experiences and provides potential franchisees with robust and vetted tools and processes ranging from retail location selection to consumer operating models. 

Courtesy photo, used with permission

Enjoy summer activities at Madeline Hotel & Residences

Madeline Hotel & Residences in Telluride, Colorado. Photo: Auberge Resorts Collection, used with permission.

As the dog days of summer linger, the mountain town of Telluride, Colorado boasts a unique roster of special events with localized luxury experiences via the destination’s only Forbes Five Star hotel, Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection. Explore the local culinary offerings during a one-of-a-kind guided foraging session, and indulge in an exclusive multi-course dinner during Blues & Brews Festival. (Madeline Hotel & Residences, 2022)

Foraging with Chef Bill Greenwood: During the month of August, explore the local culinary offerings during a one-of-a-kind guided foraging session. On sunrise foray with Madeline’s own Executive Chef Bill Greenwood you will explore the land and learn about the local delicacies found in and around Telluride. Inspired by the best of what is in season from local Western Slope farms, Executive Chef Greenwood serves fresh, spirited takes on the hearty, rustic food you crave after a long day in nature.

Taste of Blues & Brews x Madeline: The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Brewers Showcase will kick off in style on Thursday, September 15 at 6p.m. with an evening of brews, world-class fare and, of course, music. This culinary experience will pair six courses of curated, modern mountain cuisine from Executive Chef Bill Greenwood with unique craft beers and conversation with brewers.

Telluride Mushroom Festival: Guests staying at Madeline over August 17-21 can attend the annual Telluride Mushroom Festival: featuring a variety of talks from over 30 speakers. The Telluride Mushroom Festival is famous for its array of unique and lively events, including Wild Food Dinner Experience, Mushroom Chefs’ Dinner, Entheogenic Gourd Circles, Open Mic Night, MycoLicious MycoLuscious MycoLogical Poetry Show and our Free Identification Tent. Attend showings of new fungi movies, panel discussions over treatment using psychedelics and decriminalization of psilocybin containing mushrooms. Special guests are happy to take guests on a mycology adventure out into the forest in the beautiful alpine around Telluride.

New supernatural thriller: ‘Dominature’ by Joe Belcastro

Fans of Joe Belcastro, author of ‘Dominature,’ will have the opportunity to meet him in-person as he travels across the country to attend several book festivals and conventions. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Joe Belcastro is on tour for his debut novel “Dominature: What If The Devil…Banished God…From Heaven…” The book is an epic fantasy adventure which reimagines divine beings in this provocative alternate telling of one of humanity’s famed creation stories. (Joe Belcastro, 2022)

“It’s always a pleasure to interact with people from all walks of life, sharing my story and learning about theirs. While I toured extensively during my time at WWE as Head Writer and Producer, this solo tour is an exciting and challenging journey for me as a storyteller embarking on a new platform with a bold premise.” – Joe Belcastro

The story in “Dominature” remixes new and familiar historical characters and events in a modernized way, while exploring the nature of good and evil by asking the introspective question: Can any being overcome who they inherently are?

When asked about early reception, Belcastro says, “Everyone who sees and reads the book cover is immediately intrigued where I went with the story. It’s cool to witness that in-person.”

Confirmed Upcoming book tour appearances:
August 14 – MIGHTY CON (Madison, WI)
August 20 – MISSISSIPPI BOOK FESTIVAL (Jackson, MS)
September 2-4 – FANBOY EXPO (Orlando, FL)
September 23 -25 – NECRONOMICON (Tampa, FL)
October 1 – COLLINGSWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL (Collingswood, NJ)
October 15 – TWIN CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL (St. Paul, MN)
October 22-23 – THE BOOK FEST FALL 2022 (Virtual)
October 29 – LOUISIANA BOOK FESTIVAL (Baton Rouge, LA)
December 2-4 – LOS ANGELES COMIC CON

Additional Belcastro appearances may be added. Watch for updates for these and other events:

November 5 – PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL (Oregon)
November 5-6 -TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL (Austin, TX)
November 12-14 – Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading

Joe Belcastro is a provocative storyteller who once crafted characters as the head writer and producer for WWE: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. He is now a novelist with his debut epic fantasy adventure, “Dominature.” In it, Joe explores the nature of good and evil and asks the captivating question: What if the Devil banished God from Heaven? Reaching deep inside himself, Joe uses his keen sense for drama and wit stemming from his days as a former journalist and film critic to deliver a tale that is premised on the best-selling book of all time – The Bible. Joe lives in Tampa, Florida where he is laying the groundwork for a charitable foundation and drafting his next novel.

Moras Productions releases second graphic novel hybrid Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru

Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru is available through Amazon Kindle. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Writer Omar Mora has published his second graphic novel Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru through his company Moras Productions. The hybrid book was release at San Diego International Comic Con on Wednesday July 20, 2022. (Moras Productions, 2022)

“Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru” is a novel – comic book hybrid that features an adventure-action sci-fi narrative in which two best friends, together with two archaeologists, discover that an ancient map and compass are really artifacts with hidden clues to discover the lost city of Peru: Paititi. As they discover this, something puts their lives in danger, a danger that drives our adventurous friends to follow what they were meant to do in life — to become what Mark’s Grandpa taught them when they were kids: explorers of the ancients. It is then that Luis, Mark, Jennifer and Sandy begin their journey into the unknown, a magical and adventurous journey to discover the Lost City of Peru, a journey that will change their lives forever.

“I’m so proud of this book. Ancient Explorers is a novel that I always wanted to produce as a comic book. When the pandemic hit, well the economy hit as well and I wasn’t sure if the finances will be in place to do the full graphic novel. So we decided to do it as a hybrid. And I’m happy I did it that way. If you don’t read the comic books pages within the novel, you’ll get lost, the comic pages is not just illustrations, they’re part of the story. And I think that makes it very interesting and cool. It’s such a fun and entertaining story” – Omar Mora

Omar Mora is an actor, writer producer who recently worked on the movie Inside The Circle, his last published comic book was “The Unearthians” which was top 10 indie comic book at Los Angeles Comic Con in 2019. “The Unearthians” is being developed for a television series.

Ancient Explorers will be released digitally through Amazon-KINDLE. Omar Mora is the writer, with additional writing by Jim Higgins. The art was helmed by Miguel Guzman, colors and letters by Edwin Estrada, proofread by Shannon Mier, and designed by Phil Smith.

Courtesy photo, used with permission.