"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 10/23/2011

In today's BG Cafe, we put a bit of emphasis on new music, as it seems like there's a whole bunch of it.  Sadly, there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the three hours of the program to air ALL of it.  Not sure how to remedy that particular problem, but I'm hopeful to get to music from some of the fine folks (i.e. Lee Marcus, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Missy Werner Band) in future weeks -- I just plain ran out of time today. 



The title of this 1993 Turquoise release seems especially
appropriate now that the Bluegrass Patriots have disbanded.



After starting the show off with a few songs relating to all of those not-so-brightly-colored leaves that need to be raked from a whole lot of lawns, we paid brief tribute to Colorado's Bluegrass Patriots.  This fine band played BG together for nearly 30 years with very few changes in personnel over the course of those years.   That's kind of unusual in this day and age, isn't it?  While the Patriots didn't perform very often east of the Mississippi River, we still were able to see them play at least a couple of times in New England (perhaps in the mid-1990s or so? -- my memory isn't quite as good as I'd like it to be).  What a great band! 

Still, though, today's show contained a good amount of new music -- released only recently or within the last few months.  This came to us from projects by Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Thomas Porter & Copper River Band, Frank Wakefield, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Carolina Road, the Crowe Brothers, and the Kathy Kallick Band.  There are also TWO new tribute recordings to the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe, as we know that 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of Monroe's birth year.  Even though there have already been plenty of Monroe tributes released this year, two more great performers can be added to the list:  the Del McCoury Band ("Old Memories:  The Songs Of Bill Monroe" on McCoury Music) and David Grisman (Acoustic Disc's "Dawg Plays Big Mon:  Happy Birthday Bill Monroe").   There was also music from forthcoming projects by Chris Jones & the Night Drivers and Heather Berry & Tony Mabe.

One more special recording project we were able to emphasize today comes to us courtesy of someone who has been a great friend of WHUS and the BG Cafe, in particular -- our former show producer, Myrna Riquier.  Myrna has put together a CD of songs she has written, and they have been recorded as a demo by Justin Carbone and Troy Engel.  The resulting CD is very good, and we'll be playing more from it in future weeks.  


As usual, we tried to make note of a few BG folks who celebrate birthdays this week, including Larry Stephenson (born 10/24/1956)  and Joe Mullins (born 10/27/1965).  Two other birthdays stood out this week:  those of New England Bluegrass Pioneer Fred Pike -- a tremendous banjo and guitar picker who grew up in northeastern CT -- and the elder, banjo-picking half of the Gibson Brothers, Eric Gibson, who turns 41 today.  


Hope you enjoyed something you heard on the show today, and that you'll be sure to join Jim next Sunday for another edition of the BG Cafe!  


Amy

REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Golden Leaves / Acoustic Blue / This Is Now / Self-Produced
• Leaves Mustn't Fall / Dan Paisley & the Southern Grass / The Tradition Continues / Brandywine
• Leaves That Are Green / Union Springs / Next Train Headed South / Copper Creek
• When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall / Audie Blaylock & Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• Dreams About The Hills Of Home / Bluegrass Patriots / E Pluribus Bluegrass / Red Feather
• I Can't Keep You In Love With Me / The Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Trolley Days / Thomas Porter & Copper River Band / Trolley Days / Self-Produced
• Buck Creek Gal / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren / Self-Produced
• Wave Goodbye / Bluegrass Patriots / Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• Maybe You Will Change Your Mind / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Gone Long Gone / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Drive Time / Mountain Home
• Don't Say Goodbye If You Love Me / Bill Harrell with Jim McReynolds / Bill Harrell & Friends / Rebel
• Apple Jack / Pam Gadd with Dolly Parton / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway Productions
• Dixie / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Final Farewell / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / New Cuts Of Bluegrass, Volume 4 / no label
• Grandfather's Clock / Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys / Authentic Bluegrass Folk Music / Osage
• Rambler's Call / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / Rambler's Call / Rebel
• I'll Never Go Back / Joe Mullins with Doyle Lawson / Hymns From The Hills / Rebel
• Blackberry Blossom / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• Give This Message To Your Heart / Larry Stephenson with Dailey & Vincent / 20th Anniversary / Pinecastle
• Picker's Blues / Gibson Brothers / Iron & Diamonds / Sugar Hill
• When You Are Lonely / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / The Essential Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Columbia
• My Cabin In Caroline / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury
• Corriella / Justin Carbone & Troy Engel / Momma's Flowers : My Bluegrass Collection By Myrna D. Riquier / Self-Produced
• On And On / David Grisman with Jerry Garcia, Red Allen, Herb Pedersen, Jimmy Buchanan, Jim Kerwin / Dawg Plays Big Mon : Happy Birthday Bill Monroe / Acoustic Disc
• Pretty Little Girl From Galax / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Watermelon On The Vine / Del McCoury Band / Old Memories : The Songs Of Bill Monroe / McCoury Music
• Live And Let Live / Del McCoury Band / Old Memories : The Songs Of Bill Monroe / McCoury Music
• Sing A Bluegrass Song / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• I've Been Waiting / The Boxcars / The Boxcars / Mountain Home
• I'm Waiting To Hear You Call Me Darling / Hagar's Mountain Boys / Forever Yours / Mountain Fever Records
• A Far Cry From Lester And Earl / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Mountain Girl / Bluegrass Cardinals / Mountain Girl / BGC Records
• Rawhide / Frank Wakefield / A Tribute To Bill Monroe / Patuxent Music
• Heartache Looking For A Home / Charlie Sizemore / Heartache Looking For A Home / Rounder
• Walk Slow / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe / advance single / Mountain Fever Records
• Wearin' The Blues / Josh Williams with David Peterson / I'll Take Love : From The Pen Of Louisa Branscomb / Compass Records
• Tall Pines / Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands / Live / Spruce & Maple Music
• Lord Protect My Soul / Kathy Kallick Band / Count Your Blessings : A Bluegrass Gospel Collection / Live Oak Records
• God Has Been So Good To Me / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Gonna Be Moving / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• Let Me Rest At The End Of My Journey / Jack Cooke / Sittin' On Top Of The World / Pinecastle
• What A Beautiful Day (For The Lord To Come Again) / Special Consensus / Signs / Pinecastle
• Preaching Praying Singing / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• In The Shadow Of The Son / Justin Carbone & Troy Engel / Momma's Flowers : My Bluegrass Collection By Myrna D. Riquier / Self-Produced
• On The Wings Of Angels / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• The Poor Man Was Lazarus / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Wings Of Gold / Rebel
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 10/16/2011 - Al Hawkes

Hi Folks,

Al Hawkes

While bluegrass music is correctly thought to be of rural Southern origins, the South certainly does not have exclusive rights to the form.  A great example of a New England connection to the music is Mr. Al Hawkes.  Starting the Event Records label in 1956 in Maine (at the ripe old age of 26), he recorded such country and bluegrass greats as Charlie Bailey (of the Bailey Brothers), The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover, and Dick Curless.

Al, himself a great musician, first started broadcasting as a teen on his own pirate radio station, and later started a musical partnership with a black singer/guitarist named Alton Myers -- the duo called "Allerton & Alton" -- that broadcast on prime time radio in 1947 and 1948.  That pairing was the first integrated group in country music, and we are fortunate to have recordings of the duo preserved on a recent Bear Family release.

I had the opportunity to record an extended interview with Al Hawkes on September 28, 2011, at IBMA's World Of Bluegrass in Nashville, TN, and we aired that hour-long interview in the middle of this Bluegrass Cafe.

The rest of the show consisted of many newer releases including The Crowe Brothers, The Missy Werner Band, The Bluegrass Brothers, Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman, Monroe Crossing, Leon Morris, Mickey Harris, and Carolina Road.  We also played from two excellent retrospectives, one from Kathy Kallick and another from the late John Duffey.  Ricky Skaggs has a new release of his country hits done bluegrass style that we presented.

Amy will be making the banjos and fiddles ring on the next Bluegrass Cafe.


Jim Beaver

Al Hawkes interview in blue
Requests in red

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Blame It On The Bluegrass / Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle
• Uncle Pen / Ricky Skaggs / Country Hits Bluegrass Style / Skaggs Family
• In Despair / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass
• He Could Pick The Hound / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Back To My Roots / Carolina Road / Back To my Roots / Rural Rhythm
• Leaves In The Wind / The Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-released
• The Grave Robber / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Caroline / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• Flying South To Dixie / The Bluegrass Brothers / "Live" At The Coffee Pot / Self-released
• Waves On The Sea / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Favorites / Rounder
• Pretty Polly Ann / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren Vol. 2 / Self-released
• Heavy Traffic Ahead / Monroe Crossing / Plays The Music of Bill Monroe / Self-released
• Sarah Joy / Snyder Family Band / Stages / Mountain Roads
• Cold Heart, Cold Feet / Tommy Webb / From Rock-N-Roll To Bill Monroe / Self-released
• Things In Life / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Belt Buckle Polishing Song / Thomas Porter & Copper River Band / Trolley Days / Self-released
• Bring Back My Blue Eyed Boy / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Early Recordings / Rebel
• Al Hawkes Interview
• Baby, Baby / Curtis Johnson / 45 Single / Event
• Tragic Romance / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Early Recordings / Rebel
• Kentucky / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Twelfth Street Rag / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• I'll Get Along Somehow / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• I'll Sign My Heart Away / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Keep On The Sunny Side / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Dear Old Dixie (bed) / Red Smiley & The Bluegrass Cut-Ups / Burnin' Up the Strings / Rural Rhythm
• Black Eyed Susan (bed) / Tater Tate w. Red Smiley & BG C-U / Burnin' Up the Strings / Rural Rhythm
• Natural Bridge Blues (bed) / Reno & Smiley w. The Tennessee Cut-Ups / Burnin' Up the Strings / Rural Rhythm 
• Banjo On The Mountain (bed) / Hylo Brown & The Timberliners / Burnin' Up the Strings / Rural Rhythm
• When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall / The Spinney Brothers / When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall / Self-released
• Whippoorwill / Billy Boone Smith / Live From The Moose Lodge / Muddy Sunshine
• I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Audie Blaylock and Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• Mash Your Finger / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• Other Woman's Blues / Nu-Blu / The Blu-Disc / Pinecastle
• My Time / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Hold Whatcha Got / Joe Walsh w. The Gibson Brothers / Sweet Loam / Skinny Elephant
• God's Highway / Leon Morris / Thinking Today Of My Home / Patuxent
• Heaven / John Duffey / The Rebel Years 1962-1977 / Rebel
• Roll Jordan Roll / Nashville Bluegrass Band w. Fairfield Four / Home Of The Blues / Sugar Hill
• My Eyes Shall Be On Canaan's Land / Terry Baucom w. Lawson, Haley, Reid / In A Groove / John Boy & Billy
• When I Wake Up To Sleep No More / Kathy Kallick / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak
• Power Of Prayer / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle
• Take Me To Heaven / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle
• Battle / Mickey Harris / A Gospel Collection / MJH
• Hold Fast To The Right / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 10/9/2011

It seems like today's show was cut into several segments -- from birthday tributes to remembrances of country music figures.  We began the show with four songs from the pen (or featuring the banjo) of the late Don Stover, who is well-known to a whole lot of folks in New England from his days working with the Lilly Brothers at the Hillbilly Ranch in Boston.  There's live BG just about every Sunday afternoon at the Firebox Restaurant in Hartford, and this week, the throw-together group of great New England BGers called themselves, "The New Hampshire State Troopers Hat Band."  Since I couldn't be in Hartford to see the tribute, I figured playing some Stover tunes would be the next best thing. 

Birthday boy, Leigh Gibson, tried out a new look in 2008.

Several performers are celebrating birthdays this week, and we heard music from a few of them, including Sammy Shelor (born 10/10/1962), Barry Berrier (born 10/10/1960), and Josh Crowe (born 10/11/1957).  Another person marking a fairly significant birthday this week is the younger of the two Gibson Brothers, Leigh Gibson, who turns 40 on October 11th.  The Gibsons had a pretty terrific time at IBMA last week, as they were nominated for seven IBMA Awards, and came home with two (Vocal Group of the Year and Album of the Year for "Help My Brother").  As you probably know, these two brothers are great songwriters, and Leigh's songwriting style tends to be more of the personal history-type.  We showcased three of Leigh's fine songs which the Gibsons have recorded over the last fourteen years, and then, later had a request for a fourth Gibson tune featuring Leigh.  

Today is also the birthday of the late John Lennon, who was born on October 9, 1940.  It's no surprise that the Beatles impacted and really changed the music world in a big way.  You wouldn't think that many Beatles tunes would have been given the BG treatment, but that kind of thinking would be wrong.  In honor of John's birthday, we played two BG versions of Beatles tunes -- one recorded in 1966 and another in 2011.  

Johnnie Wright...on the far right

From time to time, we pay tribute to country music performers whose music has been covered in the BG world.  One of the greats, Johnnie Wright, died on September 27th at the age of 97.  While Johnnie may be best known as the husband of Kitty Wells since 1937, the music he made with his brother-in-law Jack Anglin in the 1940s and the 1950s was just plain fun.  As Johnnie & Jack, the pair were members of the Grand Ole Opry, and introduced so many great songs which have been covered in the BG world for years, including "Poison Love," "Ashes Of Love," Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide," and others.  Members of their Tennessee Mountain Boys band included Shot Jackson on the Dobro, as well as fiddlers Benny Martin and Paul Warren.  You don't get much closer to Bluegrass music than that.  Great stuff!

Jim told you a bit about IBMA on last week's show, so we made sure to continue that "theme" a little more this week, too.  We played music from some of the great bands I got to hear in late-night showcases, such as Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Edgar Loudermilk, the Skip Cherryholmes Quintet, Travers Chandler & Avery County, Della Mae, and Volume Five.  We also put a spotlight on a few of the IBMA award-winners.  In addition to tunes from the Gibsons, there was music from Balsam Range, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Dale Ann Bradley, Russell Moore (& IIIrd Tyme Out), and Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, as well as 2011 BG Hall of Famers, George Shuffler and Del McCoury.  

Gentle reminder:  if you're on Facebook, take a moment to mosey on over to our "BG Cafe" Facebook page and "like" us.  To get there, go to www.facebook.com/WHUS.BluegrassCafe when you can...

Hope you enjoyed something you heard somewhere along the way today, and that you'll be sure to join Jim next Sunday in the "BG Cafe."  

Have a great week!

Amy 

REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• I'll Be Myself Again / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Salt River / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots / Smithsonian Folkways
• Poor Country Boy / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / The Oak And The Laurel / Rounder
• Rockwood Deer Chase / Jim Mills / Bound To Ride / Sugar Hill
• Things In Life / Don Stover / The Stained Glass Hour : Bluegrass And Old Time Gospel Music / Rounder
• Trains I Missed / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• Goin' Up Dry Branch / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• I'll Never Grow Tired Of You / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1956-1959 / JSP Records
• 1952 Vincent Black Lightning / Del McCoury Band / By Request / McCoury Music
• Yellow-Backed Fly / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder
• Marianne / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Modern Times / Rebel
• In The Garden By The Fountain / Rhonda Vincent with Dolly Parton / Taken / Upper Management Music
• Loser's Hand / Edgar Loudermilk / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever Records
• Midnight Ramble / Cullen Galyean / Born Into Bluegrass : The Songs Of Cullen Galyean / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Close By / Dailey & Vincent / Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration : A Classic Bluegrass Tribute / Rounder
• North Carolina Breakdown / Sammy Shelor / Leading Roll / Sugar Hill
• Holdin' On When You've Let Go / Crowe Brothers / Brothers-n-Harmony / Rural Rhythm
• I'll Have To Make Some Changes / Barry Berrier / First Time With Feeling / Pinecastle
• Sam Smith / Gibson Brothers / Spread Your Wings / Hay Holler
• Railroad Line / Gibson Brothers / Bona Fide / Sugar Hill
• Safe Passage / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Help! / Charles River Valley Boys / Beatle Country / Rounder
• I Feel Fine / VW Boys / Retroactive / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Who Showed Who / Dan Tyminski / Wheels / Rounder
• She Put The Tears In My Eyes / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Self-Produced
• Poison Love / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• You Tried To Ruin My Name / Wilma Lee Cooper / O Sister! / Rounder
• What About You? / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• Three Ways Of Knowing / Allerton & Alton / Black, White & Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Beware Of It / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• You Can Run / Ashlee Blankenship & Blades Of Blue / Ashlee Blankenship & Blades Of Blue / Mountain Fever Records
• There's No Place Like Home / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Talk To Me / Gibson Brothers with Claire Lynch / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• You Are What I Am / Skip Cherryholmes Quintet / / no label
• The Stanley Brothers / Travers Chandler & Avery County / / Mountain Fever Records
• Bowling Green / Della Mae / I Built This Heart / Self-Produced
• You Better Wake Up / Volume Five / Children Of The Mountain / Mountain Fever Records
• Lord Lift Me Up / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• My Eyes Shall Be On Canaan's Land / Terry Baucom with Doyle Lawson, Jimmy Haley & Lou Reid / In A Groove / John-Boy & Billy, Inc.
• My Lord's Been A Walkin' / Spinney Brothers / Here At The Cross / Self-Produced
• I Pressed Through The Crowd / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass Records
• Joy Bells / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Gospel / Columbia
• Lord, Lead Me On / David Parmley & Continental Divide / Church House Hymns, Volume 2 / Self-Produced
• Sweeping Through The Gate / Johnnie & Jack with Kitty Wells / Johnnie & Jack With Kitty Wells At KWKH / Bear Family
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

 

Glimpses of IBMA 2011...

What a week!  Whether you're a casual fan of BG or someone who's trying to make a living in the music business, there's a good chance that there's something for you at WoB (or, the World of Bluegrass conference presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association).    I attended 3 1/2 days of IBMA this year, and enjoyed just about every minute.  I'll never claim to be a world-class photographer, but thought you might enjoy seeing a few photos...

If you've never been to IBMA, why not think about making 2012 the year you go?  

Amy

Del McCoury shares amusing memories of working for Bill Monroe in an early morning session.

Al Hawkes chats with Eddie Stubbs on WSM.

Balsam Range performs at the IBMA Awards.  They'd later win the award for Song of the Year for "Trains I Missed"

Edgar Loudermilk & Ashlee Blankenship at the Mountain Fever Records showcase.

Longtime New England faves, the Gibson Brothers, were big winners at the IBMA Awards.  The day before their wins, they performed live on WAMU's BluegrassCountry.org.

Josh Williams

The Skip Cherryholmes Quintet (with Gena Britt on banjo) is  on my radar screen...

The Missy Werner Band played on WAMU, too.  Show host Lee Michael Demsey looks on...

The Spinney Brothers played several late night showcases throughout the week -- this one for the South Florida Bluegrass Association.

Volume Five is an Alabama band who records on Mountain Fever Records.  Very enjoyable!

Edgar Loudermilk's Mountain Fever Records showcase included some of his 3TO bandmates, Wayne Benson on mandolin and Steve Dilling on banjo.

Paul Williams, J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson -- IBMA winners & BG legends.

What a thrill to see the Gibson Brothers win two IBMA awards!

Award presenters, Tim Stafford and Dan Tyminski

The Ryman Auditorium lighting and my camera were not best of friends, but lousy picture quality notwithstanding, you can still see that Steve Martin was pretty happy to win his Entertainer of the Year award (with the fabulous Steep Canyon Rangers, of course).

Flatt Lonesome is a young Florida band fronted by three siblings.

Jay Armsworthy put together a band just for his showcase featuring  Laura Orshaw on fiddle, Bobby Osborne, Jr. on bass, Dr. Richard Brown on mandolin, and Joe Miller on the banjo.

Travers Chandler & Avery County will have a new CD out on Mountain Fever Records very soon...

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 10/2/2011

Hi folks!

I had the great fortune to spend all of last week at the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) World of Bluegrass in Nashville, Tennessee.  Amy was out there, too.  I can't begin to express what a wonderful event WOB was.  I got to hear and participate in many great seminars on various aspects of the bluegrass community, meet many artists, music label people, and others in radio. 

The evening showcases in which artists play for about 20 minutes each to give folks a chance to hear as many groups as possible were nothing short of astounding in the quality of music and diversity of approach to bluegrass.  I picked up a great deal of new music that we will be presenting in the coming weeks on Bluegrass Cafe.

 Of course this week was the start of the parade of new music on Bluegrass Cafe.  We also touched on some of the winners of the IBMA awards that Amy and I were able to witness Thursday night at the Ryman Auditorium.  A few of the highlights included the induction into the IBMA Hall of Fame of George Shuffler and Del McCoury, The Gibson Brothers winning both Vocal Group of the Year and Album of the Year, and Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers winning Entertainer of the Year honors.  The complete list of winners is here.

The Gibson Brothers at IBMA Awards 9/29/2011

 

 

New music on this show included tracks from a great new CD blending old-time and bluegrass music titled "Close Kin" from the Mountain Roads label.  Many of the artists on this project, such as Jeanette Williams, Johnny Williams, Mickey Galyean, and Adam and Tina Steffey, came from the Mount Airy/Galax area of North Carolina and Virgina where both old-time and bluegrass music has strong roots.

More new music included songs from NewTown (who will be making an appearance at Podunk 2012), Travers Chandler & Avery County (with Terry McGill on banjo), Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, The Missy Werner Band, The Snyder Family Band, Ralph Stanley II, Kenny Smith, Carolina Road, the Moody Bluegrass Two project, and a California group, The Blackberry Bushes.

I should mention a couple of special projects featured on this show.  Mark Twain - Words and Music is an excellent tribute to Mark Twain featuring readings of his writing and songs about the man from the likes of Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Sheryl Crow, Rhonda Vincent, and many others.  The project was released by the Mark Twain Foundation and is available here, or at the Mark Twain House in Hartford.

Also, New England musicians bonded together by association with Tom Monahan and calling themselves The Manic Mountain Boys are issuing a tribute album of Tom Monahan songs titled The Manics Pick on Monahan.  We played four tracks from that upcoming project by Jim Disabito, Jon Swift, Mary Maguire, and Bob & Wini Young.

I covered less than half of what I wanted to do on this show, so be sure to tune in next Sunday when Amy will give you another look into IBMA's World of Bluegrass.

Jim Beaver

requests in blue

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Chilly Winds / Johnny Williams et al / Close Kin / Mountain Roads
• New Shoes / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass
• Love The Way I Do / NewTown / Self-titled / Self-released
• The Stanley Brothers / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Advance Single / Mountain Fever
• In Despair / Audie Blaylock and Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• The Hills Of Tennessee / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe
• "Hello yourself, and see how you like it..." / Jimmy Buffett,Garrison Keillor,Clint Eastwood / Mark Twain - Words and Music / Mark Twain Foundation
• When Halley Came To Jackson / Emmylou Harris / Mark Twain - Words and Music / Mark Twain Foundation
• Carolina Dreams / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Jesse James / Bill Emerson / Eclipse / Rural Rhythm
• Three Kinds of Lonesome / The Missy Werner Band Three / Kinds of Lonesome / Self-released
• Stages / Snyder Family Band / Stages / Mountain Roads
• Sugar Hill / Eddie Bond et al / Close Kin / Mountain Roads
• I Think I Hear A Train / Ralph Stanley II / Born To Be A Drifter / Stanley Generation
• Frozen In Time / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• Early / Joe Walsh w. The Gibson Brothers / Sweet Loam / Skinny Elephant
• The Minute That I Met You / Jim Disabito / The Manics Pick On Monahan / Self-released
• Fifteen Hills / Bob & Wini Young / The Manics Pick On Monahan / Self-released
• Tricky Trail of Love / Jon Swift / The Manics Pick On Monahan / Self-released
• Without Any Heart / Mary Maguire / The Manics Pick On Monahan / Self-released
• Arkansas Traveler / Kenny Smith / Return / GAT Three
• Sweet Sally Brown / Acoustic Blue / Timeless / Self-released
• Goodbye Little Bonnie / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• We're In This Love Together / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• I'll Get Along Somehow / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Twelfth Street Rag / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• East Virginia Blues / J.D. Crowe & the New South / Holiday In Japan / New South Music
• High On The Mountain / Del McCoury / By Request / McCoury Music
• You And Me / Ricky Skaggs, David Harvey, et al / Moody Bluegrass Two...Much Love / Bunny Rae
• "The report of my death was an exaggeration..." / Garrison Keillor, Clint Eastwood / Mark Twain - Words and Music / Mark Twain Foundation
• Comet Ride / Ricky Skaggs / Mark Twain - Words and Music / Mark Twain Foundation
• Mash Your Finger / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe
• Virginia / The Blackberry Bushes / Little Bit Of Grace / Self-released
• Sarah Joy (bed) / Snyder Family Band / Stages / Mountain Roads
• Angelina Baker / Snyder Family Band / Stages Mountain Roads
• A Light In The Window Again / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Mountain Fever
• Brown Mountain Light / Tommy Faile / The Songs of Scott Wiseman / Mar-Lu Records
• It's Never Too Late / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• Come All You Coal Miners / Jeanette Williams et al / Close Kin / Mountain Roads
• Nine Pound Hammer / George Shuffler / Aged To Perfection / Copper Creek
• Lonesome Road Blues / George Shuffler and Laura Boosinger / Mountain Treasures / Copper Creek
• What A Man (My Jesus Was) / Mickey Harris / A Gospel Collection / MJH
• Journey To My Savior's Side / The Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds of Lonesome / Self-released
• Prayer Bells Of Heaven / Crowe-Lawson-Williams / Old Friends Get Together / Mountain Home
• Singing As We Rise / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• Will The Circle Be Unbroken / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Get Down On Your Knees And Pray / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Live at the Birchmere / Rounder
• The Devil Just Can't Knock Me Off My Knees / Rodney Dillard / Don't Wait For the Hearse To Take You To Church / Rural Rhythm
• Kneel At The Cross / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Shine Hallelujah Shine / Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys / The Essential / Columbia
• I Saw The Light / David Peterson / Live at WHUS, May 8, 2010 / WHUS Production
• Walking in a Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released