Country Music News Round-Up- Sonia Leigh, Ashton Shepherd & Cactus Brothers

• I did an interview with singer/songwriter Sonia Leigh over at Engine 145. If you’re not familiar with her yet, she’s a brand new country artist on Zac Brown’s Southern Ground music label whose voice is the second coming of Janis Joplin. Check it out HERE.
• Paul Kirby of the alt-country music band The Cactus Brothers passed away at the age of 48. The Cactus Brothers toured nationally and internationally, released two well-received albums and appeared in the George Strait movie vehicle Pure Country.
• “Country” Johnny Mathis, a recording artist and songwriter whose compositions were recorded by notables including George Jones, George Hamilton IV, Ray Price and Charley Pride, died Tuesday on the eve of his 81st birthday of complications from pneumonia.
• To be bluegrass or not to be bluegrass, that is the question. Infamous Stringduster Chris Pandolfi delivered yesterday’s keynote address at IBMA World of Bluegrass. To him, bluegrass fans must agree to disagree on the question of what constitutes bluegrass. David Morris of Bluegrass Today shared details on the event.
• Ashton Shepherd has a brand new music video for “Where Country Grows.”