"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 5/26/2013 (plus, 30 minutes of "Red Rooster Party")

This Memorial Day weekend program included not only a whole bunch of songs with the common theme of American-soldier-who-goes-to-war-but-never-returns, but also birthday tributes to the most prolific songwriting couple in Bluegrass, as well as to a true Bluegrass legend.  It was 3 1/2 hours chock-full of music -- hope you were able to enjoy at least a small portion of it!

(Why was there an extra half-hour of music today?  As the UCONN Baseball team was playing -- and winning -- the Big East tournament this afternoon, Jim and Marti's Red Rooster Party was shortened to just 30 minutes.  Instead of them making the trip to WHUS for just a half-hour of airtime, I got to fill up that 30 minutes with a few songs.)

While Memorial Day has sort of morphed into a remembrance holiday in which folks honor and remember all of their deceased relatives, regardless of their military service, the fact remains that the tradition of "Decoration Day" began shortly after the end of the American Civil War in 1865, when relatives of dead soldiers would honor the memory of their loved ones by decorating their graves.  Many of the songs we played in honor of Memorial Day were somber stories of soldiers who didn't return home after fighting in various wars.  Thanks to all servicemen and servicewomen who have served, and who continue to serve in the Armed Forces, and who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The show wasn't all somber, solemn remembrance, though, as we had a few important birthdays to celebrate, including those of the extremely prolific songwriting couple, Tom T. and Miss Dixie Hall.  Tom T. was already an established Hall of Fame songwriter when he retired from his country music career, and put his energies toward writing Bluegrass music.  Miss Dixie has written several hundred songs in a short amount of time, and it's really challenging to pick up a new Bluegrass recording these days and NOT find at least one song written by either Tom T. or Miss Dixie.  We spent a bit of time on Sunday playing songs written by one or both of them, and we even included Tom T.'s 1972 recording of a song that's his best (if you ask me, that is):  "Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine."  

We also remembered Mac Wiseman, as he celebrated his 88th birthday this past week (born May 23, 1925).  

At the end of the day, there was still time for a good bit of newer music, too, from several performers, including the Spinney Brothers, Michelle Nixon (with the Daughters Of Bluegrass), the Boxcars, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Ronnie Bowman (from the "God Didn't Choose Sides" recording), Hammertowne, the Roys, the Gibson Brothers, Don Rigsby, and a song from a soon-to-be-released solo CD by Edgar Loudermilk.  Also included was a song from Gordon Pike & the Dixie Darlins -- a new group with some Connecticut ties, as Gordon is the son of Earl Pike, as well as the nephew of the well-remembered guitar and banjo picker, Fred Pike.  

Hope everyone has a delightful Memorial Day, and be sure to join us once again next Sunday for another edition of Bluegrass Cafe.

Amy

• The Brakeman's Blues (Yodelling The Blues) / Jimmie Rodgers / The Essential Jimmie Rodgers / RCA
• Blue Yodel No. 4 (California Blues) / Jimmie Rodgers / The Essential Jimmie Rodgers / RCA
• Blue Yodel No. 8 (Mule Skinner Blues) / Jimmie Rodgers / The Essential Jimmie Rodgers / RCA
• Blue Yodel No. 1 (T For Texas) / Jimmie Rodgers / The Essential Jimmie Rodgers / RCA
• The Train Carryin' Jimmie Rodgers Home / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Idle Time / Rounder [Jimmie Rodgers died 5/26/1933]
• Old Ten Broeck / Laurie Lewis / Skippin' And Flyin' / Spruce & Maple Music
• Hemlocks And Primroses / Longview / Longview / Rounder
• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Air Mail Special On The Fly / Jim & Jesse / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Old, Old House / Bob Paisley & the Southern Grass / Live In Holland / Strictly Country
• They Sleep Together, Now At Rest / Stanley Brothers / Shadows Of The Past / Copper Creek
• Hit Parade Of Love / Jimmy Martin / Bean Blossom / MCA
• Durham's Reel / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs feat. Paul Warren / Flatt & Scruggs At Carnegie Hall! / Koch Records
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bean Blossom / MCA
• One Of Those Days (When I Miss Lester Flatt) / Tom T. Hall / Tom T. Hall Sings Miss Dixie And Tom T. / Blue Circle Records
• The Year That Clayton Delaney Died / Charlie Sizemore / The Story Is...The Songs Of Bill Monroe / Rebel
• Pickin' Like A Girl / Daughters Of Bluegrass / Pickin' Like A Girl / Blue Circle Records
• I Wish That I Could Have Met Carter / Stanley Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever Records
• Never Can Forgive 'Til I Forget / Daughters Of Bluegrass feat. Michelle Nixon / Pickin' Like A Girl / Blue Circle Records
• Clinch Mountain Mystery / Larry Stephenson / Clinch Mountain Mystery / Pinecastle
• Don't Forget The Coffee, Billy Joe / Gibson Brothers / Bona Fide / Sugar Hill
• Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine / Tom T. Hall / Greatest Hits, Volume 2 / Mercury
• It's Just A Road / The Boxcars / It's Just A Road / Mountain Home
• Fiddlin' Will / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Roads Well Traveled / Mountain Home
• The Lady In Gray / Ronnie Bowman / God Didn't Choose Sides / Rural Rhythm
• Shady Green / Edgar Loudermilk / forthcoming CD / Mountain Fever Records
• Sourwood Mountain / Hammertowne / Hammertowne / Mountain Fever Records
• You Can Count On My Love / The Roys / Gypsy Runaway Train / Rural Rhythm
• The Legend Of The Rebel Soldier / Country Gentlemen / The Award Winning Country Gentlemen / Rebel
• Purple Heart / Red Allen / Lonesome And Blue / Rebel
• Lost Soldier Son / Chris Brashear / Wanderlust / Copper Creek
• Soldier's Last Letter / Osborne Brothers / The Ernest Tubb Song Folio, Volume I / Pinecastle
• From Mother's Arms To Korea / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Forgotten Men / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• More Than A Name On A Wall / Dailey & Vincent / Dailey & Vincent / Rounder
• Robe Of White / Louvin Brothers / Songs That Tell A Story / Rounder
• There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere / Charlie Waller & the Country Gentlemen / Songs Of The American Spirit / Pinecastle
• Dixie Darlin' / Gordon Pike & the Dixie Darlins / Gordon Pike & the Dixie Darlins / Self-Produced
• They Called It Music / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Grandpa's Way Of Life / Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever Records
• Walking Up This Hill On Decoration Day / Don Rigsby / Doctor's Orders / Rebel
• I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home / Mac Wiseman / High Lonesome / CMH
• Blue Birds Are Singing For Me / Mac Wiseman with Lester Flatt / Bluegrass, 1971 / Rural Rhythm
• Bouquet In Heaven / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1948-1950 / JSP Records
• Country Church / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / The Pike Brothers & Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel
• Is There Room For Me / Loafers' Glory / Loafers' Glory / Arhoolie
• Walking In Good Company / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Story Of The Day That I Died / Rebel
• So Happy I'll Be / Rhonda Vincent & the Rage / Ragin' Live / Rounder
• Reveille Time In Heaven / Mac Wiseman / Bluegrass Hits And Heartsongs / Rebel
• I'm Making My Way / Traditional Grass / Songs Of Love And Life / Rebel
• Voice Of My Savior / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / High Lonesome / CMH
• Goodbye / Crowe/Lawson/Williams / Old Friends Get Together / Mountain Home
• Blue Grass Twist / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 5/19/2013

Hi Folks.

During the WHUS summer schedule, Amy has sole production responsibility for Bluegrass Cafe as I focus on Red Rooster Party with Marti.  I expect this will just be a summer shift, and I will return to the usual rotation of Bluegrass Cafe during the fall schedule.  That said, today was the first show of the summer schedule and Amy was away, so my appearance was as a fill-in host, which combined with Red Rooster Party made it a five-hour day on the air for me.

There was some great bluegrass though, starting with a trio of new recordings of songs from the pens of Tom T. and Dixie Hall by such Cafe favorites as Big Country Bluegrass and The Spinney Brothers.

Also, a couple of weeks ago we introduced new music from Low Gap NC native Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge, and we continued bringing music from that excellent disc to our listeners this week.

Dale Pyatt's song about Secretariat was appropriate for the day after the Preakness, and Rebecca Frazier's new solo effort made its first appearance on the show.

Rounding out the new music was material from The Gibson Brothers, Dailey & Vincent, Marty Raybon, Hammertowne, and The Boxcars.

We were still remembering George Jones when we played one of the last songs he recorded on a tribute project for Dr. Ralph Stanley.

The Heritage Corner was loaded with listener requests for first generation banjo instrumentals, so we played a cross-section from Earl, Don, Don, and Ralph.

Amy will be bringing you the banjos and fiddles of Bluegrass Cafe for most of the rest of the summer, so you know bluegrass is in good hands.  And if you are interested in where this music came from, try out Red Rooster Party 2-4pm just before Bluegrass Cafe.

Jim Beaver

requests in blue

Song Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Alcatraz Island Blues / Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent
• Day In The Life Of A Railroad Spike / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• Thinkin' Of Home / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak
• I'm Putting On My Leaving Shoes / Big Country Bluegrass / Memories Of The Past / Rebel
• I Wish That I Could've Met Carter / The Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever
• I Want My Dog Back / The Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever
• When You're Holding Me / Rhonda Vincent / Single-release / Upper Management
• Run Secretariat Run / Dale Pyatt / Dale Pyatt / Self-released
• May I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister / Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge / Rollin' With Tradition / Self-released
• Randy Lynn Rag / Flatt & Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia
• Dixie Breakdown / Don Reno & Red Smiley / Early Years 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Buy A Ring, Find A Preacher / The Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass
• Steel Drivin' Man / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers Of The Highway / Rounder
• Love Someone Like Me / Darlene & Reflections Of Bluegrass / If It Ain't Love / Self-released
• How Could I Dream Such A Dream / George Jones / A Special Tribute To A Living Legend - Dr. Ralph Stanley / Nathan Stanley
• Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow / Rebecca Frazier / When We Fall / Compass
• Salt River / The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots - 1961 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Clinch Mountain Backstep / The Stanley Brothers / Classic Bluegrass Collection / Time Life
• Tennessee / Jimmy Martin / Classic Bluegrass Collection / Time Life
• Little Maggie / Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys / Appalachian Stomp: More Bluegrass Classics / Rhino
• Ruby / The Osborne Brothers / Appalachian Stomp: More Bluegrass Classics / Rhino
• Mystery Train / The Grascals / Life Finds A Way / Mountain Home
• Emmaline / Lou Reid & Carolina / Callin' Me Back Home / KMA
• The Big Burnsville Jail / Marty Raybon & Full Circle / The Back Forty / Rural Rhythm
• Kristi Lynn / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Cotton Farmer / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• He Could Pick The Hound / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Whiskey / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Mandolin Tango / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Southern Train / The Boxcars / It's Just A Road / Mountain Home
• Did She Mention My Name / Robert Hale / Pure & Simple / Pinecastle
• Iver Johnson Is My Name / Hammertowne / Self-titled / Mountain Fever
• Our Old Kentucky Home / Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers / They're Playing My Song / Rebel
• Gypsy, Joe and Me / Missy Werner / Drifting and Dreaming / Self-released
• Roger's Reel (bed) / Roger & JD Williams / Williams Squared / Happy Appy
• Crimson Raptor (bed) / Roger & JD Williams / Williams Squared / Happy Appy
• Goin' To The Dance / Chris Warner / Goin' To The Dance / Patuxent
• Lonesome Pine Breakdown / The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers / Windy Mountain / Bear Family
• Dooley / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• Nine Pound Hammer / The Kentucky Colonels / Appalachian Stomp: Bluegrass Classics / Rhino
• Pretty Little Girl From Galax / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• I'm Going Back To The Mountain / Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press / New Bluegrass & Old Heartaches / Rural Rhythm
• Play The Lonesome Sound / Dewey Brown / Hard Times For A Fiddler / Dew Bug
• Don't Wait For The Hearse To Take You To Church / Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band / Don't Wait For The Hearse To Take You To Church / Rural Rhythm
• When He Beckons Me Home / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Live at Red, White & Bluegrass / Mountain Home
• Let Your Light Shine For Jesus / John Bowman / Family Chain - The Songs of Joe Isaacs / Pisgah
• Talk About Suffering / Tony Rice & Ricky Skaggs / Heaven Bound / Time Life
• On The Jericho Road / Tom Mindte & Jeremy Stephens / Radio Favorites & Sacred Songs / Patuxent
• Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Mickey Boles / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• Working On A Building / The Seldom Scene / Heaven Bound / Time Life
• Hear Jerusalem Mourn / Don Reno & Red Smiley / Early Years 1951-1959 / Gusto
• I Can't Sit Down / Wade & Julia Mainer / Heaven Bound 2 / Time Life
• We Shall Meet Someday / The Stanley Brothers / A Clinch Mountain Sunday Vol. 2 / Harmony
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w.Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 5/12/2013

With my mother, Eleanor Orlomoski, at a Ricky Skaggs concert - 1989

Next to the "girl of my dreams" and the "girl I left behind me," Mother has to be one of the most popular subjects in Bluegrass (and traditional country music) songwriting.  There are hundreds of songs we could have played on this Mother's Day edition of the Bluegrass Cafe.  Some of these songs are overly sentimental and some are incredibly sad, but I'd like to think that the ones we played on the air today were quite enjoyable, overall.  It wouldn't have been difficult to fill all three hours of the show with songs of Mother, but  today, we chose nearly two dozen tunes performed by the Gibson Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Allerton & Alton, Wayne Taylor, BearTracks, Chris Brashear, Lynn Morris, Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys, Reno & Smiley, the Johnson Mountain Boys, David Peterson, the Spinney Brothers, Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show, and the Seldom Scene.  In addition, we played a song written by our former Bluegrass Cafe show producer, Myrna Riquier, as well as a couple of mother/gospel songs from Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, the Bear Bridge Band, the Warrior River Boys, and the Stanley Brothers.  Hope all of the mothers who were listening -- and even the ones who weren't -- had a most delightful Mother's Day!

Great new traditional Bluegrass is
on the way in June from Big
Country Bluegrass

In addition to Mother's Day, we shared quite a bit of newer music from some recent projects, or from recordings that are soon-to-be released in the not-too-distant future.  Newer music was heard from Becky Buller (from the "Pickin' Like A Girl" box set on Blue Circle Records), Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, Mark Newton & Steve Thomas, Big Country Bluegrass, Jason Davis, Sutton, Holt & Coleman, the Spinney Brothers, Alan Bibey & Wayne Benson, the Gibson Brothers, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Shannon & Heather Slaughter & County Clare, the Lonesome River Band (from the "God Didn't Choose Sides" project on Rural Rhythm), Dailey & Vincent, and Don Rigsby.  We also heard from newer bands with names like Cumberland Gap Connection, the Trinity River Band, and Long Road Home.  So much great music -- so hard to get it all on the air in just three hours a week...

Which reminds me, the WHUS Summer Schedule goes into effect at midnight on Sunday going into Monday, and there are a couple of programming issues of which you may wish to be aware.  James and Cathy Ward's weekday program, "Bluegrass Rules," will be on the air on Tuesdays for the summer.  James tells me the hours are 1-4PM, but you may wish to tune in on Tuesday to find out for certain.  Also, Jim and Marti's "Red Rooster Party" returns to the WHUS airwaves this summer, too.  Their program will air from 2-4PM on Sundays, so be sure to tune in, won't you?  For the most part, Jim plans to step back from his Bluegrass Cafe hosting duties this summer, so you'll be hearing from me quite a bit over the next couple of months.  Hope you'll still tune in to the show!  (I say that, but Jim will be with you next Sunday afternoon [5/19], as I'm going to Hamden to see Hot Rize.  Exciting!)

Hope everyone has a great week, and we'll be seeing you again really soon...

Amy


REQUESTS ARE RED

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• God Bless Her, 'Cause She Is My Mother / Gibson Brothers / Spread Your Wings / Hay Holler
• Dear Old Mother / Jim & Jesse / In The Tradition / Rounder
• Every Day Is Mother's Day To Me / Allerton & Alton / Black, White & Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Dear Mom / Wayne Taylor / Dear Mom / Raincoe Music
• From The Hollow / BearTracks / From The Hollow / AMT Records
• Mama's Opry / Chris Brashear / Heart Of The Country / Dog Boy Records
• Momma's Flowers / Myrna Riquier / Momma's Flowers / Self-Produced
• Mama's Hand / Lynn Morris / Mama's Hand / Rounder
• If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah 
• Mother's Voice Is In The Wind / Johnson Mountain Boys / The Walls Of Time / Rounder
• There's Always A Mother Waiting At Home / David Peterson / Simplicity / Self-Produced
• I Haven't Seen Mama In Years / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
• Mama Tried / Seldom Scene / SCENEchronized / Sugar Hill
• Mama Don't Allow / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Rambler's Blues / Cumberland Gap Connection / Another Song / Mountain Fever Records
• Nightwalk / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Life Finds A Way / The Grascals / Life Finds A Way / Mountain Home
• Road Into Town / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• The Windowsill Song / Becky Buller / Pickin' Like A Girl / Blue Circle Records
• Nobody's Business / Mark Newton & Steve Thomas / Reborn / Pinecastle
• I'm Putting On My Leaving Shoes / Big Country Bluegrass / Memories Of The Past / Rebel
• Bootleg John / Jason Davis / forthcoming CD / Mountain Fever Records
• Streamline Cannonball / Sutton, Holt & Coleman / Ready For The Times / High Windy Audio
• Louisville Woman / Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever Records
• Oh The Pain Of Loving You / Trinity River Band / Today Don't Look Like Rain / Self-Produced
• Angelina Baker / Long Road Home / Headed Back To Dixieland / Argus
• Crazy Creek / Alan Bibey & Wayne Benson / The Mandolin Chronicles / Pinecastle
• Keepin' It Between The Lines (Old School) / Peter Rowan / The Old School / Compass Records
• You Tried To Ruin My Name / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• Cryin' Heart Blues / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• Goin' Across The Sea / Hot Rize / In Concert / Flying Fish
• Dusty Old World / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• The Story Of The Day That I Died / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Story Of The Day That I Died / Rebel
• Always Be Kind To Your Mother / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• The Lives Of The Innocent / Shannon & Heather Slaughter & County Clare / One More Road / Self-Produced
• The Legend Of Jennie Wade / Lonesome River Band / God Didn't Choose Sides / Rural  Rhythm
• I Heard My Mother Call My Name In Prayer / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• Mother Prays Loud In Her Sleep / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1953-1955 / JSP Records
• Won't It Be Wonderful There / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers Of The Highway / Rounder
• Lord Protect My Soul / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak Records
• A Vision Of Mother / Stanley Brothers / The Complete Columbia Stanley Brothers / Columbia
• Traveling The Highway Home / Don Rigsby / Doctor's Orders / Rebel
• I Saw Mother With God Last Night / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Gospel / Columbia
• My Mother's Bible / Warrior River Boys / New Beginnings / Rounder
• Let The Light Shine Down / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 5/5/2013

Hot Rize in Lexington, MA - 11/3/2010

Today's show was crazy busy, no doubt about it.  It was make-up day for our conversation with Eric Gibson which had initially been scheduled in early April, but had to be postponed because of a lack of telephone access for us at WHUS on April 7th.  Then, the opportunity presented itself to talk to Tim O'Brien in anticipation of the Hot Rize reunion show that'll be happening on May 19th in Hamden, CT.  Of course, we didn't want to pass up a chance to talk to Tim, but his schedule said we HAD to talk to him today, so that made the May 5th show a double-interview day.  Since this was my first "regular" show post-Radiothon, I had a whole lot of brand new (or, fairly new) music that I'd wanted to get on the air, too, but there's only so much that can be crammed into a three-hour show, I'm afraid.  We'll get to more music next time, I'm sure...

Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers in Lexington, MA - 11/3/2010

First up, a quick chat with Tim O'Brien -- the wonderful co-founder/mandolin picker/fiddler/lead singer/songwriter of one of my favorite bands, Hot Rize.  This group was so much fun to watch in their initial run from 1978 to 1990 -- they knew how to play and sing, they introduced some great original songs to the Bluegrass canon, and for variety, they always brought along a slightly broken-down, hillbilly band who traveled in the back of the Hot Rize bus:  Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers.  Unlike some bands who break up and the members want nothing to do with each other post-breakup, the men of Hot Rize (O'Brien, Pete Wernick on banjo, Nick Forster on bass, Charles Sawtelle on guitar) began doing a few reunion shows a year shortly after they retired in 1990.  When Charles Sawtelle died of complications from leukemia in 1999, a young Hot Rize fan named Bryan Sutton was recruited to become the band's guitar player for these reunion shows.  On Sunday, Tim O'Brien talked a bit about the Hamden show, and even mentioned that a new Hot Rize record in 2014 *might* be a possibility.  Guess we'll have to wait and see.  For now, though, seeing Hot Rize (and Red Knuckles, too) is a really terrific option.  More information on the Hamden show can be found by clicking here.  

Eric & Leigh Gibson (and Mike Barber) at Norfolk's
Inifinity Hall, 4/27/2013

Next up, we got to have a nice visit with Eric Gibson.  As you probably know, the young Gibson Brothers played a whole lot of Bluegrass festivals in the northeast while they were learning their craft, and so, they've long been favorites of a whole lot of folks here in New England.  Their recent success in the larger World of Bluegrass -- the Gibsons are the reigning IBMA Entertainers of the Year -- is not a surprise to folks who've been loyal fans of the brothers over the years.  In late March, the Gibsons released "They Called It Music," their 11th recording, and perhaps the most successful.  In the short six weeks since the record came out, "They Called It Music" (the song) has been zooming up the various Bluegrass charts, even hitting #1 on the Bluegrass Today weekly chart just two weeks after its March 26th release.  Wow.  Clearly, the record was a super-popular premium choice for folks who donated to WHUS during our recent Radiothon fundraising campaign, and our listeners can't be wrong!  Who can say...this latest Gibson record just may turn out to be another big IBMA award winner in the fall -- time will tell.  As you might expect, the Gibsons have a pretty big festival season lined up for Summer 2013, but you'll still have several chances to get out and see them at various New England Bluegrass festivals.  In Connecticut, you'll find the brothers at Strawberry Park in Preston on May 31st.  Get out and see them, if you can!  

With two big guests on the show, you can guess that we heard quite a few songs from both Hot Rize and the Gibsons.  The recent passing of George Jones has inspired much radio airplay for a lot of his music at WHUS and other radio outlets all over the world, and while Jim shared a whole lot of Jones music in last week's Bluegrass Cafe, I couldn't resist playing a few more Bluegrass covers of the Possum's material.  There were several more wonderful Jones songs we could have played, but today's covers came from the Grascals, Ralph Stanley (joined by George Jones, himself), Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, Summer Wages, Bill Grant & Delia Bell, and the Seldom Scene.  Great music never dies...

Even with all of the interviews and George Jones songs, there was still time for a little bit of new music today, too.  That newer music came to us from projects we've received over the last couple of weeks, but couldn't really get on the air due to Radiothon.  These new recordings are from projects by Marty Raybon & Full Circle, Hammertowne, Peter Rowan, Dailey & Vincent, the Spinney Brothers, Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge, the Boxcars, and Don Rigsby's new tribute to Ralph Stanley.  Great stuff, and you can count on hearing a whole lot more of it in future editions of Bluegrass Cafe.

Our WHUS Summer Schedule will be announced at a staff meeting on Monday night, and the new schedule will take effect at midnight on Monday, May 13th.  We'll let you know where both Bluegrass Cafe and James & Cathy Ward's Bluegrass Rules end up on the schedule as soon as we know...

Thanks again for the Radiothon support, and have a great week!

Amy

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• White Lightning / The Grascals / Celebration Of Life / Skaggs Family
• The Window Up Above / Ralph Stanley with George Jones / Clinch Mountain Country / Rebel
• I'm A One Woman Man / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Shades Of The Past / Sugar Hill
• The Race Is On / Summer Wages / Summer Wages / Rebel
• Radio Boogie / Hot Rize / So Long Of A Journey / Sugar Hill
• Colleen Malone / Hot Rize / Take It Home / Sugar Hill
• Climbing Up A Mountain / Hot Rize / So Long Of A Journey / Sugar Hill
• **Conversation with Tim O'Brien**
• Shadows In My Room / Hot Rize / So Long Of A Journey / Sugar Hill
• That Janie Baker / Marty Raybon & Full Circle / The Back Forty / Rural Rhythm
• This Old Martin Box / Hammertowne / Hammertowne / Mountain Fever Records
• When I Stop Dreaming / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers Of The Highway / Rounder
• The Mountain Doctor / Don Rigsby / Doctor's Orders:  A Salute To Ralph Stanley / Rebel
• Don't Cheat In Our Hometown / Stanley Brothers / Don't Cheat In Our Hometown / King Records
• Is It True / Jim & Jesse / First Sounds:  The Capitol Years / Capitol
• Crazy Finger Blues / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Sophronie / Jimmy Martin / You Don't Know My Mind / Rounder
• Flame In My Heart / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / Dreaming / Rounder
• Walk Through This World With Me / Seldom Scene / Different Roads / Rebel
• They Called It Music / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• **Conversation with Eric Gibson**
• The Darker The Night, The Better I See / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Listen To Me Mother / Chris Brashear / Heart Of The Country / Dog Boy Records
• That's All She Wrote / Peter Rowan / The Old School / Compass Records
• Grandpa's Way Of Life / Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever Records
• Lonely River / Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge / Rollin' With Tradition / Self-Produced
• It's Just A Road / The Boxcars / It's Just A Road / Mountain Home
• Seen It All / Bob Amos / Borrowed Time / Bristlecone
• Home On The River / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Move On / Grass Routes / Bailey's Deal / Self-Produced
• Savior, Save Me From Myself / Robert Hale / Pure & Simple / Pinecastle
• The Right Side / Flatt Lonesome / Flatt Lonesome / Pisgah Ridge
• Sailing On / Russell Moore with Dale Ann Bradley / Look To The Light:  Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Won't You Come And Sing For Me / Hot Rize / So Long Of A Journey /  Sugar Hill
• Preaching Praying Singing / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• Singing As We Rise / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

A big, big show on Sunday afternoon -- 5/5/2013

Hope you can find a few moments to join us for the Bluegrass Cafe on Sunday afternoon -- May 5, 2013.  It's looking like it's going to be a very jam-packed, (hopefully) fairly interesting program with conversations scheduled with not just one, but TWO, IBMA Entertainers of the Year, plus a really great festival ticket giveaway.  

Eric & Leigh Gibson at Infinity Hall - Norfolk, CT  4/28/2013

On the agenda:  we had initially scheduled a conversation with Eric Gibson of the Gibson Brothers on Sunday, April 7th.  However, the phones were not cooperating with us that day, so we rescheduled our conversation for May 5th.  The Gibson Brothers' latest recording from Compass Records, "They Called It Music," was a super-popular premium choice during our recent Radiothon campaign, and the record will be the main topic during Sunday's telephone chat.  We hope to get Eric on the phone sometime around 5:30PM.  

The Gibsons have a really busy festival season ahead, and, as always, they will be playing a few dates all over New England this summer, including stops at Strawberry Park, two festivals in the State of Maine (both Blistered Fingers festivals in June and August AND Thomas Point Beach over Labor Day weekend), and New Hampshire's Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival in August.  Another Gibson stop will be a two-day stint at the wonderful Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival in Tunbridge, VT.  The Jenny Brook promoters -- Candi and Seth Sawyer -- have generously offered us one four-day festival pass to give to a lucky WHUS listener.  If you'd like the pass, be sure to listen to the show on Sunday, won't you?

Hot Rize last appeared in New England in November 2010
at this Boston BG Union show.

If talking to one Entertainer of the Year isn't enough, though, there's a pretty excellent chance that we'll also get to have a chat with the multi-talented Tim O'Brien sometime around 4:30PM.  If you're not aware, Tim O'Brien was one of the founding members of the seminal 1980s band, Hot Rize, who were named the 1990 Entertainers of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association.  Hot Rize may have quit working full-time as a band in 1990, but O'Brien, bass player Nick Forster, and "Dr. Banjo" Pete Wernick, along with Bryan Sutton on guitar play a few "reunion" shows every year (founding member and guitar picker Charles Sawtelle died from complications of leukemia in 1999).  On May 19th, Hot Rize will make Hamden, CT a stop on their "reunion" tour for 2013.  For more info on this GuitarTownCT production, click here.  

So, tomorrow's show promises to be a very full one.  Hope you can listen to at least part of it.  Check it out at 91.7 on your FM dial in eastern CT, or www.whus.org from anywhere in the world.  See you then!

Amy