Talking about Josh Graves - Sunday, December 2nd...

Coming up in the Bluegrass Cafe this Sunday afternoon, we'll have a chat with Fred Bartenstein - a noted Bluegrass writer, historian, DJ, supporter, musician, and fan - about his most recent book project.  In September 2012, the University of Illinois Press released Bluegrass Bluesman:  A Memoir by Dobro guitar legend, Josh Graves.   Graves (1927-2006) is listed as the book's author, but it was Fred Bartenstein who compiled and edited the memoir.  The book comes from several resources, primarily transcripts from eight extensive interviews conducted with Josh in November 1994.  This is a great read, and offers a lot of insight into the life of a man who not only helped to mold the terrific sound of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, & the Foggy Mountain Boys, but also worked for many years in a duo with the fabulous fiddler, Kenny Baker, and wrote or co-wrote some songs that became Bluegrass standards, including "Come Walk With Me" and the instrumentals, "Fireball" and "Foggy Mountain Rock," among others.

Celebrating what would have been the 85th birthday of
Josh Graves at IBMA (Evelyn Graves cuts the cake, while
Fred Bartenstein [in blue shirt] looks on.

At the book's debut at this year's IBMA World of Bluegrass event in Nashville, Fred Bartenstein joined members of Josh's family (including Josh's widow, Evelyn) on what would have been Josh Graves's 85th birthday:  September 27, 2012.  What a great way to celebrate the publishing of the memoir by the one and only Burkett Howard "Uncle Josh" Graves.  

Be sure to join us on Sunday's radio show, as Fred will have some interesting stories to tell about how the memoir finally came to be published, and other tidbits about the life of Josh Graves.  The plan is to get Fred on the phone around 5PM Eastern time.  Thanks to the University of Illinois Press, we'll even have a copy of Bluegrass Bluesman to give away to a lucky listener.  Will that be you?