Monthly Archives: May 2022

Yonder Mountain String Band at The Deck in Muskegon, MI (5/25/22) – photo © Bryan Bolea

West Michigan’s outdoor concert season got off to a raucous start with Yonder Mountain String Band shredding The Deck’s tented stage on the beach in Muskegon. The band came out hot and was in midseason shape as they played a full two and a half hours before closing things down just before the rain and lightning returned.

The crowd took a little longer to get warmed up, but by midway through, most had left their tables and pushed towards the stage, and by the fourth quarter, the poor security guard tasked with keeping dancers away from the stage was fairing no better than the kids on the beach trying to carry mounds of sand in their hands.

James Price with Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys (Tucson, AZ, 2003) – photo by Jeromie Stephens

The unexpected death of bluegrass fiddler James Price earlier this week caught all of us unawares. The talented and well-loved musician was only 57 years old, and had shown no signs of illness prior to his passing.

His two adult children, Mason and Amanda, were likewise unprepared, and have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover their father’s funeral expenses, and any others that may arise in dealing with his estate. Their ask is quite modest, only $2,000, which it seems should be a simple thing for bluegrass lovers and Ralph Stanley fans to raise.

In the online appeal, Amanda (Barton), thanked everyone for their kindness so far.

“As many of you may already know, my brother Mason and I are dealing with the loss of our dad, James Price. We are starting this GoFundMe to help raise some money to cover dad’s arrangement expenses. Any further donations would be greatly appreciated just to help out our families with any unexpected costs that might come. We just want to thank everyone for all the love and support that has been shown for our dad and our family as we have to go through this tragic time.

James played as a Clinch Mountain Boy for nearly nine years, and appeared on multiple Ralph Stanley projects, along with three solo albums of his own. He also recorded in support of many other bluegrass artists among his friends.

GoFundMe allows for simple and secure online donations using major credit cards or PayPal.

You can find the Price family campaign on the GoFundMe site. Please give as you are able.

Today’s the day! One of the most anticipated new bluegrass groups in years, Authentic Unlimited, is releasing not just one debut album, but two on the same day.

Billy Blue Records has both a self-titled secular project for the group, composed of several members of the final edition of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and a Gospel record, The Gospel Sessions, Vol 1, available May 27.

At the heart of Authentic Unlimited are three of Doyle’s former bandmates, Eli Johnston on banjo, Jerry Cole on bass, and Stephen Burwell on fiddle, joined by tenor singing sensation John Meador on guitar, and mandolin veteran Jesse Brock. Cole is a prolific songwriter as well, with many Quicksilver cuts under his belt, and he has written the first single from The Gospel Sessions, a largely a cappella number called Hold On, sung in a call-and-response format.

Jerry say that all the guys are stoked to finally have the new music they’ve spent the past year recording available to bluegrass fans.

“We are working very hard to provide quality music to our audience with a professionalism they deserve! The entire AU crew, along with our friends at Billy Blue, are excited about both the bluegrass albums and the Gospel album releasing at the same time, and hope listeners will lend an ear!”

Have a listen to Hold On in this performance video.

Both Authentic Unlimited and The Gospel Sessions, Vol 1 are available today from popular download and streaming services online. Audio CDs can be ordered directly from the band.

Mr. Sun is home to three generations of extraordinarily talented musicians, each bringing their own gifts to the band. Although the band can be categorized as American String Music or bluegrass or jazz, as a group, Mr. Sun continues to innovate the possibilities of all these genres.

Perhaps by virtue of his long career as an innovator in contemporary string music, fiddler extraordinaire, Darol Anger, is the spiritual leader of Mr. Sun. Anger has played with Republic of Strings, the Turtle Island String Quartet, the David Grisman Quintet, Montreux, Psychograss, The Duo, and other ensembles. He is also an associate professor at Berklee College of Music. Anger is joined by mandolinist Joe K. Walsh, who spent four award-winning years in the Gibson Brothers. Like Anger, Walsh has also held a Berklee professorship. Guitar genius Grant Gordy, a former member of David Grisman’s unit, is a master of various styles from bluegrass to R&B, to rock and jazz. New to the group is veteran jazz musician, Aidan O’Donnell. 

On March 17, 2022, I went with my twenty-six-year-old son, Thelonious, to see Mr. Sun debut their newly released album, Extrovert, at Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan. I had been given access to the pre-released album a few weeks prior, and along with Extrovert, I had been listening to Mr. Sun’s first album, The People Need Light, obsessively. 

That night the group opened with Danny Barnes, written by Gordy (an homage to the composer and banjo player, Danny Barnes). Despite the complexity level of the song and the musical firepower on that Rockwell stage, the players bobbed their heads and tapped their feet like they were audience members too. Anger drummed his violin with his bow, smiling. Once the band fully came in together, I was immediately struck by the dialog between musicians, like they were passing solos back and forth to each other, sometimes finishing each other’s licks. I could hear the musicians grunting and chortling, as if they were on a soccer field, trying to impress each other with acrobatics and impossible plays. It wasn’t that they were competing against each other. They were enthusiastically trying to dazzle each other, as if to say, “hey, that was cool, check this out.” Meanwhile the audience was the beneficiary of their playful virtuosity. As Danny Barnes appeared sometimes to come to an end, band members took turns continuing the instrumental sections, crushing the audience’s expectations, and laughing all the while.

Mr. Sun is a band that will satisfy the musical nerds, but doesn’t forget about its audience. By entertaining each other, they entertain the audience. Gordy provided a preamble to the next song, saying that the members of Mr. Sun are, “benevolent stewards of the next generation, playing obscure bands’ music.” I was waiting to hear something I’d never heard before, and truly respected Mr. Sun’s devotion to lesser-known bands. This fantasy was smashed to bits when I heard the first three notes played by Gordy, and realized they’d launched into a cover of Blackbird, by the Beatles. People in the room chuckled when they understood the ruse that had been played on them. 

And while Mr. Sun is drawing from the bluegrass jazz fusion traditions forged by David Grisman and Anger, they are also extending the tradition to something new and vibrant. The high-wire musical dialog passed between Walsh, Anger, and Gordy thread a needle through musical universes yet unexplored or unknown. Walsh played a solo part that could be described as a sophisticated mathematical design. He then tossed his multi-sided polyhedron to Gordy who transformed it – on the spot – into some other complex polyhedron. The game continued as Anger took the queue from Gordy and developed his own on-the-spot transformation. And this was all backed by O’Donnell’s thumping bass lines, keeping the bop rhythm driving and exciting. The musicians maintained eye contact at all times, as if volleying with their gazes. When they were not looking at each other, they were looking at each other’s instruments.

As Gordy told me in a conversation I had with him prior to that night, these guys love playing together. Their main goal is to have fun. Even the name Mr. Sun is intended to express joy. The audience was showered in that effulgent light and good feeling. 

The band followed up Blackbird with Dry & Dusty, a song from their first album. Despite being an old Texas fiddle tune, Mr. Sun gives it a new feel, perhaps even a bit of a Celtic lilt. Dry & Dusty is very lush and emotive, showing us that Mr. Sun has many tricks in their bag. 

I had asked Gordy what genre of music Mr. Sun played, knowing this would be unanswerable.

“Categories are really for the music labels,” said Gordy. “They need to know how to sell us.”

But the truth is Mr. Sun is more than just a composite of the styles that have influenced them and which they are interested in. In addition to influences previously mentioned, Gordy told me that members of Mr. Sun recognize their debt to African American music: R&B, funk, and jazz. There is no question that they’ve put a funky twist on their version of American String music. There is plenty of fizzle and pop in their delivery. 

Anger introduced the next song Breakers Bakedown from Extrovert which he wrote as an homage to Bill Monroe’s fiddle player, Kenny Baker. Breakers Bakedown is the tie that brings us back into the fold of the tradition, reminding us that everything comes from something. 

Next up was one of my favorite songs on Extrovert, The Fiddler of Dooney, which, as Walsh described, was a collaboration between him and William B. Yeats (although Yeats would not live to know this). This song really moved me. It was played at the right time in the set. Now that the band had whipped the audience up, our hearts and minds were open to hear something pensive. The Fiddler of Dooney also has a Celtic feel to it and, rightfully so, pays homage to the lyrics of Yeats.

Anger introduced the next song, Hunters Permit [from The People Need Light], written by Walsh and co-written by guitarist Scott Law, as a gypsy jazz tune. Although Anger is the elder of the group, perhaps its mentor, the performance Mr. Sun delivered was very democratic. Everyone seemed to both lead and follow at the same time. For the most part, Walsh and Gordy took front stage, as Anger humbly laid back, stepping to the front at times to deliver a demon possessed solo. 

Being a guitar player myself, I watched Gordy very closely. He never looked down at his guitar. ‘How does he know where the frets are?’ Admittedly nowhere near the guitar player Gordy is, I have no idea how he’s doing what he’s doing. Grant said to me that he’s not always sure. But his playing always sounds precise, evocative, and incredibly inventive. His soul knows exactly what to do. It’s like he plays upside down and backwards simultaneously. 

Darol then invited other players to join the stage for his song, Key Signator, also on The People Need Light. I hadn’t noticed Tony Trischka sitting covertly in the audience. Trischka ran up to the stage, banjo in hand, asking, “where do we stand?” The audience noticed their predicament. In addition to Trischka, Alex Hargreaves on fiddle, and Jacob Jolliff on mandolin also joined the stage. Although they were tightly packed in, the song erupted into action as the players negotiated access to the microphones, trying not to collide instruments or bump into each other. Key Signator, written in 1979, was on Anger’s first record, Fiddlistics, and was also performed often by the David Grisman Quintet

The song selection on Extrovert is very eclectic. In addition to tunes written by the players, there’s Mingus’s Better Git It in Your Soul, Lennon/McCartney’s Blackbird, and a railroad chant song titled Tamp ‘Em Up Solid, which was recorded by Ry Cooder. 

The band ended the night’s performance with Eddy Arnold’s Just A Little Lovin’ which has famously been recorded by Ray Charles, among others. And while Mr. Sun is an amazing instrumental unit, I love their vocal songs like After You’ve Gone, which is on The People Need Light, and Just A Little Lovin’, a jumping and popping tune. Walsh sings like he’s having fun, making it all look easy. What a great way to send the audience home, whistling and humming a great song melody. 

My son Thelonious, who doesn’t really listen to American String music, or bluegrass, or jazz fusion, said that seeing Mr. Sun perform helped him to better understand the music. He very much enjoyed the show. 

I’m looking forward to seeing Mr. Sun play at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in July 2022. I’m glad to live in a world where there is promise of more music from Mr. Sun. 

Extrovert is available on most streaming platforms, or you can pre-order CD or Vinyl online.

For more information on Mr. Sun, you can visit them online.

Corey Zink, leader of bluegrass band Zink & Company, has welcomed mandolinist Chris Long into the group.

A native of east Tennessee, Chris grew up in Oliver Springs surrounded by bluegrass and traditional country music. He started playing as a youngster and quickly became proficient on guitar, mandolin, and banjo, and in his teens he was performing with family members as The New River Boys.

Zink sees a little of himself in his newest bandmate.

“Chris reminds me of myself at twenty years old. He has a passion for playing and honoring the music that he was brought up listening to and playing. After spending a little time with Chris I felt confident that he would not only be an asset to the band, but also be a joy to be around. He has a great, happy, and positive attitude and an uplifting spirit. I would describe him as an old soul, a gentleman, and one heck of a picker. I know we have only scratched the surface of the talent that Chris has to share. I’m happy and excited to welcome Chris as a member of Zink and Company and can’t wait for everyone to meet and hear him perform. I’m quite confident you’ll see his dream of someday playing on the Grand Ole Opry, come true.”

Long is set to start with Corey June 9 at the Cherokee Bluegrass Festival, and says that he is rarin’ to go.

“I’m looking forward to traveling and playing with Zink and Company. I’ve learned quite, along with a few things about this band and the people involved. The enjoyment that these fine musicians bring to an audience is unmatched. This band has shown me that they have courtesy, professionalism, respect, and integrity for each other and their fans. I’m excited to see what the future brings for us, as we travel together and become closer as friends and band mates.”

Corey Zink records for Sound Biscuit Productions. You can see his full tour schedule online.

It’s not typical for a dobro player to sing lead, especially when the musician in question is a soloist. However, that is exactly what Abbie Gardner of the Americana trio Red Molly has done on her latest solo effort, DobroSinger. The end result is extraordinarily good.

One of the advantages of having such sparse instrumentation is that it allows the listener to connect with the material on an even deeper level. Gardner’s delivery on each of these songs is spectacular. You can’t help but be drawn to her voice. It forces you to pay attention to what the lyrics are conveying. The interplay between Abbie’s vocals and her dobro makes for a captivating listen, particularly on Honky Tonk Song.

All of the material on DobroSinger, save for Those Memories of You by Alan O’Bryant and You Belong To Me by Pee Wee King, were either written or co-authored by Abbie Gardner. Each of the songs on this project explore different life themes. The opening track Down The Mountain tells the story of a hard life being lived by a Kentucky coal miner and his family, while Only All The Time (written with Molly Venter) and Three Quarter Time, dive into the whirlwind feelings that can result from romance.

Cypress Tree and When We Were Kids both approach the subject of mortality from different angles. The former alludes to one’s final wishes as they are nearing the end of their journey, while the latter tells the story of someone’s life coming to a tragic end due to continual poor decisions. Born In The City (written with Will Kimbrough) is a more positive piece with the message that there’s room for everyone at the table, no matter where you come from or what your circumstances may hold.

It’s always fun to see what direction a musician will take with their instrument. What Abbie Gardner has done on DobroSinger is really unique and innovative. Gardner herself classifies this release as an Americana recording, but it’s more outside the box than that. There’s elements of country, blues, and bluegrass among other styles.

DobroSinger should not be pigeonholed into any one category. It’s simply great music with depth and originality.

Bluegrass songwriters and performers Justin Hiltner and Jon Weisberger have hooked up again following their 2018 duo project, Let It Burn, this time for an album of original and traditional Gospel music.

These two are good friends, though they each work in different aspects of the music industry. Weisberger, a generation ahead of his counterpart, is an A&R man and producer for Mountain Home Music in Asheville, NC, and Hilter is currently playing banjo in the touring company of a new, modernized production of Oklahoma!

The full EP, Room At The Table, is set for release on Friday, and they have offered a sneak preview to our readers today. It’s the track, Send Me Lord, Send Me, written by Justin, Jon, and Ashleigh Caudill.

Justin says that he loves the way it came out.

“When Ashleigh, Jon, and I sat down to write this song, I hadn’t written a true Gospel number in such a long time. But, it came out so simply and authentically Gospel — I love the call and response and the feeling that it could be sung by a quartet, a bluegrass band, or a congregation. Plus, the message resonates with my own story with the church. One of my favorites I’ve written and recorded with Jon, for sure.”

Jon agrees, bragging a bit on his contribution to the arrangement.

“This song was written especially for the project, based on an idea that Justin brought to the session. I love the way the lyric contrasts the narrator’s desire to be called into the Lord’s service with the ways that various Biblical figures resisted that call, and the classic simplicity of the melody and chord structure. I’m also proud to say that I was the one who suggested that Justin use his tuners for the kickoff and banjo solo! We hope it brings to mind echoes of great bluegrass Gospel recordings by artists like Larry Sparks, The Marshall Family, and The Isaacs.”

Weisberger plays bass and Hiltner banjo, supported by Laura Ray on guitar, Darren Nicholson on mandolin, and Corrina Rose Logston Stephens on fiddle. Ashleigh Caudill and Wendy Hickman sing harmony vocals.

Check it out…

Room At The Table will be available on May 27 from popular download and streaming services online. Audio CDs can be ordered from bandcamp.

Over more than a decade of reviewing bluegrass music, I’ve concluded that the songs that speak to me most directly tend to offer some mix of desire, desperation, and hope.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Something You Didn’t Count On, the Mountain Home Music Co. debut from Jaelee Roberts, doesn’t just speak to me. It practically shouts. Two of the songs are in-the-pocket bluegrass Gospel – I Owe Him Everything and Still Waters – that offer hope to those of us toiling in an uncertain and unsettling world. The other 10 provide sobering, heart-piercing takes on faded or lost love (from both sides of the story). There’s a haunting beauty in the words, whether from Roberts and her co-writers, other wordsmiths on Music Row, or from classics borrowed from country and rock archives.

Desperation, I realize, is a strong word. But how else to label a song that pretty much begs the singer’s used-to-be-special-someone to Lie To Me, as Roberts does in the outstanding song she co-wrote with Jerry Salley and Kelli Kingery. Or the lot assigned to the never-be in the Kelsi Harrigill-penned The Best of Me. It’s easy to imagine the pain someone is feeling as Roberts sings:

The Best of Me
Ain’t yours for the takin’
The Best of Me
To you it won’t come free

All the glitter and gold
Won’t keep you warm out in the cold
Oh you can beg and you can plead
But you won’t get The Best of Me

Ouch!

Those two songs are the best of the bunch, according to this very subjective opinion, but that’s not to say the others are mere fillers. Roberts writes and sings with authority on the title cut, written with Theo MacMillan, and on The Beginning Was the End, penned with Mallory Eagle. And with the help of producer Tim Surrett, she picked some others that fit the emotional arc of the project perfectly. 

I was especially eager to hear her take on Landslide. First of all, it’s a terrific song from Stevie Nicks, who knows a thing or two about desperate longing and desire, in life and in song (which for her may be interchangeable). And second, I’ll never knowingly pass up the chance to hear Vince Gill sing, even if it’s a harmony part.

Gill, it turns out, is just one of many marquee names appearing in the credits. Amanda and Kenny Smith add sublime harmonies elsewhere on the record, as do Paul and Kelsi Harrigill. And the pickers, including Alan Bibey on mandolin, Kristin Scott Benson on banjo, and Jimmy Mattingly on fiddle, are top notch. Mattingly might not be a household name in bluegrass, but you’ve heard his work backing Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, and what he does here is worth focusing on.

So when you add it all up, this isn’t a typical major-label debut. But that’s no surprise. Roberts comes from a music family – dad Danny Roberts is a founding member of The Grascals, and mom Andrea Mullins Roberts was a respected and in-demand performer in her own right before focusing on the business side of bluegrass. You’ve heard of some of her other relatives, too. The apple, as they say, didn’t fall far from the tree.

I’m not suggesting Roberts has had her career handed to her on a silver platter. Despite still being in college, she’s been working her music for years. Seriously, you don’t get chosen to replace Dale Ann Bradley in Sister Sadie solely because of the branches on your family tree. You have to earn it, and Roberts surely has.

I’m confident that if you give Something You Didn’t Count On an honest listen, you’ll soon be singing her praises. That is, if you aren’t already.

Life is full of twists and turns, and nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. But this project sounds and feels like it’s just the beginning of a long and successful journey as a solo artist for Jaelee Roberts.

Kurt and Jo Hickman, promoters of the annual Norwalk Music Fest in Norwalk, OH, have regrettably announced the cancellation of their 2022 event. The July festival is a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association, and functions as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

In a note to supporters they shared this news:

Unfortunately, we have a medical issue within our family that doesn’t allow us to go forward with the festival.

In addition, we realize the cost of attending and participating in an event is expensive for families at this time. While we have done some great things in the past for the Alzheimer’s Association, we are cognizant of the fact that asking for additional dollars from our patients would prove difficult. We sincerely appreciate the thousands of dollars our attendees have donated in the past – your hearts have been very generous and we are extremely grateful.

Cancellation of the festival was by no means an easy decision and we apologize for any inconvenience. For those who have purchased tickets, you’ll receive a full refund.

No further details have been announced at this time.

Last night, Punch Brothers were the musical guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS television.

They performed Any Old Time from their current project, Hell On Church Street, a Punchy reimagining and tribute to Tony Rice’s landmark album, Church Street Blues. The song comes from the great Jimmie Rodgers, and has been recut by artists in almost every imaginable genre.

Here’s theirs…

Punch Brothers are gearing up now for a summer tour, starting in June and running through August. Show and ticket information can be found online.

I’ve noticed within the entertainment industry a growing interest in the back stories of the villains of some of our legends, fairy tales, and classic superhero stories. Having milked most of the superhero and Grimm’s fairy tale-based franchises dry, all that’s left is to retell these tales from the point of view of the antagonists. The result is that we’re now treated to in-depth examinations of characters like Jabba the Hut, Lex Luthor, or that cannibalistic witch from Hansel and Gretel, learning about their childhood trials and disappointments, and finding out just what made them turn the psychological corner and want to rule the world or eat children in the forest. This has given rise to movies like the The Joker, or the musical Wicked about the witches from the land of Oz. Disney has released two movies about the evil fairy Maleficent from the Sleeping Beauty story. This is Disney’s plot summary for their first one:

“A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal – an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces a battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom – and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.”

Should we take this approach with some of the villains and antagonists of bluegrass songs? Probably not, but here’s what it might look like if we did:

Let’s start with Willie (aka “Little Willie”) who is likely responsible for the murders of Pretty Polly, the Knoxville Girl, and that unfortunate girl on the Banks of the Ohio, just to name a few:

Willie grew up the youngest of eight children in 19th century England, or possibly 20th century Tennessee. His father was kind at times but rarely home, his mother rejected and criticized him, and his brothers and sisters ignored him. He took an early interest in ballet and playing the harmonica. He was also fluent in Pig Latin, and his ping pong serve was devastating. None of this impressed the members of his family who only teased him, saying things like, “Harmonica? Well you’re no Charlie McCoy!” or “Ballet? Who do you think you are, Joe Namath?” It led Willie to become withdrawn and insecure. He had few friends in school, and he couldn’t seem to keep girlfriends past the first date or two. They were intrigued at first by the harmonica and dance skills, as well as his bilingual suavity, but they soon found him possessive and controlling. Those with any self-respect ran for the hills. Things really started to go wrong for Willie when he started running for the hills after them.”

How about the little-known back story of the snake of The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake fame:

The snake came into this world the way most snakes do, from an egg or something. He had a mostly happy childhood. In adolescence he spent his days eating rodents or toads, occasionally sunbathing, and generally doing a lot of slithering. Only rarely did he feel the need to bite anybody. His first encounter with humans didn’t go well, however, and this is where his life took an unfortunate turn. A group of boys picked him up and were clearly planning to kill him, so in an act of desperation, he bit one of them on the arm. He managed to escape, but later that day, some adults seemed to be combing the woods for him, probably seeking revenge. After that, he was wary and fearful of humans, and he would avoid them whenever possible, but he would try to look intimidating and even hiss if he was discovered. Little girls had a tendency to scream when they saw him and he resented that. Shouldn’t he be the one screaming? After all it was her own kind, maybe even her own brothers, who tried to kill him. In time he just accepted that he should act scary around little girls wandering in the woods, but he still considers the labels “awful” and “dreadful” unfair.

Next week: 

Dark as a Dungeon retold from the point of view of the coal mine.

Marcy Marxer, Tom Paxton, and Cathy Fink – photo by Michael G. Stewart

Legendary folksinger and songwriter Tom Paxton has seen several of his songs cut bluegrass style, but he hasn’t recorded much that way himself. A recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys, Tom is still going strong at 84, and has a new project called All New set for a July release, accompanied by co-writers Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, recorded live with an all-star band.

Today we have a sneak peek in the form of a single, Since You, written by Tom and Cathy and recorded in a bluegrass style. It’s a story of true love, and good times on the horizon which Paxton says still occurs even in a topsy turvy world.

“It happens; don’t try to tell me it doesn’t. You’ll meet more than one person in a lifetime who will bring you up short and change your way of thinking – sometimes permanently. Usually, the change is for the better. Usually.”

Fink tells us that they set out to make this a grasser from the start.

“Tom and I write all kinds of songs and one of our goals in co-writing has been to write bluegrass songs. We may have crossed the line writing a happy bluegrass love song, but we did it! And with Kimber Ludiker on fiddle, Marcy Marxer on mandolin, and Alex Lacquement on bass, how could we lose? Love always wins.”

It’s a sprightly number that makes you feel good for listening.

Since You is available now from popular download and streaming services online.

Look for All New, a double album, from Tom, Cathy, and Marcy, on July 29

Many bluegrass lovers know Akira Otsuka as a brilliant mandolinist, something he has pursued from the time he was a young man in Japan, through his later life here in the United States. Fewer know that he is also a talented photographer whose images from his early days here in the 1970s are being archived online.

He has agreed to share some of those with our readers, starting with this gallery shot during a recording session at Track Recorders in Silver Spring, Maryland. It shows Bill Harrell & The Virginians in the studio for Dick Freeland and Rebel Records, engineered by Ronnie Freeland. The band included Bill on guitar and lead vocal, Darrel Sanders on banjo, Larry Stephenson on mandolin, Carl Nelson on fiddle, Ed Ferris on bass, and Mike Auldridge on reso-guitar.

Darrel and Larry are the only ones still with us from that session, which was released as I Can Hear Virginia Calling Me on Rebel Records in 1980.

We reached out to Larry Stephenson who shared a few memories from that day.

“I recall that time fairly well. It was in November of 1978. The thing I remember the most about that session was that I wasn’t a member of the band yet. I was playing with Leon Morris at the time, and Bill had just put The Virginians back together. I had seen him play a show with just four pieces, and I had gone up and told him that if I could ever help him out on mandolin, I would love to have a try at it.

He put me off several times before finally hiring me in January of ’79, but he did hire me for that session. I remember that in addition to Mike Auldridge from Seldom Scene being there, Phil Rosenthal was there as well since we were cutting his song, Something In The Wind is Calling Me.

I was just 22 years old and getting to record with guys like Ed Ferris, Mike Auldridge, and Bill Harrell was a pure joy.”

Thanks Larry, and Akira for the memories!

We will share some of Otsuka’s other images as the spring and summer roll along.

Deering Banjos is introducing three new models for their ProPik line of banjo accessories, just in time for the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville.

While ProPik has been known for years for innovative designs in banjo picks, these three new picks are meant for pickers who prefer the traditional look and feel of the old National brand finger and thumb picks. In fact, they are taking aim at some of the most popular picks currently in use among professional players and serious hobbyists.

The Heritage fingerpicks are for pickers who like them the old time way, modeled on an old set of Nationals used by Earl Scruggs when he recorded the Bill Monroe standard, Pike County Breakdown, back in 1950. After the session, Scruggs made a gift of those picks to Tut Taylor, who eventually passed them along to banjo master and Deering endorser Jens Kruger. ProPik matched the dimensions of Earl’s old Nats to create the Heritage picks, made from nickel, which are also beveled along the blade edge to avoid that frustrating break-in period.

ProPik Progressive fingerpicks are based on their existing Standard single wrap pick, but instead of using a wrap design with two dozen small holes in each wrap, six larger holes getting progressively larger are cut along the wrap, three on each side.

Also new is the Super-Tone Thumbpick, which feature a metal band riveted to a blade made of Peek, a super strong and smooth polymer material which is prized for use in picks. During R&D on this new product, ProPik testers found that the Peek blade offered a more balanced and nuanced tone than the Delrin they use in other ProPik thumbpicks. The metal bands are also carefully rolled and beveled for comfort.

All three new items will debut at the Summer NAMM show in early June. At that time they will also be available from dealers all over the world, our directly from Deering online.

The Heritage fingerpicks sell for $14/pair, and the Progressive for $7/pair. The Super-Tone thumbpick will sell for $35 in small, medium, and large sizes.

Noted bluegrass fiddler, and former Clinch Mountain Boy, Jame Price has died today at his home in West Virginia. He was 57 years of age.

According to his son, Mason, James went to sleep and never woke up. At this point no medical cause has been explored.

Though his eight years with Ralph Stanley gave James his greatest visibility, he has previously played fiddle with The Goins Brothers. He also recorded three albums under his own name.

Price toured with Dr. Ralph and the Clinch Mountain Boys from 1995 to 2003, and is remembered for being able to play the old time mountain style fiddle, but with a clarity and precision not always associated with this sound. He was the second in line after Curly Ray Cline retired in 1993, following Art Stamper who returned to the band for two years. Art had played with The Stanley Brothers back in the day.

Ralph Stanley II, who now leads The Clinch Mountain Boys, was taken aback by the news of James’ passing, and remembered him as a fine bandmate.

“I traveled many a mile with him. I had started singing lead when he took the job. James came in just a week or two after that. James’ fiddle style and fiddle playing, I thought it really suited Dad’s style well. He played a lot like Curly Ray Cline. He always did a good job, and he was a good comedian – great entertainer.

I really hate that he is gone so soon.”

II also remembered that the comic character James played in their show was called Poogie Jude, and that Dr. Ralph used to call him Old Pooge out on the road.

After leaving Stanley, he formed a pair of bands to perform regionally in West Virginia, James Price & Kentucky Reign and James Price & Native Country. The first was a bluegrass group and the second country.

He also toured with Little Jimmy Dickens and Johnny Paycheck.

James released three solo fiddle albums: The Old Mountaineer (1994 Hay Holler Records), Southern Flavor (1998 Freeland Records), and Fiddlin’ the Old Time Way (2003 Rebel Records). He appeared on the Lost in the Lonesome Pines album by Jim Lauderdale and Ralph Stanley, which won the Best Bluegrass Album at the Grammys in 2002. Price was included on a number of Ralph Stanley records, including Short Life of Trouble (1996), My All And All (1997), Clinch Mountain Country (1998), While The Ages Roll On (2000), Clinch Mountain Sweethearts (2001), and Live At McCabe’s Guitar Shop (2002).

The family has not yet announced any information about funeral arrangements. We will update as those are known.

R.I.P., James Price.

Founded by Joe Macheret (vocals, guitar, big head banjo, fiddle, percussion), Joe’s Truck Stop is a decidedly homegrown affair. Yonderlings, the third album by the Cincinnati-based band — which also includes musicians Andrew McPheters (harmony vocals, 5-string banjo), June Youngblood (harmony vocals, upright bass), Stephen “Tebbs” Karney (dobro, pedal steel guitar), Scott Risner (harmony vocals, mandolin), John K Victor (harmonica), Joe Wunderle (harmony vocals, harmonica, piano), Sean Geil (banjo), and Chris Novy (drums) — was recorded in a mobile studio located inside a 50 year old barn. To ensure that ambience, the project was overseen by David Mayfield, known for his work with Cadillac Sky and open his own music. Not surprisingly then, the resulting sound reflects those rustic environs, thanks to songs that are frayed around the edges, yet still flush with both an honesty and emotion that reflects the album’s rural origins.

That’s apparent in the unhurried attitude that pervades the album overall, from the easy drift of the otherwise unassuming Gas Station Sushi, and the gentle sway which steers Midnight on the Ohio and Wishin’ on A Star, to the rambling and slightly unhinged instrumentals Grease Fire and Pappy Hondo, and the sprightly sounds of Winter Waltz.

Still and Silence takes that nonchalant approach several steps further. “I’ve been living on the road, this vehicle’s my home,” Macheret sings. “So put out your smoke and kick off your shoes.”

So too, Waltz for Lucille shares in that casual caress, a reflection of an attitude that’s devoid of pretense, and yet intended for enjoyment even in the most intimate environs.

In that regard, Yonderings reflects a singular style spun from down-home celebration — earnest, engaging and rooted in actual folk tradition. The musicians blend skill with subtlety, negating the flash while still retaining a flourish and finesse. Clarity and confidence shine through, without cause to grandstand or any attempt at outshining one another.

Ultimately, Yonderlings can’t be considered groundbreaking, or anything that even attempts to breach bluegrass boundaries. It is, however, an engaging album that evokes the spirt of a seminal sound. When, on the closing track, Thank You, Macheret expresses his gratitude for the joy he’s been blessed with, the emotions radiating as a result might just prompt listeners to pause and reflect on some good fortune of their own.

On Friday (May 20, 2022) we posted a report about Danny Paisley and his announcement that he is suffering with throat cancer. 

During the weekend, Darby Brandli and a few other California Bluegrass Association members have launched a fund-raising campaign to support Paisley as he undergoes a course of chemotherapy and gets back on his feet thereafter.

In Brandli’s appeal she observed …. 

The worldwide bluegrass community is defined not only by our love of the music and the tradition, but also our dedication to community. There are some members of our community who are known and revered by everyone. Danny Paisley, the reigning IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year, is one of that special class — and he needs our love and support now.

Diagnosed with throat cancer about a month ago, Danny and his family and medical team have decided on a treatment plan which begins June 1st. See Danny’s letter to his friends for details. Danny’s survival prognosis with this treatment is excellent. Still, there will be some risk to his singing — and, of course, the treatment is not easy and will significantly impact his livelihood.

Musicians have struggled to survive during the pandemic, and a situation like this has additional economic consequences. We needed to talk Danny into allowing us to create this fundraising campaign, but he does acknowledge that financial assistance will be welcome at this time.

We are all huge fans and longtime friends of the Southern Grass family, and hope you will join us in supporting Danny Paisley while he’s off the road receiving medical treatment.

We’re hoping to raise $47,000 — in honor of the California Bluegrass Association’s 47th Annual Father’s Day Festival in 2022 — all of which will be given to Danny and his family. Whether or not you’re able to make a donation, we appreciate you sharing this campaign on social media and offering some words of support to Danny.

Thanks very much for whatever you’re able to do –

Darby Brandli
Angelica Branum
Kathy Kallick
Laurie Lewis
Tristan Scroggins
Annie Staninec
Peter Thompson
Molly Tuttle

for the California Bluegrass Association on behalf of Danny Paisley

Brandli added … 

“Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass play powerful, unadorned, and intense traditional bluegrass. There is no hybrid or genre-bending music here. Their combination of instrumentation and vocals convey the energy and emotion of classic bluegrass and country music. Danny’s lead vocals will captivate your senses, so much so that many prominent musicians, including Alison Krauss, have considered Danny as one of their favorite singers. His voice combines powerful range and soulful blues with a sound like no one else in bluegrass today. Since Danny’s father, Bob Paisley (founder of Southern Grass), passed away in 2004, Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass have received more than a dozen International Bluegrass Music Association Award nominations, winning the Song of the Year in 2009.

In 2021, Danny Paisley joined an elite group of singers when he was awarded the IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year for the third time.

Donations can be made here.

We wish Danny Paisley all the very best as he deals with the challenges that he faces during the coming months, and hope that the medical treatment is successful so that he may soon return to a full working schedule. 

Sad news to report about a beloved bluegrass artist. Danny Paisley has been diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer. He is scheduled to begin treatment shortly.

Speaking earlier today with his son Ryan, we learned a bit more about Danny’s situation.

“After persistent illness and a round of tests, doctors have diagnosed a cancer in his throat.

This type of cancer is HPV related. Men dad’s age get it. But fortunately, it has very little spread, and grows very slowly. The cancer they found is very small.

They caught it early, and he will have to go through chemo and radiation, but there is a 90% likelihood of a complete recovery.”

Things started not long ago with a sore throat.

“Dad’s tonsils were inflamed, and the ENT docs tried antibiotics, which helped. One doctor suggested he go to Philadelphia to see an ENT who specializes in this sort of thing. He did a biopsy which came back as cancer.

It was shocking news, but Dad says, ‘This is highly treatable, and I know I will come through this.’”

Danny will begin chemo and radiation therapy at the beginning of June. His doctors had said that he may be able to play shows close to home in the early stages of treatment, but most performances by Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass will be postponed until the fall. Anyone who has experienced this sort of therapy, or has been through it with a loved one, knows how debilitating it can be, with its combination of fatigue, nausea, and general sense of malaise.

But if you know Danny, you recognize that he is as positive and good natured a person as you could ever meet. And at 63 years old, he has plenty of strength to undergo treatment.

“Dad has a good attitude about this. As anyone would be in his position, he is resolved to get through this. The doctors told him that life will be on hold for the next few months, but by late fall you should be back to normal.

It was difficult to hear it, but between the kindness of the bluegrass people and the care team Dad has, it has been a huge comfort. They are highly trained in this type of cancer.”

Danny has posted this statement on his Facebook page:

Dear Friends, 

In recent weeks, doctors at the University of Pennsylvania diagnosed me with throat cancer, which a biopsy has since confirmed. The good news is that we have caught it early, and I have well over a 90% chance of being cured. After careful consideration and consultation with my doctors on the different options I have for treatment, I have elected to pursue a course of radiation and chemotherapy. This seems to be the most effective route that negates many long-term side effects.

I will begin treatment on June 1st, and my care team has given me the green light to keep performing some on the weekends early on, when the side effects are minimal. However, they have made clear that during the course, my overall touring will be limited, and I will not feel up to playing in the latter weeks of the process, as well as a few that follow the end of treatment.

Therefore, I regrettably announce that we will be rescheduling some of our appearances. We have notified the promoters of all these venues, and we thank them for their kindness and understanding. I appreciate your thoughtful wishes and prayers, and we will keep you updated as things progress. We look forward to getting back on the road full-time and seeing all of you again very soon!

They will play this weekend and the next in Maryland, but have postponed their sets at Graves Mountain at the end of the month.

We all wish Danny the very best as he undergoes treatment, and can’t wait to see him again in the fall. He isn’t giving a likely return date, as it depends on how he feels once the chemo is over.

Get well soon Danny Paisley!

Kentucky bluegrass artist Don Rigsby is set to appear on this Sunday’s American Idol broadcast, in support of a young man he knows back home, Noah Thompson, who is a finalist in this season’s competition.

Noah is a country singer from the same town as Don, in the same part of the state where Ricky Skaggs and Larry Cordle grew up. When we caught up with Rigsby this afternoon, he asked if we might share this news.

“I work for a company called Addiction Recovery Care in Louisa, KY. It’s recognized as the number one company of its type, certainly in America, and perhaps the world. There’s a boy who also works for the company in the Construction Division, whose name is Noah Thompson.

Noah is 20 years old, and he is fine young man who has very humble beginnings. You can find out more about him is by Googling his name. He is in the top three finalists for American Idol this season. Last Tuesday night, he came home the first time in two months to a huge reception with well over ten thousand people in attendance to play a concert and say hi to the hometown folks. I was tasked with assembling a top notch band to support him and his efforts.

So I contacted my friends Ray Salyer, Mark Stevens, Jared Ward, and Jeff Branham. These guys are all great musicians. I played in the band myself to as a guitarist.

In addition to that, Noah has a road sign on country music highway now, and as I am honored with that same distinction, the company asked me to present it to him and unveil it on the road. So that’s all been filmed, and it will be airing this Sunday night in the finals.

If anyone would be willing to do it, I would really appreciate it if they would go watch the show on Sunday night and vote for Noah. He as good as he seems. Just a real small town country boy who’s had a rough life up till now, and is deserving of a good outcome.”

Even though Noah is primarily a country singer, he obviously was raised hearing plenty of picking and singing as well. Don said that when he did the concert earlier this week for the home folks, one of the songs Thompson did was Blue Side of the Mountain from The Steeldrivers.

Best of luck to Noah in the finals.

Junior Sisk at the May 2022 Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival – photo by Frank Baker

Here is our final batch of photos taken by Frank Baker at the May 2022 Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival. Thanks Frank!

Until the fall…

Jay Starling – photo by Andrew Wyatt

Venerable jamgrass legends Leftover Salmon have announced the addition of Virginia reso-guitar man and vocalist Jay Starling to the group. He will also play keys and some lap steel with the Salmon

If the name sounds familiar, it should. Jay is the son of John Starling of Seldom Scene fame, and yes, the singing genes definitely passed down from his father. Plus it didn’t hurt growing up surrounded by some of the top artists in bluegrass, nor did studying at the Berklee College of Music.

In recent years Jay has been playing with Love Canon, and doing side work with any number of acts on the jamgrass and alt-bluegrass scene, including the Salmon.

Leftover Salmon co-founder and guitarist/vocalist Vince Herman says that they are all stoked to see Starling come onboard full time.

“Jay comes from a legendary bluegrass family, and we are head over heels excited about having him officially join the band. Keys, dobro, and an incredible voice all in one guy! Welcome to the circus, Jay.”

He joins Herman, Drew Emmitt on mandolin, Andy Thorn on banjo, George Garrison on bass, and Alwyn Robinson on drums.

Starling tells us that he and the band share an intertwined history.

“I first saw them at Wolf Trap at a show that was Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, Seldom Scene, and Leftover Salmon. I went to see the Scene because my friend Chris Eldridge was sitting in that night. It was the most turned out I had seen Wolf Trapp, they really lit the place up.

It’s an honor and slightly surreal to join them all these years later. There’s a connection because both Leftover Salmon and Seldom Scene changed the sound of bluegrass music. Vince and Drew, whether they knew it or not, kind of did the exact same thing as Seldom Scene in a different era.

I first met Vince through a mutual friend, and we hit it off and became friends right away. In the past few years I was sort of a rotating sixth member, along with Bill Payne and Erik Deutsch. I always thought it would be super fun to play with them.

During the pandemic, Vince called to say that Erik took another gig and there would be an opening, but that it would be a year out. Then he called when things opened up and asked me to play some shows with them, and then halfway through a tour he asked me to stay and play some more.

Couldn’t be a better bunch of guys.”

Jay says that he will continue to live in Charlottesville, VA and travel to meet the band. And that he feels sure he has his late father’s blessing.

“I think my dad would be pretty happy to see me doing this. He always said that if someone can put your music firmly into a category, you’re doing something wrong.

Here’s to a second generation of Starlings in bluegrass music, in a first generation jamgrass band.

Jesse Smathers is definitely a bluegrass man. And he comes by it naturally, with both his grandfather and his great uncle, Harold and Luke Smathers, being major contributors to traditional music in Jesse’s native North Carolina. In fact, the two were honored in 1993 with a North Carolina Heritage Award.

Their influence had a young Jesse picking up a guitar when he was 11 years old, and the mandolin at 15. While still in high school he won the guitar championship at the Virginia Folk Music Association contest, and the next year he was on the road performing with Jame King. His next move was to Nothin’ Fancy, and in 2015 he joined up with Lonesome River Band. Smathers came into the band to play mandolin and sing, but has since switched to guitar.

The IBMA honored him in 2017 with the Momentum Vocalist Award, given to artists in the early stages of their career, and last week a debut, self-titled solo album was released as an independent project.

Along with the CD dropping, Jesse has a new single to share, Under The Weather, written by Brink Brinkman. Smathers says that he picked it for its old time sound.

“Brink sent me a handful of songs, and Under the Weather stood out immediately. When I heard the lyric and melody, it was so reminiscent of the first generation bluegrass that I love so much.”

Jesse sings the lead and plays guitar and mandolin, with support from Jonathan Dillon on banjo, Gaven Largent on reso-guitar, Joe Hanabach on bass, and Jason Carter and Mike Hartgrove on twin fiddles. Patrick Robertson and Jessie Baker sang harmony.

It sounds like a waltz number you might have heard years ago from Flatt & Scruggs or The Stanley Brothers.

Have a listen…

Under The Weather and the full Jesse Smathers album are available now from popular download and streaming services online. Audio CDs can be ordered directly from the artist web site.

Radio programmers can get the tracks via AirPlay Direct.

Seldom Scene at the May 2022 Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival – photo by Frank Baker

Here is another gallery of images Frank Baker took last weekend at the Spring 2022 Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival. One more to go!

Bell Buckle Records has released a single from Lone Star stater Bobby Giles and his band, Texas Gales. Produced in Nashville by Jim VanCleve of The Appalachian Road Show, it shows Bobby as both singer and songwriter with a sound and a look that calls to mind fellow Texan, the late Dan Seals.

For the single, they have chosen a song called In Tennessee, which tells of the joys of the Volunteer State, accompanied by his regular collaborator Steve Loggie on banjo, and further supported by Lenny Nichols on bass, Rob Ickes on reso-guitar, Seth Taylor on mandolin, and VanCleve on fiddle.

A music video was shot as well in Lebanon, TN, and Bobby says they weren’t as properly prepared as they might have been.

“It was plenty hot and we were filmin’ out in an open field. I was dressed for Winter—Black Stetson, a dress coat, and a long-sleeve shirt. What you don’t see is my shirt was soaked with sweat in every spot not visible. Also, my wife Lisa doesn’t actually play bass, and never even held one ’til that very afternoon. We were short-handed so Jim asked her to stand in and coached her through the entire video. She did mighty good!”

Check it out…

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

It will also be included on the upcoming Bobby Giles & Texas Gales album, The Music of Life, on Bell Buckle Records later this year.

Mama’s Broke is a duo from Canada’s Maritimes that’s comprised of two devoted road warriors, Lisa Maria (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar) and Amy Lou Keeler (vocals, guitar, banjo, fiddlesticks). Their sound is borne from a traditional template that encompasses bluegrass, mountain music, and Eastern European designs. Their sophomore set, Narrow Line, reflects that musical mantra, but still leaves room for the pair to fashion a decidedly individual approach of their own. 

“Our sound has been described to us as ‘folk without borders’,” Keeler explains. “Which I think fits, since both of us have a lot of influences from around the world, and definitely some traditional bluegrass influences.”

Maria elaborates further. “Aside from different styles of traditional music like old time bluegrass — Ralph Stanley is a huge influence for Amy — both of us have pretty diverse musical backgrounds, playing in punk bands to metal bands to indie bands.”

Like many such unions, Mama’s Broke came about through sheer happenstance. “We had mutual friends in Montreal, and we spent a car ride together between Montreal and Halifax one time back in 2014,” Keeler recalls. “We spent the entire drive talking about music and how we express ourselves musically. We realized pretty quickly that we were very in sync with what kind of music we wanted to make and perform. It was pretty revolutionary for both of us to find someone who mirrored those feelings.”

Not surprisingly, Narrow Line provides the ideal showcase for their eclectic musings, shared via a series of songs tempered by wistful reflection and earnest engagement. Whether it’s the diverse medley titled Oh Sun/Pale Night/Forgetting Reel, the synched and sensitive harmonies of Just Pick One, or the forlorn folk sounds of Between the Briar & the Rose, it’s clear that their verve is a match for their variety. So too, certain songs — How It Ends, October’s Lament and the robust instrumental, Pick the Raisins from the Paska, in particular — make those disparate origins all the more obvious.  

Prior to the outbreak of COVID, the duo toured relentlessly, having accumulated appearances in their native Canada, the US, Ireland, Indonesia, the UK, and much of Europe. “We did the count recently and I think we’re at around 15 countries that we’ve toured in,” Maria muses. “We’ve played a few festivals over the years, like Green Man Festival and Sidmouth Folk Festival in the UK, Electric Picnic in Ireland, and Home County Festival in Ontario, Canada.”

“Just this past April, we played a Nashville show with our friend Sierra Ferrell which was loads of fun,” Keeler notes. “We love singing with her so much!”

Given that array of experiences and encounters, it’s little wonder that Mama’s Broke’s music draws from so many motifs. Yet at the same time, they’ve still managed to sustain a loyal fanbase back home.

“It’s gone really well for the most part,” Maria suggests. “However, I think that because both of us spend a lot of time away from home, we don’t have as much of a following in our home towns as we do in other places, ironically.”

Prior to the new album, Mama’s Broke released one full-length effort, 2017’s Count the Wicked. Maria describes it as “a bit more hands-on and DIY than this album, although we were super involved in the production and mixing of this album as well.”

Clearly then, the current project represents the duo well, a daring set of songs that’s sometimes dark, often optimistic, and as bold as today’s world prompts them to appear. That said, their devotion to making music spawned from time-honored origins reflects their continuing commitment to sharing varied offerings. It is, they say, part of an essential attempt to find common ground between artist and audience.

“Any type of music that is rooted in traditional styles, and that is unvarnished, speaks to a lot of people from all walks of life,” Keeler maintains. 

That’s a mantra that any believer in bluegrass can likely easily embrace. 

To learn more about Mama’s Broke, visit them online.