NashvilleGab - Country music news and Nashville celebrity gossip

Steve Martin becomes a first time father at 67

Actor and Steep Canyon Rangers banjo man Steve Martin has become a father for the very first time at the incredible age of 67. 

According to reports, Martin and his 41-year-old wife Anne Stringfield welcomed their first child clear back in December. A source told the NY Post that the couple were able to keep the birth a secret because, “Steve’s very private. They are thrilled. They worked hard to have the baby.”

So far Martin hasn't made any statement regarding the birth of  his first child, although back on February 11th he did send out a tweet that said "Coo coo, cutsy wootsy, footsy pie" so maybe that was baby talk for I'm a new dad, congrats to me.

Stagecoach Music Festival Rolls Out "Guest List" for 2012 Adding Third Day

The announcement of this event line-up is almost like waiting for the joys of the upcoming Holidays. For the past five years the Stagecoach Music Festival held in Indio, CA at the Empire Polo Field has hosted some big name acts such as Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Reba, & The Judds to name a few. So after the "BIG" line up news today, either announced on local radio stations or learning of it on the website, the phone lines, internet, (Twitter & Facebook) & of course texting were all jammed with people sharing the news and making plans.  Some hotels were already sold out today, and some do not have many rooms left.  So to say this event is popular is an understatement.

Stagecoach returns for their sixth year taking it from the traditonal two day event to three beginning April 27th through April 29th.  With the stellar line up which includes names like: Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, Alabama , Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, and more the third day was a must to get it all in. 

There are some new faces this year like Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Alabama, Kenny Rogers, Chris Isaak, The Band Perry and more, as well as some return guests like Jason Aldean and Sara Evans who start it off on Friday, Miranda Lambert takes over the stage on Saturday & Brad Paisley closing out the three day run on Sunday.

With access to three different stages there is music for everyone from bluegrass to good old honky tonking.  As of today (10/20/11) here is the line up of all the artists:  Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Alabama, Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, Luke Bryan, The Mavericks, Sara Evans, The Band Perry, Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers, Chris Isaak, Justin Moore, The Jayhawks, Eli Young Band, The JaneDear Girls, The Del McCoury Band, Brett Eldredge, Aaron Lewis, Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys, Uncle Monk, JD Crowe & The New South, Sara Watkins, Sunny Sweeney, Dave Alvin and the Guilty Ones, The Unforgiven, Greensky Bluegrass, Split Lip Rayfield, Elizabeth Cook, JD Souther, Old Man Markley.

Tickets go on sale Friday October 28th at 10 AM PDT at: http://www.stagecoachfestival.com/

Three-day weekend passes start at $149 for a limited time to the first 5,000 passes and layaway options are available. The festival also offers, camping and RV packages. For a complete breakdown of available ticketing and onsite camping/RV options, please visit the website. Children 10 and under will be admitted for free. Premium reserved-seating passes will run $749-$999.  Like the old saying goes; "Be there or be square."

STAGECOACH is produced by Goldenvoice and The Messina Group.

Steve Martin's banjo playing requires him to get falsies

Photo via Blogs.McCall.com

Poor Steve Martin.  He's such an awesome banjo player, but apparently his banjo playing has caused some beauty issues...namely that he now has to wear fake fingernails. 

The funnyman recently gave an interview with music magazine Q about the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of playing banjo in his own band, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers.

He reveals (via Starpulse), "My real nails got torn up from playing. It's a typical thing to have false nails in bluegrass. You go into any beauty parlor and say, 'I need acrylic nails on the first two fingers, please.' And they ask if you're a guitar player.

"I have them redone every two or three weeks. I like to wait for them to fall off before before I got a fresh set. Have I ever been tempted to paint them? I have not."

Yeah right.  I have this feeling someday he just wont be able to stand it anymore and will come out with two blue nails or something. 

And speaking of Steve and his banjo, you can now take Banjo playing lessons from the funnyman himself. 

Not in person, unfortunately, but online. 

From a recent press release:

The Tony Trischka School of Banjo has a series of online lessons from guest Steve Martin where he demonstrates and breaks down how to play ‘Hide Behind A Rock’, a track from his new album ‘Rare Bird Alert’. Students can even watch the videos in slow motion along with hundreds of other beginner, intermediate and advanced banjo lessons available on the site.

If you're into that sort of thing, you can get your banjo learning on by visiting here. 

Even when Steve Martin's being a serious musician he makes me laugh

Too funny.  Steve Martin's new music video for Jubilation Day just proves that he's the king of comedy and of the banjo.  

Steve Martin would like to give you a $1000

So are you a video wizard?  Are you a broke video wizard?  Well then you are most definitely in luck because banjo-playing-extraordinare, Steve Martin, would like to give one lucky videographer out there a break....and a check for a thousand smackaroos.  Here's the rules from DailyMotion...

Steve Martin invites you to create a music video for his song, “Wally on the Run”. “Wally on the Run” is about Steve’s dog, Wally, so your music video should have a dog (or many dogs) in it. You could win $1000! Here’s what you need to do:
1. Download the song “Wally on the Run” here: http://stevemartin.com/stevemartin/download-wally-on-the-run.html
2. Make a music video for the song – remember, it has to feature dogs!
3. Join the Motionmaker program here: http://www.dailymotion.com/register/motionmaker
4. Upload your video to Dailymotion and add the video to this group:
http://www.dailymotion.com/group/WallyontheRun
And that’s it! Official Terms & Conditions can be found here: http://www.dailymotion.com/group/terms/WallyOnTheRun
The contest winner will be chosen by Steve! Contest ends December 1st so get crackin’!
Have fun and good luck!

{Via The Bluegrass Blog}

Wally On The Run : A Message from Steve Martin
by SteveMartin