PREMIER CONCERT TAPING, 1PM, SAT. MAY 22ND AND 3PM, SUN. MAY 23RD, 2010

Featuring Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Cherryholmes, Mountain Heart and 18 South on Sat. May 22nd and Darrell Scott, Justin Townes Earle, Will Hoge and Monte Montgomery on Sun. May 23rd

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 22nd, 2010 – Organizers of the acclaimed radio-concert series BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND today announced a special public television partnership to bring the unique “musical adventure” series to national audiences. The first three episodes were filmed February 27th and the remaining eight episodes of the first season will be videotaped 333-feet below the ground in the acoustically pure Volcano Room, deep inside the Cumberland Caverns near McMinnville, TN.

The BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND radio-concert series has been airing weekly since 2008 on country music’s flagship station, 650 WSM-AM. But now a partnership of concert promoter Todd Mayo’s Loblolly Ventures, WCTE-DTV (PBS), and Emmy award-winning producer Todd Jarrell is developing the series for national distribution on public television.

“Bluegrass Underground is a labor of love for all who are part of it and the Volcano Room at Cumberland Caverns is one of the most majestic and magical spaces on, or under, earth,” says promoter Todd Mayo, president of Loblolly Ventures’ “We are thrilled to be partnering with WCTE and Todd Jarrell who together have a track record of clearing quality cultural and musical television programming for national PBS audiences.”

As Mayo puts it, his series is, “A little bit Bluegrass, a little bit Underground. Tennessee abounds with great music and great natural beauty and both will be on display underground this May,” says Mayo.

This exciting and eclectic live concert will be videotaped in High Definition by WCTE, with audio recorded in surround sound provided by Sound Image. Concert lighting is designed by Allen Branton, whose clients have include the recent “Hope for Haiti” special, as well as Michael Jackson, U2, Madonna, The Who, the Beach Boys and many more. Directing videotaping will be Jim Yockey, whose television career in live music events includes work with Frank Sinatra, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and the Judds, to name just a few.

For Todd Jarrell, producer for BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND television, this combination of creative talent promises audiences,  “a full-on presentation of one of the most visually amazing and acoustically true venues on the planet—bar none.” Collaborating regularly, Jarrell and WCTE (Cookeville, TN-PBS) have presented Jarrell’s award-winning films onto the national PBS system including, TREE SAFARI, CRANK: Darkness on the Edge of Town, and TUBA U.

“We are so proud to be presenting BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND,” says WCTE CEO Becky Magura. “This program will be a tremendous asset and a welcome addition to WCTE’s current musical offerings such as JAMMIN’ AT HIPPIE JACK’S, the Bryon Symphony Orchestra’s BACKSTAGE series and the annual SMITHVILLE JAMBOREE.”

First discovered in 1810, Cumberland Caverns is a registered U.S. National Natural Landmark, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world each year. The subterranean descent takes visitors past an underground pool and waterfall to the 500-seat natural amphitheatre carved by water over 3.5 million years. The Volcano Room lies about 600 feet inside the main opening of the cavern.

While touring the cavern during a family vacation, Mayo was struck by the value of the Volcano Room as a top music venue.  He and wife Jen formed their production company, Loblolly Ventures, and BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND was born.

Mayo took his cavern-recorded music program to WSM AM 650, the most consequential and influential broadcaster in the history of country music and an icon of Nashville. WSM wisely scheduled BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND to air on Saturday evenings just prior to the Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running show in broadcasting and a landmark of American culture.

BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND tickets are available at bluegrassunderground.com