Sunday, December 29, 2019

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/29/2019

On this last Sunday of 2019, we had two main objectives for our Bluegrass Cafe:  1.) play several songs that were released in 2019; 2.) remember the one-and-only Hank Williams, who died 67 years ago on New Year's Day.  We were able to reach both of these goals, plus add in a few more songs, so all in all, it seemed like a pretty okay show to me!  


While we didn't get to share music from every single recording we received in 2019, we did share 28 songs from 27 recordings.  Among the performers who released CDs in 2019:  the Seldom Scene, Blue Highway, Big Country Bluegrass, Larry Sparks, Volume Five, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, the Po' Ramblin' Boys, and others.  We hope to get to a few more 2019 releases during next Sunday's program.

We couldn't let the day pass without briefly remembering the legendary Hank Williams -- the Country Music Hall of Famer who died on his way to a performance on January 1, 1953.  While Hank's earthly life lasted just 29 years, he certainly was able to touch millions of lives with his original music and his life story.  The music of Hank Williams continues to be recorded by Bluegrass performers, and will doubtless continue to be recorded and enjoyed for generations to come.  

Thanks to all for listening to our program in 2019, and warm wishes to all for a wonderful 2020!

Amy O.



SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL [Request is RED; 2019 releases are BLUE]

  • Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
  • New Camptown Races / Jesse Brock / Kickin' Grass / Pinecastle
  • Old New Straitsville Moonshine Run / Special Consensus / Scratch Gravel Road / Compass Records
  • New Mule Skinner Blues / Bill Monroe / Anthology / MCA
  • Everybody's Talkin' / Seldom Scene / Changes / Rounder
  • You Can't Buy Your Way Out Of The MInes / Big Country Bluegrass / Mountains, Mamas, And Memories / Rebel
  • Emma / Claybank / Road Signs & Highways / Mountain Fever Records
  • Adalynne's Lullaby / Jason Barie / Pieces / Billy Blue Records
  • Real Shine / Steve Gulley & New Pinnacles / High Peaks And New Ground / Rural Rhythm
  • Both Ends Of The Train / Blue Highway / Somewhere Far Away / Rounder
  • Over And Over / Gena Britt / Chronicle / Pinecastle
  • The Curmudgeon's Gait / David Grier / Ways Of The World / Self-Produced
  • Somewhere Far Away / Blue Highway / Somewhere Far Away / Rounder
  • Widow Mae / Po' Ramblin' Boys / Toil, Tears & Trouble / Rounder
  • Bootlegger's Blues / Hammertowne / Pictures / Mountain Fever Records
  • Run Fanny Run / Band Of Ruhks / Authentic / Rebel
  • Lost Indian / Deanie Richardson / Love Hard, Work Hard, Play Hard / Pinecastle
  • Something About A Train Sound / Irene Kelley / Benny's TV Repair / Mountain Fever Records
  • My Virginia Mama / The Grascals / Straighten The Curves / Mountain Home
  • Down Where The Drunkards Roll / Mile Twelve / City On A Hill / Delores The Taurus Records
  • If The Kansas River Can / Rick Faris / Breaking In Lonesome / Dark Shadow Recording
  • 5-String Swing / Michael Cleveland / Tall Fiddler / Compass Records
  • This Town / Merle Monroe / Back To The Country / Pinecastle
  • I'm Leaving You / Blue Moon Rising / After All This Time / Mountain Fever Records
  • Fiddle And Bow / GrassRoutes / Buffalo Nickel, Liberty Dime / Self-Produced
  • Julianne / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Live In Prague, Czech Republic / Billy Blue Records
  • Things That I Like / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / For The Record / Billy Blue Records
  • Lovesick Blues / Hank Williams / Long Gone Lonesome Blues / Country Stars [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • Move It On Over / Lynn Morris Band / Shape Of A Tear / Rounder [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • I'll Be A Bachelor 'Til I Die / Hank Williams / Long Gone Lonesome Blues / Country Stars [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • Cold, Cold Heart / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • I Can't Get You Off My Mind / Claire Lynch / A Picture Of Hank:  The New Bluegrass Way / Mercury [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • Singing Waterfall / Warrior River Boys / Sounds Like Home / Rounder [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • Hey Good Lookin' / Hank Williams / Live At The Opry / Opry Music [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • Who Showed Who / Dan Tyminski / Wheels / Rounder
  • Hey! Hey! Hey! / Stanley Brothers / Select Sides, 1949-1953 / JSP Records
  • Don't Let Your Deal Go Down / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
  • Walkin' West To Memphis / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
  • Uncle Ned / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Weary River / Patuxent Music
  • The Convict And The Rose / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
  • 20/20 Vision / Jimmy Martin / The King Of Bluegrass / Universal
  • The Old Country Church / Hank Williams / Live At The Opry / Opry Music [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)]
  • Glory Bound Train / Carolina Blue / I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me / Pinecastle
  • There's No Depression In Heaven / Chuck Wagon Gang / No Depression In Heaven:  The Gospel Songs Of The Carter Family / Mountain Home
  • Green Pastures In The Sky / Larry Sparks / New Moon Over My Shoulder / Rebel
  • S-A-V-E-D / South Carolina Broadcasters / Home To Stay / Patuxent Music
  • Use Me Lord / Volume Five / For Those Who Care To Listen / Mountain Fever Records
  • I Saw The Light / Bill Monroe / Anthology / MCA [Remembering Hank Williams (9/17/1923 - 1/1/1953)[
  • Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

Saturday, December 28, 2019

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/22/2019

On Sunday, December 22nd, we presented what we tongue-in-cheek refer to as our annual Classic Country & Bluegrass Christmas Extravaganza.  There was a very small number of non-Christmas songs shared, as well, but on the Sunday before Christmas, lots of seasonal tunes and carols were the emphasis.  While we had been told earlier by our WHUS Sports Department that there would be a UConn Women's Basketball game broadcast during most of our allotted time on December 22nd, that turned out not to be true, and we shared a full three-hour broadcast.

Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas, and we'll hope to have you join us on the WHUS airwaves for our last 2019 broadcast on December 29th, 4-7PM.

Thanks for listening!

Amy O.


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL
  • Jingle Bells / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Starday King
  • 12 Days Of Bluegrass Christmas / Foxfire / Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas / Pinecastle
  • Country Christmas / Larry Stephenson / A Pinecastle Christmas Gatherin' / Pinecastle
  • I Feel The Christmas Spirit / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / SSK
  • Christmas Is Near / Stanley Brothers / Christmas Time's A-Comin':  The Essential Bluegrass Christmas Collection / Time Life
  • Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin':  The Essential Bluegrass Christmas Collection / Time Life
  • Christmas Time / Rhonda Vincent / Christmas Time / Upper Management Music
  • Frosty The Snowman / Scott Vestal, Wayne Benson, Jeff Autry, Aubrey Haynie & Mark Schatz / A Pinecastle Christmas Gatherin' / Pinecastle
  • When It's Snowin' In The Mountains / Wildwood Valley Boys / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
  • Christmas Time Back Home / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
  • Sleigh Ride / Sam Bush / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
  • Home For The Holidays / Claire Lynch / Holiday! / Thrill Hill Records
  • I'm Goin' Home, It's Christmas Time / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin':  The Essential Bluegrass Christmas Collection / Time Life
  • Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy (Daddy Looked A Lot LIke Him) / Buck Owens & His Buckaroos / Christmas With Buck Owens & HIs Buckaroos / Sundazed
  • Senor Santa Claus / Jim Reeves / Twelve Songs Of Christmas / RCA
  • One Of Everything You Got / Buck Owens & Susan Raye / Merry Christmas From Buck Owens & Susan Raye / Rock Beat
  • Because It's Christmas Time / Buck Owens & HIs Buckaroos / Christmas With Buck Owens & His Buckaroos / Sundazed
  • Digging My Own Grave / Sideline / Breaks To The Edge / Mountain Home
  • I'm Coming Back But I Don't Know When / South Carolina Broadcasters / Home To Stay / Patuxent Music
  • Things In Life / South Carolina Broadcasters / Home To Stay / Patuxent Music
  • Return To Windy Mountain / Sideline / Breaks To The Edge / Mountain Home
  • Bluegrass, White Snow / Patty Loveless / Bluegrass & White Snow / Epic
  • To Heck With Old Santa Claus / Loretta Lynn / 20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection:  The Best Of Loretta Lynn / MCA
  • Our Gingerbread House / Becky Buller / The Christmas 45 / Dark Shadow Recording
  • Santa Train / Patty Loveless / Bluegrass & White Snow / Epic
  • Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree / Balsam Range / It's Christmas Time / Mountain Home
  • All I Want Is Mary For Christmas / Lonesome River Band / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
  • Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me / Ranch Romance / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
  • Reindeer Boogie / Hank Snow / Hillbilly Holiday / Rhino
  • Blue Christmas / Ernest Tubb / The Definitive Collection / MCA
  • Po' Folks Christmas / Bill Anderson / Hillbilly Holiday / Rhino
  • I Never Spend A Christmas That I Don't Think Of You / Statler Brothers / Christmas Card / Mercury
  • All I Want For Christmas Is You / Buck Owens & His Buckaroos / Christmas With Buck Owens & His Buckaroos / Sundazed
  • I'll Be Walkin' The Floor This Christmas / Ernest Tubb / Hillbilly Holiday / Rhino
  • Bluegrass Christmas / McCoury Brothers / Christmas Time's A-Comin':  The Essential Bluegrass Christmas Collection / Time Life
  • White House Christmas / WhiteHouse / A Pinecastle Christmas Gatherin' / Pinecastle
  • An Old Christmas Card / Jim Reeves / Twelve Songs Of Christmas / RCA
  • White Christmas / Larry Sparks / Christmas Time's A-Comin':  The Essential Bluegrass Christmas Collection / Time Life
  • O Christmas Candle / Stony Point Quartet / Christmas Time Back Home / Cracker Barrel
  • Christmas Doll / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
  • Carol Of The Bells / Dan Crary / Holiday Guitar / Sugar Hill
  • Old-Fashioned Christmas / Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys / Christmas Time's A-Comin':  The Essential Bluegrass Christmas Collection / Time Life
  • Tomorrow Is Christmas Day / Buck Owens & Susan Raye / Merry Christmas From Buck Owens & Susan Raye / Rock Beat
  • Christmas Lullaby / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / SSK
  • Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Christmas Time Back Home / Rebel
  • God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Randy Travis / An Old Time Christmas / Warner Bros.
  • When The Time Had Fully Come / Northern Lights / Can't Buy Your Way / Flying Fish
  • Silent NIght / Flashback / A Flashback Christmas / Pinecastle
  • O Come All Ye Faithful / Louvin Brothers / Christmas With The Louvin Brothers / Gusto
  • The Friendly Beasts / Johnson Mountain Boys / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
  • O LIttle Town Of Bethlehem / Jim Reeves / Twelve Songs Of Christmas / RCA
  • Away In A Manger / Statler Brothers / Christmas Card / Mercury
  • Christmas Story / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
  • Jingle Bells / Country Gentlemen / Christmas Time Back Home / Rebel

Sunday, December 15, 2019

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/15/2019

Sunday's Bluegrass Cafe was the first in several weeks that was a full three hours in length.  We are in a streak of shortened shows due to UConn Basketball broadcasts and weather-related show cancellations, and that doesn't seem to be over for a while longer, yet.  Still, we enjoyed our full three-hour broadcast today, and hope you did, as well.  


We began the broadcast with several songs either written about, gathered by, or performed by Alvin Pleasant Carter -- the lone male in the original trio known as the Carter FamilyA.P. Carter was born on this date -- December 15th -- in 1891.  

As Christmas is just ten days away -- and our program is scheduled to be preempted by yet another Women's Basketball broadcast next Sunday afternoon -- we included several Bluegrass Christmas selections in our playlist today.  

And, of course, there was a bit of newer Bluegrass, too, with selections from the Chuck Wagon Gang, the Po' Ramblin' Boys, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Jason Barie, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, and brand-new-for-this-week music from the South Carolina Broadcasters.

Hope you were able to tune in today!  Please consider joining me for the short hour next Sunday -- sometime around 6PM.  

Enjoy the week!

Amy O.


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL 

  • Katy Hill  / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
  • Follow Me Back To The Fold / Mark Newton & "Girls" / Follow Me Back To The Fold / Rebel
  • The Foggy Mountain Top / Carter Family / My Clinch Mountain Home / Rounder
  • No Depression / Johnson Mountain Boys / Goin' Up Copper Creek / Copper Creek
  • On The Rock Where Moses Stood / Chuck Wagon Gang / No Depression In Heaven:  The Gospel Songs Of The Carter Family / Mountain Home
  • My Clinch Mountain Home / Carter Family / My Clinch Mountain Home / Rounder
  • Out In The Cold World / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Live In Prague, Czech Republic / Billy Blue Records
  • The Wandering Boy / Carter Family / Anchored In Love / Rounder
  • Bring Back My Blue-Eyed Boy To Me / Straight Drive / I'll Take A Page From Your Book / Cabinwood Music
  • Strangest Christmas Yet / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers / The Long-Awaited Album / Rounder
  • Christmas Doll / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
  • My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
  • Christmas In The Blueridge / Lou Reid & Carolina / Rollin' On / KMA Records
  • Christmas Time Back Home / Country Gentlemen / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
  • Ice Covered Birches / Po' Ramblin' Boys / Toil, Tears And Trouble / Rounder
  • There's No Room In My Heart For The Blues / Bill Emerson & Cliff Waldron / The Best Of Emerson & Waldron / Rebel
  • Singing My Troubles Away / Price Sisters / A Heart Never Knows / Rebel
  • Oak Grove Shuffle / Jason Barie / Pieces / Billy Blue Records
  • Plenty Of Everything But You / Matt & George & Their Pleasant Valley Boys / Blue Grass Style / Pleasant Valley Records
  • Party For One / Feinberg Brothers / Party For One / Cabinwood Music
  • Next Train South / Po' Ramblin' Boys / Toil, Tears And Trouble / Rounder
  • I Wonder Where You Are Tonight / Bill Monroe & HIs Blue Grass Boys / Anthology / MCA [Remembering Lamar Grier:  April 15, 1938-December 10, 2019]
  • Dusty Miller / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Anthology / MCA [Remembering Lamar Grier:  April 15, 1938-December 10, 2019]
  • Home To Stay / South Carolina Broadcasters / Home To Stay / Patuxent Music
  • Bright Crystal Sea / South Carolina Broadcasters / Here To Stay / Patuxent Music
  • Christmas Country Style / Larry Stephenson Band / Close My Eyes To Heaven / Webco
  • Pretty Paper / Heather Berry / Have A Merry Berry Christmas / Mountain Fever Records
  • Christmas Swing / Chesapeake / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
  • Christmas At The Triple-X Ranch / Riders In The Sky / The Rounder Christmas Album / Rounder
  • Christmas The Mountain Way / Steve Gulley & Dale Ann Bradley / Christmas The Mountain Way / Rural Rhythm
  • Christmas In Virginia / Lost & Found / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
  • Dreaming Of Christmas / Rhonda Vincent / Christmas Time / Upper Management Music
  • Slowly Fall The Snowflakes / Bill Carroll / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
  • Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer / Lynn Morris / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
  • That White Christmas Song / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
  • Spanish Two Step/Steel Guitar Blues / Earls Of Leicester / Live At The CMA Theater At The Country Music Hall Of Fame / Rounder
  • Fool's Hill / Gibson Brothers / In The Ground / Rounder
  • I'll Go Stepping Too / Earls Of Leicester / Live At The CMA Theater At The Country Music Hall Of Fame / Rounder
  • Shoulder To Shoulder / Jerry Douglas / Slide Rule / Sugar Hill
  • Stranger In My Home / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country Records
  • That's Why I'm Lonesome / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / That's Why I'm Lonesome / Patuxent Music
  • Georgia Slammer / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / For The Record / Billy Blue Records
  • Christmas Story / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
  • On The Wings Of Angels / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
  • Light Of The Stable / Skaggs Family / A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume 2 / Skaggs Family Records
  • I'm Bound For The Land Of Canaan / Del McCoury Band / The Promised Land / McCoury Music
  • S-A-V-E-D / South Carolina Broadcasters / Home To Stay / Patuxent Music
  • The Carpenter Shop / Bluegrass Cardinals / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
  • Precious Child / Tony Trischka with Dudley Connell & James King / Glory Shone Around / Rounder
  • Blue Grass Twist / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder




"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/8/2019 (abbreviated)

Although the calendar is telling us it isn't even Winter quite yet, we missed our December 1st broadcast completely, as there was a snow/sleet/freezing rain event in northeastern Connecticut, and it didn't make sense to drive to WHUS to broadcast our show.  As a result, there was no Bluegrass Cafe...obviously.  :)

This December 8th show was an abbreviated one, as UConn Basketball season has begun for both the Men's and Women's teams.  Our Bluegrass show lasted around 75 minutes (airing from approximately 5:45-7PM), so here is the short playlist:


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL [Requests are RED]
  • Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
  • If We Make It Through December / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / Winter's Grace / Signature Sounds
  • Back To Tennessee / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / SSK
  • Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / The Room Over Mine / Rounder
  • Sad And Lonesome Day / Randy Waller & Lou Reid / Epilogue:  A Tribute To John Duffey / Smithsonian Folkways
  • Run Fanny Run / Band Of Ruhks / Authentic / Rebel
  • 1500 Miles Away From Home / Feinberg Brothers / Party For One / Cabinwood Music
  • Help My Brother / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
  • No Candy In My Bluegrass / Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge / Songs From The Blue Ridge / Rebel
  • How Mountain Girls Can Love / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1956-1959 / JSP Records
  • Don't Tell Me Stories / Lynn Morris Band / The Lynn Morris Band / Rounder
  • How Long Has It Been / Johnny & Jeanette Williams / Thirty Years Later / Grass Tank Music
  • Waiting On Isaac / Jason Barie / Pieces / Billy Blue Records
  • The Hills Of Roane County / J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Paul Williams / Standing Tall And Tough / Mountain Home
  • Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Parmley & McCoury / Families Of Tradition / BGC
  • Let My Life Be A Light / Balsam Range / Aeonic / Mountain Home
  • He Took Your Place / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1950-1952 / JSP Records
  • We'll Still Sing On / Johnson Mountain Boys / Favorites / Rounder
  • Don't Act / Rhonda Vincent / All American Bluegrass Girl / Rounder
  • One Wide River / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
  • I Like To Hear 'Em Preach It / Jimmy Martin / The King Of Bluegrass / Universal
  • A Beautiful Life / Bill Monroe & HIs Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
  • Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder