"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 12/13/2009

Things are winding down for the semester for UCONN students, so that generally means slight modifications to the WHUS air schedule for a few weeks. In the case of BG Cafe, we'd like to think that things have gotten better, as we can now offer you FIVE hours of BG programming every Sunday (basketball preemptions notwithstanding, of course). Until sometime in the middle of January, we'll begin broadcasting BG Cafe at 2PM on Sunday afternoons. Join us!

Today's show was my last BG Cafe before Christmas, so I played a good bit of Christmas music. During the "bonus hours" from 2-4PM, I didn't feel quite as "obligated" to play strictly BG tunes, although I pretty much did today. It's no secret that I am a great admirer of many of the classic country singers of the 1950s and 1960s: Hank Snow, Carl Smith, Ray Price, Buck Owens, Johnnie & Jack, just to name a few. We know that many a BG performer has recorded tunes originally made famous by at least one of these performers through the years, so I thought it might be fun to put a bit of the spotlight on the performers themselves, as well as some of the BG remakes of their song catalogs. Today, I focused on The Singing Ranger, Hank Snow, by playing 4 of his original tunes (including the fabulous "Reindeer Boogie"), as well as 7 BG remakes of Snow tunes. Next time, we'll shine our "spotlight" on someone else...

If you like banjo music, today was a banner day, as well. Patuxent Music has recently shipped us 2 great new recordings featuring a whole lot of banjo: "Yessir!" by 18-year-old Jessie Baker (currently working with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper), as well as former Sunny Mountain Boy, Chris Warner, whose new CD is called "Goin' To The Dance." Both CDs are mighty fine, and you can bet you'll be hearing plenty more from them in future weeks.

As I mentioned on the show today, legendary BG performer Curly Seckler will celebrate his 90th birthday on Christmas Day. Curly's manager, Penny Parsons, is encouraging everyone to send Curly a birthday greeting to help him celebrate a BG career that began in 1935. If you'd like to drop Curly a note, please do so in one of these two ways -- via an email sent to curly@curlyseckler.net, or through the U.S. mail: Curly Seckler, c/o Penny Parsons Co., PO Box 51605, Durham NC 27717. Please take a few moments and send Curly a card or note, won't you?

Be sure to join Jim & Marti (and maybe even James & Cathy Ward) next Sunday for at least four big hours of BG. I believe there MAY be a basketball game on the WHUS schedule for next Sunday, but we'll let you know later in the week...

Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

Amy


REQUESTS ARE RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / Rocky Grass / Blue Planet
• Sold Down The River / Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Leavin’ Town / Rounder
• I Believed In You Darling / Peter Rowan / The First Whippoorwill / Sugar Hill
• Bitter Green / Tony Rice / Bluegrass Class Of 1990 / Rounder
• Come Back Darling / Lester Flatt / Lester Raymond Flatt / Flying Fish
• That’s Christmas Time To Me / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Christmas Time’s A-Comin’ / Time Life
• A Daisy A Day / Lost & Found / Love, Lost & Found / Rebel
• Reno Bound / Bill Harrell / Drive-Time Bluegrass / Rebel
• Eating Out Of Your Hand / Longview / Deep In The Mountains / Rounder
• Through The Window Of A Train / Blue Highway / Through The Window Of A Train / Rounder
• Country Side Of Heaven (Where The Bluegrass Music Flows) / WhiteHouse / WhiteHouse / Pinecastle
• Nobody’s Darlin’ But Mine / Osborne Brothers / Once More, Volumes I & II / Sugar Hill
• Living In These Troubled Times / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-Produced
• Big Train From Memphis / Seldom Scene / 15th Anniversary Celebration / Sugar Hill
• Forever Yours / Hagar's Mountain Boys / Forever Yours / Self-Produced
• Chicken Reel / Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys / In The Tradition / Rounder
• Here We Go A-Goin’ / Frances Mooney & Fontanna Sunset / Good Home Grown Sampler, 2009 / Blue Circle
• I’m Movin’ On / Hank Snow / The Essential Hank Snow / RCA
• (Now And Then There’s) A Fool Such As I / ASH & W / ASH & W / Rebel
• The Goldrush Is Over / Warrior River Boys / Sounds Like Home / Rounder
• Honeymoon On A Rocketship / Hank Snow / The Goldrush Is Over / Bear Family
• Miller’s Cave / Michael Cleveland with Audie Blaylock / Let ‘Er Go, Boys! / Rounder
• The Golden Rocket / David Peterson & 1946 / In The Mountaintops To Roam / Self-Produced
• Would You Mind / Hank Snow / The Essential Hank Snow / RCA
• One More Ride / Bear Bridge Band / One More Ride / Open Road
• Down The Trail Of Aching Hearts / Special Consensus / The Trail Of Aching Hearts / Pinecastle
• Reindeer Boogie / Hank Snow / The Goldrush Is Over / Bear Family
• Hank Snow Medley / Country Gentlemen / Live In Japan / Rebel
• John Hardy / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots / Smithsonian Folkways
• Don’t Give Your Heart To A Rambler / Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys / Live In Holland / Strictly Country
• I’ve Lived A Lot In My Time / Dry Branch Fire Squad / 30th Anniversary / Rounder
• Devil On A Plow / Charlie Sizemore Band / Good News / Rounder
• Banjo In The Hollow / The Dillards / There Is A Time / Vanguard
• Dooley / The Dillards / There Is A Time / Vanguard
• Jingle Bells / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
• My Little Silver Bells / Bill Grant & Delia Bell / O Christmas Tree / Ro / under
• Christmas At The Old Homeplace / David Parmley & Continental Divide / A Pinecastle Christmas Gatherin’ / Pinecastle
• Christmas Is Near / Stanley Brothers / Christmas Time’s A-Comin’ / Time Life
• Christmas Lullaby / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Merry Christmas From Our House To Your House / SSK
• I Feel The Blues Moving In / Del McCoury / By Request / McCoury Music
• Sharecropper’s Son / Ernie Thacker / The Stanley Tradition / Doobie Shea
• Willy Roy The Cripple Boy / White Mountain Bluegrass / Oh So Many Years / WMB Records
• Bad Moon Rising / Seldom Scene / Dream Scene / Sugar Hill
• Big, Big Heartaches / Grasstowne / The Other Side Of Towne / Pinecastle
• Foot Hill Hop / Derek Easter et al. / Born Into Bluegrass : The Songs Of Cullen Galyean / Mountain Roads Recordings
• Walk The Way The Wind Blows / Hot Rize / So Long Of A Journey / Sugar Hill
• That White Christmas Song / Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers / Sugar Plums / Sugar Hill
• Dear Old Dixie / Red Smiley & the Tennessee Cut-Ups / The Best Of Red Smiley / Rural Rhythm
• Salt Creek / Clay Jones / Mountain Tradition / Rural Rhythm
• The Letter Edged In Black / Mac Wiseman / Bluegrass Hits And Heartsongs / Rebel
• I’m Not Living Life (It’s Living Me) / Bo Isaac / I’m Not Living Life (It’s Living Me) / GoodTyme Records
• The Last Old Shovel / Phyllis Boyens / Hand-Picked : 25 Years Of Bluegrass On Rounder Records / Rounder
• We’ll Meet Again Sweetheart / Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings & the Twin River Boys / Authentic Bluegrass Folk Music / Osage
• I Don’t Care Anymore / Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie / Class Of 2009 Sampler / Rural Rhythm
• An Old Christmas Card / Carolina Sonshine / Christmas In Carolina / Blue Circle
• Follow The Leader / Jessie Baker / Yessir! / Patuxent Music
• Johnson Mountain Chimes / Jessie Baker / Yessir! / Patuxent Music
• Yessir! / Jessie Baker / Yessir! / Patuxent Music
• Saturday Night Company / The Grass Cats / A Good Way To Get The Blues / New Time Records
• Say You Lied / Neon Valley Boys / Bluegrass / Sudden Comfort Records
• Lickity Split / Chris Warner / Goin’ To The Dance / Patuxent Music
• Almost Hear The Blues / James Reams & the Barnstormers / / Self-Produced
• Goin’ To The Dance / Chris Warner / Goin’ To The Dance / Patuxent Music
• Christmas Medley / Southern Rail / / Self-Produced
• Christmas In Carolina / Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road / Christmas In Carolina / Blue Circle
• All That’s Left (For You To Do Is Leave) / Big Country Bluegrass / Open For Business /
  Mountain Roads Recordings
• China Grove, My Hometown / Curly Seckler / Cabin In Caroline / Copper Creek
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia
• We’ll Stay Here / Gibson Brothers / Another Night Of Waiting / Hay Holler
• Christmas Time Back Home / Country Gentlemen / Christmas In The Mountains / Rebel
• Don’t Lie To Me / Adam Steffey / One More For The Road / Sugar Hill
• Pitkin County Turnaround / Steve Martin / The Crow / Rounder
• Christmas Story / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Tinsel Tunes / Sugar Hill
• This World Is Not My Home / Ricky Skaggs / Ricky Skaggs Solo : Songs My Dad Loved / Skaggs Family
• The Friendly Beasts / Johnson Mountain Boys / O Christmas Tree / Rounder
• Country Church / Pike Brothers & Pine Hill Ranchers / Pike Brothers & Pine Hill Ranchers / Rebel
• The First Noel / Patty Loveless / Bluegrass & White Snow / Epic
• Bubbling In My Soul / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Gospel / Columbia
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / Jamie Dailey & Darren Vincent / Christmas Grass / Koch
• I Feel The Christmas Spirit / The Isaacs / Christmas Time’s A-Comin’ / Time Life
• Joy To The World / Reno & Smiley / The True Meaning Of Christmas / Gusto
  

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 12/6/2009

Hi Folks,

This version of Bluegrass Cafe had plenty of specials, including a birthday set, a train set, a Hylo Brown tribute, and a tribute and remembrance of Jack Cooke who passed away December 1st.

I recall a conversation I had with Jack Cooke during his last appearance in East Hartford July 6, 2007, where he was very interested in how I liked his first and only solo album: "Sittin' On Top Of the World." Jack confided that he had thought about his inevitable mortality and it had occurred to him that he should leave something to represent his legacy. The solo album was the result. We played several tracks from that album including the two bonus tracks recorded in 1963. It is clear that Jack was much more than Ralph's bass player.

Our birthday set included songs from Jim Eanes (12/6/1923), the Gillis Brothers (John Gillis, 12/6/1966), and ironically, Jack Cooke (12/6/1936).

A caller on a previous show requested something from Hylo Brown, so I created a whole set to pay tribute to Hylo including tracks from his Starday, Rural Rhythm, and Jessup periods. I also played Jimmy Martin's version of "Grand Ole Opry Song" that Hylo wrote.

Other new music included tracks from Missy Werner, Darren Beachley & Legends of the Potomac, Sam Bush, Adam Steffey, and the hot 16-year-old North Carolina banjo and guitar picker Seth Taylor who currently holds down the banjo position with Cody Shuler and Pine Mountain Railroad.

I mined the Heritage Corner vaults for classic tracks from Joe Val, Jimmy Martin, and a hair curling song from Buzz Busby.

The upcoming exam and holiday season at UCONN will be opening up the 2-4pm slot, so Amy and I will be happily stepping in to provide up to five hours of Sunday afternoon bluegrass music beginning next Sunday, December 13th. So don't forget to tune in early at 2pm EST to get a really good dose of the best in bluegrass.

We'll see you out and about...

Jim Beaver

requests in blue, Jack Cooke tribute in red

SONG TITLE / PERFORMER / ALBUM TITLE / LABEL

• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die / Jim Eanes / All American Bluegrass / Sun
• Ice Cold Stone / The Gillis Brothers / Ice Cold Stone / Hay Holler
• I'm Walking The Dog / Jack Cooke / Sittin' On Top Of The World / Pinecastle
• Choo Choo / Flatt Mountain Boys / The Best Of Starday Bluegrass / King
• I Could Love You / Flatt Mountain Boys / The Best Of Starday Bluegrass / King
• I've Always Been A Rambler / Jack Cooke / Sittin' On Top Of The World / Pinecastle
• Over In The Glory Land / The Stanley Brothers with Jack Cooke / On The Air With Ray Davis Volume Two / Wango (Cassette)
• Sittin' On Top Of The World / Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys / Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop / DCN
• Let Me Rest At The End Of My Journey / Jack Cooke / Sittin' On Top Of The World / Pinecastle
• Don't Act / Rhonda Vincent / All-American Bluegrass Girl / Rounder
• John Henry / Hylo Brown / All American Bluegrass / Sun
• Hills Of Georgia / Hylo Brown / The Best Of Starday Bluegrass / King
• Sad Prison Song / Hylo Brown / The Best Of Starday Bluegrass / King
• Lost To A Stranger / Hylo Brown / Bluegrass In The Smokies / Rural Rhythm
• Grand Ole Opry Song / Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys / 1954-1974 / Bear Family
• Love You Don't Know Cannot Hurt You / Darren Beachley & the Legend of the Potomac / [CD single] / Patuxent
• A Broken Heart Keeps Beatin' / Adam Steffey / One More For The Road / Sugar Hill
• The Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle / Sam Bush / Circles Around Me / Sugar Hill
• All She Wrote / Jim Lauderdale / Could We Get Any Closer? / Sky Crunch
• Crazy Love / Rhonda Vincent / Destination Life / Rounder
• I Won't Back Down / Dale Ann Bradley / Don't Turn Your Back / Compass
• Sylvie / The Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• The Ballad Of Charlie Dill / Ernie Thacker / The Hangman / Pinecastle
• Down In Caroline / Balsam Range / Last Train To Kitty Hawk / Mountain Roads
• Gypsy, Joe and Me / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-released
• I Wouldn't Change You If I Could / Ricky Skaggs / The High Notes / Cracker Barrel
• Midnight Train / Warrior River Boys / Freight Train Special Volume One / Wango
• Baggage Coach Ahead / Bill Harrell / Freight Train Special Volume Two / Wango
• Bye Bye Black Smoke Choo Choo / Dick Unteed / 25 Classic Train Songs / Rural Rhythm
• The Wreck Of The Old 97 / Connie & Babe and the Backwoods Boys / Bluegrass Express / Rounder
• My Blue Eyed Darling / Audie Blaylock and Redline / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• Don't Leave Me Alone / J. Sisk, G. Jones, B. Hawks, J. Boulding, B. Hiatt / Born Into Bluegrass / Mountain Roads
• Dime Store Rings / Lonesome River Band / No Turning Back / Rural Rhythm
• My Angeline / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• I Got A Letter / Valerie Smith & Becky Buller / Here's A Little Song… / Bell Buckle
• Heart Of Caroline / U.S. Navy Country Current / Navy Blue Bluegrass / RWB
• Don't Be Waitin' / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Self-titled / Self-released
• Studebaker / Seth Taylor / Movin' On / Self-released
• 1950 Studebaker / Prairie Siding / North To Ontario 2009 / Independent-release
• Arkansas Traveler / Roger Williams / A Resophonic Retrospective / Happy Appy
• Try To Be / Newfound Road / Same Old Place / Rounder
• Done Gone / Don Stover / Things In Life / Rounder
• Call Me Up And I'll Come Callin' / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Lonely Street / Rounder
• Where Will This End / Buzz Busby / Going Home / King
• Tennessee Hound Dog / Pam Gadd / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway
• Who Will Sing For Me / James King & Danny Paisley / Little Old Country Church / Wango
• You'll Be Rewarded Over There / Joe Val & The New England Bluegrass Boys / One Morning In May / Rounder
• River Of Jordan / Tommy Webb / Heartland / Rural Rhythm
• I'm On The Last Mile / The Easter Brothers / Favorites / Life Line
• When I Safely Reach That Other Shore / Tommy Magness / The Best Of King Bluegrass / King
• Voice Of My Savior / Tommy Brown & The County Line Grass / Mountain Bluegrass / Hay Holler
• I'll Wear The Banner / Jim & Jesse / Heaven Bound / Time-Life
• Shoutin' On The Hills Of Glory / Darren Beachley / Sad Songs & Sunday Mornings / MasterShield
• Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem / Ralph Stanley with the Clinch Mountain Boys / Heaven Bound / Time-Life
• The Promise / The Gillis Brothers / Best Of The Gillis Brothers / Hay Holler

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 11/29/2009 plus a mid-week fill-in

If you listen to the show with any frequency, you know that from time to time, various WHUS sports events will preempt the BG Cafe. Today was one of those days, as Women's Basketball took over the airwaves at WHUS at 4:30PM. As we had a built-in "bonus hour" of the program due to the absence of many a student DJ during the Thanksgiving break, the program ended up airing from a bit before 3PM until the game started at 4:30PM. Overall, I think it's safe to say that neither Jim nor I ever enjoy sports preemptions, but in the case of today's early ending for the program, we both got to enjoy some great music at the Firebox in Hartford. More on that later...

As for the radio show, we squeezed in as much music as we could in a limited amount of time. We made sure to put a tiny bit of the spotlight on Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, who will make a return engagement at the East Hartford Community Cultural Center this Thursday evening, December 3rd. For more information on this show, click here.

It's no secret that each Sunday evening, Nick Novia & Joe DeLillo have worked very hard with the fine folks at the Firebox Restaurant in Hartford to make live BG one of THE events to attend in the capital city. Generally, these fine shows feature regional - and occasionally national - BG bands, but today's grouping featured Nick on the guitar & Joe on the bass, as well as some extremely talented New England musicians with whom they don't normally work: Dick Bowden on the banjo, Stacy Phillips on the fiddle & Dobro, and Ben Weiss & Robert Fraker taking turns with the mandolin work. The basketball preemption allowed me to go to this show today -- Jim & Marti had already planned on being there. While I was disappointed to miss the show's airtime, I was absolutely delighted to get to see these dandy musicians play great, hard-driving Bluegrass. What a great way to end a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend! In the spirit of the season, I'm very thankful that we have such talented folks in our own collective backyard. If you haven't yet attended a BG show at the Firebox, put it on your list of things to do as soon as you can. Next week's show will feature a great CT BG band, GrassRoutes.

During this Thanksgiving week, I also got to do a Tuesday afternoon fill-in, and the music I played was of the classic country & BG mix. That playlist is posted here, as well.

Hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving with your friends and families, and be sure to join Jim & Marti next Sunday for what we hope will be three big hours of great BG and no sports preemptions!

Amy

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / Rocky Grass / Blue Planet
• Summertime Is Past And Gone / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Essential Bill Monroe / Columbia
• Have You Come To Say Goodbye / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Radio Gems /
• Uncle Pen / Bill Monroe / Bean Blossom / MCA
• Some Old Day / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Columbia
• I Know You’re Married But I Love You Still / Reno & Smiley / Good Old Country Ballads / King
• Love Of The Mountains / Lost & Found / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel
• Home Is Where The Heart Is / Connie & Babe & the Backwoods Boys / Hand-Picked : 25 Years Of Rounder Bluegrass / Rounder
• I Only Exist / Spinney Brothers / When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall / Self-Produced
• Love Please Come Home / James Monroe / Bean Blossom / MCA
• My Darling’s Last Goodbye / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Rural Rhythm
• Things In Life / Don Stover / The Stained Glass Hour / Rounder
• You’re My Darling / Old Time Bluegrass Singers / Threads / Open Road
• When / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Self-Produced
• I’m Lonesome Without You / Balsam Range / Last Train To Kitty Hawk / Mountain Home
• Carter / Ralph Stanley II / This One Is II / Lonesome Day
• Our Last Goodbye / Stanley Brothers / 20th Century Masters / Mercury
• Rock Bottom Blues / Nashville Bluegrass Band / The Boys Are Back In Town / Sugar Hill
• Here Today And Gone Tomorrow / Hazel Dickens with Johnson Mountain Boys / Blue Ribbon Bluegrass / Rounder
• Crazy Blues / Jimmy Gaudreau’s Bluegrass Unit / Live In Holland / Strictly Country
• Sunny Side Of The Mountain / Jimmy Martin / Bean Blossom / MCA
• Love You Don’t Know Cannot Hurt You / Darren Beachley & the Legends of the Potomac / / Patuxent Music
• Run On / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’ : Hymns From The Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Snowbird / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-Produced
• Sparkling Brown Eyes / Joe Val / One Morning In May / Rounder
• Have Mercy / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Your Love Is Like A Flower / Dailey & Vincent / Brothers From Different Mothers / Rounder
• I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’ : Hymns From The Mountain / Rural Rhythm
• Justified / Billy Boone Smith / Five Flat Rocks / Self-Produced

POST-SCRIPT - BG tunes played by Susan Forbes Hansen, who kindly filled whatever time remained from the end of the basketball game to the beginning of her own "Sunday Night Folk Festival" at 7PM:

• I'm A Lie / Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time / Took Down And Put Up / Lonesome Day
• Eighth Of January / Rhonda Vincent / Destination Life / Rounder
• The Mountain's Gonna Sing / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Single Girl / Bearfoot / Doors And Windows / Compass Records
• Awful Lonesome Train / Pine Mountain Railroad / Alone With Forever / Steeltown Records
• Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold) / Dede Wyland / Keep The Light On / Patuxent Music
• Molly / Lonesome River Band / No Turning Back / Rural Rhythm
• A Warmer Kind Of Blue / Kathy Kallick Band / Warmer Kind Of Blue / Copper Creek

Classic Country & Bluegrass fill-in, 11/24/2009

• Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow / Carter Family / Anchored In Love / Rounder
• Ben Dewberry’s Final Run / Jimmie Rodgers / Train Whistle Blues / RCA
• It Makes No Difference Now / Gene Autry / Columbia Country Classics / Columbia
• Chime Bells / Elton Britt / Yodel Songs / RCA
• I Am A Pilgrim / Merle Travis with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band / Will The Circle Be Unbroken / Capitol
• Ride The Wild Turkey / Clay Jones / Mountain Tradition / Rural Rhythm
• Have A Feast Here Tonight / Monroe Brothers / Are You From Dixie? / RCA
• Eat At The Welcome Table / Bluegrass Patriots / Springtime In The Rockies / Copper Creek
• Thanks A Lot / Ernest Tubb / The Definitive Collection / MCA
• Thank You World / Statler Brothers / The Best Of The Statler Brothers / Mercury
• Sweethearts In Heaven / Buck Owens & Rose Maddox / On The Bandstand / Sundazed
• You’re For Me / Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters / Phoenix / Happy Appy Records
• I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) / Ray Price / Greatest Western Hits, v.1 / Columbia
• Move On In And Stay / Mickey Harris / Dog House Blues / MJH Records
• Loose Talk / Carl Smith / Greatest Western Hits, v.1 / Columbia
• Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way / Barry Berrier / First Time With Feeling / Pinecastle
• Dumb Blonde / Dolly Parton / Box Set Sampler / RCA/Legacy
• Jolene / Rhonda Vincent & the Rage / Ragin’ Live / Rounder
• Last Thing On My Mind / Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton / Box Set Sampler / RCA/Legacy
• Farewell Wagon Master / Pam Gadd / Benefit Of Doubt / Home Sweet Highway Productions
• Sea Of Heartbreak / Roseanne Cash with Bruce Springsteen / The List / Manhattan Records
• Blue Blue Day / Don Gibson / Hard To Find Hits / Time Life
• Katie Dear / Blue Sky Boys / Are You From Dixie? / RCA
• Roll On Buddy Roll On / Wilburn Brothers / Folk Songs / Decca
• Long Time Gone / Everly Brothers / 36 All-Time Favorites / GSC Music
• Forever Has No End / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
• Cash On The Barrel Head / Louvin Brothers / Encore / Capitol
• Cindy Mae / Crowe Brothers / Brothers-n-Harmony / Rural Rhythm
• Wildwood Flower / Phil Rosenthal / A Treasury Of Bluegrass And Country Songs / American Melody
• Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart / Charlie Sizemore Band / Good News / Rounder
• The Fields Have Turned Brown / Stanley Brothers / Columbia Country Classics / Columbia
• Would You Mind / Hank Snow / Essential Hank Snow / RCA
• I Know You’re Married (But I Love You Still) / Patty Loveless with Travis Tritt / Mountain Soul / Epic
• I Thought That She Loved Me / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Rocky Road Blues / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Essential Bill Monroe / Columbia
• The Crow / Steve Martin / The Crow / Rounder
  

A slight change in Sunday's BG programming...

Hello everyone -

We found out late Wednesday night that the WHUS Sports Department will be preempting at least 2 hours of the BG Cafe this Sunday, 11/29 to air coverage of the Women's Basketball game. This preemption will begin about 4:30PM; WHUS "Sunday Night Folk Festival" host, Susan Forbes Hansen, will pick up whatever portion of BG Cafe time remains after the basketball game has ended and before her program's normal start time of 7PM.

This preemption, however, doesn't mean that there will be NO BG Cafe on the air this week. Instead, we will begin broadcasting one hour earlier than normal -- 3PM. We hope you can join us for a shorter - perhaps even a bit more stream-lined, if you will - version of the BG Cafe from 3-4:30PM. If you're in southern New England, you'll find us at 91.7 on your FM dial, and if you're anywhere else, do feel free to listen online: http://www.whus.org/.

Hope you all had a most wonderful Thanksgiving!

Amy

"Bluegrass Cafe" Playlist - 11/22/2009

Hi Folks,

It's not too often we get to extend our bluegrass programming at Bluegrass Cafe, but the holiday break gave us an opportunity to add an hour to the show. While Marti was home compiling end-of-trimester grades, I got to bring you four hours of the best in bluegrass this week. Even better, Amy will get to bring you four more hours next Sunday starting at 3pm ET.

We were saddened by news of the passing of North Carolina banjo virtuoso Allen Shelton 21 November, so we honored Allen by playing eight tracks displaying his brilliant banjo picking with Jim Eanes, Jim & Jesse, and from his solo effort.

The newest of the new music came from Missy Werner whose debut album is a fine one, and banjo picker Ross Nickerson whose latest album features members of Blue Highway.

I used the extra hour of this week's show to play some of my favorite music from the Heritage Corner vaults, including a 13 year-old CD from the Shankman Twins which generated a listener request, and a "moonshine set" inspired by a segment on CBS Sunday Morning about Junior Johnson marketing his brand of legal moonshine. Whew!

Cody Shuler and Pine Mountain Railroad will be making an appearance in East Hartford on December 3, so we picked a hard-driving tune from one of their recent albums to whet our listeners' appetites.

Be sure to tune in early at 3pm next Sunday when Amy will make the banjos and fiddles ring.

Jim

requests in blue, Allen Shelton tribute in red

Song Title / Performer / Album Title / Label

• Turn Up The Bottle / The Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Long Journey Home / The Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• Bluest Man In Town / The Johnson Mountain Boys / At The Old Schoolhouse / Rounder
• When Springtime Comes Again / The Vern Williams Band / Bluegrass From The Gold Country / Rounder
• Wandering Boy / The Isaacs / Bluegrass Preserved / Horizon
• Blue Yodel No. 3 / David Peterson & 1946 / self-titled / Self-released
• The Kitten And The Cat / Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys / Poor Rambler / King
• This Morning At Nine / Tony Rice / Plays And Sings Bluegrass / Rounder
• Robin Built A Nest On Daddy's Grave / Tommy Brown & The County Line Grass / Hard Drivin' / Lavinir
• Paint The Town / Chris Warner / Back Again / Pinecastle
• Riding That Midnight Train / Doc Watson / Riding The Midnight Train / Sugar Hill
• Sophronie / Crowe, Williams, Blaylock, Ingram / A Tribute To Jimmy Martin / Koch
• Boxcar Blues (Hello Sunshine) / Jeff & Vida / Selma Chalk / Rosebank
• Home With The Blues / Junior Sisk, Rick Allred, et.al / Born Into Bluegrass / Mountain Roads
• Plant Some Flowers / Missy Werner / Drifting And Dreaming / Self-released
• John Henry / Ross Nickerson / Let's Kick Some Ass / Bones
• Ring The Bell / The Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass
• Waterbound / The Shankman Twins / Duality / City West
• Fire On The Mountain / Michael Cleveland / Sawing On The "C" String / Self-released
• No More To Be Lonesome / Larry Gillis / Old Man Dreaming / Tinman Recording
• I'll Go Steppin' Too / Mark Delaney / Sidecar / Patuxent
• Your Old Standby / Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys / Your Old Standby - Complete Starday Recordings / Starday
• Bending The Strings / Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys / The Appalachian Way - Roots of Bluegrass / Delta
• Log Cabin In The Lane / Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys / Your Old Standby - Complete Starday Recordings / Starday
• Dine-e-o (Sail Away Ladies) / Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys / Your Old Standby - Complete Starday Recordings / Starday
• Sleepy-Eyed John / Jim & Jesse / The Jim & Jesse Story / CMH
• I Will Always Be Waiting For You / Jim & Jesse / The Jim & Jesse Story - Special Edition / CMH
• She Left Me Standing On The Mountain / Jim & Jesse / Bluegrass at Newport / Vanguard
• Sourwood Mountain / Allen Shelton / Shelton Special / Rounder (LP)
• Montana Cowboy / The Shankman Twins / Duality / City West
• Sally Ann / The Shankman Twins / Duality / City West
• Losin' In Las Vegas / Ricky Wasson / From The Heart And Soul / Rural Rhythm
• What Gives You The Right / Adam Steffey / One More For The Road / Sugar Hill
• Diamond Joe / Sam Bush / Circles Around Me / Sugar Hill
• Have Mercy / The Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Don't Be Knockin' / Chris Warner / Back Again / Pinecastle
• You'll Never Be The Same / Audie Blaylock and Redline / Self-titled / Rural Rhythm
• Red Checkered Shirt / Mike Jackson / When We Goin' Back / Red Oak
• Banjo Whiz / Bill Emerson / Bluegrass Spectacular / Country Stars
• Mountain Dew / Grandpa Jones / Everybody's Grandpa / Bear Family
• Moonshine / The Earl Brothers / Moonshine / Big Hen
• Moonshiner / Peter Rowan / The Walls Of Time / Sugar Hill
• Nobody's Darling / Cullen Gaylean and Bobby Harrison / Let Me Fall / Smithsonian Folkways
• Cindy Mae / Crowe Brothers / Brothers -n- Harmony / Rural Rhythm
• The Love She Left Behind / Chris Jones & The Night Drivers / Cloud Of Dust / GSM
• Papa Loved Ringing That Bell / Johnny Williams / Last Day Of Galax / Mountain Roads
• Dirt Roads / Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa / Self-titled / Self-released
• Some Old Day / Adcock, Gaudreau, Waller & Gray / The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band / RadioTherapy
• I'd Rather Live By The Side Of The Road / Bill Yates & Friends / Country Gentlemen Tribute (Volume II) / Self-released
• Keep On The Sunny Side Of Life / Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band / Self-titled / Rebel
• Clementine / Pine Mountain Railroad / Alone With Forever / SteelTown
• Roving Gambler / Peter Rowan / The Walls Of Time / Sugar Hill
• How Mountain Girls Can Love / Tony Rice / Plays And Sings Bluegrass / Rounder
• I Love You To The Moon And Back / Darren Beachley / Sad Songs & Sunday Mornings / MasterShield
• Scotty's Bow / The Stonemans / Patsy, Donna & Roni / Patuxent
• Heart Wrenching Lovesick Memories / Rhonda Vincent / Destination Life / Rounder
• Circles Around Me / Sam Bush / Circles Around Me / Sugar Hill
• Train Songs / Ralph Stanley II / This One Is II / Lonesome Day
• Church Street Blues / Bryan Sutton and Friends / Almost Live / Sugar Hill
• Imagine That / Kristin Scott Benson / Second Season / Pinecastle
• Houses On The Farm / Shady Creek / Back To The Roots / pre-release
• Beautiful Blue Eyes / Red Allen & The Kentuckians / The Bluegrass Hall Of Fame / Hollywood
• Campin' In Canaan Land / Carl Story and His Rambling Mountaineers / Mighty Close To Heaven / Starday
• They're Holding Up The Ladder / Easter Brothers / By Request - Their Greatest Hits / Thoroughbred
• The Touch Of God's Hand / James King / Gardens In The Sky / Rounder
• When The Savior Reached Down For Me / Darrell Webb / Live At Bellamys / Upper Management
• Weeds In The Wheat / Front Range / One Beautiful Day / Sugar Hill
• Sinner, You Better Get Ready / The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots - 1961 / Smithsonian Folkways
• Get Up Peter (And Put Your Sandals On) / The Special Consensus / Green Rolling Hills / Turquoise
• Hide Me, Rock Of Ages / Dailey & Vincent / Singing From The Heart / Rounder
• What Kind Of Man / Larry Sparks / I Just Want To Thank You Lord / Rural Rhythm Christian
• I Can't Sit Down / The Steep Canyon Rangers / Feel Like My Time Ain't Long / Rebel
• Greencastle Hornpipe / Kristin Scott Benson / Second Season / Pinecastle

Mid-week fill-in for Amy...

It's Thanksgiving break for the students here at UCONN, so that gives us "non-students" plenty of opportunities to do fill-in shows.  I'm getting ready to go on the air in a few minutes:  1-3PM today, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.  My intentions are to play a little mix of classic country & BG tunes.  I think it'll be fun -- we'll see.  Feel free to listen, if you like.  You can find us at 91.7 on your FM dial if you're in eastern CT, or listen online. 

Amy

"Bluegrass Cafe" playlist - 11/15/2009

After two weeks away from the radio, I got to present Sunday's BG Cafe with absolutely no sports preemptions. Hooray! While we didn't have any featured guests or lots of new music to share, we still pulled together a good number of tunes that we hope you found enjoyable...

As I had a fabulous time at the Boston Bluegrass Union-sponsored show last night featuring both Audie Blaylock & Redline and Darren Beachley & Legends Of The Potomac, naturally, I just had to include music from them. While Darren's CD with his new band hasn't been released yet -- we look forward to hearing it in 2010 -- we still heard from him with his most recent band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Audie's self-titled recording from Rural Rhythm has been out for about a year, and while we've played music from the CD plenty of times, I tried to include a couple of tunes on Sunday's show that we hadn't played quite as much. Both bands were fabulous, by the way, and I would hope to see them both playing again in New England in the not-too-distant future.

There was just a tiny bit of new music to share on Sunday. Several months back, I read on the Bluegrass Blog about a "new" retro-Bluegrass band from northern California who had released a 78 RPM single. This band -- Matt & George & Their Pleasant Valley Boys -- sent their 78 to WHUS this summer, but we were unable to play it on our equipment. Eventually, we were able to transfer the 78 to CD, and we finally got a chance to play one half of the record on Sunday's show. These folks appear to take their "vintage" style pretty seriously, and the record is very enjoyable.

In addition, we played music from soon-to-be-released projects by Michael Martin Murphey and Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie. Both of these projects are due in early 2010 and will be released on the Rural Rhythm label. We look forward to hearing them...

Jim & Marti will join you next Sunday -- I think possibly an hour earlier (barring sports preemptions, of course). Do be sure to join them!

As I won't be on the air again (with BG Cafe, anyway) until November 29th, I'll take a moment now to send best wishes to you all for a very Happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Amy


Requests are RED.

• Katy Hill / Del McCoury Band / Rocky Grass / Blue Planet
• Home Is Where The Heart Is / Connie & Babe & the Backwoods Boys / True Bluegrass /
  Rounder
• It’s Raining Here This Morning / Red Smiley & the Tennessee Cut-Ups / Best Of Red Smiley / Rural Rhythm
• No Mother Or Dad / Curley Seckler / That Old Book Of Mine / County
• True Life Blues / David Grisman with Del McCoury / Home Is Where The Heart Is / Rounder
• Two Lonely Hearts / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Rural Rhythm
• The Hills Of My Home / Laurie Lewis / Earth & Sky / Rounder
• Beauty Of My Dreams / Blackjack / 10 Years Of European World Of Bluegrass / Strictly Country
• Farm Of Yesterday / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
• Dirt Roads / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / Self-Produced
• Don’t Act / Rhonda Vincent / All-American Bluegrass Girl / Rounder
• More Than A Name On A Wall / Dailey & Vincent / Dailey & Vincent / Rounder
• Home With The Blues / Junior Sisk / Born To Bluegrass : The Songs Of Cullen Galyean /
  Mountain Roads Recordings
• I’m Gonna Love You Now / Daughters Of Bluegrass with Frances Mooney / Bluegrass Bouquet / Blue Circle
• You Are My Sunshine / Norman Blake / O Brother Where Art Thou? / Mercury
• There’s A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere / Charlie Waller & the Country Gentlemen / Songs Of The American Spirit / Pinecastle
• My Blue Tears / Dolly Parton / Box Set Sampler / Legacy
• My Blue Tears / Gloria Belle / Love Of The Mountains / Webco
• I’m Going Back To Old Kentucky / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Essential Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Columbia
• Heart Of A Little Mountain Girl / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Quicksilver Rides Again! / Sugar Hill
• Black Diamond / Mark Delaney / Sidecar / Patuxent Music
• Think Of What You’ve Done / Stanley Brothers / Stanley Brothers / King
• I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow / Soggy Bottom Boys / O Brother Where Art Thou / Mercury
• Old Joe Clark / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots / Smithsonian Folkways
• I’ve Been All Around This World / David Davis & the Warrior River Boys / Two Dimes And A Nickel / Rebel
• Don’t Tell Me Stories / Lynn Morris Band / Lynn Morris Band / Rounder
• Two Little Boys / Country Gentlemen / Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Heavy Traffic Ahead / Matt & George & Their Pleasant Valley Boys / <78> / Pleasant Valley Music
• Running Gun / Michael Martin Murphey with Audie Blaylock / Class Of 2009 Sampler / Rural Rhythm
• Lead Foot / Dixie Bee-Liners / Susanville / Pinecastle
• I Don’t Care Anymore / Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie / Class Of 2009 Sampler / Rural Rhythm
• Don’t Lie To Me / Adam Steffey / One More For The Road / Sugar Hill
• I’ll Go Steppin’ Too / Rickey Wasson / From The Heart And Soul / Rural Rhythm
• We’ll Meet Again Sweetheart / Spinney Brothers / When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall /
  Self-Produced
• Matterhorn / Country Gentlemen / Early Rebel Recordings, 1962-1971 / Rebel
• Love Me As Hard As You Hurt Me / Grass Cats / A Good Way To Get The Blues / New Time Records
• At The End Of A Long Lonely Day / Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass / The Room Over Mine / Rounder
• There Ain’t No Easy Street / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
• Untamed / Del McCoury Band / The Company We Keep / McCoury Music
• No Blues Is Good News / Charlie Sizemore Band / Good News / Rounder
• Goodbye / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Audie Blaylock & Redline / Rural Rhythm
• The River Of Jordan / Louvin Brothers / When I Stop Dreaming / Razor & Tie
• When The Last Of Our Days Shall Come / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Lonely Street / Rounder
• Justified / Del McCoury Band / Family Circle / McCoury Music
• So Happy I’ll Be / Rhonda Vincent & the Rage / Ragin’ Live / Rounder
• Will You Be Ready? / Southern Rail / Drive By Night / Turquoise
• You Can Feel It In Your Soul / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Foggy Mountain Gospel / Legacy
• What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul? / Jimmy Martin / This World Is Not My Home / MME
• I’m Getting Ready To Leave This World / Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad / Pickin’, Praisin’, & Singin’ : Hymns From The Mountain / Rural Rhythm
  

No shortage of great live music this Saturday....

Wow! Looking at the BG calendar, it appears that there are no fewer than three great BG or BG-related shows in the area this Saturday, 11/14. Hopefully, you'll be able to get out there and support at least one of them, as all are great options, and obviously, supporting live Bluegrass music is a mighty fine thing to do. Check it out:

• The Infamous Stringdusters at the East Hartford Community Cultural Center. Showtime is 8PM. EHCCC is located at 50 Chapman Street in East Hartford. More info: (860)291-7160 or click here.
  
• Anne & Pete Sibley at the Sounding Board Coffeehouse in West Hartford. Showtime is 8PM. The Sounding Board is located at 433 Fern Street, West Hartford. More info: (203)272-8404 or click here.
  
• Audie Blaylock & Redline along with Darren Beachley & Legends of the Potomac at the National Heritage Museum, Lexington, MA. This is a Boston Bluegrass Union production, and showtime is 7:30PM. More info: hotline number is (617)782-2251 or click here.