"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/30/2012

For this last Bluegrass Cafe of 2012, the majority of the music played on the show came from recording projects that were received at WHUS during the year.  During 2012, we've added 90 new CDs to our music library at WHUS, and while time didn't allow me to play songs from each of those discs today, I tried to squeeze in as much new music as possible.  

Mike Auldridge
(December 30, 1938-December 29, 2012)

During the show, we also remembered a few of the Bluegrass legends who left us in 2012, including Doug Dillard, Everett Lilly, Doc Watson, and Earl Scruggs -- all members of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.  A bit closer to home, we lost two notable New England Bluegrass originals in 2012:  the one and only Sam Tidwell died in April after a lengthy battle with cancer, and just last month, Allan "Mac" McHale died from heart problems a few hours after playing a show in his hometown of Bangor, Maine.  Both of these men are recognized as "Pioneers of Bluegrass" by the International Bluegrass Music Museum, and their music will remain an important part of our BG programming at WHUS for years to come.  

A 1989 country-ish side project for
Seldom Scene bandmates.

Sadly, we're ending 2012 by adding another name to the "Gone But Not Forgotten" list.  On December 29th, Dobro master and Seldom Scene co-founder, Mike Auldridge, died one day before celebrating what would have been his 74th birthday.  A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Mike was inspired to play the Dobro after hearing the sounds of Buck Graves playing in the band of Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper.  The Dobro playing (and great baritone singing) of Mike Auldridge has inspired many a picker who has come after him, and without a doubt, his super-neat stage attire will be remembered for years to come.  We remembered Mike Auldridge the best way we know how:  by playing a whole lot of his music, including Seldom Scene classics, a couple of songs from Mike's first professional gig in the late 1960s with Bill Emerson & Cliff Waldron, and later tunes from recordings Auldridge made with T. Michael Coleman and Lou Reid, as well as Richard Bennett and Jimmy Gaudreau.  

In addition to a whole bunch of 2012 music, we squeezed in a couple of songs from a soon-to-be-released CD from Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out.  This CD is called "Bluegrassed," and will only be available at Cracker Barrel restaurants.  The song selection includes mostly covers of 1960s and 1970s country songs from the likes of John Denver, Don Williams, Gene Watson, and Glen Campbell, among others, but there are also a couple of bona fide BG songs.  Those Bluegrass songs are the ones we played today.

A program note:  if you're looking for a place to listen to BG on the radio on New Year's Day, we invite you to join us at WHUS.  From 1:00-3:00PM, I'll join you for a fill-in program featuring some classic country music and Bluegrass (expect to hear some Hank Williams), and then, from 3:00-5:00PM, it'll be James and Cathy Ward with their "Bluegrass Rules" program.  Be sure, as well, to join Jim next Sunday afternoon from 4:00-7:00PM in the Bluegrass Cafe.  Sounds like a great way to start a new year to me!

Thanks for listening to us throughout 2012, and we hope you'll keep on tuning in during 2013!  Happy New Year!

Amy 

REQUESTS ARE RED; 2012 RELEASES ARE BROWN.

 

• Katy Hill / The Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Farewell Blues / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury
• Never See My Home Again / The Dillards / There Is A Time / Vanguard
• No More The Moon Shines On Lorena / Everett Lilly / Everett Lilly & Everybody & Their Brother / Swift River Music
• Greenville Trestle High / Doc Watson / Best Of The Sugar Hill Years / Sugar Hill
• Randy Lynn Rag / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia
• When The Snow Falls On My Foggy Mountain Home / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / They're Playing My Song / Rebel
• A Far Cry From Lester And Earl / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Angeline The Baker / Lonesome River Band / Chronology, Volume 1 / Rural Rhythm
• New Shoes / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass Records
• Help My Brother / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• The Old Home Place / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Bluegrassed / Cracker Barrel
• Willow Creek Dam / American Drive / American Drive / Rural Rhythm
• Face The Music / Too Blue / Trouble With The Grey / Self-Produced
• Big Sciota / Randy Jones / When Old Lonesome Come Around / Self-Produced
• Arkansas / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Big Spike Hammer / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Bluegrassed / Cracker Barrel
• Fox On The Run / Bill Emerson & Cliff Waldron / The Best Of Emerson & Waldron / Rebel
• Raised By The Railroad Line / Seldom Scene / Act One / Rebel
• Spanish Grass / Bill Emerson & Cliff Waldron / The Best Of Emerson & Waldron / Rebel
• I Wish You Knew / Auldridge, Reid & Coleman / High Time / Sugar Hill
• Silence Or Tears / Auldridge, Bennett & Gaudreau / This Old Town / Rebel
• Wait A Minute / Seldom Scene / Different Roads / Rebel
• Quicksand / Darren Beachley & Legends Of The Potomac / Take Off / Patuxent Music
• Treasures Untold / Mike Auldridge / Treasures Untold / Sugar Hill
• Monroe / Special Consensus / Scratch Gravel Road / Compass Records
• Don't Fall In Love With A Girl Like That / The Boxcars / All In / Mountain Home
• Lonely Ends Where Love Begins / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Live At Red, White & Bluegrass / Mountain Home [also a request]
• Rebels Ye Rest / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records [also a request]
• Broke Down And Lonesome / King Wilkie / Broke / Rebel
• Midnight Ramble / Cullen Galyean / Born Into Bluegrass:  The Songs Of Cullen Galyean / Mountain Roads Recordings
• One More Ride / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• I Saw Your Face In The Moon / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• Slow Down (You'll Hit A Moose) / Stan Keach & Friends / Cry Of The Loon & Other Original Songs About Maine / Ayuh Records
• Sweet Blue Eyed Darling / Sweet Potato Pie / Brand New Day / Mountain Fever Records
• The Last Log Drive / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• Jimmy Brown / Herman McGee with Mac McHale / Family And Friends / Self-Produced
• The Greatest Creator / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Sing Me A Song About Jesus / Mountain Home
• Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven / Detour / A Better Place / Self-Produced
• Open Up Your Heart (And Let Jesus In) / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Sinner, You Better Get Ready / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots, 1961 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Row By Row / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Lord Protect My Soul / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak Records
• Sing, Sing, Sing / Mike Scott / Take Me Lord And Use Me / Rural Rhythm
• I Saw The Light / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Anthology / MCA
• Auld Lang Syne / Bill Keith / O Christmas Tree / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/23/2012 Christmas & Anniversary

Hi Folks,

Jim & Marti on their wedding day 1979

This was this year's Christmas version of Bluegrass Cafe, and it was also Marti's and my anniversary.  We were fortunate to have Marti on hand to provide color commentary on that and other things throughout the show.

We played some new music from Geoff Union, Stan Keach & Friends, Connor Lambert, Wayne Taylor & Friends, Sweet Potato Pie, Dale Ann Bradley & Steve Gulley, and Donna Ulisse.

Other recent releases on this show included tunes from Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, Danny Paisley, David Peterson, American Drive, Lonesome River Band, Kathy Kallick, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, and Darin & Brooke Aldridge.

We debuted a track from Darlene and Reflections of Bluegrass on Bluegrass Cafe.  Darlene is Connecticut native Darlene Champagne who now lives and plays bluegrass in South Carolina.  While the recording is not new, it was great making the connection with a former musical collaborator of the Pike Family from New England -- pioneers of New England bluegrass.  Darlene is an outstanding singer who in her youth recorded with the Pikes as "Darlene Marie."

The Heritage Corner produced a classic track from Lost & Found, and Bill Monroe's classic "Footprints In The Snow" for this show.

We hope you enjoyed the Christmas and anniversary fun on this show.  Amy will be back next week ringing in the new year with the banjos and fiddles.

Jim Beaver

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Cheer Of The Home Fires / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / The Old Home Place / Rounder
• 40 Years / Geoff Union / Cold As Steel / Shining Castle
• Christmas The Mountain Way / Dale Ann Bradley & Steve Gulley / Christmas The Mountain Way / Rural Rhythm
• The Farthest Horizon / Sleepy Man Banjo Boys / The Farthest Horizon / Self-released
• Cabin On A Mountain / Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent
• When The Snow Falls On My Foggy Mountain Home / Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers / They're Playing My Song / Rebel
• Bluegrass Christmas / The Del McCoury Band feat. Ronnie McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Thinkin' Of Home / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak
• North Carolina Breakdown / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak
• Herdin' Cattle (In An Air Conditioned Cadillac) / Stringbean / Old Time Banjo Pickin' & Singin' / Gusto
• Christmas Time Back Home / The Country Gentlemen / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
• Brown Hill / Lost & Found / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• Snowbird / Darlene & Reflections of Bluegrass / If It Ain't Love / Self-released
• Cold Wind / David Peterson & 1946 / David Peterson & 1946 / Self-released
• Dueling Jingle Bells / Wayne Taylor & Friends / Praise His Holy Name / Raincoe
• Wilder Than Her / Ralph Stanley II / Born To Be A Drifter / Stanley Generations
• Am I A Fool / Lonesome River Band / Chronology Volume Three / Rural Rhythm
• Footprints In The Snow / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / The Essential Bill Monroe / Columbia
• Christmas In Dixie / Sweet Potato Pie / Home Grown Christmas / Mountain Fever
• Making Plans / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Live at Red, White and Bluegrass! / Mountain Home
• Long Haul Trucking Man / American Drive / American Drive / Rural Rhythm
• Better Days / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• The Christmas Whittler / Lizzy Long and Little Roy Lewis / Tradition With A Twist / Vine
• That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-released
• Sun's Gonna Shine / Dave Evans & Riverbend / The Vetco Sessions / Vetco
• Back To My Roots / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• Bah Humbug / Tim O'Brien / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Reuben Takes The D-Train / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Ivy Vines And Green Leaves / Connor Lambert / Ivy Vines And Green Leaves / Self-released
• That Old Barn / Nightflyer / Nightflyer / Kang
• Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy / Wayne Taylor & Friends / Praise His Holy Name / Raincoe
• When I Get When I'm Goin' / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Waitin' For The Hard Times / Sugar Hill
• You Can't Hurt Ham / Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder / Music To My Ears / Skaggs Family
• Chilly Winds / The Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever
• What Really Matters / Larry Stephenson / What Really Matters / Compass
• Joy To The World / Audie Blaylock / Christmas The Mountain Way / Rural Rhythm
• Cry Of The Loon / Stan Keach & Friends / Cry Of The Loon / Ayuh Records
• I Like The Country / The Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-released
• All The Way To Bethlehem / Donna Ulisse w. Rick Stanley / All The Way To Bethlehem / Hadley Music Group
• Back To Tennessee / Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / Self-released
• I'm Goin' Home, It's Christmas Time / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time-Life
• Call Collect On Christmas / Del McCoury / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time-Life
• Christmas In Carolina / Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road / Christmas In Carolina / Blue Circle
• What Would You Do / Fred Etheridge w.Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / John Starling / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Go Tell It On The Mountain / Wayne Taylor & Friends / Praise His Holy Name / Raincoe
• The First Noel-It Came Upon A Midnight Clear-Joy To The World / Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver / O Christmas Tree / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/16/2012

Sunday's show began with a brief moment of silence in honor of the victims of the horrific massacre in Newtown, CT that happened just two days earlier.  Sometimes, you need to take a break from the seemingly nonstop TV, radio, and online coverage of terrible events such as this, and my hope is that the three hours of Bluegrass music that was played allowed an opportunity to do that.

The first ten songs played on Sunday (not counting the "Katy Hill" opening) are all credited to the pen of one Alvin Pleasant (A.P.) Carter, who was born on December 15, 1891.  Whether or not A.P. -- really, the driving force behind the Carter Family in the trio that included A.P.'s wife, Sara, and his sister-in-law, Maybelle, actually wrote all of the songs for which he is given songwriter credit, the fact is that the Carter Family remains as an incredible inspiration for a whole lot of performers.  The songs that A.P. wrote or gathered in his travels around his southwestern Virginia home are a huge part of the history of country and Bluegrass music, and have been recorded many, many times through the years.  It seemed only fitting to include a whole bunch of these songs in a radio show so close to what would have been A.P.'s 121st birthday. 

By the way, if you're in search of reading material as we head toward the winter months, I suggest that you find a copy of a Carter biography published in 2002 by Simon & Schuster.  The book's title is Will You Miss When I'm Gone?:  The Carter Family And Their Legacy In American Music, and the authors are Mark Zwonitzer with Charles Hirshberg.  If you're at all interested in American music, you really need to be familiar with this amazing family. 

Of course, Christmas is rapidly approaching, and Sunday's show was my last BG Cafe before December 25th.  Jim and I have both been playing some Christmas tunes since early December, but this week, more than a dozen Christmas songs and carols found their way onto the airwaves.  Every year, it seems, there is more and more Bluegrass Christmas music available, including at least three new projects for 2012 from Sweet Potato Pie, Donna Ulisse, and an All-Star cast on Rural Rhythm Records.  It's getting harder and harder to squeeze in all of the new songs and old seasonal favorites during the month of December, but we hope you enjoyed something you might have heard.

In addition to Carter Family songs and those Christmas tunes, there was music from several 2012 releases from performers including the aforementioned Sweet Potato Pie, Donna Ulisse, and Steve Gulley & Dale Ann Bradley, as well as Audie Blaylock & Redline from the Rural Rhythm Christmas record.  There was also Freeman & Williams, Breaking Grass, Bob Amos, Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, David Peterson, the Kathy Kallick Band, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show, Jeff Parker, Chris Brashear, and the Spinney Brothers. 

Jim joins you once more coming up from 4-7PM on Sunday, December 23rd -- be sure to tune in, won't you? 

Best wishes to all for a very Merry Christmas!! 

Amy


REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Keep On The Sunny Side / Carter Family / Anchored In Love / Rounder
• No Depression / Johnson Mountain Boys / Goin' Up Copper Creek / Copper Creek
• Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room / Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road
• Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone / Carter Family / Anchored In Love / Rounder
• I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home / Mac Wiseman / High Lonesome / CMH
• Are You Tired Of Me, My Darlin' / Hot Rize / Traditional Ties / Sugar Hill
• My Dixie Darlin / Case Brothers / Radio Album / Self-Produced
• When Springtime Comes Again / Vern Williams Band / Bluegrass From The Gold Country / Rounder
• Today Has Been A Lonesome Day / Spinney Brothers / If I Were Your Brother / Self-Produced
• The Waves On The Sea / Everett Lilly / Everett Lilly & Everybody & Their Brother / Swift River Music
• Christmas Country Style / Sweet Potato Pie / Home Grown Christmas / Mountain Fever Records
• My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• Christmas Time Back Home / Country Gentlemen / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Christmas Swing / Chesapeake / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
• Wrong Road Again / Freeman & Williams / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Amongst The Stones / Breaking Grass / Running With The Moon / Self-Produced
• Hard Hearted / Jim & Jesse / In The Tradition / Rounder
• Where The Wild River Rolls / Bob Amos / Borrowed Time / Bristlecone
• Margie / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• I'm Old Kentucky Bound / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-Produced
• Steppin' Stones / Paul Williams / A Tribute To Jimmy Martin / Koch Records
• She Put The Tears In My Eyes / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Raincoe Music
• Thinkin' Of Home / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak Records
• I Wish You Knew / Jim & Jesse / Bean Blossom / MCA
• I'll Love Nobody But You / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Blue Christmas / Larry Sparks / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
• Blue Christmas Lights / Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
• That's Just Me Loving You / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Live At Red, White & Bluegrass / Mountain Home
• Frog On A Lilly Pad / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• There Ain't No Easy Street / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Opry Music
• How Come You Do Me Like You Do / Jeff Parker / Go Parker! / Lonesome Day Records
• Let It Go / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Echo Mountain / James King / The Bluegrass Storyteller / Rounder
• Listen To Me Mother / Chris Brashear / Heart Of The Country / Dog Boy Records
• Cabin On A Mountain / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Sleigh Ride / Sweet Potato Pie / Home Grown Bluegrass / Mountain Fever Records
• Christmas The Mountain Way / Steve Gulley & Dale Ann Bradley / Christmas The Mountain Way / Rural Rhythm
• Silent Night / Stony Point Quartet / Christmas Time Back Home / Cracker Barrel
• O Christmas Candle / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Christmas Grass, Volume 2 / Koch Records
• When The Time Had Fully Come / Northern Lights / Can't Buy Your Way / Flying Fish
• Morning In Bethlehem / Donna Ulisse / All The Way To Bethlehem / Hadley Music Group
• Joy To The World / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Christmas The Mountain Way / Rural Rhythm
• The First Noel / Ricky Skaggs & the Whties / A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume 2 / Skaggs Family
• Precious Child / Tony Trischka with Dudley Connell & James King / Glory Shone Around / Rounder
• Nothing But A Child / Robin & Linda Williams / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
• Silent Night / Seldom Scene / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Jingle Bells / Reno & Smiley / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
  

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/9/2012

Hi Folks.

We had two guests on the show today beginning with Dick Bowden who will be leading the Big Bluegrass Mule Pull at the Firebox in Hartford next Sunday, December 16.  Besides giving us the lowdown on the Mule Pull, Dick graced us with a performance with his fretless Mike Ramsey open back gut-string banjo.  While we had Dick in the studio, he helped us celebrate the life of Maine bluegrass and old time musician, Allan "Mac" McHale.who died November 11th.  Mac had been a friend of Dick's family for many years, and Dick was able to provide a first-hand account of Mac's musical career to augment a few of Mac's songs.

Our other guest was the great bluegrass and country singer David Peterson.  David will be making a solo appearance this coming Friday evening, December 14, at The Outer Space at 295 Treadwell Street, Hamden CT.  As David described them, we played songs from his new mostly solo album, "Simplicity."   David is one of the the most amazing singers in Nashville today.  If you have the time, you don't want to miss this show.  

David Peterson at The Outer Space  (photo: J. Beaver)

Other highlights included the first serious bout with bluegrass Christmas music of the year.  This included brand new Christmas music from Wayne Taylor and Friends as well as some older and vintage songs from Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley, Jimmy Martin, The Cox Family, Emory Lester, Bill Grant & Delia Bell, Patty Loveless, and Rhonda Vincent.

The Heritage Corner was proud to unearth a deep catalog song from a 1979 LP from Landon Messer and Harold Brewer as well as a 1950s Stanley Brothers song to remember Carter Stanley (died 12/1/1966) and an early 1960s recording of Jack Cooke (died 12/1/2009).  We also heard a Ted Lundy instrumental from a recent CD reissue of some of his 1960s and 1970s material on the Old Blue label, and a Tommy Jackson instrumental to remember the great session fiddler on the 33rd anniversary of his death.

We played a song from and gave away to a lucky listener a CD from Lee Marcus to salute his upcoming donation to St. Jude's Hospital from the proceeds from the CD.

Amy will be making the banjos, fiddles, and sleigh bells ring next Sunday, so tune in!

Jim Beaver

Song / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Born To Be A Drifter / Ralph Stanley II / Born To Be A Drifter / Stanley Generation
• A Lonesome Night / The Stanley Brothers / 1953-1958 & 1959 / Bear Family
• Let Me Rest At The End Of My Journey / Jack Cooke / Sittin' On Top Of The World / Pinecastle
• Katy Hill / Tommy Jackson / The Legendary Session Fiddler / B.A.C.M
• One Day Late And A Dollar Short / The Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever
• The Stanley Brothers / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• I'll Still Write Your Name In The Sand / David Peterson & 1946 / In The Mountaintops To Roam / Self-released
• Dick Bowden Big Bluegrass Mule Pule discussion
• I'm Herding Cattle (In An Air Conditioned Cadillac) / Dick Bowden / Live in the WHUS Studio
• Old Blues Back Again / Mac McHale & The Old-Time Radio Gang / Down Memory Lane / Fishtraks
• Theme-Walking In My Sleep / The Radio Gang / Two Different Roads / Fishtraks
• Goodbye Little Bonnie / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Earl's Breakdown / Joe Mullins, Ronnie Stewart, et. al. / Foggy Mountain Special / Rounder
• Grey Eagle / Ted Lundy and the Southern Mountain Boys / Self-titled / Old Blue
• David Peterson Interview
• Sweet Allis Chalmers / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-released
• Beulah Land / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-released
• Night Rider's Lament / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-released
• Don't Act / Rhonda Vincent / All-American Bluegrass Girl / Rounder
• Pretty Polly / The Stanley Brothers / 1949-1952 / Bear Family
• Four Letter Word / Remington Ryde / The Ryde / Green Valley
• Grandpa's Pond / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Freight Train Blues / David Peterson & 1946 / The Howling Blue Winds / Self-released
• Christmas Lullaby / Doc Watson / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Blue Railroad Train / Josh Williams / Down Home / Pinecastle
• We Three Kings of Orient Are (bed) / Emory Lester / Christmas Carols / Quiet Fire
• Do You Hear What I Hear (bed) / Emory Lester / Christmas Carols / Quiet Fire
• Silent Night (bed) / Emory Lester / Christmas Carols / Quiet Fire
• Don't Make Us Cry On Christmas Day / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time with Ralph Stanley / CRFreeland
• Old Fashioned Christmas / Jimmy Martin / Christmas Jamboree / Hollywood
• Come On Boys It's Christmas / Dr. Elmo / Dr. Elmo Bluegrass Christmas / Time Life
• That's Christmas Time To Me / Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Go Tell It On The Mountain / The Cox Family / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant and Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• Come Young Friends / Landon Messer - Harold Brewer / Sacred Songs / Old Homestead (LP)
• Where Did You Get That Water / Nu-Blu / Nail By Nail / Pinecastle
• The Abyss / Nu-Blu / Nail By Nail / Pinecastle
• That Mountain Is Me / Mickey Boles / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• I'm Walkin' / Larry Gillis / Ringing Of The Hammer / Tinman
• Praise His Holy Name / Wayne Taylor and Friends / Praise His Holy Name - A Christmas Celebration / Self-released
• The Fourth Man In The Fire / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• Bluegrass, White Snow / Patty Loveless / Bluegrass & White Snow / Epic
• Christmas Time At Home / Rhonda Vincent / Beautiful Star / Rounder
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w.Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released

David Peterson on Bluegrass Cafe Sunday 12/9/2012

In anticipation of a Connecticut performance by David Peterson this coming Friday evening, December 14th, 7:00pm, at The Outer Space in Hamden, we will have David on the show Sunday beginning at 5:00pm ET.  The interview was recorded just over a week ago as David began his latest tour.

David is on a northeastern tour right now doing solo performances concurrent with the release of his newest CD titled "Simplicity."  We will hear David discuss the new CD, hear some tunes from the CD, and discuss his music making and future plans during our visit.

"Bluegrass Cafe" runs Sundays 4-7pm ET.  Tune in if you can at 91.7 FM in Eastern Connecticut, Western Rhode Island, and Southern Massachusetts; or you can stream it and the rest of the show at http://www.whus.org/listen-live

You can get more information and purchase advance tickets by going to the GuitartownCT website at http://guitartownct.com/

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/2/2012

On Sunday's radio program, we celebrated "Josh Graves Day" in a big way, as there was lots of great music from "vintage" Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys.  Why so much Dobro music today?  Why not?  In September, the University of Illinois Press published a memoir by the late Burkett Howard "Uncle Josh" Graves (1927-2006) -- Bluegrass Bluesman.  The book is written in Josh's voice and drawn from different interviews he did over several years.  Fred Bartenstein -- the noted Bluegrass historian, DJ, performer, author, and promoter -- was charged with putting the book together, and he joined us via telephone on the show today as a special guest to talk about the process of editing the book, as well as to share several anecdotes about the life and musical career of Josh Graves.  If "Uncle Josh" hadn't played the Dobro, would it have become accepted as the "sixth Bluegrass instrument?"  That's probably open for some limited debate, but there's no questioning the fact that Josh Graves is considered the King of the Dobro to a whole lot of folks.  He was also a terrific songwriter, and we heard a few of those songs on  Sunday, including "Come Walk With Me," "Roustabout," "If You're Ever Gonna Love Me," and the Grammy Award-winning instrumental, "Fireball."  The life story of Josh Graves was fascinating -- check out the book, if you're able to do so.  Big thanks to Fred for joining us on today's show...

We also gave away a copy of Bluegrass Bluesman on the radio on Sunday.  If you didn't get a chance to win, but would still like to read the book -- and you really should want to read it if you have even the slightest interest in the history of Bluegrass music -- you're invited to visit Fred Bartenstein's website, or the University of Illinois Press website sometime soon.  If you're looking for gift ideas during this month of giving, this book might be a good option.  (Another possible gifting option for the BG lover in your life:  any or all of the 10 volumes of the "Flatt & Scruggs Show" released by the Country Music Hall of Fame over the last few years.  These shows mostly feature the core band of Flatt & Scruggs, as well as "Uncle Josh" Graves, Paul Warren on the fiddle, Curly Seckler on the mandolin, and "Cousin Jake" Tullock on the bass.  Great stuff, and essential viewing).

As it is December 2nd, we broke out a few Christmas tunes to play today.  There are so many Christmas-themed Bluegrass records now that it's hard to play all of them during the month of December.  In addition to older Christmas material from the likes of Tim O'Brien, the Stanley Brothers, Reno & Smiley, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum, Rick Lang & Friends, and the Johnson Mountain Boys, we also played a tune from a 2012 Christmas release from North Carolina-based all-female band, Sweet Potato Pie.  Their Mountain Fever Records project is called "Home Grown Christmas."  Expect to hear more from this project during December.

While the concentration today was on the music of Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs featuring Josh Graves, there was also music from a few newer recordings released during 2012.  Those projects came to us from Chris Brashear, Robert Hale, David Peterson, the Spinney Brothers, Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, and Nu-Blu.  One brand-spanking new CD came from Darin & Brooke Aldridge, who have a new live recording on Mountain Home:  "Live At Red, White & Bluegrass" -- an annual festival held in Morganton, North Carolina.  


Hope you enjoyed the show, and please remember to tune in the Bluegrass Cafe again next Sunday when Jim will be with you for lots more of the best in BG.  

Amy



Requests are RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Randy Lynn Rag / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• On My Mind / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• Baby Quit That Noise / Uncle Josh & Cousin Jake / from live broadcast
• Just Joshin' / Josh Graves / Josh Graves / Rebel
• Making Plans / Tim O'Brien / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Christmas Is Near / Stanley Brothers / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Christmas In Dixie / Sweet Potato Pie / Home Grown Christmas / Mountain Fever Records
• Jingle Bells / Reno & Smiley / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• If We Make It Through December / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / Winter's Grace / Dog Boy Records
• Tell All My Pickin' Friends Goodbye / Chris Brashear / Heart Of The Country / Dog Boy Records
• Waves Of Sorrow / Robert Hale / Pure & Simple / Pinecastle
• This Morning At Nine / Country Gentlemen / Folk Session Inside / Copper Creek
• Come Walk With Me / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• Roustabout / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• If You're Ever Gonna Love Me / Kentucky Colonels / Livin' In The Past / Sierra
• A Hundred Years From Now / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• **Conversation with Fred Bartenstein about Josh Graves & Bluegrass Bluesman**
• Foggy Mountain Rock / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Flatt & Scruggs At Carnegie Hall! / Koch Records
• Fireball / J.D. Crowe & the (Almost Original) New South / Bluegrass:  The World's Greatest Show / Sugar Hill
• Train 45 / Marty Stuart & the Fabulous Superlatives featuring Josh Graves / Live At The Ryman / Superlatone Records
• Lonely Ends Where Love Begins / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Live At Red, White & Bluegrass / Mountain Home
• Making Plans / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Live At Red, White & Bluegrass / Mountain Home
• The Season Of My Heart / Rick Lang & Friends / The Season Of My Heart / Haley Anna Music
• What A Wonderful Life / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Hobo Bill's Last Ride / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-Produced
• Open Up Your Heart / Terry Baucom with Gibson Brothers / In A Groove / John-Boy & Billy, Inc.
• Hard Rock Mountain Prison ('Til I Die) / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Rural Rhythm
• Cotton Dice / Patuxent Partners / Seven Or Eleven / Patuxent Music
• That's What Country Folks Do / Lost & Found / Love, Lost & Found / Rebel
• Joy Bells / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• I Heard My Mother Call My Name In Prayer / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• Man From Galilee / Nu-Blu / Nail By Nail / Pinecastle
• I Can Call Jesus / Lynn Morris Band / Mama's Hand / Rounder
• Lord, Don't Leave Me Here / Hagar's Mountain Boys / Forever Yours / Mountain Fever Records
• It Won't Be Long / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• The Friendly Beasts / Johnson Mountain Boys / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• Christmas Story / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
• Gone Home / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder