MasterShield Records is happy to announce that Bill Yates of Country Gentlemen fame and more recently an artist on the MasterShield label is being inducted into the VFMA (Virginia Folk Music Association) Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 15, 2007, at the Chesterfield, Virginia Fairgrounds. This is a Virginia non-profit organization, headlined by the Governor of Virginia that recognizes and supports: folk, gospel and bluegrass music. He has already been recognized for his many successful years in bluegrass music by being named as an Ambassador of Bluegrass and inducted into SPBGMAs Hall of Fame, Bluegrass Hall of Fame, Bill Monroes Hall of Fame with the Country Gentlemen and also as a solo artist.
We at MasterShield are very grateful and honored to have Bill on our label and to be able to support him in his achievements in bluegrass music and especially to this honor.
Hello All, Just wanted to send my congratulations to Bill on his induction to the VFMA. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Bill on a bit of a personal basis. I've had the pleasure of visiting with Bill on 3 seperate occasions, and to jam with him on 2 of those, and what a treat that was ! Bill seemed to enjoy jamming with me , and on the 2nd visit, with the group of which I am a member, just as much as we enjoyed jamming with him.
That group by the way, is called "The Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band" of Martinsburg, WV. After listening to, and singing along with our group at an annualy held "picking party" in our area, (at which by the way Bill was honored with a party for his 69th birthday), We were told that after he left the stage that evening, that Bill commented to a friend of ours that he enjoyed it very much, and that in his estimation, he felt that we were quite professional ! I don't know how much we would consider ourselves to actually be at the "professional level" yet, but we were very glad to hear that Bill complimented us as he did !
Which by the way, I must admit that eventhough I (as well as the band), have visited with Bill once more since that time, I did not remember to thank him for those kind words, although I most definitely intended to do so ! So Bill if you happen to read this, Thank you so very, very much, we greatly appreciate it !!
In closing, and to those of you who've not yet heard or gotten your copy of Bill's Master Shield release "The Country Gentlemen Tribute" by Bill Yates andFriends, I greatly encourage you to do so!
Believe me when I tell you, y'all owe it to yourselves to go and pick up a copy for your very own, you won't be disappointed! Because let me tell you, Bill and all his "friends" Darren Beachley, David Propst, Mike Phipps, Scott Walker, Dave MacGlashan, and my friend Kevin Mallow ; all gave top-notch performances, and very much captured The Country Gentlemen sound, especially that of the early 70's Country Gentlemen, (Waller, Lawson, Emerson, and Yates),
In closing I'll leave you with a quote by Bill Yates from himself to me at the recent Tri-State Bluegrass Festival, in Cross Junction Va. At the time Mike Phipps, (who sung Charlie Waller's part on the tribute CD, and has a voice so close to Charlie's that it is almost eerie), was onstage performing with his regular group, "Jay Armsworthy & Eastern Tradition" and was performing one of the numbers from this CD,(I believe it was "Redwood Hill"), and Bill and I were sitting side by side at the record tables, and he turned to me and said "Look at this ! Why that boy sounds so much like Charlie when he sings, that it's got goose bumps all over my arms"
Well, I don't think that I could offer any greater encouragement than that to prompt y'all to want to get a copy of this CD for your own collection, and last but not least, let me add, that if you'd should happen upon a festival where Bill might happen to be, you can be pretty sure to get a copy directly from him, or from the table of a band he may happen to be traveling with at the time, and if you do, don't be shy about going to greet him, he's a very kind, and gracious gentleman who seems to always enjoy chatting with fans, and if you're like me you'll come away having enjoyed chatting with him as well. And oh yes, I can assure you he'd be glad to autograph your copy of his CD too, I know he did mine !
So once again, Bill if you happen to read this, Highest Congratulations ! You Deserve it ! and oh yes, Great Job on the CD ! I believe Charlie would be proud !
God Bless ! Warmest and Highest Regards Always, Your Friend from the Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band, Ron Hazlett Jr. Martinsburg WV.
