Invasion of the Hicks From the Sticks

On the eve of this show, gossip columnist Dorothy Kilgallen famously warned New Yorkers to flee the city because “the hicks from the sticks” were about to descend on Carnegie Hall. Apparently, she hadn’t heard that banjo pickin’ college students had commandeered Washington Square Park, ushering in the Folk Scare years before.

Flatt and Scruggs were warmly received. This album became foundational for any bluegrass music library. Bluegrass musicians kept invading Carnegie Hall.

And they lived happily ever after. With the possible exception of those folks who are horrified to find genuine country music in the blogosphere.

Here are Flatt and Scruggs with “Little Maggie”.

The Old Hippie Who Gets Bluegrass Right

You know, for an old hippie, Peter Rowan has made some of the most genuine, heartfelt bluegrass music you'll ever hear. He's one second-generation picker who knows that bluegrass works best when you keep the blues in it.

In this clip, however, it's Emmylou Harris and The Nash Ramblers — a band that includes Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas — doing the pickin' and sangin'.

They're covering a song that Rowan wrote with Bill Monroe, and the intensity speaks for itself when two lovers are separated by “The Walls of Time”.

A Chilling Bluegrass Breakup Song Out of Un-Bluegrass Elements

Some songs, some performances, are so good you don’t know what to talk about first.

What strikes me about this record from the classic lineup of The Seldom Scene is how the band makes an absolutely-chilling bluegrass breakup song out of such un-bluegrassy elements.

Where Ralph Stanley would howl, the Scene gets deathly quiet. Where Jimmy Martin would go full-out, the Scene makes precise and careful use of dynamics. Where Monroe would wear his heart on his sleeve, this band tells this story from a distance.

The impact of a life no longer lived together is palpable in Starling's conscious decision to use near-whispers the way a drummer might use cymbal hits. If he lets go, God only knows what might come forth, who might hear, who might know that his callous, careless treatment of the woman he loved was nothing more than an act.

This is The Seldom Scene, and a progressive bluegrass masterpiece called “Another Lonesome Day”.

Bluegrass Stagecraft

Oh, nothing; just me swooning over the musical perfection that is The Seldom Scene – me and a few thousand other folks. I’ve never seen an audience have this much fun at a bluegrass show.

And what are we all screaming about?

Chuck Berry for one, who, despite his calcified creepiness, is a certified musical genius, and one who was influenced by Bill Monroe at that. The Scene takes this classic Chuck Berry tune, and infuses it with all the good humor the lyrics deserve.

And the harmonies! Dudley Connell and Lou Reid have been together so long that they’re wailing like a brother duet now. This isn’t just another gig; it’s a performance, and in a genre that’s notoriously lacking in stagecraft.

Go ahead – get up and dance to “Nadine”.

Bluegrass Artists Explore the Lure Of the Mines

The lure of the mines -- and their dangers and tragedies -- is the subject of many a bluegrass song. Some of the best are spotlit in this exceptionally strong collection from Rebel Records.

From bluegrass legends to promising newcomers, from hardcore traditionalists to boundary-breaking progressives, the full spectrum of bluegrass artists is represented here. The breadth of material is equally dazzling, including classic bluegrass like the title cut (beautifully rendered by Clinch Mtn. Boy, James Allen Shelton on guitar with Shawn Lane, Dan Moneyhun, and Tim Stafford acing the vocals).

There's also the purely mountainous version of "Dream of a Miner's Child" by the teenaged Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley; the original Seldom Scene's propulsive rendition of John Prine's "Paradise"; The Country Gentlemen's haunting "A Miner's Life", and Larry Sparks' soulful "Digging In the Ground".

New artists and songs are equally well represented. New traditionalist, David Davis weighs in with the tragic yet nostalgic lament, "The River Ran Black". Songwriter Becky Buller further cements her reputation with "In Those Mines", which benefits from a raw, emotional vocal by Valerie Smith.

That's only the beginning of the wonderful songs, differing viewpoints, and deep, conflicting emotions that make "Dark as a Dungeon" one of the most affecting albums of 2010.

Now, this is a story!

It was written by Robin and Linda Williams, who sing it here, backed by some of the best session men in bluegrass. That's Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin, and Stuart Duncan on fiddle, giving it plenty of Cajun flavor.

I think I even remember this performance. If memory serves, it's from a predominantly-bluegrass New Year's Eve concert -- 2007 maybe? -- which aired on PBS for Prairie Home Companion. Everybody brought their A game that night, and it was one of the shows that pushed me further toward bluegrass music.

This is "Rollin' and Ramblin' (The Death Of Hank Williams).

What Makes It Bluegrass?

This track comes from one of the earliest and best albums by premier progressive bluegrass outfit, The Seldom Scene, but what makes it bluegrass? What place has this track on even a progressive bluegrass record?

Maybe none (ymmv). But, here's what I hear:

A disaster song in the tradition of old-time country songs like "The Wreck Of the Old '97", which crossed over into the bluegrass repertoire. A subset of these is songs about the destructive power of nature, like "Muddy Water" or "Dream Of A Miner's Child" -- also a regular feature of bluegrass music.

High-lonesome singing, albeit smoother than the more traditional variety, by John Starling on lead and John Duffey on tenor, joined by Linda Ronstadt on high baritone. If at least one of the ensemble is singing at the top of their range, as Duffey is here, the emotional intensity -- a trademark of traditional bluegrass music -- is markedly increased. For all that, the pain in Starling's voice, squarely in the baritone range, is something you'd never hear, say, on an Eagles record.

More than anything else, it's those musical choices that make this great progressive bluegrass (There, I said it). Lesser bands would treat this same song like slick, modern country or tired country rock. An awful lot of bluegrass -- even the more traditional variety -- has the been-there-done-that sound that lands a disproportionate number of modern recordings in the "Used" bins at record stores (True story. If you're ever in L.A., you should check out the bluegrass section at Amoeba Music some time.)

But, don't believe me; judge for yourself. Listen to The Seldom Scene with "California Earthquake".

Even Better When You Turn It Up

When the bluegrass bug finally bit, I was struck at how the first generation pickers were more rock 'n roll than rock itself had seemed to be for a long time. They played with such ferocity, sang with such passion, bled their lives onto the page when they wrote.

Just listen to Eddie Adcock’s banjo work all throughout this tune, but especially in the kickoff, and you’ll hear what I’m talking about. It’s even better when you turn it up.

This is The Country Gentlemen with “Handsome Molly”.

The Story Of A Cover Band That Cleaned Up

How can anybody remain unmoved, unconvinced, unimpressed by The Earls Of Leicester?

After they cleaned up at the IBMAs earlier this month, some indie reporter (yawn) groused that they were no more than “a Flatt and Scruggs cover band”.

If that’s true, folks, this ain’t your daddy’s Flatt and Scruggs.

Jerry Douglas brings the funk from the first note. Banjo ace, Charlie Cushman answers, carrying the whole thing back down home. Douglas roars into overdrive again and fiddler, Johnny Warren responds with lovely, sorghum-drenched country fiddling.

You think it’ll go on like that until Cushman takes his second break – a mind-bending fusion of textbook Scruggs licks, bluesy twang, and playful Americana that beats Douglas at his own game.

By the time you notice Barry Bales laying down bass lines as rock-solid as they are tasty, he’s soloing, and his break is so revelatory that the crowd bursts into applause even before he’s finished.

Recorded live at the D.C. Bluegrass Union this past February, these are The Earls Of Leicester with “Foggy Mountain Rock”.

Pure country from a Grammy award-winning bluegrass album.

The album was Jim Lauderdale’s “Bluegrass Diaries”, but what surprises me most about this performance is Randy Kohrs. He’s an undisputed bluegrass dobro master, but he’s never been big on tradition. Yet, here he is, following Lauderdale like a hound chases a fox, to borrow an analogy for bluegrass harmony from Bill Monroe.

This is “Can We Find Forgiveness?”

Quintessential bluegrass – hard-edged, uncomfortable, uncompromising, and soulful – I could listen to this music forever.

The major players are Del Williams and Sally VanMeter. Williams, whose father, Vern, was one half the legendary duo of Vern and Ray, grew up hearing and playing bluegrass like this, and you can hear it in every note.

By contrast, dobro goddess, producer, photographer, and filmmaker, Sally VanMeter comes from the progressive side of the fence. Yet, she matches Williams note for bent and tortured note, killing it on dobro all the while.

Together, they slay this old Porter Wagoner tune called “Your Old Love Letters”.

I just discovered Ruben and Matt and The Truffle Valley Boys for myself earlier this year. I fell in love immediately, and posted videos of their various iterations.

But why? Why love a band that copies a sound and a moment in time when there’s some good, modern bluegrass being made?

Because these guys, unlike their Appalachian counterparts, are under no pressure to keep things trad for fear of what their dead uncle, their dear old mother, or the ghost of Bill Monroe might think.

No, The Truffle Valley Boys, who hail from Italy, play this music for the love of it. That, I think, is something special, and worthy of attention from any serious bluegrass fan.

Here are Ruben and Matt and The Truffle Valley Boys with a tune made famous by Vern and Ray, “The Touch Of God’s Hand”.

Sparkling Bluegrass From The Earls of Leicester

Ah, The Earls Of Leicester, showing once again the dazzling musicianship that won them this year’s Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.

It takes real confidence to stretch and slink your way into an intro, the way Shawn Camp does in this first number. Think about it: Anyone else would be hammy, heavy-handed, goading the audience to cheer and whistle, in that tired old way that so many entertainers have.

That’s not good enough for these guys. Listen to the interplay between Camp and Jerry Douglas’s singing dobro lines. The way banjoist Charlie Cushman holds back so tastefully, surprising you with sparkling fills late in the number.

As for the second number, all I can say is, Johnny Warren! Split-second timing; beautiful, clean articulation; and having fun all the while. There’s not a sterile moment to be had, thank God.

These are The Earls of Leicester with “Big Black Train” and Black-Eyed Suzie”.

Exploding Mandolin Players, and Still, Rock Solid

Excuse me while I fangirl over The Earls Of Leicester. Even with a constantly-revolving stream of mandolin players (Jeff White in this clip, sounding more like Cousin Jake Tullock on tenor vocals than anybody has a right to), they maintain a crisp, cohesive sound. As if that weren’t enough, they seem to have more fun with every show they do.

This one in particular was taped for the Bluegrass Underground series on PBS, just three weeks ago. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the show, the reason they look like they’re standing in a cave is because … they are.

Aside from Jeff White’s tenor, Johnny Warren’s fiddling is sheer perfection. These are The Earls Of Leicester with “You’re Not A Drop In the Bucket”.

I only stumbled across this band yesterday, and they just knocked me out.

These guys have everything that a fan of traditional bluegrass could want: assertive picking, playing on top of the beat, yearning trio harmonies, and that high lonesome sound.

The only things they’re missing are the hats and ties, and that’s only because this video is set in their rehearsal space. The traditional suits, hats and ties are this band’s customary stage attire.

They even have the twangy accents, which is funny, because they hail from northern Italy.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ruben and Matt and The Truffle Valley Boys with “I Don’t Mind”.

Keeping Trad Fresh

How do you keep trad fresh?

One way is to unleash your inner musicologist, and find great but rarely-heard tunes. If the original artist is as unknown as the tune, you get major bonus points.

With this track, mandolinist Matteo Ringressi has done both.

Ringressi is one of the most knowledgeable bluegrass folks around – a walking encyclopedia of bluegrass history. Thanks to Matt’s tireless work, his band, Ruben and Matt and The Truffle Valley Boys, have a traditional sound that’s always new and exciting. Their passion for the music helps, too.

Here they are with a song that was originally recorded by The Murphy Brothers (?!? – see what I mean?) way back in 1951 – “You’ll Always Be My Blue-Eyed Darling”.

Damn, this is a sad story! What’s even sadder is that it was told countless times by every Southern migrant who left the poverty of Appalachia for a lonely, punch-the-clock existence in the industrial Midwest.

Some, like Bill Monroe and The Osborne Brothers, found musical success – or the stepping stones to it – up there. Others, like the man in this song, found only broken dreams.

Here’s Lester Flatt, with the inimitable Josh Graves on dobro, telling the timeless tale of hard luck in “Detroit City”.

Vassar Clements on fiddle, Mark O'Connor on mandolin, Béla Fleck on banjo, Jerry Douglas on dobro, Junior Huskey on bass. Who’d they get together for?

Jimmy Martin and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, that’s who. As you might expect, everybody has a blast and brings it, too. It’s hard to pick a favorite when they’re all “"Sittin’ On Top Of the World”.

For so long now, the emphasis in cultivating the next generation of bluegrass musicians has been on producing so-called super-pickers. Consequently, bluegrass vocals have suffered, so it’s especially comforting to see a new band whose vocal chops equal their instrumental chops.

Flatt Lonesome is one such band. Here they are, bringing the vocal excellence with “It’s Just Her Memory”.

The Seldom Scene In the Old Hometown

March 1,1973. Lisner Auditorium; Washington, DC. The Seldom Scene, original lineup, on the heels of a successful debut album, playing for an appreciative hometown crowd. The conditions to deliver a warm, funny, wonderful, memorable show are all in place.

Being The Seldom Scene, this band does not disappoint. And since there are a couple of refugees from The Country Gentlemen in the band, they take on a couple of the Gents’ old familiar favorites – and beat the Gents at their own game. In fact, there are too many highlights to list.

It being 1973, there’s some interesting use of slang, a healthy helping of irreverence for a major bluegrass artist, and even a reference to an old commercial that no one remembers anymore.

Enjoy the show.