BEN AND BILLY COCKMAN TO COMPETE IN NATIONAL GUITAR COMPETITION

Ben and Billy Cockman, of The Cockman Family, will be travelling to compete
in National Flat Pick Guitar, Mandolin, and Banjo contest at the Walnut
Valley Festival Winfield, KS. Over the weekend, the youngest son, Ben,
took the 2012 Guitar Championship during Hartsville, SC at The Reno Fest.

Ben Cockman won an D18 acoustic guitar hand built by award winning stringed
instrument craftsman Gerald Anderson. “After winning the award,” said dad
John Cockman, “he was given the opportunity to perform a song with the guys
who helped make the guitar.” Watch the video of Ben Cockman performing
‘I’ll Fly Away’ with The Four Virginia Luthiers here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ryfp_n-fqs.

The Cockman Family is set to release their new radio single “Were You There
When They Crucified My Lord?” with Homeland Inspiration Group in early
April 2012.

About The Cockman Family:
The Cockmans have a unique bluegrass gospel style. Their harmonies,
original songs and original arrangements of the old gospel songs have been
immensely popular with their audiences. Fans love their family-style
entertainment as well. As the family continues to grow, the grandchildren
are also joining in on the tradition. They love to sing and they love the
Lord. Their family ties are strong, and the warmth of that is conveyed in
their performances.

The Cockman Family has been nominated for Bluegrass Artists of the Year,
Instrumentalist of the Year and Bluegrass Band of the Year by the Country
Gospel Music Association (CGMA), and for Gold Cross Bluegrass Group of the
Year by the International Country Gospel Music Association. The Cockman
Family was selected as one of "The 12 Most Creative Families In America" by
American Greetings Cards and USA Today Weekend. The Cockman Family is
listed in the North Carolina Arts Council for North Carolina Touring and
Resident Artist Directory, and has produced a concert video that is aired
regularly on the SET (Southern Entertainment Television) 24 hour satellite
gospel programming network and other local TV stations around the country.

For more information on The Cockman Family,
visit http://www.cockmanfamily.com/

For more information on Homeland Inspiration Group,
visit http://www.homelandinspirationgroup.com/

For Press Information:
Brittany Maxwell
Director of Media
Homeland Inspiration Group
706.870.4974
brittanydmaxwell@gmail.com

Cockman Family Recieves Award from The North Carolina Folklore Society

Heartwarming Recording artists The Cockman Family of Sherrill’s Ford, NC has been recently honored with The Community Traditions Award from The North Carolina Folklore Society. This award honors contributions of groups and organizations to folklife and traditional culture in North Carolina. community traditions.

For the past 20 years The Cockman Family of Cattawba County has played and sung traditional bluegrass gospel all over the country. John Cockman, Sr. is the son of a Methodist Preacher and met Jane Cockman when she was playing piano for church services. Their common interest in music was shared with their children when they were young. Today John, Jr. (fiddle), Billy (banjo), Carolina Cockman Fisher (lead vocals), David (bass), and Ben (mandolin) form the usual line-up, but there are three generations of musicians in the family who often join their parents and grandparents onstage. The music of the Cockman Family incorporates tight harmony singing and skillfully arranged instrumental breaks. The Cockmans also deserve recognition for their efforts to encourage the growth and continuation of traditional music. Several of the band members teach music in the community and every year the band is the host for the fiddler’s convention at Union Grove, one of the oldest continuously operated fiddler’s conventions in the country. It is partially due to their efforts as hosts and administrators that the festival has been able to keep going. The family has won numerous awards from the Gospel Music Association of America, and was the recent subject of an American Public Television Christmas Special.

The Cockman Family is currently working on their new project for the Homeland/Heartwarming label which will showcase the family harmony and instrumentations in a variety of Mountain Southern Gospel and Bluegrass Gospel. You can find more information about the Cockman Family at www.homelandentertainmentgroup.com or www.cockmanfamily.com