"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/28/2014

Our last Bluegrass Cafe to air in 2014 was a slightly sports-preempted one, as UConn Men's Hockey took over our WHUS airwaves at 6PM.  Still, in the two hours remaining, we covered a lot of ground as we celebrated birthdays, looked back at some of the Bluegrass folks we've said goodbye to in 2014, shared some newer music, as well as favorites from the year, and even remembered Hank Williams.  Hope you were able to join us, but if not, read on...

Happy Birthday, Tom Venne!

The show began with songs performed by two gentlemen celebrating birthdays today -- December 28th.  We heard from both Nightflyer (featuring birthday boy Rick Hayes on the lead vocal and mandolin), as well as BearTracks (with birthday celebrant Tom Venne singing the lead vocal on a song he wrote).  Happy Birthday to each of them!

While the Bluegrass World lost a good number of performers and behind-the-scenes folks this year, we remembered a few of those who passed by playing some music from White Mountain Bluegrass (Hazel McGee died October 27th), James Alan Shelton (d. June 3rd), George Shuffler (d. April 7th), and the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band (band co-founder Lester Armisted died May 2nd).  There's no better way to remember these folks than by sharing their music, and we'll continue to do that in 2015 and beyond.


There was a bit of new music to share this week, too, including brand new recordings from Johnny Williams ("Going My Way" on Mountain Roads Recordings), Long Island's Buddy Merriam & Back Roads ("The Farm" on Buddy's own LilyPad Records), and a debut recording from songwriter Damian Muller called "Steady Work."  

And we couldn't have any kind of music show so close to January 1st without remembering a man who might have been country music's greatest songwriter:  Hank Williams.  It has been nearly 62 years since Hank Williams died on January 1, 1953 -- more than twice as many years as how long this troubled singer-songwriter lived -- but the influence of Hank lives on...probably forever.  

Thanks so much for your support of Bluegrass Cafe this year!  Best wishes to you for health and happiness -- and more Bluegrass! -- in 2015!  Get your year started off right next Sunday when Jim joins you for what we hope will be a full three hours of Bluegrass Cafe!

Amy


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• The Hangman's Daughter / Nightflyer / Nightflyer / Kang Records [Rick Hayes birthday, December 28]
• Ta Ta, The Brushoff / BearTracks / Makin' Tracks / Self-Produced [Tom Venne birthday, December 28]
• Looks Like Snow / Stephen Moughin / That's What I Love About Christmas:  Timeless Seasonal Songs Penned By Rick Lang / RLM Records
• Footprints In The Snow / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1940-1946 / JSP Records
• Six Feet Of Snow / Neon Valley Boys / Bluegrass / Sudden Comfort Records
• Grandfather's Clock / Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys / Authentic Bluegrass Folk Music / Osage Records
• Teardrops In My Eyes / Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys / Authentic Bluegrass Folk Music / Osage Records
• Church On The Foot Of The Hill / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country
• Soldier's Joy / James Alan Shelton / Walking Down The Line / Sheltone Records
• I Am A Pilgrim / George Shuffler / Aged To Perfection / Copper Creek 
• Down In Union County / Tennessee Mafia Jug Band / Screams From The Holler / Spring Fed Records
• Nine Pound Hammer / George Shuffler / Aged To Perfection / Copper Creek
• Monday Blues / Balsam Range / Five / Mountain Home
• Rough Edges / Missy Werner / Turn This Heart Around / Self-Produced
• Going Back To My Kentucky Country Home / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / Another Day From Life / Rebel
• Doggone / Hot Rize / When I'm Free / Ten In Hand Records
• Reasons Why / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / In Session / Mountain Home
• You're Not A Drop In The Bucket / The Earls Of Leicester / The Earls Of Leicester / Rounder
• I'll Go Steppin' Too / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• Don't Let Your Deal Go Down / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• You Can Feel It In Your Soul / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• Old Fashioned Preacher / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• China Grove, My Hometown / Curly Seckler / Down In Caroline / Copper Creek [Curly Seckler born December 25, 1917]
• Sailor's Regret / Johnny Williams / Going My Way / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Berkshire Mountains Waltz / Buddy Merriam & Back Roads / The Farm / LilyPad Records
• Cold Cold Heart / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
• I Saw The Light / Hank Williams / Gospel Keepsakes / Time Life
• Press On / Damian Muller / Steady Work / Self-Produced
• Pray For Me / Steve Gulley / Family, Friends & Fellowship / Rural Rhythm
• Call His Name / Johnson Mountain Boys / Working Close / Rounder
• Free Salvation / Del McCoury Band / The Streets Of Baltimore / McCoury Music
• Auld Lang Syne / Bill Keith / O Christmas Tree / Rounder