"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/27/2019

We missed our broadcast last week due to icy weather in eastern Connecticut, and today, two hours of our broadcast time was given over to a UConn Women's Basketball game.  Still, we tried to squeeze in as much music as we could into a show reduced by two-thirds this week.  Hope you got to tune in!  

Even though the show was shortened, we still found some time (and a few songs) to pay tribute to Country Music Hall of Famer Maxine Brown, who died on January 21st at the age of 87.  While not a Bluegrass performer, Maxine was a fine songwriter, and her autobiography, Looking Back To See, is worth a read for those who want to learn more about the musical adventures of a feisty Arkansas gal who attained Country Music's highest honor (with brother Jim Ed and sister Bonnie, of course).  

Hope to join you next week for three full hours of our Bluegrass Cafe, weather- and sports-permitting!  

Have a good week!

Amy O.



SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL 

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Hard Pressed / Hot Rize / Traditional Ties / Sugar Hill
• Lonesome Truck Driver's Blues / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1951-1954 / JSP Records
• Sophronie / Jimmy Martin / The King Of Bluegrass / Audium Records
• Air Mail Special / Jim & Jesse / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Wave Goodbye / Bluegrass Patriots / Through The Years...Favorite Songs And Requests / Red Feather
• Here Today And Gone Tomorrow / Hazel Dickens with the Johnson Mountain Boys / Songs Of The Louvin Brothers / Rounder [Remembering Maxine Brown (April 27, 1931-January 21, 2019)]
• The Three Bells / Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes / The Three Bells / Rounder [Remembering Maxine Brown (April 27, 1931-January 21, 2019)]
• Looking Back To See / Jim Ed & Maxine Brown / The Essential Jim Ed Brown & the Browns / RCA [Remembering Maxine Brown (April 27, 1931-January 21, 2019)]
• Sad And Lonesome Day / Randy Waller & Lou Reid / Epilogue:  A Tribute To John Duffey / Smithsonian Folkways
• Milwaukee Blues / Appalachian Road Show / Barry Abernathy & Darrell Webb Present Appalachian Road Show / Billy Blue Records
• Crazy Heart / Remington Ryde / A Storyteller's Memory / Pinecastle
• Going Back To Bristol / Shawn Camp / I Sang The Song / Mountain Fever Records
• Grass That I'm Playing Is Really Blue / Sally Berry / Rhonda Vincent & the Rage With Bluegrass Legends--Live At The Ryman / Upper Management Music
• I Wouldn't Take Nothin' For My Journey Now / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Wings Of Gold / Rebel
• Wings Of Angels / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle Records
• Heavenward Bound / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• Make Him A Soldier / Whitstein Brothers / Songs Of The Louvin Brothers / Rounder
• I Am Going To Heaven / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming, Volume Two / GGS Music
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/13/2019

Two January 19th birthday celebrants -- Charlie Waller (b. 1935)
and Dolly Parton (b.1946)

On Sunday's show, we featured music from two wonderful performers who both happen to have been born on January 19th -- Charlie Waller (born in 1935) and Dolly Parton (born 1946).  Though these two have (and had) very different styles, each has had a big impact on the world of Bluegrass, and we are always glad to have any excuse to celebrate them.  

Hope you enjoyed our Bluegrass Cafe today, and that you will consider joining us once more next Sunday afternoon, 4-7PM.

Enjoy the week!

Amy O.




SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL [Request is RED]

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Cold Virginia Night / Ronnie Bowman / Cold Virginia Night / Rebel
• Cold, Cold Love / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / In Full Color / Rebel
• It's A Cold, Cold World / Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge / My Daddy's Grass / Rebel
• Cold, Cold Heart / Jeff White / The White Album / Rounder
• Cold, Cold Heart / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
• Cold, Icy Fingers / Lost & Found / It's About Time / Rebel
• Cold Rails / Jeff Parker / Go Parker! / Lonesome Day Records
• Cold On The Shoulder / Tony Rice / Hand-Picked:  Twenty-Five Years Of Rounder  Bluegrass / Rounder
• Cold And Windy Night / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder
• Cold Wind / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / Diamond Joe / Rounder
• Wall Around Your Heart / David Peterson & 1946 / The Howling Blue Winds / Self-Produced
• Lonesome With Heartaches / Bill Harrell & the Virginians / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• Time Has Slipped Away / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Modern Times / Rebel
• Geezer Ride / Alan Munde & Billy Bright / Bright Munde / Munde's Child Records
• Cannonball Yodel / Dede Wyland / Urge For Going / Patuxent Music
• Thinkin' About You / David Peterson & 1946 / David Peterson & 1946 / Self-Produced
• You Don't Know My Mind / Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys / You Don't Know My Mind / Rounder [recorded 1/13/1960]
• Blue Love (In My Heart) / The Hot Flashes / Eponymous / Happy Appy Records [Amy Gallatin birthday, 1/13/1958]
• Coat Of Many Colors / Dolly Parton / Live And Well / Sugar Hill [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• Kentucky Gambler / Gibson Brothers / Spread Your Wings / Hay Holler [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• Gypsy, Joe And Me / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-Produced [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• When Someone Wants To Leave / Seldom Scene / Bluegrass:  The World's Greatest Show / Sugar Hill [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• AppleJack / Pam Gadd with Dolly Parton / Ragin' Live / Rounder [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• I've Wasted My Tears / Traditional Grass / 10th Anniversary Collection / Rebel [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• Jolene / Rhonda Vincent & the Rage / Ragin' Live / Rounder [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• Pain Of Lovin' You / The Grascals with Dolly Parton / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• My Blue Tears / Dolly Parton / Box Set Sampler / RCA Legacy [Dolly Parton birthday, 1/19/1946]
• It's Grand To Have Someone To Love You / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Can I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight, Mister? / David Davis & the Warrior River Boys / Didn't He Ramble:  Songs Of Charlie Poole / Rounder
• The Bluebirds Are Singing / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel 
• I Am Weary, Let Me Rest / Country Gentlemen / Folk Session Inside / Copper Creek [Pete Kuykendall birthday, 1/15/1938]
• Riverboat Fantasy / Country Gentlemen / The Sugar Hill Years / Sugar Hill [Charlie Waller birthday, 1/19/1935]
• Banana Boat Song / Country Gentlemen / The Early  Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel [Charlie Waller birthday, 1/19/1935]
• Matterhorn / Country Gentlemen / Can't You Hear Me Callin':  Early Classics, 1963-1969 / Rebel [Charlie Waller birthday, 1/19/1935]
• Joe's Last Train / Country Gentlemen / Joe's Last Train / Rebel [Charlie Waller birthday, 1/19/1935]
• You'll Never Get A Better Chance / Feinberg Brothers / Party For One / Cabinwood Music
• Grey Eagle / High Fidelity / Hills And Home / Rebel
• That's How The Cookie Crumbles / Jack Cooke / Sittin' On Top Of The World / Pinecastle
• This Weary Heart You Stole Away / Stanley Brothers / Selected Sides, 1949-1953 / JSP Records
• Me And Becky (Hand In Hand) / Big Country Bluegrass / Let Them Know I'm From Virginia / Rebel
• I'm Gonna Settle Down / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1950-1952 / JSP Records
• He Was A Friend Of Mine / Dudley Connell & John Cowan / Epilogue:  A Tribute To John Duffey / Smithsonian Folkways
• The Last Old Shovel / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / The Story We Tell / Rebel
• God's Coloring Book / Country Gentlemen / The Sugar Hill Years / Sugar Hill 
• Henry Clayton Parker / Junior Sisk / Brand New Shade Of Blue / Mountain Fever Records
• Lord Show Me The Righteous Pathway / Bluegrass Cardinals / Mountain Girl / BGC Records
• Giving My Soul Back To Him / IIIrd Tyme Out / Living On The Other Side / Rounder
• Some Day / Blue Highway / Midnight Storm / Rebel
• Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout / Claire Lynch / Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout:  Bluegrass Gospel From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Billy Blue Records
• Do A Little More For Him / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Only God / SSK
• By The Side Of The Road / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel [Charlie Waller birthday, 1/19/1935]
• Blue Grass Twist / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder 

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/6/2018

Earl Eugene Scruggs
(January 6, 1924 - March 28, 2012)

On this first Sunday of January, we celebrated the birth anniversary of the most-emulated banjo picker in all of Bluegrass:  Earl Scruggs (born January 6, 1924).  We also celebrated the birth anniversary of a fine Bluegrass songwriter who left us too soon, Randall Hylton (born January 8, 1945), as well as a songwriter celebrating a birthday today, Gary Ferguson (born January 6, 1950).



In addition to celebrating birthdays, we included some brand new music from a perennial favorite in the area, Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, as well as a new, throwback kind of band, Carolina Blue.   Other newer music came to us from Dreamcatcher and Deanie Richardson.

Hope you enjoyed the show this week.  Please consider joining me once again next Sunday from 4-7PM.

Have a good week!

Amy O.


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL 

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Heavy Traffic Ahead / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / The Essential Earl Scruggs / Columbia [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Down The Road / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Earl's Breakdown / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Essential Earl Scruggs / Columbia Legacy [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• The Ballad Of Jed Clampett / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Classic Bluegrass Live / Vanguard [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Cumberland Gap / Hylo Brown & the Timberliners with Earl Scruggs / The Essential Earl Scruggs / Columbia Legacy [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Soldier's Joy / Earl Scruggs with Family & Friends / The Ultimate Collection:  Live At The Ryman / Rounder [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• I'm Goin' Back To Old Kentucky / Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder with Earl Scruggs / Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass:  Tribute To 1946 And 1947 / Skaggs Family Records [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Flint Hill Special / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Essential Earl Scruggs / Columbia Legacy [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• You Are My Flower / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Songs Of The Famous Carter Family / Columbia [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Foggy Mountain Breakdown / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• We Three Kings / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Some Old Day / John Cowan / Epilogue:  A Tribute To John Duffey / Smithsonian Folkways 
• Hobo Blues / Balsam Range / Aeonic / Mountain Home
• Dixie Hoedown / Mike Barnett with Jesse McReynolds / Portraits In Fiddles / Compass Records
• Are You Missing Me / Jim & Jesse / First Sounds:  The Capitol Years / Capitol
• I'm Walkin' / Rickey Wasson / Croweology:  J.D. Crowe's Musical Legacy / Truegrass Entertainment
• They Call Me Trouble / Terry Baucom's Dukes Of Drive / single / JohnBoy & Billy, Inc.
• Mississippi River Raft / J.D. Crowe & the New South / Lefty's Old Guitar / Rounder
• Light At The River / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / That's Why I'm Lonesome / Patuxent Music
• I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me / Carolina Blue / I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me / Pinecastle
• Dreamcatcher / Carolina Bound / single / Self-Produced
• No Vacancy / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / That's Why I'm Lonesome / Patuxent Music
• Lost Indian / Deanie Richardson / Love Hard, Work Hard, Play Hard / Pinecastle
• That's Why I'm Lonesome / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / That's Why I'm Lonesome / Patuxent Music
• Sometimes Good Girls Go Bad / Carolina Blue / I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me / Pinecastle
• I've Never Been So Lonesome / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / That's Why I'm Lonesome / Patuxent Music
• Three Ways Of Knowing / Allerton & Alton / Black, White And Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Pulleybone Gaden / Randall Hylton / True Stories, Tall Tales, And Lies / Copper Creek [Randall Hylton birthday, 1/8/1945]
• Country Poor, Country Proud / David Parmley & Cardinal Tradition / David Parmley & Cardinal Tradition / DP & CD Records [Randall Hylton birthday, 1/8/1945]
• The Likes Of You / Country Gentlemen / The Sugar Hill Years / Sugar Hill [Randall Hylton birthday, 1/8/1945]
• Cold Sheets Of Rain / Virginia Squires / The Best Of The Virginia Squires / Rebel [Randall Hylton birthday, 1/8/1945]
• Slippers With Wings / Charlie Waller & Randall Hylton / The Singer & The Songster / Rebel [Randall Hylton birthday, 1/8/1945]
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Elvis Presley / Blue Moon Of Kentucky / RCA [Elvis Presley birthday, 1/8/1935]
• Dixie / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• The Eighth Of January / Chubby Wise / An American Original / Pinecastle
• The Hills And Home / High Fidelity / Hills And Home / Rebel
• 1500 Miles Away From Home / Feinberg Brothers / Party For One / Cabinwood Music
• Some Of These Days (You're Gonna Be Sad) / David Peterson / In The Mountaintops To Roam / Self-Produced
• I'll Still Write Your Name In The Sand / Jerry Wicentowski / Thanks, Mac!:  Songs Of Mac Wiseman / Self-Produced
• Mama Blues / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Flatt And Scruggs At Carnegie Hall!:  The Complete Concert / Koch Records [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Randy Lynn Rag / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia Legacy [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Earl's Breakdown / Earls Of Leicester / Live At The CMA Theater At The Country Music Hall Of Fame / Rounder [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Shuckin' The Corn / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Radio Gems / no label [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Lay Down Your Troubles / Gary Ferguson / I'm Really Leaving / Pinecastle [Gary Ferguson birthday, 1/6/1950]
• Old Roman Soldier / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill / Rhonda Vincent / Sunday Mornin' Singin' Live! / Upper Management Music
• He Said If I Be Lifted Up / Johnson Mountain Boys / Let The Whole World Talk / Rounder
• You'll Be Rewarded Over There / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• Have Mercy On My Soul / Seldom Scene / Scene 20 / Sugar Hill
• Get Behind Me Satan / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Who Will Sing For Me / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Radio Gems / no label [Earl Scruggs birthday, 1/6/1924]
• Blue Grass Twist / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

18 Bluegrass Favorites from 2018!

As we get ready to welcome 2019, it seems like a good time to look back on a few of the finest Bluegrass recordings that we enjoyed at Bluegrass Cafe in 2018.  This list of favorites is not ranked in order of preference, but rather, alphabetically.  Most of these selections have been played frequently throughout the year, but in case you missed 'em, here's a recap:

• Bill And The Belles - "DreamSongs, Etc." (Jalopy Records):  Is this a Bluegrass record?  Nope.  Is it an enjoyable record of tunes you might have heard in the 1930s or 1940s?  Absolutely.  
  
• Becky Buller - "Crepe Paper Heart" (Dark Shadow Recording):  Released on Valentine's Day, this CD features Becky with her fine band, as well as guests Rhonda Vincent, Sam Bush, and the Fairfield Four.  The recording also features a song named as the 2018 IBMA Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year, "Speakin' To That Mountain."
  
• David Davis & the Warrior River Boys - "Didn't He Ramble:  Songs Of Charlie Poole" (Rounder Records):  Charlie Poole's music pre-dated what we know as Bluegrass, but still, he was a definite influence on the music we hear today.  Clearly, Poole's music influenced David Davis, too, as this tribute is a delight.  
  
• The Earls Of Leicester - "Live At The CMA Theater At The Country Music Hall Of Fame" (Rounder Records):  The music of Lester & Earl & the Foggy Mountain Boys lives on...as it should.
  
• Feinberg Brothers - "Party For One" (Cabinwood Music):  The sophomore effort from these Long Island, college student brothers (and their wonderful band) is a joy from start to finish.  The record is filled with band originals and covers of songs written by Northeast favorites, Smokey Greene and Robert Fraker, among others.  Seek it out.
  
• Five Mile Mountain Road - "Five Mile Mountain Road" (Patuxent Music):  Do you like old-time instrumental music?  This is the disc for you.
  
• Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge - "Songs From The Blue Ridge" (Rebel Records):  Worried that traditional Bluegrass is disappearing?  Fear not when there are still bands like this one to carry on that traditional sound.
  
• High Fidelity - "Hills And Home" (Rebel Records):  Another retro-type of band:  modern pickers who love to recreate the traditional Bluegrass sounds of bands like Reno & Smiley and others.  Great stuff.
  
• Hot Rize - "40th Anniversary Bash" (Ten In Hand Records):  How do you celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of the most popular bands in the history of Bluegrass?  Why, with a concert, of course!  Add in some special guests, and you have a delightful CD celebrating (most) all things Hot Rize.
  
• Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road - "True Grass Again" (Pinecastle Records):  Lorraine Jordan has made it her mission to perform what she calls "true grass."  The title song from this project is one this band recorded with two fellow Bluegrass traditionalists:  Dan Paisley & Junior Sisk.  Clearly, someone wants to hear this style of music, as the title song is currently in the #1 position on the National Bluegrass Survey.
  
• Kathy Kallick Band - "Horrible World" (Live Oak Records):  This California-based band doesn't record often enough, in my opinion, and Kathy's band and her records just don't disappoint.
  
• Del McCoury Band - "Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass" (McCoury Music):  As if there was ever any doubt.
  
• Alan Munde & Billy Bright - "Es Mi Suerte" (Munde's Child Records):  This is the second recording from a banjo legend and a wonderful mandolin picker from Texas.  If you like to listen to all sorts of banjo music, this is the record for you.
  
• Junior Sisk - "Brand New Shade Of Blue" (Mountain Fever Records):    Though Junior has disbanded his Rambler's Choice band, he certainly hasn't abandoned his traditional Bluegrass sound.  
  
• Special Consensus - "Rivers And Roads" (Compass Records):  Another solid effort from this Chicago-based band.
  
• Various - "Epilogue:  A Tribute To John Duffey" (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings):  With 50+ musicians paying tribute to one of the most colorful characters in the history of Bluegrass Music, how can you go wrong?  Project co-producer Akira Otsuka spent many years matching performer to song, and has done an outstanding job recreating and making new many terrific tunes from both the Country Gentlemen and Seldom Scene song catalogs.  
  
• Various - "Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout:  Bluegrass Gospel From The Pen Of Rick Lang" (Billy Blue Records):  The New Hampshire songwriter wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on this record, which is one of the first two recordings issued by a brand new label in the Bluegrass World, Billy Blue Records.
  
• Roland White & Friends - "A Tribute To The Kentucky Colonels" (Mountain Home):  Just as the title says, the Bluegrass Hall of Famer (with a little help from his friends) pays tribute to his former band with brothers Clarence and Eric White.
   

Happy New Year!!

Amy O.