Carolina Chocolate Drops Releasing Next Album!

Carolina Chocolate Drops releasing Leaving Eden February 28! photo by Crackerfarm Music Maker Next Generation artists the Carolina Chocolate Drops are releasing Leaving Eden on February 28th! The group follows up their 2010 Grammy-winning release, Genuine Negro Jig, with this record of original compositions, covers, and traditional songs produced by Buddy Miller (Emmylou Harris, Robert Plant, Patty Griffin, Solomon Burke). You can be pre-order now at nonesuch.com and carolinachocolatedrops.com, where a download of the track "Country Girl" is included and the first 300 CDs will be signed by the band. Leaving Eden also features Music Maker Next Generation artist Leyla McCalla, who will join the Chocolate Drops on their upcoming tour. The Carolina Chocolate Drops were on Music Monday this week - if you missed it, check it out here! Listen: Dr. G. B. Burt - What can an old man do but sing the blues? Photo of the Week Macavine Hayes, Ejo, and Captain Luke by Tim Duffy Our artists can't play without instruments - so thank you! Generous donors have made it possible for Music Maker to donate ten instruments to artists in need this fiscal year. Thanks to generous donations this year, Music Maker was able to procure a new keyboard for Ironing Board Sam, enhancing his performance sound. Sam still uses the keyboard donated to him by a generous anonymous donor in 2010, but this one will increase his ability to perform live for large crowds. Big Ron Hunter received a Gibson ES 335 Hollow-Body Guitar, enabling him to fully transition from acoustic to electric blues, a transition that was started earlier in 2011 when Ron received his first electric guitar from a donor. Big Ron received the guitar in time to play it at the huge New Year's show at The Hamilton, where he proceeded to rock the house! Thank you for keeping the Blues alive! Dr. Burt featured on the BBC! MMRF Artist Dr. Burt was interviewed for the BBC News and it appeared online this week! Learn more about Dr. Burt's life, his involvement with the civil rights movement, and his career since meeting Music Maker. Dr. Burt also explains why the "rough side, not the slick side of the mountain" is actually the best one in life. To watch the piece, click here! Ironing Board Sam plays NC Museum of History Ironing Board Sam will join the lineup for the 11th Annual African American Cultural Celebration at the North Carolina Museum of History on Saturday, January 28th. Sam will play from 2:30pm - 3pm on the Staircase Stage as part of the "Celebrate Music and Movement" segment. The festival itself will go from 11am - 4pm, and will feature over 75 presenters - well-known musicians, award-winning authors, storytellers, dancers, playwrights, re-enactors and others - who will highlight the contributions of African Americans to North Carolina. The event is free to the public so be sure to stop by and see Sam's show! For more info, click here. Quick Links: Website Merch Music

Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events 1/28 - Ironing Board Sam - NC Museum of History 2/03 - Ironing Board Sam - The Blue Note Grill, Durham, N.C. 2/03 - Boo Hanks - The Eddy Pub, Saxapahaw, N.C. 2/10 - Ironing Board Sam - The Eddy Pub, Saxapahaw, N.C. 2/12 - Boo Hanks - PineCone presents Music of the Carolinas 2/17 - Shelton Powe - The Eddy Pub, Saxapahaw, N.C. 2/21 - Ironing Board Sam - SOOTS Fat Tuesday Film & Music Festival 2/24 - Big Ron Hunter - The Eddy Pub, Saxapahaw, N.C. 3/09 - Pura Fé, Deer Clan Singers - UNC Pembroke 3/10 - Shelton Powe - St. Anne's Chapel & Event Center, Tarboro, N.C. 3/23 - Leyla McCalla - Carrboro Arts Center 4/13 - SOOTS 6th Annual Blues Review featuring Justin Robinson & the Mary Annettes 4/14 - Big Ron Hunter - North Dakota Museum of Art 4/27 - Guitar Lightnin' Lee, Leyla McCalla - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/28 - Carolina Chocolate Drops - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/29 - Ironing Board Sam - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.