"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/9/2011

Sunday's show was back to its "regular" 3-hour duration, but we still tried to include a whole bunch of music, talk, and things to give away...

Around the 5PM timeframe, we were pleased to chat with Mark Newton, who is one of the founding members of the highly-regarded Virginia Squires, and an IBMA winner in his own rite as the spearhead behind the great tribute recording to the ladies of Bluegrass known as, "Follow Me Back to The Fold." On Sunday, though, Mark talked to us about a new project in which he has a very big interest: the live festival recording released last October called, "The All-Star Jam: Live From Graves Mountain." This project was released by Rural Rhythm Records, and is a celebration both of the annual Graves Mountain Festival of Music in Syria, Virginia, and the 55th anniversary of Rural Rhythm Records. The songs on the CD may be Bluegrass "chestnuts," but they're presented as special events, with groupings of performers who don't normally get to work together (i.e. "Lonesome River" sung by Russell Moore and Lou Reid; Audie Blaylock joining the Lonesome River Band on "Hold Whatcha Got"). There is a also a tune special to Mark, who was one of the founders of the Graves Mountain Festival, called "Graves Mountain Memories." This Carl Jackson composition tells the story of the Graves family who settled in that part of Virginia from their arrival 400 years ago through the present day, and is sung by several performers, including Carl Jackson and Mark Newton, as well as Lou Reid, Russell Moore, Audie Blaylock, and Carrie Hassler. At the end of our discussion with Mark, we were able to give away two copies of this great disc to two lucky listeners. Thanks both to Mark Newton and Rural Rhythm Records for letting us share this great music.

If interviewing Mark Newton and giving away CDs wasn't enough excitement for one day, we also got to give away a pair of passes to this Saturday's Boston Bluegrass Union-sponsored show featuring two of our favorite sets of brothers: the Gibson Brothers and the Spinney Brothers. We've been telling you about this great show since it was announced back in October, and I really think it's going to be an event you're going to want to see. We all know how incredibly talented and popular the Gibson Brothers are, and seeing them win two IBMA Awards in 2010 was a real treat. And if you were listening Jim and I host a special Bluegrass edition of "Fiat Flux" last May, you heard us welcome the Spinney Brothers into our WHUS studios. These Nova Scotia brothers (and their great band) made a decision to go full-time with their music in 2010, and we were delighted to have them visit us in the studio and share some of their great brother harmonies. If you miss this BBU show on Saturday night (January 15th), you're going to be sorry. Get to Lexington, if you can -- find out more by clicking here, or calling the BBU hotline at (617)782-2251.

And if you can't make it to Lexington on Saturday, get to the Bellows Falls Opera House in Bellows Falls, VT on Sunday, January 16th. Find more info on both of these shows in my earlier blog posting.

In addition to all of the giveaways, we still found some time to play music on the air, too. Imagine that! There was new music from the great new solo project by Edgar Loudermilk on Mountain Fever Records (called "Roads Traveled"), as well as newer music from the Grascals, Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, the Hagar's Mountain Boys, Travers Chandler & Avery County, and Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike.

And we couldn't let the show pass without playing a few tunes from one Earl Eugene Scruggs, who was born on January 6, 1924.

Jim looks to have a big show this coming Sunday on the "Bluegrass Cafe." Do join him for lots of music, plus talk with two of the fabulous females in Bluegrass: reigning IBMA Banjo Player of the Year, Kristin Scott Benson of the Grascals and fiddler/songwriter Becky Buller from Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike. It should be a great show, so be sure to tune in beginning at 4PM...

Have a great week, and I'll look forward to seeing you in Lexington on January 15th...I hope.

Amy

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• The Last Song / Mark Newton with Paul Williams / Living A Dream / Rebel
• You Love Me Just A Little At A Time / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Sam Smith / Gibson Brothers / Red Letter Day / Sugar Hill
• Wild, Wild Rose / Bluegrass Patriots / E Pluribus Bluegrass / Red Feather
• Little Annie / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots, 1961 / Smithsonian Folkways
• The Eighth Of January / Chubby Wise / An American Original / Pinecastle
• Hazel Creek / Heather Berry & Tony / Before Bluegrass / Blue Circle
• Marianne / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Modern Times / Rebel
• Head Over Heels / Carrie Hassler with Brand New Strings / The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Where's The Lonesome / Hagar's Mountain Boys / Mountain Fever Records Sampler / Mountain Fever
• I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1950-1951 / JSP Records
• I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing / Charlie Monroe / Post War Country Classics / Cattle
• Little Cabin Home On The Hill / David Grisman with Tony Rice & Curly Seckler / Home Is Where The Heart Is / Rounder
• Monrosine / Bill Emerson & Mark Newton / A Foot In The Past, A Foot In The Future / Pinecastle
• Follow Me Back To The Fold / Mark Newton / Follow Me Back To The Fold / Rebel
• INTERVIEW WITH MARK NEWTON
• Graves Mountain Memories / Carl Jackson, Mark Newton & others / The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• The Year That Clayton Delaney Died / The Grascals with Tom T. Hall / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel
• Black Mountain Special / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Follow The Leader / Jessie Baker / Yessir! / Patuxent Music
• Black Dust Fever / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent Music
• Making Up Stories / Johnson Mountain Boys / Live At The Birchmere / Rounder
• Blame It On The Bluegrass / Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike / Blame It On The Bluegrass / Bell Buckle Records
• Flint Hill Special / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia
• Earl's Breakdown / Hylo Brown & the Timberliners with Earl Scruggs / Classic Bluegrass Live / Vanguard
• Randy Lynn Rag / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Essential Earl Scruggs / Columbia Legacy
• Farm Of Yesterday / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
• The Yodelling Muleskinner Blues / Spinney Brothers / If I Were Your Brother / Self-Produced
• Carolina Dreams / Edgar Loudermilk / Roads Traveled / Mountain Fever
• Cold Chill Of Gone / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Steeltown Records
• Detour / The Grass Cats / A Good Way To Get The Blues / New Time Records
• On The Wings Of Angels / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Pray The Clouds Away / J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Paul Williams / Old Friends Get Together / Mountain Home
• Land Up In The Air / Special Consensus / 35 / Compass Records
• Good News When I Die / Charlie Sizemore Band / Good News / Rounder
• I'm Building On The Rock Of Ages / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / Mountain Home
• I'll Live Again / Baucom, Bibey, Graham & Haley / Baucom, Bibey, Graham & Haley / Rebel
• Harbor Of Love / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1955-1956 / JSP Records
• Sinners, You Better Get Ready / Ricky Skaggs / Ricky Skaggs Solo: Songs My Dad Loved / Skaggs Family
• Gone Home / Gibson Brothers / Iron & Diamonds / Sugar Hill
• Blue Grass Twist / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

You say you like brother duets?

About this time of year, a lot of folks are experiencing post-holiday blahs. Here's a fabulous way you might get yourself out of this funk...make plans to get to either the next Boston Bluegrass Union (BBU)-sponsored concert on Saturday, January 15th, or a show on Sunday, January 16th in Bellows Falls, VT, which is being sponsored by the same folks who bring you the Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival. On the bill at each show: two of the finest brother duets you're ever going to hear -- the Gibson Brothers and the Spinney Brothers. Both of these bands of brothers are top-notch, and if you've ever listened to the "Bluegrass Cafe," you know that we're pretty fond of both groups.

The similarities between these two bands are numerous: each group features two brothers who are very close in age; in each group, one brother plays the banjo, and the other the guitar; there is a third member in each group who may not be a blood-related brother, but has worked with his band for so long, they might as well be; both bands perform a good bit of original music; and their most important similarity: each group can produce harmonies that rival other brother duos of which you may have heard (with last names like Delmore, Louvin, and Everly).

You NEED to be at one, or maybe even BOTH of these shows next weekend. The BBU show is on Saturday, January 15th at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, MA and starts at 7:30PM. For more information, visit http://www.bbu.org/, and click on the "Concerts" tab. You may also call the BBU hotline: (617)782-2251, or email info@bbu.org. The Bellows Falls show happens at the Bellows Falls Opera House at noon on Sunday, January 16th. More info can be found by clicking here, or email jennybrookfestival@comcast.net.

I hope to see you at at least one of these shows. Don't miss an opportunity to hear some wonderful harmonies, or you'll be kicking yourself all year...

Oh, and if you think I'm biased about how great these shows are going to be, well, you may be right. However, I'm not alone in my praise of the Gibsons and the Spinneys. You should also read what one of the Rounder Records founders, Ken Irwin, has to say about these shows. In his post on the New England Bluegrass listserv this week, he wrote: "I love both of these bands! For my taste, this should be one of the best concerts that bluegrass fans will get to see for a long time...Both bands are playing their music at a very high level and both put on very entertaining shows...[this] show with the Gibson Brothers and the Spinney Brothers is a show I've been looking forward to since it was announced a while back. While there are other family bands out there, these are the bluegrass bands from their respective sides of the border who are doing the most to push the duet in bluegrass."

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/2/2011 (plus one "bonus" hour)

The first BG Cafe for 2011 was extended by one hour, as the regular 3-4PM show host at WHUS was away for one more week. We had no problems filling his hour, though...

In early December 2010, Country Music Hall of Famer Merle Haggard was recognized with Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., and the big gala television show honoring Merle and four other performers (including Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey, as well as Broadway's Jerry Herman and choreographer, Bill T. Jones) aired shortly after Christmas. Even though the Hag really can't be considered a "Bluegrass singer," he has made a BG-flavored recording in recent years, and there is absolutely no doubt that he is probably the favorite country singer and songwriter of a whole lot of BG performers. All you really need to make that determination is to take a look at the number of Merle Haggard tunes (both songs he's written or songs he's performed) that have been recorded in the BG world through the years. The list is incredibly long, so we thought it might be a nice way to honor Merle by playing an hour's worth of tunes he wrote and/or sung. While we included no fewer than fifteen Haggard classics, we could have easily played several more. I liked it; I hope you did, too.






Of course, the program is still called the BG Cafe, so playing a good bit of BG was on the agenda, too. We mixed in new music from folks like Edgar Loudermilk, Travers Chandler & Avery County, Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press, Jimmy Gaudreau, the Grascals, and Charlie Sizemore, with older music from Rounder's "Early Days Of Bluegrass" recordings like the Shenandoah Valley Trio, the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, and Jerry & Sky.

We also featured a couple of tunes from a brand-new project from a band known as Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad. This new recording mixes the secular with gospel, and 10 of the 12 tunes on the project were written or co-written by Cody Shuler,. You can expect to hear plenty more from it in future weeks of the BG Cafe.

And we couldn't let the show pass without acknowledging a tune that has been named the #1 Bluegrass song of 2010, as ranked according to Bluegrass Unlimited and the National Bluegrass Survey. The Gibson Brothers have had amazing success with their song, "Ring The Bell," and so, it has been named the top BG tune of 2010. Pretty good for a couple of New York farmboys. Incidentally, their "Farm Of Yesterday" is also ranked for the year...at #10. Congratulations to them!

I hope you'll be able to join me in the BG Cafe this coming Sunday (January 9th), as well, as the plan is to have a chat with Bluegrass promoter and former member of the Virginia Squires, Mark Newton, on the air. I'm also told that copies of the great "All-Star Jam" CD recorded live at the 2010 Graves Mountain Festival of Music will be given away, too. Sounds like fun to me...hope you feel the same!

Hope your first week of 2011 has been a great one, and we'll look for you again on Sunday beginning at 4PM...

Amy

REQUESTS ARE RED; MERLE HAGGARD MUSIC IS PURPLE.

• Mush Melon / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent Music
• Big City / Merle Haggard / The Bluegrass Sessions / McCoury Music
• I'm Bringing Home Good News / Darrell Webb Band / Bloodline / Rural Rhythm
• Today I Started Loving You Again / The Grascals / Keep On Walkin' / Rounder
• Fighting Side Of Me / Charlie Waller & the Country Gentlemen / Songs Of The American Spirit / Pinecastle
• Swinging Doors / Lost & Found / A Ride Through The Country / Rebel
• Huntsville / Blue Highway / Wind To The West / Rebel
• Red Bandana / Lonesome River Band / Still Learning / Rural Rhythm
• Holding Things Together / Southern Rail / On The Road From Appomattox / Railway Records
• Back To The Barrooms / J.D. Crowe & the New South / Come On Down To My World / Rounder
• Silver Wings / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Somewhere Between / Bob Paisley & the Southern Grass / Back To The Blue Ridge / Brandywine
• Old Man From The Mountain / BearTracks / Together 'Til The End / AMT Records
• I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Mama Tried / Seldom Scene / SCENEchronized / Sugar Hill
• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Daddy Frank / Jim Mills with Paul Brewster / The Hide Head Blues / Sugar Hill
• Where Is My Little Cabin Home? / Kathy Kallick Band / Between The Hollow And The High-Rise / Live Oak Records
• Proud Mary / Bill Emerson & Cliff Waldron / The Best Of Emerson & Waldron / Rebel
• I'm Lonesome Without You / Stanley Brothers / Selected Sides, 1949-1953 / JSP Records
• Ring The Bell / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
• Slowly Getting You Out Of The Way / Bluegrass Cardinals / Home Is Where The Heart Is / Sugar Hill
• Can't Live Life Here Without You / Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent / single / Mountain Fever Records
• It Don't Mean A Thing / Claire Lynch / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Let Me Rest (At The End Of My Journey / Shenandoah Valley Trio / New Sounds Ramblin' Coast To Coast / Rounder
• You're Not A Drop In The Bucket / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• Sparkling Brown Eyes / Jerry & Sky / New Sounds Ramblin' Coast To Coast / Rounder
• The Story Of The Lawson Family / Stanley Brothers / An Evening Long Ago / Columbia
• Lonesome, Sad And Blue / Lonesome Pine Fiddlers / Windy Mountain / Bear Family
• No Letter In The Mail / Jim & Jesse with Emmylou Harris / Songs From The Homeplace / Pinecastle
• Out In The Cold World / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• Worried Blues / Doc Watson / Trouble In Mind / Sugar Hill
• Roane County Prison / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• Flat Fork / Kentucky Colonels / Appalachian Swing! / Rounder
• The Court Of Love / Rhonda Vincent / Taken / Upper Management Music
• I'd Rather Live By The Side Of The Road / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• You Must Come In At The Door / Doc Watson / The Best Of The Sugar Hill Years / Sugar Hill
• Once More / Audie Blaylock & Redline with Russell Moore & Lou Reid / The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Cold Sheets Of Rain / Virginia Squires / The Best Of The Virginia Squires / Rebel
• I've Had A Time / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country
• Ribbon Of Darkness / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / No One But You / Rebel
• Memory Of You / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• Tee Tot Payne / Volume Five / Down In A Cell / Mountain Fever Records
• Southern Rail Road Line / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-Produced
• When Snow Falls On The Bluegrass / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Steeltown Records
• Mountain Fever / Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press with Russell Moore / Memories / Rural Rhythm
• Pain Of Lovin' You / The Grascals with Dolly Parton / The Grascals & Friends / Cracker Barrel
• Nobody Cares For Me / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent Music
• Log Cabin In The Lane / The Boxcars / The Boxcars / Mountain Road
• Classic JAG / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• Working Hard Ain't Hardly Working Anymore / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / Heartaches & Dreams / Rebel
• No Lawyers In Heaven / Charlie Sizemore / Rounder Records 2010 IBMA Sampler / Rounder
• Pretty Polly / Ralph Stanley with Patty Loveless / Clinch Mountain Country / Rebel
• Singing In The Family Circle / John Rossbach / Never Was Plugged! / Self-Produced
• Livin' On The Mountain / Del McCoury / Livin' On The Mountain / Rebel
• They Can Only Fill One Grave / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Justified / Billy Boone Smith / Five Flat Rocks / Muddy Sunshine
• Angel At Your Side / Barry Scott / Look To The Light: Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Way Down Deep In My Soul / Warrior River Boys / Sounds Like Home / Rounder
• Country Church / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / The Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel
• When My Savior Welcomes Me / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Steeltown Records
• I Want To Live Like Christ My Savior / Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder
• Sweeping Through The Gate / Johnnie & Jack With Kitty Wells / Johnnie & Jack With Kitty Wells At KWKH / Bear Family
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/26/2010

Hi Folks.

The snowstorm kept Amy away for this last show of the year, so I happily stepped in to keep the bluegrass going on this Sunday afternoon, and had the bonus of a couple of extra hours ahead of our regular time because of a combination of weather and school break. Five full hours of bluegrass is a fine way to close out the year!

Some of the extra hours allowed the Heritage Corner to do a sort of early career retrospective of The Dillards. The mother-lode of the early Dillard recordings heard on this show was a batch of songs from rare 45 RPM singles on the small K-ARK label that were 1961 releases of home recordings of Rodney and Doug Dillard from 1958-59. Some of these recordings were issued under the name "Dillard Brothers" and others by "Joe Noel and the Dixie Ramblers," but personnel were similar on all the tracks with Doug Dillard on banjo, Rodney Dillard on guitar, Joe Noel on mandolin, and Buddy Van on bass and lead vocals. Some tracks even included John Hartford on fiddle or Dobro.

Other Heritage Corner classics included songs from Mac Martin, Ralph Stanley and his 1968 Clinch Mountain Boys at Newport, Bill Monroe doing a live version of his instrumental "Get Up John," The Johnson Mountain Boys live at Strawberry Park in 1981, a song from Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & The Kennebec Valley Boys, The Foothill Boys (with Cullen Galyean), Classic Country Gentlemen, Wade Mainer, Jimmy Martin, Hack Johnson and his Tennesseans (with Allen Shelton on banjo), Doc and Merle Watson, early Stanley Brothers, Reno & Smiley, Ted Lundy, and Carl Story.

Some of the newest tracks came from the latest Grascals album on Cracker Barrel that pairs them with many of their country friends. Others included Charlie Sizemore, Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent, Travers Chandler, Joe Diffie, Jimmy Gaudreau, The Steeldrivers, Cedar Hill, the new Graves Mountain All-Star Jam, and an excellent old-time duet album from Taylor's Grove -- a pairing of Maine legend Mac McHale and North Carolinian Carolyn Hutton.

Amy will be back for the next couple of weeks, so be sure to tune in to hear the banjos and fiddles ring.

Jim

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• You Can Run But You Can't Hide / Bill Emerson / Banjo Man / Pinecastle
• This Rambler's Ramblin' / Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers / A Dark Starless Night / White Oak
• Pretty Polly/Wild Bill Jones / Ralph Stanley / Newport Folk Festival 1968 / Wolfgang's Vault
• Too Deep In Heartaches / Travers Chandler / State of Depression / Patuxent
• Tiger By The Tail / The Grascals with Brad Paisley / The Grascals and Friends / Cracker Barrel
• You're On My Mind / Joe Noel and the Dixie Travelers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Banjo In The Hollow / Joe Noel and the Dixie Travelers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• When The Roses Bloom Again / Joe Noel and the Dixie Travelers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Highway Of Sorrow / The Dillard Brothers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Mama Don't Allow / The Dillard Brothers / (45 single) / K-Ark
• Katy Cline / The Dillards / Early Recordings - 1959 / Varese Sarabande
• Duelin' Banjo / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• There Is A Time / The Dillards / Live Almost / Elektra
• Hamilton County Breakdown / The Dillards with Byron Berline / Pickin' And Fiddlin' / Elektra
• Whitehouse Blues / The Dillards / A Long Time Ago / Varese Sarabande
• Man Of Constant Sorrow / Alison Krauss and Union Station / Home On The Highway / Cracker Barrel
• Get Up John / Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys / Live Recordings 1956-1969 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Now Just Suppose / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Live at Strawberry Park 1981 / (na)
• Headed Home For Maine / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & The Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Self-released
• Adrienne's Reel / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Goose Creek Music
  
• Tidwell Pike / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Goose Creek Music
  
• Don't This Road Look Rough And Rocky / The Kruger Brothers / Carolina Scrap Book Volume Two / Self-released
• Leavin' Louisiana In The Broad Daylight / The Grascals with The Oak Ridge Boys / The Grascals and Friends / Cracker Barrel
• My Little Home In Tennessee / David Peterson / Live at WHUS May 8, 2010 / Private Recording
• Good Corn Liquor / The Steeldrivers / Reckless / Rounder
• Darling Do You Know Who Loves You / The Stanley Brothers / An Evening Long Ago / Columbia
• I Don't Want To Wake Up / Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain / CHHR2 / Rural Rhythm
• Goodbye Little Bonnie / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• More Pretty Girls Than One / The Crowe Brothers with guests / The All-Star Jam - Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Shady Grove / Paula Dellenback / The Crooked Road / Self-released
• Streets Of Chicago / Tommy Brown & the County Line Grass / Hard Drivin' / Lavenir
• Handsome Molly / The Country Gentlemen / Folk Songs and Bluegrass / Smithsonian Folkways
• Molly And Tenbrooks / Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys / Big Jam Session / Old Homestead
• Home Sweet Home / Hack Johnson and his Tennesseeans / Bluegrass Historic Cuts / JSP
• Three Nights In A Bar Room / Wade Mainer and the Mountaineers / Bluegrass Historic Cuts / JSP
• Hey! Hey! Hey! / The Stanley Brothers / 1949-52 / Bear Family
• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Can't Live Life Here Without You / Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever
  
• Lonesome Fiddle Blues / Tim Smith / Straight From The Heart / TRS
• Stone By Stone / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• Bloodline / Darrell Webb Band / Bloodline / Rural Rhythm
• Old Slew Foot / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-released
• Cold Dark Ground / The Bartley Brothers / Hit The Road / Rural Rhythm
• Pay No Attention To Alice / Charlie Sizemore / (pre-release single) / Rounder
• December 13th / The Boxcars / The Boxcars / Mountain Home
• Hard Price To Pay / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• I'd Rather Be Alone / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Fly Away Little Birdy / The Bluegrass Brothers / So Long / Self-released
• R.P.'s Run / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent
• Going DownTo Charleston / The Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Mastertone
• The Mayberry Hat / Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band / I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry / Rural Rhythm
• Fiddlin' John / Summertime Road / Summertime Road / Rounder
• I'll Never Dream No More / The Foot Hill Boys / Bluegrass In The Carolina Mountains / County
• Don't Let Go Of My Hand / Jay Armsworthy / (pre-release single) / Good Home Grown Music
• I'll Break Out Again Tonight / The Gibson Brothers / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm
• Jericho / The Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass
• Walkin' The Dog / Shady Creek / Get Your Feet Wet / Self-released
• Just Someone I Used To Know / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
• Fruit Of The Vine / Ashleigh Caudill / Fruit Of The Vine / Self-released
• Changing Winds, Changing Times / Carolina Native Sons / Rank Ol' Bluegrass / Patuxent
• Apple Jack / Pam Gadd / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway
• I'm Gone, Long Gone / Reno & Smiley / Early Years 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Graybar Hotel / The Cana Ramblers / No Expectations / Self-released
• I Bought Her A Dog / Brandon Rickman / Young Man, Old Soul / Rural Rhythm
• Somehow Tonight / Joe Diffie / Homecoming / Rounder
• I've Been All Around This World / David Davis & The Warrior River Boys / Two Dimes & A Nickel / Rebel
• All The Good Times / Phil Rosenthal / A Treasury of Bluegrass and Country Songs / American Melody
• Where I'm Bound / James Alan Shelton / Where I'm Bound / Sheltone Records
• Dig A Little Deeper In The Well / Doc & Merle Watson / Columbus Stockade Blues / Raven
• Don't Wake Me Up / Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys / Can't You Hear The Mountains Calling / Rounder
• Gold Watch And Chain / Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers / 24 Bluegrass Favorites / Rural Rhythm
• Nobody's Love Is Like Mine / Ralph Stanley, Dudley Connell, Laurie Lewis / Masters Of The Banjo / Arhoolie
• Washington Lee Fling (bed) / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
• I've Got A Thing About Doors / Cedar Hill / (pre-release single) / Blue Circle Records
• The Midnight Train / Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie / Southern / Rural Rhythm
• Sally Anne / Ted Lundy & The Southern Mountain Boys / Ted Lundy, Bob Paisley & The Southern Mountain Boys / GHP (LP)
• Don't Ask Me Why / Peter Rowan / Legacy / Compass
• I Won't Be Around / Nu-Blu / Nights / Self-released
• Winter On The Great Divide / Anne & Pete Sibley / Winter On The Great Divide / Self-released
• Somebody Touched Me / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• Give Me Your Hand / Crowe, Lawson, Williams / Old Friends Get Together / Mountain Home
• Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho / Dailey & Vincent / Singing From The Heart / Rounder
• Where Will You Go / Nathan Stanley & Ralph Stanley / Where Will You Go / III Generation
• A Step Away / Billy Boone Smith / Five Flat Rocks / Muddy Sunshine
• Stone Was Rolled Away / The Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• That Glory Bound Train / The Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road
• Heavenly Home / Gold Heart / My Sisters And Me / Rural Rhythm
• New Jerusalem Way / Carl Story and the Rambling Mountaineers / Unissued Recordings / Old Homestead
• Keeper of The Door / The Gillis Brothers / Best Of The Gillis Brothers / Hay Holler
• Yellow Roses / Fred Etheridge with Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released
  

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/19/2010

Hi Folks.

Though shortened 40 minutes for sports, this last Bluegrass Cafe before Christmas included our regular mix of old treasures and new releases as well as a sizable serving of Christmas bluegrass songs -- many newly released.

We played new music from Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Travers Chandler & Avery County, and Oklahoma group Rockin Acoustic Circus.

New Christmas tracks included offerings from Billy Boone Smith, Heather Berry & Tony, the group Nu-Blu, Lizzy and Little Roy, Balsam Range, and Dr. Elmo Shropshire.

The Heritage Corner archives brought forth a track from the as-yet un-re-released LP "Boone Creek" on the Rounder label, an early recording of "Ice Covered Birches" from White Mountain Bluegrass, a track from the rare bicentennial LP "Maine Train" from Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell, & the Kennebec Valley Boys, a track from an LP of Bill Hall and Northwind Bluegrass, and a recently re-released track from a Carl Story album released in 1966 on the obscure Sims label.

There was a recent discussion on the online bluegrass community, BGRASS-L, where Gary Brewer related the fascinating story of how Bill Monroe taught Gary a Monroe-penned tune on the guitar, and Bill recorded it with Gary on one of Gary's albums and brought Josh Graves in to play dobro on the tune. I just had to play the tune, so that's how "The Old Kentucky Blues" from Gary Brewer made the playlist.

Amy has the last Bluegrass Cafe for 2010 next Sunday, so I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and to thank you for your support for this program, bluegrass music, and WHUS. We can't do what we do without you, and we love to hear from you.


Jim Beaver

Song Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing on The "C" String / Self-released
• Come On Boys It's Christmas / Dr. Elmo Shropshire / Bluegrass Christmas / Time Life
• Bah Humbug / Tim O'Brien / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Call Collect On Christmas / Del McCoury / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• White House Blues / Boone Creek / Boone Creek / Rounder (LP)
• Nobody Cares For Me / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• The Family Demon / Peter Rowan / Legacy / Compass
• Ice Covered Birches / White Mountain Bluegrass / Ice Covered Birches / Self-released
• Jesse James / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell, & The Kennebec Valley Boys / Maine Train / Interstate (LP)
• Christmas Is Near / Russell Moore / Christmas Grass Vol. 2 / Koch
• The Old Kentucky Blues / Gary Brewer / Guitar / Copper Creek
• Down By The River / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Carol Of The Bells / Darrin Vincent, Cody Kilby, Joe Caverlee / Christmas Grass / Koch
• Ebo Walker / Rodney Dillard and The Dillard Band / I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry / Rural Rhythm
• Mary's Little Lamb / Balsam Range / (single) / Mountain Home
• Just Along For The Ride / Steve Gulley, Tim Stafford / Dogwood Winter / Rural Rhythm
• The Christmas Spirit / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time With Ralph Stanley / Freeland
• The Christmas Whittler / Lizzy and Little Roy / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• Blame It On The Bluegrass / Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike / (advance single) / Bell Buckle
• Sleigh Ride / Tony Trischka / Acoustic Holidays / Rounder
• Christmas In Dixie / Nu-Blu / (single) / Pinecastle
• Christmas Is Everywhere Except In My Heart / Jimmy Martin / To Mother At Christmas / Gusto
• Washington Lee Fling (bed) / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released
• Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-released
• Our Last Goodbye / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Blue Diamond / Rounder
• Tribulations / Carolina Native Sons / Rank Ol' Bluegrass / Patuxent
• How Come You Do Me Like You Do / Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road / Carolina Hurricane / Rural Rhythm
• Tennessee Christmas / Rhonda Vincent / Christmas Grass Vol. 2 / Koch
• Stickleyville Stomp / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent
• Money In The Bank / Rockin Acoustic Circus / Lonestar Lullabye / Flying Weasel
• Time To Be Movin' On / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• Tim's Tune / Tim Smith / Straight From the Heart / TRS Records
• Give Me Jesus / The Grascals / The Famous Lefty Flynn's / Rounder
• I Know My Lord's Gonna Lead Me Out / The Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Walking Through Bethlehem / Billy Boone Smith / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• Hallelujah To His Name / Carl Story and The Rambling Mountaineers / Songs For Our Savior / Sims
• One Empty Chair / Heather Berry & Tony / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• Chariots A-Comin' / Bill Hall & Northwind / Bluegrass In The Shadow Of The Pines / Old Homestead (LP)
• Bluegrass Christmas / Del McCoury Band feat. Ronnie McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Open Up Them Pearly Gates / Lilly Brothers And Don Stover / Live At Hillbilly Ranch / Hay Holler
• Silent Night / Mac Wiseman and Del McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• The First Noel/It Came Upon The Midnight Clear/Joy To The World / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/12/2010

Sunday's show featured absolutely ZERO preemptions for sports, as the UCONN campus was busy preparing for exams this week. Lucky them!

In a show airing 13 days before Christmas, you might expect to hear a good number of Christmas tunes. While the weather outside the studio wasn't making me think of Christmas things (it was about 50 degrees, very rainy, and the wind was blowing like crazy), we still managed to play a good number of tunes for the season from folks like the Country Gentlemen, Rick Lang & Friends, the Wildwood Valley Boys, Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum, the Stanley Brothers, the Stony Point Quartet, Bill Grant & Delia Bell (with some help from the Johnson Mountain Boys), Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Darrin Vincent & Jamie Dailey (recorded before the existence of "Dailey & Vincent"), and Reno & Smiley. We also included a new Christmas tune for 2010 from Balsam Range, and both sides of a single release from an eastern CT band known as the Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers. This band included brothers Fred & Earl Pike, as well as Earl's very talented daughter, then 16-year-old, Earlene. Even though the sound quality of this record wasn't the greatest for airplay, I think it's always important to listen to music made in eastern CT, and this record (probably recorded in Sterling, CT in 1969) fills that bill quite nicely. The photo below shows the Pike Brothers & Pine Hill Ranchers from the late 1960s/early 1970s, including Earl Pike on the guitar, his daughter Earlene (1953-1972), Fred Pike on the banjo in the front row, and Sam Tidwell on the electric bass, Gordon Pike with a (gasp!) drum, and Dave Papuga on the electric guitar. This photo and many more great ones can be found on Bob Denoncourt's website -- click here for more info.

Fred Pike was also an early employer of a Rhode Island musician named Jimmy Gaudreau. Bluegrass history will show that JG was the man who was hired to take the place of John Duffey in the Country Gentlemen, but he's also worked with J.D. Crowe & the New South, Spectrum, the Tony Rice Unit, and in a group called Chesapeake with Mike Auldridge and Moondi Klein through the years. The BG world first heard Jimmy Gaudreau on a recording made by Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys in 1965. While I didn't play a tune from that particular LP on Sunday, I played a couple of tracks from Jimmy Gaudreau's recently released all-instrumental recording called, "Pieces And Bits." One of the tunes on this CD is named after two of Gaudreau's mentors: "Tidwell Pike." It's a nice tribute to some great New England musicians: Sam Tidwell and Fred Pike.

It's the Christmas season, so we thought it would be nice to give away a couple of recordings on Sunday. Two lucky callers will soon be receiving copies of the last Gibson Brothers recording released on Hay Holler Records: "Another Night Of Waiting" and/or the latest gospel recording from Lou Reid & Carolina ("Sounds Like Heaven To Me") on Rural Rhythm Christian. Thanks to the labels for donating these discs for giveaways, and thanks, especially, to all of the listeners of "BG Cafe" for keeping us company on Sundays throughout the year.

You likely won't be hearing me on the air again before Christmas, so I'll take a moment to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for lots of health, happiness, and great BG music in 2011!

Join Jim on Sunday, December 19th for the next edition of the "BG Cafe." There may be a bit of sports preemption at the start, but you're encouraged to listen in for lots of top-notch music.

Have a fine week -
Amy

REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Christmas Time Back Home / Country Gentlemen / Christmas Time Back Home / Rebel
• The Season Of My Heart / Rick Lang & Friends / The Season Of My Heart / Self-Produced
• Christmas Time / Wildwood Valley Boys / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
• That White Christmas Song / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• It's You Baby You / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Hit The Road / Bartley Brothers / Hit The Road / Rural Rhythm
• Busy City / Volume Five / Down In A Cell / Mountain Fever Records
• Nellie Kane / Hot Rize / Hot Rize / Flying Fish
• Prillaman's Switch / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent Music
• Plastic Heart / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• I've Lived A Lot In My Time / Dry Branch Fire Squad / Just For The Record / Rounder
• Say You'll Take Me Back / Johnson Mountain Boys / Working Close / Rounder
• A Broken Heart Keeps Beatin' / Adam Steffey / One More For The Road / Sugar Hill
• The Blues Are Still The Blues / Traditional Grass / Howdy Neighbor Howdy / Rebel
• Another Day, Another Dollar / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / Rambler's Call / Rebel
• If We Make It Through December / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / Winter's Grace / Signature Sounds
• Christmas Is Near / Stanley Brothers / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life
• Oh Christmas Candle / Stony Point Quartet / Good Home Grown Music Christmas Sampler / Blue Circle
• My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• Graves Mountain Memories / Various Artists / The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Pages Of Time / Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys In Hats And Ties / Rebel
• Train Without A Track / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / Heartaches & Dreams / Rebel
• Old Man From The Mountain / BearTracks / Together 'Til The End / AMT Records
• Foggy Mountain Breakdown / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury
• Cryin' Heart Blues / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Cryin' Heart Blues / Rural Rhythm
• Trail Of The Lonesome Pine / Bluegrass Patriots / Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• Another Night Of Waiting / Gibson Brothers / Another Night Of Waiting / Hay Holler
• Missionary Good Book Man / Lou Reid & Carolina / Sounds Like Heaven To Me / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Jesse & Don / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• Daddy Loved Trains / Wildfire / Crash Course In The Blues / Lonesome Day
• Virginia Bound / Josh Slone & Coaltown / Prime Cuts & Key Tracks, Volume 9 / Rural Rhythm
• Noodlin' / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• Tidwell Pike / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces And Bits / Goose Creek Music
• All I Want For Christmas Is You / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / single / no label
• You Love Me Just A Little At A Time / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Walkin' West To Memphis / Casey & Chris & the Two-Stringers / Get Along Girl / Arrandem Records
• There Ain't No Easy Street / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• I Feel The Christmas Spirit / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / SSK
• Mary's Little Lamb / Balsam Range / A Mountain Home Christmas / Mountain Home
• Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy / Pike Brothers & the Pine Hill Ranchers / single / no label
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / Darrin Vincent & Jamie Dailey / Christmas Grass, Volume 2 / Koch Records
• There's A Higher Power / Kathy Kallick Band / Between The Hollow And The High-Rise / Live Oak Records
• A Beautiful Life / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• House Of Gold / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• Preachin' Prayin' Singin' / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Let Him Lead You / Jim Eanes / Let Him Lead You / Rebel
• If You Are To Sin Inclined / Bill Carroll / Christmas Time Back Home / Rebel
• Joy Of Revelation / McCoury Brothers / The McCoury Brothers / Rounder
• Jingle Bells / Reno & Smiley / Christmas Time's A-Comin' / Time Life

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/5/2010

Hi Folks!

This show represented an eclectic brew of bluegrass sources along with some bluegrass Christmas songs.

New music included a duet from Edgar Loudermilk with help from Rhonda Vincent, a song from Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-Press, a couple of tracks from the fine new CD from Travers Chandler and Avery County, an instrumental from Jimmy Gaudreau, and new
Christmas tracks from Dr. Elmo Shropshire (doing Bach on the banjo), and Chris Jones & The Night Drivers.

The Heritage Corner was working overtime because of the many classic tunes that have been brought back into my personal listening rotation by listener inquiries. Dave Shaw from New Hampshire is a major correspondent, and thanks to Dave I located classic tracks from Hack Johnson and his Tennesseans (with Allen Shelton on banjo), Carl Story and his Rambling Mountaineers, and the only known recording of "Grand Ole Opry Song" by the man who wrote it, Hylo Brown.

Other tracks from the Heritage Corner included a re-release from The Bailes Brothers, a Bill Monroe track from the 1960s, a classic number from Ted Lundy, Bob Paisley and the Southern Mountain Boys, seasonal songs from Jimmy Martin and Reno & Smiley, and a goose-bumping old time duet from Donald Scott and the late Clarence Green recorded at home in 1985. Clarence passed away unexpectedly a year ago on December 11.

We paid tribute to Carter Stanley, who passed away 44 years ago on December 1, by playing a set of songs he wrote, performed by The Stanley Brothers, Ralph Stanley, Ralph Stanley II, and Jeanie Stanley.

Thanks for listening. Amy will make the fiddles and banjos ring December 12, so tune in.

Jim

Song / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Darling Corey / Bill Monroe / Blue Grass 1959-1969 / Bear Family
• Can't Live Life Here Without You / Edgar Loudermilk with Rhonda Vincent / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever
• I'm Going Home, It's Christmas Time / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time with Ralph Stanley / Freeland
• Underneath A Harvest Moon / The Gibson Brothers / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm
• You Don't Have To Be From The Country / Hack Johnson and his Tennesseans / Single (1955) / Colonial (45RPM)
• Been All Around The World / Shady Creek / Get Your Feet Wet / Self-released
• Jesus On The Mainline / Dry Branch Fire Squad / Live at the Newburyport Firehouse / Rounder
• Lord We Sure Need Some Rainbows In December / Jimmy Martin / To Mother At Christmas / Gusto
• Let Me Fall / Laurie Lewis, Dudley Connell, Kirk Sutphin / Masters of the Banjo / Arhoolie
• Home Run Man / Emerson & Newton / A Foot In The Past, A Foot In The Future / Pinecastle
• Bluegrass Christmas / The Del McCoury Band featuring Ronnie McCoury / Christmas On The Mountain / Universal South
• Baby Girl / Ralph Stanley II, Ralph Stanley, Joe Isaacs / Baby Girl / CMH
• Mary, Merry Christmas / Ralph Stanley II / Listen To My Hammer Ring / Rebel
• How Mountain Girls Can Love / The Stanley Brothers / Classic Bluegrass Collection Vol. 3 / Time Life
  
• Two Sides To A Story / Jeanie Stanley / Baby Girl / CMH
• My Long Skinny Lanky Sarah Jane / The Stanley Brothers / An Evening Long Ago / Columbia
  
• The Unquiet Grave / Clarence Green and Donald Scott / Private Recording (c.1985) / n/a
• Bring Back Yesterday / Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press / Memories / Rural Rhythm
  
• The Reckless Side Of Me / The Steeldrivers / Reckless / Rounder
• Christmas Time Back Home / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / (single) / Mountain Home
• The Grand Ole Opry Song / Hylo Brown / Tribute To My Heroes / Atteiram (LP)
• The Train That Carried My Girl From Town / Doc Watson / Columbus Stockade Blues/Raven
  
• Almost Hear The Blues / James Reams & The Barnstormers / (pre-release of upcoming album) / Mountain Redbird
• Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-released
  
• It's Christmas Time / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / (single) / Mountain Home
• Christmas Reunion / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
• If I Should Wander Back Tonight / Roland White / I Wasn't Born To Rock'n Roll / Tompkins Square
  
• Let Me Be Your Friend / The Stanley Brothers / 1949-52 / Bear Family
• Cotton Farmer / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Kentucky Noel / Chris Jones & The Night Drivers / (single) / Good Home Grown Music
• I've Never Been So Lonesome / Ted Lundy & The Southern Mountain Boys / Self-Titled / GHP
• East Virginia Blues / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• Foggy Old London / Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys In Hats & Ties / Rebel
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring / Dr. Elmo (Shropshire) / Bluegrass Christmas / Time Life
• Sugar Hill / The Bluegrass Brothers / So Long / Self-released
• Remington Ride [bed] / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' & Singin' / Self-released
• Yellow Roses [bed] / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' & Singin' / Self-released
  
• Adrienne's Reel / Jimmy Gaudreau / Pieces and Bits / Self-released
• Time To Be Moving On / Blue Moon Rising / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm
• Let It Snow / Rhonda Vincent / Beautiful Star / Rounder
• Tattoo of a Smudge / Cherryholmes / Cherryholmes IV - Common Threads / Skaggs Family
• Elizabeth / Dailey & Vincent / Sing The Statler Brothers / Cracker Barrel
• Here We Go Along / Frances Mooney & Fontanna Sunset / I Didn't See It Coming / Blue Circle
• The Friendly Beasts / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Acoustic Holidays / Rounder
• Precious Moments / Carl Story and his Rambling Mountaineers / There's Nothing On Earth Heaven Can't Cure / Starday (LP)
• Look Over Me Lord / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Something Got A Hold Of Me / The Bailes Brothers / The Bailes Brothers / Gusto
• Bright Morning Star / Ralph Stanley / Christmas Time with Ralph Stanley / Freeland
• Leaning On The Everlasting Arms / Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band / I Wish Life Was Like Mayberry / Rural Rhythm
• Let Me Walk Lord By Your Side / Peter Rowan / Legacy / Compass
• Mother's Prayers Were Not In Vain / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• You'll Be Rewarded Over There / Joe Val & The New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• Silent Night / Anne & Pete Sibley / Winter On The Great Divide / Self-released
• Christmas Medley / Southern Rail / (single) / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 11/28/2010

It was an abbreviated "Bluegrass Cafe" this past Sunday, as the UCONN Women's Basketball game aired on WHUS from 4:30 until about 6:30PM. However, since it was a holiday weekend, Dr. B. -- the regular host of the 3-4PM show on WHUS -- was one of the basketball game broadcasters, so we played BG on the air from 3-4:30PM, and then, picked up again with a gospel set after the game ended at 6:30PM.

As it was a holiday weekend, there was another different program offering in the place of DJ Jenny & her "Trail Mix" show from 2-3PM: it was none other than our own Jim Beaver, who played an hour's worth of early stringband music from some of the earliest performers featured on the Grand Ole Opry. Those tunes were especially appropriate since WSM began broadcasting what would be known as the Grand Ole Opry on November 28, 1925. As you likely know, lots of that early stringband stuff from performers like Sam & Kirk McGee and Uncle Jimmy Thompson, and, of course, Uncle Dave Macon ("The Dixie Dewdrop") certainly influenced what would later be called Bluegrass music. By the way, Jim suggested a book title for those interested in learning more about the early history of the Grand Ole Opry. Noted country music historian, the late Charles K. Wolfe wrote a book in 1999 titled A Good-Natured Riot: The Birth Of The Grand Ole Opry. I have added this book to my reading list -- perhaps you might be interested in doing so, as well.

On Saturday night, recognized Bluegrass pioneer and New England (and perhaps, Florida?) Bluegrass legend, Sam Tidwell, performed at the local Killingly Grange hall. Sam has not been in the best of health for the last couple of years, but when he feels like playing music, he is still a treat to hear. When I was growing up, I remember my brother, Dave, playing the music of Sam and his musical partner, Fred Pike (who made his home in nearby Oneco, CT for a number of years), along with their group, the Kennebec Valley Boys, many, many times. Sam's quite a storyteller, too, and it's great to see him out playing once again (and getting some nice recognition).

Along with music from Sam and Fred, I thought it would be fun to spotlight performers from all six states that make up New England, so along with Sam (who could represent both his native Rhode Island & his adopted home of Maine) and Fred (CT & ME), we heard music from Jimmy Gaudreau (RI), Dan Tyminski (Vermont), White Mountain Bluegrass (New Hampshire), and the late Joe Val (Massachusetts). Who says that folks from north of the Mason-Dixon Line can't make some fabulous Bluegrass music?

There wasn't much time for new music on Sunday, but we did include newer tunes from Volume Five, the Boxcars, Balsam Range, Lou Reid & Carolina, Big Country Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent, and Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa. Christmas season is upon us, too, so we included an older Christmas tune from Tony Trischka (and friends), as well as a brand-spanking new song co-written by Tom T. & Dixie Hall, along with the performer, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers.

After our two-hour preemption, we included a gospel set beginnning about 6:30PM.

Don't forget to join Jim on Sunday afternoon from 4-7PM -- basketball games & weird UCONN power outages notwithstanding.

Enjoy the remainder of the week!

Amy








3:00-4:30PM

• The Mill / Laurie Lewis & Grant Street / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Salty Dog Blues / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Cracker Barrel
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Cracker Barrel
• Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes / Jim & Jesse / Grand Ole Opry Live Classics / Cracker Barrel
• The Last Log Drive / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• Follow The Leader / Jimmy Gaudreau / In Good Company / CMH
• I Ain't Taking You Back No More / Dan Tyminski / Wheels / Rounder
• I've Had A Time / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country
• Ginger Brandy / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• Headed Home For Maine / Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell & the Kennebec Valley Boys / The Last Log Drive / Revonah
• More Pretty Girls Than One / Crowe Brothers with Russell Moore, Sammy Shelor, Mike Hartgrove / The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Down In A Mine / Volume Five / Down In A Cell / Mountain Fever Records
• Quicksand / Darren Beachley & Legends Of The Potomac / Take Off / Patuxent Music
• Look For Me / Angelica Grim / Look For Me / Patuxent Music
• I've Been Waiting / The Boxcars / The Boxcars / Mountain Home
• Precious Child / Tony Trischka / Glory Shone Around / Rounder
• Kentucky Noel / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / Good Home Grown Christmas Sampler / Blue Circle
• Katy Hill / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren / Self-Produced
• The Boys In Hats And Ties / Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys In Hats And Ties / Rebel
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1952-1955 / JSP Records
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers From Different Mothers / Rounder
• Another Day / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Next Train Smokin' / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
• The Court Of Love / Rhonda Vincent / Taken / Upper Management Music
• My Old Kentucky And You / Larry Stephenson with Ricky Skaggs / 20th Anniversary / Pinecastle
• Suwannee River Hoedown / Jessie Baker / Yessir! / Patuxent Music

6:30-7PM

• Won't You Come And Sing For Me / Hot Rize / Every Time I Feel The Spirit / Sugar Hill
• For Him / Gary Waldrep Band / Road Leading Home / Blue Circle Records
• It's Just Like Heaven / Bill Yates & Friends / Country Gentlemen Tribute, Volume II / Mastershield Records
• Will He Wait A Little Longer / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1955-1956 / JSP Records
• Gonna Be Movin' / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• God's Front Porch / Lou Reid & Carolina / Sounds Like Heaven To Me / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Cabin In The Sky / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Out In The Middle Of Nowhere / Self-Produced
• His Loving Care / Junior Sisk / Look To The Light: Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm Christian
• Shouting In The Air / Johnson Mountain Boys / Let The Whole World Talk / Rounder
• I'm On A Journey / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder