"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

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/29/2012

Our standard playlist "recipe" for the BG Cafe is a mix of old with new.  When we use the term "old," though, we don't always mean going back to music from the first generation and the 1940s and 1950s.  In doing a bit of cleaning at home, I recently unearthed a couple of cassettes from around 1989/1990, and since neither of these tapes had ever been issued on LP or CD (to my knowledge, anyway), I couldn't resist the opportunity to share them on the airwaves on Sunday.  The sound quality is definitely lacking, but we like to think that mixture is all part of the "charm" of a live radio show.  Let's go with that reasoning, anyway...

Under the "new" category, we shared music from two super CDs:  one from a NYC-area band called Too Blue, and the other a soon-to-be released project from the trio of Freeman & Williams.  It so happens that Too Blue was performing today at the Firebox Restaurant in Hartford, so perhaps folks listening to the radio on their way to the Firebox got to hear some great music from their CD called, "Trouble With The Grey."  It's a mighty fine record.

The Freeman & Williams trio is North Carolina musician Scott Freeman, joined by Virginia BG veterans, Johnny & Jeanette Williams.  Their new self-titled project will be released on February 7th on Mountain Roads Recordings, and it is quite delightful.  Doubtless, you'll be hearing more from this talented trio, as well as Too Blue, in future editions of the BG Cafe.

Other newer music on today's show came from the likes of Rickey Wasson & Dwight McCall, Nu-Blu, Merl Johnson, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray, Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie, and the Missy Werner Band.

The things you find in a closet!

For the "old," we returned to the 1990 Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival in Ancramdale, NY with the "3rd Winterhawk Scholarship Album."  There are several great live performances on this tape, and they run the gamut from traditional BG to the more "out there," fringy styles of acoustic music.  That's kind of the brand for Winterhawk (now known as Grey Fox) -- the festival is neither fully a traditional festival nor a completely "jamgrass" festival.  There's really something there for every BG musical taste, and this tape really showcased that.  

The Spinneys' record debut - 1993.

We also revisited some of the first recorded music from a Canadian band then known as the Spinney Brothers & Close Company.  The Spinneys have come a long way since their earliest musical days, but it's fun to hear how they sounded on their first two recordings from 1993 and 1996.  We'll be sharing a brand new recording from the Spinney Brothers sometime in the next couple of months, when they make their debut on Mountain Fever Records with a CD called, "Memories."  

Hope you enjoyed something you heard on today's show, and that you'll be sure to join me once again next Sunday on the BG Cafe.  

Enjoy the week!

Amy O.

Requests are RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• That High Lonesome Sound / Peter Rowan & the Nashville Bluegrass Band / New Moon Rising / Sugar Hill
• The Court Of Love / Rhonda Vincent / Taken / Upper Management Music
• Baby Girl / Stanley Brothers / 20th Century Masters / Mercury
• Tennessee Tea / Joe Diffie / Homecoming / Rounder
• Trouble With The Grey / Too Blue / Trouble With The Grey / Self-Produced
• Molly And Tenbrooks / Rickey Wasson & Dwight McCall / Rural Rhythm Records Salutes Bill Monroe / Rural Rhythm
• Sparta Flash / The Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Got Leavin' On Her Mind / Mark Newton Band / Charlie Lawson's Still / Rebel
• I Fall To Pieces / Too Blue / Trouble With The Grey / Self-Produced
• Truck Driving Man / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / Worries On My Mind / Rebel
• Cotton Farmer / Travers Chandler & Avery County / State Of Depression / Patuxent Music
• Love Of The Mountains / Lost & Found / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• The Memory Of Your Smile / Dede Wyland / Keep The Light On / Patuxent Music
• Every Shade Of Blue / Nu-Blu / The Blu-Disc / Pinecastle
• Face The Music / Too Blue / Trouble With The Grey / Self-Produced
• The Nights Are So Long / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• You'll Find Monroe Written There / Merl Johnson / Better Man / Patuxent Music
• Say You Lied / Neon Valley Boys / Bluegrass / Sudden Comfort Records
• Safe Passage / Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass Records
• Winterhawk / Northern Lights with Matt Glaser / The 3rd Winterhawk Scholarship Album / Gordo
• West Texas Wind / Seldom Scene / The 3rd Winterhawk Scholarship Album / Gordo
• John Henry / Weary Hearts / Weary Hearts Live / no label
• A Hero In Harlan / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / Lost Souls & Free Spirits / Rebel
• When Halley Came To Jackson / Freeman & Williams / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings
• There's No Place Like Home / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• In Half The Time It Takes To Cry / Freeman & Williams / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Why Ask Why? / Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford / Dogwood Winter / Rural Rhythm
• Boston Boy / Jessie Baker / Yessir! / Patuxent Music
• D-18 Song (Thank You, Mr. Martin) / Norman Blake & Tony Rice / Norman Blake & Tony Rice 2 / Rounder
• Home Run Man / Parmley & McCoury / Families Of Tradition / BGC
• Nightwalk / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Nobody Knows Who You Are / Spinney Brothers & Close Company / The Old Fundy Shore / Self-Produced
• You're The Highlight Of My Life / Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie / The Touch Of Time / Rural Rhythm
• I'll Never See My Home Again / Bear Bridge Band / Broken Hearts & Better Times / Open Road
• I'd Rather Love A Memory / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Amelia Earhart's Last Flight / Country Gentlemen / Can't You Hear Me Callin':  Early Classics, 1963-1969 / Rebel
• There Ain't No Easy Street / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Ground Hog / The Dillards / Bluegrass Breakdown / Vanguard
• Joy Of Revelation / McCoury Brothers / The McCoury Brothers / Rounder
• The Power Up Above / Edgar Loudermilk / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever Records
• I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling / Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder / Soldier Of The Cross / Skaggs Family Records
• He Set Me Free / Statement / Around The Corner / Mountain Fever Records
• My Rock / Spinney Brothers & Close Company / Spinney Brothers & Close Company / Self-Produced
• Mansions For Me / Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press / Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration:  A Classic Bluegrass Tribute / Rounder
• Over In The Gloryland / Reno & Smiley with the Stanley Brothers / Bluegrass, 1963 / Rural Rhythm
• I'll Live With God (To Die No More) / Louvin Brothers / The Family Who Prays:  26 Classic Tracks / Country Stars
• Satisfied / Paul Williams & the Victory Trio / Satisfied / Rebel
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 1/22/2012

Hi Folks.

We had an interesting show this day with special focus on a new CD project titled "The Manics Pick On Monahan."   This is a fantastic tribute to a great friend of many bluegrass and folk music fans in New England, Tom Monahan, who passed away from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) a year ago.  The long-lasting bluegrass-festival-camping social group that was instigated and inspired by Tom was informally called "The Manic Mountain Boys."

Many of the Manics got together to perform songs written by Tom, and this CD is the result.  Since the Manics self-produced the CD, 100% of the proceeds will go to Compassionate Care ALS, an organization that helped Tom during his ultimate trial with the condition.  Well-known New England musician and fellow Manic Mountain Boy, Jon Swift, joined us on the air to discuss the project.  You can get a copy directly from Compassionate Care ALS on their web site:  http://ccals.org/monahan-manic.php

Other new music on this show was from The Missy Werner Band, Nu-Blu, Frank Wakefield, Suzy Bogguss, Randy Waller & The Country Gentlemen, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Lee Marcus, Crowe Brothers, The VW Boys, Nothin' Fancy, and the new Cracker Barrel gospel album from Dailey & Vincent.

We raided the Heritage Corner archives for a couple of oldies from The Chuck Wagon Gang (1940) and J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers (1950) featuring J.E. Mainer, Jr.

Counterclockwise from lower left:  J.E. Mainer, J.E. Mainer Jr., Glenn Mainer, Earnest Harwood

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

Jim Beaver

Requests highlighted

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Rare Bird Alert / Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder
• Body & Soul / Blue Moon Rising / Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration / Rural Rhythm
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top Xpress / Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration / Rural Rhythm
• Sugar Hill / Various Artists / Close Kin / Mountain Roads
• Rabbit In The Log / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Last Goodbye Today / The Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-released
• Wilson County Line / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Elite Circuit
• Ol' Dan Tucker / Suzy Bogguss / American Folk Songbook / Loyal Dutchess
• John Henry / Del McCoury / Old Memories / McCoury Music
• Almost Hear The Blues / James Reams & The Barnstormers / One Foot In The Honky Tonk / Mountain Redbird
• Every Shade Of Blue / Nu-Blu / The Blu-Disc / Pinecastle
• Rawhide / Frank Wakefield / A Tribute To Bill Monroe / Patuxent
• New Shoes / Dale Ann Bradley / Somewhere South Of Crazy / Compass
• Applejack / Pam Gadd with Dolly Parton / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway
• Old Kentucky Hillside / Randy Waller & The Country Gentlemen / One Mile East Of Hazel Green / Lendel
• Just Someone I Used To Know / Daryl Mosely - Stacy Scruggs / Bluegrass Tribute To Studio B / Farm Country
• Fly Off That Hill / Nothin' Fancy / Nothin' Fancy / Virginia Dreams
• Old Paint / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• Cruel Wind And Rain / Jim Lauderdale / Reason and Rhyme / Sugar Hill
• Your Love Died Like The Rose / The Johnson Mountain Boys / Working Close / Rounder
• Pud Marcum's Hangin' / Larry Cordle / Pud Marcum's Hangin' / Mighty Cord
• Jon Swift Interview
• Tricky Trail Of Love / Jon Swift / The Manics Pick On Monahan / CCALS.org
• Freight Train Boogie / Blues Grass / Self-titled / Self-released
• I Can't Remember You / Jeff Horton / The Manics Pick On Monahan / CCALS.org
• North Carolina Breakdown / Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman / A Tribute To Fiddlin' Paul Warren Vol. 2 / Self-released
• I Don't Care / Laurie Lewis / Skippin' and Flyin' / Spruce And Maple
• The Year That Clayton Delaney Died / The Grascals with Tom T. Hall / Grascals and Friends / Cracker Barrel
• Ugly Girl Blues / VW Boys / Retroactive / Mountain Roads
• There's No Place Like Home / Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• They Don't Name Girls Beulah Anymore / Rick Pardue & Timmy Massey / The Ghost Of Noah Hayes / Lizard Records
• Time Stands Still / Tommy Webb / From Rock-N-Roll To Bill Monroe / Self-released
• Still On The Hill (bed) / Howdy Forrester / 16 Fiddler's Greatest Hits / Hollywood
• Peacock Rag (bed) / Chubby Wise / 16 Fiddler's Greatest Hits / Hollywood
• Without Any Heart / Mary Maguire / The Manics Pick On Monahan / CCALS.org
• Windmills / Acoustic Blue / Timeless / Self-released
• Blue Tail Fly / Hylo Brown & Timberliners / Roots Music of Rural America / Rural Rhythm
• What It Means To Be Lonesome / Carolina Road / Back To The Roots / Rural Rhythm
• Honey (Open That Door) / Ricky Skaggs / Country Hits Bluegrass Style / Skaggs Family
• Going Down To Charleston / The Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Mastertone
• The Story In Your Eyes / Ronnie Bowman and various / Moody Bluegrass Two Much Love / Bunny Rae
• He Could Pick The Hound / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Living In The Kingdom Of God / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• When Daddy Sang / Sweet Potato Pie / Journey Called Life / Mountain Fever
• We Are Climbing / The Chuck Wagon Gang / Higher - 1940 Dallas Sessions / Copper Creek
• Walking For The Lord / J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Run Mountain 30 Old Time Favorites /Gusto
• The Stone Was Rolled Away / NewTown / Self-titled / Self-released
• Will The Circle Be Unbroken / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• When I Wake Up To Sleep No More / Nick Anderson & The Gospel Friends / Self-titled / Self-released
• That Wonderful Place / Ralph Stanley / A Mother's Prayer / Rebel
• The Fourth Man / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge w. Nick Anderson & Mark Doyle / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 1/15/2012

Although the year is pretty young, today was the coldest day of 2012 in eastern CT.  To that end, it seemed like one of the proverbial "no-brainers" to kick off today's Bluegrass Cafe with a few tunes that echoed the cold outside the studios.  Maybe some songs with hot, sunny, balmy titles would have been better, but today, we stuck with the cold...

Happy 86th, Ray Price!

Following that, we jumped right into a tribute set to a Country Music Hall of Famer who probably ranks as my #1 favorite country singer of the 1950s -- Ray Price, who celebrated his 86th birthday on January 12th.  As with many classic country singers, a lot of Ray Price's music has been reinterpreted through the years and translated to BG, so it was very, very easy to choose five BG covers of Ray Price tunes, plus two more songs featuring the man himself.  If more of today's country music sounded like the classic 4/4 Ray Price shuffles of the 1950s, wouldn't country music be so much more "listenable?"  




The last time I was on the air (on New Year's Day), I filled the 3 hours of airtime with music released in 2011 that I'd really enjoyed.  Naturally, there were more than a couple of CDs I'd pulled before that show to play, but never got around to it over the course of the program.  Today, I got a second chance to play some of these favorites from 2011 that have been neglected on New Year's Day, so I didn't hesitate to play music by Shannon Slaughter, Eddie & Martha Adcock, the Expedition Show, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Larry Sparks, and Blue Highway.  

Merl Johnson can play both the
mandolin & fiddle quite well.

It's great to play music from earlier years, but it is a new year, and that means, there will likely be a bit of new BG music to play and share on the radio each week.  This time around, we played a song from a forthcoming 30-year anniversary CD from the Lonesome River Band and a mandolin instrumental from a Patuxent Music CD by Merl Johnson called, "Better Man."  Merl Johnson also plays the fiddle quite well, and currently, he's a featured member of Travers Chandler & Avery County.  

The record title doesn't say "Statler
Brothers," but the connection is still
there -- Statler Jimmy Fortune makes
an appearance on this CD.

There's also a brand-new CD this week from Dailey & Vincent -- "The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent."  This CD (like D&V's last recording called, "Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers") is only available through Cracker Barrel Old Country Store outlets throughout the country, and is not 100% straight-ahead BG music.  Instead, while there are some songs that are fairly Bluegrass-ish on the CD, there are also a few numbers which are definitely more country-sounding with lots of strings and percussion and different arrangements.  Throughout, though, the harmonies are pretty terrific with some duet vocals and a bunch of fine quartets (with Jeff Parker and Christian Davis rounding out the sound, just as they do in a live set from D&V).  




Hope you're having a fine 2012 so far.  Keep your resolution to listen to great BG on the radio next Sunday when Jim joins you in the BG Cafe, won't you?  




Have a good week - 
Amy




REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / RockyGrass / Blue Planet
• Cold Wind / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / Diamond Joe / Rounder
• Cold, Cold Love / Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show / In Full Color / Rebel
• Chilly Winds / Johnny Williams / Close Kin / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Cold, Icy Fingers / Lost & Found / It's About Time / Rebel
• Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes / Ray Price / Collector's Choice / Harmony [Ray Price born, 1/12/1926]
• I'll Be There / Del McCoury Band / The Cold Hard Facts / Rounder
• Wasted Words / Johnson Mountain Boys / Live At The Birchmere / Rounder
• Move On In And Stay / Mickey Harris / Dog House Blues / MJH Records
• Crazy Arms / IIIrd Tyme Out / Puttin' New Roots Down / Rebel
• Heartaches By The Number / Jim & Jesse / Our Kind Of Country / Pinecastle
• I Can't Go Home Like This / Ray Price / The Essential Ray Price / Columbia
• The Working Man / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Self-Produced
• This Morning At Nine / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• I'm Yours / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• If You've Got Something To Say / Blue Highway / Sounds Like Home / Rounder
• Let It Go / Missy Werner Band / Three Kinds Of Lonesome / Self-Produced
• Carolina Dreams / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-Produced
• Let It Go / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day! / Self-Produced
• Carolina Dreams / Edgar Loudermilk / Roads Travelled / Mountain Fever Records
• I'll Stay Around / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Sides, 1950-1952 / JSP Records
• If That's The Way You Feel / Stanley Brothers / Selected Cuts, 1956-1959 / JSP Records
• Saints Go Marching In / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots, 1961 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Rocky Top / Osborne Brothers / High Lonesome / CMH
• You're Not A Drop In The Bucket / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Selected Cuts, 1955-1959 / JSP Records
• There's Another Baby Waiting For Me Down The Line / Reno & Smiley / Early Years, 1951-1959 / Gusto [recorded 1/15/1952 for King Records]
• My Dixie Darlin' / Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / The Oak And The Laurel / Rounder [Tom Rozum birthday, 1/21/1951]
• Hickory Holler's Tramp / Country Gentlemen / The Award Winning Country Gentlemen / Rebel [Charlie Waller birthday, 1/19/1935]
• Coat Of Many Colors / Lynn Morris Band / The Bramble And The Rose / Rounder [songwriter Dolly Parton born, 1/16/1946]
• Whippoorwill / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm
• Backroads And Little Towns / The Expedition Show / The Expedition Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Devil Woman / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
• Bring 'Em On Back / Larry Sparks / Almost Home / Rounder
• The Stanley Brothers / Travers Chandler & Avery Country / forthcoming CD / Mountain Fever Records
• Close The Door Lightly When You Go / Lonesome River Band / forthcoming CD / Rural Rhythm
• Arthur's March [music bed] / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent Music
• Tune For Leonard [music bed] / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent Music
• Lights Along The Riverside [music bed] / Tim Martin / Bluegrass Fiddle / Patuxent Music
• Farm Of Yesterday / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
• Final Farewell / Chris Jones & the Night Drivers / New Cuts Of Bluegrass, Volume 4 / no label
• Things In Life / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Me And The Jukebox / Leon Morris / Thinking Today Of My Home / Patuxent Music
• Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / The Room Over Mine / Rounder
• Amandalyn / Merl Johnson / Better Man / Patuxent Music
• Living In The Kingdom Of God / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent  / Cracker Barrel
• God's Coloring Book / Country Gentlemen / Way Down Deep In My Soul / Sugar Hill
• Thankful For Each Day / Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice / The Heart of A Song / Rebel
• Love Lifted Me / Mountain Faith / Save Me / Mountain Home
• The Stone Was Rolled Away / NewTown / NewTown / Self-Produced
• It's So Hard To Stumble (When You're Down On Your Knees) / Lou Reid & Carolina / My Own Set Of Rules / Rural Rhythm
• You Must Come In At The Door / Doc Watson / The Best Of The Sugar Hill Years / Sugar Hill
• The Lighthouse / Gibson Brothers / Bona Fide / Sugar Hill
• Daddy Sang Bass / Dailey & Vincent / The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent / Cracker Barrel
• Black Mountain Blues / Johnson Mountain Boys / Requests / Rounder

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 1/8/2012

Hi Folks.

This show occurred on the "Eighth of January" which happens to be the title of an old American fiddle tune.  Marti and I celebrated with Rhonda Vincent's instrumental version as well as Jimmie Driftwood's version with lyrics known as "The Battle Of New Orleans."

January 8th is also Elvis Presley's birthday, so we took advantage of that to explore one of the songs that helped launch his career -- a song he borrowed from the one and only Bill Monroe -- "Blue Moon of Kentucky."  We played Monroe's original 1946 recording followed by Elvis', then the Stanley Brothers', and then Monroe's re-recording that included the 4/4 section halfway through.  All of the last three versions were recorded within about a three-month period in 1954.  We also played a few more current versions of the song recently released by Laurie Lewis, Frank Wakefield, and Bobby Osborne.  The history of this song and its influence is one of the reasons Bill Monroe is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

We also acknowledged Randall Hylton's, Curly Ray Cline's, and of course Earl Scruggs' birthdays, all of which occur near or on this date, and Jimmy Martin's recording of "You Don't Know My Mind" that he recorded January 13, 1960.

To top off Bluegrass Cafe this day, we had an interview with Brandon Rickman who will be performing a solo show at The Outer Space in Hamden, CT, Saturday January 21, 2012.  You can find more information about the show and buy tickets in advance at http://guitartownct.com

Be sure to tune in next Sunday for another great afternoon of the best in bluegrass music.

Jim Beaver

requests are red

Title / Artist / Album / Label

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Audie Blaylock and Redline / I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Rural Rhythm
• Chilly Winds / Johnny Williams et al / Close Kin / Mountain Roads
• Eighth Of January / Rhonda Vincent / Destination Life / Rounder
• The Battle Of New Orleans / Jimmie Driftwood / Americana / Bear Family
• Don't Act / Rhonda Vincent / All American Bluegrass Girl / Rounder
• You Won't Be Satisfied That Way / Dave Evans / Goin' Round This World / Rebel
• Jimmie Brown, The Newsboy / Flatt & Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia
• Flint Hill Special / Flatt & Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia
• Blue Moon of Kentucky (1946) / Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys / The Essential / Columbia
• Blue Moon of Kentucky / Elvis Presley / Elvis At Sun / BMG
• Blue Moon of Kentucky / The Stanley Brothers / 1953-1958 & 1959 / Bear Family
• Blue Moon of Kentucky (1954) / Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys / Blue Grass 1950-1958 / Bear Family
• Heart And Soul / The Gillis Brothers / Heart And Soul / Rebel
• Brand New Tennessee Waltz / Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys / 1971-1973 / Rebel
• Old Richmond Prison / Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• You Don't Know My Mind / Jimmy Martin / You Don't Know My Mind / Rounder
• Deep River / Ashley Blankenship and Blades of Blue / Blades of Blue / Mountain Fever
• Frozen In Time / The Gibson Brothers / Help My Brother / Compass
• Blue Moon of Kentucky / Laurie Lewis / Skippin' and Flyin' / Spruce and Maple
• The Working Man / Shannon Slaughter / The Sideman Steps Out / Elite Circuit
• Brakeman's Blues / The Del McCoury Band / Old Memories / McCoury Music
• Eighteen Wheels / Crowe Brothers / Bridging The Gap / Rural Rhythm
• Going Back To Old Virginia / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Fired Up / Rounder
• Mississippi Sawyer / George Pegram / Self-titled / Rounder
• Bring Back My Blue Eyed Boy To Me / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Early Recordings / Rebel
• When The Snow Falls On The Bluegrass / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Self-titled / SteelTown
• Pretty Polly / NewTown / NewTown / Self-released
• My Time / Lee Marcus / Grandpa's Pond / Self-released
• Just As Soon As I Get Over You / Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice / The Heart Of A Song / Rebel
• Put Me In Your Pocket / Taylors Grove / Keep On The Sunny Side / Fishtraks
• Rabbit In The Pea Patch / Peter Feldman & The Pea Patch Quintet / Grey Cat On The Tennessee Farm / Self-released
• Blue Moon of Kentucky / Frank Wakefield w. Audie Blaylock / A Tribute To Bill Monroe / Patuxent
• Cry Lonesome Dove / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day / Raincoe
• Flint Hill Special (bed) / Rick Spinney / Off The Cuff / Self-released
• Nine Pound Hammer (bed) / Rick Spinney / Off The Cuff / Self-released
• That's Just Me Lovin' You / Darin & Brooke Aldridge / So Much In Between / Mountain Home
• Sharecropper's Son / Carolina Road / Back To My Roots / Rural Rhythm
• I Wouldn't Change You If I Could / Ricky Skaggs / Country Hits Bluegrass Style / Skaggs Family
• The Old Home Place / The Dillards / There Is A Time (1963-70) / Vanguard
• Blue Moon of Kentucky / Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press / Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration at Bean Blossom / Rural Rhythm
• Brown Check / Larry Cordle / Pud Marcum's Hangin' / Mighty Cord
• Record Time Machine / Lonesome River Band / Still Learning / Rural Rhythm
• Always Have, Always Will / Brandon Rickman / Young Man, Old Soul / Rural Rhythm
• Interview with Brandon Rickman 
• Meanwhile / Balsam Range / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home
• Before Judgment Day / J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers / 30 Old Time Favorites / Gusto
• Wings Of Angels / Jay Armsworthy / I Couldn't Make It Without Him / Blue Circle
• Give Me Just A Little More Time / The Bluegrass Gospel Project / The Blue Morpho / Vital
• Walking In A Dream / Fred Etheridge / Pickin' and Singin' / Self-released