"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/26/2010

Hi Folks.

The snowstorm kept Amy away for this last show of the year, so I happily stepped in to keep the bluegrass going on this Sunday afternoon, and had the bonus of a couple of extra hours ahead of our regular time because of a combination of weather and school break. Five full hours of bluegrass is a fine way to close out the year!

Some of the extra hours allowed the Heritage Corner to do a sort of early career retrospective of The Dillards. The mother-lode of the early Dillard recordings heard on this show was a batch of songs from rare 45 RPM singles on the small K-ARK label that were 1961 releases of home recordings of Rodney and Doug Dillard from 1958-59. Some of these recordings were issued under the name "Dillard Brothers" and others by "Joe Noel and the Dixie Ramblers," but personnel were similar on all the tracks with Doug Dillard on banjo, Rodney Dillard on guitar, Joe Noel on mandolin, and Buddy Van on bass and lead vocals. Some tracks even included John Hartford on fiddle or Dobro.

Other Heritage Corner classics included songs from Mac Martin, Ralph Stanley and his 1968 Clinch Mountain Boys at Newport, Bill Monroe doing a live version of his instrumental "Get Up John," The Johnson Mountain Boys live at Strawberry Park in 1981, a song from Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & The Kennebec Valley Boys, The Foothill Boys (with Cullen Galyean), Classic Country Gentlemen, Wade Mainer, Jimmy Martin, Hack Johnson and his Tennesseans (with Allen Shelton on banjo), Doc and Merle Watson, early Stanley Brothers, Reno & Smiley, Ted Lundy, and Carl Story.

Some of the newest tracks came from the latest Grascals album on Cracker Barrel that pairs them with many of their country friends. Others included Charlie Sizemore, Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent, Travers Chandler, Joe Diffie, Jimmy Gaudreau, The Steeldrivers, Cedar Hill, the new Graves Mountain All-Star Jam, and an excellent old-time duet album from Taylor's Grove -- a pairing of Maine legend Mac McHale and North Carolinian Carolyn Hutton.

Amy will be back for the next couple of weeks, so be sure to tune in to hear the banjos and fiddles ring.

Jim

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• You Can Run But You Can't Hide / Bill Emerson / Banjo Man / Pinecastle
• This Rambler's Ramblin' / Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers / A Dark Starless Night / White Oak
• Pretty Polly/Wild Bill Jones / Ralph Stanley / Newport Folk Festival 1968 / Wolfgang's Vault
• Too Deep In Heartaches / Travers Chandler / State of Depression / Patuxent
• Tiger By The Tail / The Grascals with Brad Paisley / The Grascals and Friends / Cracker Barrel
• You're On My Mind / Joe Noel and the Dixie Travelers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Banjo In The Hollow / Joe Noel and the Dixie Travelers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• When The Roses Bloom Again / Joe Noel and the Dixie Travelers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Highway Of Sorrow / The Dillard Brothers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Mama Don't Allow / The Dillard Brothers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Katy Cline / The Dillards / Early Recordings - 1959 / Varese Sarabande
• Duelin' Banjo / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• There Is A Time / The Dillards / Live Almost / Elektra
• Hamilton County Breakdown / The Dillards with Byron Berline / Pickin' And Fiddlin' / Elektra
• Whitehouse Blues / The Dillards / A Long Time Ago / Varese Sarabande
• Man Of Constant Sorrow / Alison Krauss and Union Station / Home On The Highway / Cracker Barrel
• Get Up John / Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys / Live Recordings 1956-1969 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Now Just Suppose / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Live at Strawberry Park 1981 / (na)
• Headed Home For Maine / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & The Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Self-released
• Adrienne's Reel / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Goose Creek Music
  
• Tidwell Pike / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Goose Creek Music
  
• Don't This Road Look Rough And Rocky / The Kruger Brothers / Carolina Scrap Book Volume Two / Self-released
• Leavin' Louisiana In The Broad Daylight / The Grascals with The Oak Ridge Boys / The Grascals and Friends / Cracker Barrel
• My Little Home In Tennessee / David Peterson / Live at WHUS May 8, 2010 / Private Recording
• Good Corn Liquor / The Steeldrivers / Reckless / Rounder
• Darling Do You Know Who Loves You / The Stanley Brothers / An Evening Long Ago / Columbia
• I Don't Want To Wake Up / Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain / CHHR2 / Rural Rhythm
• Goodbye Little Bonnie / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• More Pretty Girls Than One / The Crowe Brothers with guests / The All-Star Jam - Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Shady Grove / Paula Dellenback / The Crooked Road / Self-released
• Streets Of Chicago / Tommy Brown & the County Line Grass / Hard Drivin' / Lavenir
• Handsome Molly / The Country Gentlemen / Folk Songs and Bluegrass / Smithsonian Folkways
• Molly And Tenbrooks / Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys / Big Jam Session / Old Homestead
• Home Sweet Home / Hack Johnson and his Tennesseeans / Bluegrass Historic Cuts / JSP
• Three Nights In A Bar Room / Wade Mainer and the Mountaineers / Bluegrass Historic Cuts / JSP
• Hey! Hey! Hey! / The Stanley Brothers / 1949-52 / Bear Family
• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Can't Live Life Here Without You / Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever
  
• Lonesome Fiddle Blues / Tim Smith / Straight From The Heart / TRS
• Stone By Stone / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• Bloodline / Darrell Webb Band / Bloodline / Rural Rhythm
• Old Slew Foot / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-released
• Cold Dark Ground / The Bartley Brothers / Hit The Road / Rural Rhythm
• Pay No Attention To Alice / Charlie Sizemore / (pre-release single) / Rounder
• December 13th / The Boxcars / The Boxcars / Mountain Home
• Hard Price To Pay / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• I'd Rather Be Alone / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Fly Away Little Birdy / The Bluegrass Brothers / So Long / Self-released
• R.P.'s Run / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent
• Going DownTo Charleston / The Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Mastertone
• The Mayberry Hat / Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band / I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry / Rural Rhythm
• Fiddlin' John / Summertime Road / Summertime Road / Rounder
• I'll Never Dream No More / The Foot Hill Boys / Bluegrass In The Carolina Mountains / County
• Don't Let Go Of My Hand / Jay Armsworthy / (pre-release single) / Good Home Grown Music
• I'll Break Out Again Tonight / The Gibson Brothers / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm
• Jericho / The Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass
• Walkin' The Dog / Shady Creek / Get Your Feet Wet / Self-released
• Just Someone I Used To Know / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
• Fruit Of The Vine / Ashleigh Caudill / Fruit Of The Vine / Self-released
• Changing Winds, Changing Times / Carolina Native Sons / Rank Ol' Bluegrass / Patuxent
• Apple Jack / Pam Gadd / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway
• I'm Gone, Long Gone / Reno & Smiley / Early Years 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Graybar Hotel / The Cana Ramblers / No Expectations / Self-released
• I Bought Her A Dog / Brandon Rickman / Young Man, Old Soul / Rural Rhythm
• Somehow Tonight / Joe Diffie / Homecoming / Rounder
• I've Been All Around This World / David Davis & The Warrior River Boys / Two Dimes & A Nickel / Rebel
• All The Good Times / Phil Rosenthal / A Treasury of Bluegrass and Country Songs / American Melody
• Where I'm Bound / James Alan Shelton / Where I'm Bound / Sheltone Records
• Dig A Little Deeper In The Well / Doc & Merle Watson / Columbus Stockade Blues / Raven
• Don't Wake Me Up / Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys / Can't You Hear The Mountains Calling / Rounder
• Gold Watch And Chain / Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers / 24 Bluegrass Favorites / Rural Rhythm
• Nobody's Love Is Like Mine / Ralph Stanley, Dudley Connell, Laurie Lewis / Masters Of The Banjo / Arhoolie
• Washington Lee Fling (bed) / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
• I've Got A Thing About Doors / Cedar Hill / (pre-release single) / Blue Circle Records
• The Midnight Train / Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie / Southern / Rural Rhythm
• Sally Anne / Ted Lundy & The Southern Mountain Boys / Ted Lundy, Bob Paisley & The Southern Mountain Boys / GHP (LP)
• Don't Ask Me Why / Peter Rowan / Legacy / Compass
• I Won't Be Around / Nu-Blu / Nights / Self-released
• Winter On The Great Divide / Anne & Pete Sibley / Winter On The Great Divide / Self-released
• Somebody Touched Me / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• Give Me Your Hand / Crowe, Lawson, Williams / Old Friends Get Together / Mountain Home
• Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho / Dailey & Vincent / Singing From The Heart / Rounder
• Where Will You Go / Nathan Stanley & Ralph Stanley / Where Will You Go / III Generation
• A Step Away / Billy Boone Smith / Five Flat Rocks / Muddy Sunshine
• Stone Was Rolled Away / The Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• That Glory Bound Train / The Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road
• Heavenly Home / Gold Heart / My Sisters And Me / Rural Rhythm
• New Jerusalem Way / Carl Story and the Rambling Mountaineers / Unissued Recordings / Old Homestead
• Keeper of The Door / The Gillis Brothers / Best Of The Gillis Brothers / Hay Holler
• Yellow Roses / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
  

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/19/2010

Hi Folks.

Though shortened 40 minutes for sports, this last Bluegrass Cafe before Christmas included our regular mix of old treasures and new releases as well as a sizable serving of Christmas bluegrass songs -- many newly released.

We played new music from Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Travers Chandler & Avery County, and Oklahoma group Rockin Acoustic Circus.

New Christmas tracks included offerings from Billy Boone Smith, Heather Berry & Tony, the group Nu-Blu, Lizzy and Little Roy, Balsam Range, and Dr. Elmo Shropshire.

The Heritage Corner archives brought forth a track from the as-yet un-re-released LP "Boone Creek" on the Rounder label, an early recording of "Ice Covered Birches" from White Mountain Bluegrass, a track from the rare bicentennial LP "Maine Train" from Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell, & the Kennebec Valley Boys, a track from an LP of Bill Hall and Northwind Bluegrass, and a recently re-released track from a Carl Story album released in 1966 on the obscure Sims label.

There was a recent discussion on the online bluegrass community, BGRASS-L, where Gary Brewer related the fascinating story of how Bill Monroe taught Gary a Monroe-penned tune on the guitar, and Bill recorded it with Gary on one of Gary's albums and brought Josh Graves in to play dobro on the tune. I just had to play the tune, so that's how "The Old Kentucky Blues" from Gary Brewer made the playlist.

Amy has the last Bluegrass Cafe for 2010 next Sunday, so I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and to thank you for your support for this program, bluegrass music, and WHUS. We can't do what we do without you, and we love to hear from you.


Jim Beaver

Song Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing on The "C" String / Self-released
• Come On Boys It's Christmas / Dr. Elmo Shropshire / Bluegrass Christmas / Time Life
• Bah Humbug / Tim O'Brien / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Call Collect On Christmas / Del McCoury / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• White House Blues / Boone Creek / Boone Creek / Rounder (LP)
• Nobody Cares For Me / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• The Family Demon / Peter Rowan / Legacy / Compass
• Ice Covered Birches / White Mountain Bluegrass / Ice Covered Birches / Self-released
• Jesse James / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell, & The Kennebec Valley Boys / Maine Train / Interstate (LP)
• Christmas Is Near / Russell Moore / Christmas Grass Vol. 2 / Koch
• The Old Kentucky Blues / Gary Brewer / Guitar / Copper Creek
• Down By The River / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Carol Of The Bells / Darrin Vincent, Cody Kilby, Joe Caverlee / Christmas Grass / Koch
• Ebo Walker / Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band / I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry / Rural Rhythm
• Mary's Little Lamb / Balsam Range / (single) / Mountain Home
• Just Along For The Ride / Steve Gulley, Tim Stafford / Dogwood Winter / Rural Rhythm
• The Christmas Spirit / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time With Ralph Stanley / Freeland
• The Christmas Whittler / Lizzy and Little Roy / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• Blame It On The Bluegrass / Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike / (advance single) / Bell Buckle
• Sleigh Ride / Tony Trischka / Acoustic Holidays / Rounder
• Christmas In Dixie / Nu-Blu / (single) / Pinecastle
• Christmas Is Everywhere Except In My Heart / Jimmy Martin / To Mother At Christmas / Gusto
• Washington Lee Fling (bed) / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-released
• Our Last Goodbye / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Blue Diamond / Rounder
• Tribulations / Carolina Native Sons / Rank Ol' Bluegrass / Patuxent
• How Come You Do Me Like You Do / Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road / Carolina Hurricane / Rural Rhythm
• Tennessee Christmas / Rhonda Vincent / Christmas Grass Vol. 2 / Koch
• Stickleyville Stomp / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent
• Money In The Bank / Rockin Acoustic Circus / Lonestar Lullabye / Flying Weasel
• Time To Be Movin' On / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• Tim's Tune / Tim Smith / Straight From the Heart / TRS Records
• Give Me Jesus / The Grascals / The Famous Lefty Flynn's / Rounder
• I Know My Lord's Gonna Lead Me Out / The Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Walking Through Bethlehem / Billy Boone Smith / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• Hallelujah To His Name / Carl Story and The Rambling Mountaineers / Songs For Our Savior / Sims
• One Empty Chair / Heather Berry & Tony / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• Chariots A-Comin' / Bill Hall & Northwind / Bluegrass In The Shadow Of The Pines / Old Homestead (LP)
• Bluegrass Christmas / Del McCoury Band feat. Ronnie McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Open Up Them Pearly Gates / Lilly Brothers And Don Stover / Live At Hillbilly Ranch / Hay Holler
• Silent Night / Mac Wiseman and Del McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• The First Noel/It Came Upon The Midnight Clear/Joy To The World / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/12/2010

Sunday's show featured absolutely ZERO preemptions for sports, as the UCONN campus was busy preparing for exams this week. Lucky them!

In a show airing 13 days before Christmas, you might expect to hear a good number of Christmas tunes. While the weather outside the studio wasn't making me think of Christmas things (it was about 50 degrees, very rainy, and the wind was blowing like crazy), we still managed to play a good number of tunes for the season from folks like the Country Gentlemen, Rick Lang & Friends, the Wildwood Valley Boys, Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum, the Stanley Brothers, the Stony Point Quartet, Bill Grant & Delia Bell (with some help from the Johnson Mountain Boys), Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Darrin Vincent & Jamie Dailey (recorded before the existence of "Dailey & Vincent"), and Reno & Smiley. We also included a new Christmas tune for 2010 from Balsam Range, and both sides of a single release from an eastern CT band known as the Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers. This band included brothers Fred & Earl Pike, as well as Earl's very talented daughter, then 16-year-old, Earlene. Even though the sound quality of this record wasn't the greatest for airplay, I think it's always important to listen to music made in eastern CT, and this record (probably recorded in Sterling, CT in 1969) fills that bill quite nicely. The photo below shows the Pike Brothers & Pine Hill Ranchers from the late 1960s/early 1970s, including Earl Pike on the guitar, his daughter Earlene (1953-1972), Fred Pike on the banjo in the front row, and Sam Tidwell on the electric bass, Gordon Pike with a (gasp!) drum, and Dave Papuga on the electric guitar. This photo and many more great ones can be found on Bob Denoncourt's website -- click here for more info.

Fred Pike was also an early employer of a Rhode Island musician named Jimmy Gaudreau. Bluegrass history will show that JG was the man who was hired to take the place of John Duffey in the Country Gentlemen, but he's also worked with J.D. Crowe & the New South, Spectrum, the Tony Rice Unit, and in a group called Chesapeake with Mike Auldridge and Moondi Klein through the years. The BG world first heard Jimmy Gaudreau on a recording made by Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys in 1965. While I didn't play a tune from that particular LP on Sunday, I played a couple of tracks from Jimmy Gaudreau's recently released all-instrumental recording called, "Pieces And Bits." One of the tunes on this CD is named after two of Gaudreau's mentors: "Tidwell Pike." It's a nice tribute to some great New England musicians: Sam Tidwell and Fred Pike.

It's the Christmas season, so we thought it would be nice to give away a couple of recordings on Sunday. Two lucky callers will soon be receiving copies of the last Gibson Brothers recording released on Hay Holler Records: "Another Night Of Waiting" and/or the latest gospel recording from Lou Reid & Carolina ("Sounds Like Heaven To Me") on Rural Rhythm Christian. Thanks to the labels for donating these discs for giveaways, and thanks, especially, to all of the listeners of "BG Cafe" for keeping us company on Sundays throughout the year.

You likely won't be hearing me on the air again before Christmas, so I'll take a moment to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for lots of health, happiness, and great BG music in 2011!

Join Jim on Sunday, December 19th for the next edition of the "BG Cafe." There may be a bit of sports preemption at the start, but you're encouraged to listen in for lots of top-notch music.

Have a fine week -
Amy

REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Christmas Time Back Home / Country Gentlemen / Christmas Time Back Home / Rebel
• The Season Of My Heart / Rick Lang & Friends / The Season Of My Heart / Self-Produced
• Christmas Time / Wildwood Valley Boys / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
• That White Christmas Song / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• It's You Baby You / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Hit The Road / Bartley Brothers / Hit The Road / Rural Rhythm
• Busy City / Volume Five / Down In A Cell / Mountain Fever Records
• Nellie Kane / Hot Rize / Hot Rize / Flying Fish
• Prillaman's Switch / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent Music
• Plastic Heart / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• I've Lived A Lot In My Time / Dry Branch Fire Squad / Just For The Record / Rounder
• Say You'll Take Me Back / Johnson Mountain Boys / Working Close / Rounder
• A Broken Heart Keeps Beatin' / Adam Steffey / One More For The Road / Sugar Hill
• The Blues Are Still The Blues / Traditional Grass / Howdy Neighbor Howdy / Rebel
• Another Day, Another Dollar / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / Rambler's Call / Rebel
• If We Make It Through December / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / Winter's Grace / Signature Sounds
• Christmas Is Near / Stanley Brothers / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Oh Christmas Candle / Stony Point Quartet / Good Home Grown Music Christmas Sampler / Blue Circle
• My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• Graves Mountain Memories / Various Artists / The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Pages Of Time / Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys In Hats And Ties / Rebel
• Train Without A Track / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / Heartaches & Dreams / Rebel
• Old Man From The Mountain / BearTracks / Together 'Til The End / AMT Records
• Foggy Mountain Breakdown / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury
• Cryin' Heart Blues / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Cryin' Heart Blues / Rural Rhythm
• Trail Of The Lonesome Pine / Bluegrass Patriots / Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• Another Night Of Waiting / Gibson Brothers / Another Night Of Waiting / Hay Holler
• Missionary Good Book Man / Lou Reid & Carolina / Sounds Like Heaven To Me / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Jesse & Don / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• Daddy Loved Trains / Wildfire / Crash Course In The Blues / Lonesome Day
• Virginia Bound / Josh Slone & Coaltown / Prime Cuts & Key Tracks, Volume 9 / Rural Rhythm
• Noodlin' / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• Tidwell Pike / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• All I Want For Christmas Is You / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / single / no label
• You Love Me Just A Little At A Time / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Walkin' West To Memphis / Casey & Chris & the Two-Stringers / Get Along Girl / Arrandem Records
• There Ain't No Easy Street / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• I Feel The Christmas Spirit / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / SSK
• Mary's Little Lamb / Balsam Range / A Mountain Home Christmas / Mountain Home
• Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / single / no label
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / Darrin Vincent & Jamie Dailey / Christmas Grass, Volume 2 / Koch Records
• There's A Higher Power / Kathy Kallick Band / Between The Hollow And The High-Rise / Live Oak Records
• A Beautiful Life / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• House Of Gold / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• Preachin' Prayin' Singin' / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Let Him Lead You / Jim Eanes / Let Him Lead You / Rebel
• If You Are To Sin Inclined / Bill Carroll / Christmas Time Back Home / Rebel
• Joy Of Revelation / McCoury Brothers / The McCoury Brothers / Rounder
• Jingle Bells / Reno & Smiley / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/5/2010

Hi Folks!

This show represented an eclectic brew of bluegrass sources along with some bluegrass Christmas songs.

New music included a duet from Edgar Loudermilk with help from Rhonda Vincent, a song from Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-Press, a couple of tracks from the fine new CD from Travers Chandler and Avery County, an instrumental from Jimmy Gaudreau, and new
Christmas tracks from Dr. Elmo Shropshire (doing Bach on the banjo), and Chris Jones & The Night Drivers.

The Heritage Corner was working overtime because of the many classic tunes that have been brought back into my personal listening rotation by listener inquiries. Dave Shaw from New Hampshire is a major correspondent, and thanks to Dave I located classic tracks from Hack Johnson and his Tennesseans (with Allen Shelton on banjo), Carl Story and his Rambling Mountaineers, and the only known recording of "Grand Ole Opry Song" by the man who wrote it, Hylo Brown.

Other tracks from the Heritage Corner included a re-release from The Bailes Brothers, a Bill Monroe track from the 1960s, a classic number from Ted Lundy, Bob Paisley and the Southern Mountain Boys, seasonal songs from Jimmy Martin and Reno & Smiley, and a goose-bumping old time duet from Donald Scott and the late Clarence Green recorded at home in 1985. Clarence passed away unexpectedly a year ago on December 11.

We paid tribute to Carter Stanley, who passed away 44 years ago on December 1, by playing a set of songs he wrote, performed by The Stanley Brothers, Ralph Stanley, Ralph Stanley II, and Jeanie Stanley.

Thanks for listening. Amy will make the fiddles and banjos ring December 12, so tune in.

Jim

Song / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Darling Corey / Bill Monroe / Blue Grass 1959-1969 / Bear Family
• Can't Live Life Here Without You / Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever
• I'm Going Home, It's Christmas Time / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time with Ralph Stanley / Freeland
• Underneath A Harvest Moon / The Gibson Brothers / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm
• You Don't Have To Be From The Country / Hack Johnson and his Tennesseans / Single (1955) / Colonial (45RPM)
• Been All Around The World / Shady Creek / Get Your Feet Wet / Self-released
• Jesus On The Mainline / Dry Branch Fire Squad / Live at the Newburyport Firehouse / Rounder
• Lord We Sure Need Some Rainbows In December / Jimmy Martin / To Mother At Christmas / Gusto
• Let Me Fall / Laurie Lewis, Dudley Connell, Kirk Sutphin / Masters of the Banjo / Arhoolie
• Home Run Man / Emerson & Newton / A Foot In The Past, A Foot In The Future / Pinecastle
• Bluegrass Christmas / The Del McCoury Band featuring Ronnie McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Baby Girl / Ralph Stanley II, Ralph Stanley, Joe Isaacs / Baby Girl / CMH
• Mary, Merry Christmas / Ralph Stanley II / Listen To My Hammer Ring / Rebel
• How Mountain Girls Can Love / The Stanley Brothers / Classic Bluegrass Collection Vol. 3 / Time Life
  
• Two Sides To A Story / Jeanie Stanley / Baby Girl / CMH
• My Long Skinny Lanky Sarah Jane / The Stanley Brothers / An Evening Long Ago / Columbia
  
• The Unquiet Grave / Clarence Green and Donald Scott / Private Recording (c.1985) / n/a
• Bring Back Yesterday / Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press / Memories / Rural Rhythm
  
• The Reckless Side Of Me / The Steeldrivers / Reckless / Rounder
• Christmas Time Back Home / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / (single) / Mountain Home
• The Grand Ole Opry Song / Hylo Brown / Tribute To My Heroes / Atteiram (LP)
• The Train That Carried My Girl From Town / Doc Watson / Columbus Stockade Blues/Raven
  
• Almost Hear The Blues / James Reams & The Barnstormers / (pre-release of upcoming album) / Mountain Redbird
• Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-released
  
• It's Christmas Time / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / (single) / Mountain Home
• Christmas Reunion / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
• If I Should Wander Back Tonight / Roland White / I Wasn't Born To Rock'n Roll / Tompkins Square
  
• Let Me Be Your Friend / The Stanley Brothers / 1949-52 / Bear Family
• Cotton Farmer / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Kentucky Noel / Chris Jones & The Night Drivers / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• I've Never Been So Lonesome / Ted Lundy & The Southern Mountain Boys / Self-Titled / GHP
• East Virginia Blues / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• Foggy Old London / Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys In Hats & Ties / Rebel
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring / Dr. Elmo (Shropshire) / Bluegrass Christmas / Time Life
• Sugar Hill / The Bluegrass Brothers / So Long / Self-released
• Remington Ride [bed] / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' & Singin' / Self-released
• Yellow Roses [bed] / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' & Singin' / Self-released
  
• Adrienne's Reel / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Self-released
• Time To Be Moving On / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• Let It Snow / Rhonda Vincent / Beautiful Star / Rounder
• Tattoo of a Smudge / Cherryholmes / Cherryholmes IV - Common Threads / Skaggs Family
• Elizabeth / Dailey & Vincent / Sing The Statler Brothers / Cracker Barrel
• Here We Go Along / Frances Mooney & Fontanna Sunset / I Didn't See It Coming / Blue Circle
• The Friendly Beasts / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Acoustic Holidays / Rounder
• Precious Moments / Carl Story and his Rambling Mountaineers / There's Nothing On Earth Heaven Can't Cure / Starday (LP)
• Look Over Me Lord / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Something Got A Hold Of Me / The Bailes Brothers / The Bailes Brothers / Gusto
• Bright Morning Star / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time with Ralph Stanley / Freeland
• Leaning On The Everlasting Arms / Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band / I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry / Rural Rhythm
• Let Me Walk Lord By Your Side / Peter Rowan / Legacy / Compass
• Mother's Prayers Were Not In Vain / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• You'll Be Rewarded Over There / Joe Val & The New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• Silent Night / Anne & Pete Sibley / Winter On The Great Divide / Self-released
• Christmas Medley / Southern Rail / (single) / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 11/28/2010

It was an abbreviated "Bluegrass Cafe" this past Sunday, as the UCONN Women's Basketball game aired on WHUS from 4:30 until about 6:30PM. However, since it was a holiday weekend, Dr. B. -- the regular host of the 3-4PM show on WHUS -- was one of the basketball game broadcasters, so we played BG on the air from 3-4:30PM, and then, picked up again with a gospel set after the game ended at 6:30PM.

As it was a holiday weekend, there was another different program offering in the place of DJ Jenny & her "Trail Mix" show from 2-3PM: it was none other than our own Jim Beaver, who played an hour's worth of early stringband music from some of the earliest performers featured on the Grand Ole Opry. Those tunes were especially appropriate since WSM began broadcasting what would be known as the Grand Ole Opry on November 28, 1925. As you likely know, lots of that early stringband stuff from performers like Sam & Kirk McGee and Uncle Jimmy Thompson, and, of course, Uncle Dave Macon ("The Dixie Dewdrop") certainly influenced what would later be called Bluegrass music. By the way, Jim suggested a book title for those interested in learning more about the early history of the Grand Ole Opry. Noted country music historian, the late Charles K. Wolfe wrote a book in 1999 titled A Good-Natured Riot: The Birth Of The Grand Ole Opry. I have added this book to my reading list -- perhaps you might be interested in doing so, as well.

On Saturday night, recognized Bluegrass pioneer and New England (and perhaps, Florida?) Bluegrass legend, Sam Tidwell, performed at the local Killingly Grange hall. Sam has not been in the best of health for the last couple of years, but when he feels like playing music, he is still a treat to hear. When I was growing up, I remember my brother, Dave, playing the music of Sam and his musical partner, Fred Pike (who made his home in nearby Oneco, CT for a number of years), along with their group, the Kennebec Valley Boys, many, many times. Sam's quite a storyteller, too, and it's great to see him out playing once again (and getting some nice recognition).

Along with music from Sam and Fred, I thought it would be fun to spotlight performers from all six states that make up New England, so along with Sam (who could represent both his native Rhode Island & his adopted home of Maine) and Fred (CT & ME), we heard music from Jimmy Gaudreau (RI), Dan Tyminski (Vermont), White Mountain Bluegrass (New Hampshire), and the late Joe Val (Massachusetts). Who says that folks from north of the Mason-Dixon Line can't make some fabulous Bluegrass music?

There wasn't much time for new music on Sunday, but we did include newer tunes from Volume Five, the Boxcars, Balsam Range, Lou Reid & Carolina, Big Country Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent, and Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa. Christmas season is upon us, too, so we included an older Christmas tune from Tony Trischka (and friends), as well as a brand-spanking new song co-written by Tom T. & Dixie Hall, along with the performer, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers.

After our two-hour preemption, we included a gospel set beginnning about 6:30PM.

Don't forget to join Jim on Sunday afternoon from 4-7PM -- basketball games & weird UCONN power outages notwithstanding.

Enjoy the remainder of the week!

Amy








3:00-4:30PM

• The Mill / Laurie Lewis & Grant Street / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Salty Dog Blues / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Cracker Barrel
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Cracker Barrel
• Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes / Jim & Jesse / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Cracker Barrel
• The Last Log Drive / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• Follow The Leader / Jimmy Gaudreau / In Good Company / CMH
• I Ain't Taking You Back No More / Dan Tyminski / Wheels / Rounder
• I've Had A Time / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country
• Ginger Brandy / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• Headed Home For Maine / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• More Pretty Girls Than One / Crowe Brothers with Russell Moore, Sammy Shelor, Mike Hartgrove / The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Down In A Mine / Volume Five / Down In A Cell / Mountain Fever Records
• Quicksand / Darren Beachley & Legends Of The Potomac / Take Off / Patuxent Music
• Look For Me / Angelica Grim / Look For Me / Patuxent Music
• I've Been Waiting / The Boxcars / The Boxcars / Mountain Home
• Precious Child / Tony Trischka / Glory Shone Around / Rounder
• Kentucky Noel / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / Good Home Grown Christmas Sampler / Blue Circle
• Katy Hill / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren / Self-Produced
• The Boys In Hats And Ties / Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys In Hats And Ties / Rebel
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers From Different Mothers / Rounder
• Another Day / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Next Train Smokin' / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
• The Court Of Love / Rhonda Vincent / Taken / Upper Management Music
• My Old Kentucky And You / Larry Stephenson with Ricky Skaggs / 20th Anniversary / Pinecastle
• Suwannee River Hoedown / Jessie Baker / Yessir! / Patuxent Music

6:30-7PM

• Won't You Come And Sing For Me / Hot Rize / Every Time I Feel The Spirit / Sugar Hill
• For Him / Gary Waldrep Band / Road Leading Home / Blue Circle Records
• It's Just Like Heaven / Bill Yates & Friends / Country Gentlemen Tribute, Volume II / Mastershield Records
• Will He Wait A Little Longer / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1955-1956 / JSP Records
• Gonna Be Movin' / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• God's Front Porch / Lou Reid & Carolina / Sounds Like Heaven To Me / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Cabin In The Sky / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-Produced
• His Loving Care / Junior Sisk / Look To The Light: Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Shouting In The Air / Johnson Mountain Boys / Let The Whole World Talk / Rounder
• I'm On A Journey / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder