Playlist - 2/16/2014 - Joe Val Festival Recovery

Hi Folks,

I was supposed to be out of the country this weekend on business, but my plans changed at the very last minute.  This allowed me not only to attend the excellent Joe Val Festival, but to take my turn at Bluegrass Cafe and save Amy from having to cut Joe Val short and fill-in for me.

There were several mini-features on this show including a tribute to two of the outstanding brother duos in bluegrass today, The Gibson Brothers and The Spinney Brothers.  We played a song or two from the older catalog as well as songs from the most recent recordings.



We also were delighted to play a track from each of seven recent CD reissues of complete Rural Rhythm albums from their 1960s catalog.  The artists included J.E. Mainer, Lee Moore, Red Smiley, Curly Fox, Hylo Brown, and Jim Greer.

Classic and relatively rare vinyl is a favorite on Bluegrass Cafe, and the Heritage Corner provided part of a live performance of The Stanley Brothers at the Ash Grove in 1962, tracks from LPs of Mac Martin and The Potomac Valley Boys capped by a 45 single from Hubert Davis and The Season Travelers.  Other Heritage Corner selections came from The Johnson Mountain Boys,

I own the majority of recordings of Delia Bell and Bill Grant and brought some of them out of the Heritage Corner archives to play several of their songs throughout the show.





New music was provided by Noam Pikelny, Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers, Don Rigsby, Doyle Lawson, Jim Lauderdale, Little Roy & Lizzy, Rhonda Vincent, Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins, Scott Brannon, Alex Leach, and Blue Highway.

Regional music was provided by Bear Bridge Band and Nick Anderson & Shady Creek.

WHUS Radiothon will start next Saturday and Bluegrass Cafe will be involved the next two Sundays, Feb. 23 and Mar.2.  Radiothon is the only time of the year when both Amy and I will be in the studio at the same time, and we are usually joined by James & Cathy Ward, my wife Marti who also co-hosts Red Rooster Party with me, and many of our friends and family on the phones.  We hope you will consider joining us for Radiothon.  You never know what is going to happen!

Jim Beaver

requests in bold italic

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Ryestrow / Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• Good Woman Blues / Delia Bell and Bill Grant / Good Woman Blues / Old Homestead
• Church Bell Wedding Blues / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• Howdy Neighbor Howdy / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers Of The Highway / Rounder
• Six More Miles / Don Rigsby / Doctor's Orders / Rebel
• The Evening Train / Bob & Danny Paisley / Freight Train Special Volume Two / Wango
• Bill Monroe For Breakfast / Tom T. Hall / Home Grown / Mercury
• Weep And Cry / John Rigsby / Forks Of The Ivy / Hay Holler
• I Just Got Wise / The Bluegrass Mountaineers / Clinch Mountain Tradition / Self-released
• Don't Tax The Gals / J.E. Mainer / The Legendary, Vol. 3 / Rural Rhythm
• Brown's Ferry Blues / Jim Greer & The Mac-O-Chee Valley Boys / Stars Of The WWVA Jamboree / Rural Rhythm
• Automobile Of Life / Lee Moore / Everybody's Favorite / Rural Rhythm
• Short Life Of Trouble / Red Smiley and The Blue Grass Cutups / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• Left My Gal In The Mountains / Hylo Brown / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• Long Lost John / Curly Fox / Champion Fiddler Volume One / Rural Rhythm
• Old Spinning Wheel / Lee Moore / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• Going Up Caney / Bill Monroe / American Traveler / County
• Dobro Joe / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Roads Well Traveled / Mountain Home
• Too Deep In Heartaches / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• I Might Seem Like A Loser (But I'm Really Not) / Jim Lauderdale / Old Time Angels / Sky Crunch
• Your Tears are Just Interest on the Loan / Scott Brannon / Your Old Standby / Patuxent
• My Friend Clyde / The Spinny Brothers / If I Were Your Brother / Self-released
• On That Road Leadin' Home / The Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever
• Hand Me Down My Walking Cane / The Gibson Brothers / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm
• Red Letter Day / The Gibson Brothers / Red Letter Day / Sugar Hill
• I'll Work It Out / The Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass
• Locked Away From Your Heart / Alex Leach / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• I've Lived A Lot In My Time / The Potomac Valley Boys / Bluegrass From Virginia / GHP (LP)
• Kentucky Fox Race / Curly Ray Cline / Lonesome Pine Fiddle / Old Homestead
• Gonna Paint The Town / The Stanley Brothers / Banjo In The Mountains / Country Roads
• Sea Of Regret / Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Ode To The Little Brown Shack / Vern & Ray w. Herb Pedersen / San Francisco - 1968 / Arhoolie
• Wheel Hoss / Noam Pikelny / Plays Kenny Baker / Plays Bill Monroe / Compass
• I Can't Be Happy Dear This Way / Hubert Davis & The Season Travelers / 45 RPM single / Music City (45)
• Wild Bill Jones / Shady Creek / Back To The Roots / Self-released
• Along About Daybreak / Mac Martin & The Dixie Travelers / Travelin' On / Revonah (LP)
• Stacey Lynn / Mac Martin & The Dixie Travelers / Travelin' On / Revonah (LP)
• Is She Praying There / Mac Martin & The Dixie Travelers / Travelin' On / Revonah (LP)
• Rawhide (bed) / The Little Roy & Lizzy Show / Pop! Goes The Banjo / Vine
• Lincoln County Gap (bed) / The Little Roy & Lizzy Show / Pop! Goes The Banjo / Vine
• The Five String Waltz (bed) / The Little Roy & Lizzy Show / Pop! Goes The Banjo / Vine
• Goodbye Mississippi / Delia Bell and Bill Grant / We're Not The Jet Set / Old Homestead
• How Mountain Girls Can Love / The Stanley Brothers / Stanley Series Issue 10, Vol. 3, Number 2 / Copper Creek (LP)
• The Coupon Song / The Stanley Brothers / Stanley Series Issue 10, Vol. 3, Number 2 / Copper Creek (LP)
• Clinch Mountain Backstep / The Stanley Brothers / Stanley Series Issue 10, Vol. 3, Number 2 / Copper Creek (LP)
• Let Me Love You One More Time / The Stanley Brothers / Stanley Series Issue 10, Vol. 3, Number 2 / Copper Creek (LP)
• O'er Yonder Hill / Rhonda Vincent / Performs Songs From The House With The Red Light / Upper Management
• Somebody Touched Me / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• I Heard My Mother Call My Name In Prayer / The Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• I Can Hear The Joy Bells Ringing / Delia Bell and Bill Grant / Sacred Favorites Through The Years / Old Homestead
• On The Jericho Road / Larry Stephenson / What Really Matters / Compass
• I'm So Happy / Junior Sisk and Joe Mullins / Hall of Fame Bluegrass / Rebel
• Shoutin' On The Hills Of Glory / The Johnny Jackson Band / Old Country Church / Self-released
• Lay My Body Down / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• God's Not Dead / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Favorites / Rounder
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge, Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 2/9/2014

On Sunday's show, we celebrated two notable musical anniversaries, as well as played a few songs for a February holiday that happens this coming Friday...

The original 1966 cover --
not too Beatles-esque, is it?

First, the musical anniversaries.  Unless you've been away from all media for the last several months, you're likely quite aware that it was fifty years ago -- specifically, on Sunday, February 9, 1964 -- that the Beatles made their American television debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show," and the world of rock and roll music was set on its ear.  Truth to be told, the Beatles were THE band to impact so many of today's musicians and fans of great music, and while the Beatles clearly were not Bluegrass performers, they sure impacted a whole bunch of Bluegrass musicians.  It's hard to imagine a "little" band comprised of four working class lads from Great Britain could cause such a big stir, but they sure did, didn't they?  To mark the 50 year anniversary of their Sullivan show appearance, we put together a set featuring Bluegrass covers of several Beatles tunes, including three selections from the classic 1966 "Beatle Country" recording by the Charles River Valley Boys.  

The second musical anniversary came more as on-the-fly programming.  While

Happy 100th Birthday, E.T. !

checking the show's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WHUS.BluegrassCafe), I came across another post by New York broadcaster Bill Knowlton, who had observed that February 9th would also be the 100th birthday of the Texas Troubadour, Ernest Tubb.  Now, Ernest Tubb was definitely not a Bluegrass performer, but again, several of his songs have been covered in the Bluegrass world.  In fact, several years ago, the Osborne Brothers recorded an entire album in tribute to E.T., so we chose two songs from that project ("The Ernest Tubb Song Folio" on Pinecastle Records), as well as covers of two other Tubb songs by the Johnson Mountain Boys and IIIrd Tyme Out.  

As Valentine's Day comes up this week, it seemed appropriate to play a few positive Bluegrass love songs.  Those were provided by several different performers, including the Lynn Morris Band, Traver Hollow, the Spinney Brothers, Lost & Found, Reno & Smiley, Tony Holt & the Wildwood Valley Boys, and Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band, among others.

And, of course, we made room in the show to play a bit of newer music, as well, particularly from 2014 recordings released by Rhonda Vincent, the Easter Brothers, Blue Highway, Frank Wakefield & Taylor Baker, and Ralph Stanley with Ralph Stanley II.  Great stuff!

Hope you have a great week, and we'll look for you at the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival in Framingham, MA this coming weekend.  If you're going to be at the festival, stop by the Showcase Stage area to hear some great upcoming regional bands...and perhaps you can say hey to me, too...

Join me next Sunday, too, won't you?

Amy

REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Talk To Me Lonesome Heart / Larry Stephenson with Connie Smith & Marty Stuart / 20th Anniversary / Pinecastle
• You're In My Heart / Weary Hearts / By Heart / Flying Fish
• Rose Of My Heart / Traver Hollow / By Request / Self-Produced
• My Heart Skips A Beat / Lynn Morris Band / The Lynn Morris Band / Rounder
• What A Wonderful Life / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Daisy A Day / Lost & Found / Love, Lost & Found / Rebel
• Sweethearts In Heaven / Reno & Smiley / On The Air / Copper Creek
• I Know That You Know (That I Love You) / Tony Holt & the Wildwood Valley Boys / Lost Highways & Treasured Memories / Old Heritage Records
• Reflections Of Love / Paul Adkins & the Borderline Band / Reflections Of Love / Rebel
• Love Of The Mountains / Lost & Found / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• No Lawyers In Heaven / Charlie Sizemore / Heartache Looking For A Home / Rounder
• Amelia Earhart's Last Flight / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• The Streamlined Cannonball / Balsam Range / Papertown / Mountain Home
• East Tennessee Blues / Bristol Boys / All Aboard With The Bristol Boys / Self-Produced
• Don't Let Your Deal Go Down / Lost & Found / Across The Blue Ridge Mountains / Rebel
• Country Boy / Lost & Found / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• Big Blue Raindrops / Del McCoury Band / The Streets Of Baltimore / McCoury Music
• Too Many Rivers / Del McCoury Band / The Streets Of Baltimore / McCoury Music
• Help! / Charles River Valley Boys / Beatle Country / Rounder
• What Goes On / Seldom Scene / A Change Of Scenery / Sugar Hill
• Nowhere Man / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Shades Of The Past / Sugar Hill
• I Saw Her Standing There / Charles River Valley Boys / Beatle Country / Rounder
• Yesterday / Country Gentlemen / The Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Don't Pass Me By / Lou Reid, Terry Baucom & Carolina / Carolina Blue / Webco
• Eight Days A Week / Larry Stephenson Band / Can't Stop Myself / Webco
• I Feel Fine / Charles River Valley Boys / Beatle Country / Rounder
• Walking The Floor Over You / Osborne Brothers / The Ernest Tubb Song Folio / Pinecastle
• Waltz Across Texas / Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• Thanks A Lot / IIIrd Tyme Out / IIIrd Tyme Out / Rebel
• Drivin' Nails In My Coffin / Osborne Brothers / The Ernest Tubb Song Folio / Pinecastle
• Busy City / Rhonda Vincent / Only Me / Upper Management Music
• Beer Barrel Polka / Frank Wakefield & Taylor Baker / Frank Wakefield, Taylor Baker & Friends / Patuxent Music
• Wild Bill Jones / Ralph Stanley & Ralph Stanley II / Side By Side / Rebel
• We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds / Rhonda Vincent with Daryle Singletary / Only Me / Upper Management Music
• Buy A Ring, Find A Preacher / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Talk Is Cheap / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• What Made Milwaukee Famous / Sideline / Session 1 / Mountain Fever Records
• If I Could Only Win Your Love / Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen / At Edwards Barn / Rounder
• Slow Down (You'll Hit A Moose) / Stan Keach & Friends / Cry Of The Loon & Other Original Songs About Maine / Ayuh Records
• Wild Mountain Honey / Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins / Hall Of Fame Bluegrass! / Rebel
• The Hangman's Daughter / Nightflyer / Nightflyer / Kang Records
• Goodbye Mary Jane / NewTown / Time Machine / Pisgah Ridge
• Let The Hallelujahs Roll / Easter Brothers / I'd Do It All Again / Pisgah Ridge
• He Took Your Place / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1950-1952 / JSP Records
• I Like To Hear 'Em Preach / Paul Williams / A Tribute To Jimmy Martin / Koch Records
• On The Right Side / Flatt Lonesome / Flatt Lonesome / Pisgah Ridge
• Land Up In The Air / Special Consensus / 35 / Compass Records
• A Crown He Wore / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Threads / Open Road
• Call His Name / Johnson Mountain Boys / Working Close / Rounder
• I'll Be No Stranger There / Seldom Scene / A Change Of Scenery / Sugar Hill
• Lord Build Me A Cabin In Glory / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1957-1958 / JSP Records
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 2/2/2014

Hi Folks,

This was the first show of the WHUS spring calendar, and we focused on much lesser-heard classic bluegrass.

The Johnson Mountain Boys were a bit of a focus, but we also heard from the Flatt Mountain Boys, Charlie Moore & Bill Napier, James King, The Country Gentlemen, The Gillis Brothers, Bennie And Vallie Cain, and a bunch of 45s I hauled to the studio including the flip sides of two Jack Cooke singles, both sides of the Arthur Smith single of "Feudin' Banjos," a little Mac Martin, and some Jimmie Williams & Red Ellis.

We also featured at least a track from four classic albums that have been released on CD for the first time by Rural Rhythm.  Artists included Red Smiley, Curly Fox, Lee Moore, and Hylo Brown.  We are eager to get even more of these gems on the air as they are released.

Northern classic bluegrass included Bear Bridge Band and the first Gibson Brothers CD.

Current music included the #1 single and album from The Spinney Brothers, Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers, Alex Leach, Sammy Adkins, Don Rigsby, Newton & Thomas, The Roys, Jack Lawrence, Noam Pikelny, Little Roy & Lizzy, and new music from The Easter Brothers.  We played another song from the Rhonda Vincent CD that accompanies author Nancy B. Brewer's book, "The House With The Red Light."  

Of course The Dillards gave us an ode to the ground hog which described what we would like to do with him after that lousy forecast earlier in the day.

Amy will be back next week for another 3-hour show, so be sure to tune in to hear the banjos and fiddles ring!

Jim Beaver

requests in red

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Sugarloaf Mountain Special / Johnson Mountain Boys / Live At The Birchmere / Rounder
• I Could Love You / Flatt Mountain Boys / The Best of Starday Bluegrass / King
• Choo Choo Coming / Flatt Mountain Boys / The Best of Starday Bluegrass / King
• I'm Giving You Your Freedom / Moore & Napier / The Best of King Bluegrass / King
• Coosey / Ralph Stanley / The Best of King Bluegrass / King
• Ground Hog / The Dillards / Back Porch Bluegrass / Elektra
• Heart Specialist / Alex Leach / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• Grandpa's Way Of Life / The Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever
• An Old Log Cabin For Sale / Lee Moore / Sings Radio Favorites of Country Music / Rural Rhythm
• Roll On Big Mama / The Grascals / When I Get My Pay / Mountain Home
• The Game / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• One Morning In May / Jeff Scroggins & Colorado / Western Branches / Self-released
• I'll Never Make You Blue / Joe Mullins & Junior Sisk / Hall of Fame Bluegrass / Rebel
• Coal Dust Blues / Lonesome Pine Fiddlers / Starday Collection / Gusto
• Good News / Rhonda Vincent / RV Performs Songs from The House With The Red Light / Upper Management
• I'll Never Grow Tired Of You / Sammy Adkins & The Sandy Hook Mtn Boys / Tribute To Keith Whitley / Self-released
• One More Ride / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• Dream Of A Miner's Child / Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• Wreck Of The Old No. 9 / Red Smiley & The Blue Grass Cutups / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• One Kiss Away From Loneliness / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Ground Hog / Cullen Galyean & Bobby Harrison / Let Me Fall / Smithsonian Folkways
• Virginia Mountain Banjo / The Virginia Mountain Boys / 45 RPM Single / Gambler (45)
• (New) Cripple Creek / Jack Cooke & The Virginia Mountain Boys / 45 RPM Single / Ark (45)
• Let Me Fall / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent
• Underneath A Harvest Moon / The Gibson Brothers / Underneath A Harvest Moon / Big Elm
• Feudin' Banjos / Arthur Smith & Don Reno / 45 RPM Single / MGM (45)
• Tennessee Truck Driving Man / Don Rigsby / Doctor's Orders / Rebel
• 'Bye 'Bye Black Smoke Choo Choo / Arthur Smith & The Crackerjacks / 45 RPM Single / MGM (45)
• Blue Tail Fly / Hylo Brown / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• The Old Swinging Bridge / James King / These Old Pictures / Rounder
• Bluegrass Breakdown / Mac Martin / 45 RPM Single / Gateway (45)
• Misery Loves Company / Johnson Mountain Boys / Favorites / Rounder
• Newton Grove / Johnson Mountain Boys / Let The Whole World Talk / Rounder
• Nobody's Business / Newton & Thomas / Reborn / Pinecastle
• Old Kentucky Home / The Country Gentlemen / Complete Starday Recordings / Gusto
• Bringing Mary Home / Eddie & Martha Adcock w. Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent
• Ten Miles To Deep Gap / Jack Lawrence w.Doc Watson / Arthel's Guitar / Little King
• Pop! Goes The Banjo (bed) / Little Roy and Lizzy / Pop! Goes The Banjo / Vine
• Old Black Joe (bed) / Little Roy and Lizzy / Pop! Goes The Banjo / Vine
• You Can Count On My Love / The Roys / Gypsy Runaway Train / Rural Rhythm
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / The Roys / Gypsy Runaway Train / Rural Rhythm
• I'd Like To Wander Back / Shady Creek / Back To The Roots / Self-released
• New River Girl / Alex Leach / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• Heart And Soul / The Gillis Brothers / Heart & Soul / Rebel
• Mississippi Sawyer / Curly Fox / Champion Fiddler Vol. 2 / Rural Rhythm
• Fiddler's Pastime / Noam Pikelny / Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe / Compass
• Give Me Time To Think It Over / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Lonesome Truck Driver / Charlie Moore & Bill Napier / Truckin' Favorites / King
• A Higher Power / Jimmie Williams & Red Ellis / 45 RPM EP / Starday (45)
• You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover / The Easter Brothers / I'd Do It All Over Again / Pisgah
• They Laid Him In the Ground / Benny And Vallie Cain and the Country Clan / Self-titled / Rebel (LP)
• Since I've Laid My Burdens Down / Mickey Boles / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• I'd Do it All Over Again / The Easter Brothers / I'd Do It All Over Again / Pisgah
• Somebody Touched Me / Red Smiley & The Blue Grass Cutups / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• Daniel Prayed / Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• Didn't It Rain / Little Roy and Lizzy / Straight From The Heart of Dixie / Vine
• Shake My Mother's Hand For Me / Charlie Monroe / The Starday Sessions / Gusto
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/26/2013

Another Sunday -- another three hours' worth of Bluegrass Cafe!  During the season of UConn Basketball, we can never take that luxury for granted, so we sure hope you liked the show...

Revisited a wonderful 1992 Lynn Morris Band
record, which includes a dandy version of
Dolly's "Coat Of Many Colors."

Last week, Jim played a good number of songs performed by the legendary Dolly Parton (who celebrated birthday number 68 on January 19th).  We opened Sunday's show with a continuation of that tribute, devoting most of the first half-hour to Bluegrass recordings of songs (mostly) written by Dolly.  Performers of Dolly tunes included the Seldom Scene, Dale Ann Bradley with Marty Raybon, Rhonda Vincent, the Lynn Morris Band, Big Country Bluegrass, the Spinney Brothers, Ronnie Reno, Missy Werner, Gloria Belle, and the Gibson Brothers.  

The latest from a fine CT BG band...

The rest of the show included a combination of older songs and newer music from Jett's Creek, the Grascals, Unspoken Tradition, Blue Highway, and Tom Mindte, as well as from two recent projects from two Connecticut-based bands:  ShoreGrass and BluesGrass.

Hope you enjoyed something you heard at some point during Sunday's show.  Our WHUS broadcast schedule will change once again this week, but I think it's a fairly safe bet that you'll still be able to hear Jim next Sunday for three more hours of Bluegrass Cafe!  

Enjoy the week!

Amy O.


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL [Requests are RED]

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• When Someone Wants To Leave / Seldom Scene / Bluegrass The World's Greatest Show / Sugar Hill
• Holding On To Nothing / Dale Ann Bradley with Marty Raybon / Catch Tomorrow / Compass Records
• Coat Of Many Colors / Lynn Morris Band / The Bramble And The Rose / Rounder
• Jolene / Rhonda Vincent & the Rage / Ragin' Live / Rounder
• If Teardrops Were Pennies / Big Country Bluegrass / Memories Of The Past / Rebel
• Smokey Mountain Memories [sic] / Spinney Brothers / When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall / Self-Produced
• Pain Of Lovin' You / Ronnie Reno & the Reno Tradition / Portfolio / Self-Produced
• Gypsy, Joe, And Me / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-Produced
• My Blue Tears / Gloria Belle with the Johnson Mountain Boys / Love Of The Mountains / Webco
• Kentucky Gambler / Gibson Brothers / Spread Your Wings / Hay Holler
• Hard Times / Nashville Bluegrass Band / The Boys Are Back In Town / Sugar Hill
• A Blue Million Tears / Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers / They're Playing My Song / Rebel
• Thinking About You / David Peterson & 1946 / David Peterson & 1946 / Self-Produced
• Crying My Heart Out Over You / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• Pike County Breakdown / Ron Stewart / Foggy Mountain Special:  A Bluegrass Tribute To Earl Scruggs / Rounder
• North To Alaska / Connie & Babe & the Backwoods Boys / Down The Road To Home / Rounder
• My Old Kentucky Home / Dan Paisley & the Southern Grass / The Tradition Continues / Brandywine
• Tortured Tangled Hearts / Jett's Creek / The Wait Is Over / Mountain Fever Records
• Just Ain't / Terry Baucom with Sam Bush / Never Thought Of Looking Back / Self-Produced
• Mama's Opry / Chris Brashear / Heart Of The Country / Dog Boy Records
• Unwanted Love / Reno & Smiley / Love Please Come Home / King
• Simple Little Town / Unspoken Tradition / Simple Little Town / Coyote Ridge Audio
• Where Jasmine Grows / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• Buzzin' With Buzz / Tom Mindte / Something I've Been Working On / Patuxent Music
• Used To Be / BluesGrass / BluesGrass / Self-Produced
• Almost A Full Moon / ShoreGrass / Hummingbird / Self-Produced
• Who Showed Who / Dan Tyminski / Wheels / Rounder
• Roll On Big Mama / The Grascals / When I Get My Pay / Rounder
• Bluegrass Melodies / The Grascals / When I Get My Pay / Rounder
• North Carolina Breakdown / Kathy Kallick Band / Time / Live Oak Records
• Quarterline Road / Detour / A Better Place / Self-Produced
• No Doubt About It / Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins / Hall Of Fame Bluegrass! / Rebel
• The Bramble And The Rose / Lynn Morris Band / The Bramble And The Rose / Rounder
• The Darker The Night, The Better I See / Gibson Brothers / Spread Your Wings / Hay Holler
• Don't Let My Love Get In The Way / Sideline / Session 1 / Mountain Fever
• Big Spike Hammer / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Time Hits Of The Past Bluegrassed / Cracker Barrel
• Many A Mile / Country Gentlemen / Can't You Hear Me Callin' / Rebel
• Glastonbury Weekend / Roger & J.D. Williams / Williams Squared / Self-Produced
• Goin' Across The Sea / Hot Rize / In Concert / Flying Fish
• I'll Never Grow Tired Of You / Cliff Waldron / Old Friends And Memories / Rebel
• Never Again / Stanley Brothers / Don't Cheat In Our Hometown / King
• You've Gotta Righten That Wrong / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder
• Fishers Of Men / Rhonda Vincent / One Step Ahead / Rounder
• God Loves His Children / Joe Val / Diamond Joe / Rounder
• John Doe Made The Crossing / Big Country Bluegrass / Memories Of The Past / Rebel
• I'll Never Go Back / Louvin Brothers / Songs That Tell A Story / Rebel
• Meet Me Over On The Other Side / Country Gentlemen / Sugar Hill Collection / Rebel
• Lay Down Your Troubles / Gary Ferguson / I'm Really Leaving / Sugar Hill
• Eternal Vacation / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• Blue Grass Twist / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 1/19/2014 - Larry Efaw, Dolly Parton, & J.E. Mainer Jr.

Hi Folks,

Larry Efaw with the mandolin front-R

This was a great day for bluegrass music on the radio!  We featured an interview with Larry Efaw, the Ohio bluegrasser (by way of West Virginia and western Pennsylvania) who has continued his family's band called the Bluegrass Mountaineers that released an excellent traditional album in 2013 that we picked up late in the year and named one of our favorites of 2013.  We were eager to hear about Larry's family band and history in the music, and he gave us the whole story.  We heard six tracks from Larry's album on the show.  Check out the band whenever they are close, and check out their website here.

We also celebrated Dolly Parton's 68th birthday with a long set of Dolly's music, most of which was bluegrass-friendly.

J.E. Mainer, Jr. at church in 2010

J.E. Mainer Jr. will celebrate his 90th birthday Wednesday,  January 22, so we played a couple of tracks he recorded with his dad for King in 1946, including one he wrote.

I dug out some recent 45 RPM additions to my personal collection and shared with everyone.  The list included the original recording of the Doug Dillard banjo tune, "Banjo In The Hollow" by Joe Noel & The Dixie Ramblers with Doug and Rodney Dillard on banjo and guitar, and songs from Albert Parsley & Landon Messer, Jack Cooke (yes, the Clinch Mountain Boy) from a solo recording in the early 1960s, and a track from Bill Price's band The Country Pardners.

We introduced a song from a new CD that Rhonda Vincent recorded to accompany a book by Concord, North Carolina author Nancy B. Brewer.  The book is "The House With The Red Light" and the CD contains songs referenced in the book.

Robert E. Lee was born on this day in 1807, so we played an old Jimmy Arnold song about General Lee to remember.

Other notable music from my Heritage Corner included songs from Vern & Ray, Leroy Troy (from 20 years ago), Mac Martin, Earl Taylor & Jim McCall, Molly O'Day, The Wade Family, and early Country Gentlemen.

We had fun and we hope you did, too.  Amy will be back next week to make the banjos and fiddles ring, so tune in!

Jim Beaver

requests in red, Dolly tribute in green, J.E. Mainer Jr. tribute in blue

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Train 45 / The Gillis Brothers / Freight Train Special V2 / Wango
• Alcatraz Island Blues / Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent
• Hold On Honey Hold On / Jim Lauderdale / Old Time Angels / Sky Crunch
• Silver Bells / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8) / Dolly Parton / The Essential Dolly Parton / RCA Legacy
• Jolene / Dolly Parton / The Essential Dolly Parton / RCA Legacy
• Apple Jack / Pam Gadd w. Dolly Parton / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway
• Wildflowers / Parton, Ronstadt, Harris / Trio / Warner Bros
• I'm Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open / Dolly Parton / The Grass Is Blue / Sugar Hill
• Sugar Hill / Dolly Parton / Halos & Horns / Sugar Hill
• Coat Of Many Colors / Dolly Parton / Live And Well / Sugar Hill
• Ashes Of Love / Sammy Adkins / Tribute To Keith Whitley / Crosscut
• Stumblin Stones / Travers Chandler and Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Little Glass Of Wine / Ralph Stanley, George Shuffler, James King / Plum Pitiful / Time Life
• I'm Longing For My Old Virginia Home / Big Country Bluegrass / Memories Of The Past / Rebel
• She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• No Doubt About It / Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins / Hall Of Fame Bluegrass / Rebel
• Mountain Heartache / Alex Leach / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• Broken Heart And A Worried Mind / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Give Me Time To Think It Over / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Eight Steps Toward The Lord / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Old Five And Dimers / James King / Three Chords And The Truth / Rounder
• How Many Times / Vern & Ray / San Francisco - 1968 / Arhoolie
• Hard Times In A Cotton Mill / J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers / 20 Original King Recordings / Gusto
• Lonely Train / J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers / 20 Original King Recordings / Gusto
• Banjo In The Hollow / Joe Noel & The Dixie Ramblers / 45 RPM Single / K-Ark (45)
• All I Was To You / NewTown / Time Machine / Pisgah
• General Lee / Jimmy Arnold / Riding With Ol' Mosby / Rebel
• You're On My Mind / Joe Noel & The Dixie Ramblers / 45 RPM Single / K-Ark (45)
• When / Albert Parsley & Landon Messer / 45 RPM Single / REM (45)
• End Of My Journey / Jack Cooke / 45 RPM Single / Ark (45)
• Have Mercy On You / The Country Pardners / 45 RPM Single / RCA Victor (45)
• Too Many Rivers / The Del McCoury Band / The Streets Of Baltimore / McCoury Music
• Hand Me Down My Walking Cane / Leroy Troy / Backroads / Self-released
• New River Girl / Alex Leach / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• This Rambler's Ramblin' / Mac Martin / Country Roots / Rural Rhythm
• A Dollar Down / Reno And Harrell / Reno Bound / John Boy & Billy
• Long Journey Home / Earl Taylor & Jim McCall / Country Roots / Rural Rhythm
• When My Time Comes To Go / Molly O'Day / Living Legend of Country Music / Gusto
• Sinner Man / Don Rigsby / Doctor's Orders / Rebel
• When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder / Rhonda Vincent / Performs Songs from The House With The Red Light / Upper Management
• Hill Tops Of Glory / The Wade Family / Rare Bluegrass from Nashville The 1960s / T-Bird
• Kneel Down / Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge / Rollin' With Tradition / Galyean Family
• Will He Wait A Little Longer / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Heavenly Light Shinin' On Me / Nick Anderson & Shady Creek / Back To The Roots / Self-released
• The Church Back Home / The Country Gentlemen / High Lonesome / Gusto
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge, Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' And Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/12/2014

For the second week in a row, our Bluegrass Cafe program was a full three-hour presentation.  That doesn't always happen during basketball season at the University of Connecticut, so we hope you enjoyed the show today...

Phil Everly (at left)
1/19/1939-1/3/2014

Highlights from Sunday's show included the wonderful, crystalline harmonies of the Everly Brothers, as we paid tribute to the late Phil Everly, who died of complications from COPD on January 3rd.  The Everlys were definitely NOT Bluegrass performers -- or even really country music performers -- but you cannot say that their brother-duet harmonies were not any less pure and true than harmonies from earlier brother duet acts like the Delmore Brothers and Louvin Brothers before them, and the Gibson Brothers and Spinney Brothers in today's Bluegrass world.  In tribute to Phil and the Everlys, proper, we shared two songs from the Everlys' 1958 well-loved LP, "Songs Our Daddy Taught Us," as well as four Bluegrass covers of Everly Brothers songs.  

We also played music today from one of the most-underrated acts in all of Bluegrass:  Blue Highway.  This band has been together for nearly twenty years, and the members now are the exact same members who started the band.  That's nearly unheard of in any genre of music, but especially Bluegrass!  The newest Blue Highway record -- "The Game" on Rounder Records -- will be released to the public on January 21st, and we shared three songs from it on the air today.  Nice!

Be sure to join Jim for next week's radio show -- maybe even another full 3-hour edition!  

Have a good week!

Amy


REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Did You Ever Go Sailing / Jim & Jesse / In The Tradition / Rounder
• I Hope You Have Learned / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / The King And The Father / MME
• Three Ways Of Knowing / Allerton & Alton / Black, White & Bluegrass / Bear Family
• You Tried To Ruin My Name / Wilma Lee Cooper / O Sister! / Rounder
• We Can't Be Darlings Anymore / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1950-1952 / JSP Records
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1955-1956 / JSP Records
• With Body And Soul / Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home / Mac Wiseman / Bluegrass, 1971 / Rural Rhythm
• Living In These Troubled Times / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-Produced
• Footprints In The Snow / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, 1940-1946 / JSP Records
• Lightning Express / Everly Brothers / 36 All-Time Favorites! / GSC Music
• Bye Bye Love / Spectrum / Bluegrass Goes To Town / Rounder
• I Wonder If I Care As Much / Laurel Canyon Ramblers / Blue Rambler 2 / Sugar Hill
• Brand New Heartache Comin' On / Larry Stephenson with Dudley Connell / Wash My Blues Away / Webco
• All I Have To Do Is Dream / Crowe & McLaughlin / Going Back / Rounder
• Kentucky / Everly Brothers / 36 All-Time Favorites / GSC Music
• Lonely Me, Lonely You / Gibson Brothers / Iron & Diamonds / Sugar Hill
• Man In The Hole / Edgar Loudermilk / My Big Chance Tomorrow / Mountain Fever Records
• Frog On A Lily Pad / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Take Me Back / Pinecastle
• Never Can Forgive 'Til I Can Forget / Daughters Of Bluegrass with Michelle Nixon / Pickin' Like A Girl / Blue Circle Records
• Hello Love / Lost & Found / A Ride Through The Country / Rebel
• I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow / Soggy Bottom Boys / O Brother, Where Art Thou? / Lost Highway
• The Less That I Drink / Charlie Sizemore Band / Good News / Rounder
• The Little Girl And The Dreadful Snake / Big Country Bluegrass / Memories Of The Past / Rebel
• I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow / Laurie Lewis / Skippin' & Flyin' / Spruce And Maple Music
• Banjo In The Hollow / The Dillards / A Long Time Ago / Varese Sarabande
• Old McDonald / Mark Newton & Steve Thomas / Reborn / Pinecastle
• The Game / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• All I Was To You / NewTown / Time Machine / Pisgah Ridge
• Talk Is Cheap / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• Funny Farm / Blue Highway / The Game / Rounder
• When Scruggs Made Me A Star / Shannon & Heather Slaughter & County Clare / One More Road / Self-Produced
• In A Town This Size / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Plastic Heart / Open Road
• Love Reunited / Chris Hillman & Herb Pederson / At Edwards Barn / Rounder
• On That Glorious Day / Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever Records
• Good To See The Home Place Once Again / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Story Of The Day That I Died / Rebel
• Loneliness And Desperation / Sideline / Session 1 / Mountain Fever Records
• Kentucky Sweetheart / Rhonda Vincent / A Dream Come True / Rebel
• Road Into Town / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent Music
• Dixie Special / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• Going Up Home / Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen / At Edwards Barn / Rounder
• Won't It Be Wonderful There / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers Of The Highway / Rounder
• Paul And Silas / Country Gentlemen / Let The Light Shine Down / Rebel
• My Lord What A Morning / Sweet Potato Pie / Journey Called Life / Mountain Fever Records
• I Want To Live Like Christ My Savior / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto
• Home On The River / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Lord Have Mercy (On My Soul) / Lou Reid & Carolina / Live At The Down Home / KMA Records
• The Boat Of Love / Balsam Range / Marching Home / Mountain Fever
• Wings Of Angels / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle Records
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

Playlist - 1/5/2014 - 1st Show of 2014

Hi Folks.

The first show of the new year included some classic and relatively obscure material in addition to a good swath of newer music.

The newer included a song from each of the eight CDs I compiled as my favorite traditional releases of 2013.  We also heard the recent single released by Dave Adkins, music from Del McCoury, The Grascals, NewTown, Unspoken Tradition, Jim Lauderdale, Jeff Scroggins and Colorado, JD Messer and Sanctified, and Jack Lawrence.  As a rare treat we introduced a special unreleased recording from an upcoming project from Bradford Lee Folk and the Bluegrass Playboys.

The Johnny Jackson Band

For the first time on Bluegrass Cafe we heard a couple of tracks from The Johnny Jackson Band from Virginia.  The band consists of Johnny Jackson, who sings the mountain style, along with his grandson James Stiltner picking guitar and some Reno-influenced banjo.  Edith Jackson and Cindi Stiltner round out the group contributing vocals and bass. Their self-produced recordings are a little rough around the edges, but the picking is excellent and their heartfelt singing befits their home region.  You can get a sample of their music here.

James Stiltner also picks lead guitar with Sammy Adkins and the Sandy Hook Mountain Boys, so we played a track from Sammy on the show.  More classics from my Heritage Corner included some Doc & Merle Watson bluegrass, Charlie Moore & Bill Napier, Dave Evans, The Hillmen, The Doug Dillard Band, IIIrd Tyme Out (from 20 years ago,) The Gillis Brothers both from a 1993 Ray Davis recording and from a 2005 reunion concert, a rare live recording of The Lilly Brothers at Hillbilly Ranch in 1960, and a few tracks from a 1947 broadcast of The Stanley Brothers on WCYB Farm & Fun Time.

We hoped the first show of the year inspired you to tune in again next Sunday when Amy will make the banjos and fiddles ring!

Jim Beaver

requests in red

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• New River Train / The Gillis Brothers / Freight Train Special Volume Two / Wango
• The Train That Carried My Girl From Town / Doc & Merle Watson / Two Days In November / Sugar Hill
• Dreaming Of A Little Cabin / Sammy Adkins & The Sandy Hook Mtn Boys / Tribute To Keith Whitley / Crosscut
• Old McDonald / Mark Newton & Steve Thomas / Reborn / Pinecastle
• Georgia Bound / Scott Brannon / Your Old Standby / Patuxent
• May I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister / Mickey Galyean & Cullen's Bridge / Rollin' With Tradition / Galyean Family
• The Mountain Doctor / Don Rigsby / Doctor's Orders / Rebel
• I'll Drink No More Wine / Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins / Hall Of Fame Bluegrass / Rebel
• She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Cheyenne / Noam Pikelny / Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe / Compass
• Talkin' To The Wall / James King / Three Chords And The Truth / Rounder
• Mountain Heartache / Alex Leach / Mountain Heartache / Self-released
• Waves On The Sea / Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers / She Left Me Standing On A Mountain / Blue Circle
• Old Kentucky Hills / Kentucky Travelers / Banjo In The Mountains / Country Roads
• Banjo Breakdown / Rusty York & Willard Hale / Banjo In The Mountains / Country Roads
• Row Us Over The Tide / The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / The Lilly Brothers at Hillbilly Ranch / Globe (LP)
• Pike County Jail / Dave Adkins / single / Mountain Fever
• Streets Of Baltimore / Del McCoury Band / The Streets of Baltimore / McCoury Music
• American Pickers / The Grascals / When I Get My Pay / Mountain Home
• Goodbye Mary Jane / NewTown / Time Machine / Pisgah
• Guitar Pickin' Truck Driver / Charlie Moore & Bill Napier / Truckin' Favorites / King
• Highway 52 / Dave Evans & Riverbend / The Vetco Sessions / Vetco
• Echo Mountain / James King / The Bluegrass Storyteller / Rounder
• Cabin On A Mountain / Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass / Road Into Town / Patuxent
• I Could Change My Mind / Travers Chandler & Avery County / Pardon Me... / Mountain Fever
• Hell Broke Loose In Georgia / The Gillis Brothers / Live / Self-released
• Cold Outside / The Gillis Brothers / Live / Self-released
• Little Rock Getaway / Jimmy Arnold / Riding With Ol' Mosby / Rebel
• Simple Little Town / Unspoken Tradition / Simple Little Town / Self-released
• Arthel's Guitar / Jack Lawrence / Arthel's Guitar / Little King
• Cold Wind / David Peterson & 1946 / Self-titled / Self-released
• Things In Life / Jeff Scroggins & Colorado / Western Branches / Self-released
• Old Time Angels / Jim Lauderdale / Old Time Angels / Sky Crunch
• Houses On The Farm / Nick Anderson & Shady Creek / Back To The Roots / Self-released
• John Hardy (bed) / The Johnny Jackson Band / Play Requests / Self-released
• Appalachian Son / Randy Jones / When Old Lonesome Comes Around / Southfork
• Fiddlin' Will / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Roads Well Traveled / Mountain Home
• I Know What It Means To Be Lonesome / The New Kentucky Colonels / Live In Holland 1973 / Roland White
• Foolish Game Of Love / Bradford Lee Folk and the Bluegrass Playboys / ***limited pre-release*** / NA
• Prisoner's Plea / The Hillmen / Self-titled / Together Records
• Cotton Eyed Joe / The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys / Live Again! / Rebel
• Our Darling's Gone / The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys / Live Again! / Rebel
• Molly & Tenbrooks / The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys / Live Again! / Rebel
• Jesus On The Mainline / Dry Branch Fire Squad / Live at Newburyport Fire House / Rounder
• Wake The Town / Larry Gillis / Ringing Of The Hammer / Tinman
• Old Country Church / The Johnny Jackson Band / Old Country Church / Self-released
• The Angels Sing In Heaven / The Doug Dillard Band / What's That? / Flying Fish
• Rain / JD Messer & Sanctified / Coal Miner's Prayer / Kindred
• That Mountain Is Me / Mickey Boles / Let My Feet Go Runnin' / Self-released
• Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / IIIrd Tyme Out / Across The Miles / New Haven
• Won't It Be Wonderful Over There / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers Of The Highway / Rounder
• Lay My Body Down / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w.Nick Anderson, Mark Doyle / Pickin' & Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/29/2013

2013 was quite a year for those Gibson boys...

Today is the last Sunday of 2013 -- hence, it was the day for the last "Bluegrass Cafe" broadcast for the year.  Generally, this last Sunday is a good one to look back at some of the favorite Bluegrass recordings released during the previous year, and recap some of the big Bluegrass events and award winners.  While we were able to do a bit of that today, we couldn't spend three hours doing it, as there was a UCONN Women's Basketball broadcast that began at 5PM, bringing our scheduled show time to 60 minutes.  However, through some shared airtime, we were able to begin our show today 30 minutes earlier, so we had a

One of the great Bluegrass
records we received in 2013

total of 90 minutes to play some Bluegrass records released in 2013 (or very late in 2012).  Obviously, we might have preferred the full three hours, but half of the time is better than none...at least to my way of thinking...

In addition to playing songs from several 2013 recordings, we remembered the two newest members of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame -- Tony Rice and the late Paul Warren, and included music from several IBMA Award winners from 2013:  the Entertainers of the Year -- the Gibson Brothers, as well as Female Vocalist winner Claire Lynch, Male Vocalist Junior Sisk, and Instrumental Group, the Boxcars.  

By the way, if you missed Tony Rice's very amazing acceptance speech at the September 26th IBMA Awards, you owe it to yourself to watch this rather lengthy YouTube clip:  

We sure do appreciate your support of our "Bluegrass Cafe" throughout 2013.  Hope you'll continue to join us in 2014 -- you'll have your first chance next Sunday when Jim joins you for three full hours of the show.  Join him, won't you?

And, of course, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Amy


SONG / PERFORMER / ALBUM / LABEL

• Katy Hill / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren / Self-Produced
• Fiddlin' Will / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Roads Well Traveled / Mountain Home
• I'll Never Make You Blue / Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins / Hall Of Fame Bluegrass! / Rebel
• You'll Get No More Of Me / Flatt Lonesome / Flatt Lonesome / Pisgah Ridge
• Tennessee Truck Driving Man / Don Rigsby with Charlie Sizemore / Doctor's Orders / Rebel
• Greenlight On The Southern / Tony Rice / Bluegrass Class Of 1990 / Rounder [2013 Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee]
• I'll Be Alright Tomorrow / Claire Lynch / Dear Sister / Compass Records
• Old Leather Britches / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Recorded Live At Vanderbilt University / Sony [featuring Paul Warren, 2013 Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee]
• They Called It Music / Gibson Brothers / They Called It Music / Compass Records
• Stormy Horizons / The Expedition Show / Stormy Horizons / Mountain Fever Records
• Back To Hancock County / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers Of The Highway / Rounder
• The Blues Are Still The Blues / Sideline / Session 1 / Mountain Fever Records
• Bad Fret / Grass Routes / Bailey's Deal / Self-Produced
• Sing Sing Sing / Scott Brannon / Your Old Standby / Patuxent Music
• I Call Your Name / Lou Reid & Carolina / Live At The Down Home / KMA Records
• Martha White, Lester And Earl / Terry Baucom with Marty Raybon / Never Thought Of Looking Back / John Boy & Billy, Inc.
• Grandpa's Way Of Life / Spinney Brothers / No Borders / Mountain Fever Records
• Keepin' It Between The Lines (Old School) / Peter Rowan / The Old School / Compass Records
• Old John Burns / Rickey Wasson & Dwight McCall / God Didn't Choose Sides / Rural Rhythm
• I'm Leaving You This Lonesome Song / The Boxcars / It's Just A Road / Mountain Home
• Baby, You're Cheatin' / Big Country Bluegrass / Memories Of The Past / Rebel
• Fist City / Donna Ulisse / Showin' My Roots / Hadley Music Group
• Hobo's Time / Edgar Loudermilk / My Big Chance Tomorrow / Mountain Fever Records
• Free Salvation / Del McCoury Band / The Streets Of Baltimore / McCoury Music
• If That Was Love / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / Lonely Comes Easy / Rebel

A few of Amy's Bluegrass favorites of 2013...

Happy New Year...almost!  In these last few days of 2013, you've likely seen lots of lists of "Top ___" or "Best of ___" for the year.  For the last couple of years, I've been posting a year-end list of favorite Bluegrass recordings on the WHUS website, and I will do that once again this year.  Here's my standard disclaimer when putting this favorites list together:  I am one person with one opinion, and the things I like don't necessarily jive with what is currently "popular" on any particular Bluegrass chart.  If you're one who likes to read these "favorites" lists, here are a couple more for your consideration:  Jim's more traditional-leaning favorites of the year, the Top 10 Bluegrass CDs of 2013 according to the website PopMatters, and some favorite Bluegrass recordings per the Engine 145 website.  My list follows here, and the titles are arranged alphabetically by performer -- not by any kind of ranking:

• BIG COUNTRY BLUEGRASS - "Memories Of The Past" (Rebel Records) : If you think that the sounds of traditional Bluegrass are being lost to more country- or pop-sounding Bluegrass, you probably have not heard of this Virginia-based band.  The addition of tenor singer/guitar picker Eddie Gill to BCBG gave them an even more-traditional sound, if that's possible, and several of the songs featured on this recording do well to feature his pure voice.
  
  
• THE BOXCARS - "It's Just A Road" (Mountain Home) : Another winning collection of originals and covers from this very successful, very entertaining band.  What's not to like?
  
  
• JAMES KING - "Three Chords And The Truth" (Rounder Records) : Jim gave a terrific description of this recording in his recent favorites list, so I really can't add much.  Given the direction of Rounder's recent 2013 "Bluegrass" offerings (not very hardcore at all), this is a welcome return of James King -- perhaps the single most-emotionally-charged singer in all of Bluegrass (or darn close, anyway).
  

• GIBSON BROTHERS - "They Called It Music" (Compass Records) : In this part of the world, any new recording from New York's Gibson Brothers is
  
  likely going to be received very warmly, no matter what the sound quality might be.  However, the praise bestowed on this 11th Gibson recording is not undeserved.  The title track is infectious -- so much so that the song stayed at the #1 position on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey charts for several months, and the brothers retained their IBMA Entertainer of the Year title when they won that award (and a couple others) in late September.  Can't wait to hear their next recording, which, rumor has it, *may* turn out to be a "best of brothers" CD.  We'll see...
  
  
• DEL McCOURY BAND - "The Streets Of Baltimore" (McCoury Music) : This Bluegrass Hall of Famer has been performing professionally for more than 50 years, but he gives no appearance of slowing down.  That's definitely a good thing, as this Fall 2013 release from Del and the boys has some great songs, including a fine version of the Tompall Glaser/Harlan Howard-penned title track first recorded by Bobby Bare in 1966.
  
  
• MARTY RAYBON & FULL CIRCLE - "The Back Forty" (Rural Rhythm Records) : Marty Raybon has been in the music business for 40 years -- hence the title of the record.  The songs included here range from covers of old Webb Pierce country songs, Bluegrass songs from the song catalog of the late Randall Hylton, and several songs written or co-written by Marty Raybon.
  
  
• LOU REID & CAROLINA - "20th Anniversary Concert - Live At The Down Home" (KMA Records) : Confession:  Lou Reid has been one of my favorite voices in Bluegrass since I first heard him singing with Doyle Lawson &
  
  Quicksilver in the early 1980s.  Still, this record that showcases Lou & Carolina celebrating their 20 years as a band is a good one, I think, and the song selections come from the band's eight studio recordings (plus Lou's mighty fine 1991 Sugar Hill solo record, "When It Rains.")  Good stuff.
  
  
• DON RIGSBY - "Doctor's Orders:  A Tribute To Ralph Stanley" (Rebel Records) : This is a CD that we knew was coming for a while, as Don Rigsby himself handed out review copies of the CD at IBMA back in 2011.  It's an absolute dandy:  a heartfelt tribute to a Bluegrass legend who clearly has had a rather large impact on the musical life of someone who himself is a well-respected, award-winning Bluegrass performer.  Nice!
  
  
• SIDELINE - "Session 1" (Mountain Fever Records): While the Bluegrass Album Band is probably the most famous of all of the Bluegrass "SuperGroups," this occasional band has made a quite good first recording.  The band includes recently-retired banjo picker for IIIrd Tyme Out, Steve Dilling, his son-in-law, Skip Cherryholmes on guitar, and multi-talented Darrell Webb doing most of the lead vocal singing and picking the mandolin.  Other members include Justin Haynes on fiddle (IIIrd Tyme Out) and Jason Moore on bass (Mountain Heart).  That this record is titled "Session 1" leads me to believe we may hear more from this band...and that would not be a bad thing at all.
  
  
• JUNIOR SISK & RAMBLERS CHOICE - "The Story Of The Day That I Died" (Rebel Records) : Junior Sisk has been having a great couple of years with a few terrific, traditional-leaning recordings for Rebel Records, and this past September, a nod as Male Vocalist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association.  Clearly, this is a guy on top of his game, as he also is part of this next pick...
  
  
• JUNIOR SISK & JOE MULLINS - "Hall Of Fame Bluegrass!" : This is a fine collection of songs originally recorded by several Bluegrass Hall of Famers (the Osborne Brothers, Carter Family, Country Gentlemen, and Mac Wiseman, just to name a few).  Junior & Joe don't normally work together, but you would never know that as this record is top-notch.  We can only hope that some enterprising Bluegrass promoters figure out to put these guys together on a stage or two somewhere this year.
  
  
• VARIOUS ARTISTS - "God Didn't Choose Sides:  Civil War True Stories
  
  About Real People" (Rural Rhythm Records) : This collection features just what the subtitle says -- songs about real folks, men and women, who were part of the American Civil War.  The songs were mostly written or co-written by a few fine songwriters, including Paula Breedlove and Mark "Brink" Brinkman, and the performers are some great ones, including the Lonesome River Band, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Marty Raybon, and a few others.

This year, I feel the need to include a couple of "Honorable Mention" selections on my list:  

• THE EXPEDITION SHOW - "Stormy Horizons" (Mountain Fever Records)
• FLATT LONESOME - "Flatt Lonesome" (Pisgah Ridge)
• THE SPINNEY BROTHERS - "No Borders" (Mountain Fever Records)
  

Looking forward to hearing more wonderful Bluegrass in 2014 -- hoping you are, too!