Category: bluegrass

bluegrass

Red Allen und Frank Wakefield – Bluegrass 1964

I have recently found an interview with David Grisman (Live on the Jake Feinberg Show) where he talked about the recording of the Bluegrass Album with Red Allen and Frank Wakefield in 1964. He later talks about his projects with Jerry Garcia.

This interview inspired me to look back to the early 1960s and how Bluegrass was like then.

The album was produced for Smithsonian Folkways Records. Grisman (born in 1945) was just 19 years old when he produced this record. Wakefield had a great influence to Grisman who says the he learned alle tha mandolin solos a played by Frank Wakefield.

Smithsonian Folkways about Red Allen & Frank Wakefield

Allen and Wakefield’s music ranges from strictly traditional songs like “Little Maggie” to pieces introduced by Bill Monroe to sacred material, all with their hallmark close harmonies and tight instrumental backing. Like Monroe and Roscoe Holcomb, Allen’s voice embodies the “high lonesome” sound.

Grisman had invited Red Allen and Frank Wakefield to play a concert at the Carnegie Hall before.

Bluegrass (1964) – Red Allen und Frank Wakefield

David Grisman especially was inspired by a song from the album “Mountain Music Bluegrass Style” – The White House Blues by Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys. They had to drive to New York to buy records like this. He says abou when he listened to this song for the very first time: “That changed my life”

White House Blues

Album – Mountain Music Bluegrass Style (Smithsonian)

David Grisman Interview Live on the Jake Feinberg Show

Wikipedia about Red Allen

Red Allen – Bluegrass Hall of Fame

WDON Recordings from Frank Wakefield and Red Allen

bluegrass

Tony Williamson – Mandolin Virtuoso – Musical Instrument Expert…

Today I read a long post about Tony Williamson. He just received the North Carolina Heritage Award.

Announced as a 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award recipient, Williamson, from Chatham County, is described as “a visionary musician, composer, musical instrument expert, teacher and mentor.” He blends multiple genres but still remains rooted in bluegrass.

The following video is a presentation of Tony Williamson.

2018 North Carolina Heritage Awardee Tony Williamson

Music is the backdrop of his life. Enjoy filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman’s short documentary on 2018 North Carolina Heritage Awardee Tony Williamson.

Tone is a real expert for vintage instruments. He can tell many stories about the instruments and their history. He has given many presentations with vintage instruments and has recorded some great albums.

You can watch Tony Williamson and some great old mandolins in my playlist. The first four videos are from a presentation in the North Carolina Museum of History, Tony Williamson shows and plays a Gibson F5 mandolins, an F4 mandolin and a K2 mandocello.

Additional information

Tony Williamson – 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award recipient 

North Carolina Heritage Award

bluegrass

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike – Bluegrass

Valerie Smith and her Band Liberty Pike have played in Germany for several times. Valerie Smith has written several great Bluegrass songs, and she has played with many great Bluegrass musicians. Her discography lists currently 14 albums, the latest album “Small Town Heroes” will be published soon.

This year she played again at the IBMA convention.

I have compiled a Playlist with a selection of older and newer videos.

Playlist Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike

Additional Information

Valerie Smith – Airplay Direct

Valerie Smith-Here’s A Little Song: http://airplaydirect.com/music/HeresALittleSong/

Valerie Smith: http://airplaydirect.com/valeriesmith

Becky Buller – Little Bird: http://airplaydirect.com/Littlebird

Valerie Smith – Small Town Heroes: http://www.airplaydirect.com/music/SmallTownHeroes/

bluegrass

Bobby Osborne “Original” – A Great Bluegrass CD by…

Bobby Osborne has recorded his new CD “Original” at an age of 85. When I listened to this album I was immediatly fascinated by the songs and arrangements. The album has been made available as streaming on the website The Bluegrass Situation.

The CD was produced by Alison Brown. The project has been supported by the FreshGrass Foundation. Without this support this recording would not have been possible. Bobby Osborne was joined by several younger musicians:

The new album features an all star cast of pickers and singers collaborating with Bobby on an eclectic set of songs. Relative newcomers Sierra Hull and Trey Hensley team up with stalwarts Stuart Duncan and Todd Phillips on grass’d up versions of Paint Your Wagon’s “They Call The Wind Maria” and the Bee Gees’ “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You.” The never before recorded Darrell Scott song “Kentucky Morning,” featuring Rob Ickes, gives a nod to Bobby’s heritage while the cover of “Make the World Go Away” with the lush twin fiddles of Buddy Spicher and Matt Combs evokes Music Row circa 1962. Bobby’s touring band the Rocky Top X-Press, with sons Wynn, Robby and Bobby Osborne Jr., deliver an updated version of the Osborne Brothers’ classic “Pathway of Teardrops” while Ronnie and Robbie McCoury, together with Josh Williams and Missy Raines, collaborate on a version of the obscure Mel Tillis song “Goodbye Wheeling.” Additional performers include Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Jim Lauderdale, Del McCoury, Darrell Scott, David Mayfield, Molly Tuttle, Bryan McDowell, and Kenny Malone.

For the recording Bobby Osborne made his very first music video, a great video that presents all the other artists of this project.

Playliste Bobby Osborne – Original – Konzerte

Additional Information

You can stream the album  “Original” by Bobby Osborne on the website The Bluegrass Situation:

Now 85, Bobby Osborne recently shot a music video — his first — for “Message,” the album’s lead single. In the video, he’s dressed in a pinstripe suit and strumming his mandolin while flanked by an all-star band of bluegrass musicians who played on the song, including Brown, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan, Trey Hensley, Claire Lynch, Todd Phillips and Rob Ickes.

You can buy the album from Amazon (Partnerlink)

Original – Bobby Osborne