Zzz... the band is taking a nap...
Current mood: sleepy

THIS JUST IN: Look for Uncle Earl in next month's Rolling Stone. We were featured in an article about young stringbands!

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Dearest g'Earls & g'Earlfriends,

We've had some big planning meetings here at Earl Central, and we thought it was about time to let our friends in on what we're thinking. As of right now, we're intending to take 2009 as a year off for the band. We're not breaking up. We just aren't putting any dates on the calendar.

It's a bittersweet announcement to make. We'll each miss not playing with Uncle Earl next year, but at the same time the main reason we're taking a break is that each of us have other projects on the go and we'll be happy to explore new directions musically and personally.

In this newsletter, please check out the newsblurbs from each of us on our individual projects. That will tell you where to find us next year. We'll probably still send out the occasional Uncle Earl newsletter, but if you really want to keep in the loop, it would be a great idea to sign up for our individual newsletters as well!

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First, though, some video news:

The "Streak o' Lean" music video is finally for sale!!! That's right, you can own your own copy to watch over and over again and it will even look like the incredible, high-def, carefully colored, letterbox loveliness that it is. (If you've been watching it on youtube you're just missing out...).

And... you've just got to check out this video from our last gig of the summer -- the Saturday dance tent at Greyfox. We missed Abby that aftternoon so we found a couple of 8-year-olds to come fill in the blanks. Can you believe these two singing the "Crayola" song with us? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7-v7epzTFQ


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Rayna News

Rayna is excited for everyone to hear "Help Me To Sing", the companion CD to the soundtrack for the documentary "Awake, My Soul". Rayna and John Paul Jones recorded their take on the Sacred Harp hymn "Blooming Youth" for the album. Look for it at a music store near you! (And if you haven't seen the documentary yet, it is not to be missed.) Coming soon: Toubab Krewe's live album will be released on Nov. 29th, and features Rayna on a couple cuts, as well as the great spoken-word artist Umar Bin Hassan. Currently cooking: helping out with Loudon Wainwright's album of Charlie Poole songs (produced by Dick Connette) and forming a new old-time duo with the amazing Patrick Sauber.

Become Rayna's friend on MySpace and see upcoming show-dates! http://www.myspace.com/raynagellert & http://www.myspace.com/gellertsauber



Kristin News

Kristin is (at this moment) writing to you from Dreamland Studios in West Hurley, New York where she's putting the finishing touches on a new album by Sometymes Why. The trio will release Your Heart is a Glorious Machine on Signature Sounds in February, 2009.

Kristin is also excited to be playing more shows on her own, including these:

Monday 11/3 – Rockville, MD. Institute of Musical Traditions. With Jefferson Hamer & guests TBA. 7:30pm. 301-764-3611.

Wednesday 11/5 – Bryn Athyn, PA. House Concert. E-mail kristin@... for info.

Friday 11/7 – Waltham, MA. Brandeis University Marquee Series. With Jefferson Hamer, Aoife O'Donovan & the Brandeis acapella group Rather Be Giraffes. 7:30pm. 781-736-3400.

Friday 11/14 – Sharon, MA. Sharon House Concerts. 7:30pm. 781-784-4408.

Thursday 12/4 – New York, NY. Banjo Jim's in the East Village. An evening with the Martha Scanlon Band, Jefferson Hamer and myself.

Thursday 12/11 – Lansdowne, PA. Sometymes Why at the Lansdowne Folk Club.

Friday 12/12 – Brooklyn, NY. Sometymes Why at Jalopy.

You can stay in touch with Kristin by joining her newsletter (e-mail kristin@... and say "subscribe").

You can get info on the Sometymes Why new CD and release tour on the Sometymes Why newsletter (e-mail aeiou@... and say "subscribe").



KC News

Well it's that time of the year -- the time when you realize that you need to buy all your friends Christmas presents. And KC Groves' album Just Like the Snow is just the perfect thing! For sale now through the Uncle Earl store.

KC has been busy with the Moody Sisters and reviving The Dangerfields (her awesome band with Jefferson Hamer).They've added Sharon Gilchrist, Oliver Craven and Eben Grace to the lineup. Look for Dangerfields shows around New Years in Colorado and expect an album in the new year.

KC also is starting an Internet radio station with her friend Eric Zilling. It's called Redstone Radio. Streaming 24/7 from Lyons, Colorado. www.redstoneradio.com.



Abby News

Abigail played her last show for 2008 with The Sparrow Quartet on October 19 at LEAF in Black Mountain, NC. She's had a great time touring with Bela and Casey and Ben this year and looks forward to a handful more dates in January and February including Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Scotland on January 22 and a short tour of UK and Ireland, and a Feb tour in Colorado... and maybe even a couple dates near home in the southeast. Live footage and recordings of their set at the Austin City Limits festival will soon be available. The Sparrow Quartet has cds and new t-shirts available thru the website, with some remixes soon to come: www.abigailwashburn.com

Currently packing her bags for a 5 week trip to China, she's daydreaming about Chinese opera lessons and several day train-trip missions to seek out folk singers and capture recordings for new musical inspiration. She may even play a last minute gig or two in Beijing. She'll be posting regular blogs to her website, myspace and facebook, and sending the occasional e-blast from Beijing with pics and videos. Also in the works is a duo project with Ben Sollee in the new year... and a new solo album. so keep posted.

To sign up for Abigail's email list look for "EMAIL SIGNUP" at: www.abigailwashburn.com

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Uncle Earl truly thanks each of you for your support over the past years. We each look forward to seeing you down the road and you will be the FIRST to know when Uncle Earl the band plays its next show!

- Kristin, Abby, Rayna & KC

www.uncleearl.net
www.myspace.com/uncleearl