"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/25/2011 Christmas Day

Hi Folks, and Merry Christmas.

At the start of this show Marti and I knew we would be playing a good number of Christmas-themed bluegrassy songs with our usual mix, but as the show progressed we found that it was easy to make the whole show Christmas-themed because of all the great Christmas bluegrass music available.  In a nod to our old roots music show, Red Rooster Party, we started with the theme song from that show titled "Breaking Up Christmas" by Tommy Jarrell and Fred Cockerham.

Probably the song I'm most proud of playing is a rare single recorded in the early 1970s by Doc Watson called "New Born King."  I first heard this song played on the radio nearly 20 years ago when I lived under the radio umbrella of WAMU in Washington DC.  That was one of those pull-off-the-road-and-listen moments that comes along once in a rare while.

Other newer songs include singles from Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Valerie Smith, Donna Ulisse, and Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa.

Be sure to tune in next Sunday when Amy will ring in the New Year with the banjos and fiddles.

Jim Beaver

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Breaking Up Chrismas / Tommy Jarrell & Fred Cockerham / Tommy & Fred / County
• Bluegrass, White Snow / Patty Loveless / Bluegrass, White Snow / Epic
• The Friendly Beasts / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin' (collection) / Time-Life
• Christmas Time Back Home / The Country Gentlemen / Christmas Time's A-Comin' (collection) / Time-Life
• Christmas In Dixie / Nu-Blu with Greg Luck / Christmas In Carolina (collection) / Blue Circle
• Home Is Where The Heart Is / Pine Creek / Recorded Live at WHUS 8/20/2008
• New Born King / Doc Watson / Lonesome Road/Look Away / EMI
• Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Rhonda Vincent / Beautiful Star: A Christmas Collection / Rounder
• Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over / Fiddlin' John Carson / Complete Recorded Works Volume 5 / Document
• On Christmas Eve / John Hartford / Me Oh My, How The Time Does Fly / Flying Fish
• Corn, Water and Wood / Riders In The Sky / Christmas The Cowboy Way / Rounder
• Pretty Paper / Willie Nelson / Pretty Paper / Sony
• The Reindeer Boogie / Hank Snow / Country's Best Christmas (collection) / Vintage Masters
• Christmas Time On Rocky Top / Osborne Brothers / Christmas On The Mountain (collection) / Universal South
• When It's Snowin' In The Mountains / Wildwood Valley Boys / Christmas In The Mountains (collection) / Rebel
• Mary's Little Lamb / Balsam Range / A Mountain Home Christmas (collection) / Crossroads
• Send Yourself Home For Christmas / Valerie Smith / Single / Bell Buckle
• My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant and Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree (collection) / Rounder
• All I Want Is Mary For Christmas / The Lonesome River Band / Tinsel Tunes (collection) / Sugar Hill
• Christmas Time Back Home / Darin & Brook Aldridge / Single / Crossroads
• Mary, Merry Christmas / Ralph Stanley II / Listen To My Hammer Ring / Rebel
• Christmas In The Mountains / Larry Sparks / Christmas In The Hills (collection) / Rebel
• Your Christmas Gift / Steve Ivey / Mountain Top Bluegrass Christmas (coll.) / Madacy Christian
• You Cannot Stay Here / Donna Ulisse / Single / Hadley Music Group
• The Christmas Letter / Tommy Edwards / Christmas In The Mountains (collection) / Rebel
• The Carpenter Shop / The Bluegrass Cardinals / Sugar Plums (collection) / Sugar Hill
• Grandpa In The Santa Suit Show / Dr Elmo Shropshire / Dr. Elmo Bluegrass Christmas / Time-Life
• Christmas In the Hills / Hylo Brown / Christmas Jamboree (collection) / Hollywood
• It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• It Won't Seem Like Christmas / Jim Eanes / Christmas Jamboree (collection) / Hollywood
• Ring The Bells At Midnight / Kathy Kallick & the Little Big Band / Tinsel Tunes (Collection) / Sugar Hill
• Christmas On The Line / Michael Martin Murphey / Cowboy Christmas / Warner Brothers
• Old Fashioned Christmas / Jimmy Martin / Christmas Jamboree (collection) / Hollywood
• Up On The House Top / Raymond Fairchild / Smoky Mountain Christmas / Rural Rhythm
• Santa Claus Is From The South / Benny Martin / Christmas Jamboree (collection) / Hollywood
• The Christmas Guest / Andy Griffith / The Christmas Guest / Sparrow Records
• It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (bed) / Various Artists / Christmas Grass vol. 2 (collection) / Koch
• Bluegrass Christmas / The Del McCoury Band feat. Ronnie McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain (collection) / Universal South
• Riding Home On Christmas Eve / Riders In The Sky / Acoustic Holidays (collection) / Rounder
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / The Stanley Brothers / Christmas Jamboree (collection) / Hollywood
• When The Time Had Fully Come / Northern Lights / Acoustic Holidays (collection) / Rounder
• Christmas Reunion / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
• That's Christmas Time To Me / Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin' (collection) / Time-Life
• Don't Make Us Cry On Christmas Day / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time with Ralph Stanley / CR Freeland
• Cherry Tree Carol / Emmylou Harris / Light Of The Stable / Warner Brothers
• Something You Can't Buy / The Statler Brothers / The Statler Brothers Christmas Collection / Mercury
• Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring / Dr Elmo Shropshire / Dr. Elmo Bluegrass Christmas / Time-Life
• Christ Was Born In Bethlehem / Tim & Mollie O'Brien / Sugar Plums (collection) / Sugar Hill
• Children Go / Ricky Skaggs / A Skaggs Family Christmas Vol. Two / Skaggs Family
• Will We Have Room For Jesus / Jimmy Martin / To Mother At Christmas / Gusto
• Silent Night / Raymond Fairchild / Smoky Mountain Christmas / Rural Rhythm
• I Can Hear The Angels Singing / Reno & Smiley / Christmas Jamboree (collection) / Hollywood
• Mary, Did You Know / Sonya Issacs / Christmas Grass vol. 2 (collection) / Koch
• What Child Is This / David Grisman / The Rounder Christmas Album (collection) / Rounder
• The First Noel/It Came Upon A Midnight Clear/Joy To The World / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / O Christmas Tree (collection) / Rounder
• Auld Lang Syne / Bill Keith / O Christmas Tree (collection) / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/18/2011

'Tis the week before Christmas, and you can bet that a pretty healthy dosage of BG Christmas music made it to the airwaves at WHUS today.  We didn't totally forsake the non-Christmas music, though, so I'm hopeful the mix was enjoyable for our listeners.

It's pretty safe to say that 2011 has been a pretty decent year for BG.  In addition to the music gaining a whole bunch of exposure through Steve Martin's super-successful Rounder release (and concert tour) with the Steep Canyon Rangers, there has been a BG star born on YouTube:  a now 9-year-old banjo picker named Jonny Mizzone.  With his two older brothers, Robbie and Tommy (ages 12 and 14), the three have performed as the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys on several national TV shows this year, including "Late Show With David Letterman" and "The Mike Huckabee Show."  These young men are pretty amazing, and the fact that they're from the BG hamlet of New Jersey gives them even more notoriety, I suppose.  The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys have a new CD available now called, "America's Music," and we played a couple of songs from the recording on today's show.  Doubtless, we'll be hearing a lot from these talented kids in the months (and perhaps years) to come.  If you've not seen these boys in action, check out their website.  There, you can see video clips of some of their TV and YouTube appearances, and read more about the Mizzone brothers.

Monadnock's debut CD is called "House Upon The Hill"

We also shared a couple of songs from the debut CD of a mostly New Hampshire-based band called Monadnock.  Their new recording is called "House Upon The Hill," and it includes some band originals, as well as some BG standards.  I look forward to hearing more from the disc in future weeks at WHUS.  You can learn more about this band, and see some video clips, by clicking here.  


So, if Christmas is just a week away, that means 2012 is only two weeks away. Where the heck did the year go?  Already, I've seen a couple of different listings of the "Top 10" BG CDs released in 2011, and for the most part, I can't argue with the choices I've seen on either list.  Of course, all of these Top 10 lists are so subjective that it's almost pointless to put them together.  The fact is that each person likes something different.  Still, when I join you again on the airwaves at WHUS on January 1st, I'll be sure to play music from some of my favorite BG recordings received at WHUS over the past 12 months.  I don't think I'll be making any ranked lists of favorites, but I'm sure I'll have no problem finding plenty of great music to share when I'm next on the air.  


Thanks to all of you for your continued support of our programming at WHUS. Best wishes to you for a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!


Amy






REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Christmas Time Back Home / Country Gentlemen / Christmas Time Back Home / Rebel
• Christmas Doll / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
• Frosty The Snowman / Raymond Fairchild / Smoky Mountain Christmas / Rural Rhythm
• Bluegrass Christmas / Ronnie & Rob McCoury / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• That White Christmas Song / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Age / Bluegrass Gospel Project / The Blue Morpho / Self-Produced
• Blame It On The Bluegrass / Valerie Smith / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle Records
• To Warm And Comfort You / Gail & Gordon Pike / Hard Words / Self-Produced
• Tidwell Pike / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces & Bits / Goose Creek Music
• Stonewall / Hylo Brown / In Concert / Copper Creek
• You Better Wake Up / Volume Five / Children Of The Mountain / Mountain Fever Records
• White Christmas / Heather Berry / Have A Merry Berry Christmas / Mountain Fever Records
• Crying My Heart Out Over You / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• Used To These Old Blues / Special Consensus / 35 / Compass Records
• I Wouldn't Change You If I Could / Ricky Skaggs / Country Hits Bluegrass Style / Skaggs Family Records
• My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• The Story Of The Lawson Family / Stanley Brothers / An Evening Long Ago / Copper Creek
• Footprints In The Snow / Lonesome River Band / Rural Rhythm Records Salutes Bill Monroe:  Live At Bean Blossom / Rural Rhythm
• Molly / Larry Cordle / Pud Marcum's Hangin' / Mighty Cord Records
• It Gets Better All The Time / Nothin' Fancy / Nothin' Fancy / Virginia Dreams Records
• Six Feet Under The Ground / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Rural Rhythm Records Salutes Bill Monroe:  Live At Bean Blossom / Rural Rhythm
• Dark Hollow / Monadnock / House Upon The Hill / Self-Produced
• Home In The Heart Of Maine / Maranacook String Band / Bear In The Barn / Self-Produced
• Back Up And Push / Monadnock / House Upon The Hill / Self-Produced
• Bugle Call Rag / Sleepy Man Banjo Boys / America's Bluegrass / Self-Produced
• Jingle Bells / Sleepy Man Banjo Boys / America's Bluegrass / Self-Produced
• Carolina Dreams / Edgar Loudermilk / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever Records
• String, Eraser And Blotter / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Many A Mile / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Red Wicked Wine / Charlie Sizemore with Ralph Stanley / Heartache Looking For A Home / Rounder
• Walking West To Memphis / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven / Bluegrass Gospel Project / The Blue Morpho / Self-Produced
• Gitup The Banjo Man / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Lake Champlain / BearTracks / Rough Edges / Self-Produced
• This Morning At Nine / Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass / Rustic Little Cabin / Self-Produced
• AppleJack / Pam Gadd with Dolly Parton / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway Productions
• Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Christmas In Virginia / Lost & Found / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
• Christmas At The Old Home Place / David Parmley & Continental Divide / A Pinecastle Christmas Gatherin' / Pinecastle
• Precious Child / Tony Trischka with Dudley Connell & James King / Glory Shone Around / Rounder
• You Cannot Stay Here / Donna Ulisse / single / Hadley Music Group
• Christmas Lullaby / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / SSK 
• Light Of The Stable / The Whites / A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume Two / Skaggs Family Records
• Christmas Story / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
• Follow The Star / Rick Lang & Friends / The Season Of My Heart / Haley Anna Music
• Silent Night / Seldom Scene / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Joy To The World / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
• Jingle Bells / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/11/2011

J.E. Mainer (L) and Morris Herbert (R)

Hi Folks,

We honored two musicians who have left us:  Morris Herbert from Kannapolis, North Carolina, who was a well-known Piedmont North Carolina banjo picker and singer who was most known for his leading role in a series of 20 albums recorded by J. E. Mainer on the Rural Rhythm label in the 1960s; and Beecher Ray (Pete) Kirby, more popularly known as (Bashful Brother) Oswald.  Morris Herbert passed away October 17 at age 81, and this year is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Oswald (Dec. 26).  Oswald, who died in 2002, was a pioneer of the resophonic guitar in country music and had his greatest impact during his long tenure with Roy Acuff.

Oswald autographed this copy of his last CD - 1995

We also played several seasonal songs of Christmas and winter, including songs from Chris Jones, Ronnie Bowman, Alecia Nugent, Earl Scruggs, Tim O'Brien, Patty Loveless, Ralph Stanley, and Jimmy Martin.

We also included new releases from Laurie Lewis, Eddie & Martha Adcock, Lee Marcus, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, IIIrd Tyme Out, Missy Werner, Nu-Blu, NewTown, Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass, and Maranacook String Band -- the latter two from Maine.

Our Heritage Corner reached back to The Brown's Ferry Four, The Country Gentlemen Live in Japan, and a rare LP from Al Hawkes' Event label of Tiny Martin and the Countrysiders.

Amy will make the banjos, fiddles, and sleigh bells ring next Sunday, so be sure to tune in.


Jim Beaver

Tributes to Morris Herbert and Oswald in red

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho / Ronnie Bowman / Christmas Grass vol. 2 / Koch
• Wild Horses / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren Vol. 2 / Self-released
• I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow / Laurie Lewis / Skippin' and Flyin' / Spruce And Maple
• Sing Me To Memphis / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe
• Amelia Earhart's Last Flight / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent
• That's When I Miss Him (Her) Most Of All / Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass / Rustic Little Cabin / Self-released
• Heartbreak Express / Delia Bell & Bill Grant / Dreaming / Rounder
• Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! / Sam Bush / A Very Special Acoustic Christmas / Lost Highway
• Carolina Dreams / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Must Be The Wind / Nu-Blu / The Blu-Disc / Pinecastle
• My First Mistake / The Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-released
• Jingle Bells / Earl Scruggs / A Very Special Acoustic Christmas / Lost Highway
• Bread And Gravy / J.E. Mainer with Morris Herbert / The Legendary J.E. Mainer: Vol. 9 / Rural Rhythm (LP)
• Coal Miner's Grave / J.E. Mainer with Morris Herbert / The Legendary J.E. Mainer: Vol. 9 / Rural Rhythm (LP)
• The Working Man / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Self-released
• Cold Iron Door / NewTown / NewTown / Self-released
• Bear In The Barn / Maranacook String Band / Bear In The Barn / Self-released
• Bluegrass, White Snow / Patty Loveless / Bluegrass & White Snow / Epic
• Whippoorwill / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Uncle Pen / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration / Rural Rhythm
• Close By / Dailey & Vincent / Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration / Rounder
• Molly / Larry Cordle / Pud Marcum's Hangin' / Mighty Cord
• When You're Holding Me / Rhonda Vincent / Single / Upper Management
• Next Time's A Charm / Thomas Porter & Copper River Band / Trolley Days / Self-released
• Kicking Up Dust / Grasstowne / Kickin Up Dust / Rural Rhythm
• Bah Humbug / Tim O'Brien / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Wabash Cannonball / Roy Acuff / Great Train Songs / Varese Sarabande
• Columbus Stockade Blues / Oswald / Carry Me Back / RME
• The Precious Jewel / Oswald with George Jones / Carry Me Back / RME
• Stuck Up Blues / Oswald / Carry Me Back / RME
• Eunita / Oswald / Carry Me Back / RME
• Final Farewell / Chris Jones & The Nightdrivers / Single / Self-released
• Whitewater / Bela Fleck / Drive / Rounder
• Christmas Time's A Coming (bed) / Various Artists / Christmas Grass / Koch
• What Child Is This (bed) / Various Artists / Christmas Grass / Koch
• Silver Bells (bed) / Various Artists / Christmas Grass / Koch
• Kentucky Noel / Chris Jones & The Nightdrivers / Single / Self-released
• Home In The Heart Of Maine / Maranacook String Band / Bear In The Barn / Self-released
• Trusty Lariat / Michael Marin Murphey / Tall Grass & Cool Water / Rural Rhythm
• Christmas Is Near / Ralph Stanley / A Very Special Acoustic Christmas / Lost Highway
• Seeing Nellie Home / The Country Gentlemen / Live In Japan / Rebel
• Old Country Church / Tiny Martin & the Countrysiders / Singing Bluegrass Gospel / Event (LP)
• Count Your Blessings / Tiny Martin & the Countrysiders / Singing Bluegrass Gospel / Event (LP)
• Battle / Mickey Harris / A Gospel Collection / MJH
• Jingle Bells / Rhonda Vincent / Beautiful Star / Rounder
• It's Christmas Time / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time With Ralph Stanley / CRFreeland
• Will We Have Room For Jesus? / Jimmy Martin / To Mother At Christmas / Gusto
• Rock Of Ages Hide Thou Me / Brown's Ferry Four / 16 Greatest Hits / Starday
• The Lord Is Watching Over Me / Brown's Ferry / Four 16 Greatest Hits / Starday
• God Gave Noah The Rainbow Sign / Kathy Kallick / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / Alecia Nugent / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• Cripple Creek / Maranacook String Band / Bear In The Barn / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/4/2011

It's a new month at the BG Cafe, and since it's December, that means it's really time to break out the Christmas music.  Many moons ago, when I first began broadcasting BG music on the radio, there was maybe one or two BG Christmas LPs, so the choices for Bluegrass Christmas music programming were really pretty limited.  Now, there are many, many BG Christmas recordings, and we shared selections from two of the newest 2011 entries on today's show:  Heather Berry's Mountain Fever Records CD is named (of course), "Have A Berry Merry Christmas," and the second volume of Christmas music from Ricky Skaggs, the Whites, and their various family members is "A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume II."  In addition, there's a new Christmas tune written by New Hampshire songwriter, Rick Lang, and recorded by Jana & Stephen Mougin.  Other Christmas tunes were featured throughout the program, as well, from performers like the Stanley Brothers, Rhonda Vincent, Larry Stephenson, and the Johnson Mountain Boys.  


In addition to the new Christmas music from Heather Berry, Ricky Skaggs & the Whites, and the Rick Lang/Jana Mougin, a few other newer recordings made their way onto the WHUS airwaves this afternoon.  Other 2011 releases we heard from today came from Bill Emerson, Thomas Porter & Copper River Band, Della Mae, David Grisman, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Nothin' Fancy, Newtown, the Expedition Show, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, the Missy Werner Band, Lee Marcus, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Kathy Kallick, and Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice.  

Alton & Rabon Delmore

Today, we also paid tribute to one of the sweetest-sounding brother duets of all time:  Alton & Rabon -- the Delmore Brothers.  These stars of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1930s and Country Music Hall of Famers were both born in the month of December (Alton on December 25, 1908 and Rabon on December 3, 1916), so the time seemed perfect to shine a spotlight on them by playing several BG versions of tunes from their incredible song catalog.  Even though both of the Delmores have been dead for close to 50 years (Alton died in 1964, Rabon in 1952), the songs they wrote and sang continue to be recorded.  Just within the last year or so, several prominent BG performers have recorded Delmore music, including Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, the Crowe Brothers, Josh Williams, and Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out.  Terrific stuff.  

There doesn't appear to be a photo
of this quartet in action during the
1940s, but all three of these acts ended
up in the Country Music Hall of Fame

While shining the spotlight on the Delmore Brothers, it would have been impossible to not play a few songs by the Brown's Ferry Four.  This gospel quartet was born while the Delmores were working on the radio for WLW in Cincinnati in the early 1940s.  At the same time, there were two other members of the WLW staff who were performers:  Merle Travis and Louis Marshall "Grandpa" Jones.  The story goes that the 3 acts would sometimes work on the Saturday night radio show at WLW and other personal appearances.  Through a mutual love of gospel music, the two Delmores, Travis, and Grandpa found they could sing gospel songs together and have a great sound.  The Brown's Ferry Four were born (the name taken from the Delmores Alabama hometown of Brown's Ferry) after WLW gave the Brown's Ferry Four their own radio show.  Plenty of other folks enjoyed their gospel harmonies, too, and their music has gone on to inspire many other purveyors of BG gospel music, most especially Doyle Lawson.  World War II broke up the quartet when Alton and Grandpa both joined the service, but their music certainly lives on, and it's good to play it on the air every now and then.  


Hope you're enjoying your holiday season, and that you'll be sure to join Jim on the air next Sunday for three more big hours of the BG Cafe.


Amy




REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• If We Make It Through December / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / Winter's Grace / Signature Sounds
• Have You Come To Say Goodbye / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent Music
• Crazy Heart / Ben Greene with James King / Bluegrass Sideman / Blue Circle Records
• Christmas Is Near / Stanley Brothers / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Jesse James / Bill Emerson with Marshall Wilborn & Lynn Morris / Eclipse / Rural Rhythm
• The Year That Clayton Delaney Died / The Grascals with Tom T. Hall / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel
• Trolley Days / Thomas Porter & Copper River Band / Trolley Days / Self-Produced
• Bowling Green / Della Mae / I Built This Heart / Self-Produced
• My Little Georgia Rose / David Grisman with Del McCoury / Dawg Plays Big Mon:  Happy Birthday Bill Monroe / Acoustic Disc
• Silence Or Tears / Country Gentlemen / John Duffey:  The Rebel Years, 1962-1977 / Rebel
• Fireball Express / Mark Delaney / Sidecar / Patuxent Music
• Christmas Time's A Comin' / Rhonda Vincent / Beautiful Star / Rounder
• Ain't It Funny / Lou Reid / When It Rains / Sugar Hill
• When The Springtime Comes Again (Little Annie) / Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Comin' On Strong / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• New Kid In Town / Heather Berry / Have A Berry Merry Christmas / Mountain Fever Records
• Wall Around Your Heart / Reno & Smiley / Classic Bluegrass / King
• Old Joe Clark / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots / Smithsonian Folkways
• I'll Sign My Heart Away / Allerton & Alton / Black, White & Bluegrass / Bear Family
• The Hills Of Tennessee / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Self-Produced
• Lookin' Out My Back Door / Nothin' Fancy / Nothin' Fancy / Virginia Dreams Records
• Flora, The Lilly Of The West / Newtown / Newtown / Self-Produced
• When You're Holding Me / Rhonda Vincent / single / Upper Management Music
• Rock Bottom / Gillis Brothers / Ice Cold Stone / Hay Holler
• Long Forgotten Dream / Gibson Brothers / Long Forgotten Dream / Hay Holler
• Weary Lonesome Blues / Delmore Brothers / The Delmore Brothers / JSP Records
• I've Got The Railroad Blues / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• Happy On The Mississippi Shores / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Home Of The Blues / Sugar Hill
• Freight Train Boogie / Bear Minimum / Live At The Finnish Hall / no label
• When It's Time For The Whippoorwill To Sing / Louvin Brothers / A Tribute To The Delmore Brothers / Gusto
• Some Of These Days (You're Gonna Be Sad) / David Peterson & 1946 / In The Mountaintops To Roam / Self-Produced
• Southern Moon / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Blue Railroad Train / Josh Williams with Tony Rice / Down Home / Pinecastle
• Little Did They Know / Jana Mougin / single / Self-Produced
• Christmas Country Style / Larry Stephenson / Close My Eyes To Heaven / Webco
• Pretty Little Girl From Galax / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Blind Man / Spinney Brothers / If I Were Your Brother / Self-Produced
• Lonely Ends Where Love Begins / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Women Like To Slow Dance / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder
• You Must Be Born Again / Brown's Ferry Four / 16 Greatest Hits / Starday
• Journey To My Savior's Side / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Will The Circle Be Unbroken / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-Produced
• Thankful For Each Day / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• The Friendly Beasts / Johnson Mountain Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Daniel Prayed / Kathy Kallick with Laurie Lewis / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak Records
• Whispering Now / Czech Drivers with Chris Jones / Live In Holland, 1985-2004 / Strictly Country
• Let The Church Roll On / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Flatt & Scruggs At Carnegie Hall! / Columbia
• Children Go / Ricky Skaggs & the Whites / A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume II / Skaggs Family
• Over In The Gloryland / Brown's Ferry Four / 16 Greatest Hits / Starday
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 11/27/2011

Hi Folks.

The Bluegrass Cafe was split exactly in half by a 2-hour UCONN womens basketball game, so the show was just an hour long including both halves.  We tried to make it worth your while to keep the radio on WHUS on both sides of the game by playing some great music, including new music from Del McCoury, Kathy Kallick, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Maranacook String Band (a Maine band with songwriter Stan Keach), Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass (another Maine band with CT and RI roots), and Lonesome River Band from the live tribute to Bill Monroe recorded at Bean Blossom earlier this year.

 Amy will be with you next Sunday, perhaps without preemptions if we are lucky.  Be sure to tune in!

Jim Beaver

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Heavy Traffic Ahead / Del McCoury / Old Memories / McCoury Music
• Down By The Rambling Waters / Maranacook String Band / Bear In The Barn / Self-released
• Hickory Hollow / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• Robin Built A Nest On Daddy's Grave / Tommy Brown & The County Line Grass / Hard Drivin' / Lavenir
• Footprints in The Snow / Lonesome River Band / Live At Bean Blossom / Rural Rhythm
• That's When I Miss Her(Him) Most Of All / Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass / Rustic Little Cabin / Self-released
• Doin' It On My Own / Jim Lauderdale / Reason and Rhyme / Sugar Hill
• Ole Paint / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• Mandolin Tango / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Daniel Prayed / Kathy Kallick / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak
• I'm Gonna Walk The Streets Of Gold / Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys In Hats & Ties / Rebel
• The Power Up Above / Edgar Loudermilk / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever
• He Can Be Found / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• Look Over Me Lord / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Leaning On The Everlasting Arms / The Grascals / Dance Til Your Stockings Are Hot and Ravelin' / Time-Life
• Power In The Blood / Dry Branch Fire Squad / Echoes Of The Mountains / Rounder
• That Home Far Away / Ralph Stanley / A Mother's Prayer / Rebel
• Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho / Dailey & Vincent / Singing From The Heart / Rounder
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 11/20/2011

We enter the busy season this week, as it seems like between Thanksgiving and New Year's, there is always a whole lot going on with family gatherings and special holiday events, not to mention all of the "everyday" stuff that still has to get accomplished.  I think I might have begun my busy season a bit earlier this year, as there was a whole lot of great music happening in the area, and missing any of it just wasn't an option.

Tom, Eddie & Martha in South Hadley Falls - 11/19/11

After enjoying David Peterson's Old Time Country Revue on Thursday night in Hamden, I got to see and hear the amazing Eddie Adcock perform at the Country Corner Coffee House on Saturday night.  Eddie was joined by wife, Martha, and old pal and Classic Country Gentlemen bandmate, Tom Gray.  What a terrific trio!  These three performed lots of music from their recently released Patuxent Music CD, "Many A Mile."  As you probably know, this CD primarily features Eddie & Martha's versions of tunes Eddie originally recorded with the Country Gentlemen back in the 1960s.  It's really a fantastic recording, and I'm sure the folks who got to see the Eddie, Martha & Tom show at the Firebox Restaurant today got to hear a lot from it, too.  

It's half a century for Eddie Stubbs

Today's show included birthday tributes to some folks who'll be celebrating this week:  Charlie Sizemore (born November 23, 1960), Adam Steffey (born November 24, 1965), and the one and only Eddie Stubbs, who'll turn 50 on November 25th.  While Eddie is primarily recognized these days as a WSM award-winning broadcaster and a "walking encyclopedia of country music," for some of us, he'll always be remembered as the young fiddler from the Johnson Mountain Boys.  For the last few years, I've closed my broadcasts of the BG Cafe with the JMB version of the "Black Mountain Blues" which features Eddie's fiddling, and I don't think that will be changing anytime soon.

On November 22nd, Rural Rhythm Records will officially release their latest "special event" CD:  a live recording featuring a whole lot of their RR performers singing Bill Monroe tunes at the 2011 Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival.  The CD is called, "Rural Rhythm Records Salutes Bill Monroe:  Live At Bean Blossom."  It's a winner, and another fine tribute to the Father of Bluegrass during this, the centennial celebration year of his birth.  We heard a couple of songs from the CD during today's BG Cafe, and will likely be hearing several more songs from the disc over the next few weeks.  Other newer music came from the previously-mentioned CD by Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray, Carolina Road, Terry Baucom, Volume Five, the Missy Werner Band, Ivan Rosenberg & the Foggy Hogtown Boys, the Crowe Brothers, John Bowman, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass, and two forthcoming Mountain Fever Records releases from Travers Chandler & Avery County, as well as Heather Berry & Tony Mabe.  

Another Pete Soukas band was Blue Diamond
with Roger Williams, Stan Tyminski, & Gary Filgate.

We also celebrated the life of Pete Soukas, a great New Hampshire musician who died on November 13th after a lengthy battle with cancer.  Pete may be best-remembered as the bass player (and sometimes singer) in the very fine New Hampshire-based BG band of the 1990s:  Stonewall Bluegrass.  In addition, Pete was featured on a couple of tracks from the great "Look To The Light" CD of music written by Rick Lang, so we included those songs in Sunday's show, as well.

Hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving!  Be sure to join Jim for another edition of BG Cafe as you wind down your holiday weekend next Sunday afternoon...


Amy

REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Amelia Earhart's Last Flight / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Matterhorn / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Nightwalk / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• This Morning At Nine / Country Gentlemen / Folk Session Inside / Copper Creek
• Comin' On Strong / David Peterson / Comin' On Strong / Self-Produced
• Leftover Biscuits / Lost & Found / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• The Hills Of Home / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• In A Groove / Terry Baucom / In A Groove / John Boy & Billy, Inc.
• I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow / Stanley Brothers / Select Sides, 1949-1953 / JSP Records
• One More Dollar / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Unleashed / Sugar Hill
• The Rabbit Song / Volume Five / Children Of The Mountain / Mountain Fever Records
• I'd Rather Love A Memory / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Choking The Strings / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• On The Old Kentucky Shore / Bluegrass Album Band / Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration / Rounder
• Reno Bound / Ivan Rosenberg & the Foggy Hogtown Boys / The Hogtown Sessions / Vole-O-Tone Records
• Going Back To Old Virginia / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Is It Wrong (To Love Somebody New) / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Reflections Of Love / Rebel
• Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / The Room Over Mine / Rounder
• Lost Highway / Tony Holt & the Wildwood Valley Boys / Lost Highways & Treasured Memories / Old Heritage Records
• I'll Love Nobody But You / Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys / In The Tradition / Rounder
• Three Ways Of Knowing / Allerton & Alton / Black, White & Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Crazy Arms / Stonewall Bluegrass / I Won't Be Troubled Anymore / Self-Produced
• His Loving Care / Junior Sisk / Look To The Light:  Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Someone Took My Place With You / Stonewall Bluegrass / I Won't Be Troubled Anymore / Self-Produced
• Lonely Violet / Peg & Ed / Lonely Violet / Self-Produced
• Tiny Broken Heart / Peg & Ed / Lonely Violet / Self-Produced
• I Don't Remember Loving You / Charlie Sizemore / Heartache Looking For A Home / Rounder
• Sugarloaf Mountain Special / Johnson Mountain Boys / Live At The Birchmere / Rounder
• Jumpin' The Track / The Boxcars / The Boxcars / Mountain Home
• The Garden Tomb / John Bowman / Family Chain:  The Songs Of Joe Isaacs / Pisgah Ridge Music
• It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Self-Produced
• Walk Slow / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe / [Forthcoming CD] / Mountain Fever Records
• Spanish Grass / Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass / Rustic Little Cabin / Self-Produced
• There Ain't No Easy Street / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Six Feet Under The Ground / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Rural Rhythm Records Salutes Bill Monroe : Live At Bean Blossom / Rural Rhythm
• The Fields Have Turned Brown / Stanley Brothers / The Complete Columbia Stanley Brothers / Columbia Legacy [recorded November 20, 1949]
• The Stanley Brothers / Travers Chandler & Avery County / [Forthcoming CD] / Mountain Fever Records
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press / Rural Rhythm Records Salutes Bill Monroe : Live At Bean Blossom / Rural Rhythm
• Ring The Bell / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
• Lord Lift Me Up / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Eat At The Welcome Table / Bluegrass Patriots / Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• Paul And Peter Walked / Claire Lynch / Friends For A Lifetime / Brentwood Bluegrass
• He Understands / Barry Scott / Look To The Light:  Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm Christian
• When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder / The Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever Records
• He Took Your Place / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1950-1952 / JSP Records
• On The Wings Of Angels / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Open Up The Window, Noah / Seldom Scene / Every Time I Feel The Spirit / Sugar Hill
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder 

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 11/13/2011

Hi Folks,

Ringling Bros. Circus Fire - Hartford, 1944

With the bad weather and power outages mostly behind us, it was a super day to enjoy 3-1/2 hours of bluegrass music, the extra half-hour thanks to a preceding game ending early.  Marti even joined us in the studio this week.

Frank Wakefield's Monroe Tribute

Laurie Lewis provided a song of local interest from her new album, Skippin' and Flyin', about the circus fire that occurred in Hartford in 1944, and we heard songs from the latest releases of Lee Marcus, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Shannon Slaughter, The Crowe Brothers, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Frank Wakefield, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, and Nothin' Fancy.

We also played from Del McCoury's new tribute to Bill Monroe -- a vinyl LP -- and an instrumental from the Lonesome River Band's latest CD in salute to their appearance on David Letterman's show the previous Friday night.  We also played the song they performed on that show from Larry Cordle's latest CD.

Del McCoury's new vinyl LP -- "Old Memories"

We hope you tune in next Sunday when Amy will make the banjos and fiddles ring!


Jim Beaver

Requests in blue

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Let's Part The Best Of Friends / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Live At The Birchmere / Rounder
• Wild And Wicked World / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Live At The Birchmere / Rounder
• Girl At The Crossroads Bar / The Bluegrass Brothers / Live At The Coffee Pot / Self-released
• Girl From The North Country / John Duffey (Country Gentlemen) / John Duffey- The Rebel Years 1962-1977 / Rebel
• Wise County Jail / Trevor McKenzie and Various / Close Kin / Mountain Roads
• John Henry / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Early Recordings / Rebel
• The Banjo Fling / The McCormick Brothers / The Very Best Of... / Varese Sarabande
• Carolina Dreams / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Meanwhile / Harley Allen et al / Moody Bluegrass Two... Much Love /  Bunny Rae
• Tall Pines / Laurie Lewis / And Her Bluegrass Pals / Rounder
• A Far Cry From Lester & Earl / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Let It Go / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe
• Mash Your Finger / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe
• Love The Way I Do / NewTown / NewTown / Self-released
• Lay My Burden Down / Alison Krauss & Union Station / Paper Airplane / Rounder
• Pretty Little Girl / Lonesome River Band / Still Learning / Rural Rhythm
• Molly / Larry Cordle / Pud Marcum's Hangin' / Mighty Cord
• Whippoorwill / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Frank Wakefield / A Tribute To Bill Monroe / Patuxent
• The Working Man / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Elite Circuit
• Going Back To Old Virginia / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• Rocky Top / The Osborne Brothers / Classic Bluegrass Collection / Time-Life
• A Soldier's Letter / Nothin' Fancy / Self-titled / Virginia Dream
• Down Where The River Bends / Ralph Stanley w. Dwight Yoakam / Saturday Night & Sunday Morning / CR Freeland
• The Hills Of Home / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• More Than A Name On The Wall / Dailey & Vincent / Dailey & Vincent / Rounder
• Good Time Mountain Man / Terry Baucom w. Chris Stapleton & Ronnie Bowman / In A Groove / John Boy & Billy
• Hartfordtown 1944 / Laurie Lewis / Skippin' and Flyin' / Spruce And Maple
• Heart And Soul / The Gillis Brothers / Heart & Soul / Rebel
• Been All Around The World / Shady Creek / Get Your Feet Wet / Self-released
• He Could Pick The Hound / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Out In The Cold World / Audie Blaylock and Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• Girl In The Blue Velvet Band / Del McCoury / Old Memories / McCoury Music
• Kentucky Mandolin / Bill Monroe / Blue Grass 1959-1969 / Bear Family
• Could You Love Me (One More Time) / The Stanley Brothers / 1953-1958 & 1959 / Bear Family
• Mole In The Ground / Joe Walsh / Sweet Loam / Skinny Elephant
• He Was A Friend Of Mine / Eddie & Martha Adcock w. Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent
• Sweet Hearts Again / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• Take Me Back To The Sunny South / Wade Mainer w. J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Early and Great Sacred / Old Homestead
• Rockwood Deer Chase / Don Stover / Things In Life / Rounder
• Wildwood Flower (bed) / Earl Taylor & Jim McCall / The Best of Bluegrass Instrumentals Vol. 1 / Rural Rhythm
• Fireball Mail (bed) / Hylo Brown / The Best of Bluegrass Instrumentals Vol. 1 / Rural Rhythm
• Lonely Ends Where Love Begins / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Gold Watch And Chain / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Summer Breeze / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass
• No Depression / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Goin' Up Copper Creek / Copper Creek
• Hurricane of Trouble / Cheryl J. Watson / Watertown / Self-released
• Singing As We Rise / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• What Do You Say? / Sierra Hull / Daybreak / Rounder
• Dark Hollow / J.D. Crowe & The New South / Holiday In Japan / New South Music
• Lord Build Me A Cabin In Gloryland / Monroe Crossing / Plays The Music Of Bill Monroe / Self-released
• Have You Someone (In Heaven Awaiting) / The Stanley Brothers / 1949-52 / Bear Family
• Our Father / Grasstowne / Kickin' Up Dust / Rural Rhythm
• What Will The Coming Of The Lord Mean To You / The Gillis Brothers / Sunshine In The Shadows / Hay Holler
• What Would The Profit Be / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Don't Forget To Pray / Tom Mindte & Jeremy Stephens / Radio Favorites & Sacred Songs / Patuxent
• Gone Away / Mountain Faith / Save Me / Mountain Home
• Lay My Body Down / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe
• If I Be Lifted Up / Larry Perkins w. Janette Carter et al / Pick Like Earl / Self-released
• Heaven's Green Fields / Seldom Scene / Like We Used To Be / Sugar Hill
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released