OT - Bluegrass

[Rimfire McNutjob]

For those of you with high-def cable or satellite, there was a two hour concert on HDNET last weekend that they will probably replay in the future. It was Alison Krauss + Union Station live in Louisville from back in 2002 I believe. It was absolutely outstanding ... one of the best performances I've ever seen. I've saved it on my DVR and have watched it three times already this week. They apparently sell it on Amazon on DVD as part of the HDNET Concert Series for $20.

I must live in a cave, because I had only heard of Dan Tyminski (part of Union Station) from the movie Oh Brother Where Art Thou. I was blown away by everything they played for this concert and Alison Krauss' voice is just amazing.

[rock-steady]

I'll look for thr replay. That little girl can sang! The older i get, the more I I love bluegrass music. My newest CD's are The Steeldrivers and Dailey & Vincent.

[Old Ironsights]

Grass is blue?

How much of it do you have to smoke before it turns blue?

[deerwhacker444]

If you like Dan Tyminski, check out Lonesome River Band. He played mandolin and vocals in this band before joining Union Station.

They are just as good live as a recording. I've seen Alison Krauss and Union Station twice in concert. If they are ever near you, it's worth every penny.

[Hobie]

I like Allison Krauss so much that I actually buy her music rather than just wait for a free broadcast. They (she and Union Station) are great live! The wife and I really, really like bluegrass.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I like Allison Krauss so much that I actually buy her music rather than just wait for a free broadcast. They (she and Union Station) are great live! The wife and I really, really like bluegrass.

Yeah, I just found that exact concert on a two CD Live set. I'm in. The concert is also on DVD but it was recorded in high-def. I'm going to have to wait for the Blu-Ray version. I liked the version on HDNET because she went into some stories about each of the band members while she introduced them. Apparently Barry Bales is an avid Turkey hunter.

[C. Cash]

Love her and her band. We went to see her in Concert here about 3 years ago....Jerry Douglass played some amazing solos on his Dobro. My oldest son is a HUGE fan as well.

[66GTO]

I grew up listening to bluegrass and the Grand Ol' Opry, so that makes 60 years of listening to it. I think it is more popular now than ever. When I was a kid growing up here in the South, it was almost strictly regional (hillbilly) music and looked down upon by city folk. Now a lot of city folk are bluegrass fans. I'll bet there is a bluegrass festival within an hours drive of just about everybody on this board some time during the year.

I bought a life membership to Sirius satellite radio after hearing they had an all bluegrass channel. I listen to it anytime I am in the car. It has broadened my bluegrass horizons by exposing me to new artists. Someone mentioned Dailey and Vincent earlier. They are the best new group to come along in a while, but of course they have been around in other bands. Jamie Dailey was with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver before, and Darrin Vincent is Rhonda Vincents brother.

And speaking of Alison Kraus, my favorite song for about the past year has been her duet with James Taylor of the old Louvin Brothers song, "How's the World Treating You" (written by Chet Atkins and Boudleaux Bryant).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSDr_eOUQHY&NR=1

It isn't really bluegrass (like much that Alison does) but it is drop dead gorgeous. And so is Alison Kraus!

[Bogie35]

I love bluegrass! The first instrument I learned to play was a mandolin. The most beautiful sounding instrument in the world to me. My dad's old Gibson A-2. I grew up going to festivals in Dahlonega, GA and Lavonia, GA. Nothing like Bill Monroe, Mac Wiseman, Ralph Stanley, The Osborne Brothers, Del McCoury, and Jimmy Martin live!
My cousin's old band, Flatbed, was pretty popular in the late 70's-early 80's.
It's great family fun. Find a festival near you. You will be glad you did!

bogie

[gunslinger598]

Every year we have the Bill Grant blue grass festival here. Performers come from all over the country to this little ole hick town. Bill Grant has been here all his life.

[DerekR]

A few years ago I went to the Ryman Auditorium to see a concert that was later broadcast on PBS. It was The Cheiftans along with Allison Krauss, Del McCourey, Earl Scruggs and others. The concert did a great job of showing the connection between Celtic music and Bluegrass. It was absolutely fantastic. The old Ryman has been renovated, to the tune of $8 million, and it is great. It is even air conditioned now!

[Rusty]

If you like Allison Krauss you should listen to Charlie Sizemore. He wrote a song called "I want to play in Allison's Band." On that same CD is a song called "Silver Bugle" that will send chills up and down your spine.

[C. Cash]

I love bluegrass! The first instrument I learned to play was a mandolin. The most beautiful sounding instrument in the world to me. My dad's old Gibson A-2. I grew up going to festivals in Dahlonega, GA and Lavonia, GA. Nothing like Bill Monroe, Mac Wiseman, Ralph Stanley, The Osborne Brothers, Del McCoury, and Jimmy Martin live!
My cousin's old band, Flatbed, was pretty popular in the late 70's-early 80's.
It's great family fun. Find a festival near you. You will be glad you did!

bogie

I guess I'm a young whipper snapper, but I saw Bill Monroe on Hee Haw about 1981 when he sang "In the Pines." Remember the hairs going up on the back of my neck and thinking WOW! Ricky Skaggs has done great things to bring folks over into Blue Grass as well as Allison and I've always like his music..country and bluegrass. I personally like Tony Rice, Marty Stuart, Doc Watson, Allison Krause and Union Station, Rhonda Vincent, Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Jones and Leva(don't know if they are still putting out albums)...almost all Christian Bluegrass hits me pretty hard, and listen to Bluegrass Junction on XM as much as I can. So much talent out there.

[El Chivo]

I started off listening to bluegrass, but got away from it. Then one night in Chicago I had the opportunity to see Bill Monroe and his band at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

Wow, were they great. What they had was a superb tone as a band, you really "felt" it. A big difference from any other bluegrass band I've seen.

[Fiddler]

Now that country music has turned into garbage, bluegrass is getting better and better. Those young'uns are hot! I feel it's the only "real" music left.
"Nashville Product", my pet name for today's country music, lost its soul a long time ago.
Too bad commercial radio refuses to play bluegrass or old country.

[Rusty]

There is also a Bluegrass show on our local community radio station here in Tampa. You can listen to it on Monday nights @ 7-9 Eastern on WMNF.org or go to the site and here the archived show. The host Tom Henderson is very knowledgeable about Bluegrass music and knows all these people personally.

[Woodtroll]

Alison used to be one of my true, few favorites. There's just something about a woman playing a fiddle that seems to exemplify poetry in motion! I still love the music she and Union Station put out, but now she has run off with Robert Plant (what the heck???), and Union Station is scattered around. Dan Tyminski and Barry Bales are playing together still. I miss Ron Block- I don't know what happened to him. He is a superbly talented musician on many instruments, a fine writer, and a humble person to boot. Got to see Adam Steffy (her old mandolin player) play a couple weekends ago with Jeanette Williams, and he was still in rare form. I THINK that he is still with Mountain Heart- a great band in their own right. It always tickled me to see a man his size hunker down on a mandolin!

For y'all that like the ladies of bluegrass, you really should check out Jeanette also (http://www.jeanettewilliams.com)- super voice with a hint of Celtic, and she does a lot of gospel songs, too (both old and new). If "Either Way I'm Going Home" doesn't bring a lump to your throat, (http://www.jeanettewilliams.com/clip-eitherway.mp3) you ain't human! Watching this petite lady pluck the doghouse bass is really a sight, too!

I don't get by here as often anymore right now, so early Merry Christmas, friends! Y'all take care,
Regan

[Pepe Ray]

What a shock!
I hadn't heard that Union Station had broken up!
I remember the first time I saw Allison K. Willie Nelson introduced her as his protege on Austin City Limits back in the early 80's a.i.r.
I was struck dumb. I hadn't heard bluegrass since I was a little kid and thought it was long dead.
It took a while to find a local source of the music. The local talent was doing it's best to "keep it in the family". All advertising was by word of mouth. Once you got in the welcome was warm ,but breaking thru that bubble was only luck.
Now there are players/promoters. Money or the love of it, is beginning to raise it's ugly head.
We now have 6 festivals within an hours drive of Bangor each summer. If your up for a 3 hr drive you can add 5 or 6 more. There's very little problem finding out the details if your interested.
As the crowds grow and the festivals get more promotion I understand why old Fred Pike was so reluctant to advertise.
Bluegrass is at it's best around a campfire.
Pepe Ray

[dennie]

I've been a bluegrass fan for over 50 years myself, and like all the folks that have been mentioned. When you get the chance also check out the Country Gentlemen from back around 1959-60, back when John Duffy, Eddy Adcock, and Charlie Waller first started. Someone already mentioned Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, which are super, but when the Quicksilver band left Doyle they eventually became the IIIrd Tyme Out, and superstars themselves! I have seen all these many times in person and was always amazed at the talent!
I almost forgot the original Seldom Scene when John Duffy, Ben Eldridge, Mike Aldridge, Tom Gray, and John Starling were together. Wow!, time to get out the old LPs!
BTW, love my levers, but bluegrass is right there also!

[66GTO]

Dennie,

Yep, IIIrd Tyme Out is the best vocal group in bluegrass. Heavenly harmony. Check out their Gospel CD, "Living on the Other Side".

[dennie]

66GTO,
I will look for Livin' On The Other Side, nobody does BG gospel any better!
Something I always seemed to like about bluegrass folks is that most are just common people. They will actually thank you for compliments, talk to you like they appreciate you coming to see them, and sometimes show you a "lick" on their instruments, even pick with you in the parking lot at festivals!
Check out some of the JD Crowe & The New South stuff when Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, and Tony Rice was with him!
There is also an old album with just Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice, aptly called "Skaggs & Rice". Only the two of them, and I heard it was all unrehearsed and taped on the first take!
Flat top and mandolin supreme!

[AJMD429]

Add this post to the reasons I wish we had high-speed internet....

[Rusty]

WMNF.ORG also has a Sta. morning bluegrass show.

[GANJIRO]

Being a island bumpkin I have no idea what Bluegrass music is but I did enjoying very much watching Alison Kraus perform on "Austin City Limits" on PBS a couple years ago so I must like Bluegrass music.