Sunday, February 21, 2021

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 2/21/2021

Happy Sunday!  Hope you were able to listen to our program this week, as it aired a bit later than our normal 4-7PM timeframe.  For the first time in nearly a year, our broadcast has been impacted by a UConn Sports event.  We will take that as a positive sign that COVID restrictions are easing back a bit, perhaps?  Either way, we'll keep you informed about changing times as much as we can during this Spring.

The show started with several selections from the late Joe Val, whose namesake festival sponsored by the Boston Bluegrass Union didn't get to happen over Presidents Day weekend.  We will keep our fingers crossed that there will definitely be a Joe Val Festival in 2022, but for now, it's always good to listen to his music.

There was a tiny bit of newer music to share this week, as well, and so, we heard a couple of tunes from California Bluegrasser Matt Dudman and his new CD called, "Poa," as well as newer songs from Larry Cordle, the Lonesome River Band, and Merle Monroe.  

Several more Bluegrass birthdays were celebrated, too, included those of Don Reno, Little Roy Lewis, Ralph Stanley, and Pete Wernick.  We also remembered two Country Music Hall of Famers born one day apart in 1932:  Faron Young and Johnny Cash.  Both of these country legends have had their songs recorded by Bluegrass performers over the years, so we shared some of those renditions.

A good portion of our show was devoted to remembering guitar picker, Aaron "Frosty" Foster.  From the time he was a young boy, Aaron would spend summers travelling with his devoted grandparents, George and Etta Crawford, all over New York and New England attending Bluegrass festivals, and Aaron caught the "bug."  He learned to play the guitar (very well!) and then, attended East Tennessee State University to study in their music program.  In the blink of an eye (so it seemed), Aaron was picking with the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band, playing in his own band (called Dreamcatcher), making his own records, and most recently, performing with the Amanda Cook Band.  Every summer, though, Aaron would still work at his "home" festival -- Vermont's Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival -- and lead the Kids' Academy.  He was always smiling and friendly, and clearly, he loved Bluegrass music.  Sadly, Aaron died on February 10th at the age of 28.  It's difficult to understand why this had to happen, but Aaron will be fondly remembered by everyone he touched in his short lifetime.  Read more about the fundraising efforts on his family behalf here:  Friends and fans chip in to help Frosty’s family - Bluegrass Today

Thanks so much for listening this week, and we'll look forward to visiting with you again next week.

Have a good week, and stay healthy!

Amy O.



SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

  • Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
  • Wrong Road Again / Joe Val / Diamond Joe / Rounder
  • The Prisoner's Song / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / Live In Holland / Strictly Country Records
  • Where The Red River Flows / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
  • Poor Ellen Smith / Joe Val / Diamond Joe / Rounder
  • Every Lonesome Night / Matt Dudman / Poa / Pleasant Valley Music
  • Love Songs / Lonesome River Band / single / Mountain Home
  • Cherokee Fiddle / Larry Cordle / Where The Trees Know My Name / Mighty Cord Records
  • I'm Leaving Town Tonight / Merle Monroe / single / Pinecastle 
  • Everyone Knew It But Me / Matt Dudman / Poa / Pleasant Valley Music
  • Looking For A Smile In A Heartache / Aaron "Frosty" Foster / Opening Doors / Self-Produced [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • County Fool / Boone & Foster / single / Mountain Fever Records [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • Girl With The Sparkling Eyes / Dreamcatcher / Dreamcatcher / Self-Produced [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • West Virginia Coal / Amanda Cook Band / Summer Singles 2020 / Mountain Fever Records [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • Did You Hear Me Say Goodbye / ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band / single / Now And Then Records [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • Temperance Reel / Aaron "Frosty" Foster / Opening Doors / Self-Produced [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • Songbird / Aaron "Frosty" Foster / Opening Doors / Self-Produced [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • Pike County Breakdown / Aaron "Frosty" Foster / Self-Produced [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • Choking The Strings / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto [Remembering Don Reno:   2/21/1927 - 10/16/1984]
  • Crazy Finger Blues / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto [Remembering Don Reno:  2/21/1927 - 10/16/1984]
  • You Can't Be A Beacon / The Little Roy & Lizzy Show / Lord In The Morning / Crossroads [Little Roy Lewis birthday, 2/24/1942]
  • Old-Time Pickin' / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1971-1973 / Rebel [Remembering Ralph Stanley:  2/25/1927 - 6/23/2016]
  • Your Light Leads Me On / Hot Rize / In Concert / Flying Fish [Pete Wernick birthday, 2/25/1946]
  • Man Of Constant Sorrow / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1971-1973 / Rebel [Remembering Ralph Stanley:  2/25/1927 - 6/23/2016]
  • Wild Ride / Hot Rize / Untold Stories / Sugar Hill [Pete Wernick birthday, 2/25/1946]
  • Goin' Steady / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Shades Of The Past / Sugar Hill [Remembering Faron Young:  2/25/1932 - 12/10/1996]
  • Big River / Nashville Bluegrass Band / The Boys Are Back In Town / Sugar Hill [Remembering Johnny Cash:  2/26/1932 - 9/12/2003]
  • Alone With You / White Mountain Bluegrass / Oh So Many Years / Self-Produced [Remembering Faron Young:  2/25/1932 - 12/10/1996]
  • Give My Love To Rose / Sally Love Connell with Dudley Connell / Life Goes On / Rural Rhythm  [Remembering Johnny Cash:  2/26/1932 - 9/12/2003]
  • Go Back You Fool / Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road [Remembering Faron Young:  2/25/1932 - 12/10/1996]
  • Hey Porter / Lynn Morris Band / The Bramble And The Rose / Rounder [Remembering Johnny Cash:  2/26/1932 - 9/12/2003]
  • Together Till The End / Beartracks / Together Till The End / AMT Records
  • Sweetest Love / Greg Blake / Songs Of Heart & Home / Self-Produced
  • The Lonesome Wind / Fast Track / Fast Track / Engelhardt Music Group
  • Hickory, Walnut & Pine / Po' Ramblin' Boys / Toil, Tears & Trouble / Rounder
  • Clinch Mountain Blues / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1955-1956 / JSP Records [Remembering Ralph Stanley:  2/25/1927 - 6/23/2016]
  • What Would You Give In Exchange / Monroe Brothers / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1936 / JSP Records [recorded 2/17/1936]
  • Joy Of Revelation / McCoury Brothers / The McCoury Brothers / Rounder
  • One More Time (I Must Rise) / Gibson Brothers / Another Night Of Waiting / Hay Holler
  • I Know I'm Saved / Crowe Brothers / Brothers-n-Harmony / Rural Rhythm
  • You'd Better Wake Up / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
  • Are You Lost In Sin / Jim & Jesse / First Sounds:  The Capitol Years / Capitol
  • Preach The Gospel / Louvin Brothers / Close Harmony / Bear Family
  • Still Waters / Osborne Brothers / Way Down Deep In My Soul / Sugar Hill
  • Will He Wait A Little Longer / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1955-1956 / JSP Records
  • Drifting Too Far From The Shore / Monroe Brothers / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1936 / JSP Records [recorded 2/17/1936]
  • When I Wake Up To Sleep No More / Aaron "Frosty" Foster / single / Bee Hive Records [Remembering Aaron "Frosty" Foster]
  • Dear God / High Fidelity / Banjo Player's Blues / Rebel
  • Take Me In A Lifeboat / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1961-1972 / Rebel
  • Will You Meet Me Over There / Josh Williams / Lonesome HIghway / Pinecastle
  • I Am Just A Pilgrim / Appalachian Road Show / Barry Abernathy & Darrell Webb Present Appalachian Road Show / Billy Blue Records
  • There's A Highway To Heaven / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
  • I'm Going To Make Heaven My Home / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury
  • I Can Call Jesus / Lynn Morris / Bluegrass Spirit / Rounder
  • Gonna Be Movin' / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
  • Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder


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