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Monthly Archives: August 2020

Sam Bush celebrates New Grass Revival, while looking ahead

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Azlyrics

Fifty years ago this month, in Louisville, KY, 19-year-old Sam Bush joined the Bluegrass Alliance as a guitar player.

It was the first step on a journey that led to an 18-year run with New Grass Revival, one of this year’s inductees into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and to an ongoing run fronting the Sam Bush Band.

I caught up with Sam the other day and found him in an expansive mood.

“I don’t want this to come off as too egotistical, but it was my band and I loved it,” said Bush, the only member of New Grass Revival throughout its full 18-year tenure. “I can look back with great pride on the different versions and all of the different things we tried in terms of actual progressive things and be proud of it.”

He added, “The entire 18 years, I was having the time of my life. We were playing and doing exactly what we wanted to do. How many people get to earn a living doing that?”

But Bush is ready to leave the band in the past. There will be no reunion for the induction ceremony in September, and nothing planned for the future, when the COVID restrictions are merely bad memories, and festivals and shows are once again taking place.

“There’s no performance scheduled (at IBMA) and none planned,” there or anywhere else, he said. “Those days are over.”

He’s not bitter, he’s just moved on. “No one has more love or respect for New Grass Revival than me,” he said. There were some tensions, he said, as there are in any band. “But when I look back now, my selective memory remembers more of the good things.”

The band that helped breathe new life into bluegrass, and became the poster boys for progressive bluegrass, was born of necessity.

Bush, Curtis Burch, Courtney Johnson, and Ebo Walker teamed up in 1971, joining the Bluegrass Alliance with co-founder Lonnie Peerce, but there was trouble almost from the start. The four others wanted to fire Peerce. “He just wasn’t very good,” Bush said with his characteristic bluntness. But whatever he lacked in musicianship, he made up for in business savvy. Peerce owned the name of the band, so the other members needed to start over with a new name.

It wasn’t an easy transition. At some shows, the band’s edge of the envelope style of bluegrass fused with rock, jazz, and a smattering of just about everything else, was greeted by what Bush and others call the chairsnappers. They didn’t just get up and leave. They snapped their seats against the chair backs to nosily announce their departure and their displeasure.

And Peerce didn’t help matters as the new band sought bookings on the festival circuit, badmouthing them to Bill Monroe and anyone else who would listen. 

“Carlton Haney booked us,” Bush recalled. “Bill Monroe didn’t.” In Bush’s recounting, Peerce told Monroe to stay away from the band, “because we sold drugs to school kids.” Not true, Bush said, but it put Monroe on the spot. He didn’t hire the band, but he stated publicly that he just didn’t want long-hair bands at his festival. But he did give the boys Body and Soul to record, Bush said.

Bush’s version of the relationship with Peerce will go unchallenged. Peerce and Monroe both died in 1996.

In the interview, Bush said New Grass Revival and Monroe were both pioneers. “He made his own music, too,” he said. “I guarantee he had to fight way more than we did to become accepted.”

All of the original members came from bluegrass backgrounds and always gave credit to the originators. Bush said NGR members would say, “If you like what we did, you should go back and listen to the original bands.”

NGR had two major iterations, with the original foursome together for about nine years, and the version with Béla Fleck and Pat Flynn on board for the final nine years, with John Cowan overlapping and Butch Robins playing for a spell, along with several others.

Robins brought the band one of its first big breaks, convincing Leon Russell to use NGR as an opener on a long tour that many fans still recall fondly.

But when Bush talked about the band on this particular day, he reserved most of his praise for Cowan and his big R&B voice that eventually landed him on stage with the Doobie Brothers.

“With John, we had a big voice that could make people shut up and listen in a loud, crowded bar,” he said, adding that learning to sing with Cowan made Bush a better vocalist.

Bush said the pending induction “is a great spiritual lift for the band, all of us.”

Since the announcement in late June, Bush has been listening back to NGR records and taped shows. He rapidly reached a conclusion, especially after listening to the early years:

“I was the worst guy in the band.”

These days, Bush is focusing on his work with the Sam band, and looking forward to the day when live shows will again be the norm. He doesn’t expect that to be any time soon.

“We’re being careful,” he said, “very COVID aware. I can’t wait, but we’re being patient. We all know who the oldest guy on the bus is.”

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Sam Bush | Leave a comment |

Luke McKnight to Turnberry Records

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Azlyrics

Turnberry Records has announced the signing of Nashville vocalist and mandolinist Luke McKnight to the label. This talented artist has a long history in bluegrass music and has a new album ready for release in the near future.

Luke actually comes from bluegrass royalty, as the grandson of mandolin maestro and bluegrass icon Jesse McReynolds. As a teen and a young man, Luke performed as a member of Jim & Jesse and The Virginia Boys, and he took that opportunity to learn the tricky crosspicking style his grandfather pioneered on the mandolin. After leaving Jesse’s group, he formed and performed with a band called McReynolds Tradition, including two of his cousins, as well as a solo artist.

After a career as a firefighter and a turn as a bus driver, McKnight is ready to return to the world of bluegrass music he learned as a boy.

Luke says that he is eager to get his new music out to the market, and offers a tease of what will be included.

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It’ll be released as soon as possible.

Content-wise, you never know. I don’t consider myself a traditional bluegrass artist per se… you never know what I’m gonna come up with. I’m not a big fan of ‘genre.’ I just don’t like the word. I’m just a fan of good music.”

Expect more details on a new Luke McKnight album in the near future.

Posted in Lyrics | Leave a comment |

Manzanita mandolin solos transcribed by Tristan Scroggins

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Azlyrics

Tony Rice’s Manzanita album was a life-changer for young bluegrass musicians when it hit in 1979, not unlike the J.D. Crowe & The New South record four years earlier. In many ways, those two projects set the tone for contemporary bluegrass for decades to come, presaging The Bluegrass Album Band and the many other groups that took up that banner of complex rhythms applied to traditional bluegrass music.

I well remember where I was the first time I heard Manzanita. The band I was with at the time was in Richmond, VA that weekend, and after our first night at a local club, we ventured downtown to check things out the next morning. After finding somewhere to eat, we discovered a small record store, and there it was… the new Tony Rice record. Of course we snapped it up and hurried back to where we were staying, and had it on the turntable in no time.

If you could have watched from a ceiling view, you would have seen five young pickers completely absorbed by the music coming from the speakers, studying every note with rapt attention, in a mixture of awe and disbelief. Here was the sound we all were after, being made by some of our heroes, some of them only a few years our seniors.

Of course that experience was to be repeated many times over the years, but anyone who remembers the first time you heard this particular record is likely to remember it well. And this is still true for those new to the scene, or reaching back to study such defining elements of today’s music.

One such is Tristan Scroggins, a young mandolin artist and teacher in Nashville who decided to use some of his unexpected free time this summer to learn and transcribe all of the mandolin solos from Manzanita. These include breaks by Sam Bush, Ricky Skaggs, and David Grisman on some truly classic cuts like Blue Railroad Train, Little Sadie, Blackberry Blossom, Old Train, and several others.

After learning them for himself, Tristan has compiled them into a digital e-book, which he is offering to other pickers through his Patreon account. Anyone who makes a $20 contribution through Patreon is entitled to download all the transcriptions. There is no obligation to become a recurring contributor or monthly supporter, though those who do receive access to all the other mandolin instructional videos on the site, as well as music shared only with Patreon subscribers.

Here is a brief video Scroggins made of him playing through the Sam Bush solo on Old Train.

Anyone studying the mandolin owes themselves the opportunity to learn this music and spend a few minutes in the mind of some of our great players. And if you aren’t already familiar with Manzanita, that is something you should remedy right away.

Hat’s off to Tristan Scroggins for making these solos available.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Tristan Scroggins | Leave a comment |

Watch It Fall video from Billy Strings

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Azlyrics

Rounder Records has released a new music video from Billy Strings, featuring one of the songs from his current album, Home.

Billy has a reputation as the crazed flatpicker, based on his frenetic and highly energized live performances, where he mimics the sort of stage theatrics more commonly utilized by rock guitarists, from Jimi Hendrix forward.

But his music isn’t so radical as the reputation, as you can see in the video for Watch It Fall. The song, and his guitar playing, is quite reminiscent of the music of Norman Blake, showing that young Mr. Strings knows and respects the guitarists that came before him. And that fact has been shared in numerous interviews where he shrugs off the notion that he is the greatest flatpicker alive.

Have a look/listen…

Billy is supported on this track by his touring band: Jarrod Walker on mandolin, Billy Failing on banjo, and Sterling Masat on bass.

Watch It Fall and Home are available wherever you Home.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Billy Strings | Leave a comment |

Banjo tab and staff books from Sebastian Schröder

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Azlyrics

There was a time, not so very long ago, when blank staff paper was a common commodity in music stores. Sold both in tear-off sheets and in bound books, those who liked to write down their creative ideas could keep them as a musical sketch pad, or use them to write out melodies for students.

When I taught banjo full time, I had all my students buy one, and I would write out arrangements for lessons based on their interests and requests. They were inexpensive, and allowed them to keep all of their music in one place. I have several of my own here which I have saved over the years, full of tune ideas or transcriptions I had made.

These books still exist, though music stores are a bit harder to come by these days, especially with quarantine restrictions in place. Major music book publishers offer them for sale online.

A new entry in this market has emerged this week, a set of black staff paper books from German banjo player Sebastian Schröder, through his company, Fine Folk Tabs. Sebastian is the author and publisher of a number of instructional methods for two finger banjo style, and the first German language method for bluegrass banjo, Banjo Spielen.

His two volumes of staff paper are quite elegantly presented, and offered in two sizes. The Composer Edition book use standard-sized 8.5” x 11” sheets (130 pages), and the Traveler Edition has 8.5” x 6” pages (150).

The Blank Tab Book for 5-String Banjo includes not only the empty staff pages, but also a legend explaining the basics of tablature along with common banjo tunings and chords.

For those who either don’t play banjo or simply don’t need those additions, The Blank Staff Paper Notebook is also available.

Sebastian sells these through Amazon for easy shipping in the US. The full size books go for for $8.99, and the Traveler size for $5.99.

Further details can be found online, including information about his upcoming Irish tune book for mandolin, and a third volume in his 2-finger banjo series.

Posted in Lyrics | Leave a comment |

Darren Nicholson solo live stream tonight

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Azlyrics

Darren Nicholson, Balsam Range mandolinist, vocalist and songwriter, will be featured this evening in a solo livestream performance from White Horse Live in Black Mountain, NC.

Since COVID-19 shutdowns have restricted the ability on venues and nightspots to open, White Horse has been focused on finding a way to keep the music playing. Seeing his own intimate music room without an audience, Bob Hinkle determined to push it out to them online, or as he put it, “If you can’t bring em to White Horse, have White Horse show up in people’s living rooms!”

By partnering with Radhaus Studio in Asheville, who specialize in mobile audio and video recording and broadcasting, Hinkle has been able to offer live music by live-streaming from the White Horse web site several days each week, just as they used to do when people were allowed in. All off these concerts are offered free of charge, with a pay-what-you-can donation link that accepts remittances via Apple Pay, Google Pay, or major credit cards.

For tonight’s show, Darren intends to showcase a set of new, unreleased material, some of it being performed for the first time. Songs featured will all be his original music, with a variety of co-writers, plus any requests that come in via social media during the show.

Nicholson offered this video preview tease earlier in the week.

Check out Darren Nicholson on White Horse Live at 8:00 p.m. tonight (EDT – August 28). Simply visit the White Horse web site to see the show.

All donations received are split between the artist, the venue, and the production team. Please be generous if you enjoy the show. Everybody’s pantry is getting bare with live music generally prohibited.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Darren Nicholson | Leave a comment |

A Miner’s Life drops for Stoney Creek

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Azlyrics

West Virginia’s Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has released a new single today, A Miner’s Life, originally recorded by Charlie Waller & The Country Gentlemen.

But this track is not just another Gentlemen cover. It has an inside baseball backstory all its own.

Stoney Creek’s Troy Strangle, whose lonesome reso-guitar solo opens their version, tells how it came to be.

“In the late ’90s, I joined the Nickel Misery Band, where Bill Dailey had written the song A Miner’s Life about his dad. We sat and worked up the song, and played it at our shows. Bill was driving the bus for the Country Gentlemen around 2004, and Charlie Waller heard it and decided to record it.”

The album that included Charlie’s arrangement, Songs of the American Spirit, ended up being his last, and was released just a few weeks after his passing in August of 2004.

So Troy suggested that the band work the song up as it was originally written.

“I decided to redo A Miner’s Life with Stoney Creek, more of the way Bill and I put it together, and I actually played the dobro.”

Serious Charlie Waller fans will recall that his cut was uptempo, with the banjo taking the leading instrumental role. Have a listen to how Stoney Creek, and Bill Dailey, reimagined the song in their music video.

In addition to Troy, who typically plays banjo with the group, Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band is Brett Smeltzer on mandolin, Kenton Catlett on guitar, and Libby Files on bass.

A Miner’s Life is available now from your favorite download and streaming sites, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Posted in Lyrics | Leave a comment |

Ask Sonny Anything… how was it for you when Bobby joined the Marines?

Posted on August 28, 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.

Editor’s Note: We just wanted to let readers know how seriously Sonny takes this weekly column. Even though he is still convalescing after suffering a serious head injury, and experiencing some brain haze, he wanted to be sure to answer your questions as promised. Thanks Chief!

Sonny,

I know, in the past, you have said you never cared much for melodic style banjo playing. However, you also have said regarding Béla Fleck, if that boy keeps playing like he plays is destined to become one of the greats. What did you hear in Béla’s playing that brought you to that conclusion? You were definitely correct!

Love your playing and everything the Osborne Bros ever recorded!

Neil A. North Carolina

Neil…

Thank you for sharing your time with us here on this weakened version, of which Judy is typing and I’m trying to dictate.

Melodic banjo playing has never existed in my mind as real banjo playing, because I go back to the 40’s and early 50’s and that kind of playing was done by tenor banjo players or Don Reno. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting anybody down, because how can you put down people as talented as Béla Fleck, Jens Kruger, Tony Trischka, Alison Brown, and extremely talented people like that who chose the banjo to show their wares.

That group, and many more people who belong in that group, are some of the most talented people to ever pick up the banjo, but as I said before I’m from the early days, and traditional banjo playing was the monster of the day, and that’s where my focus was. However, in 1959, I saw Bill Keith for the first time and was not blown away because I think I saw a tidal wave coming….and I was right.

Dozens of boys and girls who had been trying to learn traditional banjo playing went to melodic, especially after Bill Keith’s recording of Sailor’s Hornpipe with Bill Monroe. It just kinda lit a flame under them and it looked kinda crazy after that. Now, to say that I’m not a fan of melodic playing is an understatement… as I told Bill Keith in 1959 “Bill, you have set real banjo playing back 25 years and we may not recover.” Bill’s reply was ‘the Bill Keith grin.’

I think I digressed there, but maybe not. What I have said about Béla Fleck has become a reality, and this is what I mean. Pick up one of Béla’s CDs and try to play what he plays. Can’t do it? Then pick up a Jens Kruger CD and try to do that. Well, I couldn’t. These are very talented men and they chose the banjo. I think I better stop there, before I give too much of my psyche away.

s

—–

Sonny

Mac Wiseman had a song called Goin’ Back to Bristol. Do you have a few stories from your time there?

Virgil P.

Virgil…

Thank you for your precious time.

I didn’t spend any time in Bristol at WCYB, so I can’t honestly answer your question. Bobby, before the Marine Corps called, spent time there with Jimmy Martin and the Stanley Brothers. Your reference to Mac Wiseman’s song, Goin’ Back to Bristol, and you asked if I had a few stories from my time there, and I don’t because when Bobby mustered out of the Marine Corps we chose Knoxville and Wheeling as our path to WSM’s Grand Ole Opry.

s

—–

Of all the festivals you played in your day, which was the one you most looked forward to every year and why.

Less W.

…thank you Less, although that’s a really hard question you ask. When you ask of all the festivals I played, man you’re talking about hundreds, and to pick one is a near-impossibility. I can list a few that were really good, however.

Sunset Park in Oxford, PA .. Carlton Haney’s Camp Springs BG festival .. Mr Day’s Starvey Creek Festival in Conway, MO .. Fred Sanders’ Family Festival in McCalester, OK .. Bull Grunt Festival in Hugo, OK (Bill Grant) .. SONNY MADE ME TYPE THAT! .. just about all of Norman Adams’ festivals .. Roy Martin had some good festivals although not very successful .. Grass Valley, CA .. and there was a festival in WA state that was run by all people from TN, that was a bit cultish but it was good .. and then of course we had the Canadian Free-For-All made up mostly of hippies and “the flasher.”

Who was The Flasher, you might ask? He was a young man of about 20-25 years old who wore a very long overcoat. Now understand this, this was in the summertime, and he would go around to everyone in this huge crowd of 1000s and people would pay him $5 to go and “flash” a certain person…male, or female child. He would take their $5, stuff it into his well-heeled pockets, proceed to the victim, and stand before them and whilst stark naked open the overcoat fully. And there before the victim stood a well-endowed young man bare-assed naked. That was “The Flasher.”

It was such that for the entertainers’, protection..they had what looked like a 10-12’ chainlink fence between the audience and stage. On the day we were there, it had rained and the audience section was quite muddy. While we were on, one of the brighter audience participants got the brilliant idea to climb over that protective chainlink fence. When he hit the other side, there were 3 hefty gentlemen waiting for him who proceeded to throw his inebriated (high-on-something) ass back over the 10-12’ chainlink fence whereupon he landed flat on his back in a huge mud puddle. We stopped in the middle of the song and laughed at his inebriated muddy ass.

So much for the fun-filled festival days.

s

—–

Hey Sonny,

What exactly did you do when brother Bobby joined the military? How did it affect you and what went through you mind, Sonny?

Bobby was 6 years older than I, and he left home when he was just past 16 and I was 10, and not yet having started to play the banjo which came at age 11 for me. I’m sure his being absent was hard on my parents, but I was too young to understand what was going on.

When he got his call to service, it was a blow to everyone but I was just too young for it to make any sense. A year and a half later I was playing banjo for Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, and my mind was in too much of a whirl to think about anything else other than music.

After my first stint with Bill, I went back to school and during that time Bobby was wounded, and I saw my parents who were in their mid-40s go from relatively young to relatively old, and I guess at about that time is when it dawned on me what was actually happening. I never doubted that Bobby would make it OK, and my mind was still trying to figure out what we would do, musically, when he got back.

After he was released, in late-October early-November 1953, Enos Johnson who played guitar had called ahead to Cas Walker and secured a job for us on WROL, and we started there on November 6, 1953. So… taking all this into consideration, my mind actually stayed on music and what we were going to do when he got back. It never once dawned on me, until he got back and told me, that he had gotten 7 pieces of shrapnel in his head and the helmet saved his life. Had I known this, I would have been scared $***less. But I was a kid who had dropped out of school to go play with Bill Monroe. Which was stupid on my part.

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, North Carolina | Leave a comment |

Honey On My Tongue drops from The Steeps

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Azlyrics

Yep Roc Records has released a third single from their upcoming project with the Steep Canyon Rangers, Arm In Arm.

It’s a new song from banjo man Graham Sharp, Honey On My Tongue, who says it shares a sentiment that is common among young parents as they realize that thy can’t live their children’s lives for them, no matter how much you wish you could.

“Being a parent makes you vulnerable. It’s hard to understand that the only way your kids can make it in the world is without you.” 

The band has arranged this number in their own trademark style of modern bluegrass, with a heavy folk influence.

In addition to Sharp, the Steep Canyon Rangers are Woody Platt on guitar, Nicky Sanders on fiddle, Mike Guggino on mandolin, Mike Ashworth on drums and reso-guitar, and  Barrett Smith on bass.

Honey On My Tongue is available now wherever you stream or download music online.

Arm In Arm is set to release on October 16.

Posted in Lyrics | Leave a comment |

Dan Miller named as new editor of Bluegrass Unlimited

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

Bluegrass Unlimited, now under the aegis of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, has named Dan Miller as their new editor, effective with the November 2020 issue.

Bluegrass folks will remember Dan from his helming of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, from its inception in 1996 until it ceased publication at the end of 2016. There he served as editor, publisher, writer, and ad sales manager, as well as head of anything else that needed doing. Under the FGM banner, Miller also produced a number of popular instructional DVDs for guitar, and released several audio CDs for flatpickers. Back issues and digital collections of its 20 years of content are still available.

Since closing down his magazine, he has been working primarily as a gentleman farmer in Missouri, raising food for him and his family. The farm is also used as a site for instructional workshops and retreats, though those have been shelved while COVID restrictions remain in effect.

When we spoke earlier today, Miller expressed excitement about getting back into print media again, but without all the many chores that land on the publisher’s desk. A primary early goal for Bluegrass Unlimited is to get readership and subscription rates back up to where they were a decade ago. Dan said that they would retain their focus on longer-form essays and articles, along with quality photography.

He also expects to launch a monthly column that will regularly examine some of the many exhibits on display in the museum, not to mention their deep archive of historical photos.

The Bluegrass Hall has also announced that they are partnering with Tanner+West, an Owensboro, KY-based advertising and design firm, who will handle the magazine’s monthly layout, printing and mailing, and its overall look. Dan says a new logo is in the works for the November issue.

Current subscribers need do nothing; they will continue receiving the magazine as before. But it is expected to gradually evolve into the magazine of the Museum, like most established museums in this country provide. As such, subscriptions will be offered as premiums for members and supporters of the Hall, located in Owensboro.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Bluegrass Unlimited | Leave a comment |

Time for IBMA to retire Sir Walter Raleigh as a symbol for World of Bluegrass?

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

These editorial comments are a contribution from Abby Lee Hood, former IBMA staffer and freelance writer in Nashville. Her opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Bluegrass Today or its sponsors.

If there was ever a time to quietly retire the use of a European colonizers image in World of Bluegrass marketing materials, 2020 would be it. As the IBMA’s annual bluegrass conference and festival moves online to accommodate ongoing COVID-19 safety measures, the organization has a chance to distance itself from the use of Sir Walter Raleigh’s image.

The 31st annual World of Bluegrass will be the first in more than five years not held in Raleigh, North Carolina. The city is, of course, named after Sir Walter himself, and they’re clearly proud; residents can buy a new car at Sir Walter Chevrolet, sip a cup of joe at Sir Walter Coffee, or rent a unit in Sir Walter Apartments. The city has also erected a statue in his honor.

Because of WOB’s location, the IBMA has used Sir Walter’s image in its marketing, like logos and graphic design, for at least a handful of years, including in 2019 and 2017. While it may seem logical and innocent at first blush, national conversations about removing colonial statues and images—like those of Christopher Columbus in Chicago or of Edward Colston in England—bear repeating in the bluegrass community. Bluegrass isn’t immune to critique, especially in the diversity and inclusion department, and Sir Walter Raleigh was no angel.

Before Raleigh came to what is now the United States, he gained the favor of Queen Elizabeth by throwing his cape over a puddle so the queen could cross without soiling her feet. She was enamored, and especially so after the young man returned from fighting at Smerwick. In the autumn of 1580, Irish rebels banded together with Spanish forces to oppose English rule. The English carried out the Siege of Smerwick to quash the rebellion.

After only three days, the English won, further cementing Ireland as the first English colony. Many sources report that every man, woman, and child in the Iron Age fort was beheaded, their bodies tossed into the sea. Several sources say Raleigh himself carried out the executions. While it is impossible to know if he swung the axe on men, on women, or on children, and on how many, we do know Raleigh supported English colonial efforts and likely acted as the Queen’s executioner at the battle.

Shortly after his victory in Ireland, Raleigh returned to the Queen’s court, a sort of swaggering golden boy and her right hand man. As the Queen’s favorite, Raleigh was given leave to colonize what he could in America, and he began planning what would become his first colony. In 1584, 1585, and 1587 Raleigh organized voyages to North America that led to his sponsorship of an English colony on Roanoke Island. Many readers will recognize Roanoke as “The Lost Colony” for its mysterious demise in 1590, so frequently theorized about. However, what happened before the colonizers disappeared is more important.

After receiving assistance in hunting and gathering from local indigenous tribes, the Roanoke colony attacked several of their Native American neighbors. At least one local chieftain was killed in 1586, beheaded in the woods, and other Native American women and children were attacked as tensions rose and relationships between the tribes and the colony eroded.

This interactive map shows a heartbreaking time lapse of indigenous land loss. “Land loss,” is a gentle term that doesn’t accurately depict the genocide of millions of Native Americans in North America. Since the arrival of Europeans, more than 90 percent of the Native population have been murdered or died from disease. Where North America was once 100% Native American, the United States is now only about 2% Native American by population. In his writings, Raleigh regularly referred to indigenous peoples as “savages,” and it is difficult to say just how many were killed under his watch at Roanoke.

After Roanoke failed, Raleigh lost the favor of the court and was imprisoned by Elizabeth’s successor, King James I, in 1603. However, he was freed in 1616 on the condition that he sail to South America and once again begin colonizing, searching for resources and gold. He invaded and pillaged territory under Spanish rule, defying a more pro-Spain King James. He was beheaded in 1618 after a third imprisonment in the Tower of London.

Sir Walter’s accomplishments, in the end, weren’t enough to save him from a new king’s wrath. But in the United States, especially in North Carolina, he enjoys a favor not afforded to him by the Crown. That doesn’t mean it’s right. The IBMA—while like many nonprofits is deserving of support—continues to use Raleigh’s image to market a multi-million-dollar event from which they receive hefty sponsorship dollars and sales revenues. To profit off Raleigh’s image is to profit from his actions, which include murder, colonization, piracy (he also captured and looted multiple Spanish ships), pillaging, and depending on which side of the Atlantic you live on, treason.

Many national conversations about the removal of statues and images are loud, drawing criticism and ire from either side. This year, the IBMA has the opportunity to calmly ditch Raleigh’s image from their marketing and set a precedent moving forward. So far, I have not seen any imagery of Sir Raleigh in this year’s virtual event marketing. And while the contract with the city of Raleigh was renewed for three more years in 2018 and runs until 2021, there’s no law forcing them to use Raleigh’s face on a logo next year. Excluding his face from a conference book or logo doesn’t require a loud press release or social media post, either. Sir Walter could simply fade away to where he belongs: the history books.

As the rest of the United States hotly debates which statues and idols to leave behind, the IBMA is in a particular place to choose who it moves forward with. Moving on without Sir Walter Raleigh is an easy, quiet way to decolonize bluegrass just a little.

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Bluegrass Beyond Borders: The M-City Ramblers cut Belgian grass

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

For the past five years, the M-City Ramblers have made it their mission to help establish a bastion for bluegrass in Belgium. Nevertheless, its evolution came naturally. The band played its first official gig at a regional contest for acoustic music in early 2016. Although they didn’t win, they received enough of an enthusiastic response to give them incentive to continue, which they’ve done by playing at least monthly ever since. The group’s repertoire consists of covers, but they adhere to tradition by singing around a single mic and emphasizing acoustic instrumentation. The tack’s done well for them, having secured them performances at the Low Country Bluegrass Festival in their native Belgium and at the La Roche Bluegrass Festival, taking place in France. 

The members of M-City Ramblers — Jef Fockaert (banjo, vocals), Geert Dignef (guitar, vocals), Maarten Rummens (dobro, lead vocals), Tom Broekmans (mandolin, vocals) — played separately in various bands prior to initially joining forces in 2015. Fockaert had performed in traditional Irish and bluegrass bands since the ’80s. Rummens began performing bluegrass in 2010 courtesy of a country/blues/bluegrass band that Dignef was also a part of. And while the other members of the outfit claim varied musical backgrounds, none of them have any formal musical training aside from Dignef, a high school music teacher. 

“We’re all more or less self-taught,” Broekmans says.

Fockaert says his interest in bluegrass was triggered by the folk boom that gained strength in Europe during the 1970’s. “Clubs and cafés started organizing small scale acoustic concerts,” he recalls. “That’s how I got to see some of the first Belgian bluegrass bands, like The Nuyens Family (who later went to live in the US) and a group called Smoketown Strut. The people from those bands managed to bring some American old-time bluegrass protagonists to Belgium, and that’s how I got to see people like Bill Keith, Tracy and Eloise Schwartz, Tom Paley, Peggy Seeger, Art Rosenbaum, Joe Val, Bill Clifton, Byron Berline, and The Country Gentlemen back in those days. I also got to see Jim and Jesse, Doc Watson, and Tony Trischka. Those people formed my musical taste.”

He adds that Earl Scruggs also had a profound influence on his banjo playing.

Although Fockaert is the oldest member of the band, Broekmans says that the rest of the band coalesced around the same musical ideals. “We’re about 20 years younger than Jef, but there has never been a generational conflict in the band so far,” he insists. “Still, Maarten’s, Geert’s, and my bluegrass history doesn’t go back as far as his.”

Rummens says it was his visit to the La Roche festival in 2018 that inspired his initial interest in the banjo, the dobro, and the sounds of traditional bluegrass. “My dobro playing is influenced by Andy Hall and Josh Graves,” he says. “I also love Uncle Josh’s bluesy style. My other influences are Rob Ickes and Andy Hall, of course.”

Dignef recalls that he first encountered bluegrass music after watching the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? some twenty years ago. “I was immediately struck by the sound,” he remembers. “I knew that this was what I was looking for. I guess it’s the same for other musicians who obsessively follow a genre like Bebop or Jazz-Manouche or Latin… It’s like falling in love really. After a detour in Mel Bay’s Fingerpicking books, I stumbled upon a Steve Kaufman book and found what I was looking for. I was playing this music alone in my room for a few years when I met Jef and Tom.”

Broekmans says his interest in bluegrass came about after he first began leaning away from rock and more towards roots rock, Americana, and country. “In hindsight, I realize that I was attracted towards the sound of the mandolin even before I was aware of the existence of bluegrass,” he recollects. “I think my rock background still influences my mandolin playing in some sort of subconscious way. My first encounter with bluegrass was when I heard Alison Krauss and Union Station in the late ’90s, and Nickel Creek around 2000. It was also the time of O Brother Where Art Thou? I dug into the history of the genre for a short time, but for some inexplicable reason, I completely abandoned it during the following years. As with many people in Belgium, it was the Belgian 2012 Academy Award-nominated movie The Broken Circle Breakdown that revitalized my interest. I had seen the movie with my students. While I always considered bluegrass just to be enjoyable music, I remember coming out of the movie theatre and having a student of mine say to me, ‘Wow! I get it, sir. I completely get it. This music is so powerful, full of emotions, the songs tell such strong stories.’ I felt exactly the same way. From that day on, bluegrass was back in my life to stay.”

Broekmans goes on to cite Chris Thile as one of the more profound influences on his technique. “As with many beginning mandolin players, I was fascinated by his virtuosity and technicality,” he suggests. “Even though he still astonishes me, I know that he’s one of the few ultra-extraordinary players. I now understand that there are other ways to be a good mandolin player too. However, I’m still searching for my own style.”

According to Broekmans, the Stanley Brothers remains one of his group’s major vocal influences. “Their singing is so magnificent, always sounding lively, lived and incredibly dynamic,” he reflects. “We play several Stanley songs, and with every new song we discover astonishingly beautiful details in their vocals. Apart from the Stanleys, we have learned a lot from The Bluegrass Album Band as well.”

Broekmans and Fockaert first met at a bluegrass jam in Antwerp late 2014. “We got to talking and it soon turned out we both came from the same small town. It must have been one of the first things Jef said to me — ‘Here’s my phone number. We have to start a band.’ At that time, I thought he was being rather direct — after all, I had just started learning the mandolin — but today I understand it. What are the odds that you come across a fellow bluegrass musician from the same small town in Belgium? We had no choice, it must have been destiny.”

It was only a short time later that Broekmans happened to meet Dignef at the high school where they were both teaching. “He had just started there as a music teacher,” Broekmans recalls. “He’s a very social guy, while I’m rather reserved. I had never seen him before, so I was a bit surprised when he came over and sat next to me in the teacher’s room and said, ‘I’m Geert, the new music teacher. Do you play music?’ I told him I played the mandolin. ‘No! Really? What kind of music?’ he asked. Bluegrass, I told him. ‘No way! I play bluegrass, too,’ he replied. ‘We should play together!’ Again, what are the odds you come across a fellow bluegrass musician from the same small town in Belgium, in the same school where you teach?”

If in fact it was fate, it seemed to have worked out well. The three musicians began playing the traditional songs they all knew and the genesis of the band was born. Nevertheless, as Broekmans explains, the current group only gelled recently.

“After about a year playing together, we were fed up having to play without a bass player,” Broekmans remembers. “As you might imagine, bluegrass double bass player is a bottleneck job in Belgium. So Geert proposed that he would teach a friend of his to play the bass. ‘He doesn’t play any instrument yet, but he’s got many skills and he’s a fast learner, and he can sing, too,’ he said. After only three months, his friend, Lukas Mees, showed up at our rehearsal. Lukas has a very powerful voice, full of character. We hadn’t only found our double bass player, we also found ourselves a great lead singer. Unfortunately, Lukas recently decided to quit the band due to a lack of time to play. So again, we found ourselves looking for a lead singer and a bass player. During the previous year, another Americana band Geert had also played in called Bash, had split up. It seemed evident that Maarten, their lead singer (and banjo and harmonica player), was looking for a more ‘strictly bluegrass’ band. So he was our guy. Maarten’s voice is different from Lukas’. He has a beautiful high pitch with a clear tone. When gigging, we’re also joined by Gertjan Alkemade, Bash’s former double bass player.”

Broekmans admits that the bluegrass scene in Belgium is very small (“I think you can count the number of Belgian bluegrass bands on both hands,” he says), and so is the number of true bluegrass aficionados. “A large part of our audiences hear us, because we just happened to play there,” he notes. “Nevertheless, the people who book us, are often specifically looking for a bluegrass oriented band.”

Even so, he says the audiences the group plays for are generally very enthusiastic, even those that aren’t familiar with bluegrass. “When playing for a sitting audience, people really appreciate the music,” he says. “While many people think of bluegrass music as ‘cowboy or Western music,’ after listening to our set, they understand what the music is about. In that respect, talking about the songs during the set helps as well.”

That said, Broekmans notes that there are occasional obstacles there are needed to be overcome. “Since bluegrass often sounds all the same to many people, it’s a challenge to counter that,” he admits. “We try not to limit ourselves to the typical up-tempo bluegrass songs, and instead we try to bring some variety with some instrumentals, waltzes, or Gospel songs. Apparently, our audiences appreciate our harmony vocals, which I think is kind of funny. Jef, Geert, and I are not great singers, nor do we have beautiful singing voices. But apparently, when you add them together on top of a lead vocal, they usually blend very well. Add to that the fact that we are not instrumental virtuosos. So you could say that the M-City Ramblers is a good example of what happens when there’s a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.”

Dignef also mentions that Belgian folk music utilizes instruments that are quite different from those common to bluegrass and other distinct Americana styles. “The folk scene in Belgium still uses bagpipes, the lute, the hurdy gurdy, and all sorts of flutes and drums,” he explains. “Fifty years ago, you could learn to play the vielle, an alto-violin that you play like a cello. The accordion was also popular in Flanders from the beginning of the 20th century until the 1980’s. On the other hand, modern traditional Flemish music mixes old instruments with the instruments of a rock band that might play in an unplugged session. Although it still sounds medieval with the harmonized singing, the quality, the melody, and the tone of the voices make it accessible.”

For his part, Broekmans believes that bluegrass can provide unified appeal, even for those who might not know the form at first.

“I think for many people who are not really familiar with bluegrass, it often just sounds like up-tempo, happy music,” he suggests. “It makes them feel joyful. To me, one of the most beautiful things about bluegrass is its juxtaposition between form and content. Indeed, it sounds joyful most of the time, but when you start listening to many of the lyrics, the songs often do portray some of the difficulties of life — the loss of, or rejection by, a loved one, adultery, the belief in God, and the deviation from it. Like that student of mine once said. the music is full of emotions.”

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Phil Leadbetter and Pinecastle offer new single as benefit for Steve Gulley’s family

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

Reso-guitar legend Phil Leadbetter has come up with a perfect way to honor his dear friend, the recently deceased Steve Gulley.

Steve and Phil had been friends since boyhood, and worked together for years as founding members of Grasstowne. Realizing the hole that has been dug for Steve’s family by both his medical bills, and the loss of his income – not to mention the emotional damage – Leadbetter decided to offer all proceeds to Debbie Gulley from a song that she sang with Steve, Yesterday’s Gone, on Phil’s upcoming album with The All-Stars of Bluegrass.

The project in question, Swing For The Fences, won’t be released until late September, but Pinecastle Records has made Yesterday’s Gone available as a single in advance. So if you download the song before the album drops, the money goes to the Gulley family.

Phil offered this lovely tribute to Steve as the song is released.

“Steve Gulley was one of the most talented guys I have ever known. One of the best singers ever in bluegrass music. Much more than this, one of the kindest, biggest-hearted guys you could ever meet.

Steve was one of the most devout Christians I have ever known. Steve wasn’t afraid to talk about his faith no matter where he was. He really loved the Lord.

One of the most dedicated family men I have ever known, he loved his wife Debbie, his kids, and his grandkids. Steve was really loved and admired by so many. That love and admiration went way beyond the bluegrass field. I know if he was here today, he would be shocked at all the tributes that have been coming in for him.

Just a couple months ago, Steve was working on a side project with me, along with Alan Bibey, Jason Burleson, and Robert Hale. One of the last tunes to be completed was a song called Yesterday’s Gone. Steve totally killed the song with his rendition!! We needed a female to sing a tenor part of the song.

Steve’s wife Debbie had a long career in country music. She worked many years at The Renfro Valley Barn Dance as a featured vocalist, and was a natural to sing this part. I am so thankful and blessed that we were able to get them both together on this one song singing together

Debbie called me last week (the day after Steve’s death), and one of the things she brought up was how thankful she was to sing this song with Steve, and how much it meant to be asked to be part of this recording. She was such an obvious choice to do this.

Today, I just listened to this song a couple times, and I realized that I was the one that was really blessed by getting to have both of these incredible singers, husband and wife, singing a love song to each other on our recording.”

Here’s a listen to Yesterday’s Gone.

Yesterday’s Gone is available for download now from popular online sites, and to radio programmers from AirPlay Direct. It’s a great way to support Steve’s family.

Phil has also started a GoFundMe campaign to assist Debbie with medical expenses. Please contribute if you can.

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Born To Do drops for Ray Cardwell

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

Bonfire Music has released a first single from their upcoming album for newgrass singer and songwriter, Ray Cardwell.

The full album, Just A Little Rain, isn’t set to hit until next month, but today we get a taste of the project on Born To Do, which finds Ray supported by Tony Wray on banjo and guitar, Adam Haynes on fiddle, producer Danny Roberts on mandolin, and Jaelee Roberts on harmony vocals, Ray is playing bass and singing lead.

Cardwell says that the single has an autobiographical theme.

“I wrote Born To Do about the life I love in a sing song manner. A lot of people don’t get the life of a musician. A few get fortunate to live it. It can be hard on families and relationships, but the fast pace and singing songs is what I love.”

Here’s a taste…

Like the rest of us, Ray is eager to see the bluegrass music scene return to normal.

“This has been such a difficult year for musicians and fans alike. I’ve missed playing music and visiting with friends and family. Recording was such a great release. We all enjoyed our time together. I can’t wait to share this new pocket full of songs with you. I hope to see you at the festivals next year!”

Born To Do is available now wherever you stream or download music online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Look for Just A Little Rain on September 25.

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IBMA announces hosts, performers for 2020 Bluegrass Music Awards

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Azlyrics

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced a quartet of top artists to serve as anchors for the all-virtual 2020 Bluegrass Music Awards.

Chosen as co-hosts this year are Sierra Hull, Joe Newberry, Tim O’Brien, and Rhonda Vincent, who will hold down the central part of the program, throwing to pre-recorded live sets and award presentations on tape.

As is usually the case, live performances are on tap from all six Entertainer of the Year nominees, as well as special features celebrating 2020 as the 75th anniversary of the birth of bluegrass. These have been shot in advance on video, in various locations in Nashville and Raleigh.

Other show segments announced by IBMA include:

  • On stage at the Ryman, the Del McCoury Band will perform a classic Bill Monroe song in celebration of the 75th anniversary of bluegrass.

  • In a tribute to Doc Watson, his longtime band mate T. Michael Coleman is joined by all five Guitar Player of the Year nominees for a rousing Black Mountain Rag.

  • In a tribute to J.D. Crowe, his ex-band member Jerry Douglas has collected an amazing lineup of IBMA royalty, including all five banjo nominees, joined by Douglas, Sam Bush, Missy Raines and David Grier.

  • Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper will perform a song from the fiddling virtuoso’s 2020 GRAMMY-winning album, Tall Fiddler.

  • Taj Mahal joins the fun virtually – from Northern California – when he joins Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley with nominated sidemen Mike Bub and Stuart Duncan, performing at the Ryman, for Sittin’ on Top of the World.

  • Becky Buller, Missy Raines, and Alison Brown will perform an original hymn by Buller, Take Me Over Jordan, for the In Memoriam segment.

  • To salute women in bluegrass history and the 20th anniversary of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, four female nominees (including host Rhonda Vincent) will sing the a cappella Down to the River to Pray from the groundbreaking project. 

  • An opening number recreating that night 75 years ago when Flatt and Scruggs joined Bill Monroe on stage at the Ryman Auditorium. 

Everything about this year’s show had to be reimagined on the fly, as North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s shutdown orders would not allow for the convention or the awards show to go on as scheduled in Raleigh. So IBMA had to come up with a plan to host everything online, an entirely new experience with little time to consider options.

But show producer Joanne Gardner Lowell says that all hands have been willing to make adjustments as necessary.

“This show has been a pleasure to produce. When I started talking with the IBMA earlier this year, we were Raleigh bound. I’ve been so impressed by how eager all of the IBMA team and the performers have been to pivot and create an entirely new program with virtual aspects. It’s a testament to how the people in the bluegrass community are focused on pulling together to make lemonade out of the large crate of lemons we’ve all been handed this year.”

If you had watched any of the recent political convention coverage, you can get an idea of how the awards show will run, though with fewer flags and patriotic songs. Oh… and shorter speeches.

A list of nominees for 2020 can be found here.

The best news for bluegrass lovers is that the online version of the IBMA Bluegrass Awards on October 1 will be free to all via the IBMA Facebook page and the World of Bluegrass web site starting at 8:00 p.m. (EDT). Please share the news with anyone who might enjoy a first class presentation of what bluegrass is all about, or invite them to join you for a watch party at your home.

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Gangstagrass continues stylistic mashup on No Time For Enemies

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Azlyrics

For as long as we’ve been covering the bluegrass music scene, even before The Bluegrass Blog was absorbed by Bluegrass Today, we’ve had our eye on Gangstagrass. This genre-bending outfit takes the banjo and fiddle out of the mountains and brings them downtown where they mix with contemporary beats and hip hop vocals.

While not everyone’s cup of tea, the compelling sound of Gangstagrass is the brainchild of the Brooklyn-based audio engineer and producer who goes by the name of Rench, who has generated a strong following for their music across a wide spectrum of music consumers.

The group consists of Rench on guitar, vocals, and beats, assisted by Dan Whitener on banjo, Brian Farrow on fiddle, and R-SON the Voice of Reason and Dolio the Sleuth on vocals. They stick with the tried-and-true song format, featuring a rap breakdown, that gives Gangstagrass an interesting urban/rural, black/white edge.

Their latest album, No Time For Enemies, keeps with this pattern on a mix of new and standard material. Mostly created by members of the group, it also contains guest contributions, like this mashup of styles on the old Stephen Foster classic, Hard Times, featuring vocalist Kaia Kater. Rench maintains the tragic beauty of this timeless melody, setting it against more raucous rhymes from the hippity hoppers in the band.

You get a more typical expression of the Gangstagrass vibe on Ride With You, a Rench original, which uses a county-flavored chord progression and melody, punctuated by the voice percussion and lyric repetition more common in the hip hop world. Noteworthy in their music, however, is the more upbeat tone of the raps, which seek to lift up more than tear down, and don’t wallow in the narcissism and nihilism that often marks this art form.

Whitener, who also goes by Danjo, says the paradox of the genre mashup shouldn’t really be seen as odd.

“Bluegrass and hip-hop have more in common than you might think, and that’s obvious throughout our new album, No Time For Enemies. At their core, both genres are all about authentic storytelling. And whether it’s a new original song like Ride With You, or a 170-year-old tune by Stephen Foster like Hard Times Come Again No More, there’s a shared theme of tough times and enduring hardship. We bridge the gap between centuries by talking about what’s behind us and what’s to come. Rench’s half-realistic, half-optimistic hook from Ride With You says ‘the future is a bumpy ride… I wanna ride with you,’ while R-SON’s chilling verse from Hard Times ends by reminding us that the present isn’t as rosy as we would like to think, saying ‘hard times are still here’.”

And they always will be.

Their music clearly won’t appeal to all bluegrass lovers, many of whom become agitated when any other sound infiltrates the music they treasure, but many others – especially those who already appreciate rap and hip hop – will find its charm.

No Time For Enemies is widely available now wherever you stream or download music online.

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From The Side of the Road – That song is driving me crazy!

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Azlyrics

We all get songs stuck in our heads from time-to-time. They’re often really annoying ones like that Liberty Insurance jingle with the highly creative lyrics: “Liberty liberty liberty . . . liberty.” Or it can be a long and melodically repetitive song, like Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (though it’s well worth it if you’re actually remembering all the words while the tune is on repeat in your brain). Just so there’s no misunderstanding, I love Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (the song, not the wreck itself), but after about 30 minutes, I’m ready for another melody.

I’ll admit that the one that’s been going through my mind for the last four hours is a somewhat unconventional choice: it’s Over the Hills to the Poorhouse by Flatt & Scruggs. Could be a 2020 thing. The fact is that even songs you love dearly can really get on your nerves after a few hours.

Can anything be done about this? Well maybe, but it’s not as easy a process as you might think. Meditation enthusiasts will tell you that you shouldn’t try to keep thoughts from encroaching on your mindfulness. It just makes the thoughts grouchy and more determined than ever to disrupt your peace. They recommend the “catch and release” system: just let the thoughts come in, then let them go on to wherever thoughts go when they leave, usually to the local thought bar (those are still open).

Unfortunately, this doesn’t work with music that’s determined to stay lodged in your brain. Those songs can only be purged by replacing them with other songs that may be just as annoying, but that lack the same staying power. It turns out there’s a science to it, according to Doctor Gerald van Oorworm, a world-renowned song displacement expert and therapist. “The idea is to replace it with a song that’s equally ‘catchy’ to the ear, but which lacks some of the original song’s addictive qualities.” In other words, it’s a sort of musical methadone treatment. 

“For some reason, though,” explained Doctor van Oorworm, “my research has revealed that it’s necessary that the new song have something in common lyrically with the song you want to replace, preferably a word in the title. Fortunately the songs do not have to be of the same genre, so that gives some flexibility.”

Well that’s a relief. This means that when you’ve got Rocky Top playing over and over in your brain, you can replace it with The Beatles’ Rocky Raccoon. Or if that doesn’t work, use Bill Monroe’s Rocky Road Blues, or as a last resort, Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger (from the Rocky movie).

Using this method, here are some suggested song substitutions to possibly provide some needed relief:

Uncle Pen — Pig in a Pen

I’m a Man of Constant Sorrow — Life of Sorrow

(on second thought, that one is also from the Stanley Brothers’ catalog, and the melody is almost identical, so you might not be gaining much. Instead, you might want to try Johnny Rivers’ Secret Agent Man)

Salty Dog Blues — Who Let the Dogs Out

Down the Road — Down in the Boondocks or just Down Down Down

Matterhorn — This one’s challenging, but you can always break it up and use Buddy Holly’s It Doesn’t Matter Anymore, otherwise you’ll just have to find another song containing “Albert the Australian.”

Fox on the Run — The Fox or Run Little Rabbit Run or Running Bear (songs with running animals are easily replaced by songs with other running animals)

Jimmy Brown the Newsboy — Chuck Berry’s Brown Eyed Handsome Man (who may also deliver newspapers)

Ole Slew Foot — Footloose

1952 Vincent Black Lightning — George Jones’ White Lightning, or Don McClean’s Vincent

Wildwood Flower — Ed Sheeran’s Supermarket Flowers or the Troggs’ Wild Thing

These are all fairly straightforward and are likely to be effective, but I asked Doctor Van Oorworm what he advised in the case of songs for which it was very difficult to find another song with a common word in the title, like Dooley or El Cumbanchero. He paused for a moment, then said, “There is what I refer to as the ‘nuclear option’.” In hushed tones he continued: “I know of two songs that are very powerful universal replacements, usable for any song, but these should only be used in the most extreme circumstances, for example if you’ve had a song like Michael Jackson’s Beat It in your head for over six straight weeks. One of these songs will displace it, or any song, but it may not be worth the long term effect on your brain.” 

I was intrigued, yet cautious. “Could you reveal these titles in case it should ever be necessary to take such a drastic step?” I asked. He looked at me gravely, then proceeded to write two titles down on a sheet of paper and slide the paper towards me, apparently unwilling to utter the names out loud. They were Wagon Wheel and 1-877-KARS-FOR-KIDS.

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Wintergrass introduces PocketGrass while the festival is postponed

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Azlyrics

The good folks at Wintergrass have been pondering how best to stay in touch with bluegrass lovers in the Pacific northwest while the festival is on hold due to COVID restrictions.

This festival is deeply appreciated by grassers in this part of the US and Canada, especially coming as it does during a time of the year when everything seems dark and cold. Regular attendees are missing in advance all the camaraderie and music they look forward to eagerly each year.

So staff have launched a new web series called PocketGrass, which will feature 12 episodes running 45 minutes each, including music, magic, storytelling, and a brief instrument workshop. They settled on a variety show format to keep the videos running smoothly, combining new and archival footage to bring the Wintergrass experience to loyal followers as best they can.

Each episode of PocketGrass will be based on a theme of some kind, with musical guests, and other aspects of the show, carrying this motif. They will be offered on the Wintergrass YouTube channel, free of charge, with one airing each month.

The debut episode will stream on September 10, and is described this way by the producers.

The first of twelve episodes has a theme of Blackberries. Storyteller and host, Aunt Mama, will take us on a musical trip around the world that includes Mike Block and Sandeep Das, Runaway Train, Squirrel Butter, and magician Chris the Conjurer. Ricky Gene Powell will teach a song in lightning speed on various instruments. Designed for all ages, PocketGrass will be built around a theme that includes a recipe and a story.

Other guests set to appear on futures shows include Laurie Lewis, Mike Marshall, Betse Ellis and Nefesh Mountain, and Kenny & Amanda Smith.

Patrice O’Neill, Executive Director of Wintergrass, says that they didn’t want to wait to come up with something to offer their fans.

“We are in this, and rather than looking back or holding our breath, until a different future emerges, we’re creating something that provides both work for artists, while entertaining and connecting with our fans. We miss our bluegrass family and want to be together, even if it’s virtual.”

And like all major festivals, they hope that those who enjoy the PocketGrass shows will consider making donations to help the festival during its forced year on hiatus.

To make sure you don’t miss an episode, Wintergrass encourages people to subscribe to the YouTube channel, or sign up for their email newsletter.

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Jaelee Roberts to Mountain Home Music

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Azlyrics

Mountain Home Music has announced the signing of young bluegrass singer and songwriter, Jaelee Roberts, to the label.

Born of bluegrass royalty, the 19 year old vocalist is the daughter of Danny Roberts, mandolinist with The Grascals, and Andrea Mullins Roberts, former singer with Special Consensus and Petticoat Junction. Growing up around the world of professional bluegrass music, Jaelee got a first hand look at how it all works, from the creative and recording side, to the drudgery of travel and separation.

Even as a preteen, it was quite common to find her jamming with both groups of other youngsters, and more experienced pros alike, at festivals and concerts where her parents were involved. Andrea also runs the Andrea Roberts Agency, who books and manages several top acts in bluegrass, so most any weekend, either mom or dad was off to a show with Jaelee in tow.

Danny and The Grascals also provided plenty of opportunities for Jaelee to sing with them on stage, so that even as a college student, she can truly say that she has years of professional experience.

Miss Roberts says that she had to pinch herself once the deal with her new label was done.

“Some of my biggest musical influences have been or are on Mountain Home, and for me to be among them almost doesn’t seem real. There is always so much amazing music coming from this label, and having the opportunity to make my own music is what I’ve hoped for and dreamed about. I’m so blessed to now be able to call myself a Mountain Home recording artist, and to be part of the MH family — and it really is family.”

She possess an unusually agile and powerful voice, and a deep familiarity with the bluegrass tradition. There is every reason expect her to find success in our industry.

Have a listen with her 2019 take on All My Tears, covering Emmylou Harris’ version from twenty five years ago.

Now in her second year in the songwriting and music business program at Middle Tennessee State University, Roberts says that she is psyched to see how much appeal tradition-based music has to her age group.

“I see myself as being a friend and ‘cheerleader’ to others. I have been around bluegrass music all of my life and have grown up with so many people around my age that it seriously feels like we’re a huge family. I learn from my peers and I feel like we all learn from each other; it’s really quite cool to see how many of the younger generation are sticking with the bluegrass and classic country roots alongside those who are going for more ‘out of the box’ sounds. I love being part of this music, and I’m so blessed to be surrounded by so many friends who are so talented, and share the love of music just like I do!”

Keep an eye out for some new music soon from Jaelee Roberts and Mountain Home Music.

Posted in Lyrics | Tags: Mountain Home Music | Leave a comment |

Track Premiere: Alley Cat from Gina Furtado Project

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Azlyrics

Today we have another single from the upcoming Mountain Home release from The Gina Furtado Project, a fun little song about being captivated by something you know you don’t really want.

Gina wrote and sings Alley Cat about an encounter with a feline friend who draws her attention, and delivers some affection, but who is ultimately certain to be bad news. Set to a Celtic-flavored melody, the tune takes the listener on a short, sweet trip through this wildcat rendezvous.

But while the lyrics stick with the allegory of the puss on the porch, Gina says it contains a deeper truth about many influences that might come into your life.

“Alley Cat is for anyone who has been charmed completely and unexpectedly — whether it be by a stray kitty, or any other free spirit.”

Furtado is on banjo, with her sister, Malia, on fiddle, Drew Matulich on guitar, and Max Johnson on bass.

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

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Wernick Method announces winners in Safe Jam Contest

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Azlyrics

Pete Wernick, aka Dr. Banjo, and his Wernick Method instructional system for jammers, have announced the winners in round one of their Safe Jam Contest.

This online video competition was launched to encourage people learning to play bluegrass to get out and jam despite the COVID restrictions, by finding safe ways to get together and pick. To enter, any group of 3 or more people simply need to shoot a video of themselves jamming, observing proper social distancing protocols, and send it along online.

Entrants are judged on picking, safely measures observed, video quality, and overall entertainment value. Pete and his wife, Joan, serve as judges, along with Wayne Benson and Kristin Scott Benson. Winners receive merchandise from the deep catalog of Dr. Banjo and Wernick Method materials.

Wernick says that the inspiration for the contest has been his desire to keep people playing during shutdowns, when camps and classes have largely been set aside.

“Our Wernick Method jam classes worldwide have been disrupted of course, but we had to do something. Our mission is all about getting people jamming, so we spread the word about the Contest, and sure enough, folks went outside and picked! Half the points were for safety, so the jams looked pretty well-spaced, and they all sounded good!”

The whole idea is not to compare yourselves to professional artists, or to show off, but simply to get out there and pick!

This week the winners of Round 1 in the Safe Jam Contest have been announced.

  • 1st Place: The Possum Track Pickers (Raleigh, NC) for Over in Glory Land recorded in the back yard, following a precise diagram assigning proper spacing.
  • 2nd Place: The Lonesome Alligator Band (St. Petersburg, FL) for I’ll Go Stepping Too, recorded by a scenic Florida lake.
  • 3rd Place: Hoot ‘n Holler (San Jose, CA) for Mind Your Own Business, recorded in a California forest.

Here is the winning video.

Nice job!

A second round has started this week, and Pete says that they are accepting video entries on Facebook until September 12. Full contest rules and an online entry submission form can be found at DrBanjo.com.

So get out there, and get your creative ideas on video. One submission in the first round employed drone photography to capture a jam. It’s all about fun, and not being afraid to get out there… safely.

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Vienna video from The Bad Oats

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Azlyrics

We’ve commented several times over the years about the burgeoning string music scene in Boston, enriched by the city’s two major music schools accepting folk and bluegrass music as a field of study. Not only are the New England Conservatory and the Berklee College of Music located in Boston, they very nearly abut one another in the same neighborhood, where students and faculty commonly share facilities and classrooms.

Of course, now that these prestigious schools are attracting young pickers – and music students from other backgrounds are being exposed to traditional string arts – opportunities abound for new groups to form and pursue their own ideas. This had been the proving ground for Mile Twelve, perhaps the most recent new bluegrass band to form in Bean Town, as it was for Crooked Still, Joy Kills Sorrow, The Lonely Heartstrings Band, and The Deadly Gentlemen before them.

The very nature of the college experience encourages students to try on new ideas and concepts, and so it goes with the young musicians in conservatories, exploring different and experimental sounds.

Today we look at another such group, calling themselves The Bad Oats. The quintet are all current students at Berklee, who met in class over the course of several months. And with an undergrad’s sense of humor, they initially performed as The Tinder Sweethearts, doing house shows as well as the Joe Val and FreshGrass festivals.

But mandolinist Sam Powers tells us that while the name was not without its appeal within their age demographic, they all figured it might not be the best going forward.

“We started the band under the name The Tinder Sweethearts, but decided that a more professional route didn’t involve the name of a dating app. It was a hotly debated subject for a while, but we eventually settled on The Bad Oats.”

Along with Sam on mandolin, The Bad Oats are Charlie Jack Fuertsch on guitar, Graham Northrop on banjo, Lucy Singelton on vocals, and Jeff Halpin on bass.

They have a debut EP set for digital release next month, and have a live performance video of one of the tracks to share.

“The roots department at Berklee is so small that just about everyone knows everyone else. Lucy, Charlie, Graham, and I were in an ensemble taught by Greg Liszt, where we arranged and performed contemporary music in a stringband setting. Our arrangement of Vienna came out of that ensemble. After the semester ended we had a rehearsal where we invited Jeff to join on bass and from that point on we were a band.”

See what you think of their take on this Billy Joel classic.

The Bad Oats couldn’t completely abandon their original name, so the upcoming EP is titled, Tinder Sweetheart. Pre-orders are available now online.

It is set for a September 15 release.

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2020 NewSong Showcase winners announced by Walnut Valley Festival

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Azlyrics

Like every other music festival these days, last weekend’s Walnut Valley Festival, normally held in Winfield, KS, will be hosted online.

What would have been their 49th annual running of the festival, along with its prestigious picking competitions, was postponed until 2021. But they did go ahead with their songwriting contest, the NewSong Showcase. The difference this year is that winners will be unable to perform their compositions on stage in front of the live audience, but Walnut Valley will take care of that with a special live-stream concert on September 18 where both the winners and alternates will have the chance to sing their songs.

This year, during what organizers are calling WVF 48.5, the NewSong Showcase was curated by our very own Chris Jones, who says that he was taken by the strong character of songwriting on display.

“I was impressed by the quality and range of the songs that were entered. I love the process of discovering new songs, so I really appreciate the Walnut Valley Festival entrusting me with this job. I’m also grateful to the outstanding judges who lent their ears and their hearts to the often difficult task of determining winners, and who gave really valuable feedback to all the writers. I’m especially thankful to the songwriters who opened themselves up and let us hear their work and their art.”

Songs are submitted and considered in a total of ten categories.

The judging is complete, and the winners are: 

Songs about Winfield

Winners: 

  • The Old Walnut River – J.D. Benning
  • Weekend at Winfield – Mike Ichniowski

Alternates:

  • Pick Your Paradise – Ron Walker
  • Pickin’ in the Road – Evan Ogborn

Songs for a Better World

Winners:

  • Land of the Great Osage – Annie B. Wilson
  • Maria’s Dusty Shoes – Beth Lee

Alternates:

  • Better Angels – James L. Herrmann
  • Let Us Not Close Our Hearts – Joy Zimmerman 

Sweet Memories

Winners:

  • Enjoy the Ride – Mackie Redd/Kenny Cornell 
  • No Time Son – Jim McCarter  

Alternates:

  • That Old Front Porch – Kenny Cornell 
  • Hard Wheat Harvest of ’84 – James L. Herrmann                                                     

Religion/Spirit

Winners:

  • Restless Wanderer – Ralph Wesley Carr 
  • Druid Hymn – Emily K. Johnson-Erday 

Alternates:

  • Loaves and Fishes – Patrice Webb  
  • Just Passing Through – Beth Lee   

None of the Above

Winners:

  • Hell Bender – Beth Lee 
  • Coyote Serenade – Annie Wilson 

Alternates:

  • On the Connecticut – Stan Sullivan 
  • Put My Mind at Ease – Ken Weddington, Felix Rodriguez, Jose Antonio Ponce, Dan Johnson  

Suitable for Children

Winners:

  • Lost Shoe Blues – Mike Yoder 
  • I’m Just a Buzzin’ – Mark A. Noble  

Alternates:

  • Daisy the Bottle Calf – Annie B. Wilson  
  • Dogs and Cats Are People Too – Mark A. Noble

Humorous Songs

Winners:

  • The Old Clunker – Bruce Allinder 
  • In Love with Your Phone – Kelly Champlin, Adam Gardino 

Alternates:

  • Stealing Jesus – Jim McCarter 
  • Car Parts Party – Kenny Cornell, Elliot Rogers 

Instrumental

Winners:

  • Ghost Town – Robert Olaf Siegers, Cricket Tombs 
  • The Meadowlark Rag – Greg Bryant 

Alternates:

  • Re-entry – Alice Boyle
  • Nocturne for Lily – Steve Taylor 

Love Songs

Winners:

  • I Could Never Write Our Love Song – Jim Carrington  
  • Good Night For a Change – Jim Joyce, Leah Watts 

Alternates:

  • His Coal Mining Days Are Through – Kevin T. Hale  
  • How ‘Bout You – Mark Noble

Feeling Blue

Winners:

  • A Letter and a Hope – Beth Nelson
  • What’s a Poor Girl to Do – Beth Lee 

Alternates:

  • Evangeline – Fred Baue
  • Living in Heartbreak and Pain – Kevin T. Hale  

Well done and congratulations all!

The online winners showcase will be held starting at 7:00 p.m. (CDT) on Friday, September 18, at the official Walnut Valley Festival web site.

Posted in Lyrics | Leave a comment |

Steep Canyon Rangers gearing up for Drive-In Tour

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

Live bluegrass music is coming back, slowly but surely, as fans, artists, and promoters find creative ways to present it a safe and secure environment. While some will prefer to stay away from all gatherings for an indeterminate time, many others are eager to attend shows when and where they can.

Folks in western North Carolina have three opportunities to catch Steep Canyon Rangers this week, in a series of free, socially-distanced concerts they are calling their Drive-In Tour. Attendees will enjoy their music in their cars, while watching the band perform on a specially-outfitted mobile stage, equipped with a 16 foot LED screen.

Audio will be transmitted via a low-power FM signal to the car stereo systems, and everyone can enjoy the show from the comfort of their vehicle.

And best of all, thanks to the generosity of several band sponsors, there is no charge to attend. But parking spots for these drive-in concerts must be reserved in advance, and space is limited.

Shows scheduled later this week will be in:

  • 8/27 – Brevard, NC
  • 8/28 – Mills River, NC
  • 8/29 – Burnsville, NC

If you are unable to attend the live performance, all three shows will be live-streamed on the SCR Facebook page, also free of charge.

The band requests that everyone who comes to the drive-in shows, or watches them online, please consider a donation to Can’d Aid, and their TUNES program, which provides musical instruments and lessons to underprivileged youth.

Steep Canyon Rangers are now accepting pre-orders for their next project on Yep Roc Records, Arm In Arm, set for release October 16.

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No Matter Where It Goes From Here – Wood & Wire

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

They say there’s no such thing as overnight success, but leave it to Wood & Wire to come as close as any band can. Their auspiciously titled offering North Of Despair, released two years ago, garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album, and now, a mere seven years after their eponymous debut, they can claim a sizable following and the kind of buzz most bands only acquire after several decades of ongoing activity. 

Given their assertive stance and the confidence they’ve exhibited even at the outset, there’s little doubt as to why they’ve been able to come so far in such a relatively short time. The band — composed of Trevor Smith (banjo), Billy Bright (mandolin), Dom Fisher (bass), and Tony Kamel (leader singer/guitar) — boast an affinity for bluegrass that would seem to belie their original musical inclinations. Smith is a veteran of several hardcore ensembles, Bright preferred punk, and Fisher earned his degree in jazz.

Nevertheless, inspired by Bill Monroe and the free reign Monroe’s music inspired even early on, the group not only offers a steadfast devotion to bluegrass, but also to the further possibilities it provides. Consequently, the band isn’t afraid to step beyond bluegrass bounds on more than one occasion. It’s a tack they demonstrate decidedly on their latest release, No Matter Where It Goes From Here, while delving into the bluesy designs of Pigs, the nuanced narrative of Spirit of ’94 and the singular strum of Home & The Banjo. These are story songs of sorts, resonating with a dedication and devotion that not only animate each entry, but also find empathy and emotion figuring prominently in the proceedings. 

Naturally, there’s no shortage of adept instrumentation either. Roadie’s Circle offers opportunity for a jaunty extended jam, while the down-home designs of Can’t Keep Up suggest there’s no danger of them ever faltering, even if the title indicates otherwise. Melody and musicality find common cause throughout, and one never supersedes the other. The nine tracks included on this album are carefully crafted, from the easy saunter of Paddlewheels to John, the album’s upbeat opener. Indeed, although it’s only nine songs long, the variety and versatility allow every note to count, which means that there’s not a single song that ever seems out of sync.

Suffice it to say, No Matter Where It Goes From Here easily indicates that a favorable future is quite certain and secure. 

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Tom Mindte to receive 2020 Washington Monument Award

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

The DC Bluegrass Union has announced Tom Mindte, owner and founder of Patuxent Music in Rockville, MD, as the 2020 recipient of their Washington Monument Award. This award is given annually to an individual in the DC metropolitan area, recognized for outstanding contributions to bluegrass music both regionally and nationally.

Both the label and the studio have recorded and produced dozens of albums of American roots music, including bluegrass, old time, blues, jazz, swing, dixieland, and traditional country. A special focus of Patuxent, and of its owner, has been the music of  of burgeoning, young, up-and-coming artists which Mindte has consistently featured years before they become widely recognized in our community.

Despite the wide variety of musical styles he has covered, bluegrass has made up 200 of the 350 projects from Patuxent since the label was launched in 1984.

Tom’s own musical interests lie primarily in bluegrass as well, owing to his own fascination with the mandolin and the music of Bill Monroe. Long before starting the label, he frequented bluegrass festivals and shows in the Capitol region, and developed a fondness for popular performer Buzz Busby. Soon he was playing in Buzby’s band, and Mindte continues to work his mandolin magic whenever the opportunity arises amidst his busy schedule as chief engineer and label head.

The presentation of the Washington Monument Award will take place on Wednesday, August 26, during an online ceremony beginning at 8:00 p.m. (EDT). It will be streamed live on the DCBU Facebook page, including live music from The Wildmans, and testimonials from Danny Knicely, Nate Leath, and Randy Barrett.

Tom will receive the award from Katy Daley, its 2017 recipient, who says that while Mindte is rightly known for his championing of the music of young bluegrass and old time artists, he also has a passion for the veterans of the style.

“Tom has lived the history of bluegrass music in DC. He has recorded many of the greats of this region, including Frank Wakefield, Eddie Adcock, Darren Beachley, the Stoneman Sisters, and Danny Paisley.”

In addition to his work with the label, Mindte will be honored for his good humor and ongoing desire to see our music flourish.

Well deserved. Congratulations, Tom Mindte!

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Love Bug video from The Kody Norris Show

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Azlyrics

There is one solid truth in the bluegrass world that you can take to the bank – if you don’t have fun at a Kody Norris show, you need to check your fun-ometer. Sure it’s corny, and maybe even silly at times, but The Kody Norris Show means to entertain bluegrass audiences, and they prove it every time they take the stage.

Recently signed to Rebel Records, they have released a first single from their first album with the label, a new number Norris wrote called Love Bug. No… it’s not the George Jones classic from the ’60s, or even the Jonas Brothers hit from a decade ago, but a brand new love song about Kody’ romance and eventual marriage to his best friend and fiddle player, Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris.

Love Bug is a cheerful, beguiling little song, providing just the sort of distraction many folks need these days.

Have a listen in the accompanying music video, shot while Kody and crew were on tour in San Antonio. The video was filmed and edited by Scott Sanders, and directed by Amy Richmond.

The Kody Norris Show is Kody on guitar and vocal, Mary Rachel on fiddle, Josiah Tyree on banjo, and Charlie Lowman on bass.

Mark Freeman, President of Rebel Records, says that shutdown restrictions have slowed down a new project from the band, but that he is pleased to be able to offer this new single now.

“When we signed The Kody Norris Show back in January, we were excited about releasing a full project this summer. But, like so many, we have had to adapt and change our plans due to COVID-19. Fortunately the band had a few numbers in the can before the pandemic hit, including Love Bug, which is such a catchy song! We are now thrilled to present it as a first single to whet the appetites of folks in anticipation of the full release.”

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

Look for a new, full length album from The Kody Norris Show early next year.

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Virtual World of Bluegrass details for 2020

Posted on August 22, 2020 by Azlyrics

The IBMA staff in Nashville have been busy little beavers this past several weeks, learning new technology and investigating the best ways to implement their first ever virtual convention when World of Bluegrass 2020 goes online for the first time.

Though working from home for the time being, Director of Operations Eddie Huffman shared with me today some of the details on how this is all going to work, and what virtual attendees can expect when the convention and festival go live September 28 through October 3. He said that there are still a number of unknowns that they are still working through, but they feel that things are in place well enough to open registration next week.

Many of the typical World of Bluegrass functions we all love will be offered free of charge to everyone online, like the Bluegrass Ramble concerts, the Bluegrass Music Awards, and the weekend IBMA Bluegrass Live festival, but the Business Conference seminars, membership meetings, Industry and Momentum Awards, and professional development sessions will be limited to registered virtual attendees.

A steeply discounted price is offered this year, with IBMA members being charged $99 for the week, and non-members $149. Registrations open on Tuesday, August 25 online, and Huffman mentioned how they hope to attract attendees who might not typically be able to make the trip to Raleigh, with its associated travel and hotel expenses.

“IBMA is trying to be sensitive to people’s restricted budgets this year, so we are keeping the prices low. We know that everyone in the music business is suffering, and we want to help the industry during this difficult time.

We also expect that demand for virtual content during World of Bluegrass will continue once in-person assembly is allowed again, and we are preparing for that going forward.”

All content during World of Bluegrass and IBMA Bluegrass Live will be delivered from the main World of Bluegrass web site. Using a specialty app called Swapcard, designed to handle large virtual meetings and conferences, registered attendees will be able to watch any of the seminars and sessions during the week live, or on demand after the fact. This will include popular events like the Gig Fair, Keynote Speech, and the like.

But Eddie says they have modified the schedule to accommodate the fact that everything is virtual.

“Sessions will start on Monday this year, and run through Friday, so that we can space things out a little more. The schedule will mostly be set up in two hour blocks, followed by a break, instead of running one after the other all day. The seminar topics have been selected, and we expect to publish the complete schedule within the next few weeks.”

The on-demand option for watching sessions after they are finished may be delayed by a day or so, but if you are registered, you could conceivably watch them all, though live participation is only possible in real time.

A new feature for this year is the Virtual Exhibit Hall, which will allow vendors to display merchandise and services online, using video and images. Face-to-face meeting with customers won’t exist, but the system will be configured to allow for one-on-one video or text chat, and vendors can post hours when they will available to answer questions, accept appointments, and engage with clients. There is even the option of a marketing package that supports product sales from within the virtual exhibit booth.

These online displays will be available to all 24/7 throughout WOB week (Monday-Saturday), with fees starting at $299. 

For more details on the Virtual Exhibit Hall, interested vendors/bands can contact Huffman or Ethan Charles at IBMA, or look over the details online.

The popular Bluegrass Ramble concerts will be available to everyone online at no charge. They will be prerecorded performances, but all recorded live. The 2020 Bluegrass Awards will likewise involve a good bit of prerecorded content, but the announcement of awards and reactions from winners will go on live, from separate locations.

IBMA Bluegrass Live is the new name for the weekend’s Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, which will likewise feature prerecorded live shows. A complete schedule of acts is expected to be published soon. To maintain some of the flavor of festivals past, many sets will be filmed at various locations in downtown Raleigh. 

Like the Bluegrass Ramble of showcase artists, and the Awards show, the festival will be available to everyone, free online.

Eddie also said that WRAL TV in Raleigh will broadcast a number of WOB events during the week, both on television and on their web site.

The many free events during World of Bluegrass will encourage viewers to consider a donation to the IBMA in lieu of ticket fees. Not only is this weeklong congregation costly to produce – even virtually – but revenue from the week typically funds both the operational budget for IBMA during the year, and the IBMA Trust Fund which offers financial support to bluegrass professionals in need.

Visit World of Bluegrass online for all the pertinent details.

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Hitchhiking To California from Alan Bibey & Grasstowne

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Azlyrics

Here’s a blast from the past from Alan Bibey & Grasstowne – from 35 years ago to be exact!

It’s the debut single from their upcoming project with Billy Blue Records, Hitchhiking To California, one Alan recorded with New Quicksilver back in 1985. That marked Bibey’s first real professional gig in bluegrass, when he was 19 years old.

Now Alan and co-producer Jerry Salley have reworked that Wes Golding classic, adding a third verse and tweaking the two existing verses for this new cut. Al says that this was done with approval from Wes, who he thanks for his generosity and kindness.

It makes for a rip-roarin’ track, featuring newest Grasstowner Patrick McGonigle on fiddle and tenor vocal, along with Bibey on lead vocal and mandolin, Zak McLamb on bass, Justin Jenkins on banjo, and Ron Stewart sitting in on guitar, as Tony Watt was unable to make the session due to COVID travel restrictions.

Here’s a taste…

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

I smell a hit.

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Moments in Bluegrass: BG75 #9 – Bill Emerson meets Bill Monroe

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Azlyrics

Following an invitation that the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) extended to its members that they share a memory from “75 years of bluegrass,” we thought that we would collect a few to share with you.

Bill Emerson is considered to be one of the most influential five-string banjo players in bluegrass music. He began his professional music career in 1955 before going on to be a founder member of the world-famous Country Gentlemen, with whom he worked for two spells and recorded several times. He has recorded with Buzz Busby; John Hall; Bill Harrell; Jimmy Martin; Harry & Jeanie West; Red Allen and Frank Wakefield; the Yates Brothers (Bill and Wayne); Red Allen and the Kentuckians;  Scotty Stoneman; in a partnership with Cliff Waldron; with song-writer Pete Goble; with former Country Current member Wayne Taylor; Mark Newton; as well as releasing several albums in his own name or fronting his band, Sweet Dixie. His latest release is the collaboration with his son Billy; the EP Emerson 414. 

Emerson & Waldron recorded the first bluegrass version – Emerson’s arrangement – of the Manfred Mann song, Fox on the Run, now a bluegrass standard.

In 1973 until 1992, when he retired, Emerson served in the U.S. Navy playing banjo with the band Country Current.  

From 1985 through to 1988 he worked with Wayne Busbice (Busby) as A&R director of Webco Records before in 1989, Emerson, with another son, John, took over the label. 

In 1988 he was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame and last year he became a member the IBMA’s Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. 

“When I was 16 years old, I drove to Nashville and sought out Bill Monroe. He kept a room at the Clarkston Hotel where he stayed before the Opry on Saturday nights. When he answered his door, I told him I was a banjo player looking for a job. He said okay bring your banjo in and play some for me. When I was done, he said, ‘You’ve got a good right hand but you need more experience.’ That night he took me to the Opry where I stood in the wings and watched him play. 

In 1958 I saw Bill’s bus at a phone booth by the side of the road on Rte 1 south of Alexandria, Virginia. Bill was in the booth making a call. I stopped my car, went up to the booth and asked if he needed help. Bill said he was on the way to Maryland and needed a banjo player. I said I’m a banjo player and Bill said, ‘Yes, I remember you, you’re the boy from the Clarkston. Get your banjo and your clothes and meet me at New River Ranch in Rising Sun, Maryland.’ That day the Blue Grass Boys were Roger Smith fiddle, Bessie Lee Mauldin bass, Joe Stuart guitar, and me on banjo. When we were done, Bill paid me and asked if I could go to Pennsylvania with him and play the next day. I had to decline as I was a Country Gentleman and we had our own job to play.”

In an interview with Janet Davis, published Banjo NewsLetter in September 2009, Emerson indicated …

“I later played with him on several other occasions.”

One of those was in March 1971 at the Bluegrass Jamboree, the Virginia Theatre, Alexandria, Virginia, an early indoor event for bluegrass music.

Emerson recorded the Bill Monroe tune Rawhide on December 18, 1989 …

  

It was released on Emerson’s Banjo Man CD (Webco WEB-0151).  

OK, readers, does this story trigger any thoughts of bluegrass music in days gone by? What related event would you like remembered? Please share in comments. Thanks. 

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