Monthly Archives: August 2020

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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!

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.

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.

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.