A big tip of the hat to some great players, the fine folks at Cupit Studio in Nashville ... and to Greg Lawrence for some fine engineering ... for our new single, "Wish You Were Here With Me."

I co-wrote this song with my sweetie, Claire Ratliff, during a relaxing weekend in a cabin at Fall Creek Falls. There was no tv ... just a guitar and a couple of music lovers!

We'll be sending this one to radio first of the year and are offering free downloads to you, our friends! Check it out and let me know what you think.

Hope to see you at a festival in 2010! Come on up and say HOWDY!

Been a while since I was on here to tell you anything. A lot of exciting things have been happening. First, I have a great line up of guys that are playing with me now.

  Carl Caldwell, nationally known songwriter for "Dig a little Deeper" that won Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver a Grammy, and just all around great guy is playing mandolin and providing lead and tenor vocals. He has also graciously accepted the role of bandleader and has made a tremendous contribution to the band already. I am looking forward to many years of making music with Carl.

   Donnie Allen, a brilliant muli-instrumentalist, is on banjo and Jerry Ankeny is on bass.

    We are staying busy, rehearsing, playing a few shows a week, writing new stuff and having fun.

    I've also enjoyed playing lead guitar and doing some harmony vocals for the "Bluegrass Baby", Michelle Cupit. 

    Thanks to all of you who have kept in touch and come out in support of us. I can't tell you enough how much it means to us to be able to see so many familiar faces when we play, and even more exciting when those familiar faces bring new friends along to the show!

We love all of you and hope to bring more entertainment your way.

Going to be playin alot more shows for the next little while.  I will be headlining a show at the New River Valley Fair in Dublin, VA on the 23rd of this month. I am really looking forward to seeing my old friends in VA and putting on a great show for them. Closer to home, I will be playing with my Tennessee Border Band every Friday evening from 6 to 8 at Baker's Cafe in Mt. Juliet TN. It is a great venue with good home cookin buffet style. Great owners : Brian and Tina Baker, the waitresses are fantastic. The food is Phenomenal. So why not enjoy it with some great Bluegrass??
  Also will be playing with the Tennessee Border Band every Sunday at the Caney Fork Fish Camp on Music Valley Dr. in Nashville, TN from 12 noon to 2:30pm. The "Bluegrass Brunch Show" features all the best seafood and sandwiches in the area with great Bluegrass music for ambience. The show has a good mix of vocals and instrumentals and the band is open for your requests anytime.

  Come and see us when you get the chance and contact us for booking through Laughing Penguin Publicity at laughingpenguin@comcast.net or at 615-476-3200.

Hope to see all of you real soon,

Lester Ray Sears
 

    Just got in off the road with the Michelle Cupit experience at the Legends of Bluegrass festival in Columbia, MS. and the Turkey Track Festival in Waldron, AR. Had a great time. Keep checking back in for photo updates. 

   We are in for a while, but there is buzz around of  a new album from Michelle, and I am working hard on writing a project for myself to record this winter.

Well, Bean Blossom is in the books and what a great time that was!!!!! All of the talent on display was something to see. Michelle lit up the park with her first performance on the 21st @ 11:00am and got everyone in a great bluegrass mood. The fans were so receptive and complimentary of the group and the song selections.

 We did our second show at 5:00, just after dinner and it went great. She is so talented and the band really never sounded better.

It was good to see some of my friends from Nashville got to make the trip, and some of the people from the WWB were there to  show their support.

It is going to be a great year on the road with the group and I am looking forward to each and every date to play.

On July 10th we will be in Bristol, TN for the pickin porch cable TV show to be aired in select markets. If all goes well, we may be coming to a TV near you.....stay tuned

Man, what a time we had in St. Clair Springs, AL on Sat. 6/14/08!!!!

We played 2 sets and the show was nothing short of phenomonal. Michelle had her usual outstanding voice in good form. The rest of the band performed great. We met a lot of new people and made some new friends. It was a great time all the way around. I should have some new pictures to post soon from the show, so stay tuned....We are off to Bean Blossom this coming weekend. I know a lot of you Bluegrass fans will make the trip, (no matter the cost of gas), so look for us when you get there. We will be performing on Sat. and look forward to seeing you there......

I am very pleased and honored to report that I have been invited to join Michelle Cupit's band for the next several dates. Michelle's CD , "Blegrass Baby" is doing well and the song "Fiddle on the Wall" at last check was up to 7 on the XM chart.

  I am looking forward to playing with the band, and feel very fortunate to be involved with  people as dynamic and accomplished as those involved with the Cupit Music Group.

You can listen to Michelle's music at her myspace site or at cupitmusic.com

 

My best friend, Steve Seymour, that you can see in the pictures here on the page was tragically killed in a boating accident on Wednesday the 8th. He left behind a wife, Rose, and 4 kids, Deanna, Amanda, Lindsey and Dalton.

   Steve was the inspiration behind a lot of my music and just a great guy all around. If there ever was someone who proved what a good man was, this was it. He was an outstanding friend, father and husband and will be missed by all of us who took the time to know him.

I love you Steve and will never forget you...

 

 

 Lester

Well,  the song, "Virginia has made it's way from the committees in the House in Virginia and is now resting with Senate. It has been received positively in just about every circle that has heard and considered it. We are watching the progress as closely as possible.

   Many thanks to all of you who have taken the time to call your delegates and support the choice of this song for the official state song. Also I would like to thank all of the dj's on the WWB internet radio and terrestrial dj's who have chosen to put the song in regular rotation and encouraged people to get behind the effort.

   Thank you each one for your support, and keep listening and watching for progress reports as I get them.

 

Lester Ray Sears