"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 1/30/2011 Louvin Brothers

Hi Folks.

Marti and I had an extra hour in front of the regular Bluegrass Cafe show, so we used that hour to present a retrospective of Louvin Brothers music and to demonstrate unequivocally why the loss of Charlie Louvin on 26 January was the end of an era.

Charlie was recording right up until he passed away - his most recent album was released November 2010 and that was the second album he released that year. (The picture above is from his 2007 release on the Tompkins Square label.)

The Louvin Brothers took the brother harmony tradition that had existed earlier in roots music (think Delmore Brothers, Sam & Kirk McGee, The Monroe Brothers) and elevated it to new heights. When you listen to their contemporaries like the Everly Brothers, it is clear that the Louvins had a significant influence on country and pop harmonies that is continuing. The brother harmony tradition continues in bluegrass today with the top proponents being Dailey & Vincent (in style) and The Gibson Brothers (in reality).

And who can forget the iconic cover of their 1960 album, "Satan Is Real"

Besides the Louvin songs, our Heritage Corner provided great legacy bluegrass from Charlie Moore, Mac Martin, Carl Story, Phyllis Boyens, Don Stover, and Reno & Harrell.

New music included our debut of songs from a very talented California family, The Tuttles with A.J. Lee. We also are enjoying playing the latest releases from Travers Chandler & Avery County, Taylor's Grove, Jimmy Gaudreau, and The Roys.

Be sure to tune in next Sunday at 4pm ET when Amy will make the banjos and fiddles ring.

Jim Beaver

The items in blue are the Louvin Retrospective. Items in red are requests.

Song Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Alabama / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Get Aquainted' Waltz / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• The Great Atomic Power / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• When I Stop Dreaming / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• The Gospel Way / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Don't Laugh / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Hoping That You're Hoping / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Knoxville Girl / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Plenty Of Everything But You / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Cash On The Barrelhead / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• You're Running Wild / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• My Baby's Gone / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• If I Could Only Win Your Love / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Satan's Jeweled Crown / The Louvin Brothers / Satan Is Real / Capitol
• I Love You Best Of All / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• How's The World Treating You / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Must You Throw Dirt In My Face / The Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
• Ira / Charlie Louvin / Charlie Louvin / Tompkins Square
• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby / Jerry Douglas with Alison Krauss / Slide Rule / Sugar Hill (Louvin song)
  
• When I Stop Dreaming / Del McCoury & the Dixie Pals / Songs of The Louvin Brothers / Rounder (Louvin song)
  
• I Wish You Knew / Kathy Louvin & Pamela Brown Hayes / Livin', Lovin', Losin' - Songs of The Louvin Brothers / Universal South (Louvin song)
  
• I'm Gonna love You One More Time / Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys / Songs of The Louvin Brothers / Rounder (Louvin song)
  
• Long Journey Home / Charlie Louvin / Hickory Wind / Tompkins Square
• Last Old Shovel / Phyllis Boyens / Oh Sister! / Rounder
• In Memory / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-released
• Making It Up / Don Stover and the White Oak Mountain Boys / Self Titled / Rounder (LP)
• Valley Of Peace / Taylor's Grove / Keep on The Sunny Side / Self-released
• Nobody Cares For Me / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• In A Town This Size / The Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• The Reckless Side Of Me / The SteelDrivers / Reckless / Rounder
• Adrienne's Reel / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek
• Hearts To Stone / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• Deep End Man / Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford / Dogwood Winter / Rural Rhythm
• Lonesome and Dry as a Bone / Joe Diffie / Homecoming / Rounder
• Swinging Bridge / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads
• Don't Act / Rhonda Vincent / All American Bluegrass Girl / Rounder
• Master's Garden / The Tuttles with A.J. Lee / Introducing The Tuttles with A.J. Lee / Back Studio
• Train On The Island / The Tuttles with A.J. Lee / Introducing The Tuttles with A.J. Lee / Back Studio
• Blame It On The Bluegrass / Valerie Smith / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle
• Tiger By The Tail / The Grascals with Brad Paisley / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel
• Lonesome River / Lou Reid & Carolina with Russell Moore / The All-Star Jam - Live at Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Avery County / Charlie Moore / Avery County / Old Homestead (LP)
• The Beans Should Be Blossomed / The Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Mastertone
• I'm Bringing Home Good News / Darrell Webb Band / Bloodline / Rural Rhythm
• My Friend Clyde / The Spinney Brothers / If I Were Your Brother / Self-released
• The Crooked Road / Paula Dellenback / The Crooked Road / Self-released
• Eddie's Hoedown / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Goin' Up Copper Creek / Copper Creek
• Handsome Molly / The Stanley Brothers / An Evening Long Ago / Columbia
• Alone With You / White Mountain Bluegrass / Oh So Many Years / Self-released
• Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow / Hot Rize / Radio Boogie / Flying Fish
• Coal Minin' Man / The Roys / Lonesome Whistle / Rural Rhythm
• Red Clay Halo / Valerie Smith / Patchwork Heart / Bell Buckle
• My Baby's Gone / Valerie Smith with Charlie Louvin / Patchwork Heart / Bell Buckle (Louvin song)
  
• Remington Ride (bed) / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• Yellow Roses (bed) / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• I'll Never Go Back / Mac Martin & The Dixie Travelers / Basic Bluegrass - Portrait / Old Homestead (Louvin song)
  
• The Harder I Fall / Cherryholmes / Cherryholmes IV: Common Threads / Skaggs Family
• The Engineers Don't Wave From The Trains Anymore / Earl Scruggs & Tom T. Hall / The Storyteller and the Banjo Man / Wounded Bird (Sony)
• Sledd Ride / Roger Williams / A Resophonic Retrospective / Happy Appy
• Somewhere In Time / Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters / Phoenix / Happy Appy
• Travelin' Preacher / The Bartley Brothers / Hit The Road / Rural Rhythm
• If You See My Savior / Buzz Matheson & Mac Martin / Echoes Of The Past / White Oak
• Land Of Eternal Peace / Carl Story and The Rambling Mountaineers / Unissued Recordings / Old Homestead
• Justified / Billy Boone Smith / Five Flat Rocks / Muddy Sunshine
• Lonely Tombs / The Gillis Brothers / Little Old Country Church House / Wango
• If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & The Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• The Angels Rejoiced / Dolly Parton & Sonya Isaacs / Livin', Lovin', Losin' - Songs of The Louvin Brothers / Universal South (Louvin song)
  
• Standing In The Need Of Prayer / The Country Gentlemen / Folk Songs and Bluegrass / Smithsonian Folkways
• Make Him A Soldier / The Whitstein Brothers / Songs of The Louvin Brothers / Rounder (Louvin song)
• Listen To My Hammer Ring / Charlie Moore / Gospel Collection (Various Artists) / Old Homestead
• You Can Find It At The Cross / The Bluegrass Brothers / So Long / Self-released
• Camping In Canaan's Land / Don Reno & Bill Harrell / Little Old Country Church House / Wango
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/23/2011

With it being ridiculously cold outside, we tried to start off Sunday's show playing a couple of tunes with a "warmer" theme. It may be only 8 weeks until the calendar tells us it's Spring (and fewer than that 'til the Red Sox- and other baseball teams - begin Spring Training!), but for now, I think there are a whole lot of folks in New England who are just plain old SICK OF WINTER. Blech. Trying to warm things up with some music isn't horrible, right?

Last Sunday, while Jim was interviewing the likes of Kristin Scott Benson,Valerie Smith, and Becky Buller, I was in Bellows Falls, VT enjoying the second of two "Brothers" shows featuring the Gibson Brothers and the Spinney Brothers. Needless to say, both the Vermont show and the show the previous night in Lexington, MA were quite fabulous with generous helpings of humor and fun, and a whole lot of superb brother harmonies. Congratulations to the sponsors of this mini-tour: the Boston Bluegrass Union, as well as Candi & Seth Sawyer (promoters of the Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival). Hopefully, this idea of combining these two brother acts will be picked up by additional promoters another time...

This week on the radio, we tried to play a bit of new (or newer) music, and I think we succeeded with music from the Gibson Brothers' mandolin player, Joe Walsh, as well as banjo picker, Ross Nickerson, and Dobro player, Glenn Gibson. In addition, there is a terrific new BG gospel recording from Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, who will be performing at next month's 26th annual Joe Val Bluegrass Festival in Framingham, MA. There was also music from Edgar Loudermilk and Valerie Smith, and one tune from the highly-anticipated forthcoming Rounder Records recording from the new "Ambassador of Bluegrass," Steve Martin along with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Great stuff -- all of it.

In my ongoing efforts to highlight some traditional country music performers that I really like -- and who are obviously also enjoyed by many BG performers -- I tried to put a bit of a spotlight on two Country Music Hall of Famers who celebrated birthdays in January: Ray Price (born January 12, 1926) and Dolly Parton (born January 19, 1946). While Dolly has made a few BG-based recordings, I don't believe the Cherokee Cowboy ever has; however, many tunes from his great songbook have been recorded in a BG style through the years. We played 8 tunes originally recorded by Ray and Dolly, and even threw in a Ray Price tune from 1955 which may have included the one-and-only Earl Scruggs playing the banjo. A bit more research on that particular fact may be in order...

Hope you enjoyed something you heard on Sunday, and I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever Jim has in store for this coming Sunday's show. Join him beginning at 4PM, and try to stay warm!

Amy

REQUESTS ARE BOLD.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Hot Night In August / Gary Ferguson / I'm Really Leaving / Webco
• Matches / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Cryin' Heart Blues / Rural Rhythm
• Springtime In The Rockies / Bluegrass Patriots / Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• Are You Coming Back To Me / Bill Harrell with Mac Wiseman / Bill Harrell & Friends / Rebel
• I Thought I'd Seen It All / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Mountain Home
• Riverhead Polka / Buddy Merriam / Back Roads Mandolin / Lily Pad Records
• When The Bloom Is Off The Rose / Rhonda Vincent with Sally Berry & Tensel Sandker / Taken / Upper Management Music
• Lonesome Pine / Blue Highway / Lonesome Pine / Rebel
• Remington Ride / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• To Love Somebody / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Reflections Of Love / Rebel
• Here Rattler Here / Lily Brothers & Don Stover / On The Radio, 1952-1953 / Rounder
• Whole Lot More Living / Rickey Wasson / From The Heart And Soul / Rural Rhythm
• Goin' To The Dance / Chris Warner with Tom Adams / Goin' To The Dance / Patuxent Music
• Tennessee Tea / Joe Diffie / Homecoming / Rounder
• Eatin' Out Of Your Hand / Lonesome Pine Fiddlers / Bluegrass Collection / Gusto
• Falling Falling Falling / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Never Walk Away / Sugar Hill
• Gypsy, Joe And Me / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-Produced
• Move On In And Stay / Mickey Harris / Dog House Blues / Self-Produced
• Coat Of Many Colors / Lynn Morris Band / The Bramble And The Rose / Rounder
• Crazy Arms / IIIrd Tyme Out / Puttin' New Roots Down / Rebel
• My Blue Tears / Gloria Belle with the Johnson Mountain Boys / Love Of The Mountains / Webco
• I Can't Go Home Like This / Ray Price / The Essential Ray Price, 1951-62 / Columbia
• AppleJack / Pam Gadd with Dolly Parton / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway Productions
• Who Showed Who / Dan Tyminski / Wheels / Rounder
• Live And Let Live / Bob Paisley & the Southern Grass / Forty Years Of Trouble / Strictly Country
• Early / Joe Walsh with the Gibson Brothers / Sweet Loam / Self-Produced
• Before You Know It / Glenn Gibson / When Times Are Hard / Self-Produced
• Kentucky Mandolin / Ross Nickerson / Let's Kick It / Bones Records
• Fallen Leaves / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / Hymns From The Hills / Rebel
• No Vacancy / Valerie Smith / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle Records
• It Just Might / Edgar Loudermilk with Cia Cherryholmes / Roads Traveled / Mountain Fever Records
• Rare Bird Alert / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder
• Pick Up The Blues / Steep Canyon Rangers / Lovin' Pretty Women / Rebel
• Golden Leaves / Acoustic Blue / This Is Now / Self-Produced
• Years Ago / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers From Different Mothers / Rounder
• Remembering / David Peterson / Comin' On Strong / Self-Produced
• Could It Be Goodbye / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-Produced
• No Depression / Johnson Mountain Boys / Goin' Up Copper Creek / Copper Creek
• New Sweet Home / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• Next Train Smokin' / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
• Lord Protect My Soul / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1950-1951 / JSP Records
• Keep Walking / Wilson Family Band / Chasing Blue / Self-Produced
• Carry It Back To The Cross / Rich In Tradition / Born Into Bluegrass: The Songs Of Cullen Galyean / Mountain Roads Recordings
• I'll Never Go Back / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers with Doyle Lawson / Hymns From The Hills / Rebel
• Jesus Savior, Pilot Me / Laurel Canyon Ramblers / Rambler's Blues / Sugar Hill
• The Place Prepared For Me / Country Gentlemen / Calling My Children Home / Rebel
• River Of Jordan / Volume Five / Down In A Cell / Mountain Fever Records
• Sinner You'd Better Get Ready / Louvin Brothers / Songs That Tell A Story / Rounder
• Gonna Be Moving / Darrell Webb Band / Bloodline / Rural Rhythm
• You're Drifting Away / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1951-1954 / JSP Records
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 1/16/2011

Hi Folks.

Bluegrass Cafe was pretty special this week since Marti and I had three very accomplished bluegrass women pay us a visit.

Valerie Smith and Becky Buller joined us first and brought us up to date on their new project, "Blame It On The Bluegrass," which has the distinction of being the first album ever recorded in the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. This 6-song EP (Valerie calls it a "six-pack") contains some energetic music, two songs of which were written or co-written by super-songwriter, Becky (including the title song). Besides the information from our previous blog entry, you can view a video of the making of the album here --> Making of Blame It On The Bluegrass

Next was a visit from current and three-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year, Kristin Scott Benson of The Grascals. Kristin delighted us with her musical history (she is related to Arval Hogan - pioneering musician of the duo Whitey & Hogan, and The Briarhoppers - and named her son Hogan after him), and told us about The Grascals' new CD on the Cracker Barrel label -- The Grascals & Friends - This new CD, only available at Cracker Barrel stores or at Cracker Barrel on line, pairs the group with many famous country artists such as Dierks Bentley, Tom T. Hall, and Charlie Daniels. Accordingly, the music has more elements of country than previous Grascals albums, but there is still plenty of Grascals-style bluegrass in the songs. A feature of the new album is a song written by Grascals singer Jamie Johnson titled "I Am Strong" inspired by St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Dolly Parton performed the song with the Grascals. You can see the video here --> "I Am Strong"

We played an entire 15-minute radio show from the 1950s by "Allerton & Alton," the Cumberland Ridge Runners, who were actually Maine bluegrass legend Al Hawkes and his partner Al Myers. The unusual part of this duo was that Al Myers happened to be black. This was such an unusual arrangement for the time that Bear Family has seen fit to release a CD with many of the old Allerton & Alton radio performances titled "Black, White and Bluegrass." We just obtained the CD and it was an interesting coincidence that we played this set of music on the Martin Luther King holiday weekend.

Other music included more from excellent New England old-time duo Taylors Grove (Mac McHale and Carolyn Hutton), a retrospective from the Heritage Corner comparing a song from the original Carter Family with a modern version from Chesapeake, a track from Charlie Moore's "Avery County" LP, new music from Jimmy Gaudreau, Travers Chandler, Blue Moon Rising, and Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad. We also were happy to play a track from the newly re-released complete Vetco sessions of Hotmud Family.

Amy will be with you next week making the banjos and fiddles ring, so be sure to ask her about the great brother duet concerts with the Gibsons and the Spinneys in Massachusetts and Vermont when you get a chance.

Jim Beaver

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Mary Of The Homeplace / Travers Chandler / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Poor Rambling Boy / Darrell Webb Band / Bloodline / Rural Rhythm
• Hold Whatcha Got / Lonesome River Band with Audie Blaylock / The All Star Jam - Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Pain Of Loving You / The Grascals with Dolly Parton / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel
• Red and Green Signal Light / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads
• Gold Watch And Chain / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Self-released
• Going To The Races / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Self-released
• Too Many Tear Drops / Reno & Smiley / 1963-1972 Complete King Starday Recordings / Gusto
• Are You Tired Of Me My Darling / The Carter Family / In The Shadow Of Clinch Mountain / Bear Family
• Are You Tired Of Me My Darling / Chesapeake / Full Sail / Sugar Hill
• Promise Me / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Goose Creek
• Tidwell Pike / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Goose Creek
• Rainin' On Her Rubber Dolly / Joe Diffie with The Grascals / Homecoming / Rounder
• My Angeline / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• How Did That Turn Into My Problem? / Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford / Dogwood Winter / Rural Rhythm
• Time To Be Movin' On / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• No Vacancy / Valerie Smith / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle
• Interview with Valerie Smith and Becky Buller
• Blame It On The Bluegrass / Valerie Smith / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle
• A Good Day, Lord / Valerie Smith / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle
• Guitars, Whiskey, Guns and Knives / The Steeldrivers / Reckless / Rounder
• I Wish I'd Stayed In The Wagonyard / The Hotmud Family / The Complete Vetco Recordings / Vetco (?)
• Don't Tread On Me / Kristin Scott Benson / Second Season / Pinecastle
• Interview with Kristin Scott Benson
• The Year Clayton Delaney Died / The Grascals with Tom T. Hall / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel
• I Am Strong / The Grascals with Dolly Parton / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel
• Banjo Am The Instrument For Me / The Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Coal Minin' Man / The Roys / Single / Rural Rhythm
• Washington Lee Fling (bed) / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• Yellow Roses (bed) / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• Keep On The Sunny Side / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Memory Lane / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Don't This Road Look Rough And Rocky / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Drifting Too Far From The Shore / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Jar Gap / Paula Dellenback / The Crooked Road / Self-released
• Can't Live Life Here Without You / Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever
• Matthew Twenty Four / Charlie Moore / Avery County / Old Homestead (LP)
• You Can Find It At The Cross / The Bluegrass Brothers / So Long / Self-released
• Look To The Light / John Miller and others / Look To The Light, Songs of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm
• I Saw The Light / David Peterson / Live In the WHUS Studio / n.a.
• I've Been Redeemed / Junior Sisk and others / Look To The Light, Songs of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm
• It's A Mighty Hard Road To Travel / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Light On My Feet, Ready To Fly / Horizon
• Snow Covered Mound / Carolina Native Sons / Rank Ol' Bluegrass / Patuxent
• When My Savior Welcomes Me / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Self-titled / Steeltown
• Paul And Silas / Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen / Self-titled / Fiddlemon Music
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released