"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 11/18/2012

The basketball season has officially started at the University of CT, and that means that the season of occasional sports-related preemptions has also begun.  The start time for today's Bluegrass Cafe was about 25 minutes past 4PM, but even though the program time was shortened, we still included a lot of fine music...or that's what I'd like to think, anyway.

White Mountain Bluegrass at Country Corner Coffee House - 11/17/2012

The show began with several tunes from New Hampshire-based White Mountain Bluegrass.  Hazel and Mac McGee of White Mountain have been married for 55+ years, and they've been leading their band for nearly 44 years.  The International Bluegrass Music Museum recognizes Hazel and Mac as Pioneers Of Bluegrass, and that's a great thing, as they are definitely New England treasures.  Hazel's had a rough time for the last couple of years with her health, and eldest McGee son (and White Mountain banjo picker), Herman, announced at a Country Corner Coffee House show on Saturday night that 2013 could be their last year playing music.  That would be sad, as there's no doubt that Hazel, Mac, Herman, and all of their White Mountain bandmates over the years have been terrific ambassadors for BG music, both in New England, and through their touring in Europe over the years.  

Mac McHale (with guitar) with the Radio Gang
(Herman McGee, banjo; Sally Roc, bass; John Roc, mandolin)

One of those White Mountain bandmates for a time was Allan "Mac" McHale, who died on November 11th after playing a show in his hometown of Bangor, Maine.  Mac was 80 years old, and had also been recognized as a Pioneer Of Bluegrass by IBMM.  During his music career, Mac had been part of many bands which played several different styles of music, including old-time country music, Irish music, and Bluegrass.  Today, we featured a couple of songs from one of Mac's most recent groupings, The Radio Gang, as well as one tune from Herman McGee's "Family & Friends" project from a couple of years ago.  RIP, Mac McHale.

Stan Keach even painted the loon on the cover of his new CD.

We almost always try to make newer music part of our programming at Bluegrass Cafe, and today was no exception.  Among the 2012 releases  played today were songs by performers such as Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, Nightflyer, Loafers' Glory, Bob Amos, Jeff Parker, Balsam Range, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, David Peterson, and the Spinney Brothers.  Included, too, were a couple of tracks from a 14-song tribute to the State of Maine by Maine songwriter, Stan Keach.  The CD -- "Cry Of The Loon & Other Original Songs About Maine" -- features just what it says:  songs written or co-written by Stan Keach about Maine topics as varied as lobstermen, moose, L.L. Bean, and the 20th Maine Civil War regiment that defended Little Round Top at Gettysburg, just to name a few.  This is a fun disc to listen to, and one you'll likely be hearing more from in future weeks on Bluegrass Cafe.

James and Cathy Ward will be away this week, so I'll be sitting in for their "Bluegrass Rules" program from 3-5PM on Tuesday afternoon.  Join me then, if you can, but if not, be sure to tune in next Sunday from 4-7PM when Jim is playing some great BG music for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Amy

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Timber, I'm Falling / White Mountain Bluegrass / January Weekend / R-Own
• I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country
• Never Get To Hold You In My Arms Anymore / White Mountain Bluegrass / Oh So Many Years / Self-Produced
• Lamplighting Time / Radio Gang / Two Different Roads / Fishtraks
• Jimmy Brown, The Newsboy / Herman McGee with Mac McHale / Family & Friends / Self-Produced
• Glory Days / Radio Gang / Two Different Roads / Fishtraks
• Ragged Man / Gibson Brothers / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Shouting Time In Heaven / Kenny & Amanda Smith / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Six Feet Under The Ground / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Boogie Grass Band / Ronnie Reno & the Reno Tradition / Portfolio / Self-Produced
• Love Please Come Home / Reno & Smiley / Bluegrass 1963 / Rural Rhythm
• Proud Mary / Bill Emerson & Cliff Waldron / The Best Of Emerson & Waldron / Rebel
• Foggy Mountain Rock / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Flatt & Scruggs At Carnegie Hall! / Koch Records
• Fox On The Run / Tony Trischka with Tom Adams & Dudley Connell / Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular / Rounder
• Country Boy Rock And Roll / Reno & Smiley / Good Old Country Ballads / King
• Road Into Town / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• Snowbird / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-Produced
• The Hangman's Daughter / Nightflyer / Nightflyer / Kang Records
• Crow, Little Rooster / Loafers' Glory / Loafers' Glory / Arhoolie Records
• Walking The Floor Over Me / Charlie Sizemore / Heartache Looking For A Home / Rounder
• I'll Never See My Home Again / Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys / Authentic Bluegrass Folk Music / Osage
• Aroostook County / Stan Keach & Friends / Cry Of The Loon & Other Original Songs About Maine / Self-Produced
• Slow Down (You'll Hit A Moose) / Stan Keach & Friends / Cry Of The Loon & Other Original Songs About Maine / Self-Produced
• Seen It All / Bob Amos / Borrowed Time / Bristlecone
• Washington And Lee Fling / Pike Family & the Pine Hill Ranchers / To Warm And Comfort You / Rebel
• Memories / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Lord I Hate To See My Darlin' Go / Jeff Parker / Go Parker! / Lonesome Day Records
• Mash Your Finger / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe Music
• Other Side Of The Mountain / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Steel Guitar Rag / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / They're Playing Our Song / Rebel
• Wild Rose Of The Mountain / Cathy Fink, Laurie Lewis, Marcie Marxer, Molly Mason, Sally Van Meter / Blue Rose / Sugar Hill
• Final Farewell / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / Lost Souls & Free Spirits / Rebel
• The Man In The Middle / Dave Evans / Hang Out A Light For Me / Rebel
• Beyond Those Gates / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-Produced
• Are You Washed In The Blood / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-Produced
• Count Your Blessings / Kathy Kallick [with Laurie Lewis] / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak Records
• Along The Way / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• You Better Wake Up / Volume Five / Children Of The Mountain / Mountain Fever Records
• God Has Been So Good To Me / Crowe & McLaughlin / Going Back / Rounder
• Eat At The Welcome Table / Bluegrass Patriots / Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• Joy Of Revelation / McCoury Brothers / The McCoury Brothers / Rounder
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder