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Monthly Archives: July 2020

2020 IBMA Industry and Momentum Awards nominees

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Azlyrics

The International Bluegrass Music Association has today announced the nominees for their 2020 Industry and Momentum Awards. Unlike the annual IBMA Bluegrass Awards, which are chosen by a ballot of the professional membership of the organization, these nominees are chosen by select committees of industry experts in the various disciplines.

The IBMA Industry Awards are given to honor crucial areas of the business outside of the performing artists, and whose contributions are critical to the furtherance of the music.

And the 2020 Industry Award nominees are:

Broadcaster of the Year

  • Barb Heller
  • Michael Kear
  • Brad Kolodner
  • Peter Thompson
  • Alan Tompkins

Event of the Year

  • The 2019-2020 Emelin Theatre Bluegrass Concert Series – Mamaroneck, NY
  • FreshGrass – North Adams, MA
  • Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival – Farmers Branch, TX
  • Augusta Heritage Center Bluegrass Week – Elkins, WV
  • Tell It To Me: The Johnson City Sessions 90th Anniversary Celebration – Johnson City, TN

Graphic Designer of the Year 

  • Grace van’t Hof
  • Eric Barie
  • Michael Armistead
  • Carla Wehby
  • Lisa Berman

Liner Notes of the Year

  • Katy Daley – Live At The Cellar Door, The Seldom Scene
  • Bill Nowlin – The Early Days of Bluegrass, Various Artists
  • Katie Harford Hogue & Matt Combs – The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Volume 1, Various Artists
  • Craig Havighurst – Bad For You, The SteelDrivers
  • Ted Olson – Tell It to Me: Revisiting the Johnson City Sessions, 1928-1929, Various Artists

Songwriter of the Year

  • Ronnie Bowman
  • Louisa Branscomb
  • Milan Miller
  • Jerry Salley
  • Donna Ulisse

Sound Engineer of the Year

  • Van Atkins
  • Adam Engelhardt
  • Randy LeRoy
  • Stephen Mougin
  • Jason Singleton

Writer of the Year

  • Bill Conger
  • Thomas Goldsmith
  • Derek Halsey
  • Justin Hiltner
  • Kip Lornell

The Momentum Awards are a special category of honors, given to artists and industry professionals in the early stages of their careers whose contributions are worthy of special note. The exception is the Mentor of the Year, which is chosen to highlight the work of more experienced artists and others who give of their time to assist these developing artists.

And the 2020 Momentum Award nominees are:

Mentor of the Year

  • Alan Bibey
  • Rick Lang
  • Scott Napier
  • Annie Savage
  • Valerie Smith

Industry Involvement

  • Malachi Graham
  • Adam Kirr
  • Kara Kundert
  • Jonathan Newton
  • Kris Truelsen 

Vocalist

  • Tabitha Agnew
  • Amanda Cook
  • Victoria Kelley
  • Leanna Price
  • Melody Williamson

Instrumentalist (2 are chosen)

  • Tabitha Agnew
  • Thomas Cassell
  • Alex Edwards
  • Miles Quale
  • Lauren Price Napier
  • Liam Purcell
  • Sullivan Tuttle

Band

  • AJ Lee and Blue Summit (San Jose, CA)
  • Colebrook Road (Harrisburg, PA)
  • Midnight Skyracer (UK)
  • Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (East Tennessee)
  • The Slocan Ramblers (Toronto, Ontario)

Winners will be announced during the 2020 World of Bluegrass convention, held virtually this year in response to the restrictions on assemblies in the state of North Carolina, where the convention would otherwise be held. Momentum Awards will be announced on September 29, and the Industry Awards on September 30.

Further details regarding times and how to watch the awards presentations will be posted soon online.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Graphic Designer, Momentum Awards | Leave a comment |

Ask Sonny Anything… tell us about Kenny Ingram

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Azlyrics

Ask Sonny Anything is a recurring feature where our readers pose questions to the great Sonny Osborne, one half of the iconic Osborne Brothers who redefined bluegrass music in the 1960s, and noted banjo maven and collector of fine prewar instruments. Everyone is encouraged to pose queries of your own each week in the comments, about his history in the music, his wealth of banjo knowledge, or regarding any life advice you might be needing.

Sonny, If you don’t mind, please a few words and thoughts about Kenny Ingram. He was such a wonderful guy and I am sure you have some good thoughts to share. Thanks Chief.

– STLIL

Brother STLIL I would be more than happy to share with you all that I know about Kenny Ingram.

I met him in 1973, I don’t rightly remember the actual place but in one of the many hours we shared talking, and discussing “things” he told me exactly where it was but 50 years has slipped past and I have forgotten. I seem to remember Georgia though. I believe he had just started with Lester Flatt where he remained until Flatt’s passing.

We talked about banjo playing… right hands in particular. I had been around the block a few more times than Kenny, and in the beginning he was full of questions, like how did you do this, why did you do this, when do you do this. It went on like this for a couple years and Kenneth kept gaining, growing in confidence when already he had the fastest right hand I had ever seen. Boy could play some kinda fast for sure. But at the same time he was growing into a good man, and making himself into the great banjo player that we remember.

The last time I saw Kenny was one year ago last Sunday I believe. You have to know this part of the story too. The past few times Kenny came to lunch his actions and attitude were changing. But, I need to mention that he was probably the most private person I ever knew. He worked the last 10 years with Larry Stephenson. Larry and I discussed Kenny’s health more than once. He was changing right before us. We kept asking him if he was OK, and he kept assuring that he was, but dammit we could see.

After the last time we saw him, I tried to talk to Kenny, Larry, and Lincoln also tried. But like me, they got no response. Dammit, maybe I should have tried harder but he was so private that I didn’t want to invade his world, whatever it might be. We live with regrets, that will be one of mine.

s

—–

Hey Sonny, so glad to see you’re still active in the bluegrass world. I so enjoyed the times I spent watching your group and many others at the Snuffy Jenkins festival at Cliffside, NC, and wondered if you had a special memory from those appearances?

– Lane K.

Lane… come right on in. Your question about the Snuffy Jenkins festival brings back a couple of memories. If I’m thinking of the right place, it’s near Earl’s home. Between shows we had several hours and I went to Earl’s house, where he lived as a kid. Where he learned to play a little bit. I got to meet Junie for the first time. Got to meet Snuffy Jenkins for the first time, and got to see and hold his RB4. I got to sit on the porch where Earl told me several years later, that’s where he learned to play Reubin the right way, and Junie heard it for the first time. It actually got a reaction out of Junie and Earl said: “I knew I had something right there!”

I sat on that porch. I SAT ON THAT PORCH, FOLKS. WHERE “THE MAN” STARTED IT ALL. And I believe it because HE told me where it was. As I’ve said many times before. Me and Brother Bobby went on one hellacious ride together.
s

—–

Hi Sonny, Stan here…occasionally known as Jebbh Mixus from The Mixus Brothers (which we named as an homage to you two)…anyhoo, I have three questions for you as you were so kind to answer one for me about singing a few months ago, and now I’m being selfish… first one is: I was listening to the song you did called One Tear and noticed that the internet’s said it was written by someone named Judy Osborne… did that happen to be any relation to you?

Secondly, I have noticed that the YouTube has many live recordings of ya’ll, and in many of them there are moments during and between songs where I say you were absolutely funny as all get out with your comments and shenanigans… do you think having fun on stage is and was one of the most important parts of having as long of a career as you did??

Lastly, and I appreciate your patience with me, when you toured Sweden and recorded one of your shows there for the public consumption that is now on YouTube, you of course played Ruby but I must say that your solo during that song was one of the most god forsaken amazing displays of banjo playing in the history of mankind… in the video you, after the solo, you shook your head and it seemed like you were playing like a man possessed. Do you remember it and do you think you can pinpoint that period or any period as having the best command of the neck and your creative mind for soloing?? Even if you answer even one of these questions or none, I am much obliged to you for letting us delve into your psyche on playing and unabashed memories of your life so, thank you!

– Stan

Stan…good questions. Thank you. First one…Judy is my wife of 62 years. She wrote this poem while she was in the 8th grade. And I’ll let her tell you in her own words.

Sonny was looking for new songs to record. I showed him a poem I had written, he put it to music and Voila!

They began rehearsing the next day at Bobby’s and when they got around to working on One Tear, Sonny called me and asked if I could write another verse. Words came to me as fast as I could write them down. I called him back in just a few minutes.

We ran over it a time or two, and the song came to life. It’s been recorded a dozen times or more. Very good bluegrass tune.

You asked about Sweden and the recordings made of our Stockholm show. I’ve been asked many times when I play certain things am I playing what I have planned to play or does it just happen. It’s just a thing that goes as it goes. I know the fingerboard pretty well so I don’t get lost and from there it just happens.

I’ve heard some things back and wonder what I was thinking, to do stupid things like that. Our shenanigans, as you called it, was not part of our plan but it did come in handy at times. We watched many bluegrass bands through the years and they, for the most part, were dead serious on stage and seemed as though their faces would break if they were to smile. We decided to have a good time and try to see that our audience laughed along with us.
s

—–

Mr. Osborne, Joe Medford was one of the less-heralded first generation bluegrass banjoists, in spite of his ability. He recorded with Mac Wiseman in the early 1950s. Did you ever cross paths with him?

– Bzrdhd

Bzrdhd…Sorry to say I never had the opportunity to meet Joe. Funny thing about him. When he recorded the several tunes with Mac and the several with Charlie Monroe, you would swear at certain points it was Earl, but I heard some other things he did and they were not so… I should say AS good. Wrong phrasing, conflicting background notes. Almost like it was some other guy playing. Strange. I talked with Mac several times about Joe, as to the kind of guy he was, etc. This probably won’t sit to well with some, but Mac said Joe had a tendency to over indulge in adult beverages so from personal experience this would cloud one’s vision…so, maybe that’s the answer.

Great tone out of an RB100..he had that “THING” didn’t he? YES HE DID.
s

—–

Sonny, in my work archiving the decades of recordings and videos my mother left behind, I ran across an Osborne’s set at the Festival of the Bluegrass. On a break between songs, Bobby can be heard off mic giving you a string of jabs about “I don’t know how you ever think you are going to keep a banjo that cheap in tune.” I’m wondering if there is more to that story. This would have been around 1985.

Charles C.

Charles… welcome my brother… Butch Robins and I had just paid $5000 for our banjos… the highest price ever for that time. Butch bought one of the two best RB4 style banjos ever, and I think I got the finest, best sounding banjo Gibson ever made. It is a 1934 flat head Granada original 5 string. The other RB4 that is that good is owned by Dana Cupp. I rarely tune on stage with the exception when KRAKO show his a–! Then there is no tuning.

So Bobby, knowing how much I paid and realizing I did nothing during that show but tune, made his infamous statement. “I don’t know how you ever think you are going to keep a banjo that cheap in tune!”
s

If you have something you would like to ask Sonny, be sure to post it in the comments below, or send it to us directly.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Ask Sonny Anything, Mac Wiseman, NC | Leave a comment |

Jerry Andrews of Crandall Creek gets cancer diagnosis

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Azlyrics

This article is a contribution from Bruce Winges, recently retired as Editor of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Are you 45 years old? Are you turning 50?

If so, Jerry Andrews of Crandall Creek has a message for you: Get a colonoscopy. 

When Jerry turned 50, he did not undergo the cancer screening procedure – he didn’t think he needed it.

Now, some 14 years later, the founder of the West Virginia bluegrass band wishes he had. This July Jerry finally had a colonoscopy. A week later Jerry was told he has colon cancer.

“I could kick myself for not doing this when I was 50,” Jerry says. “At that time, the doctors just would have had to remove a polyp.”

Now Jerry is facing surgery for colon cancer.  

Admittedly, most people can find plenty of reasons to avoid getting a colonoscopy. At 50, Jerry was living a clean, healthy lifestyle as he always has and still does. He does not drink or smoke.  

But in 2019 his sister-in-law was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Seven months later she passed away at age 65. That convinced Jerry to get the test.

Patients who are 50 or older account for 91 percent of new colon cancer cases.

The American Cancer Society recommends that people start screening for colon cancer at age 45, and people in good health should be screened every 10 years. Removing precancerous polyps by colonoscopy reduces the chance of getting colon cancer by up to 70 percent. 

Jerry says his doctors are optimistic. The tumor is small. The next step is a screening to see if the cancer has spread. If that comes back clean, then Jerry is facing surgery and a good possibility of recovery. 

Bluegrass singer and songwriter Steve Gulley also has been diagnosed with cancer. 

Jerry wants to help through his Bluegrass Music Endeavors Foundation, a non-profit 501c3. The members of Crandall Creek donate a portion of the money they make to deserving charities through the foundation. They plan on making a donation to Steve. 

(A GoFundMe campaign also has been launched to help Steve.)

If all goes well with Jerry, he will be back with Crandall Creek in the fall. The high-energy bluegrass band signed with Bell Buckle Records last year, and released three original songs this year – Drivin’ Me Insane, This Heart of Mine, and Headed South. The songs are getting noticed and are receiving airplay. 

“I won’t be able to lift anything or drive for a while,” Jerry says. “But I did ask the doctor if it would be OK to lift a guitar and he said that would be fine.”

In the meantime, Jerry hopes that by sharing his story, someone will get a colonoscopy. 

So… are you turning 50?

Bruce Winges retired as editor of the Akron Beacon Journal after more than 40 years in newspapering. He got his first guitar in 1969, and became hooked on old-time music and bluegrass while working in Huntington, WV. He lives in Ohio and sits in with his brother-in-law’s band, Crandall Creek, whenever he can. 

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Crandall Creek | Leave a comment |

Lori King & Junction 63 to Turnberry Records

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Azlyrics

Turnberry Records has announced the signing of Lori King & Junction 63 to a two-record deal with the label, run by Keith Barnacastle and Jeff Brown.

The Iowegian bluegrass band is to start work soon on their first project with Turnberry.

Junction 63 has been popular in their part of the US since forming in 2014 , showing up regularly among the winners of the SPBGMA Midwest awards. Lori is on bass, with her husband, Joe, on guitar, and Kevin Amburgey on mandolin, Mark Hargrove on banjo, and Kyle Murphy on fiddle.

King says that she is jubilant to work with the label.

“This is a big deal for a little girl from Iowa! I’m just very excited that both Keith and Jeff believe in us as a band, and as artists.”

She also shared that the band is eager to get to work on the next album.

“We’re looking at a December release, and maybe release a single sooner than that.”

Here’s a look at Junction 63 from last fall at the BMAI Thanksgiving festival.

Turnberry Records is a division of The Bluegrass Standard Magazine, based in Rancho Mirage, CA.

Posted in Lyrics | Leave a comment |

Take The Long Way Home video from Alex Leach Band

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Azlyrics

Mountain Home Music has released a music video for their debut single from the Alex Leach Band, Take The Long Way Home.

Alex and the band have gone with a flower power look for this video shoot, a new wrinkle to their established vintage vibe. We see them all loaded in to their orange VW bus for a ride through some country roads, and a nice rendition of the song which Alex wrote with his wife, and singing partner, Miranda.

Have a look…

Also seen are JT Coleman on bass, Joshua Gooding on mandolin, and Brandon Masur on banjo. Absent is guest fiddler, John Rigsby, who played on the recording.

The single is available now wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can get the track at AirPlay Direct.

Posted in Lyrics | Leave a comment |

Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Illgresi heats up bluegrass in Iceland

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Azlyrics

Iceland isn’t generally considered a breeding ground for bluegrass. In fact, most Americans know very little about the nation at all, except that it’s a tiny island in the Atlantic whose main product would seem to be ice and snow. However like most stereotypes, it doesn’t ring true. Iceland is rich in culture, beautiful to behold, and a haven of historical depth that goes back centuries.

Not surprisingly then, the Icelandic band Illgresi (translated, illur means “bad, evil” and -gresi means “grass”) is doing their part to preserve that rich heritage by introducing bluegrass to a population which up until now has been all but unaware. The group, consisting of Vignir Þór Pálsson (banjo), Arnbjörn Sólimann Sigurðsson (guitar), Guðmundur Atli Pétursson (mandolin), and Eiríkur Hlöðversson (bass), was formed in 2009 when the four members, along with fiddler, Ólafur Egilsson, met at a weekly Celtic gathering in downtown Reykjavik. “At that point all of us had been curious about bluegrass,” Atli explains. “Arnbjörn, Eirikur, and Vignir had been playing a bit together. Guðmundur had been studying the mandolin for a couple of years and then learning by playing fiddle tunes, jigs, and reels at this Celtic session. It was incredible to meet up and start geeking around with playing and studying bluegrass tunes. Ólafur soon moved to the UK so he never really became a part of the actual band.”

Nevertheless, it proved to be a fortuitous encounter. “Since that meeting at the bar, we have often talked about really how crazy it was actually meeting up, the four of us, all interested in bluegrass and each playing different bluegrass instruments in Iceland,” Atli marvels. “And on top of that, the fact that we were all the same age, 28 at the time. And again, in Iceland! Really, what are the odds?”

In fact, the odds worked in their favor. Illgresi is Iceland’s only actual bluegrass band. As a result, they had to work extra hard to enlighten their audiences while entertaining them at the same time. Nevertheless, they approached their task with due diligence.

“We were pretty active in the following years, playing small gigs and trying to tell our audience about the pioneers of the music,” Atli recalls. “We like to think we sparked some curiosity. At one point we collaborated with a band called Brother Grass, a group of four female singers and a guitarist. They wanted to cover and record some of the songs from the O’ Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. So we did that with them and played a few shows. That was great fun. They were also spreading the word about bluegrass a bit, but more along the lines of harmony singing and hymns. However when we got together, we kind of filled in what the the other party was missing. So we had harmony singing plus the right instrumentation.”

Atli says it was the band’s “fast-paced Scruggs-style banjo” and “mandolin chop-driven bluegrass tunes” that won their audiences over.

“Our path into bluegrass is a little different,” he explains. “Guðmundur came into it a little backwards, so to speak, through studying the mandolin and listening to guys like David Grisman, Chris Thile, and Sam Bush, mandolinists who were not necessarily playing traditional bluegrass. But then he moved backwards through guys like Ronnie McCoury, Tim O’Brien, and further back to Bill Monroe. He was also discovering fantastic bands and players along the way like the Kentucky Colonels, the Country Gentlemen, The Seldom Scene, Old and in the Way, Hot Rize, the Stanley Brothers, Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Flatt & Scruggs, and the like. Arnbjörn and Eiríkur came to it by listening to blues and country, and then discovering Clarence White, Bill Monroe, and Tony Rice through a friend. Arnbjörn had been studying jazz guitar and listening to blues and country. But after hearing Bill Monroe, he bought a D28 Martin and never looked back to the electric stuff.”

In a sense, the band evolved through expediency. Arnbjörn and Eiríkur were playing guitar and bass, respectively, which motivated Vignir to pick up the banjo. But like Guðmundur with the mandolin, there was no one to learn the banjo from, so he bought books and started learning the technique and listening to banjo players. His early influenceswere Earl Scruggs, Bill Keith, Tony Trischka, and Béla Fleck. 

“Something that really influenced us as a group was watching a concert video with the supergroup Muleskinner, which included Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Bill Keith, Richard Green, and Clarence White,” Atli mentions. “For the first couple of years we watched that on a regular basis, studying the sound, the playing and licks from it. What else is there to do when you are stuck up on an Island with no bluegrass scene? Also, we listened a lot to the David Grisman quintet, the Kentucky Colonels and The Seldom Scene as well as the Bluegrass Boys.”

“We picked up bits and pieces here and there to incorporate into our playing.”

“There is a lot of curiosity for bluegrass in Iceland,”Guðmundur explains. There are not that many hardcore fans, but there are a handful of people who know the music and have listened to the same artists as we have.”

“Older generations in Iceland know the music through the movie Deliverance, and younger generations through O Brother Where Art Thou,” Arnbjörn adds. 

“People who didn’t know us and saw us play usually liked what they saw, even though not really knowing bluegrass beforehand,” Vignir notes.

Although the band hasn’t toured outside of Iceland, Guðmundur insists that the reaction to their music has been very positive. “Usually we get great response,” he says. “Bluegrass is so uncommon in Iceland, but yet it’s something people feel familiar with in a way, I guess. So even though the audience wasn’t familiar with the tunes, often times they would be pleasantly surprised by hearing bluegrass tunes being performed right in front of them. Since Illgresi was the only Icelandic band that includes a banjo and a mandolin, it worked in our benefit.”  

“Sometimes we would get requests like ‘Do you know the song from that one movie?,’ referring to either Deliverance or O Brother Where Art Thou,” Vignir notes.

Given their singular status, Guðmundur says that they have been contacted by various musicians making their way through Iceland who have invited them to jam. He name checks such individuals as bassist Ethan Jodziewich (Sierra Hull), fiddler Brittany Haas (Crooked Still), mandolin player Jacob Tilove (The Lonesome trio), banjo player Hank Smith (Hank, Pattie & the Current), and Jack Tuttle, who happens to be Molly Tuttle’s dad, as among those they’ve had theopporutnity to connect with in Reykjavík. 

“It’s been very cool and useful for us to get a glimpse into the world we’d been studying, and yet is so far away from us,” Vignir suggests  “Iceland, being a popular place to travel — well, pre COVID at least — and also being a hub between the US and Europe, regularly sends musicians our way that we can jam with.” 

“A couple of us — me, Vignir, and Ólafur the fiddle player — went to Wintergrass festival a couple of years back and got the chance to meet and talk with a few heroes like David Grisman, Mark O’Connor, Mike Marshall, and Darol Anger,” Guðmundur says. “We were there with our friend Amy Håkanson, who plays the Swedish instrument the Nyckelharpa, and through her we met members of the band Väsen. That is also really inspiring, meeting and chatting with these folks.”

“We also experienced the fact that being from Iceland made us interesting to the people there,” Vignir adds. “Everyone at Wintergrass that year seemed to know about the Icelandic guys, probably because you don’t really think of bluegrass when thinking about Iceland.” 

“Yes, everyone was curious about the Icelanders,” Guðmundur chuckles.

“You have to understand that we are digging into a musical scene that is so far away from us, studying the music from afar,” Atli muses. “We have joked about how people in the US don’t know how privileged they are having the bluegrass scene all around.” (He mentions that he’s also working on a side project called Brek. “It’s not really bluegrass, but does take various influences that are integrated into our original music, even bluegrass.”)

Yet even from afar, Illgresi have learned to appreciate all bluegrass has to offer, and they aren’t shy about sharing it.

“Bluegrass music is just such an honest and pure form of music,” Guðmundur insists. “It may be hard to get to like it in the beginning as a listener if you come from, say, more mainstream music tastes. But when you get it, something just lights up within. When you’re a musician and get into playing bluegrass, that just becomes a language in itself —  especially playing with others, with the interaction and the dialogue. As a whole, the bluegrass genre and community is so inclusive.  We think that might really help with its popularity worldwide.”  

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Iceland | Leave a comment |

Track Premiere: They Don’t Make ‘Em Like My Daddy Anymore from Alecia Nugent

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Azlyrics

We haven’t heard a lot from Alecia Nugent since she moved back home to Louisiana after several years in Nashville in the early aughts. There she recorded several successful bluegrass albums for Rounder Records, in cooperation with producer and co-writer Carl Jackson, and toured across the US in support.

But ultimately, the call of motherhood and her young daughters brought her back to where she had grown up, and Hickory Grove, LA was where she wanted to raise her girls.

Now, however, Alecia has time and energy for music once again with a country album, The Old Side Of Town, produced by Keith Stegall, set for release soon. Even on a country release, she couldn’t leave the grass behind, as she explains about this first track, officially released tomorrow.

“The bluegrass single is actually a bonus track on the new album. I decided to release this song in two versions, bluegrass and country, in hopes that it would reach listeners of both genres, and because it is a tribute to my dad, it seemed only right to have a bluegrass version of HIS song. I lost my dad in 2013 and he was my biggest mentor, and my musical inspiration. I came back to record again after all these years to pay tribute to him, and I hope the whole world will get to know him through this song. Because you see, they don’t make ‘em like my daddy anymore.”

They Don’t Make ‘Em Like My Daddy Anymore will be available tomorrow (7/31) on Spotify, and to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.

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COVID meant love for Dr. Megan Darby and Luke McKnight

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Azlyrics

Who doesn’t love a bluegrass love story? Especially when it carries a touch of music royalty. How about we add in some social distancing elements and a dash of higher education?

This is the heartwarming story of a romance, long in coming, between Megan Darby and Luke McKnight. Both have dedicated their lives to bluegrass, Megan as the Director of the bluegrass music program at Glenville State College in West Virginia, and Luke, the grandson of mandolin icon Jesse McReynolds, a mando-man and singer himself, has also worked for years carting touring artists around as a bus driver. He had also been a regular member of Jim & Jesse’s Virginia Boys, where he played many times on the Grand Ole Opry.

So how did this all begin?

Their paths had first crossed some time ago, as Darby recalls from when she was only nine.

“My parents and I were at the bluegrass festival in Georgetown, Ohio in 1999. We never missed a Jim & Jesse show if they were booked where we were. That day Jesse McReynolds introduced his grandson, Luke McKnight, to the show. He was debuting his recently recorded album SUPERGRASS 2000, and he quickly became my first bluegrass ‘crush’.

I had my eye on Luke at Bean Blossom and other festivals throughout the years. But back then my Daddy would tell me, ‘that boy is too wild for you, Megan,’ but he always complimented his music!”

Then a decade later they met backstage at a Keith McReynolds Memorial Benefit concert in Gallatin, Tennessee in 2009.

“I congratulated Luke face to face on his engagement that evening. He had the whole room tearing up, including me and my Momma. I could tell through his music, stage presence, and word that he was a good man with good character. I have always wished happiness and success for him.”

Both Megan and Luke had been married, with each marriage ending without any involvement of the other. In fact, there was never even an attempt at a relationship until this year. They continued to run into other on the touring circuit, and became friends along the way. McKnight was out with a group called McReynolds Tradition, also including his cousins Amanda Lynn and Garrett McReynolds, and their uncle, Darin Lyons.

Starting in the early 2000s, Luke pursued a career as a firefighter and worked in that profession near Nashville until 2011, when music called him back.

They got to see each other occasionally through GSC, starting from when Megan enrolled there as a student in the nascent bluegrass program. Directed at that time by fiddler Buddy Griffin, who had toured with Jim & Jesse when Luke was a teen, Griffin called on him often to speak to the students and participate in projects with them.

When Darby took over the department, she continued calling on McKnight.

“Luke has always been generous and willing to share his talents and experiences for the good of our bluegrass music program. Though he was generally on the road, he made time to record with our students ,and often offered business advice.”

According to Luke, it was a recent act of kindness on his part that showed him that he and Darby might make a good pair.

“I think our relationship took a huge leap forward when we had our first face-to-face visit after almost eleven years of seeing each other. I delivered my daughter’s massive dollhouse to her little girls from Gallatin, TN to Glenville, WV. It was so big that I had to bring it on a trailer attached to my Yukon.

It was evident pretty quickly that we shared strong feelings for each other.”

And it has been the COVID-19 shutdown that brought them even closer. Megan used the flexible and revised curriculum in the Bluegrass Music History course offered this spring semester to assign each student to a music professional, who they would research and interview as part of their grade. Luke, of course, was neither touring himself nor driving anyone else, so he was able to work with students who reached out to him.

Megan said…

“I found his enthusiasm and availability to work with my student to be striking. I enjoyed phone conversations about his music and current outlook on the music industry during this hectic time. We began reminiscing of the old days and one conversation led to another.”

Luke agrees, saying that it never would have happened without the shutdown.

“COVID is what made our relationship possible. The virus basically put a stop to everything in the music industry, and before that, I believed she and I were too busy with our careers to even think about pursuing a relationship with anybody. This pandemic has definitely given us quality time that we wouldn’t normally be experiencing under normal working conditions. This extra time has made it possible for our relationship to progress and become strong.”

For a lifelong grasser, Megan says that their first time out was a perfect rendezvous.

“Our official first date was very special. Luke planned a trip to Jim and Jesse’s home place near Coeburn, VA. Having the opportunity to visit Jim’s gravesite and to see the world through the lenses of these legends gave me cold chills.”

Luke, who has also mastered his grandfather’s crosspicking style on the mandolin, said he knew it would have a powerful impact.

“I don’t take many people to the home place, but I wanted to take her. I knew that it would mean something to her. I knew that she would be able to take something from the experience. I know how much the history means to her personally, but I think seeing the place will help her be an even better teacher.”

Darby now says that her parents are fully supportive of them being together, since Luke is no longer a wild teenager, and Megan is likewise a responsible adult.

And Luke says that Jesse feels the same.

“I think Dedaddy is very supportive of the relationship between me and Megan. He always like to see people be happy. He also enjoys seeing good music shared and preserved. That’s a lot of what me and Megan want to do together.” 

The new couple expect to do performances, mandolin workshops, and other things as a duo, both at the college and its Pioneer Stage, Bluegrass Music Education Center, located just off campus.

So the question on every mandolin player’s mind is, will Megan convert to the crosspicking style? It’s a definite maybe.

“I always told my parents I could never be in a relationship with another mandolin player. A picker, sure but not mandolin player. It’s funny how things turn out. The best part is that we are so totally opposite on mandolin styles, instrument preferences, clear down to the type of pick that we use. I really haven’t thought much about learning how to crosspick but I recognize my unique opportunity to get pointers from Luke and Jesse.”

Best of luck to Luke and Megan!

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: COVID | Leave a comment |

Big Blue Sky In The Morning video from Barbara Jo Kammer

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Azlyrics

Barbara Jo Kammer has created a socially-distanced music video for her original song, Big Blue Sky in the Morning, which has gotten a great deal of attention online.

Kammer has a large and loyal following in Colorado where she lives, with her band, The Hippie Buckaroos. Her work, and that of the band, is music therapy, especially as it applies to addiction recovery. Barbara Jo herself suffered from addiction problems for over 40 years before seeking treatment, and considers it her life’s mission to bring healing to others through song.

The video finds her singing unaccompanied against a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, with harmony from Mollie O’Brien, and body percussion from KC Groves and Damon Smith.

Big Blue Sky in the Morning is the title track of Kammer’s current album, which is available from her website on CD or by download.

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Old Time River Man video from Cameron Owens

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Azlyrics

Lonesome Pine Records has released a music video for Cameron Owens, a talented multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who studied mandolin in the ETSU bluegrass department.

Cameron has been playing bluegrass in western North Carolina for some time, including time as a member of the Sons of Bluegrass. He also performs with an obscure family band, but says he doesn’t want to tarnish this new release by association with that outfit.

The video is for Owens’ take on a John Hartford classic, Old Time River Man. Cameron takes the melody up an octave, and places the focus more on mandolin and fiddle, rather than the banjo as in John’s original. It’s a very enjoyable version of the song, giving new life to this easy going number from more than 30 years ago.

Cameron sings and plays guitar, mandolin, and bass, with Meade Richter on fiddle, and Lucas Moomaw with percussion.

Sky Franks provided the clever animation, capturing Owens rowing on the lake, and answering the age-old question, where does an old time river man go, after he’s passed away?

Old Time River Man by Cameron Owens is offered as a free download for anyone who joins his Patreon page, for as little as $1/month. Patreon patrons also have access to his other audio and video releases.

Or you can make a $1 donation to Lonesome Pine Records using PayPal, or Venmo @LonesomePineRecords.

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Coming Home – Carl Ray

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Azlyrics

Carl Ray’s latest album opens with a sweet introduction from his mother helping to establish his country cred. As Ray’s mother puts it, he comes from a long line of men who loved to wear cowboy hats, so she could have guessed he would have ended up in the country music world. Though as a young man, his interests lay more in the R&B genre, and he has worked with and written songs for reggae and jazz artists, his heart has belonged to country music for many years now. However, Ray has moved his focus just a bit, and his new record, Coming Home, is packed with ten solid bluegrass Gospel songs.

Ray handles the lead vocals throughout the album, offering listeners a fine, soulful tenor voice that fits well with the traditional bluegrass instrumentation. With a lineup of top-notch musicians to help him, including Darrin Vincent (bass), Seth Taylor (guitar and mandolin), BJ Cherryholmes (fiddle), Josh Swift (reso-guitar), Jesse Baker (banjo), and Tim Crouch (fiddle), the music is smooth and professional, creating an overall enjoyable listen.

Ray penned four of the songs here, including the opening track, The Lord Will Make a Way. Beginning with the aforementioned introduction from Ray’s mother, in which she also shares her personal experience of God’s healing power, it’s one of the album’s highlights. A rolling mid-tempo number, it touches on several of Jesus’s miracles detailed in the Bible, reminding listeners that “if you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out.” Get on Board has a cool jazzy vibe that’s not often heard in Gospel music. Ray’s vocals work well with the guitar and dobro to create an urgent tone as Ray urges listeners to choose God before it’s too late.

Also from Ray’s pen is Sanctified, co-written with Rev. Delano Paige, which has an easygoing melody but is still full of joy as Ray rejoices in being redeemed from sin. Aaron McCune offers strong bass vocals on a number of songs throughout the album, but this is one of his best performances, nicely layered under Ray’s high lead. The album closes on a cheerful note with Sing World a Love Song, which includes bright fiddle and an encouraging message.

Most of the other songs here are familiar hymns or classic numbers that listeners are sure to appreciate. Hallelujah I’m Ready is played at breakneck speed, with fiery banjo and fiddle, and deft vocals from Ray. Power in the Blood takes the tempo down a bit with a bouncy, laidback melody and a beseeching note in Ray’s voice. The Old Rugged Cross is filled with sentiment and includes a guest vocal from Rhonda Vincent, whose voices blends perfectly with Ray’s. Another strong number is the title track (sometimes known as Lord I’m Coming Home), which is earnestly sung and laden with emotion.

Ray may be new to the bluegrass world, but he’s no novice when it comes to singing. He truly has an excellent voice with plenty of heart. He adapts to the various tempos on the album, moving from the frenzied pace of Hallelujah I’m Ready to the slower, more poignant hymns with ease. Coming Home will be a welcome addition to listeners’ bluegrass Gospel collections. I look forward to hearing more from Carl Ray.

For more information on Carl Ray, visit his website. His new album can be purchased from several online music retailers.

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From The Side Of The Road… rejected WOB seminar topics

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Azlyrics

Let this serve as a friendly reminder that the deadline for submitting IBMA Business Conference session proposals is this Friday, July 31st at 5:00 p.m. central. This is a great opportunity to help come up with new and interesting topics for the conference. Seminars about web site building and how not to kill yourself with your self-destructive road lifestyle are perennial and important topics, but it’s always good to diversify the subject matter and “think outside the bus.” Plus, 2020 presents an array of new challenges for the bluegrass industry, so this is also a good time to address those. 

If you’re thinking of suggesting some yourself, I would caution you that a number of ideas have already been rejected for various reasons. A list of these rejected proposals has been leaked to me and I present it below, along with the primary reason for the rejection. This provides an opportunity to look these over, avoid some of the pitfalls, and then get your much better ideas in by Friday.

Too unrealistic or impractical:

One-on-One Sales – Increasing CD sales by meeting every potential customer face-to-face and guilting them into buying your album

It’s All in Your Perspective — Getting rich through streaming by redefining “rich.”

“No it’s a dachsund!” – Attracting a younger audience to bluegrass festivals by making and distributing hundreds of balloon animals

Healthy and Fresh Road Food – Solving the problem of the unhealthy road diet by traveling with your own rolling greenhouse

Fresh Meat to Generic Pharmaceuticals – Expanding the offerings at bluegrass merchandise tables during a time of slow CD sales

Too Boring:

I Heart the Status Quo! — How to keep everything exactly the same in the bluegrass industry

Forming Subcommittees (for IBMA board members or members of other industry organizations) — How to delay substantive action on virtually anything by farming out issues to new committees

Mindfulness in Performance — How to start every show with 10 minutes of meditation on stage and still hold your audience, or not care if you don’t

Banner Year — How to select materials and sew a merchandise table banner that’s really nice

Social Media Tips — using random pictures of inanimate objects to beat the Facebook algorithms

Too Personal:

“We REALLY need a mandolin player” — Filling out a family band quickly through adoption or fertility drugs

“Then I made little rocks out of big rocks . . .” — Incorporating testimonials about your prison time into regular stage banter

“I don’t want to be friends but please don’t leave the band” — how couples within the band can split up and still keep playing together

The converse: “Let’s stay together but let’s not play in a band together” — Keeping a relationship alive by breaking up a band

Too depressing, COVID-19 edition:

Social Media Tips For What’s Left of 2020: how to block, unfollow, or unfriend virtually everybody

“You can have the whole couch” — Holding a viable house concert with fewer than 15 attendees

Sell Eggs or Turn to Organized Crime — Great Depression era tips to supplementing music income during the pandemic

And finally, in the same category, I’m surprised this one was rejected as it has a simple beauty:

Help!!!

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Seth Mulder & Midnight Run to Europe in 2022

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Azlyrics

We heard today from our friends with My Grass Is Blue in Ireland, who promote bluegras shows both at home, and across Europe as well.

Run by the Byrne family on the east coast of Ireland, they had planned to bring Kristy Cox over for shows this summer, but pandemic restrictions required that all to be postponed until 2021. It was to have been their first time managing a complete European tour for a US bluegrass act, and they were all disappointed to see it put off until next year.

But showing confidence in their ability to do so, they have already contracted with Seth Mulder & Midnight Run to come over as well in 2022. They will have dates in Ireland and England, plus many more across western Europe.

Mulder says that they can’t wait to do the UK and the continent again.

“We’re so excited to be teaming up with mygrassisblue.com. They have a passion for the music and a drive to connect bands with new audiences all over Europe. Plus, they are great people to boot. We had the opportunity of meeting them on our last tour in Ireland, and really enjoyed the time we got to spend around them. They’ve got great things in the works and we’re looking forward to working with them over the next few years.”

As show dates are confirmed, Dave Jr with My Grass Is Blue will post them here.

Good to see promoters looking ahead to better days in years to come!

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Darin & Brooke Aldridge launch The Carolina Sessions

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Azlyrics

North Carolina bluegrass lovebirds, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, have announced a new weekly YouTube series, dubbed The Carolina Sessions.

Each Wednesday they will release a new episode, which finds them in discussion with their bluegrass artist friends around the Carolinas. At this time, the videos are shot with the Aldridges at their home in western North Carolina, and their guests captured at a separate remote location, but their plans for this series involve eventually recording these discussions together as soon as the situation allows.

Given the wealth of talent that North and South Carolina have given to the bluegrass world, these Carolina Sessions could run weekly for quite some time. Recorded so far include interviews with banjo legend Terry Baucom, Jason Burleson of Blue Highway, Steve Dilling of Sideline, and Gena Britt of Sister Sadie. Hmmm… starting to see a banjo there here. But no… the latest episode features reigning IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year, Alan Bibey.

Darin says that it’s pride in the contributions of his home state that led to them creating this series.

“Most of us can agree that music has been a part of our lives since we were born. Music brought us comfort as children, carried us through our teenage years, and is largely important in our lives now as adults. For us, there’s never been a period of time that music hasn’t shaped our lives in some way. Here in North Carolina alone, it seems there’s music to be heard around every corner. There’s always a story to be told.”

Brooke agrees, indicating how crucial they feel it is to honor those who handed this music off to them.

“Tradition is deeply important to us. Our musical forefathers were innovators and so many of the artists we are highlighting have experienced firsthand the birth of some of the greatest traditions.”

The Carolina Sessions are available at no charge on YouTube. Here’s the Terry Baucom interview for you to enjoy, where Darin and Brooke put Bauc in an unusually loquacious mood.

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His Charming Love video from High Fidelity

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Azlyrics

Rebel Records has released a new music video from High Fidelity, their four-part Gospel arrangement of His Charming Love from their current album, Banjo Player’s Blues.

Since their founding, this group has been dedicated to older bluegrass and early country music, surprising some of their audiences given that their parents weren’t even born when this style was prevalent.

Guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Stephens says this number was included as a response to multiple fan requests for something in the style of the Chuck Wagon Gang, a group in which Jeremy had once been a member.

“I’m a fan of early male quartet music from the 1920s and ’30s, and this song comes from that tradition. It was written by O. A. Parris for the James D. Vaughan publishing company in 1928, and recorded the same year on Victor Records by the Vaughan Quartet. I have the 78 of this in my collection, and I fell in love with this side the very first time I heard it.

Rather than recording a song in the Chuck Wagon Gang repertoire, I felt this was a good opportunity to do His Charming Love. It gives most of the parts a feature, has an uplifting message, and, to set us apart from the CWG, we used two open-chorded guitars with interludes rather than just one guitar playing closed chord rhythm with no instrumental breaks.”

Here’s their version, where everyone joins in.

Along with Jeremy, High Fidelity is Corrina Rose Logsdon on fiddle, Kurt Stephenson on banjo, Vickie Vaughn on bass, and Daniel Amick on mandolin.

Banjo Player’s Blues is available wherever you stream or download music online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

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Self Titled – The Wildmans

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Azlyrics

Like other younger contemporary ensembles, The Wildmans tend to freely explore their music with a flexibility and finesse that pays little heed to preset boundaries or any textbook trappings. Although they certainly bear the proper credentials — an Appalachian birthright, repeated appearances on any number of fine festival stages, and the individual expertise that allows them to hold their own in the company of hallowed headliners — their music is conveyed with an unassuming style that owes its only obligation to honesty and exuberance.

A family band consisting of siblings Aila and Eli Wildman on fiddle and mandolin respectively, their childhood friend, banjo player Victor Furtado, and upright bassist Sean Newman, they’ve accumulated enough individual honors to crowd a mantel without leaving any space to spare. Indeed, it’s well worth considering their credentials — Eli Wildman’s two first place wins in the mandolin competition at the Galax Old Fiddler’s convention and three first place wins at the Mount Airy Fiddler’s gathering, Aila Wildman’s top prize at the Old Time Fiddle festival and nod for Best All Around Performer at the aforementioned Galax Old Fiddlers convention, Furtado’s 2019 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo, and his own first place showings at Galax in 2015, 2016, and 2019.

That’s a lot of talent to find in any single ensemble.  

As our own Bluegrass Today editor John Lawless noted in the liner notes that accompany the band’s eponymous debut, the Wildmans are apt to surprise the unsuspecting.

For one thing, they take the unusual step of eschewing guitar from their arrangements, the one exception being Dori Freeman’s one-off contribution to her own sprightly Rid My Mind. However the bigger revelation here is how they take any number of well-worn standards, be it Bob Dylan’s You’re Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go, striking instrumentals such as Richmond and Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom, or the traditional tune, Sitting On Top of the World, and reinvent them with such fervor and passion. Dylan’s lonesome lament rings with an exuberance hardly hinted at in the original. The fiddle frenzy exhibited in their rapid fire workouts is truly dazzling, while their take on that oft covered blues classic takes on an entirely new, yet still mournful meaning.

Likewise, when they venture into songs of lesser known origin, an unlikely medley of Furtado’s own Monster Ride and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings’Rock of Ages being one ideal example, the effect is nothing less than mesmerizing.

Ultimately, the Wildmans can claim an exceptional initial entry, one that not only sets a high standard for themselves, but for any other contemporary combo intent on making their mark in grassicana as well. Needless to say, we should all look forward to more.

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Steve Gulley diagnosed with cancer

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Azlyrics

The bluegrass world had to endure some more sad news this past weekend, as Steve Gulley, popular singer, songwriter, bandleader, and radio host in east Tennessee, announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer.

Steve shared his news with friends on Facebook Sunday, that doctors had found a large mass on his pancreas that had metastasized into his liver and one lung. In further tests done yesterday it appears to be in both lungs, and results from a biopsy are awaited before planning a course of treatment.

In a story that will be sadly familiar to many families, Steve said that after experiencing stomach discomfort he sought relief from his primary physician, who ordered a series of tests to determine the cause. When the results of a CT scan showed the tumors, he was admitted to the hospital at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Steve is a fighter, and is eager to get started with whatever therapy is recommended once the specific DNA of the cancer has been identified.

He further shared on Facebook…

“I will fight as hard as I possibly can to beat this and humbly ask for your prayers and love. Above all, as always, I will place my foot on the solid rock and my faith in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the master physician and all things are possible through Him. Please pray for us during this time and know that we love you.”

Gulley’s lifelong friend, Phil Leadbetter – who knows a thing or two about beating cancer – has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist Steve and his wife, Debbie, with the inevitable costs associated with taking some months off work to undergo treatment away from home. Those of us who know Steve, or have enjoyed his music over the years, are encouraged to share what they can spare online, using any major credit card or PayPal.

We all look forward to hearing better news from the Gulley’s soon.

Get well Steve!

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Track Premiere: Sally Sunday from Daniel Crabtree

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Azlyrics

We are delighted to share this new track from Daniel Crabtree, which will appear on his upcoming album, The Way I See It, his fourth as an independent artist.

Crabtree saw some success with his prior project, The Storyteller In Me, and was very pleased to see Larry Sparks record one of his songs, Take Me Back To West Virginia, one his 2019 Rebel album, New Moon Over My Shoulder. So he is very excited to see what the bluegrass world thinks of his latest track, Sally Sunday.

This new single is what Bill Monroe used to call a true song, which Daniel says he wrote following a discussion with a friend of his.

“The idea for the song Sally Sunday came when a friend and I were talking one day, and he told me he wished someone would write a song about his grandmother because he thought she was such a unique individual and her life story was so unique. So I told him to tell me about her, and as he told me some key points about her life and personality, I wrote down some notes and put this song together. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.”

They recorded this number at Scott Vestal’s Digital Underground Studio, with Donna Ulisse producing. Vestal is on banjo, with Cody Kilby on guitar, Evan Winsor on bass, Harry Clark on mandolin, Gaven Largent on reso-guitar, and Patrick McAvinue on fiddle. Harmony vocals are provided by Donna Ulisse, Rick Stanley, and Aaron McCune.

It’s a lovely song, well sung, set off nicely by Scott’s low-tuned banjo and the four part harmony.

Sally Sunday is available now to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct, and for download purchase online.

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Appalachian Road Show do the Huckabee Show

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

This past Saturday, Appalachian Road Show visited the Huckabee Show, broadcast weekly on the Trinity Broadcast Network. There they performed a pair of songs they have recorded, and banjo man Barry Abernathy and his family talked with host Mike Huckabee about their adoption in April of two foster children needing a home. That’s always a heartwarming story, and a difficult decision, made all the more special as the younger of the two shares the same birth defect that Barry himself has.

If you missed it on TV, the music was hot, and the conversation was quite touching. Thankfully, the Huckabee staff has provided video clips to share.

Here is their first song, Dance, Dance, Dance…

…and the interview with the Abernathys.

The guys also played their instrumental, The Appalachian Road, from their current Billy Blue Records album, Tribulation.

Well done, all!

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Appalachian Road Show | Leave a comment |

Kenny Ingram passes

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

The bluegrass music world is in shock today at the news that lifelong banjo player Kenny Ingram died yesterday evening after suffering a massive stroke. He was 67 years of age.

Kenny had spent his youth performing with two of the legends of bluegrass. He was the banjo player with Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass following the breakup of Flatt & Scruggs, and similarly replaced J.D. Crowe with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys. It’s hard to imagine a better opportunity to master the basics of bluegrass banjo.

Continuing as a professional player, Ingram worked a ten year stint with the Larry Stephenson Band, and one with Rhonda Vincent & The Rage. You could also find him as a guest performer on numerous recordings, including projects from Benny Martin, Marty Stuart, Josh Williams, and Tony Trischka.

Throughout all this time, Kenny – or Big K, as he was sometime known – was known for his preservation of the Earl Scruggs style, and the power and passion in his playing. He was also a very effective teacher, appearing often as a featured instructor at banjo camps around the world.

It’s hard to overstate how admired Ingram was within the banjo community, where there is universal agreement placing him among the all-time greats of traditional, Scruggs/Crowe-style pickers. That legacy is further reflected by the American Made Banjo Co making a signature Kenny Ingram model instrument.

Here’s a look at how well he did as a young man playing Flint Hill Special with Lester in 1977. That’s a even younger Marty Stuart between he and Flatt.

And a more recent example on Road Rage, included on Rhonda Vincent & The Rage’s 2005 live DVD, Ragin’ Live.

And one more, doing the J.D. Crowe classic, Bear Tracks, with Larry Stephenson at SPBGMA 2011.

Family and friends are devastated by his death, as are all who had the chance to meet him on the road, remembering the kind-hearted, soft-hearted man whose gentleness was in such sharp contrast with his stature.

Given the sudden and unexpected nature of his passing, Kenny’s family has not yet announced any information about funeral arrangements.

R.I.P., Kenny Ingram.

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Having a Coffee with Nate Lee 

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

This is fun series in which we ask bluegrass music personalities, some famous, some not so famous, about a few of their interests, as well as about the music that they love.  

Nate Lee is a 2015 IBMA Momentum Award winning instrumentalist and renowned teacher, with more than 17 years’ experience providing private lessons and instruction at music camps.

He is a member of the IBMA Leadership Bluegrass committee and a 2014 graduate of the program.  

Lee comes from a family of artists; including actors, a tattoo artist, a banjo builder. and several siblings who are “pretty handy” with a pencil, pen, or paintbrush. Every member of his immediate family enjoys playing music as a hobby.

Although he didn’t pick up an instrument until the age of eight, he was always interested in music. “One of my earliest memories is sitting in front of a record player as a small child, listening to my dad’s records,” Lee relates.

His first performance experiences were with a group of fiddle students lead by his teacher, Valerie Ryals. As Lee gained more experience, he began to play with some local bands in the Dallas area, including Jim Paul Miller’s Garland Square Pickers, Back Porch Tradition, and the Mark Gorman Band. 

During his second semester (spring 2006) while attending the Bluegrass and Country Music Program at South Plains College, Lee joined the Alan Munde Gazette. He toured with the band for six years and played fiddle on their second album Made To Last (released in 2008). 

Also, Lee played fiddle and drums in Joe Carr’s Western Swing ensemble during the Fall of 2008 / Spring 2009 school year at the Levelland, Texas college. 

A fellow member of the Alan Munde Gazette was Steve Smith, and Smith and Lee have continued to play together through the years. In the process, Lee has contributed to five albums by Smith’s band Hard Road / The Hard Road Trio. 

When the Alan Munde Gazette stopped performing, he did some fill-in work for various bands, before studying to be a motorcycle mechanic. 

However, after regaining his interest in music Lee decided to pursue that as a career and in 2012 he moved to Nashville, started playing gigs around town, recorded with Alan Tomkins, and did some touring with Ashleigh Caudill, as well as Brad Folk & the Bluegrass Playboys; spent a couple years working with Irene Kelley; before doing some fill-in work with Town Mountain – for a month long tour to Germany and ten-day tour of the Midwest; and then joining the Jim Hurst Trio, with whom he recorded an album JHT-1 (2016) and for which he wrote an original tune. 

In 2017 he joined the Becky Buller Band playing mandolin and fiddle, helping on her Crepe Paper Heart and her latest release. Prior to that he had assisted Buller on the recording of her The Christmas 45, Vol. 1. 

In the past few years Lee has released a few individual projects; his Plays Well With Others six-track solo album (September 2017), the popular teaching DVD, How To Play A Solo (On A Song You’ve Never Heard Before) (June 2018) and Wings of a Jetliner (Adverb Records, June 2020).  

Members of the Becky Buller Band call Lee “the bluegrass points guy” because of his affinity for earning airline miles and maximizing other rewards. 

What would you like to drink?

Pour-over Ethiopian coffee, black. Preferably made with freshly ground beans from Milagro Coffee y Espresso.

Do you want anything to eat as well?

A Texas style Czech cream cheese kolache sounds good!

What’s your favorite food? 

Whataburger! I literally have dreams about Whataburger.

And what would you have to drink with that?

Unsweet iced tea, Whatasized.

What’s the nicest meal that you have ever had? 

That’s a tough one! One really nice and special meal was on the Bluegrass Jamboree tour in Germany in 2014. A chef prepared Texas style BBQ ribs for us, and he really nailed it!

Let’s talk bluegrass….. Where/when did you first hear bluegrass music? 

When I was about eight years old my brother started bringing home cassette tapes with bluegrass on them. Shortly after, my dad found The Tony Rice Video Collection on VHS and that was when I first heard many of my heroes.

Which of your own songs / tunes do you have a particular liking for?

Serenity on my new album Wings of a Jetliner is my current favorite, named for the spaceship on the TV show, Firefly. I wrote it with Todd Phillips and Wyatt Rice’s rhythmic style in mind, and they made such a perfect groove on that song. Serenity makes me feel like a leaf on the wind!

What about a song written by someone else? 

Somewhere Far Away, written by Brad Folk and Nick Woods. That’s always been a favorite song since I first heard Brad sing it. I cut it on Wings of a Jetliner and it’s one of my favorite cuts on the album.

Which particular album do you like best and why?

Manzanita. Tony’s singing and Sam Bush’s mandolin playing are my favorite parts, and the way the band plays together as a unit is amazing. Sam’s solo on Old Train is my all-time favorite mandolin solo.

You play a mandolin …. … What model is it? 

I play Pava Mandolins, and my main axe is Pava #194, named “Wonderbat,” after Homer Simpson’s baseball ball. It’s my favorite mandolin I’ve ever played.

What’s your favorite bluegrass memory? 

Sword fighting Sam Bush with fiddle bows for the Becky Buller Band’s “What would you do for your BlueChip pick” video. You can find that video on YouTube on the B3 channel. 

How do you keep fit and healthy when you spend so much time on the road? 

I think ice cream is an important part of a balanced road diet. The official after-gig beverage of the Becky Buller Band is a chocolate malt. Only with malt powder though, malt syrup is for the birds.

Are you a sports fan? Who do you follow? 

I don’t follow sports, but I enjoy going to watch the Nashville Sounds play baseball.

What hobbies do you have?

I play chess every day, and I also enjoy video games. Ratchet & Clank and Call of Duty are my go-to video games. My song Quick Select is named after the equipment menu on Ratchet & Clank.

What is the last movie film that you watched? 

I watched Jay and Silent Bob Reboot recently. Kevin Smith and the rest of the cast really nailed it.

Do you get much time to watch TV?

My current favorites are The Blacklist, and The Rookie. I like to play mandolin while I watch TV, and I wrote Rook Roller while watching The Rookie. 

What would you be doing if you weren’t involved in bluegrass music?

I’m a very business-minded person, so I’d probably still be running my own business, and I’d probably be teaching something. 

I’ve been in the music business since I was a teenager. My company is called Nate Lee, LLC, and it has a performance side, and a music instruction side. My music instruction business, Play Nately, provides private live online lessons, instructional videos, and music workshops taught by myself and a few other teachers. 

From Ovilla, Texas, Nate Lee now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Chrisanthi, and recently-born son, Charlie. 

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: TV | Leave a comment |

Brandon Lee Adams live stream

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Azlyrics

Here it is…  Brandon Lee Adams live in concert, supported by Meade Richter and Cameron Owens. Brought to you by beyerdynamic.

Live at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 25 – available for replay at any time after that.

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Ronnie Bowman – Ronnie Bowman

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Azlyrics

The name Ronnie Bowman needs little introduction in bluegrass circles. From his work with the Lost and Found, to his role as part of a quintessential version of the Lonesome River Band, to more recent solo work and recordings with the Band of Ruhks, Bowman has certainly left his mark on bluegrass music – and that’s not even mentioning his stellar songwriting that has earned hits for both country and bluegrass artists. His latest album, a self-titled record from Englehardt Music Group, features plenty of the smooth, modern traditional grass that Bowman is known for, including his takes on a number of classic bluegrass songs and a handful of new cuts.

The album’s first single should be familiar to any bluegrass fan worth their salt. A faithful version of the Jimmy Martin classic, Hit Parade of Love, features fine picking from a who’s who of musicians, including tasty banjo from Scott Vestal and some great G-runs from Wyatt Rice on guitar. It’s got plenty of energy (though maybe not quite as much as Martin – but then again, who could?) and is sure to satisfy traditional fans. Also on the strongly traditional side of things are an excellent, tight cut of Love of the Mountains, on which Bowman’s vocals really shine, and a fine Truck Driver’s Queen, with nice harmonies on the chorus. Sure, these songs are often jam standards, but it’s always great to hear them sung with Bowman’s vocal prowess and performed by the caliber of musicians backing him. 

It’s hard to match the Country Gentlemen’s Matterhorn, but Bowman gives it his all here, creating a pensive, desperate vibe with near-perfect instrumentation. He’s joined by Chris Stapleton for a rough-edged Gonna Be Raining When I Die. It’s a great update of the Osborne Brothers classic, filled with drive and a bluesy undertone. If this one’s not on the radio yet, it should be. Alabam, on the other hand, has been on the radio and made quite a splash, with its guest vocalists Bobby Bare and Del McCoury. It’s a fun romp through the old Cowboy Copas song that was surely a joy to record, with McCoury’s verse in particular adding a little extra zing. 

The newer songs on the album, mostly Bowman co-writes, are more of what listeners might expect from a Bowman album – softer and country-tinged. I’d Rather Be A Memory, the album’s current single, is a well-written look into a failing relationship from Bowman, Buddy Cannon, and Larry Bastian. Gentle fiddle and mandolin accompany clever lines such as “If I could turn this pencil over and erase the hurt you said, you’d find me coming running back to you, but I’d rather be a memory than a fool.” A bit of reconfiguring the sound, and this one could easily be a country hit, as well. You Cut the Ties, co-written by Bowman, Dean Dillon, and Ted Walker, tugs at the heartstrings with its depiction of a father-son relationship that slowly falls apart over the years. It’ll make you grab the phone to call your parents, if you’re lucky enough to still have them in your life. Hey Lord It’s Me, penned by Bowman and Don Cook, is also touching and poignant, with the singer pausing for a moment to thank God for His blessings.

Bowman is surely one of bluegrass music’s most talented artists and songwriters, and he’s shown up in full force on this album. It’s great to hear him cutting some fine traditional favorites, and the originals are enjoyable and well-written. It might have been nice to have a bit more balance to the album, or even to have released separate albums or EPs – one with the rip-roaring classics, and one with the more acoustic country sounds of his originals. All in all, though, it’s a really strong record and it’s great to have new music from Bowman.

For more information on Ronnie Bowman, visit his website. His new album is available from several online retailers.

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Hello Sunshine drops for Merle Monroe

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Azlyrics

We mentioned last week how excited Merle Monroe was to get their new single out, Hello Sunshine, which drops today.

When lead vocalist Tim Raybon finished writing it, he and his partner, banjo man Daniel Grindstaff, rushed into the studio to get to recorded right away. They lassoed Trey Hensley to join them on the track, and his hybrid bluegrass/country guitar helped give this happy little number a Bakersfield vibe.

Raybon says that he knew right away that this song could send a bit of blue sky to a nation facing so many ills. 

“Music has always brought us through troubling times in our country. It gives us hope. Our goal is to make you smile, brighten your day and make you want to say Hello Sunshine all day long.”

If you know Tim from his work with his brother, Marty Raybon, you’ll know that their voices are completely different. Marty’s is low and lonesome, while Tim’s is high and smooth. Their trio on this song really brings back the classic sound of Buck Owens and his Buckaroos.

Hello Sunshine is available now wherever you stream or download music online, and to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Merle Monroe | Leave a comment |

Video Premiere: Angry Weather from Sarah Chapman

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

Fast-rising bluegrass artist Sarah Chapman is back with a third single from her debut album, Winnebago. Previous tracks have made a showing on our Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay chart, and there is no reason to expect that this one won’t as well.

With Angry Weather, Sarah offers another taste of her style of contemporary grass, with a hefty dose of acoustic country, on this poignant story of an abusive relationship. Written by Lacy Green and Marcum Stewart, the video aptly portrays the mix of emotions carried in the song, where love, alcohol, and, family swirl around each other in a confusing blur.

Angry Weather can be purchased for download directly from Sarah’s web site. Radio programmers can find it at AirPlay Direct.

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Track Premiere: Open Water by Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

We have a lot of great new music to share today, starting with the premiere of a track from Fiddler’s Pastime, the debut solo project from Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, dynamic young fiddler with Mile Twelve.

This Virginia native hooked up with her current bandmates while studying in Boston, and has since moved to Nashville to pursue studio work and other musical opportunities in between band commitments. Her abilities on the fiddle are obvious from recordings and performances with Mile Twelve, but with the pending release of Fiddler’s Pastime, we get to see Bronwyn as a composer, arranger, and band/session leader.

She is assisted on the album by some of the sharpest young artists in bluegrass, like Sierra Hull, Laura Orshaw, Wes Corbett, Chris Eldridge, Jake Stargel, Sarah Jarosz, and others. The title cut needs to be heard to be believed, a twin-fiddle arrangement of the Bill Monroe fiddle classic, played with perfect precision by Keith-Hynes and Orshaw.

Here’s the track Open Water, the albums first single, which Bronwyn put together during the 2019 World of Bluegrass convention.

“This was the first tune I wrote for the album, and I think it captures something I love in bluegrass music which is that combination of haunting melody and rocket-like propulsion. I remember having my fiddle out in a quiet corner of the hotel at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s yearly event in Raleigh, NC last September, and the first part of the tune came to me then. I thought of Sierra for this track because I wanted a fiddle/mandolin unison sound for a lot of the melody and her incredible tone and groove seemed like the perfect fit.” 

Open Water is available now wherever you stream or download music online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Fiddler’s Pastime is timed to hit on September 4, and pre-orders are enabled online. This is a good’n, folks.

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Ask Sonny Anything… Why did you switch from an RV to a bus?

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

Ask Sonny Anything is a recurring feature where our readers pose questions to the great Sonny Osborne, one half of the iconic Osborne Brothers who redefined bluegrass music in the 1960s, and noted banjo maven and collector of fine prewar instruments. Everyone is encouraged to pose queries of your own each week in the comments, about his history in the music, his wealth of banjo knowledge, or regarding any life advice you might be needing.

Sonny,

Back in the ’80s, there was a group of dancers who used to go to all the events where bluegrass music was played in the Dayton, Ohio area, for the sole purpose of dancing. It didn’t matter to them who was playing, and they had seemingly zero interest in the music really. All they seemed to care about was how much racket they could make with their taps on their shoes and putting on a show for themselves and their friends. Some of them even brought their plywood platforms to really get loud. And I will have to say they really enjoyed themselves. Problem was, for everyone who was there to enjoy the music all this loud dancing was a huge and mostly unwelcome distraction.

These dancers came to a bluegrass festival in Laura, Ohio held at Round Eyes Park where you and Bobby and the band were performing. There were a lot of people there to see you guys, so this really got the dancers excited for the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of a lot of people. One of the biggest elements of the distraction was their clickity clacking was not synchronized with the beat of the music. After you guys ended a song, you asked the performers if they were going to tap dance, to please do it in time with the music. Many of us were very happy you made that request to them, but one fellow took exception to it.

A lot of the dancers left the concrete pad in front of the stage area, but this guy dragged his plywood platform right up in front of you and defiantly stared at you while he tapped away during your next song. You seemed to get tickled at this guy and were kind of laughing at him and having fun with it.

While you were playing your banjo, you extended your middle finger up on your left hand and shot him the bird while you kept on playing up and down the neck. My question is, do you remember this particular incident, and was that the only occasion you had to play the banjo while shooting someone the bird?

Brian A

Hey Brian. Thank you for participating. Man, I do appreciate it in the biggest way. I remember that incident vividly. I not only gave him the bird for the second half of our show…I told him when I got done he had an ass kicking coming from me…and I meant it 100%. So when we got through, I told Dale to take care of my banjo I had something to do.

Just about that time a young man came up to me and said I shouldn’t dirty my hands on such an idiot and that he would be more than glad to take care of the situation. He said he was keeping a lookout for this SOB and he said that if I would look closely, and he pointed to this idiot running away from the stage area…and without another word this young guy and two friends of theirs were off in that direction. I never knew the outcome but I’ll bet that guy danced his was into a royal ass kicking that night.

s

—–

Sonny, could you share with us some “Aha” moments when you were learning the banjo or learning to play with a band? Something along the lines of the “lightbulb” turning on and you thinking “Aha, that’s how he gets that sound or lick!” Thank you for your music and the things you’ve given us through the years! God Bless!

Bryan R.

Bryan, I certainly do remember a time when I knew my banjo playing life had, and would change forever. Bobby was a very aware sort of musician in that he picked up on things quickly. He was working in Bluefield, WV and on a trip home for Christmas he heard a 12 year old play the banjo for the first time. He asked to see the banjo and of course I gave it to him and he said, “You know the lick that you’re doing this way, well, how bout you do it this way…” and he proceeded to show me the all mighty backward roll. It was like a ton of bricks had hit me right in the FARD. Just like that, a snap of the fingers, it all made sense. It happened right then and there. Bobby had changed me from mediocrity and lifelong disaster to a good banjo player, only to open every door that was there to open. That’s when the long hours of practice was never enough. I absolutely could not get enough of this new thing.

Thank you Bobby. I’m forever grateful.
s

—-

Sonny. How well do you remember Earl’s Drive-In in Chaffe, NY? Back when I spoke to you and Bobby many times and besides the music, my draw to bluegrass is that you could approach people like you, and you made us feel like we meant something to you. Felt like we were neighbors! Every time you came to Earls, my wife and I were there, as well as the other acts. Great scene, always great music. I am on Facebook and have the pleasure of an occasional heh from Jesse McReynolds, and Luke McNight! Just want you to know YOU mattered in the music and as a person. God Bless!

Joe

Hey Joe, Chaffe, New York. Big Earl’s Drive In. A fun place to play that’s for sure. Good crowds, knowledgeable, close intimate place to “work.” That is if you choose to call it work. One of the few places where the folks in attendance felt like we were playing in our house…the living room. GREAT atmosphere. One of the very few, I might add. But man, it was hard to get to that exceptionally, wonderful place to play, and our neighbors to play for! Especially if one was driving a bus with a 4 cylinder engine with an “H” transmission. You got to the bottom of one steep hill getting all the speed you could muster and immediately you went straight into another steeper hill and the old relic just barely made it to the top, in first gear…which was hard to hit with that transmission. Nowadays with that 60 series engine and an automatic transmission one could hear the bus whistling Dixie as it literally flew to to the top of them all. I meant to count them next time I went there, but, naturally I forgot. I bet there are others out there reading this that had the same problem. Jim and Jesse for sure.

s

—–

Hi Sonny,

I probably saw you and Bobby more than any other band through the years, and never witnessed anything less than excellence. I noticed you used RVs back then. Did they prove to be as good as buses, or was it more economical? Many thanks for all the years of truly great music!

John R

Hey John R. I bet you didn’t know there was a street in Detroit…and expressway if I remember correctly, named The John R Expressway. Just thought I would throw that in. Off the subject, I know…but I do think that you know…and speaking of the word “throw.” I bet you didn’t know that a lot of basketball players and announcers say ..”Free Thoes.” I asked Kyle Macy about that once and he said he hadn’t noticed. Next game Kentucky played, Old Kyle stepped up to the “FREE THOE LINE!” Next time I saw Ralph and Marylyn Hacker I asked Ralph if he remembered that I had asked Kyle, and he did. We had a huge laugh. Then Ralph promptly went on the broadcast that night and sure enough…”OLD KYLE STEPPED UP TO THE FREE THOWE LINE!” (Old number 4 could shoot some free thowes for you. Over 90% wipe his hands on his sox and hit the bottom of the net)

So, John R., where were we? Yep, we did use RVs back in the day for several good reasons.

1. If you broke down, a gas engine mechanic was easier to find at 3:00 a.m.

2. All our guys could drive an RV with a gas engine and automatic transmission. NOT SO WITH A DEISEL ENGINE AND STICK TRANSMISSION, which is what most buses had back in the day.

3. Insurance was several times cheaper unless you lied and called your bus a motor home. Which would work.,.just don’t get caught.

4. Why did we buy a bus in 1982? Bobby had heart surgery and he needed something that was safer, and the ride was not as bumpy. We had to learn to drive and Benny Birchfield was a good teacher…the the best bus driver of all time, Raymond Edward Huffmaster came to work with us in 1983. He stayed until 1993. 10 Great years. If he reads this drivel he can tell you some stories. If you ever get the opportunity to talk with him…they be a damn good feller standing in front of you.

GOOD FELLER, FOR SURE! Drove us over a million miles.

s

==============================================================================================

AND FOR THE RECORD!

I’ll bet you didn’t know….Dale Potter played the fiddle on Benny Martin’s records on which he sang or played the guitar. Sounds just like Benny….Pig Robins played the piano on Ronnie Milsap and Charlie Rich records….Charlie Daniels, is that Charlie playing the fiddle? Nope. That was Buddy Spicher. Devil went down To Georgia?? Buddy Spicher….Was that me playing the banjo on The Osborne Brothers Foggy Mountain Breakdown? NOPE. It was Dana Cupp…and who was that playing the fiddle? First part of the break it was Glen Duncan…second half was Bobby Hicks. I played Bobby’s mandolin on one note of Dandy Lion…why? Bobby was in the rest room.

I also played the intro mandolin on You’re Just Another Dream I’ll Have To Live Without. Bluegrass Concerto, The mandolin played without a pick is not Bobby. It’s Buddy Spicher.

I just thought this would be interesting to bring up because all this was done for the greater good of the album, and to save time. Studio time is rather expensive. I hope a couple people out there will take this as constructive criticism…that’s all.

s

If you have something you would like to ask Sonny, be sure to post it in the comments below, or send it to us directly.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: NY, RV | Leave a comment |

Pete Wernick and Wernick Method holding a Safe Jam Contest

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

Pete Wernick, aka Dr. Banjo, and his Wernick Method Jam class program are sponsoring a video competition to encourage a return to jamming for those concerned about viral exposure.

Their Safe Jam Contest is offering prizes of Dr. Banjo merchandise for the best video of people jamming on bluegrass in a safe and socially-distanced manner.

All you need to do to enter is create a video of your jam, and then post it to either YouTube or Facebook. Once you complete the online entry form, your jam will be entered to win the following prizes.

  • First Prize: 3 Jam videos + 3 JAM Songbooks + 3 Let’s Pick t-shirts
  • Second Prize: 2 Jam videos + 2 JAM Songbooks + 2 Let’s Pick t-shirts
  • Third Prize: 1 Jam video + 1 JAM Songbook + 1 Let’s Pick t-shirt

Pete says that entries will be judged on a combination of viral safety, performance quality, and how well the video looks.

  • Safety (50 points): Distanced outside or distanced inside with masks
  • Music quality (25 points): “If it sounds good it must be good.”
  • Video quality (15 points): Clear and steady video, good sound quality, can hear the singers and soloists 
  • Entertainment value (10 points): Humor/attire/attitude?

So invite some friends over, practice your favorite song, and get that video uploaded.

Full details can be found online.

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Seth Mulder & Midnight Run sign with Billy Blue

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

Who are those masked men?

Billy Blue Records in Nashville has announced the signing of Seth Mulder & Midnight Run to the label. They met with Billy Blue execs Jerry Salley and Ed Leonard recently to approve the contract, and posed for a masked signing photo.

This young group from the fertile bluegrass ground of east Tennessee plays an aggressive sort of traditional bluegrass, hard driving and high energy, with clever original material from mandolinist and band leader Mulder, and guitarist Ben Watlington.

The band is completed by Colton Powers on banjo, Max Etling on bass, and Cody Bauer on fiddle. Midnight Run is another professional touring band that was formed to do shows at the Ole Smokey Moonshine Distilleries in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN. When visiting is allowed, they provide live bluegrass entertainment at their various locations, for 8-10 hours each day.

Salley says that he loved these guys from the first time he saw them at a showcase during World of Bluegrass 2019.

“This is a group that really cares about the music, and about one another. They are infinitely entertaining when they perform. The vocals and musicianship are top notch, of course, but it’s that visible camaraderie that absolutely makes fans fall in love with Midnight Run.”

Mulder tells us that he and the boys are powerfully stoked to be working with Billy Blue.

“All of us are really excited to be part of the Billy Blue Team. Ed and Jerry have done a fantastic job with their artist roster and have produced some great music. We’re thankful to be signed with a label along side some of the biggest names in bluegrass. It’s a true honor to be a part of their team, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds!”

Here are a couple videos of material likely to be included on their debut with the label, starting with Seth’s One More Night.

And here’s Ben’s Don’t Let The Door Hit You On Your Way Out.

Expect to hear more from Seth Mulder & Midnight Run in the coming weeks.

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Butch Robins plays 100 tunes in 100 days

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Azlyrics

One of the most interesting and exceptional people I have been able to meet is the bluegrass world is banjo man, Butch Robins. In his 71 years, Butch has been there and done that, working with some of the most celebrated artists in our music. Two stints as a Blue Grass Boy with Bill Monroe, plus time on the road with Charlie Moore, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, and New Grass Revival has given him a look at the professional bluegrass world from many different perspectives.

Butch has developed a truly unique approach to the five string over his more than 50 years in the business, and there is nothing he likes better than sharing his wisdom with others who share a passion for the banjo.

In the face of the COVID-19 shutdowns, he had been looking for a way to keep himself focused, and has come with a perfect expression for it. Butch has dedicated himself to record and share 100 banjo tunes over the next 100 days, posting videos on Facebook and YouTube.

When we spoke earlier this afternoon, he said that he is having a blast playing the banjo these days, as much as he ever has.

“I’m loving the way I play right now better than I ever have – working with a metronome again every day. I feel like I have more control than I’ve ever had, and I’m really just enjoying playing the banjo.

There’s all these people doing these challenges online, and I thought of making up a challenge among banjo players. But my good friend JoAnne McGowan suggested that I challenge myself instead, and that made perfect sense to me. So she’s recording me playing these tunes, and we have 39 done so far.”

With each video, Butch shares a bit about the tune, how he came to learn it, and any tips that a banjo enthusiast might enjoy knowing.

Here’s an example with Dear Old Dixie.

Robins says that he is pleased with how this challenge is progressing.

“It’s a raw version of me. If I pull a great big clam, I’ll go back and recut it, but otherwise it’s just me and the banjo. I’m adding in little bits and pieces in there as they occur to me.”

A new video is posted each day; they are up to #17 today. All are free to watch on either Facebook or YouTube. 

Butch also mentioned that the new banjo being made by Tim Davis as a replica of Robin’s prewar RB-4 is quite popular with pickers. Eight have been ordered so far, and Davis says he has five necks ready now. Shipping should begin soon.

These Butch Robins replica 4s are quite a good value as well, with an asking price of only $3499. More details can be found online.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Butch Robins | Leave a comment |
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