Monthly Archives: January 2022

Ronnie Kidd with bass (right) – photo by Katie Danielle Photography

Ronnie Kidd, 67, of Seagrove, NC, passed away on January 25. He was an active member of his church, a Gideon, a Mason, and an avid bluegrass enthusiast. An accomplished musician who could play “anything with strings,” Kidd frequented area bluegrass festivals, fiddlers’ conventions, and jam sessions. In recent years, his primary instrument was the upright bass.

His wife, Brenda, shared, “Ronnie loved God, his family, friends and bluegrass music. Other than Johnny Ridge bringing his guitar to school, Ronnie was the one I learned to love bluegrass music through. Through Ronnie and his music, I have met a lot of good people. To say he will be missed is an understatement, I loved him 46 years here on earth and I’ll love him for eternity.”

His daughter, Katie Kidd, added. “Daddy’s passions in life were pretty obvious. He loved Mama, us kids, and bluegrass. If he wasn’t working hard on a construction site, he was holding an instrument playing music. I inherited his love of music and his sense of direction. Those actually go hand in hand. As long as I know how to get to and from somewhere, I’m able to go near and far to hear the best that music has to offer. I loved traveling with him to jams, conventions, and festivals. When it came to music, I was wherever Daddy was going, staying out late, and soaking up every note that was played.”

Garrett Chriscoe, multi-instrumentalist and eldest son of the late North Carolina instrument luthier/repairman Harold Chriscoe, was Kidd’s best friend.

“He was a true friend. What you saw is what you get. He was a humble man. He’d give you the shirt off his back. He was good to me. He drove me when I couldn’t drive (the effects of Lyme disease). We went to Denton, Bass Mountain, Galax. We played a lot of music together.”

Vernon Allred, banjo/bassist with numerous North Carolina bands including the McPherson Brothers, the original Union Station, and ASH & W, had a long association with Kidd. His oldest son, the late Matthew Allred (played with the Country Gentlemen, Jesse & Jesse, and the Larry Stephenson Band), worked with Kidd (laying ceramic tile) and picked together in several bands.

Allred reflected, “They played in several (area) bands together, including one called Big Spike Hammer. He picked up Matthew to play music before Matthew ever got his license.”

Sandra, Vernon’s wife, added, “Matthew led Ronnie to the Lord. Ronnie said he wouldn’t have gone to church if it weren’t for Matthew.”

Kidd’s name was appropriate for his demeanor. He was known for the twinkle in his eye, the smile on his face, and his quick wit.

Tar Heel banjo and fiddle player, Danny Bowers, had fond memories of his picking pal. “Neither of us were little fellars. When we got together, I used to tease him that if beauty was skin deep, we’d have a corner on the market.”

Matthew Nance, area banjoist, chimed in, “He always came up to me and said the name’s Kidd, I guess you know yours. I always got a kick out of that. That’s what he always said. He was a character for sure!”

Visitation is tonight (January 31) at Joyce-Brady Chapel in Bennett, NC, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm. The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at Riverside Baptist Church in Seagrove. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

R.I.P., Ronnie Kidd.

Mike Munford with Dirty Kitchen at Bluegrass Island in 2018 – photo by My Grass Is Blue

This is a feature we are running to memorialize the creative and musical legacy of the late J.D. Crowe, who we lost just before Christmas. We are calling it My Favorite Crowe Lick, and each episode will feature a prominent bluegrass banjo player sharing both their thoughts about Crowe and his influence, and showing us a lick they learned from his playing that sticks with them.

Popular east coast banjoist Mike Munford provides this remembrance. From his home in Baltimore, Mike has had his finger on the pulse of bluegrass banjo for the past 40 years. Currently touring with Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, he is the 2013 recipient of the IBMA Banjo Player of the Year award, and has been noted as an instructor in the style for decades. From roughly 1976 until 2000, Munford taught at the long running Baltimore Bluegrass music store, where he also served as general manager and banjo set up expert. Instructional camps and workshops all over the country have utilized his experience and skill, and fans of contemporary banjo music line up to hear him play.

Mike’s playing style is an interesting hybrid, based primarily on a firm grip on the Scruggs/Crowe template, but with an adventurous side that brings in elements of blues and jazz, and a willingness to take chances with modern material. As a result, he is respected by musicians and fans across the wide spectrum of today’s bluegrass genre.

He continues to offer private lessons and set up and repair services when not on the road with Frank.

Keep an eye out for future installments of My Favorite J.D. Crowe Lick here at Bluegrass Today. You can watch all of them by following this link.

Pete Corum, 73-year-old North Carolina singer and bassist, best known for his time backing Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass in the mid-1970s, passed away on December 1, 2021. A memorial service reflecting on his musical career was held this past Sunday (January 30) at Troutman Church of God in Troutman, NC. Special guests included Jim Lauderdale and Jack Lawrence.

The church’s pastor, Connor Lambert, who is also mandolinist with the Sons of the South, welcomed those gathered that included family, friends, and musicians. “We are here to celebrate Pete Corum’s life and the music that he loved. He was a man who made a difference for the music that he played.”

When picker, Jeff Michael, stepped up, he confessed, “Pete and I used to sing House of the Rising Sun. We were both younger and skinnier then. We had an act called Scrambled Eggs and Ham. I was Ham. Pete was a joy to be around. We’ll all get to pick together some day.”

A fifteen-minute video was screened. It included pictures from Corum’s musical career with his songs playing throughout the presentation, including his versions of Little Georgia Rose and House of the Rising Sun.

Next, Tom Isenhour, mandolinist and one of the organizers of the service, shared comments from some of Pete’s musical friends. Here are a few:

Frank Poindexter, Tony Rice’s uncle and dobroist with Deeper Shade of Blue, said they used to pass each other as they played live radio shows. They finally got to know each other at fiddlers’ conventions. “What a powerhouse tenor singer. He put everything into his playing. He had a big heart.”

Mandolinist, Ronnie Privette, had been in Bluegrass Alliance with Pete. “We both left North Carolina for Louisville, KY. All we wanted to do was live out our dreams and play music for a living. Fly high, cowboy, we’ll meet you on the other side.”

Doug Hutchens, bassist for Bill Monroe, recalled, “In 1971, in Lavonia, GA at Roy Martin’s festival, Bill asked me if Pete could play bass. He had helped Bill at Bean Blossom for no pay.”

Blake Williams who picked banjo with Nashville Grass said, “Pete was a fine musician and his high tenor voice could fill up a whole bluegrass festival.” He sent a humorous tale. 

Once three band mates, all dressed in dark winter coats, entered a bank to get change for their record table. One went to the teller, one stood by the door, and Pete went to the restroom. Almost immediately, police entered with hands on holsters. The teller had hit the silent alarm, thinking the bank was about to be robbed. Blake explained the situation and the officers wanted Lester’s autograph. After taking them to the bus to meet the bluegrass legend, Lester warned Pete. “Don’t ever go to the restroom in a bank again.”

Charlie Cushman sent condolences, too. “I worked with Pete in 1979 with James Monroe and the Midnight Ramblers. He had a happy personality. Rest easy, old friend.”

Tim Graves, Uncle Josh’s nephew, also played with James Monroe. “Pete was always the first one on the bus and the last to leave.”

Isenhour then shared his own sentiments. “I believe the good Lord put us on this earth for a special purpose. Pete’s was to entertain. In 1984, Bill Monroe played Jim and Tammy Bakker’s PTL for a tent revival. He didn’t have a bass player so he grabbed Pete. When they did Beautiful Life, Monroe asked Pete to sing bass. When Pete explained he couldn’t sing that low, Monroe sang the bass and Pete sang the tenor.”

Marty Stuart’s comments were then read. “I truly loved working with Pete Corum in Lester Flatt’s band. He was one of the truly great characters in bluegrass music. It was like working alongside of Hoss Cartwright from Bonanza. Everybody loved Pete: country people, hippies, musicians. His House of the Rising Sun never failed and Lester’s line, ‘If any of you people want to hear Pete just raise your window, you can hear him from whenever he’s singing from.’ It kind of made him famous. He was a cool Carolina cat. It was an honor to work alongside of him.”

Next, famed North Carolina guitarist, Jack Lawrence, spoke. “I met Pete at a fiddlers’ convention. We both were in Bluegrass Alliance. We liked each other, but came from completely different sides of bluegrass. My side was little more progressive than Pete’s.”

Lawrence then related a story about an old bus the band had purchased. “Our first trip with the old bus was to DC. Near Frederick, MD, the engine threw a sleeve. There was a loud explosion and the bus had no power. We started going back down the mountain. We also had no emergency brake. I said, ‘Pete, you’re the biggest one on this bus, you’ve got to stop this bus.’ He jumped out, somehow got behind the bus, and slowed it down. The rest of us climbed out and stopped the bus.”

Jim Lauderdale came next. “I met Pete in 1981. We were both in the play, Cotton Patch Gospel. We were roommates in Boston. He was up every morning at 7:00 a.m. and was very purposeful.”

The pair then relocated to New York City. “He was a bluegrass Crocodile Dundee. New York was intimidating to me, but Pete was always his solid self. He had a transformative effect and made it better, as corny as it may sound.”

Lauderdale then performed two numbers.

A video, the Good Samaritan segment, from Lauderdale and Corum’s Cotton Patch Gospel days was shown. Attendances also watched an interview with Flatt talking about his career in music. The final clip was Lester’s last television appearance with the Nashville Grass, performing Foggy Mountain Breakdown. Pete was right behind him.

Lambert returned to the pulpit to conclude the memorial service. “It’s been a wonderful day to honor Pete. He preached his own funeral. He was put here to entertain people. He did what he was made to do. I do believe bluegrass is the music of Heaven.”

Michael interjected, “For once, they’ll all be in tune.”

The 2022 SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards are being announced tonight in Nashville. Our correspondent on the scene, Nick Newlon, is sharing the results as they come in, so if you keeping refreshing or returning to this page, you can see the winners in real time.

First up, the winners of the International Band Championship.

Winners of the 2022 SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards

• Bluegrass Promoter of the Year – D.A. Callaway
• Radio Station of the Year – SiriusXM 62
• Bluegrass DJ of the Year – Michelle Lee WOBI
• Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year – Donna Ulisse
• Bluegrass Album of the Year – Load The Wagon – Junior Sisk
• Bluegrass Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year – Terry Smith
• Bluegrass Dobro Performer of the Year – Tim Graves
• Bluegrass Guitar Performer of the Year – Josh Williams
• Bluegrass Mandolin Performer of the Year – Alan Bibey
• Bluegrass Banjo Player of the Year – Gena Britt
• Bluegrass Fiddle Performer of the Year – Mary Rachel Norris
• Bluegrass Female Vocalist of the Year – Donna Ulisse
• Bluegrass Male Vocalist of the Year – Russell Moore
• Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year – Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
• Bluegrass Vocal Group of the Year – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• Bluegrass Instrumental Group of the Year – Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
• Bluegrass Band of the Year – Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
• Bluegrass Entertainer of the Year – Kody Norris
• Bluegrass Song of the Year – Just Load The Wagon – Junior Sisk

Congratulations and well done all!

Pinecastle Records has released a lead off single from their next album for Dale Ann Bradley, a soulful country number sung as a duet with label mate Danny Paisley.

They’ve chosen an absolute classic, One By One, originally done by Kitty Wells and Red Foley in 1954. The song was written by Jim Anglin, Jack Anglin, and Johnny Wright, and the track was a #1 hit for Kitty and Red.

Dale Ann and Danny have reprised the duet structure, trading lines throughout and harmonizing on the others. They are supported by Jim Hurst on guitar, Matt Leadbetter on reso-guitar, Michael Cleveland on fiddle, and Ethan Burkhardt on bass.

Check it out and see why these two were chosen as the male and female vocalists of the year in 2021 by the voting members of the IBMA.

Tasty!

One By One is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

Wonderful news for Bluegrass Cardinals fans!

David Parmley, Randy Graham, and Larry Stephenson will be reuniting for select shows this year as Bluegrass Cardinals Tribute. They will be revisiting much of the great music made by the Cardinals in their hey day. Randy tells us that they chose not to call the show a reunion, as it won’t contain all past members, especially with the passing of David’s father, Don Parmley, who started the group in California before they headed east in 1976 to resettle in Virginia.

Graham was there from the beginning, with Don and David, and moved with the Parmleys who, as it turns out rightly, believed that there was a bigger market for their super soulful style of contemporary bluegrass in the southeastern US. Larry took over on mandolin and tenor vocals some time after Randy left to play with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Both of them have many years harmonizing with David, as well as contributing their own lead vocals on several songs.

It will be a great treat to hear David out singing again, and to see him with former Cardinals doing all those wonderful songs we remember from the ten albums they released between 1976 and the time David left the group in 1991 to pursue a solo career.

With David on guitar, Randy on bass, and Larry on mandolin, they will pick up various musicians for banjo and fiddle.

The Bluegrass Cardinals Tribute will be represented by the Graham Talent Group, and anyone interested in having them in for a show can inquire there.

Can’t wait to see this!

Billy Blue Records has a new single today for Darin & Brooke Aldridge, taken from their current album, This Life We’re Livin’.

The song is one they wrote along Bill Whyte, Grand Ole Circle, conveying their deep and abiding love and admiration for the Grand Ole Opry, where Darin and Brooke have been invited to perform 35 times in recent years. The title describes the circle of wood cut from the center stage of the Ryman Auditorium and inset within the stage of the new Opry House on the outskirts of Nashville, in tribute to the Opry’s original home and all the artists that appeared there in the early days. 

According to Darin, this is a song of gratitude and respect.

“Grand Ole Circle was written out of our personal experiences, but also referencing historical performances before our time. It’s our big THANK YOU to the Opry for always keeping a light on the circle and giving people hope even in the hardest of times.”

Brooke adds…

“It’s so very special to play the Opry. It is truly the grandest stage and we are always honored to be a part of a tradition that we hold incredibly close to our hearts.”

In an additional tip of the cap, the Aldridges invited several members of the Opry staff band, Kerry Marx, Tommy White, Randy Hart, and Eddie Bayers, to record this track with them in the studio.

A music video is also released today, setting the album audio against live shots of Darin & Brooke with their band on the Opry stage, along with a collage of historic clips of the very heroes who made that stage so important in the development of bluegrass and country music.

Look for Darin and Brooke on tonight’s (January 28) edition of the Grand Ole Opry, where they will surely be playing this song. A portion of the proceeds from the video will be donated to the Opry Trust Fund that assists Opry members in need.

Both the single for Grand ole Circle, and the full This Life We’re Livin’ album, are available from popular download and streaming sites online. Audio CDs can be ordered directly from the artists’ web site.

James Reams has released a new single from his recently released album, Like A Flowing River, the soundtrack to the documentary film about his musical career, Like A Flowing River: A Bluegrass Passage.

The movie, available on DVD and for rental via Amazon Prime, follows James from the time he launched as a bluegrass artist in 1993, looking at ups and downs in his career, with many samplings from his recorded output.

For this latest single, he has selected King of the Blues, a sad song about a man who having lost it all, sardonically notes that at least he is the top man in the hard times department.

Reams says that he enjoys this baleful number.

“I love this song because most of life experiences involve relationships. When relationships are over, they can leave complete chaos. Songwriting is wonderful because it’s self-expression which naturally lends itself to a story like this about the end of love and the following destruction.”

Check it out in this lyric video.

The album contains 31 songs, some of them previously unreleased, including several live cuts with his touring group, The Barnstormers, and with legendary banjo player Walter Hensley and Tom Paley of The New Lost City Ramblers.

Bothe the album and the single can be found from popular download and streaming sites online.

If you camped at central North Carolina bluegrass festivals such as Big Lick Festival in April, Doyle Lawson’s on Mother’s Day weekend, Lil’ John’s on Labor Day weekend, or Willow Oak in June, you might have crossed paths with Shorty Byrd. Like old Saint Nick, he was a small man that was lively and quick. He loved to sing and play bluegrass until all hours in the campsites. His whole body and demeanor reflected it. A wide smile covered his face, big laughs rumbled up from deep within his chest, and if he wasn’t playing a bass, he was patting his belly in time to the music. He was the life of the party wherever he went. If he was singing, you could guarantee Why Don’t You Tell Me So and Dim Lights, Thick Smoke would be included in the song list.

Monday morning, January 23, 2022, 83-year-old Colvin M. Byrd, known lovingly as “Shorty,” passed away following an arduous battle with esophageal cancer. Word of his death spread quickly throughout the bluegrass community.

Sideline’s Steve Dilling stated, “Shorty was a dear friend of mine. He loved his music and his friends. I’m sure going to miss him.”

Young, up and coming artist, Caroline Owens, enjoyed campsite jams with Byrd. “While I rejoice in the fact that he is no longer suffering, my heart is saddened to know that I have lost a friend, the kind of friend that everyone found in Shorty. He lived by the motto, ‘Be good to people and they’ll be good to you.’ And he stood true to that. And while I am reminded that bluegrass festivals and late-night jams will never be the same without him, I have peace in knowing that Heaven’s choir is much sweeter today because of the life and legacy of my friend, Shorty Byrd.”

Banjoist, Trent Callicutt, chimed in. “It was always a treat for me to be in a jam with Shorty Byrd! He was a character, always joking and cutting up! But, most importantly, he was my friend. I’ll miss hearing his big laugh around. I sure loved the man! I’ve known him for years.”

Fellow North Carolina bass man, John Fogleman, formerly with Mark Templeton Band, stressed, “He took care of me like my dad (the late dobro player, Wade Fogleman) asked him. He took me to festivals and events, and we made great memories.”

Byrd played bass in the Rocky Bottom Boys with the Welch brothers.

Band mate, Ted Welch, shared, “I’ll sure miss Shorty Byrd. He always treated my family like part of his family. He introduced my brother, Kenny, and me to so many awesome pickers and we never missed an opportunity to sing together. Truly one of the best, he told us to ‘Love people and they’ll love you back,’ and everyone loved Shorty. A bluegrass legend, love you, Shorty. Prayers for his family!”

Another North Carolina bassist and longtime close friend, Travis Brady, recalled, “My dad (the late fiddler, Jimmie Lee Brady) and Shorty were acquainted years ago. They used to work together at the state department and played music with Richard McNeill, Wayne Miller, and a lot of others. I got to know Shorty when I was real young, then later in life we bought campers and stayed at music festivals and had our music jams at night. Shorty and I were close friends at the end. Just glad I got to know him. We always had a good time.”

Visitation will be from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Friday, January 28, 2022 with the funeral to follow at Loflin Funeral Home Chapel in Ramseur, NC. Burial will follow at Union Grove Christian Church near Asheboro.

Granted, Finland isn’t a place that one would normally associate with bluegrass. On the other hand, there is a certain similarity in terrain, given that its mountains and far flung environs boast a certain similarity to upper realms of Appalachia. At least that’s a claim that might be made by the Finnish band that calls itself Self Rising Flour. Made up of Kalle Tuovinen (banjo and vocals), Johannes Oksanen (mandolin and vocals), Benjamin Oksanen (guitar and vocals), and Hannu Vanhatalo (bass), they make a sound that Tuovinen describes as ‘straightforward and crisp.’

“All our songs are traditional sounding with simple chord progressions and melodies,” he says. “We focus on the groove. Vocal harmonies are a big part of the sound, so we use every effort to get all the parts right. Banjo is often at the forefront, but we do have variation, and on a couple of songs we use two guitars with no banjo.”

On the other hand, their influences are obvious. Tuovinen mentions Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and the Stanley Brothers among those who have helped shape their sound, as well as J.D. Crowe, Larry Sparks, and Jim & Jesse. He also names a Finnish group, Jussi Syren and The Groundbreakers, as having a great impact on the band. 

Tuovinen and Johannes Oksanen met while participating in a bluegrass workshop, and began jamming together extensively starting during the summer of 2018. “Then we decided to start as a proper band, so we invited Johannes’s brother Benjamin to join with guitar,” Tuovinen recalls. “In 2019, we did a few gigs and had two bass players for short stints. In spring 2020, we needed a permanent bass player, so I called Hannu Vanhatalo to join. I had played with him before in other groups.”

In fact, Self Rising Flour carries their desire for authenticity several steps further. 

“Johannes came up with the idea to use costumes like we were from the ’70s, so that became our visual style,” Tuovinen notes. “And our music just happens to be somewhat similar like many bluegrass bands played in the ’70s.”

To date, the band has played some small festivals, bars, and music halls in the region of southern Finland. This past October, they played a live set on a local radio station. They’ve also performed at the main Finnish bluegrass festival, Rootsinpyhtää, which has found them in front of a few hundred people. 

They’ve also shared the stage a few times with the aforementioned Jussi Syren And The Groundbreakers. On various occasions, Tuovinen and Vanhatalo have even sat in with that band. “It’s given us a lot of experience in the professional side of the music business,” Tuovinen says.  

So far, Self Rising Flour can claim two releases. Their debut album, All Original, was released last summer, and a Christmas single, Santa Gave Me A Banjo, appeared more recently.

“I started writing songs in 2020, and when I had four or five of them ready, we decided it would be a good idea to use only our original songs in the debut,” Tuovinen recalls. “Then I had the proper motivation to write the rest of the needed songs, so that the album had enough variation in it. The album was recorded and mixed by Johannes in his own studio, and we recorded it all live in one day.”

During their gigs, the group tends to mix their original material with their covers. They list some of the latter as I Hear a Choo Choo Coming by The Stanley Brothers, We Were Made for Each Other by Buck Owens, Bill Monroe’s Letter From My Darling, Jim & Jesses version of Ol’ Slewfoot, and Mr. Engineer courtesy of Jimmy Martin.

“We have received so much good feedback,” Tuovinen notes. “It seems that audiences everywhere appreciate music with a solid groove, vocals, and simple enough songs. Most of the audience don’t know what bluegrass music is, but the bluegrass awareness in Finland is a lot better nowadays than it was ten or fifteen years ago, thanks to the internet and all the hard work by the touring bands.”

In that regard, Tuovinen is quick to point out why he believes bluegrass enjoys such international popularity.

“The music’s drive and rhythmic feel has to be a big part of it,” he suggests. “It’s easy to listen to and follow because it has clear vocals and simple melodies and chord structures. Fast tempos make it exciting and slower songs still have drive. The element of blues makes it resonate with people even if you don’t understand the lyrics. And since it’s all acoustic music, it’s easy to jam with other musicians.” 

Self Rising Flour can be found on Facebook, and you can sample their music on bandcamp.

We heard recently from Hillbilly Fever, based in Athens, TX, with news of a changed lineup to start off the 2022 season.

The group got its start in North Carolina, but moved with banjo picker Mark Krider to the southwest some years ago. Mark lives now in Texas, and his Hillbilly Fever bandmates reside across several states. They specialize in traditional and contemporary bluegrass.

New for this year are Scott Norris on bass from Salt Lake City, Steve Harper from Heflin, LA on guitar, and Arizonan Billy Park on mandolin. They join Mark on banjo, Randy Pasley on reso-guitar, and Bob Frankot on fiddle.

Krider tells us that all the new members are talented and experienced bluegrass musicians, and that Scott and Steve will handle much of the lead vocals.

Here’s video of them at a show earlier this month doing an Osborne Brothers classic. Mark has a special passion for the Osbornes. He was a friend of Sonny’s, and plays one of his Osborne Chief banjos.

For more information about Hillbilly Fever, contact them online.

Natalie Tomlinson is a young fiddler from southeastern Kentucky. For the last few years she has performed as a member of Sunrise Ridge, and just recently joined the cast of the Hatfield McCoy Dinner Feud in Pigeon Forge, TN. Her second solo recording, Harlan County is a wonderful example of her talent as a bluegrass and country instrumentalist.

Tomlinson took a completely do-it-yourself approach to this project. She not only played all the instruments on almost every song, but she also mixed and mastered the recording, and designed the graphics for the CD packaging. The end result is pretty impressive. Two of the album’s tracks, Black Mountain Rag and Pine Mountain Breakdown, were recordings previously made with Sunrise Ridge.

Harlan County is primarily a collection of traditionally based music. The fiddle tunes on this album are a nice even mix between familiar pieces such as Maiden’s Prayer, Lost Indian, and Carroll County Blues, to more obscure instrumentals such as Southern Soldier Boy and Missouri Road.

The ultimate highlights of this recording are the title cut, Harlan County and Pine Mountain Breakdown, both of which are original tunes by Tomlinson. Natalie’s playing is rooted in the earlier generation of fiddlers such as Kenny Baker, Curly Ray Cline, Art Stamper, and Tommy Jackson. All of these influences can be heard clearly in these two compositions.

A Tear Dropped By and Wine, Women, and Song showcase Natalie’s abilities as a vocalist. While they are good tracks on their own, they don’t necessarily fit in well with the other songs on the project. Will You Miss Me is an interesting instrumental take on an old favorite. Tomlinson’s lead guitar playing on this tune is excellent.

Harlan County is a well done recording that highlights Natalie Tomlinson’s musical and engineering capabilities. This will definitely please fans of solid fiddle playing and straight up traditional acoustic music.

It’s bluegrass knowledge quiz time again. That time generally falls around the 1st of the year but can also happen as late as Groundhog Day, Passover, or Father’s Day. In any case, here in 2022 that time is now. I present one of these annually as a way for you to evaluate your familiarity with the music we love.

I’ve received some criticism in recent years from a review panel composed of bluegrass industry people who were really grasping for ways to spend time during the pandemic. The panel accused my quizzes of being “shallow,” “silly,” and “potentially corrupt.” I can accept the first two, but I’m just baffled by the third. What makes something “potentially” corrupt? It implies that it isn’t corrupt yet, but could become so at an unspecified later time. Clearly it isn’t corrupt now, because I would have to be gaining something—financially or otherwise—for that to be the case. So what then would change to make it something I could derive some ill-gotten gain from? Perhaps it could happen if Neil Rosenberg started sending me money for invoking his name every year. Who’s to say he isn’t already doing this?

It was also suggested that I reform the grading system and clarify the meaning of each grade. Caving to pressure, then, I’m reworking the categories, and participants will receive a letter grade, rather than a numerical ranking. I’m also not planning to mention Neil Rosenberg at all this year, and I won’t say anything about what a great piece of work his and Charles K. Wolfe’s The Music of Bill Monroe is.

The quiz will remain just as shallow and silly as before, however. I have my principles.

The name “Bluegrass Knowledge Test” had also begun to sound stodgy and dated (very 2014), so we’re now going to simply call it “The Bluegrass Quiz.”

Before we get to the quiz, here is the new grading system explained:

Seven correct answers earns you an “A”: you are a full-fledged bluegrass expert (read: “geek”). If someone spouts some questionable bluegrass information on Facebook or some other medium known for questionable information, you are well within your rights to chime in with a haughty, “I beg to differ,” and people should pay attention, even if they won’t.

Five or six correct answers gets you a “B” rating: You’re clearly well-versed in this music and probably know which racehorse died, Molly or Tenbrooks, if not the specific cause of death. People find you a bit of a know-it-all but you carry it well. At least you’re not part of the reviled “bluegrass elite” as those with A ratings and a basement full of vintage instruments sometimes are.

Three or four right: You’ve earned a “C.” You know just enough about the music to be humbled by how much there is to know. You love the music, and you know that Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs used to play in Bill Monroe’s band; you just don’t know when or what songs they did. Isn’t that enough? You have the potential to score higher in future quizzes, but you may or may not bother.

One or two right: You’ve been graded a “D,” and that’s being generous. You know a thing or two, sure, but you also probably spell Alison Krauss’ name with two Ls and think the Stanley Brothers’ first names were “Ralph and Harpo.” You’re ideally suited to make some of the Facebook posts mentioned above. After all, who’s to say what’s true and what isn’t, anyway? This is music. Let’s enjoy it!

Zero right: “F,” I’m sorry to say. There’s probably some other kind of music you know about that the rest of us are completely ignorant of (early ’80s ska?), Feel free to just change the subject. Otherwise, better luck next year.

As in past years, the questions will start easy and get progressively more difficult.

1. The correct name of Ralph Stanley’s band was:

A. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Clan

B. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys

C. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch River Breeder Reactors

D. Ralph Stanley and the Weekend

E. Ralph Stanley and Clinch

2. The “Little Cabin Home on the Hill” . . .

A. Is a real place in western Kentucky

B. Is a euphemism for a house of ill-repute, which is also a euphemism

C. Is a song co-written and recorded by Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt

D. Is a song co-written by Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt but never recorded until Sturgill Simpson put it on his Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 2 album with a fourth verse and bridge added

E. Was recently featured on the show Love It or List It

3. Fox On the Run was written and first recorded by . . .

A. The Lovin’ Spoonful

B. Manfred Mann

C. Bill Emerson and Cliff Waldron

D. Tom T. Hall

E. Lawrence Welk

4. The mandolin is tuned . . .

A. In pairs

B. In fifths

C. Infrequently

D. With great difficulty

E. All of the above

5. In the mid-1950s, Flatt & Scruggs added an instrument to their lineup which had never been used in Bill Monroe’s band. It was . . .

A. A snare drum

B. An octave banjo

C. An oboe

D. A dobro

E. A leg

6. Correctly complete the following line from the song You Don’t Know My Mind: Honey You Don’t Know My Mind. . .

A . . . Or anybody else’s mind for that matter

B.. . . I’m lonesome all the time

C. . . You’ve climbed up the wrong pine

D. . .  And I don’t know my mind, does anybody here know my mind?

E. . . The plans we made have gone astray

7. Before Mac Wiseman played with Flatt & Scruggs or Bill Monroe, he played bass for which country female vocalist in the 1940s:

A. Peggy Lee

B. Patsy Cline

C. Molly O’Day

D. Sandra Day O’Connor

E. Sinead O’Connor

Answer Key:

1:B, 2:C, 3:B, 4:E, 5:D, 6:B, 7:C

This is a feature we are running to memorialize the creative and musical legacy of the late J.D. Crowe, who we lost just before Christmas. We are calling it My Favorite Crowe Lick, and each episode will feature a prominent bluegrass banjo player sharing both their thoughts about Crowe and his influence, and showing us a lick they learned from his playing that sticks with them.

Today’s installment comes from Ned Luberecki, familiar to bluegrass fans not only for his work as banjo picker with the Becky Buller Band, but also for his broadcast work on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction, channel 61. He was chosen as Banjo Player of the Year in 2018 by the voting members of the IBMA, and is an in-demand banjo instructor at workshops all over the world. You can find his banjo instructional videos at TrueFire.

Prior to joining Becky’s band in 2016, he toured as a member of Chris Jones & The Night Drivers for 13 years. There he had the chance to express himself banjoistically, and as a humorist and all around character, which he has continued to the present.

Ned’s most recent solo project was Take Five in 2017 where he showed off his banjo chops on a wide range of bluegrass and jazz music, both classic and original.

Keep an eye out for future installments of My Favorite J.D. Crowe Lick here at Bluegrass Today. You can watch all of them by following this link.

Louise Tomberlain, featured singer with Carl Tipton and family for about 40 years, passed away Friday, January 21, 2022, at the age of 89. She had been in declining health for a little while, struggling with Alzheimer’s disease.

Louise Leonard Tomberlain was born on September 25, 1932, in Clay County, Tennessee, and spent most of her life in the Murfreesboro area of middle Tennessee.

In 1947 she started singing with her sister Evelyn ‘Sophie’ and Carl Tipton, whom Sophie married in 1949, on WGNS radio in Murfreesboro. They appeared on Tipton’s early morning country and bluegrass show on Nashville’s WLAC-TV (later changed to WTVF). 

Tipton was best known for his long‑running early morning television show which aired for 25 years on WHTN (Channel 39), Murfreesboro. 

Tomberlain can be heard singing on an episode of The Carl Tipton Show from the mid-1980s, taped at Alvin C York Veterans Hospital, Murfreesboro. She sings Over The Tide at 4:45, and If Teardrops Were Pennies at 16:36.

As well as during the 1985 Christmas episode of The Carl Tipton Show (TV-39, Murfreesboro), singing Beautiful Star of Bethlehem at 10:16.

After Carl Tipton passed in 1989, Louise and Sophie sang as a duo, and in the late 1990s did a Sisters of the South Tour with her grandson Mickey Harris, currently the bass player with Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, (mandolin), John Rice (guitar) and Greg Blaylock (banjo and reso-guitar). 

The sisters continued to perform together beyond Tomberlain’s 80th birthday. 

She was a long-time volunteer, music judge, and one of the Sunday Gospel sing coordinators at the Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival.

R.I.P. Louise Tomberlain. 

Visitation with the family will be on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, also at the Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a memorial donation in her memory to Stones River Manor, assisted living accommodation where she resided for the past seven years, or to the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation.

Confronted by the problems and perils brought on by the pandemic and all the other issues that they and everyone else have been forced to deal with recently, Greensky Bluegrass’ aptly named opus, Stress Dreams, manages to find hope in happenstance, and optimism despite obstacles. Yet even despite the distance and divide caused by isolation and uncertainty, they’ve managed to make an album that rings with resilience, drive and determination, the qualities that have set this exceptional outfit apart from early on.

Opening track Absence of Reason sets up the scenario:

With the absence of a reason
There’s a lot more to believe in
I’m moving on a feeling to you

Give me strength that I can count on
Something sturdy I can lean on
And the sense to correctly choose
Cause I want to do right more than anything I do

It’s a worthy goal, and in the capable hands of this adept quartet — Anders Beck (reso-guitar), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike Devol (upright bass), and Paul Hoffman (mandolin) — the music is conveyed with a forthright finesse, ease and assurance that allows the messaging to resonate with the full emphasis that was intended. Every entry echoes consistency, and with songs such as Monument, New and Improved, Reasons to Stay and Grow Together, Greensky imparts anthemic intent to inspire, inform, and take their messaging to a higher plateau. “I feel worthless without a purpose until I can sing for you,” the singer declares in Until I Sing, a fully resolved statement about will and reconciliation. 

Nevertheless, it’s the title track that puts the problem in perspective, just as the instrumental interlude affirms the fact that indeed today’s problems are often overwhelming. Consequently, when they declare, “It’s harder to keep my gaze off the floor when rest isn’t restful anymore,” it seems to sum up the sentiments that we all share these days. And while the band clearly intend to set their sights on distant horizons, other songs — Give a Shit, Streetlight, Worry for You — echo those mutual feelings of discouragement and displacement.

There are no easy answers, and in fact Greensky Bluegrass offers every indication that they’re simply trying to cope like everyone else. Yet, by sharing those sentiments, they make it clear that no one is in this scary situation alone. Now more than ever, it’s consolation that counts.

It’s always a good day for traditional bluegrass lovers when Junior Sisk drops a new single, and today is no exception.

Mountain Fever Records has released Patches On My Heart, a single from their next project with Junior, recorded with his crack touring band. As always, Sisk sings lead and plays guitar, supported by Jonathon Dillon on mandolin, Doug Bartlett on fiddle, Tony Mabe on banjo, Curt Love on bass, and Heather Berry Mabe on guitar and harmony vocal.

Junior shared a few words about how this vintage country number made its way to the band.

“Tony Mabe, our banjo player and an old country music buff, brought this song to my attention. It’s an old mid ’50s early ’60s Sonny Burns honkytonk tune. The first time I heard it I said, ‘that would make a great bluegrass song!’ We worked it up to fit our style and I think it turned out to be a straight-ahead grass tune that fit us well. It’s like a brand-new song that most have never heard. Hope everyone enjoys our version!”

Have a listen…

Patches On My Heart is available now from popular download and streaming sites online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

RBR Entertainment has released a new single from Zach Top, an extremely talented and promising young singer/songwriter from the Pacific northwest.

Growing up in eastern Washington, Zach was performing with his siblings in their band, Topstring, when he was seven years old. They were a popular draw in the region, and Top toured with them until he finished high school. He also worked for four years with North Country, based in Seattle, and wrote a number of songs for their second album. As part of Modern Tradition, the group won the SPBGMA International Band Competition in 2017.

Nowadays, Zach is in Nashville recording an album for RBR, and writing for Purple Beat Music who signed him to a publishing deal last year.

For his second single, RBR has chosen Like It Ain’t No Thing, which Zach wrote with Carson Chamberlain, Wyatt McCubbin, and Mark Nesler, a mid-tempo and very bluesy grasser which showcases Top’s agile, country-flavored voice.

Check it out in this graphic video.

Like It Ain’t No Thing is available now from popular download and streaming sites online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

The big Nashville convention of the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) is back this year, after having been cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID restrictions in place at the time. It will be held this Thursday through Sunday (January 27-30) at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville.

This, of course, includes their 47th annual Bluegrass Music Awards on Sunday evening. As it happens, 2022 is the first year in quite some time when the awards ceremony did not coincide with the Super Bowl, so attendance should be much higher in the hotel ballroom this year.

The Nashville convention is really two events in one. Many people attend in order to enjoy the stage shows over four days at the Sheraton, while others come simply to jam and hang out in the hotel lobby and in the rooms. There are many showcase rooms in the evenings with live music, plus a free songwriters’ workshop led by Johnny Williams, featuring input from Larry Cordle, Milan Miller, and Jeanette Williams, and a free Wernick Method jam workshop taught by Gordon Nelson.

And then there is the 24th annual SPBGMA Banjo Workshop, a separately ticketed event at the hotel led by Jack Hatfield, on Sunday, January 30. Jack will teach a beginner/intermediate session from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., followed by an intermediate/advanced session with Gary Davis from 10:30-noon. After a lunch break, Mike Munford will lead a banjo set up session from 1:00-2:00 p.m., which leads into an intermediate/advanced playing session with Mike from 2:00-3:30. The workshop concludes with an all hands plus the faculty jam from 3:30-4:00.

Registration is $50 for either the morning or afternoon sessions, or $90 for both. Registration info can be found online.

SPBGMA has also announced the nominees for the 2022 Bluegrass Music Awards.

Bluegrass Promoter of the Year

• Norman Adams
• Milton Harkey
• D.A. Callaway
• Ernie Evans
• Calvin Mickey
• Vic Adams

Bluegrass Radio Station of the Year

• WDVX Knoxville, TN
• WSM AM Nashville, TN
• SiriusXM 62
• WFPK FM Louisville, KY
• WBRF FM Galax, VA
• WPAQ AM Mt Airy, NC

Bluegrass DJ of the Year

• Buddy Michaels WLHC
• Michelle Lee WOBL
• Kyle Cantrell SiriusXM
• Chris Jones SiriusXM
• Tim Frye WPAQ
• Ned Luberecki SiriusXM

Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year

• Donna Ulisse
• Daryl Mosley
• Larry Cordle
• Chris Jones
• Irene Kelley
• Johnny Williams

Bluegrass Album of the Year

• Take Me Back – Carolina Blue
• Time For Love – Donna Ulisse
• Chicago Barn Dance – Special Consensus
• 4.0 – The Farm Hands
• The Secret of Life – Daryl Mosley
• Load The Wagon – Junior Sisk

Bluegrass Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year

• Mickey Harris
• Mike Bub
• Reese Combs
• Zak McLamb
• Terry Smith
• Scott Burgess

Bluegrass Dobro Performer of the Year

• Rob Ickes
• Josh Swift
• Jerry Douglas
• Tim Graves
• Fred Travers
• Brent Burke

Bluegrass Guitar Performer of the Year

• Josh Williams
• David Parmley
• Jake Workman
• Johnny Williams
• Keith Tew
• Larry Sparks

Bluegrass Mandolin Performer of the Year

• Wayne Benson
• Larry Stephenson
• Alan Bibey
• David Davis
• Ronnie McCoury
• Danny Roberts

Bluegrass Banjo Performer of the Year

• Sammy Shelor
• Kristin Scott Benson
• Rob McCoury
• Greg Cahill
• Aaron McDaris
• Gena Britt

Bluegrass Fiddle Performer of the Year

• Hunter Berry
• Michael Cleveland
• Jason Carter
• Steve Day
• Kimberly Marrs
• Mary Rachel Norris

Bluegrass Female Vocalist of the Year

• Irene Kelley
• Donna Ulisse
• Dale Ann Bradley
• Rhonda Vincent
• Lorraine Jordan
• Jeanette Williams

Bluegrass Male Vocalist of the Year

• Russell Moore
• Larry Stephenson
• David Parmley
• Danny Paisley
• Josh Williams
• Dave Adkins

Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year

• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• The Farm Hands
• King James Boys
• Remington Ride
• Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
• Carolina Blue

Bluegrass Vocal Group of the Year

• The Kody Norris Show
• The Farm Hands
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• The Grascals
• Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
• Rhonda Vincent & The Rage

Bluegrass Instrumental Group of the Year

• Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
• Alan Biby & Grasstowne
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• The Grascals
• The Farm Hands

Bluegrass Band of the Year

• Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• Russel Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
• The Farm Hands
• Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
• Carolina Blue

Bluegrass Entertainer of the Year

• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• Rhonda Vincent
• The Farm Hands
• Kody Norris
• The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
• The Grascals

Bluegrass Song of the Year

• Just Load The Wagon – Junior Sisk
• Sailor’s Regret – Larry Cordle
• Hitchhiking To California – Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
• Circle of Wood – The Farm Hands
• Love Bug – The Kody Norris Show
• Banjo Player’s Blues – High Fidelity

Best of luck to all the nominees!

Further details regarding featured performers, room reservations, and anything else SPBGMA Nashville related, can be found online. We are told that rooms at the Sheraton Music City Hotel are still available.

The Friday show at YeeHaw kicked off with two Florida bands. The first – Sandy Back Porch – is from the Orlando area. They give a mix of bluegrass and traditional country music. They can be seen on many venues in the area. The second – The Penny Creek Band – is from the Melbourne area. They play a mix of old and new bluegrass with a heavy influence from bands like the Country Gentlemen. They play a lot along the east coast of central Florida.

The Malpass Brothers were up next. Their classic country sound has become much loved in the bluegrass community. Taylor plays a wonderful Tommy Smothers to Chris’ Dickie! In their second set they did a “switch identities” bit, and all the band members followed suit. Then the Rage guys showed up on stage with different instruments, and hilarity ensued! Caroline Owens joined them for a couple tunes and Rhonda also joined in for a song.

Deeper Shade of Blue played their first of three sets in the evening. They are becoming one of the hottest acts in bluegrass, so see them when they are in your area.

Rhonda Vincent and the Rage closed out the day’s stage show. Rhonda continues to be the hardest working person in bluegrass. Yes, the “Queen of Bluegrass” has earned her title.

Promoter Ernie Evans has started a midnight jam that is hosted by one of the festival bands. Friday night the jam host was Deeper Shade of Blue. A large group of musicians – and listeners – participated, including Rhonda Vincent. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Saturday was kicked off by three Florida bands. The first – Remedy Tree – is from the St. Augustine area. They do a mix of bluegrass and old time music. The second – Justin Mason and Blue Night – is from the Orlando area, a hard driving, traditional bluegrass band. Justin is becoming the face and voice of Florida bluegrass. He keeps everyone informed of events and documents them. The third – Keith Bass and the Florida Bluegrass Express – is from Okeechobee. They are a traditional band that gives full measure.

Deeper Shade of Blue returned to the stage with two sets of their great music.

The Grascals came on next. The line up was a bit different, as Terry Smith and Chris Davis were both ill. Grascal founding member, Terry Eldredge, stepped in on bass and vocals. Jake Vanover played guitar and sang. Terry sang some of the tunes that many remember from the early days of the band. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Terry and Chris.

Country legend, Moe Bandy, closed out the festival. He brought in some classic country fans. He put in a long set that was enjoyed by all.

Sherry Boyd is the Evans Media Source MC. She does a great job. EMS Sound came along with Donnie Carver, who did an outstanding job with the sound. Debi and Ernie Evans and all of their volunteers kept things running smoothly.

The next Evans Media Source event will be the Palatka Bluegrass Festival at the Rodeheaver Boy’s Ranch in Palatka, Florida on February 17, 18, and 19.

Support your local music venues.

“So hard to believe this one has left us so soon. I loved hearing Randall Massengill’s amazing voice,” shared Jill Wiese, longtime friend/fan and North Dakota show promoter. “All of us here in the North Dakota Bluegrass Association share in the loss of our great friend who performed twice at our summer festival, and six times at the Blizzard Bluegrass weekend at Bismarck State College.”

Wiese continued…

“Blue Moon Rising played our festival in June of 2005. My husband, Bob, and I were their ‘host family’ at the festival. In a way, I’ll say a pure and true love at first sight with all of the guys. 

“There was always something about Randy though. His ginormous smile, laughter, and immediate friendship stuck with all our hearts here in North Dakota. We began a long bluegrass relationship with BMR. Randy also brought his band, The Brand New Strings, who included Preston Schmidt of North Dakota. There was a lifelong bond formed with Randall from the time that we met! His appreciation for life was huge, and he truly loved North Dakota. He leaves behind many grieving friends in our state. We will all miss him and will cherish our ridiculously fun memories of Randy! Randy you brought so much joy, fun, shenanigans, and talent to share to our great state. We will never, ever forget you.”

The beloved bluegrass musician/singer and Tennessee State Trooper, Randall Massengill, age 49, of New Tazewell, TN, passed away January 20, 2022 at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center with his loving family and fellow troopers by his side. Randall performed with Blue Moon Rising (and previously with several other east Tennessee bands). A 20-year-veteran of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, he was a sergeant over the Critical Incident Response Team.

In Blue Moon Rising, Randall covered the tenor vocal and high leads for the band, along with his great rhythm guitar skills. Previously, he spent many years touring with the bluegrass Gospel band, New Road. Then, along with bassist, Tim Tipton, and New Road banjoist, Stuart Wyrick, they formed the successful band, Brand New Strings. Randall had many musical influences from Gospel, blues, country, and bluegrass, and it was apparent in his soulful tenor singing.

A strong Christian, Massengill’s singing reflected his faith. A song that he penned and recorded with New Road, God Sees Me (What The Lord Gave Us, 2001), is a prime example of his belief. 

Vic Graves, who spent nine years with Randall in New Road, performed on the album. The band’s rest guitarist praised his former band mate. 

“Randall was a good fellow. He always had a smile, and had something to say to make you smile. We didn’t live too far apart, about 15 miles. He was very talented, one of the best guitar pickers around here. He wrote a song on one of our albums called God Sees Me. That will minister to you.”

The chorus says it all:

God sees me as one of His children.
God sees me as one of His own.
As the blood was applied through the tears in His eyes,
God saw me when I couldn’t see at all.

“God Sees Me was one of our most requested songs,” stated Stuart Wyrick, who picked banjo alongside Randall’s guitar in both New Road and Brand New Strings. 

“I first met Randall around 1993. In 1995, New Road was formed. Randall was one of the original members and recorded five CDs with New Road. In 2009, Brand New Strings formed. Randall recorded two CDs for Rural Rhythm Records and toured as a national act. Randall was a great songwriter, singer and guitar player, and a good friend. He will be greatly missed.”

Band members from his current band, Blue Moon Rising, chimed in with praises for their fallen friend.

Chris West, Blue Moon Rising’s guitarist, began, “Randall Massengill was a great friend, father, and husband. He was also a great bluegrass guitar picker and tenor/high lead singer. Blue Moon Rising would never have been the same, or as good, without him. I can’t tell you the countless nights we’ve spent in hotel rooms singing old Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe songs, and I will always miss him. I met Randall (Erndie) when we were both kids at the Oasis Pizza Parlor in Harrogate, TN, and have been friends ever since. My heart hurts for his wife, Shannon, his two boys, and his stepchildren.”

BMR mandolinist, Keith Garrett, shared, “Randall was a great tenor singer and band member, but more importantly he was a great friend. I will miss getting the chance to hang out with him and pick and sing. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

Justin Jenkins, BMR banjoist, added, “Randall was more than a band mate and a friend, he was a brother. His talent was undeniable if you heard him. If you knew him personally, you knew he loved his family and friends and more importantly, the Lord. I will forever cherish the memories I had with him and will miss him dearly. See you on the other side brother!”

Resonator guitarist with BMR, Brandon Bostic, said “Randall was a great band mate, and an even better friend. He was always quick to lend a helping hand or crack a joke in a tense moment. Although I’ll miss performing with him, the things I’ll always carry with me are the late-night hotel room guitar pulls, exploring whatever town we might be in to find a great pub, and the seemingly endless string of Sling Blade quotes. Rest easy, Randy…you tuning SOB!”

Tim Tipton, BMR (and former Brand New Strings) bassist, concluded, “Randall and I were instant friends from the first time we met. His infectious personality made everything we ever did together fun. He was a friend to everyone, unconditionally, and I loved him just the same! We have traveled many miles and played music all over the country together, but now he is playing and singing that high tenor in a heavenly bluegrass band. My continued thoughts and prayers are with his family! Rest easy, Randy!”

Randall Massengill is survived by his wife, Shannon Massengill; children: Levi Massengill, Luke Massengill, Brooke Mullins, Amber Mullins, and Derek Mullins; parents: Charles and Phyllis Massengill.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church in New Tazewell, TN. Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. again at Midway Baptist. Graveside Service will follow at the England Cemetery in Tazewell.

R.I.P., Randall Massengill.