ACUTAB Fiddle Instructional DVD released!! 09/25/2009 AcuTab Publications - Jim Van Cleve - Become A More Complete Fiddler AcuTab Publications is delighted to announce the release of our latest DVD, Jim Van Cleve - Become a More Complete Fiddler. It marks the first instructional project for this Grammy-nominated musician, one of Nashville's most celebrated fiddlers, and a driving force behind bluegrass supergroup Mountain Heart. Van Cleve also performs regularly with guitar legend Tony Rice and has toured in 2009 with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Jim wanted to do more than just teach some of his favorite tunes  though that is also included  so the largest part of this better than four hour presentation focuses on a topic of interest to fiddlers at any level...how to create effective solos based around the melody in different keys. After some discussion about early learning experiences, AcuTab's John Lawless leads Jim through a discussion on improvising and building solos on a number of popular bluegrass standards. Two songs, "Banks Of The Ohio" and "Pretty Polly," are each played with a band and then slowly demonstrated in 3 different keys. Before demonstrating the tunes, Jim breaks down the scale and common positions for each key in turn. He shows where to find the melody, and where adjacent double stops are located, as well as licks and phrases that suit each song. Attention is given to both playing a melody-based solo and what a fiddle can do to assist the band sound in accompaniment. For newer players, these demonstrations will help open your eyes  and ears  to playing a melody in different keys, while more experienced fiddlers will gain insight from the many examples Jim shows. Especially useful is Jim's explanation of the differing note choices you would make for a song in a diatonic major key, versus one in a Dorian, "mountain modal" style. He doesn't ignore his own music though. Jim carefully teaches fours songs he has recorded  three of his own ("Nature Of The Beast," "Devil's Courthouse," and "#6 Barn Dance") plus Bill Monroe's classic "Wheel Hoss". After being slowly demonstrated lick-by-lick, they are each shown (fast and slow) in a split screen orientation. A printed booklet with standard notation for each of these songs is also included. Jim has been recognized since he first emerged on the scene in the 1990s as one of the more technically versatile fiddlers in bluegrass and acoustic music. What he has to say in this new DVD about tone, technique, practicing and improvising will offer tremendous value to anyone who wants to, well...Become A More Complete Fiddler. The 2-DVD set and booklet carries a retail price of $50 (USD).

Jim Commissioned by IBMA!! 09/20/2007 This years IBMA award show will serve as the backdrop for the premiere of an exciting new theme song recorded September 10th in Nashville by some of bluegrass musics most talented musicians. The creation of Mountain Heart fiddle player Jim VanCleve, the melody weaves a unique and powerful tapestry punctuated by the explosive virtuosity of master musicians Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, Clay Hess, Jason Moore, Andy Hall and VanCleve himself. IBMA Awards Show producers Terry Herd and Cindy Sinclair first approached VanCleve with the concept in late summer. "We've had a good run with our previous theme Shoulder to Shoulder and it was not an easy decision to retire it, but now in its thirteenth year, we felt it was time for something new" and Jim was the guy to do it" said Herd. Of the experience VanCleve said "writing and recording a new theme song for the IBMA is a once in a lifetime experience, I am humbled and honored to have been given the opportunity and I just hope everyone enjoys it". Titled "The Road From Rosine", the new official IBMA theme song will be included on an upcoming Rural Rhythm Records release to be announced at a future date.

Jim Nominated for 2 IBMA Awards!! 08/22/2007 When the final ballots for the 2007 IBMA Awards were announced, Jim was the recipient of two Award Nominations!! No Apologies has been nominated for "Instrumental Album of the Year" Jim VanCleve has also been nominated for "Fiddle Player of the Year" Please feel free to wish Jim luck!!

MH to record LIVE ALBUM!! 05/17/2007 MOUNTAIN HEART to begin recording LIVE ALBUM @ The ARK in Ann Arbor, MI. --Taken recently from The Ann Arbor News... "When the popular modern-bluegrass band, Mountain Heart, played The Ark last month, they told the enthusiastic crowd that they had seriously considered recording the show for a live album, but the logistics just didn't work out. Apparently, they weren't kidding. The Ark, Ann Arbor's famed acoustic-music club, announced Friday that the band will return for another show next month - specifically to make that live recording." ...We weren't kidding either! After the overwhelming response we received from the crowd at The Ark last month, it was a no-brainer to return there to begin the recording process for our upcoming, first-ever, LIVE ALBUM!! We've been hard at work, arranging new material and making preparations to capture the things that have become Mountain Heart's calling card on tape! The Ark is one of the premiere music rooms in the country, and we are not only excited, but honored to be embraced so heartily by the music community surrounding Ann Arbor! We are certainly looking forward to this return trip! Tickets are on sale now through the Michigan Union ticket office, 734-763-TKTS, and through Ticketmaster (in person or at www.ticketmaster.com). Tickets are $20 for the show, slated for Saturday, May 26, at 8 p.m. Don't miss this Once in a Lifetime Show!! For more information on the band, see www.mountainheart.com. For more information on The Ark, see www.theark.org.

WALL STREET JOURNAL/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/CMT....!!!! 12/21/2006 This has been a HUGE month for Jim VanCleve and for his debut solo album, "No Apologies"!! The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, and CMT have ALL included "No Apologies" in their top ten lists for 2006!! This is a Huge honor for an artist, especially on a debut album such as "No Apologies"!! Soon we will have links available here so you can read each of these exciting news features!! Check back soon!!!

GRAMMY NOMINATION for JIM VANCLEVE!!! 12/07/2006 Jim VanCleve has added yet another crowing achievement to his ever growing list. Jim has been honored with a GRAMMY Nomination for "Best Country Instrumental Performance"!! Nature of the Beast, the opening track from "No Apologies" is up for a GRAMMY Award, along with selections by Chris Thile, Bryan Sutton, Doc Watson, Tommy Emmanuel, and Casey Dreissen. Jim had the following to say earlier when asked about this great achievement... " I can't really even put into words what an extreme honor it is to be recognized with a Grammy Nomination!! It's incredible! To be nominated right alongside some of my musical heroes in the Instrumental Performance of the Year category, is the most flattering honor I could ever imagine! I thought that "Nature of the Beast' definitely had a certain mood that really hit home with me, but I certainly wasn't ready for this!! Thanks to everyone who has supported me and my efforts on "No Apologies" in the past year!!" Visit the GRAMMY website

JIM/CHHR/and XM RADIO!!!! 11/06/2006 Hey Friends!!! I just wanted to let you know that XM Radio is going to be airing a live "in studio" special I played on with THE HOTTEST NEW BAND IN ACOUSTIC MUSIC! Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain!! I produced and played on their record which came out last month. It's already charted on Billboard, and is debuting at ..12 in the Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine Albums Chart!! Very Cool. On the special, we played several of the songs from the new record and then discussed some of them as well. We talked about the kick ass new band Carrie's got, and how we went about recording some of the album. Kyle Cantrell hosted the show and, as always, was as personable and easy to work with as ANYBODY doing that sort of thing. All in all, a cool outlet for a Great new band, and a record that I'm obviously pretty close to, but VERY excited about!! check out www.carriehasslerandhardrain.com if you want to hear peices of their new album. Here are the Air Times and a copy of the PRESS RELEASE for the XM IN STUDIO SPECIAL!! ...Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, will be featured on XM Satellite Radio on November 10, 2006. They..ll be on Kyle Cantrell..s show, Studio Special with special guest Jim Van Cleve on fiddle. The show will debut on November 10th at 8 AM EST and will be rebroadcast at the following times. Saturday, November 11 - 11:00 am Sunday, November 12 - 6:00 pm Monday, November 13 - 8:00 pm Tuesday, November 14 - 12:00 midnight Thursday, November 16 - 3:00 pm