"Bluegrass Cafe" - 3/18/2012 Radiothon Week #1

Waiting patiently for some calls...

March is generally the time of year a lot of college and community radio stations have fund drives, and so it has been at WHUS for the last several years.  On Sunday, we worked through the first week of our fundraising campaign (better known as Radiothon), and while Jim and I are always delighted to hear from folks who listen to -- and we hope, enjoy -- the show, we didn't quite hear from as many listeners yesterday as we had hoped we might.  There's always next Sunday, I suppose...

Rachel, Jim, and James study one of
the pledge cards.

We couldn't do Radiothon without the support of some mighty fine record labels:  Hadley Music Group, Mountain Fever Records, Mountain Home, Mountain Roads Recordings, Patuxent Music, Rebel, Rounder, and Rural Rhythm Records.  Big THANKS to each of them. 


If you're considering making a pledge to the program and WHUS, next Sunday will be your next -- and we hope, last for this year -- chance to do so.  There are still a boatload of great "thank you gifts" we can offer for your pledge -- check out the list of them here.  If you're wondering what WHUS hopes to do with your pledge, check out the explanation here.  Remember, too, that for each pledge you make, no matter the amount, you'll get one chance for our drawing at the end of Radiothon on March 25th for a copy of The Music Of Bill Monroe -- the terrific biography/discography of the Father of Bluegrass published by the Univ. of Illinois Press in 2007.  We might have a few other surprises to offer on Sunday, so be sure to tune in, please. 

We'd be absolutely delighted to hear from you next week, so if you can help us out, please do.  No pledge amount is too small...or too large! 

Have a great week, and join us again for Radiothon Week #2 on Sunday at 4PM.

Amy & Jim


Playlist comes from CDs available as premiums during Radiothon:

• Foot Hill Hop / Various / Born Into Bluegrass:  The Songs Of Cullen Galyean / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Hard Rock Mountain Prison ('Til I Die) / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Rural Rhythm
• Picture Me There / Lou Reid & Carolina / My Own Set Of Rules / Rural Rhythm
• Emotions / Reno & Smiley / Together Again / Rebel
• Buck Ryan Rag / Reno & Smiley / Together Again / Rebel
• Makin' A Killin' / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Swinging Bridge / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Helen / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• The Black Fox / Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie / Southern / Rural Rhythm
• The Nights Are So Long / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• Sea Of Regret / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Close By / Dailey & Vincent / Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration / Rounder
• Molly & Tenbrooks / Tony Rice / The Bill Monroe Collection / Rounder
• Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself / Louvin Brothers / Radio Favorites '51-'57 / CMF
• Stranger In My Home / White Mountain Bluegrass / Aragon Mill / Strictly Country
• Lonesome Without You / Donna Ulisse / An Easy Climb / Hadley Music Group
• In Despair / Audie Blaylock & Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• Old Roman Soldier / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Rare Bird Alert / Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder
• Sweetest Love / Merl Johnson / Better Man / Patuxent Music
• Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die / Lost & Found / Love, Lost & Found / Rebel
• We're In This Love Together / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Bring 'Em On Back / Larry Sparks / Almost Home / Rounder
• Holly Ding / Various / Close Kin / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Wrong Road Again / Freeman & Williams / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Bad News For The Devil / John Miller / Look To The Light:  Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang / Rural Rhythm Christian
• God's Front Porch / Lou Reid & Carolina / Sounds Like Heaven To Me / Rural Rhythm Christian

Here it comes again...Radiothon!

There are things that one expects to happen in the month of March:  windy days, blooming flowers, LOTS of basketball games, and, of course, at WHUS -- it's time for Radiothon!  For the last several years, we've come to you, our listeners, and asked for a bit of financial support to do things like help finance our move to the Student Union studios or to allow us to build some shelving for the music library.  This year, we're hoping for your financial support as the station would like to build a new recording studio in the WHUS suite, which could be used to accomodate larger bands for broadcasting, or to allow UCONN students to come in and make recordings.  Click here to read the reasons for Radiothon on WHUS Comptroller/CEO Aaron Price's blog.  


As always, we'll have several ways to say thanks to you for your kind donation to WHUS.  In addition to the "usual" station items (i.e. t-shirts, sweatshirts, stainless steel travel mugs), we'll have plenty of great CDs from all sorts of genres.  Our BG offerings are still coming in as I write this, but here's a sampling of what we've got to offer you so far:

• Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray - "Many A Mile" (Patuxent Music)
• Darin & Brooke Aldridge - "So Much In Between" (Mountain Home)
• Freeman & Williams - "Freeman & Williams" (Mountain Roads Recordings)
• Reno & Smiley - "Together Again" (Rebel)
• Rich In Tradition - "Black Mountain Special" (Mountain Roads Recordings)
• Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice - "The Heart Of A Song" (Rebel)
• Spinney Brothers - "Memories" (Mountain Fever Records)
  

These are just a few examples of some of the fine recordings we've received for Radiothon, and we appreciate the generosity of the record labels who've donated items to us:  Mountain Fever, Mountain Home, Mountain Roads Recordings, Patuxent Music, Rebel, Rounder, and Rural Rhythm Records.  Be sure to tune in on Sunday from 4 to 7PM to learn more about what's available.

For every donation made to the Bluegrass Cafe during the two Sundays of Radiothon, one entry will be added to a drawing to be held at 7PM on Sunday, March 25th for a copy of The Music Of Bill Monroe by Neil Rosenberg & Charles Wolfe.  This is a mighty fine book, and even if Bill Monroe's "official" 100th birthday was celebrated in 2011, it's never too late to remember the work of the Father of Bluegrass.

If you've contributed to WHUS in the past, thanks!  If you've made your donation to the Bluegrass Cafe, that's really awesome!  For the last couple of years during Radiothon, the Bluegrass Cafe has been the #1 listener-supported music program on the air at WHUS -- can we keep our (totally unofficial) "most popular" title for another year?  Time will tell...

Jim and I will hope to hear from you this Sunday -- THANKS!!!

Amy

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 3/11/2012

While Sunday's edition of the Bluegrass Cafe was shortened by an hour due to UCONN Baseball taking over the airwaves at 6PM, I still think the show was pretty jam-packed with a whole lot of good stuff.  Hope you agree...


Today's show included songs from a couple of folks celebrating birthdays this week in March:  David Peterson on March 11th, Marshall Wilborn (with the Lynn Morris Band) on March 12th, and the late Bob Paisley on March 14th.  There was also brand new music from the Special Consensus ("Scratch Gravel Road" is their latest recording on Compass Records to be released on March 27th), as well as newer tunes from projects by Carolina Road, the Missy Werner Band, Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Heather Berry & Tony Mabe, and Dailey & Vincent.  

Rick (banjo) & Allan (guitar) with Gary Dalrymple (mandolin)
paid an early morning visit to WHUS on May 8, 2010.  

Our highlight of the day, though, was a conversation with Rick Spinney of the Spinney Brothers.  Over the last several years at the Bluegrass Cafe, we've grown very fond of Nova Scotia brothers Allan and Rick and their fine brother duet-style harmonies.  This week, the group will release their ninth recording, but their first on an American music label:  "Memories" on the Virginia-based Mountain Fever Records.  Before and after our chat with Rick, we played a few songs from the "Memories" project, and were very happy to share them with listeners.  Clearly, a lot of folks were interested in hearingwhat Rick had to say, as we had more online listeners than I can remember for any edition of the radio show I've hosted.  As Rick mentioned, while the CD release is a very exciting happening for the Spinneys this week, it's not really going to be the highlight of his week.  On Wednesday, March 14th, Rick and his wife, Machaela, will welcome a baby Spinney to their home.  I'm a little biased about that particular date, I must confess, as that's actually my birthday, too.  Best to Rick and Machaela on their special delivery, and congratulations to Rick, Allan, Gary Dalrymple, and Darryl Hebb on a terrific new CD that, I'm sure, you'll really enjoy!  




Of course, it should be mentioned that if you're interested in seeing the Spinneys perform live, you'll be able to see them at the Country Corner Coffee House in South Hadley Falls, MA on March 31st, and in Brandon, VT on April 1st.  In August, the Spinneys will be performing even closer to our broadcasting area when they play for two days at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival in Norwich, CT.  For more information on the Spinneys, and any or all of these appearances, visit them online:  www.spinneybrothers.com.

Some lucky listener/donor
during Radiothon will have a copy
of this fine Monroe bio!

As mentioned on the radio show today, the next two Sundays of Bluegrass Cafe will be devoted our annual fundraising campaign at WHUS known as Radiothon.  We're still in the process of gathering recordings to offer as "thank you" gifts for those who make a pledge to support WHUS and the Bluegrass Cafe, and we'll post a list of them as soon as it's completed.  Among the titles we've already gathered:  the aforementioned "Memories," as well as recordings from Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Audie Blaylock & Redline, Freeman & Williams, as well as classics from Reno & Smiley and Ralph Stanley.  Each person who makes a pledge to the Bluegrass Cafe during Radiothon will also have his/her name go into a drawing that will be held on March 25th for a copy of the really excellent Bill Monroe discography/biography, The Music Of Bill Monroe by Neil Rosenberg and Charles Wolfe.  Jim and I will both be in the studio for the next couple of weeks for Radiothon, and while we don't really enjoy asking for your financial support, we really LOVE hearing from you during the campaign, as we always know that folks who listen to the Bluegrass Cafe are clearly the BEST listeners of WHUS.  In advance, we thank you for your support!  


We hope you'll be sure to join us next week, and thanks for listening today.


Amy 




SONG / ARTIST / ALBUM / LABEL

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Black Pony / Lynn Morris Band / The Lynn Morris Band / Rounder
• Sunny Side Of The Mountain / Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys / High Lonesome / CMH
• Colleen Malone / Hot Rize / So Long Of A Journey / Sugar Hill
• The Train Song / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Little Cabin Home On The Hill / Tony Rice / The Bill Monroe Collection / Rounder
• Lonely Ends Where Love Begins / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Nineteen Forty Ford / Acoustic Blue / Timeless / Self-Produced
• I Don't Know Why / Patuxent Partners / Seven Or Eleven / Patuxent Music
• A Light In The Window, Again / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• Hold Whatcha Got / Joe Walsh with the Gibson Brothers / Sweet Loam / Skinny Elephant Records
• Cruel Love / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Let It Go / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Old New Straitsville Moonshine Run / Special Consensus / Scratch Gravel Road / Compass Records
• Lying Ruby / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Nightwalk / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Old Kentucky Farmers / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Chilly Winds / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• * Conversation with Rick Spinney of the Spinney Brothers *
• Old Roman Soldier / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• I Got A Letter / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• I Miss You Old Friend / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Lord Lead Me On / Audie Blaylock & Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• Living In The Kingdom Of God / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• I'm Travelin' On And On / David Peterson & 1946 / David Peterson & 1946 / Self-Produced
• You Better Wake Up / Volume Five / Children Of The Mountain / Mountain Fever Records
• Sweeping Through The Gates / Bob Paisley & the Southern Grass / Forty Years Of Trouble / Strictly Country Records
• My Lord's Been A Walkin' / Spinney Brothers / Here At The Cross / Self-Produced
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

Coming up: a shortened show with a special guest...

This Sunday, it looks like we'll have a sports-shortened broadcast of the Bluegrass Cafe, as UCONN Baseball will begin at 6PM.  The plan is to fill those remaining two hours of the show with A LOT of music, and there's a pretty strong possibility that some of the music we hear will come from a soon-to-be released recording by our special guest, Rick Spinney -- the banjo-picking member of the Spinney Brothers.  Rick will join us via the telephone from his Nova Scotia home sometime around 5PM.  In case you've not heard, the Spinneys' new CD on Mountain Fever Records -- their debut on an American record label -- is called, "Memories" and it will be officially released this Tuesday, March 13th.  If having a new CD released isn't a big-enough happening for a week, on Wednesday, Rick and his wife, Machaela, will welcome a baby into their home.  Big excitement!  Add these events to the Spinneys' pretty busy tour schedule (including upcoming appearances in South Hadley, MA and in August, two days at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival), and I guess it's a good idea to have Rick on the air with us before things get too, too crazy...

Hope you'll plan to join us for two hours of the Bluegrass Cafe this Sunday.  Be sure to remember to Spring Forward with your clocks, too. 

Amy

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 3/4/2012

Doc Watson

Hi Folks,

It was a big day for bluegrass at WHUS because we celebrated Doc Watson's 89th birthday (March 3rd) and interviewed Ben Greene, the world class banjo picker with Carolina Road.  We also had an extra hour as we filled-in for the Sunday Night Folk Festival prior to a sports event and gave it a grassy sound.

Ben Greene (Photo by Ted Lehmann)

Ben Greene has been picking the banjo with the group formerly known as "Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road" and now just "Carolina Road" for about six years.  They hail from North Carolina with Lorraine near Raleigh and Ben west of there in Monroe.  Ben started playing professionally with the late great Charlie Moore in 1973, so we spent some time discussing that great but marginally documented period of time (Charlie died late December 1979 at age 44), and were delighted to find that besides his distinctive voice, Charlie was a great band leader respected by his bandmates.

We played some Charlie Moore tunes with Ben's banjo picking as well as some selections from Carolina Road's latest album and Ben's latest solo album.

Doc Watson was discovered by Ralph Rinzler during the height of the Folk Boom of the early 1960s while Ralph was on a field trip to North Carolina to seek out and record Clarence (Tom) Ashley.  Looking for guitar accompaniment, the locals suggested a blind guitar player who had been playing electric guitar in a rockabilly band.  After putting an acoustic guitar in his hands, Doc stunned the visitors with the most amazing demonstration of flat picking ever heard.   The rest is guitar history.  Doc transformed the guitar from a rhythm instrument to a lead instrument.  All bluegrassers who love listening to or playing like guitar greats the late Clarence White, Tony Rice, Bryan Sutton, Jim Hurst, Cody Kilby, and Josh Williams (among many others) owe a great debt to Doc Watson.

Besides that, Doc had a profound affect on me personally when I first heard him with his son, Merle, and my involvement with bluegrass music today can be traced directly to Doc & Merle.  We played a cross section of Doc and Doc & Merle tunes throughout the show to celebrate Doc's birthday and his lifelong contributions to the advancement and enjoyment of great picking.


Newer music on the show included songs from The Lonesome River Band, Shannon Slaughter, Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie, The Heather Berry and Tony Mabe Show, Merl Johnson, and Freeman & Williams.

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

Jim Beaver

Song/Artist/Album/Label

• Soppin' The Gravy / Patrick McAvinue / Rutland's Reel / Patuxent
• Close The Door Lightly When You Go / Lonesome River Band / Chronology Volume One / Rural Rhythm
• Johnny Gray-Rye Straw / Peter Feldmann & The Pea Patch Quintet / Grey Cat On The Tennessee Farm / Hen Cackle
• The Train That Carried My Girl From Town / Doc Watson / Good Deal! Doc Watson In Nashville / Vanguard
• A Light In The Window, Again / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• Caroline / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• Catfish John / The Reunion Band / A Work In Progress... / Self-released
• Old Hickory Cane / Dan Paisley and The Southern Grass / The Tradition Continues / Brandywine
• Crawdad Song / Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley / The Original Folkways Recordings: 1960-1962 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Johnson Mountain Chimes / Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder
• Hooverville / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Elite Circuit
• Arkansas / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe / Self-titled / Mountain Fever
• Lonesome Road Blues / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren vol. 2 / Self-released
• I'm Ready If You're Willin' / Chris Jones & The Nightdrivers / Lost Souls & Free Spirits / Rebel
• Matterhorn / Eddie & Martha Adcock / Many A Mile / Patuxent
• Little Pink / Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie / The Touch Of Time / Rural Rhythm
• Billy In The Low Ground / Charlie Moore / The Fiddler / Old Homestead

Ben Greene Interview

• Crazy Heart / Ben Greene w. James King / Banjo Sideman / Self-released
• Education From On High / Ben Greene w. Junior Sisk /  Banjo Sideman / Self-released
• Back To My Roots / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• Shady Grove / Doc Watson / Songs From Home / Capitol
• Restless Working Man / Blue Highway / Sounds Of Home / Rounder
• Monster Truck / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up! / Rounder
• Yellow Backed Fly / Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder
• Avery County / Charlie Moore / Avery County / Old Homestead
• Streets Of Baltimore / Charlie Moore / Avery County / Old Homestead
• A Better Man / Merl Johnson / Better Man / Patuxent
• Black Dust Fever / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Home Sweet Home (bed) / Doc & Merle Watson / Home Sweet Home / Sugar Hill
• Russian Grass (bed) / Doc & Merle Watson / Home Sweet Home / Sugar Hill
• Gone At Last / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Drive Time / Mountain Home
• Ramshackle Shack / Doc Watson / Riding The Midnight Train / Sugar Hill
• Wandering Boy / The Isaacs / Bluegrass Preserved / Horizon
• Trolley Days / Thomas Porter & Copper River Band / Trolley Days / Self-released
• Blood And Sweat / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Going Back To Dixie / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Something 'bout You / Amy Gallatin and Roger Williams / Somthing 'Bout You / Happy Appy
• Prayer Bells Of Heaven / Arthel 'Doc' Watson / Portrait / Sugar Hill
• Singing As We Rise / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• John In The Jordan / Lou Reid & Carolina / Sounds Like Heaven To Me / Rural Rhythm
• Beautiful Home / Billy Boone Smith / Live From The Moose Lodge / Muddy Sunshine
• Before Judgment Day / J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Run Mountain - 30 Old Time Favorites / Gusto
• He Will Set Your Fields On Fire / Reno & Smiley / 1959-1963 / Gusto
• Who Will Sing For Me? / Carl Story / Angel Band / Gusto
• That Little Old Country Church House / Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers / Hymns From The Hills / Rebel
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

Sunday Night Folk Festival fill-in follows:

• Jack Of The Wood / Kruger Brothers / Between The Notes / Double Time
• My House / Kathy Kallick Band / Between The Hollow and the High Rise / Live Oak
• Milk Cow Blues / Doc Watson / Live at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival / Munckmix
• Song Up In Her Head / Sarah Jarosz / Song Up In Her Head / Sugar Hill
• Honky Tonk Merry Go Round / Girl Howdy / Honky Tonk Hair / Self-released
• Make It Out West / The Greencards / The Brick Album / Darling Street
• It's You / Abbie Gardner / Hope / Self-released
• I'm Moving On / Rosanne Cash / The List / Manhattan
• Intoxicated Rat / Doc Watson / Self-titled / Vanguard
• Toil & Shame / Ashleigh Caudill / Fruit Of The Vine / Self-released
• John Wilkes Booth / Tony Rice / Night Flyer / Rounder
• Memory Lane / Al Hawkes / Old Time Pickin' & Singin' / Event
• Always A Day Too Late / Tiffany Hurt and Various Artists / Close Kin / Mountain Roads
• Talking To Casey / Doc & Merle Watson / The Guitar Album / Flying Fish
• The Sands Of Mexico / The Chieftains feat. Ry Cooder / San Patricio / Blackrock
• White Freightliner Blues / Steve Earle / Townes / New West
• June Apple / Freeman & Williams / Self-titled / Mountain Roads
• Sixteen Cents / Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford / Dogwood Winter / Rural Rhythm
• When Halley Came To Jackson / Freeman & Williams / Self-titled / Mountain Roads
• Behind Those Big Closed Doors / Connie Leigh / New Cuts Of Bluegrass Vol. 4 / New Cuts

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 2/26/2012

Today's edition of the show included the things that I'm guessing listeners have come to expect from the BG Cafe:  a mixture of newer tunes, older music from classic performers, and, for good measure, birthday tributes to three country music legends.

On February 25th, the one and only Ralph Stanley celebrated his 85th birthday.  We likely could have filled the whole program with the music of the Stanleys -- Ralph with Carter, as well as on his own, and with a whole passel of other performers -- but we opted for opening the show with four songs with which Ralph is connected.  While the Stanley Brothers haven't yet been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, two other Hall of Famers would also have celebrated their 80th birthdays this weekend.  The late Faron Young (February 25, 1932-December 10, 1996) and Johnny Cash (February 26, 1932-September 12, 2003) both left behind an amazing legacy of music, and like many other country music performers who first found fame in the 1950s, a great deal of their music has been recorded by BG performers through the years.  We couldn't let the show pass without including BG covers of both Cash and Young.  

Big things on the horizon for Canada's Spinney Brothers?
Time will tell...

Newer music on the show came from two forthcoming CDs from the Spinney Brothers ("Memories" will be released by Mountain Fever Records on March 13th) and Lou Reid & Carolina (whose self-produced "Callin' Me Back Home" should be out by mid-April).  There seems to be a trend of some kind in BG where radio receives single releases through a downloadable service called AirPlayDirect, sometimes months before the actual CD comes out.  I suppose none of this is much different than in "the old days" when individual songs were released as 45s or CD singles before a full record came out.  It can be kind of a tease, I know, but I'm sure these recordings from both the Spinneys and Lou & Carolina will be top-notch when they arrive at WHUS.  Can't wait!  

In addition, there was new (and new-to-us) music from Maine's Maranacook String Band, fiddler/mandolin picker Merl Johnson, and a quite good, young band from Florida called Flatt Lonesome, as well as Dailey & Vincent, Laurie Lewis, Freeman & Williams, the Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show, and Too Blue. 

Not the exact LP I played from today, but the players were the
same.  Brothers Fred & Earl are shown up front, and
in the back row, it's John Piela, Earleen Pike, Nita
Pike (her mom), and Dave Papuga.  

Every now and then, I have a nostalgic moment where I feel the need to bring out and play some records that my brother, Dave, played frequently around the house while I was growing up.  This week, that record was from Oneco's Pike Family & the Pine Hill Ranchers, and their Rebel record titled, "To Warm And Comfort You."  I'm not sure what year this LP came out, but it couldn't have been too much before young Earleen Pike's death at the age of 18 in August 1972.  Earleen's banjo playing uncle, Fred Pike, is kind of a legend in the world of New England BG, and I remember always being somewhat impressed that two members of the Pine Hill Ranchers were from my little hometown in eastern CT.  We also included a current song from Earleen's brother, Gordon, and his band's (Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass) CD.  

Hope you enjoyed something you heard on the show today -- be sure to join Jim next Sunday for another edition of the BG Cafe.

Have a good week - 

Amy O.

Requests are RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Don't Wake Me Up / Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys / Sixteen Years / Copper Creek
• Another Night / Ralph Stanley with Joe Diffie / Clinch Mountain Country / Rebel
• Clinch Mountain Blues / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1955-1956 / JSP Records
• Loving You Too Well / Ralph Stanley with Dolly Parton / Clinch Mountain Sweethearts / Rebel
• Down By The Rambling Waters / Maranacook String Band / Bear In The Barn / Self-Produced
• How Many Times / Vern & Ray / San Francisco, 1968 / Arhoolie
• Blue Skies And Teardrops / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Fox On The Run / Tony Trischka with Tom Adams / Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular / Rounder
• Don't Ease Me In / Steep Canyon Rangers / Lovin' Pretty Women / Rebel
• Helen / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Ice Covered Birches / Cliff Waldron / 35th Anniversary Sampler / Rebel
• Anywhere Is Home Again / Volume Five / Children Of The Mountain / Mountain Fever Records
• Open Up Your Heart / Terry Baucom with the Gibson Brothers / In A Groove / John Boy & Billy, Inc.
• Amandalyn / Merl Johnson / Better Man / Patuxent Music
• Greenlight On The Southern / Tony Rice / Bluegrass Class Of 1990 / Rounder
• AppleJack / Pam Gadd with Dolly Parton / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway Productions
• Virginia Waltz / Johnson Mountain Boys / Let The Whole World Talk / Rounder
• Out In The Cold World / Audie Blaylock & Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• I Wouldn't Change You If I Could / Ricky Skaggs / Country Hits Bluegrass Style / Skaggs Family 
• A Far Cry From Lester And Earl / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• No Mother Or Dad / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Complete Mercury Recordings / Mercury
• Close The Door Lightly When You Go / Lonesome River Band / Chronology, Volume One / Rural Rhythm
• Close The Door Lightly When You Go / Lonesome River Band / Saturday Night-Sunday Morning / Rebel
• Memories / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Sweet Blue Eyed Darlin' / Sweet Potato Pie / Brand New Day / Mountain Fever Records
• You'll Get No More Of Me / Flatt Lonesome / Demo / no label
• Carolina Moonshine Man / Lou Reid & Carolina / Callin' Me Back Home / Self-Produced
• Folsom Prison Blues / Scott Anderson / Tales From The Swamp / Mato Records
• If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin' / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Shades Of The Past / Sugar Hill
• Hey Porter / Lynn Morris Band / The Bramble And The Rose / Rounder
• Go Back You Fool / Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts And Better Times / Open Road
• Daddy Sang Bass / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• To Warm And Comfort You / Pike Family & the Pine Hill Ranchers / To Warm And Comfort You / Rebel
• Spanish Grass / Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass / Rustic Little Cabin / Self-Produced
• Forever And Ever / Pike Family & the Pine Hill Ranchers / To Warm And Comfort You / Rebel
• Uphill Climb / Chris Jones / Lost Souls & Free Spirits / Rebel
• I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow / Laurie Lewis / Skippin' & Flyin' / Spruce & Maple Music
• Always Looking Back / Freeman & Williams / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Stepping Stone / Too Blue / Trouble With The Grey / Self-Produced
• I'll Ramble On / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Self-Produced
• Get In Line, Brother / Marty Stuart with Johnny Cash & Alan O'Bryant / Way Down Deep In My Soul / Sugar Hill
• Don't You Want To Go Home / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / Rambler's Call / Rebel
• Wings Of Angels / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle Records
• Count Your Blessings / Kathy Kallick (with Laurie Lewis) / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak Records
• I Have Decided To Follow Jesus / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / Mountain Fever Records
• My Foot Is On The Rock / Randy Waller & the Country Gentlemen / One Mile East Of Hazel Green / Lendel Records
• I'll Never Go Back / Louvin Brothers / Songs That Tell A Story / Rounder
• I Saw The Light / Bill Monroe / Anthology / MCA
• I Want To Live Like Christ My Savior / Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 2/19/2012

Hi Folks,

This show aired as folks were returning from the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival, so the goal was to keep it interesting after a weekend of outstanding music.

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper during their hot closing set Saturday night at the Joe Val Festival

Amy Gallatin & Roger Williams

We played songs from several of the artists appearing at Joe Val, including Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, The Reunion Band, The Spinney Brothers, Blue Highway, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters, The Manic Mountain Boys, and The Steep Canyon Rangers.  We also played a solo tune from Mr. Al Hawkes who was seen all over the festival in numerous jam sessions.

We had a good time mining our archives for some great classic material that included songs from Delia Bell & Bill Grant, Bill Monroe, John Duffey, Flatt & Scruggs, and The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover.

Some not-yet-classic-but-great songs on this show were from Connecticut regional band Shady Creek, California band Peter Feldmann & The Pea Patch Quintet, and Taylors Grove - a duet from Maine who performs excellent versions of old time songs.

Carolyn Hutton & Mac McHale -- Taylors Grove

One of the news items that was announced during the Joe Val Festival was the move this year of the Podunk Bluegrass Festival from East Hartford, CT, to a larger facility in Norwich, CT.  It is great to see bluegrass festivals growing in the northeast!

The new Podunk festival grounds in Norwich CT

Amy will be making the banjos and fiddles ring on the next Bluegrass Cafe, so be sure to tune in.

Jim

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Going Up Dry Branch / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up! / Rounder
• Shady Grove / The Reunion Band / Self-titled / Self-released
• Can't You Hear Me Calling / Lou Reid & Carolina / Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration / Rural Rhythm
• Maple On The Hill / The Spinney Brothers / Tailor Made / Self-released
• Honky Tonk Blues / The Bluegrass Brothers / "Live" At The Coffee Pot / Self-released
• Molly / Larry Cordle / Pud Marcum's Hangin' / Mighty Cord
• Worried Man Blues / Tommy Brown & County Line Grass / Hard Drivin' / Lavenir
• Sweet Sally Brown / Acoustic Blue / Timeless / Self-released
• The Stanley Brothers / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Advance Single / Mountain Fever
• Sing Me To Memphis / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• I Ain't Gonna Lay My Hammer Down / Blue Highway / Sounds Of Home / Rounder
• Sounds Of Home / Blue Highway / Sounds Of Home / Rounder
• He Can't Catch Fish / Rick Pardue & Timmy Massey / The Ghost Of Noah Hayes / Lizard Records
• Sail Away Ladies / Peter Feldmann & The Pea Patch Quintet / Grey Cat On The Tennessee Farm / Hen Cackle
• Things In Life / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Daisy a Day / Al Hawkes / Old Time Pickin' & Singin' / Event
• Flame In My Heart / Delia Bell & Bill Grant / Dreaming / Rounder
• Just Another Broken Heart / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder (LP)
• Montana Cowgirl (Coyote Song) / Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters / Phoenix / Happy Appy
• All The Good Times Have Past And Gone / Merl Johnson / Better Man / Patuxent
• Tribulations / Carolina Native Sons / Rank Ol' Bluegrass / Patuxent
• Tricky Trail Of Love / The Manic Mountain Boys feat. Jon Swift / The Manics Pick On Monahan / CCALS.org
• Can't Live Life / Edgar Loudermilk / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever
• What Do You Say? / Sierra Hull / Daybreak / Rounder
• Country Store / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Drive Time / Mountain Home
• Tennessee Tea / Joe Diffie / Homecoming / Rounder
• Want vs.Need / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• Women Like To Slow Dance / Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder
• Goodbye Bottle Of Whiskey / The Steep Canyon Rangers / Self-titled / Rebel
• Creekslide (bed) / Snyder Family Band / Stages / Mountain Roads
• Pretty Woman / Larry Gillis / Swampgrass / Tinman
• Steady As She Goes / Thomas Porter & Copper River Band / Trolley Days / Self-released
• Sparkling Brown Eyes / Tom Mindte & Jeremy Stephens / Radio Favorites & Sacred Songs / Patuxent
• Not Loving Me / Shady Creek / The Old Home / Self-released
• Last Goodbye Today / The Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-released
• Footprints In The Snow / Bill Monroe / The Essential / Columbia
• White House Blues / Bill Monroe / Blue Grass 1950-1958 / Bear Family
• I Long To See The Old Folks / The Stanley Brothers / 1953-1958 & 1959 / Bear Family
• Kneel At The Cross / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Heaven / John Duffey / The Rebel Years 1962-1977 / Rebel
• Bigger Hands Than Mine / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up! / Rounder
• Paul And Silas / Flatt & Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Gospel / Columbia
• You're Drifting Away / Tony Rice / The Bill Monroe Collection / Rounder
• Trusting In My Lord / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• His Coming Is Nigh At The Door / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle
• My Reward / Freeman & Williams / Self-titled / Mountain Roads
• When The Saints Go Marching In / The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Early Recordings / Rebel
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 2/12/2012 - Valentines?

Hi Folks.

Bluegrass music, being the sentimental art form that it is, has a wealth of songs about relationships.  The problem for our pre-Valentine's Day show was finding songs celebrating those relationships.  Actually we thought about that for about five seconds, and decided that songs about failed relationships are just as important to the nature of bluegrass as songs about successful relationships, so we let 'er rip with both.  By the way, we think the failed relationships "won."  Marti was on hand to provide color commentary on all things Valentine....  (wink).

New music included songs from Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie, The Lonesome River Band, The Manic Mountain Boys, Freeman & Williams, Janie Fricke, Nothin' Fancy, Maranacook String Band (from Maine),  Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass (also from Maine), and Dailey & Vincent.

We also brought a couple of rarities and some comedy to the mix, including a 1985 LP from Bob Paisley, an obscure 45 single from 1972 on the Zap label by Tom & Frank Rhone and the New Bluegrass Associates, some classic bits from Jerry Clower, and our feature album, The Johnson Mountain Boys' 1982 LP "Walls of Time."

Amy and I both will be at the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival in Framingham, MA, this weekend, so be sure to say howdy if you see us.   I'll be racing back Sunday to bring you the next Bluegrass Cafe which  you may be able to hear on your way back from Joe Val.

Jim Beaver

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Too Late To Say Goodbye / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder (LP)
• Love Gone Cold / Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie / The Touch Of Time / Rural Rhythm
• I'm Afraid To Love You Anymore / The Lonesome River Band / Chronology Volume One / Rural Rhythm
• If It Takes More Than Love To Hold You / The Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Used To Be / Del McCoury / Old Memories / McCoury Music
• Without Any Heart / Manic Mountain Boys feat. Mary Maguire / The Manics Pick On Monahan / CCALS
• I Love No One But You / The Stanley Brothers / 1949-1952 / Bear Family
• The Nights Are So Long / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• I Believe In You Darling / Tony Rice / The Bill Monroe Collection / Rounder
• If I Fall / The Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-released
• Gold Watch And Chain / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Wrong Road Again / Freeman & Williams / self-titled / Mountain Roads
• Goodbye Broken Heart / Janie Fricke / Country Side of Bluegrass / New Music Deals
• I'm The Boss / Jim & Valerie Gabehart / It's My Turn / Self-released
• The Working Man / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Elite Circuit
• A New Bull / Jerry Clower / Jerry Clower's Greatest Hits / MCA
• Caroline / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• A Good Woman's Love / Bill Monroe / 1950-1958 / Bear Family
• Lonely Ends Where Love Begins / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• I'll Be All Smiles Tonight / Mac Wiseman / The Mac Wiseman Story / CMH
• Old Joe / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren Vol. 2 / Self-released
• Sweetheart Mountain Rose / The Blue Sky Boys / In Concert 1964 / Rounder
• Darlin' I'm Coming Home / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder (LP)
• White Rose / The High Rollers / Welcome / Self-released
• You Are On My Mind Darling / The Lilly Brothers & The Lilly Mountaineers / West Virginia, Oh How I Miss You / Self-released
• That's Why You Left Me So Blue / Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers / Travelin' On / Copper Creek
• I Still Love You Yet / Bob Paisley and the Southern Grass / I Still Love You Yet / Mountain Laurel
• Still Falling / Nothin' Fancy / self-titled / Virginia Dreams
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Tom & Frank Rhone and the New Bluegrass Associates / 45 RPM single / Zap (45)
• Letter From My Darling / Frank Wakefield / A Tribute To Bill Monroe / Patuxent
• Consider Me Gone / John Reischman & The Jaybirds / Vintage & Unique / Corvus
• Blue Eyed Blonde / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / self-titled / SteelTown
• Do You Wrong Kind of Girl / Terry Baucom w. Jamie Dailey, Lou Reed / In A Groove / John Boy & Billy
• A Lonesome Night / The Gillis Brothers / Best of the Gillis Brothers / Hay Holler
• Tragic Romance / The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Early Recordings / Rebel
• Down By The Rambling Waters / Maranacook String Band / Bear In The Barn / Self-released
• I'm The Boss (Of This Here House) / Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys / self-titled / Bear Family
• That's When I Miss Her (Him) Most Of All / Gelina & Pike's Mainly Grass / Rustic Little Cabin / Blinnhill Productions
• Cumberland Gap (bed) / Kenny Smith / Return / Gat Three
• Getaway (bed) / Kenny Smith / Return / Gat Three
• Little Bird / Becky Buller / Little Bird / Bell Buckle
• Darling Why Can't You Be True / The McCormick Brothers / The Very Best Of... / Varese Sarabande
• Helen / Eddie & Martha Adcock / Many A Mile / Patuxent
• Other Woman's Blues / Nu-Blu / The Blu-Disc / Pinecastle
• Wanna Buy A Possum? / Jerry Clower / Jerry Clower's Greatest Hits / MCA
• Don't Fall In Love / Cherryholmes / self-titled / Skaggs Family
• Don't Act / Rhonda Vincent / All American Bluegrass Girl / Rounder
• Lord Lead Me On / Audie Blaylock and Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• The Perfect Sacrifice / Snyder Family Band / Stages / Mountain Roads
• I Hear My Savior Calling / The Stanley Brothers / 1953-1958 & 1959 / Bear Family
• Mansion God Is Building / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle
• Life's Railway To Heaven / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Cast Aside / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side Of... / Cracker Barrel
• I'll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning / Larry Richardson / Let The Light Shine Down (collection) / Rebel
• I Shall Not Be Moved / The Lewis Family / Born Of The Spirit / Starday
• I'll Sail For Higher Ground / John Bowman / Family Chain / Pisgah
• Tell Me What You Think Of My Lord / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder (LP)
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 2/5/2012

To go along with the football "vibe" for the day, we tried to make Sunday's BG Cafe pretty "super," too.  Hopefully, we were able to come at least a little bit close...

The main "theme" of the show today was the upcoming 27th Joe Val Bluegrass Festival, to be held February 17-19 at the Sheraton Framingham in Framingham, MA.  Every year, the hardworking volunteers of the Boston Bluegrass Union spend 6-8 months putting together this winter event that has come to be known as a "family reunion" of sorts for those who attend.  In addition, there is a terrific lineup on the Main Stage with some top-notch performers, including Blue Highway, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, the Whites, Special Consensus, Sierra Hull & Highway 111, Claire Lynch, Della Mae, the Steep Canyon Rangers, the Spinney Brothers, Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein with Jonathan Edwards, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, and the Josh Williams Band.  Also on the Main Stage, you'll be able to hear regional favorites like Boston's Reunion Band, Maine's Evergreen, and Connecticut's very own, Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters.  There are other bands, playing, too, that you won't want to miss.  For more information on all of them, as well as the many Showcase bands, workshop offerings, and Heritage Award winners, click here.

In addition to playing music from a lot of the performers who'll be playing at Joe Val, we got a nice inside look at the festival from long-time organizer, Gerry Katz.  Gerry spent several minutes telling us about the lineup and all of the fabulous offerings at Joe Val, and then, allowed us to give away some day passes to the festival (which was really quite easy to do -- no surprise).  Many thanks to all of the fine Boston Bluegrass Union organizers and volunteers, and thanks again to Gerry for coming on the air to talk with us.  If you didn't win festival tickets today, be sure to join Jim next Sunday, as he'll have more day passes to give away.   

If talk about Joe Val and its lineup wasn't enough for you, we also shared some brand new music from the mighty fine recording by Virginia songbird, Heather Berry, and her husband, Tony Mabe.  Together, they're calling their act "The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show," and their new CD on Mountain Fever Records is really very excellent.  If you're a fan of the music of early performers like the Carter Family, or just enjoy female vocalists with very pure voices, you're sure to enjoy the music of these two talented performers.  

Other new music or newer music hit the air, as well, from folks like Marty Raybon, Lee Marcus, Carolina Road, Shannon Slaughter, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Carolina Road, Nothin' Fancy, and a brand new Rounder compilation from Tony Rice.  Hope you liked it.

Be sure to join Jim in the BG Cafe next Sunday afternoon -- he'll have a whole lot of great music to share, and you'll not want to miss hearing it!  

Have a fine week!

Amy 

REQUESTS ARE RED; JOE VAL PERFORMERS ARE BROWN.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Dixie Special / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• Bluebird Days / Blue Highway / Sounds Of Home / Rounder
• Montana Cowboy (Coyote Song) / Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters / Phoenix / Happy Appy Records
• Bluegrass Blues / Steep Canyon Rangers / The Steep Canyon Rangers / Rebel
• Walk Slow / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Eating Out Of Your Hand / Longview / Deep In The Mountains / Rounder
• B Natural / David Grisman with Ronnie McCoury / Dawg Plays Big Mon:  Happy Birthday Bill Monroe / Acoustic Disc
• Three Ways Of Knowing / Allerton & Alton / Black, White & Bluegrass / Bear Family
• Some Old Day / J.D. Crowe & the New South / J.D. Crowe & the New South / Cracker Barrel
• Tears And Roses / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / Mountain Fever Records
• I've Lived A Lot In My Time / Dry Branch Fire Squad / Just For The Record / Rounder
• One / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-Produced
• Black Mountain Special / Rich In Tradition / Black Mountain Special / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Sourwood Mountain / Bob Paisley & the Southern Grass / Heritage / Brandywine
• Sing Me A Bluegrass Song / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• Two Hours Down / Rick Hayes / Fly By Night / Self-Produced
• Memory Of You / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• Teardrops Falling In The Snow / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / The Oak And The Laurel / Rounder
• Feast Here Tonight / David Grisman with Doc Watson & Ricky Skaggs / Home Is Where The Heart Is / Rounder
• Hooverville / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Self-Produced
• My Florida Sunshine / Claire Lynch / Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration:  A Classic Bluegrass Tribute / Rounder
• Turnpike Reel / Too Blue / Trouble With The Grey / Self-Produced
• Dirt Road Heartache / Marty Raybon / Southern Roads & Branches / Rural Rhythm
• Bowling Green / Della Mae / I Built This Heart / Self-Produced
• Polka On The Banjo / Josh Williams / Down Home / Rounder
• Signs / Special Consensus / Signs / Pinecastle
• The Cowboy Lives Forever / The Whites / A Lifetime In The Making / Ceili Music
• Bombshell / Sierra Hull / Daybreak / Rounder
• ***Conversation with Boston Bluegrass Union's Gerry Katz***
• A Cowboy's Sweetheart / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Age / Bluegrass Gospel Project / The Blue Morpho / Vital Records
• Footprints In The Snow / Monadnock / House Upon The Hill / Self-Produced
• Going To Georgia / Charlie Sizemore / Heartache Looking For A Home / Rounder
• Five Speed / Johnson Mountain Boys / Favorites / Rounder
• Going Home / Spinney Brothers / Going Home / Self-Produced
• Sparkling Brown Eyes / Joe Val / Diamond Joe / Rounder
• Remembrance Is A Golden Chain / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show with Darrin Vincent / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Pretty Little Girl From Galax / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Let Us Travel, Travel On / Louvin Brothers / My Baby's Gone, 1955-1964 / Raven Records
• He Can Be Found / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Get In Line, Brother / David Parmley & Continental Divide / Church House Hymns, Volume II / Self-Produced
• Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room / Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road
• River Of Death / Tony Rice / The Bill Monroe Collection / Rounder
• It's Gonna Rain / Kathy Kallick [Good Ol' Persons] / Count Your Blessings / Live Oak Records
• It Gets Better All The Time / Nothin' Fancy / Nothin' Fancy / Virginia Dreams Records
• I'm Getting Ready To Leave This World / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Pickin', Praisin' & Singin':  Hymns From The Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Blue Grass Twist / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

Joe Val tix -- will you win some today?

On the BG Cafe today, we'll take some time in the middle of the program -- about 5:30PM -- to chat with the Boston Bluegrass Union's Gerry Katz, one of the organizers of the upcoming 27th Joe Val Bluegrass Festival.  As always, there are A LOT of great things going on at Joe Val, including, a whole bunch of terrific music on the Main Stage from folks like Blue Highway, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, the Whites, Special Consensus, Sierra Hull & Highway 111, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Claire Lynch, Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, the Spinney Brothers, and a few more.  If that lineup isn't enough, there are many very fine regional bands performing on the Showcase Stage, tons of workshops, and plenty of socializing and picking.  This all happens at the Sheraton Framingham in Framingham, MA on February 17, 18, and 19, and, as always, the hotel is sold out.  However, you'll have an opportunity to pick up some day passes today after our conversation with Gerry.  


More information on the festival can be found by clicking here.


Hope you can find the time time today to listen in to the BG Cafe -- 4PM-7PM.


Talk to you then...


Amy