WHUS "Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 7/29/2012

On this last Sunday of July -- and the last Sunday before Podunk -- we had two major objectives for the radio show.  One thing on our to-do list was to give away passes to the upcoming Saddleback Mountain Bluegrass Festival in Rangeley, ME.  Why would anyone in eastern CT be interested in receiving free passes to a festival 300+ miles away?  Why not, when the lineup at Saddleback includes the award-winning Gibson Brothers, plus the Travelin' McCourys, the Sam Bush Band, and a whole bunch more?  Big thanks to Mark Robie of Saddleback for providing us with some great giveaways this week.

The Spinney Brothers at Grey Fox 2011

The fact is, of course, that one doesn't need to travel quite that far to experience some really spectacular BG music this week.  As you've likely heard many times over the last few months, this year's edition of the IBMA award-winning Podunk Bluegrass Festival will be held in a new location:  Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT.  This is a big move for the Podunk folks, and they've been working hard to insure that the 2012 Podunk is just as great as all of the previous years' festivals.  If you've not already made your plans to get to Norwich, what are you waiting for?  The festival begins in just four days, and boasts a great lineup including the Roys, the Lonesome River Band, Dale Ann Bradley, the Special Consensus, NewTown, Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters, the Grascals, Dailey & Vincent, the Spinney Brothers, Travers Chandler & Avery County, and Kathy Mattea (a country star with some definite Bluegrassy leanings), just to name a few.  In addition, there are lots of workshops, songwriter and band competitions, and a whole lot more.  Click here to see the full Podunk schedule, but just be there!  

Tom Gray, Eddie & Martha Adcock at Country Corner - Nov. 2011

There are two more wonderful reasons to get to Podunk this year, and they were our special phone guests today:  Eddie and Martha Adcock.  The Adcocks will be at Podunk on Friday for two big sets of music (along with Eddie's old bandmate from the Classic Country Gentlemen, Tom Gray).  How often do you get to see not just one, but TWO members of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame on a stage (as well as a recognized Pioneer of Bluegrass in the form of Martha Adcock)?  We had a nice visit with the Adcocks this afternoon, and throughout the program, it was a delight to play so much great music from the Country Gentlemen, the II Generation, and, of course, Eddie & Martha.  The word "legend" has a tendency to be overused, for sure, but if it doesn't apply to both Eddie Adcock and Tom Gray in the Bluegrass World...well, they just are legends, and that's that.  Be sure to get to Podunk to see them and a whole bunch more great folks, won't you?  

During last week's show, Jim rightfully remembered the passing of Kitty Wells, even though we don't generally play a lot of music from classic country singers on the BG show.  This week, I couldn't resist playing a bit of Kitty Wells music, either:  one of Kitty from a radio show from the late 1940s, and another tune that Kitty co-wrote in the 1950s, and that IIIrd Tyme Out recorded in the early 1990s.  What an amazing, amazing career was had by the Queen of Country Music.  

Just for good measure, too, we shared a teensy bit of newer music from the likes of Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show, Robert Hale, Balsam Range, Bob Amos, Larry Stephenson, Jeff Parker, Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press, and Richard Bennett.

On your way home from Norwich next Sunday afternoon, don't forget to join Jim at the BG Cafe.  We'll be looking for you at Podunk!

Amy 

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• This Morning At Nine / Country Gentlemen / Folk Session Inside / Copper Creek
• Johnny Reb / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Darling Little Joe / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray & Friends / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• So Happy Together / II Generation / Introducing The II Generation / Rome Records
• Matterhorn / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• The Singing Waterfall / Kitty Wells / Johnnie & Jack With Kitty Wells At KWKH / Bear Family
• Thinking About You / David Peterson & 1946 / David Peterson & 1946 / Self-Produced
• Frog On A Lilly Pad / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Say You Lied / Neon Valley Boys / Bluegrass / Sudden Comfort Records
• Nothin' I Can Do About It Now / The Roys / Lonesome Whistle / Rural Rhythm
• Flat Broke And Lonesome / Lonesome River Band / Chronology, Volume Two / Rural Rhythm
• I Could Change My Mind / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever Records
• Cold Iron Door / NewTown / NewTown / Self-Produced
• Sea Of Heartbreak / Special Consensus / Scratch Gravel Road / Compass Records
• Lonesome Truck Driver's Blues / Del McCoury Band / Old Memories:  The Songs Of Bill Monroe / McCoury Music
• Philadelphia Lawyer / Larry Stephenson with Sam Bush / What Really Matters / Compass Records
• Lonesome Road Blues / Eddie Adcock & Don Reno / Sensational Twin Banjos / Rebel
• Gold Watch And Chain / Eddie & Martha Adcock / TwoGrass / Pinecastle
• ***Conversation with Eddie & Martha Adcock***
• This Morning At Nine / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music 
• You'll Get No More Of Me / Flatt Lonesome / demo / no label
• Did She Mention My Name? / Robert Hale / Pure & Simple / Pinecastle
• Where The Wild River Rolls / Bob Amos / Borrowed Time / Self-Produced
• In My Arms Instead Of My Memory / Jeff Parker / Go Parker! / Lonesome Day Records
• Wrong Road Again / Richard Bennett / Last Train From Poor Valley / Lonesome Day Records
• Banjo Riff / Eddie Adcock & Don Reno / Sensational Twin Banjos / Rebel [music bed]
• Bye Bye Blues / Eddie Adcock & Don Reno / Sensational Twin Banjos / Rebel [music bed]
• The Waltz You Saved For Me / Eddie Adcock & Don Reno / Sensational Twin Banjos / Rebel [music bed]
• Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane / Eddie Adcock & Don Reno / Sensational Twin Banjos / Rebel [music bed]
• Liza Jane / Eddie Adcock & Don Reno / Sensational Twin Banjos / Rebel [music bed]
• Ragged Man / Gibson Brothers / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Ridin' The L & N / Loafers' Glory / Loafers' Glory / Arhoolie
• Any Old Road (Will Take You There) / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Whose Shoulder Will You Cry On / IIIrd Tyme Out / Grandpa's Mandolin / Rebel
• I'm Going Back To The Mountain / Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press / New Bluegrass & Old Heartaches / Rural Rhythm
• My Heart Skips A Beat / Lynn Morris Band / Lynn Morris Band / Rounder
• I'm Working On A Road / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Old Roman Soldier / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• When I Reach That Home Up There / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers From Different Mothers / Rounder
• Next Door To Jesus (So Build My Mansion) / Gelina & Pike's Mainely Grass / Rustic Little Cabin / Self-Produced
• Pray The Clouds Away / J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Paul Williams / Old Friends Get Together / Mountain Home
• Send The Angels / Dale Ann Bradley / Send The Angels / Mountain Home
• God Has Been So Good To Me / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Drowning Sailor / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / The Room Over Mine / Rounder
• Preaching Praying Singing / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 7/22/2012

Hi Folks.

Ellen Muriel Deason, a.k.a. Kitty Wells

This show consisted of mostly newer releases with a few gems from the past for sparkle.

We celebrated the music of recently-departed Queen of Country Music, Miss Kitty Wells, with a couple of her songs.

Newer music included releases from Balsam Range, Nightflyer, Rhonda Vincent, Lou Reid & Carolina, Karl Shiflett, The Spinney Brothers, Audie Blaylock, Travers Chandler, Doyle Lawson, and Mickey Boles.

We also introduced both cuts from a new two-song CD from Leroy Troy celebrating the delectable 'possom and warning of the hazards of dead chickens' revenge.  You have to hear it to believe it.

We had a couple of requests for Alison Krauss music which were timely for her birthday.

Many of the artists represented on this show will be performing at the upcoming Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival in Norwich, Connecticut, 2-5 August 2012.  We hope to see you down there.

We also reprised an in-studio performance by David Peterson in anticipation of a concert appearance later in the week in Hamden, Connecticut.

David Peterson in Hamden CT - 7/27/2012

My next appearance on Bluegrass Cafe will be as the Podunk Festival is ending, so be sure to tune in.

Jim Beaver

Song / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On the "C" String / Self-released
• Ragged Man / The Gibson Brothers / Life Goes On (comp) / Rural Rhythm
• Cold & Lonesome / The Earl Brothers / The Earl Brothers / Big Hen
• A Real Good Way To Lose / Audie Blaylock and Redline / Hard Country / Rural Rhythm
• Walkin' The Country / Nightflyer / Nightflyer / Kang
• She's No Angel / Kitty Wells / Greatest Hits / King
• Nobody Knows You / Steep Canyon Rangers / Nobody Knows You / Rounder
• Day In The Life Of A Railroad Spike / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• She's No Angel / Jesse Brock / Kickin' Grass / Pinecastle
• I Feel Closer To Heaven Everyday / Rhonda Vincent / Sunday Mornin' Singin' - Live! / Upper Management
• Leaves In The Wind / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-released
• Restless / Alison Krauss and Union Station / Lonely Runs Both Ways / Rounder
• Sally Don't You Grieve / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Truck Driver's Queen / The Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever
• Bluegrass Breakdown / Frank Wakefield / A Tribute To Bill Monroe / Patuxent
• Fireball Mail / The New Coon Creek Girls / The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore / Pinecastle
• My Little Home In Tennessee / David Peterson / Live in the WHUS Studio 5-8-2010 / na
• Carolina Moonshine Man / Lou Reid & Carolina / Callin' Me Back Home / KMA
• Moonshiner / Peter Rowan / The Walls Of Time / Sugar Hill
• We Ain't Going Down Without A Fight / NewFound Road / Live At The Down Home / Rounder
• Old New Straitsville Moonshine Run / Special Consensus / Scratch Gravel Road / Compass
• Swampgrass / Larry Gillis & the Hard Driving Bluegrass Band / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Panhandle Country / Mark Newton, Clay Hess, et.al / Life Goes On (comp) / Rural Rhythm
• My Time / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Five Pounds Of Possum / Leroy Troy / Suppertime Serenade / Bos Records
• Heartache Looking For A Home / Charlie Sizemore / Heartache Looking For A Home / Rounder
• Old Man / Billy Boone Smith / Live From The Moose Lodge / Muddy Sunshine
• Newton Grove / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Little Trouble / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Didn't It Rain / Lizzy Long & Little Roy Lewis / Straight From The Heart Of Dixie / Vine
• Play The Lonesome Sound / Dewey Brown / Hard Times For A Fiddler / Dew Bug
• Philadelphia Lawyer / Larry Stephenson feat. Sam Bush / What Really Matters / Compass
• Sweet Sally Brown / Lonesome River Band / Chronology Volume Two / Rural Rhythm
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Acoustic Blue / Bein' Country / Self-released
• You Can Mark It Down / The Grascals / Life Finds A Way / Mountain Home
• Darling Little Joe / Eddie & Martha Adcock / Many A Mile / Patuxent
• Ghost Chickens In The Sky / Leroy Troy / Suppertime Serenade / Bos Records
• Roger's Reel (bed) / Roger & JD Williams / Williams Squared / Happy Appy
• Jeffrey's Hell / The Boxcars / All In / Mountain Home
• Going To The Races / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Never Looking Back / David Davis & The Warrior River Boys / Two Dimes & A Nickel / Rebel
• Lay My Burden Down / Alison Krauss and Union Station / Paper Airplane / Rounder
• At The End Of A Long Lonely Day / Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass / Life Goes On (comp) / Rural Rhythm
• Early / Joe Walsh feat. The Gibson Brothers / Sweet Loam / Skinny Elephant
• Keep On The Sunny Side / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Memory Lane / Allerton & Alton / Black, White and Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Mickey Boles / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• Family Chain / John Bowman / Family Chain / Pisgah
• Where We'll Never Say Farewell / Rhonda Vincent / Sunday Mornin' Singin' - Live! / Upper Management
• I'll Not Be A Stranger / Kathy Kallick / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak
• Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet / Kitty Wells / Dust On The Bible / King
• Going On Home / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Sing Me a Song About Jesus / Mountain Home
• Sailing On / Russell Moore, Dale Ann Bradley, et.al / Look To The Light - Songs of Faith from the Pen of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm
• Save Me /  Mountain Faith / Save Me / Mountain Home
• Noah Found Grace In The Eyes of The Lord / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 7/15/2012

While I'm afraid I sound a bit like a broken record here, what a full radio show we had today at WHUS!  The original plan called for, among other things,  playing a bit of new music from the fabulous new Balsam Range record, as well as a chat with the super-busy Rick Spinney of the Spinney Brothers, and maybe the giving away of a CD or two.  Well...I'm going with "2 out of 3 ain't bad" this time around, as I didn't accomplish the giving away of anything.  There's always next time...I hope.

Rick & Allan Spinney have had a fabulous 2012...so far!  

In honor of the fact that the Spinney Brothers -- an "overnight success" in the BG world after 20+ years as a hard-working band -- are making an appearance in eastern CT in about three weeks' time at the 17th annual Podunk Bluegrass Festival in nearby Norwich, CT, we took a few minutes to talk to the banjo-picking member of the Spinney Brothers, younger brother, Rick Spinney.  The Spinneys have had an amazingly busy 2012, so far.  In March, their debut recording on any record label, was issued by Virginia's Mountain Fever Records.  This project, "Memories," has been receiving terrific reviews, and both the title song and the album itself have been rapidly moving up both the Bluegrass Unlimited and Bluegrass Music Profiles charts.  If that's not enough, Rick (along with brother, Allan Spinney, mandolinist Gary Dalrymple, and bass player Darryl Hebb) have been recently nominated in 7 different categories on the second ballot of the IBMA Awards.  Exciting stuff!  The Spinneys will be playing at Podunk on both Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th (the shared birthday of both Allan and Rick, BTW), so be sure to get out there and see them whenever you can...but especially when they're in the area!  

We also played a tiny bit of new music from two other upcoming Podunk performers -- the Lonesome River Band (their new project on Rural Rhythm Records celebrating the band's 30th anniversary is "Chronology, Volume II") as well as a solo effort from mandolin player/singer, Jeff Parker of Dailey & Vincent.  Jeff's forthcoming solo CD is on Lonesome Day Records and is called, "Go Parker!"  

Balsam Range is a band who has also had a pretty incredible 2012, but for somewhat different reasons than the Spinneys.  After winning the IBMA Award for Song of the Year in 2011 (for "Trains I Missed"), the group appeared to really be on an upswing.  Then, in March, fiddler/tenor singer, Buddy Melton, had a fluky kind of accident which nearly ruined both Buddy and the existence of Balsam Range.  Miraculously, Buddy rallied from this accident, and within 6 weeks of the incident, he was in the recording studio with his BR bandmates making the fabulous soon-to-be released recording called, "Papertown."  It's a terrific project on Mountain Home Records, and you can bet you'll be hearing plenty of it for the next several weeks and months at WHUS.

Be sure to join Jim for next Sunday's edition of the BG Cafe, as I'm sure it'll be a dandy!  

Have a great week!

Amy 

SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Every Shade Of Blue / Nu-Blu / The Blu-Disc / Pinecastle
• The Leaves That Are Green / Country Gentlemen / The Complete Vanguard Recordings / Vanguard
• I Got A Letter / Valerie Smith & Becky Buller / Here's A Little Song... / Bell Buckle Records
• Must Be The Wind / Nu-Blu / The Blu-Disc / Pinecastle
• The Sailor's Daughter / Bear Bridge Band / Bear Essentials / Open Road
• Newton's Grove [sic] / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Hard Country / Rural Rhythm
• Makes No Difference Now / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Hooverville / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Makin' A Killin' / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• I'm Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• City Folks Call Us Poor / Acoustic Blue / Bein' Country / Bishop Hill Records
• Wild Mountain Flowers For Mary / Lost & Found / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• Let It Go / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Final Farewell / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / Lost Souls & Free Spirits / Rebel
• Lay That Hammer Down / The Grascals / Life Finds A Way / Mountain Home
• Memories / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• The Train Song / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• **Interview with Rick Spinney of the Spinney Brothers**
• Gitup The Banjo Man / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• The Stanley Brothers / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever Records
• In Despair / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass Records
• Somehow Tonight / Joe Diffie / Homecoming / Rounder
• Helen / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Another Day / McCoury Brothers / The McCoury Brothers / Rounder
• Sunny Side Of The Mountain / Jimmy Martin / Bean Blossom / MCA
• Cash On The Barrelhead / Dreadful Snakes / Snakes Alive! / Rounder
• Barely Beat The Daylight In / Lonesome River Band / Chronology, Volume 2 / Rural Rhythm
• How Come You Do Me Like You Do / Jeff Parker / Go Parker! / Lonesome Day Records
• Other Side Of The Mountain / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Papertown / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Don't You Call My Name / Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• The Hills Of Tennessee / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Self-Produced
• The Lighthouse / Gibson Brothers / Bona Fide / Sugar Hill
• My Eyes Shall Be On Canaan's Land / Doyle Lawson, Jimmy Haley, Lou Reid, Terry Baucom / In A Groove / John Boy & Billy, Inc.
• Lord, Don't Leave Me Here / Hagar's Mountain Boys / Forever Yours... / Mountain Fever Records
• God's Coloring Book / Country Gentlemen / Way Down Deep In My Soul / Sugar Hill
• Meet Him In The Clouds / Bear Minimum / Live At The Finnish Hall / no label
• Lord Protect My Soul / Kathy Kallick Band / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak Records
• Take Me To Heaven / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle Records
• Heaven's Joy Awaits / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Every Time I Feel The Spirit / Sugar Hill
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 7/8/2012 - Andy Griffith

Hi Folks.

Andy Griffith (1965)

Andy Griffith was a powerful influence on American culture in a very positive way, especially because of The Andy Griffith Show (TAGS) which aired between 1960 and 1968.  While Andy was a notable screen actor, play actor, and television actor, the legacy of TAGS is the most enduring, having been in continuous re-run since its original run.

Andy Griffith, Roland White, Eric White, Clarence White,
Billy Ray Lathum, Leroy Mack - "The Country Boys"

Andy Griffith's college degree was in music, and TAGS was a great vehicle for Andy to showcase music in some way on most episodes.  The ones we remember most are the episodes with The Country Boys, who were essentially the Kentucky Colonels before they assumed the name, and the six episodes with the Darling family played by the mostly non-speaking but hot picking Dillards.  The music on those shows was unquestionably some of the most influential to the bluegrass genre in history, introducing many people to bluegrass for the first time.

The Dillards as the Darling family.
Dean Webb, Doug Dillard, Mitch Jayne, Rodney Dillard

For this show, we had a short segment celebrating the musical and recorded influence of Andy Griffith, including his first recording which was a stand-up monologue called "What It Was Was Football," and several of the songs that appeared on TAGS with The Country Boys and The Dillards.

New music included tracks from Lou Reid & Carolina, Marty Raybon, The Spinney Brothers, The Grascals, Bill Evans, The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, Nightflyer, Audie Blaylock and Redline, Acoustic Blue, Lonesome River Band, Mickey Boles, Larry Stephenson, Travers Chandler & Avery County, and our debut of tracks from Balsam Range's new album, Papertown.

The Heritage Corner selections came from The Stanley Brothers, Ralph Stanley, Jim & Jesse, Delia Bell & Bill Grant, and Larry Richardson & Happy Smith.

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

Jim Beaver

• Old Joseph / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• Kentucky Blues / Lou Reid & Carolina / Callin' Me Back Home / KMA
• White House Blues / Marty Raybon / Southern Roots & Branches / Rural Rhythm
• Makin' A Killin' / The Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever
• What It Was Was Football / Andy Griffith / An American Original / Capitol
• Flop Eared Mule / Andy Griffith / An American Original / Capitol
• Doug's Tune / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• Cindy / Andy Griffith / An American Original / Capitol
• There Is A Time / The Dillards / Live! Almost! / Elektra
• Goodbye To The Blues / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Room At The Top Of The Stairs / NewFound Road / Live At The Down Home / Rounder
• The Turkey Buzzard / Joe Mullins, Aubrey Haynie / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• I've Lived A Lot In My Time / Dry Branch Fire Squad / 30th Anniversary / Rounder
• Today Marks The Day / Larry Gillis and the Hard Driving Bluegrass Band / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Swinging Bridge / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads
• I'll Love Nobody But You / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• The Sound Of Your Name / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice w. Rhonda Vincent / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Ridin' That Midnight Train / The Stanley Brothers / The Early Starday-King Years 1958-1961 / Gusto
• Hello Mr. Lonesome / The Grascals / Life Finds A Way / Mountain Home
• Natural Disaster / Steep Canyon Rangers / Nobody Knows You / Rounder
• A Hard Day's Night / Bill Evans / In Good Company / Native And Fine
• Kansas City Star / The Tennesse Mafia Jug Band / Screams From The Holler / Spring Fed
• Sad Wind Sighs / Nightflyer / Self-titled / Kang
• The Chair / Audie Blaylock and Redline / Hard Country / Rural Rhythm
• Bein' Country / Acoustic Blue / Bein' Country / Self-released
• The Mayberry Hat / Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band / I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry / Rural Rhythm
• Tennessee Whiskey / Chris Stapleton, Morgane Hayes, Bradley Walker / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Just Let Me Fall / Larry Richardson & Happy Smith / Rare Bluegrass - Historic Cuts / JSP
• Two Dollar Ring / Cedar Hill / I've Got A Thing About Doors / Blue Circle
• This Old Barstool / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Please Don't Honey Please Don't / Bob Paisley and the Southern Grass / Steeped In Tradition / Brandywine
• Walking Back To Bristol / Bob Amos / Borrowed Time / Bristlecone
• The Old Man's Story / Tommy Brown & The County Line Grass / Hard Drivin' / Lavenir
• I'll Never Dream No More / The Foot Hill Boys / Bluegrass in the Carolina Mountains / County
• I Can't Settle Down / James Reams & The Barnstormers / One Foot In The Honky Tonk / Mountain Redbird
• Perfume, Powder and Lead / Lonesome River Band / Chronology Vol. 2 / Rural Rhythm
• Florida Blues / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren Vol. 2 / Self-released
• Sheeps In the Meadow-Stoney Fork (bed) / Doc & Merle Watson / Guitar Album / Flying Fish
• Guitar Polka (bed) / Doc & Merle Watson / Guitar Album / Flying Fish
• John Henry-Worried Blues (bed) / Doc & Merle Watson / Guitar Album / Flying Fish
• Turkey In The Straw (bed) / Bill Monroe and Doc Watson / Live Duet Recordings 1963-1980 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Other Side Of The Mountain / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Foggy Mountain Home / Delia Bell & Bill Grant / Dreaming / Rounder
• Stages / Snyder Family Band / Stages / Mountain Roads
• Reuben Takes The D-Train / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Going Up Dry Branch / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• The Blues Don't Care Who's Got 'Em / Larry Stephenson / What Really Matters / Compass
• Man On The Mule / The Isaacs / Bridges / Horizon
• Remind Me Dear Lord / Mickey Boles / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• When Heaven Comes Down / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Row By Row / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Old Time Religion / Carl Story / The Late And Great Carl Story 1916-1995 / Gusto
• Lord Lead Me On / The Bluegrass Band / Shine Hallelujah Shine / Hay Holler
• Destination Glory / Jim & Jesse / Dixie Hoedown / Starday
• Carry It Back To The Cross / Mickey Galyean et.al / Born Into Bluegrass / Mountain Roads
• Blessed Jesus Hold My Hand / Crowe Brothers / Bluegrass Gospel / Gusto
• When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder / The Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever
• Gloryland / Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys / 1971-1973 / Rebel
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

Mineral Springs Campground Bluegrass Festival - 2012

GrassRoutes at the 2011 edition of the Foot Stomp'n Festival

There's a mighty fine BG festival happening in eastern CT this weekend:  the annual Foot Stomp'n Festival at the Mineral Springs Family Campground in Stafford Springs, CT.  This festival has been going on for...well, I'm not exactly sure of HOW many years, but it's definitely been more than ten.  While the festival itself is kind of a low-key affair, the talent is definitely NOT low-key, as the lineup includes some of the best BG bands in the region.  Over the course of the three days, the performers include Acoustic Blue, Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters, the Bear Bridge Band (and its off-shoot, Bear Minimum), Crossover, Gail Wade & Turning Point, GrassRoutes, Hot Mustard, Southern Rail, and TrueGrass.  Even though the weather forecasters are predicting some major league heat on Saturday (as well as the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms), this is a festival you really don't want to miss.  For more information, call (860)684-2993 or visit the Mineral Springs website by clicking here.  The campground is located at 135 Leonard Road in Stafford Springs.  


I hope to see lots of folks there, of course.  I'm bringing a few WHUS items with me, so we'll be looking for you...


Amy 

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 7/1/2012

Today's BG Cafe started off with a bang -- literally.  Some pretty major thunderstorms passed through eastern CT right around 4PM, but it seems like they were pretty fast-moving through Storrs, so we had no worries about the station being knocked off the air today -- hooray!

Audie Blaylock on stage at Jenny Brook - 2012

Last weekend, I spent four days at the wonderful Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival in Tunbridge, VT, so it was impossible for me not to come back and share a bit of music from a few of the performers I'd seen and heard there, such as traditional bands Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Audie Blaylock & Redline, the always-entertaining trio known as BearTracks, and the one-and-only J.D. Crowe & the New South.  Jenny Brook is a terrific festival -- one for you to put on your "must-attend" list for 2013 and beyond.


Another perennial act featured at Jenny Brook is the Gibson Brothers.  When the Gibsons were just starting out on their musical adventure, New England BG festivals were some of the first they played, and so, Eric and Leigh and the band have a HUGE following throughout New England.  A Jenny Brook audience of old friends likes to hear those earlier Gibson tunes, and that got me thinking that it might be fun to play a few songs today from various performers first (or very early) recordings, followed by something from the same performer's most recent recording project.  To that end, we had a bit of "Then & Now" music from the likes of the Gibson Brothers (tracks from 1994 and 2011), Lou Reid & Carolina (songs from 1993 and 2012), Blue Highway (1995 and 2011), the Spinney Brothers (1993 and 2012), and the Johnson Mountain Boys (a 1983 track and one from the new "Life Goes On" MACC recording featuring a modified version of the JMB in 2010).  


On Wednesday, we celebrate our Independence Day in the USA, and so, the music played on the radio on Sunday included a BG version of a John Philip Sousa march, a later version of a classic Country Gentlemen tune about independence, and a fun, more-or-less historically accurate song from the pen of Steve Martin and performed by Steve with the Steep Canyon Rangers which debuted in 2011.  While "Me And Paul Revere" is a song probably more appropriate to play around Patriots' Day in MA, it seems like it'll work for July 4th, too (and clearly, for an impromptu Memorial Day concert at Boston's Paul Revere House in 2012).   


Today, we also said goodbye to a lady who really was a front-row fixture at many, many BG events throughout New England for more than 30 years.  Along with her late husband, Ray, Alice Waters was, as her cap stated, a "#1 Bluegrass Fan."  She and Ray went to countless festivals and shows, sat on the front row, and cheered and applauded every single instrumental and vocal break of just about every band they ever saw -- especially the New England ones.  Alice died this weekend at the age of 90, and her obituary simply reads, "She was a fan of bluegrass music."  Several years ago, the Pine Hill Ramblers -- an eastern MA-based band -- wrote and performed a fun song in tribute to both Ray and Alice, appropriately titled, "Two Chairs For Ray And Alice."  How could we not pause for a moment and remember both Ray and Alice today?  Impossible.


While we had no brand new music to play today, we still shared newer music from projects by Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Audie Blaylock & Redline, the Lonesome River Band, the Special Consensus, Acoustic Blue, Roger & J.D. Williams, Travers Chandler & Avery County, Loafers' Glory, and Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show.


Hope everyone has a safe and happy July 4th holiday, and be sure to join Jim next Sunday for another edition of the BG Cafe.


Amy

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Thunderclouds Of Love / Tony Rice / Plays And Sings Bluegrass / Rounder
• Sad Prison Song / Hylo Brown / Lovesick And Sorrow / Starday
• Old Slew Foot / BearTracks / Makin' Tracks / AMT Records
• Just As Soon As I Get Over You / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song /  Rebel
• Too Often Left Alone / J.D. Crowe & the New South / Lefty's Old Guitar / Rounder
• The Chair / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Hard Country / Rural Rhythm
• The Old Man In The Shanty / Lonesome River Band / Chronology / Rural Rhythm
• Northern Rail / The Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Prillaman's Switch / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent Music
• One Tear / Russ Carson with Brandon Rickman & Jeff Parker / Last Chance / Patuxent Music
• The Court Of Love / Rhonda Vincent / Taken / Upper Management Music
• Cruel Love / Reno Brothers / Drawing From The Well / Webco
• Georgia Stomp / Jesse Brock / Kickin' Grass / Pinecastle
• My False Sweetheart / Crowe & McLaughlin / Going Back / Rounder
• Making Up Stories [1983] / Johnson Mountain Boys / Live At The Birchmere / Rounder
• Goodbye To The Blues [2010] / Johnson Mountain Boys / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Old Memory [1994] / Gibson Brothers Bluegrass Band / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm Records
• Frozen In Time [2011] / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• It's A Long, Long Road [1995] / Blue Highway / Lonesome Pine / Rebel
• If You've Got Something To Say [2011] / Blue Highway / Sounds Of Home / Rounder
• Prisoner Of The Past [1993] / Lou Reid, Terry Baucom & Carolina / Carolina Blue / Webco
• When The Love We Have Is Gone[2012] / Lou Reid & Carolina / Callin' Me Back Home / KMA Records
• Tell Me Have You Come To Say Goodbye [1993] / Spinney Brothers & Close Company / Spinney Brothers & Close Company / Self-Produced
• Memories [2012] / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Roll On Buddy, Roll On / Sam Bush with Del McCoury / Circles Around Me / Sugar Hill
• Two Chairs For Ray And Alice / Pine Hill Ramblers / Two Chairs For Ray And Alice / Self-Produced
• High, Low And Wide / Southern Rail / Glory Train / Pinecastle
• Me And Paul Revere / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers / *Single* / Rounder
• Stars And Stripes Forever / John McEuen / String Wizards / Vanguard
• New Freedom Bell / Charlie Waller & the Country Gentlemen / New Horizon / Rebel
• Monroe / Special Consensus with Josh Williams & Chris Jones / Scratch Gravel Road / Compass Records
• You Can't Make A Heel Tow The Mark / Acoustic Blue / Bein' Country / Self-Produced
• Roger's Rag / Roger & J.D. Williams / Williams Squared / Happy Appy Records
• Shame On You / Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road
• Stumblin' Stones / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever Records
• Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia / David Peterson / Live At WHUS, 5/8/2010 / no label
• Just To Ease My Worried Mind / Loafers' Glory / Loafers' Glory / Arhoolie Records
• Frog On A Lily Pad / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Country Church / Pike Brothers & Pine Hill Ranchers / The Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel
• Jordan / Stanley Brothers / All Blluegrass, All Gospel / Federal
• God's Highway / Gillis Brothers / Ice Cold Stone / Hay Holler
• I've Hit Everything In Life (But My Knees) / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Self-Produced
• Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven / Alison Krauss & the Cox Family / I Know Who Holds Tomorrow / Rounder
• Wicked Path Of Sin / Billy & Terry Smith / Bill Monroe Tribute / K-Tel Records
• Walking In Jerusalem (Just Like John) / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / The King And The Father / MME
• When Jesus Calls Me Home / BearTracks / Together 'Til The End / AMT Records
• I'm On A Journey / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder