Phil Leadbetter re-ups with Pinecastle

The label closed earlier this year, but was recently sold and resurrected. Artists who had been on the label were free agents.

Leadbetter is currently touring with The Whites, the super group Rigsby, Leadbetter and Bennet, country singer Ken Mellons and performing with his family band, The Leadbetters. Phil and his brother Kent played in several bands together in the early 1980s including Hard Knox and New Dawn. New Dawn was one of the official bands of the 1982 World's Fair. Now, 25 years later, finds Phil and Kent with their two sons Matt and Chance playing in a band together. "The Leadbetters" became the natural choice in a name for this family band.

On Pinecastle, Leadbetter put out three discs with Wildfire, two with Grasstowne and the solo disc "Slide Effects." The IBMA awarded him with "Dobro Player of the Year" and Slide Effects was awarded "Instrumental Album of the Year" in 2005. Previously, Leadbetter was a member of JD Crowe & the New South.