Playlist - 3/30/2014 - A Visit With Alex Leach

Hi Folks,

After a half-hour sports preemption we hit the airwaves running with some hold-on-tight bluegrass music.

Alex Leach
photo by Northern California BG Society

Alex Leach was the featured guest.  Alex not only is a bluegrass multi-instrumentalist who appears on multiple recordings with Larry Gillis and others, picks the banjo with Ralph Stanley II, and has his own solo recordings, but he has also been a bluegrass DJ at WDVX near Knoxville TN for over sixteen years!  Alex's birthday is Monday, March 31st (tomorrow as I write this) and he turns 25, so you can see his whole life has been consumed with bluegrass music.  He actually has more radio and performing experience than many folks over twice his age, including me.  Alex was gracious to share his story, his knowledge, and his music with us on Bluegrass Cafe, and we hope to have him back sometime soon.  Check out his excellent deep-catalog bluegrass show on WDVX.com via the internet most Tuesday evenings 7-10pm ET.

Elsewhere on the show we played newer music from Ralph & Ralph II, Jim Lauderdale, Dailey & Vincent, Special Consensus, Windy Hill, Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers, Feller & Hill, The Easter Brothers, and Rhonda Vincent.

The Heritage Corner produced a list of classic and deep catalog music we hope was worthy of a show featuring Alex Leach:  Don Stover's last vinyl LP, music from the re-release of Jim & Jesse's radio shows, Al Wood, Roy McMillan, Bill Hall and Northwind with Skip Gorman & Richard Starkey, Fred Pike, Johnson Mountain Boys, The Reno Brothers, The Stanley Brothers, The Wilson Brothers, J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers, The Bear Bridge Band, and Paul Williams & Scott Brannon.  (Today also happened to be Paul Williams' birthday.)


We hope you heard something you liked.

The sports folks tell us Bluegrass Cafe is completely preempted next Sunday 6 April, but the schedule changes frequently depending on weather and win/loss records, so we will let you know if that changes.  The next show after that will be Amy on 13 April.

Jim Beaver

Artist / Song / Album / Label

• Gillis Brothers / Train 45 / Freight Train Special Volume Two - Songs of America's Railroads / Wango
• Ralph Stanley & Ralph Stanley II / A Little At A Time / Side By Side / Rebel
• Jim Lauderdale / Hold On Honey Hold On / Old Time Angels / Sky Crunch
• Dave Adkins / Pike County Jail / Nothing To Lose / Mountain Fever
• Dailey & Vincent / Big River / Brothers of the Highway / Rounder
• Scott Brannon / Wreck Of The 1262 / Freight Train Special Volume One - Songs of America's Railroads / Wango
• Don Stover / My Blue Ridge Memories / My Blue Ridge Memories / White Oak
• Special Consensus with Claire Lynch / Wild Montana Skies / Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver / Compass Records
• Alex Leach / Mountain Heartache / Mountain Heartache / Self-released

Interview with Alex Leach

• Alex Leach, Tom Isaacs, Larry Gillis / Jealous Lover / The Bucket List / Tinman
• Alex Leach / Locked Away From Your Heart / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• Alex Leach / Born and Raised In Covington / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• Larry Gillis / The Bottle / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys / There's More Pretty Girls Than One / Radio Shows / Rural Rhythm
• Al Wood / Mountain Man / Sing A Bluegrass Song / Rebel
• Roy McMillan / Up In The High Country / Up In The High Country / Rebel
• Travers Chandler & Avery County / Cotton Farmer / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Shady Creek / Houses On The Farm / Back To The Roots / Self-released
• Bill Hall and Northwind Bluegrass / When I Miss Her Most Of All / In The Shadow Of The Pines / Old Homestead
• Fred Pike (bed) / Southern Rain / Fred Pike & The Flat Top Guitar / Revonah
• Fred Pike (bed) / Alabama Jubilee / Fred Pike & The Flat Top Guitar / Revonah
• Fred Pike (bed) / Black Mountain Rag / Fred Pike & The Flat Top Guitar / Revonah
• Fred Pike (bed) / Spanish Grass / Fred Pike & The Flat Top Guitar / Revonah
• Johnson Mountain Boys / I'm Still To Blame / Working Close / Rounder
• Windy Hill / You Cheated Three Times / Lonesome Garbage Man / Self-released
• The Reno Brothers / Charlotte Breakdown / Drawing From The Well / Webco
• Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / Little Mountain Home / She Left Me Standing On a Mountain / Blue Circle Records
• The Wilson Brothers / Let Me Rest At The Top Of The Mountain / Lonesome Old Home / Crosscut
• The Easter Brothers / Let the Hallelujahs Roll / I'd Do It All Over Again / Pisgah
• Mickey Boles / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• The Stanley Brothers / Old Daniel Prayed / The Early Starday King Years 1958-1961 / Gusto
• The Bear Bridge Band / I Heard My Mother Call My Name In Prayer / One More Ride / Open Road
• Larry Gillis and the Hard Driving Bluegrass Band / Look Over Me Lord / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Paul Williams & Scott Brannon / This World Is Not My Home / Little Old Country Church House / Wango
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / The Forks Of The Road / 20 Original King Recordings / Gusto
• Feller and Hill / He's Coming Back to Earth Again / Here Come Feller and Hill...Again! / Blue Circle Records
• Rhonda Vincent / When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder / Performs Songs From The House With The Red Light / Upper Management
• Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Walking In A Dream / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 3/23/2014 (plus one hour of "Sunday Night Folk Festival")

It's NCAA Basketball Tournament time, and a Women's BB first-round game tonight at UConn's Gampel Pavilion meant the campus was extremely busy this afternoon.  It also meant that since our basketball broadcast began at 8PM, Susan Forbes Hansen turned over the first hour of her "Sunday Night Folk Festival" to us to play some "folksy" Bluegrass.  Mission accomplished, methinks...

As far as the Bluegrass goes, we included a bit of newer material in today's show from the band known as Detour, as well as a forthcoming project from Dobro great, Phil Leadbetter.  Beyond that, the music that made up today's Bluegrass Cafe was a mixture of old and new.  There were two other recent recordings featured in the first hour of "Sunday Night Folk Festival," and those came to us from the Special Consensus, Laurie Lewis, and a live recording featuring Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers with Edie Brickell.  

The all-star, radio gospel quartet -
great stuff!

For a bit of a change, I picked out a few songs to play from the Brown's Ferry Four -- an act that sort of pre-dated Bluegrass.  It's clear, though, that this quartet (Alton & Rabon Delmore, Grandpa Jones, Merle Travis) influenced a whole bunch of wonderful Bluegrass gospel music from several acts (but especially the wonderful Doyle Lawson).  It's always nice to hear music from the original sources that clearly had an impact on the sounds you hear from your favorite performers.  

Hope you were able to listen to at least a little bit of the radio show today...and whether you could or couldn't...we sure hope you'll join Jim again next Sunday afternoon from 4-7PM for lots more of the best in Bluegrass! 

Have a good week!

Amy



SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / Rocky Grass / Blue Planet
• Springtime In The Rockies / Bluegrass Patriots / When It's Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• When Springtime Comes Again / Vern Williams Band / Bluegrass From The Gold Country / Rounder
• Spring Will Bring Flowers / Balsam Range / Last Train To Kitty Hawk / Mountain Home
• Dreams About The Hills Of Home / Bluegrass Patriots / E Pluribus Bluegrass / Red Feather
• The Devil's Train / James King / Three Chords And The Truth / Rounder
• Wheel Hoss / Jimmy Gaudreau's Bluegrass Unit / Live In Holland / Strictly Country
• Banks Of The Ohio / Hot Mustard / Live At Mole Hill Theatre! / Howling Cat Records
• Salty Dog Blues / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics:  The Bluegrass Collection / Opry Music
• Thinking About You / David Peterson & 1946 / David Peterson & 1946 / Self-Produced
• Wild, Wild Rose / Bluegrass Patriots / E Pluribus Bluegrass / Red Feather
• I Can't Keep You In Love With Me / The Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Not A Word From Home / Joe Val / Diamond Joe / Rounder
• Out In The Cold World / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• I've Been All Around This World / Hot Rize / In Concert / Flying Fish
• In Despair / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass Records
• Milwaukee Blues / Loafers' Glory / Loafers' Glory / Arhoolie
• Walking The Blues / Appalachian Express / Walking The Blues / Rebel
• East Bound Freight Train / Reno & Smiley / The Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Your Old Standby / Jim Eanes / 35 Years Of The Best In Bluegrass / Rebel
• Mountain Girl / Lou Reid & Carolina / 20th Anniversary Concert / KMA Records
• Virginia Waltz / Johnson Mountain Boys / Let The Whole World Talk / Rounder
• I Can't Help Wondering / Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys / Radio Shows / Pinecastle
• I'm Gonna Try / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Bring 'Em On Back / Larry Sparks / Almost Home / Rounder
• Little Cabin Home On The Hill / Johnnie & Jack / Johnnie & Jack With Kitty Wells At KWKH / Bear Family
• Too Blue To Have The Blues / Detour / single / Mountain Fever Records
• Rambling Rollin' Stone / Phil Leadbetter with John Cowan / single / Pinecastle
• Where The Wild River Rolls / Jason Davis with Darrell Webb / Second Time Around / Mountain Fever Records
• You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover / Easter Brothers / I'd Do It All Over Again / Pisgah Ridge
• Don't Fall In Love With A Girl Like That / The Boxcars / All In / Mountain Home
• Standing Room Only / Stanley Brothers / Don't Cheat In Our Hometown / King
• Poor Monroe / Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs / Second Generation / Rebel
• Home Is Where The Heart Is / David Grisman / Home Is Where The Heart Is / Rounder
• Double Eagle / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / The Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel
• Margie / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• I'll Work It Out / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Steppin' Stones / Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys / You Don't Know My Mind / Rounder
• Amongst The Stones / Breaking Grass / Running With The Moon / Self-Produced
• Bluebirds Are Singing For Me / Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins / Hall Of Fame Bluegrass! / Rebel
• Just A Little Talk With Jesus / Brown's Ferry Four / Rockin' On The Waves--Complete King Recordings, 1946-1952 / King
• Rockin' On The Waves / Brown's Ferry Four / Rockin' On The Waves--Complete King Recordings, 1946-1952 / King
• Jesus Gave Me Water / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Rock My Soul / Sugar Hill
• I Love God's Way Of Living / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country
• Throne Of Grace / Warrior River Boys / New Beginnings / Rounder
• I'll Fly Away / Brown's Ferry Four / Rockin' On The Waves--Complete King Recordings, 1946-1952 / King
• Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room / Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road
• Preaching Praying Singing / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• Over In The Glory Land / Brown's Ferry Four / Rockin' On The Waves--Complete King Recordings, 1946-1952 / King
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder
  
  SUNDAY NIGHT FOLK FESTIVAL - FIRST HOUR
• Wild Montana Skies / Special Consensus with Claire Lynch / Country Boy:  A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver / Compass Records
• Follow Me/Leaving, On A Jet Plane / John Denver / An Evening With John Denver / RCA
• Matthew / Special Consensus / Country Boy:  A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver / Compass Records
• The Great Remember (For Nancy) / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers with Edie Brickell / Live / Rounder
• Atheists Don't Have No Songs / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers with Edie Brickell / Live / Rounder
• Daddy Played the Banjo / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers with Edie Brickell / Rounder
• Shadow Ridge / Chris Thile / Leading Off... / Sugar Hill
• Big Sandy River / Noam Pikelny / Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Play Bill Monroe / Compass Records
• Maple Sugar / Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys / Authentic Bluegrass Folk Music / Osage
• Kisses / Laurie Lewis with Tom Rozum & Nina Gerber / One Evening In May / Spruce & Maple Music
• Outbound Plane / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Flying / Organic Records
• Love Speak To Me / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Flying / Organic Records

Another Friday fill-in, 3/21/2014

Two more frequently played LPs from my childhood...

It's Spring Break at UConn, and so, as always, that has given a lot of us "old folks" at WHUS opportunities to do some fill-in programs to accommodate for the missing student broadcasters.  Today, I did my second Friday morning fill-in in a row -- three hours of what I initially thought might be a mix of classic country and Bluegrass music, but what in reality actually became more of a classic country showcase.  It cheers me to hear from folks listening to these classic country fill-in shows, as they always seem to enjoy listening to this style of music.  Hooray!  

After a Bluegrass kick-off, we played several songs from several performers that had been recorded live on the one and only Grand Ole Opry.  Even though the Opry has been a radio institution since its debut on WSM in 1925, it is still a big whoop to perform on the Grand Ole Opry.  We featured music from performers who were -- and still are -- noted Opry members for years and years, including Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves, Loretta Lynn, Ernest Tubb, Bill Anderson, and a few others.  


During last Friday's fill-in on my birthday, my playlist included all kinds of music that was on my "favorites" list.  Unfortunately, I ran out of time last Friday to really play all of the songs and performers I wanted to put on the show, so I made sure to get some of those "left out" recordings from last week this time around.  One of the CDs I played today was a reissue of a 1975 2-LP set from John Denver -- "An Evening With John Denver" -- that one of my brothers owned when it originally came out, and played quite frequently.  It's always enjoyable to revisit those favorites from childhood, and it seemed appropriate to do so now, as Special Consensus have just released their own Bluegrass tribute to John Denver ("Country Boy" on Compass Records).  Far out!  

On Sunday afternoon following UConn Baseball, we'll be back on the air with Bluegrass Cafe.  Hope you can join me!  

Amy


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

• New Mule Skinner Blues / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1950-1951 / JSP Records
• Head Over Heels In Love / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1950-1952 / JSP Records
• Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes / Jim & Jesse / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics:  The Bluegrass Collection / Opry Music
• Out In The Cold World / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• Lovesick Blues / Hank Williams / Live At The Grand Ole Opry / Mercury
• Oh Lonesome Me / Don Gibson / Opry Country Classics, Volume 1 / Opry Music
• You Ain't Woman Enough / Loretta Lynn / Opry Country Classics, Volume 2 / Opry Music
• At The End Of A Long, Lonely Day / Marty Robbins / Live Classics / Sony Music
• Great Speckled Bird / Roy Acuff / Opry Country Classics, Volume 1 / Opry Music
• Hey Good Lookin' / Hank Williams / Live At The Grand Ole Opry / Mercury
• Waitin' For A Train / Jim Reeves / Live At The Opry / Country Music Foundation
• She's Got You / Patsy Cline / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics, Volume 1 / Opry Music
• Walking The Floor Over You / Ernest Tubb / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics, Volume 2 / Opry Music
• Bright Lights And Country Music / Bill Anderson / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics, Volume 1 / Opry Music
• Second Fiddle To An Old Guitar / Jean Shepard / Opry Country Classics, Volume 2 / Opry Music
• According To My Heart / Jim Reeves / Live At The Opry / Country Music Foundation
• I Take The Chance / The Browns / The Complete Hits / Collectors' Choice Music
• If I Could Only Win Your Love / Louvin Brothers / When I Stop Dreaming:  The Best Of The Louvin Brothers / Razor & Tie
• Just As Long As You Love Me / The Browns / The Complete Hits / Collectors' Choice Music
• The Great Atomic Power / Louvin Brothers / When I Stop Dreaming:  The Best Of The Louvin Brothers / Razor & Tie
• Take My Ring From Your Finger / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels / Kitty Wells / 20th Century Masters / MCA
• Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• (When You Feel Like You're In Love) Don't Just Stand There / Carl Smith / The Essential Carl Smith / Columbia
• Hey Porter / Johnny Cash / The Essential Johnny Cash / Columbia
• Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad / Tammy Wynette / Classic Country:  The Sixties / Time Life
• The Window Up Above / George Jones / The Essential George Jones / Epic Legacy
• Dang Me / Roger Miller / 20th Century Masters / Mercury
• Curtain In The Window / Ray Price / The Essential Ray Price / Columbia Legacy
• Holdin' On To Nothing / Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton / Classic Country:  The Sixties / Time Life
• Love's Gonna Live Here / Buck Owens / 21 #1 Hits / Rhino
• The Music Is You / John Denver / An Evening With John Denver / RCA
• Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning) / John Denver / An Evening With John Denver / RCA
• Thank God I'm A Country Boy / John Denver / An Evening With John Denver / RCA
• Rocky Mountain High / John Denver / An Evening With John Denver / RCA
• Wild Montana Skies / Special Consensus with Claire Lynch / Country Boy / Compass Records
• Carry Me Back / Statler Brothers / Carry Me Back / Mercury
• Since Then / Statler Brothers / Innerview / Mercury
• So This Is Love / Lew DeWitt / On My Own / Compleat Records
• Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through) / Johnny Rodriguez / The Greatest Hits Of Johnny Rodriguez / Mercury
• Country Is / Tom T. Hall / Greatest Hits, Volume 2 / Mercury
• 1982 / Randy Travis / Storms Of Life / Warner Bros.
• Timber I'm Falling In Love / Patty Loveless / Honky Tonk Angels / MCA
• On The Other Hand / Keith Whitley / L.A. To Miami / RCA
• Crying My Heart Out Over You / Ricky Skaggs / Country Gentleman:  The Best Of Ricky Skaggs / Epic Legacy
• Don't Cheat In Our Hometown / Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs / Second Generation / Rebel
• Why Don't You Love Me / Hank Williams / Live At The Grand Ole Opry / Opry Music
• Down The Trail Of Aching Hearts / Hank Snow with Anita Carter / The Singing Ranger / Living Era
• To Warm And Comfort You / Pike Family & the Pine Hill Ranchers / To Warm And Comfort You / Rebel
• Feeling Blue / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / The Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel
• Pikearoo / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / The Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel

Playlist 3/16/2014

Hi Folks.

It's been a month since I've been solo at Bluegrass Cafe, but today was the day, and we celebrated with a big ole cross section of classic bluegrass music along with some new material.

Our old vinyl consisted of some 45 singles from the Dillard Brothers (Doug and Rodney Dillard before The Dillards were a band), Al Jones and the Spruce Mountain Boys, and Country Pardners, a group led by Bill Price and Carlos Brock that recorded eight sides for RCA Victor in 1956.




Notable new music included tracks from the Kentucky group Turning Ground, Dave Adkins, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers, Rhonda Vincent, Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie, California group Windy Hill, and Ralph Stanley and Ralph Stanley II together.

The Heritage corner included, besides our 45 singles, songs from Hylo Brown, Reno & Smiley, Jim & Jesse, Earl Taylor, Bill Harrell, Delia Bell & Bill Grant, The Chuck Wagon Gang, and Buzz Busby.

We hope you enjoyed the show.




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

Jim Beaver

Requests in bold blue

Artist / Song / Album / Label

• Johnson Mountain Boys / Five Speed / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• Ralph Stanley & Ralph Stanley II / Carolina Mountain Home / Side By Side / Rebel
• Windy Hill / My Little Darlin's Shoes / Lonesome Garbage Man / Self-released
• Rhonda Vincent / O'er Yonder Hill / Performs Songs From The House With The Red Light / Upper Management
• Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers / Katie Mae / Live / Rounder
• Johnson Mountain Boys / Black Eyed Susie / Requests / Rounder
• Reno & Smiley / Barefoot Nellie / Early Years 1951 - 1959 / Gusto
• Turning Ground / Heartache / March 2, 2012 / Self-released
• Dave Atkins / At Least It Wasn't Life / Nothing To Lose / Mountain Fever
• Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys / Diesel Train / Radio Shows / Rural Rhythm
• Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / Little Mountain Home / She Left Me Standing On a Mountain / Blue Circle
• The Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Blue Blue Day / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Al Jones & The Spruce Mountain Boys / Out In The Country / 45 RPM Single / Glenmar
• Dillard Brothers / Mama Don't Llow / 45 RPM Single / K-Ark
• Al Jones & The Spruce Mountain Boys / Reaching For The Sun / 45 RPM Single / Glenmar
• Dillard Brothers / Highway Of Sorrow / 45 RPM Single / K-Ark
• Bill Emerson And Sweet Dixie / Dancin' Annie / Dancin’ Annie / Rural Rhythm Records
• Rhonda Vincent / We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds (feat. Daryle Singletary) / Only Me / Upper Management
• Earl Taylor And Jim McCall with The Stoney Mountain Boys / Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms / The Best Of Bluegrass Volume 1 / Rural Rhythm
• Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / 'Neath That Cold Grey Tomb Of Stone / Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways / Smithsonian Folkways
• Travers Chandler & Avery County / Things In Life / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Hylo Brown / Handsome Molly / Hylo Brown / Rural Rhythm
• Red Smiley and the Bluegrass Cutups / In The Pines / Red Smiley and The Bluegrass Cutups / Rural Rhythm
• Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys / White House Blues / Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways / Smithsonian Folkways
• Country Pardners / The Maple On The Hill / 45 RPM Single / RCA Victor
• Sammy Adkins & the Sandy Hook Mountain Boys / You Left Me This Morning / Tribute To Keith Whitley / Crosscut
• The Little Roy & Lizzy Show / Orange Blossom Special / Pop! Goes the Banjo / Vine Records
• The Little Roy & Lizzy Show / Ding Bat & Doo Da / Pop! Goes the Banjo / Vine Records
• The Little Roy & Lizzy Show / Elijah Clark Stomp / Pop! Goes the Banjo / Vine Records
• The Johnny Jackson Band / Keep Your Skillet Good and Greasy / Play Requests / Self-released
• Bill Harrell / I'll Never See You Anymore / Second Generation Bluegrass / Country Stars
• Buzz Busby / Where Will This End / Second Generation Bluegrass / Country Stars
• Turning Ground / March 2, 2012 / March 2, 2012 / Self-released
• Dave Adkins / Put Some Grass In It / Nothing To Lose / Mountain Fever
• Gibson Brothers / Buy A Ring, Find A Preacher / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Gillis Brothers / Wake Up, Peter / Sunshine In The Shadows / Hay Holler
• Windy Hill / Get In Line Brother / Let's Go to the Fair / Self-released
• Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / Eight Steps Toward the Lord / She Left Me Standing On a Mountain / Blue Circle
• Mickey Boles / The In Crowd / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• Delia Bell and Bill Grant / When The Angels Come To Get Me / Sacred Favorites Through The Years / Old Homestead
• Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys / Precious Memories / Radio Shows / Rural Rhythm
• Johnson Mountain Boys / Standing In The Need Of Prayer / Requests / Rounder
• James King / My Lord Keeps A Record / Webco Classics Volume Two / Webco
• The Chuck Wagon Gang / Mighty Close To Heaven / America's Popular Family Quartet / Cattle
• Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Walking In A Dream / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

Amy's Birthday Shuffle -- 3/14/2014

The Birthday Girl long, long ago...

So, last week, the opportunity came up to do what I thought was a 3-hour fill-in radio program at WHUS today...which also happens to be my birthday.  Even though I'm NOT really a "morning person," I got up and arrived in Storrs well before the 7AM start time of the program.  My goal was pretty basic -- play a bunch of songs that I like -- sort of like what might come up on the "shuffle" feature on my iPod (which is generally how I listen to music).  Turns out that a 15-minute WHUS news program at the end made the show end at 9:45AM, but still, I think the mix of songs came out okay even if I'm not exactly the best judge!  

For the kicker, I even played a few Broadway show tunes and a John Philip Sousa march -- music I've NEVER played on the air during 20+ years of broadcasting.  Still, these are songs that could be heard on my iPod and are some of my favorites, so why not include 'em?  As it turns out, I had way more music with me than I had time to play it this morning, so perhaps we'll be listening to a few more of my favorites during NEXT Friday morning's fill-in, 7-10AM (I think).  

If you heard the show, hope you enjoyed it.  If you're more interested in hearing straight Bluegrass, James & Cathy Ward host their "Bluegrass Rules" program on Friday afternoons from 4-5PM, and Jim will be behind the mic for this Sunday's "Bluegrass Cafe."  Join him from 4-7PM on Sunday, won't you?  

Enjoy your weekend!

Amy


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

• El Capitan / U.S. Marine Band / Sousa's Greatest Hits / Altissimo 
• Lovesick Blues / Hank Williams / Long Gone Lonesome Blues / Country Stars
• I've Got Five Dollars And It's Saturday Night / Faron Young / The Complete Capitol Hits Of Faron Young / Collectors' Choice Music
• Satisfaction Guaranteed / Carl Smith / Let's Live A Little / Living Era
• It's Been So Long / Webb Pierce / 20th Century Masters / MCA
• Nobody's Lonesome For Me / Hank Williams / Long Gone Lonesome Blues / Country Stars
• Goin' Steady / Faron Young / The Complete Capitol Hits Of Faron Young / Collectors' Choice Music
• Talk To Your Heart / Ray Price / The Essential Ray Price / Columbia Legacy
• Dog-Gone It, Baby, I'm In Love / Carl Smith / Let's Live A Little / Living Era
• I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) / Ray Price / The Essential Ray Price / Columbia Legacy
• Big Iron / Marty Robbins / Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs / Columbia
• The Master's Call / Marty Robbins / Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs / Columbia
• El Paso / Marty Robbins / Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs / Columbia
• He'll Have To Go / Jim Reeves / RCA Country Legends / RCA
• A Satisfied Mind / Porter Wagoner / RCA Country Legends / RCA
• Sweet Thang / Ernest Tubb with Loretta Lynn / The Definitive Collection / MCA
• The Rhumba Boogie / Hank Snow / The Goldrush Is Over / Bear Family
• Honeymoon On A Rocket / Hank Snow / The Singing Ranger / Living Era
• Young Love / Sonny James / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics, Volume 2 / Opry Music
• Once A Day / Connie Smith / The Essential Connie Smith / BMG
• Brown Eyed Handsome Man / Waylon Jennings / The Early Years / BMG
• Poison Love / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
• Sea Of Heartbreak / Don Gibson / RCA Country Legends / RCA
• Dumb Blonde / Dolly Parton / Box Set Sampler / RCA
• Five Feet High And Rising / Johnny Cash / Columbia Records, 1958-1986 / Columbia
• Ring Of Fire / Carter Family / 30x30 / Columbia
• When I Stop Dreaming / Louvin Brothers / When I Stop Dreaming:  The Best Of The Louvin Brothers / Razor & Tie
• We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds / George Jones & Melba Montgomery / The Essential George Jones / Epic Legacy
• You're Looking At Country / Loretta Lynn / Country Music Hall Of Fame / MCA
• Flowers On The Wall / Statler Brothers / Johnny Cash At Madison Square Garden / Columbia
• New York City / Statler Brothers / Bed Of Rose's / Mercury
• Thank You World / Statler Brothers / Thank You, World / Mercury
• Eight More Miles To Louisville / Statler Brothers / Sons Of The Motherland / Mercury
• No Vacancy / Bob Paisley & the Southern Grass / No Vacancy / Brandywine [Bob Paisley birthday:  3/14/1931]
• Casey Jones / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road [Terry McGill birthday:  3/14/19__]
• The Nights Are So Long / Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder
• Making Up Stories / Johnson Mountain Boys / Favorites / Rounder
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder
• I Can't Like Myself / Gibson Brothers Bluegrass Band / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm Records
• Matterhorn / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• The Train Song / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• I'm On A Journey / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• Country Church / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / The Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel
• Oklahoma! / Cast / Oklahoma! (Original Film Soundtrack) / Broadway Angel
• Seventy-Six Trombones / Cast / The Music Man (Original Broadway Soundtrack) / Broadway Angel
• On The Street Where You Live / Cast / My Fair Lady (Original Broadway Cast) / Columbia
• A Bushel And A Peck / Cast / Guys & Dolls (Original Cast Album) / MCA
• Honey Bun / Cast / South Pacific (Original Broadway Cast) / Columbia
• Love's Gonna Live Here / Buck Owens & His Buckaroos / Carnegie Hall Concert! / Sundazed
• Mama Tried / Merle Haggard / Vintage Collections / Capitol
• Story Of Love / Desert Road Band / Greatest Hits / MCA Curb

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 3/9/2014

This was our first post-Radiothon edition of Bluegrass Cafe, and our intention was to play LOTS of music.  However, the UConn Men's Baseball game went into extra innings after the other team tied up the game with 2 outs in the 9th, so that didn't allow the show to start until about 4:40PM.  Still, we tried to squeeze in as much music as possible -- and a whole bunch of it was brand-spanking new to our WHUS airwaves...

What a terrific reissue for Rural Rhythm!

Daylight Savings Time began on Sunday, so that gave us the perfect opportunity to play Grandpa Jones's lament about Daylight Saving Time, as well as a few other "time" related songs from the likes of the Kathy Kallick Band, Lou Reid & Carolina, the Del McCoury Band, and a couple of others.  

The Boston-based Reunion Band
has a new CD on the way...

For the last two weeks of programs, we've mostly played recordings that were available as premiums for Radiothon.  While that was fine, on today's show, we had some opportunity to play a few recordings that have been received over the last couple of weeks.  There is a whole lot of wonderful NEW Bluegrass music to be heard, and we were pleased to be able to play some of it today, including newer projects from the Special Consensus, Matt Wallace, Dave Adkins, Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie, and three New England-based bands, Evergreen, the Reunion Band, and Connecticut's own ShoreGrass.  There is also a fabulous new reissue of a Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys 2-record set from the 1960s:  "Radio Shows" on Rural Rhythm.  This is a fantastic recording from what is, perhaps, one of the most underrated brother duos in country and Bluegrass music history.  Great stuff!  

John Denver doesn't seem "Bluegrass-friendly,"
but his songs work well with Special C & Friends

Once again, we like to say THANKS to everyone who generously supported WHUS -- and, of course, Bluegrass Cafe -- during Radiothon!  Our listeners are always the best , so thanks so very much!

Jim will join you for next Sunday's Bluegrass Cafe, but if you're in the mood for a classic country and Bluegrass fill-in kind of program, join me on Friday morning (March 14th) from 7-10AM.  

Have a good week!

Amy



SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Daylight Saving Time / Grandpa Jones / Country Music Hall Of Fame / MCA
• Time / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak Records
• Time / Lou Reid & Carolina / 20th Anniversary / KMA Records
• Grandfather's Clock / Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys / Authentic Bluegrass Folk Music / Osage
• I Need More Time / Del McCoury Band / Streets Of Baltimore / McCoury Music
• Is It Time / Benny & Vallie Cain / 35 Years Of The Best In Bluegrass / Rebel
• Ice Covered Birches / Cliff Waldron / 35 Years Of The Best In Bluegrass / Rebel
• Old Man From The Mountain / BearTracks / Together 'Til The End / AMT Records
• Old, Old House / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Opry Music
• Fiddler's Pastime / Noam Pikelny / Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe / Compass Records
• I Know What It Means To Be Lonesome / New Kentucky Colonels / Live In Holland, 1973 / Self-Produced
• The Memory Of Your Smile / Dede Wyland / Keep The Light On / Patuxent Music
• Let Me Love You One More Time / Stanley Brothers / The Early Starday King Years, 1958-1961 / Gusto
• Wild Bill Jones / Ralph Stanley & Ralph Stanley II / Side By Side / Rebel
• Hummingbird / ShoreGrass / Hummingbird / Self-Produced
• Back Home Again / Special Consensus with Dale Ann Bradley / Country Boy:  A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver / Compass Records
• Red Line To Shady Grove / Evergreen / 22 Years / Self-Produced
• Home In Tennessee / Matt Wallace / For A Season / Pinecastle
• Put Some Grass In It / Dave Adkins / Nothing To Lose / Mountain Fever Records
• His Perfect Love / The Churchmen / Mercy Road / Mountain Fever Records
• Walkin' After Midnight / Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie / Dancin' Annie / Rural Rhythm
• Intro [Martha White Theme] / Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys / Radio Shows / Pinecastle
• Diesel Train / Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys / Radio Shows / Pinecastle
• Reno Bound / The Reunion Band / Fast-Track Bluegrass Sampler / Self-Produced
• Some Broken Hearts Never Mend / American Drive / American Drive / Pinecastle
• Frozen In Time / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Six Feet Under The Ground / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm
• Nobody's Child / Case Brothers / Radio Album / Self-Produced
• Stormy Horizons / The Expedition Show / Stormy Horizons / Mountain Fever Records
• The Rabbit Song / Lost & Found / Down On Sawmill Road / Rebel
• The Game / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• Press On O'Pilgrim / Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys / Radio Shows / Pinecastle
• Going Up Home / Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen / At Edwards Barn / Rounder
• I'm So Happy / Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins / Hall Of Fame Bluegrass! / Rebel
• Heaven / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• I Know What You're Talking About / Lynn Morris Band / Shape Of A Tear / Rounder
• I Heard My Mother Call My Name In Prayer / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• Just Over In Heaven / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming, v. 1 / GGS Music
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

Radiothon 2014 -- Week #2 -- 3/2/2014

My mother -- Eleanor Orlomoski --
answering the phone, as always.

Radiothon 2014 is history for us at Bluegrass Cafe.  Hooray!  While we were unable to reach our station-set goal of $2,400 during the two weeks of Radiothon, we certainly came pretty close :  $2,050.  Not too bad, huh?  

We are extremely grateful to the folks who called us both today and last Sunday, and to the fine volunteers who helped us by answering phones:  fellow WHUS Bluegrass DJs James Ward and his mom, Cathy Ward, Red House host John Veseskis, perennial helpers, Clyde Proch and Scott Farrar, and my mother, Eleanor Orlomoski.  Thanks, everyone!  

During the first Sunday of Radiothon, our most popular premium (or, thank you gift) was the brand new recording by Ralph Stanley & Ralph Stanley II called "Side By Side."  Today's most popular premium was still Ralph, but this time, it was music recorded more than 40 years ago by Ralph & the Clinch Mountain Boys, and is featured on the 4-CD box set from Rebel, "Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1971-1973."  Fabulous music!  

Clyde took a moment to stop answering
the phones so that he could enjoy hearing a bit of
Danny Paisley...

UCONN Baseball delayed the beginning of our show today until about 4:40, and the game totally wiped out the second Sunday of the Red Rooster Party Radiothon.  As Jim wanted to offer RRP premiums today, we set aside a few songs today from some of the performers you might normally hear on a Red Rooster Party, including Jimmie Rodgers, the Carter Family, the Golden Gate Quartet, and Hank Williams.  If you enjoy that sort of rootsy music, be sure to listen to RRP when you can.  On Sundays when there are no sports broadcasts, you can hear RRP from 1-4PM.

BIG THANKS once again to EVERYONE who made a pledge to support WHUS during Radiothon, especially those who supported Bluegrass Cafe!  We know our listeners are The Best -- thanks for proving that once again in 2014!  

Amy




PERFORMER / SONG / ALBUM / LABEL

• Spinney Brothers / Big Marshall / No Borders / Mountain Fever
• The Big Burnsville Jail / Marty Raybon & Full Circle / The Back Forty / Rural Rhythm
• I'm Leaving You This Lonesome Song / The Boxcars / It's Just A Road / Mountain Home
• Roll On Big Mama / The Grascals / When I Get My Pay / Mountain Home
• Big Eyed Rabbit / Adam Steffey / New Primitive / Organic Records
• I'm Blue / Flatt Lonesome / Flatt Lonesome / Pisgah Ridge
• Ridin' That Midnight Train / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1971-1973 / Rebel
• Over The Hills To The Poorhouse / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1961-1972 / Rebel
• Rain And Snow / Del McCoury / 35 Years Of The Best In Bluegrass / Rebel
• Man Of Constant Sorrow / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1971-1973 / Rebel
• Where Dear Friends Will Never Part / Front Porch String Band / Hills Of Alabam  / Rebel
• The Crooked Miles / Laure Lewis with Tom Rozum & Nina Gerber / One Evening In May / Spruce & Maple Music
• Money In The Bank / Lonesome River Band / Chronology, Volume 3 / Rurual Rhythm
• Laura Jean / Lonesome  River Band / Chronology, Volume 1 / Rural Rhythm
• The Game I Can't Win / Lonesome River Band / Chronology, Volume 2 / Rural Rhythm
• Sophronie / Jimmy Martin / Songs Of A Freeborn Man / CMH
• Blue Yodel #1 (T For Texas) / Jimmie Rodgers / The Essential Jimmie Rodgers / RCA
• My Clinch Mountain Home / Carter Family / Can The Circle Be Unbroken / Columbia
• Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho / Golden Gate Quartet / Golden Gate Quartet, v. 5 (1945-1949) / Document Records
• Move It On Over / Hank Williams / 24 Of Hank Williams' Greatest Hits / Mercury
• Oh Ye Must Be Born Again / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers From Different Mothers / Rounder
• Fiddlin' Will / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Roads Well Traveled / Mountain Home
• I Overlooked An Orchid / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• Gonna Paint The Town / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1971-1973 / Rebel
• Where I'm Bound / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Don't Let Me Love Get In The Way / Sideline / Session 1 / Mountain Fever Records
• Buzzin' With Buzz / Tom Mindte / Something I've Been Working On / Patuxent Music