So, this is bluegrass: Families concerned about how their kids are growing up, and wanting some wholesome activity to take the kids' minds off the toys and media made by companies that have a vested interest in kids growing older younger.

Consequently, you'll see a lot of family bands in bluegrass music. A lot of them are pretty bad, but a few rise to the top of the heap. Cheyenne and Maddie Dalton, collectively billed as That Dalton Gang, sound as though they might be poised to join the good ones in a few years' time.
 
Here they are with a tune from Bob Wills, and it's even age-appropriate. This one's called "Roly Poly".

When Waylon Jennings sang “Bob Wills Is Still the King”, he was singing about performances just like this one.

Wills is cool as a cucumber here, delivering stinging lyrics as though he were reciting the phone book. Who knows, maybe people and situations like this had become so routine that their drama was just about as exciting as the phone book.

In any case, the contrast between Wills’s elegant delivery and the damning lyrics is worthy of note.
This is Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys with “I Hear Ya Talkin’“.

I hear you talkin’ yes I do
But your talk, talk, talkin’ don’t ring true
I’m listenin’, politely too
But I don’t b'lieve a word you say

I hear you talkin’, telling lies
I could see ‘em in those great big eyes
I hear you talkin’ wise
But I don’t b'lieve a word you say

You say that I’m your honey love
That I’m all you’re thinkin’ of
I hear you talkin’ dove
But you ain’t been foolin’ me

The Double-Stop King and the Ultimate Bluegrass Fiddler

I jumped the gun yesterday, commemorating the birthday of bluegrass fiddle great, Kenny Baker, a day early! I think, subconsciously, I was just looking for an excuse to post more of Baker’s wonderful work.

I talked yesterday about how Baker broke the mold of bluegrass fiddling. He brought to it the flavor of some of his influences, like western swing genius, Bob Wills, and French jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli – both of whom were distinctive stylists in their own right.

You’d think with a sound as unique as that, Baker would have had a little trouble twinning with other bluegrass fiddlers, but the opposite is true. Baker was an outstanding fiddle partner, as he demonstrates here with double-stop king, Bobby Hicks, on a Bill Monroe instrumental entitled, “Panhandle Country”.