The sextet has concerts booked every month except December next year,starting with a tour of opera houses and auditoriums in January.They’ll focus on bluegrass festivals from late February, travelingmostly throughout the South and Midwest but also along both coasts andup into Canada.

The band’s latest album, Long List of Heartaches, was released in August.

The Grascals – comprising lead vocalist/guitarist Terry Eldredge,fiddler Jimmy Mattingly, banjo player/vocalist David Talbot,guitarist/vocalist Jamie Johnson, mandolin player Danny Roberts andbassist Terry Smith – are a relatively new band, having released theirself-titled debut in 2005. But all six musicians have deep roots inthe bluegrass and country communities, and several members have playedtogether since the mid-’70s.

Dolly Parton is a loyal fan and enlisted the group to serve as bothopening act and backing band on several tours.