Ferrell Stowe’s musical career was significantly impacted on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the world’s first artificial satellite. Sputnik’s rotation around the Earth marked the beginning of the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. On January 31, 1958, not to be outdone, the United States successfully launched Explorer I, and the race was on.

The Great Space Race resulted in new discoveries in many different fields: magnetic bands around the Earth, with the launch of Explorer I; an exponential increase in our understanding of the solar system with the journey to the Moon; and historic breakthroughs in communications, culminating in the development of satellite radio. That’s how Ferrell Stowe, a world-class session musician and bluegrass sideman, nailed down a movie soundtrack deal forty-nine years and two days after the launch of Sputnik I.

On that day, Ferrell was getting ready to perform with fiddler James Price in Walhalla, South Carolina, when his cell phone rang. It was his daughter. “Hey, Dad, either someone is playing a bad trick on you,” she said, “or somebody famous just called.” She dictated the mysterious caller’s number. Ferrell finished his set, went backstage, and returned the call.

Much to his surprise, the call hadn’t been a trick. “It was Rob Schneider!” Ferrell says. “He wanted to discuss using some of my songs from my recent Stobro’s Blues CD on his movie Big Stan.” Apparently, the actor had heard Ferrell’s version of “Carroll County Blues” while listening to XM Satellite Radio in his car.

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