Aslyn & The Naysayers...and The Last Waltz

photograph courtesy of Aslyn & The Naysayers

Yesterday was for all intensive purposes The Last Waltz. Sticking to the basics of a blend of old-time string band, rip-roaring acoustic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, with a few hints toward alt country, my 5-6 month stint as host of WFCF's Sunday Bluegrass Breakdown came to a close.

Of all the bands that I've featured on the show since January 2008, it was my sincere pleasure to introduce to you Aslyn & The Naysayers. Flagler College graduates on Flagler College Radio...hard to beat. Jim on lead, Matt on rhythm, and Aslyn on vocals, the trio creates a fantastic blend of folk-oriented pop that often segues into more traditional bluegrass. Featured on yesterday's show were two tracks from the band's self-released, self-titled cd: Wind And Rain and Fox On The Run. The two songs provide ample opportunity to show off Aslyn's gorgeous voice, Matt's uncanny knack for harmonizing, and Jim's prodigious flat picking. With the accompaniment of New River Bluegrass' John Parrish on fiddle, the band's sound is greatly expanded, becoming more lush and evocative. A great band and a great set of songs from a great group of people. Support this band!

Set List: Gibson Brothers - That Bluegrass Music, Aaron O'Rourke Trio - John Stenson's #2, Aslyn & The Naysayers - Wind And Rain, John Hartford - Station Break, New Lost City Ramblers - The Teetotals, Bryan Bowers - The Opera Reel, Stuart Duncan - Two O'Clock In The Morning, Paul Kantner & Jefferson Starship - The Baby Tree, BlueRidge - Land Of Light, IIIrd Tyme Out - Rocked On The Deep, The Country Gentlemen - Honey Don't, Dolly Parton - Seven Bridges Road, David Davis & The Warrior River Boys - (I Hear That) Lonesome Whistle, The Shady Grove Band - Johnny Ridge, Charles Sawtelle - Gonna Paint This Town, The Lonesome River Band - Up On The Shelf, Riley Baugus - Sail Away Ladies, Jim Mills - Ground Hog, Creaking Tree String Quartet - Phoenix Lair, The Osborne Brothers - Rocky Top, No Speed Limit - Born To Be A Rambler, The Nashville Bluegrass Band - Happy On The Mississippi, Ronnie McCoury - When The Hurt's Talkin', The Seldom Scene - Bad Moon Rising, Scott Anderson - Tyler and Amanda, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum - Bad Seed, The Biscuit Boys - Me and My Uncle, Buncombe Turnpike - On The Run, Blue Highway - Wild Urge To Ramble, Aslyn & The Naysayers - Fox On The Run, Ronnie Bowman - Jailhouse Blues, Jeremy Stephens - June Apple, Red Allen - I Don't Know Why, the Cherryholmes Family Band - The Fishhook Breakdown, Steep Canyon Rangers - Pickin' On Josh, New Grass Revival - Just Is, Dudley Connell & Don Rigsby - I Can't Forget, Tina Adair - When My Times Comes To Go, The Chapmans - Pickle Flavored Ice Cream, Baucom Bibey & BlueRidge - Vandiver, Don Reno - The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise, Wildwood Valley Boys - I'm Not The Drifter, Carl Jackson - Lay Down My Old Guitar, Kenny & Amanda Smith Band - Big Ball In Boston, Don Rigsby - These Ol' Blues, Valla Turner Williamson - Murder Creek, Abigail Washburn - Nobody's Fault But Mine, Lonesome Standard Time - Anything Southbound, James McCandless & Julianne Macarus - Red Crow, Old & In The Gray - Rainmaker, Aubrey Haynie - Thonotosassa, James Alan Shelton - Married Life Blues, J.D. Crowe & The New South - Cryin' Holy, Tony Rice - This Morning At Nine, The Bluegrass Patriots - Eat At The Welcome Table, Tim O'Brien - First Snow, Dave Evans - Sea Of Regret, Jerry Garcia David Grisman & Tony Rice - Rosalie McFall, Del McCoury - What Made Milwaukee Famous, Mark Newton Band - When The Trumpet Sounds, Chatham County Line - Gunfight In Durango, Jim Lauderdale and Ralph Stanley - Redbird, Sammy Shelor - Lonesome Scene Of Winter, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - I Dreamed Of A Great Judgement Morning, The Infamous Stringdusters - Dream You Back, Kane's River - Scowlin' John, The Whites - Always Coming Home, Alan Shad - Making S

Kentucky

I'm moving back to the home place in Kentucky and so I decided to put together a show about the Bluegrass state. For those of you who caught it, I hope you enjoyed it. For those who missed out, the set list is provided below.

Set List: David Crosby - Wooden Ships Jam, Don Reno - My Old Kentucky Home, Mountain Heart - Cold Kentucky Rain, Yonder Mountain String Band - Think For Yourself, Carus & The True Believers - Nothing Is Still Nothing, Scott Thomas & Scott Vestal - Louisville Breakdown, Byron Berline - Rose of Old Kentucky, Rhonda Vincent - Kentucky Borderline, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The World's Greatest, Sam Bush - Eight More Miles To Louisville, The Osborne Brothers - I Can Hear Kentucky Calling Me, Tift Merritt - Hopes To High, Southern Tenant Folk Union - Green Eyed Girl (From Louisville), Don Rigsby & Midnight Call - Kentucky Waltz, Langhorne Slim - Restless, Aubrey Haynie - Kentucky Hustler, Randy Newman - Old Kentucky Home, Boone Creek - Paradise, The-Low-Country - Lord I Want An Exit, Merle Haggard - Kentucky Gambler, The Avett Brothers - If It's The Beaches, The Louvin Brothers - Kentucky, Sam Bush & David Grisman - Dan' Boone, Charlie Sizemore - Kentucky In The Morning, The Audreys - Small Things, Michele Shocked - The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore, Flat & Scruggs with The Foggy Mountain Boys - Pike County Breakdown, Steve Earle - Ben McCullough, Gillian Welch - One Morning, Dolly Parton - Bluer Pastures, Fiddle Fever - Whitesburg, Bryan Sutton & Ricky Skaggs - Carroll County Breakdown, Loretta Lynn - High On A Mountaintop, Bill Monroe - Blue Moon Of Kentucky, Coal Creek Bluegrass Band - Going Back To Old Kentucky, Peter Rown & The Rowan Brothers - Man Of Constant Sorrow, Phil Ochs - No Christmas In Kentucky, Townes Van Zandt - Tecumseh Valley, Sid Griffin - The Last Kentucky Waltz, Split Lip Rayfield - Never Make It Home, IIIrd Tyme Out - Moundsville Pen, Chesooks - Kentucky River, Hobart Smith - Cumberland Gap, Gillian Welch - I'm On My Way Back To The Old Home, Emmylou Harris - Blue Kentucky Girl, Steve Earle & Del McCoury Band - Harlan Man, Patti Griffin - Useless Desires, Leah Larson - Sun's Gonna Shine On My Back Door Someday

Turn Your Radio On! (5-11-2008)

photo courtesy of John Hartford

Set List: John Hartford - Turn Your Radio On, Kenny Smith - Studebaker, Ralph Stanley II - Map of God's Highway, Bobby Hicks - Commanche Hit & Run, Bryan Bowers - Cluck Old Hen, Seldom Scene - Sweet Baby James, Feed & Seed - Dear Ol' Dixie, Coal Creek Bluegrass Band - Hillendale, Doc Watson Family - Blue Yodel #7, Ronnie McCoury - Glen Rock, Don Reno & Red Smiley - Shine Hallelujah Shine, Chris Jones - Diesel Smoke On Danger Road, Alison Krauss - Dark Skies, Byron Berline - Ragtime Annie, Mark Leadon - Mountain Road, Grandpa Jones - Jesse James, Buncombe Turnpike - Carolina In The Pines, Cackle Sisters - Arizona Yodeler, J.D. Crowe & The New South - White Freightliner, Jim Lauderdale & Ralph Stanley - Boat Of Love, Scott Anderson - Purple Valley Blues, Arthur Smith & Don Reno - Pennsylvania Polka, Blue Highway - Union Man, Benny Thommasson - Drunkard's Hiccups, Baucom Bibey & BlueRidge - I'll Still Write Your Name In The Sand, Flat & Scruggs - Petticoat Junction, Tiny Moore & Jethro Burns - Moonlight Waltz, Hornsby & Skaggs - Gulf Of Mexico Fishing Boat Blues, Leaning On The Everlasting Arms - Living On The Hallelujah Side, David West - Going Over The Road Feeling Bad, Biscuit Boys - El Cubanchero, Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein - 2:10 Train, BlueRidge - Do What You Want To Do, Dolly Parton - Little Sparrow, Tina Adair - Midst Of The Morning Rain, Bryan Sutton & Tony Rice - Dusty Miller, Big Al Weekly - 18 Wheels Roll On, Chatham County Line - Chip Of A Star, Wildwood Valley Boys - The Big Man From Rosine, Dave Evans - Wait A Little Longer Please Jesus, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - Jezebel, J.W. Carpenter Bobby Glendy & Rt. 107 - There Is A Time, Red Molly - Oh My Sweet Carolina, Red Allen & David Grisman - Teardrops In My Eyes, Sam Bush & David Grisman - Jamgrass 741, Rhonda Vincent - Bananaphone, Dan Crary & Beppe Gambetta - Foggy Mountain Special, Tony Trishka - Twilight Kingdom

New River Bluegrass

Doug Armstrong of New River Bluegrass was instrumental in my being able to host the Sunday Bluegrass Breakdown. Doug loaned me a portion of his extensive bluegrass collection and I owe him a debt of gratitude.

photo courtesy of New River Bluegrass

Nearly 15 years ago, Doug's band New River String Band burst onto the scene as an award winning trio in the Pizza Hut "International Bluegrass Showdown". Through the years the group has progressed into a six piece ensemble with roots in traditional and contemporary bluegrass, now hailing as New River Bluegrass.

One thing hasn't changed over all the years; the love and excitement of performing hard driving and thought provoking acoustic music. It's evident when you can catch this group live, and even more so when you can sit just feet away from them and listen in to the wonderful back and forth play of instruments and tight vocal harmonies. NRB lives for that experience; to feel the reverberation of their acoustic sound, to be immersed in high lonesome vocals. Most importantly, they love to share the experience with you.

The band recently played in Monticello with Blue Highway. Blue Highway enjoyed the performance so much, they've asked New River Bluegrass to open for them again on their next Florida performance....

4-27-2008 Set List: New River Bluegrass - The Gospel, David Parmley & Continental Divide - There'll Always Be A Rockin' Chair, Dry Branch Fire Squad - I Have Found A Way, Dan Tyminski, Praise The Lord, The Country Gentlemen - Coal Black Gold, The Chapmans - Uphill Climb, Aubrey Haynie - Going To Ferrum, Blue Highway - God Moves In A Windstorm, David Grisman & Friends - Sophronie, Hazel & Alice - Montana Cowboy, Alan Shad - Surrounded By The Blues, Front Range - My Lord What A Mourning, Jim & Jesse - Diesel On My Tail, James King - I Don't Do Floors, Mountain Heart - I'll Sail Away, Bluegrass Patriots - Streets Of Baltimore, Ernie Thacker - Traveling The Highway Home, Don Rigsby - I've Just Seen The Rock Of Ages, Goin' South Band - Lost Indian, Bill Monroe - My Little Georgia Rose, Longview - The Touch Of God's Hand, Bill Emerson - Three Day Beard & A Rusty Jeep, Infamous Stringdusters - My Destination, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - I'll Keep On Sailing, The Grascals - Roll Muddy River, BlueRidge - Sailing With The Master, Laurie Lewis - Big Eddy, Daryl Mosely & Tim Graves - Why You Been Done So Long, Aaron O'Rourke Trio - What If, Boone Creek - No Mother Or Dad, Mud Acres - Carolina In My Mind, The Kentucky Colonels - I Am A Pilgrim, Jeff White - Cheater's Heart, IIIrd Tyme Out - We'll Soon Be Done With Troubles & Trials, Noam Pikelny - Manchicken, Lonesome River Band - Raleigh And Spencer, Ron Block - Set Your Children Free, The Biscuit Boys - Boograss, Del McCoury - Dark Hollow, Allan McHale - The Arab Bounce, Laurel Canyon Ramblers - Crossroads Bar, Iris Dement - Sweet Is The Melody, Bryan Sutton - Blue Night, No Speed Limit - Sweet Virginia, Scott Anderson - Old Carolina, Alecia Nugent - Ready For The Times To Get Better, David Davis & The Warrior River Boys - Evening Prayer Blues, Charlie Sizemore - Pamela Brown - Leah Larson - Long Journey, Crooked Still - Mountain Jumper, Gibson Brothers - It's All Over Now, Nashville Bluegrass Band - The Ghost Of Eli Renfro, Kane's River - Jerusalem's Choir, Chris Thile - Kneel Before Him

Merlefest 2008: April 24-27

MerleFest is committed to producing a high quality diversified American roots based musical experience that attracts a broad audience and reunites guests, supporters and performers in an annual celebration of Americana music.

http://www.merlefest.org

The festival is held in a secure and substance-free setting that complements the experience and fosters an interest in a variety of musical forms representative of the repertoire of Doc and Merle Watson. Through the years, MerleFest has provided funds for its founding purpose, the Eddy Merle Watson Memorial Garden for the Senses; providing an interpretive, educational, artistic and cultural experience for visually impaired as well as sighted guests.

The festival is committed to the cultural experiences that are interwoven in the music’s foundations and progression. The acclaimed Outreach Program takes the festival experience to students in all twenty-one Wilks County K-12 schools and various other facilities in an effort to further educate and cultivate a cultural interest in roots music. MerleFest features arts and crafts vendors who represent the heritage of western North Carolina which enhances the cultural aspect of the festival.

The festival serves as an important economic catalyst for the surrounding community and has a significant impact each year. It is committed to promoting the work and efforts of Wilkes County non-profit community organizations and Wilkes Community College’s student organizations as well as the mission of Wilkes Community College. MerleFest directly contributes to Wilkes Community College’s scholarships, capital improvements, development, and many other needs of a growing institution of higher learning.

The presence of MerleFest on the World Wide Web provides an opportunity for deeper appreciation of the festival and serves as a forum for year-round communication with guests, volunteers and other festival participants.

In all facets of organization and operation, a caring staff continues to strive to present the best “Americana” music experience in the world.

Froggy Went A-Courtin'

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Frog Went A-Courtin" is an English language folk song. Its first known appearance is in Wedderburn's Complaynt of Scotland (1548) under the name "The frog came to the myl dur." There is a reference in the London Company of Stationer's Register of 1580 to "A Moste Strange Weddinge of the Frogge and the Mouse." The oldest known musical version is in Thomas Ravenscroft's Melismata in 1611. There are many texts of the ballad.

Frog rides to ask Miss Mouse to marry him. She is willing but must ask permission of Uncle Rat. Rat's permission received, the two work out details of the wedding. Some versions end with a cat or other creature devouring the participants. Sometimes the frog gets away from the cat but is later swallowed by a duck.

Spaeth has a note claiming that the original version of this was supposed to refer to the Duke of Anjou's wooing of Elizabeth I of Engliand. If the second known version (1611, in Melismata, also reprinted in Chappell) were the oldest, this might be possible — there are seeming political references to "Gib, our cat" and "Dick, our Drake." But the Wedderburn text, which at least anticipates the song, predates the reign of Queen Elizabeth by nine years, and Queen Mary by four. If it refers to any queen at all, it would seemingly have to be Mary Stuart; Evelyn K. Wells however, in the liner notes to the LP Brave Boys; New England traditions in folk music, (New World Records 239, 1977) suggests that the original may have been satirically altered in 1580 when it was recorded in the register of the London Company of Stationers, as this would have been at the height of the unpopular courtship.

April 6, 2008 Set List: Red Allen - Froggy Went A-Courtin', Arthur Smith - Dueling Banjos, Reeltime Travelers - Little Johnny Brown, Bill Emerson - A Little Rain, Rhonda Vincent - Heartbreaker's Alibi, Bill Harrell - Red Rockin' Chair, Ricky Skaggs & The Whites - Wings of a Dove, Bobby & Blue Ridge Tradition - Who's That Knockin' on My Door, Sean Watkins - Neo's Song, Cadillac Sky - Born Lonesome, Shawn Camp - My Love Will Not Change, The Chapmans - Ode to the Simple Man, Suzanne Thomas - Sweet Sunny South, Charles Sawtelle - The Ranger's Command, Tara Nevins - I've Got a Mule to Ride, Charlie Sizemore - Turn It On Turn It On Turn It On, Tony Rice - Cold on the Shoulder, Trampled By Turtles - Blue Sky & The Devil, Cherryholmes - Brand New Heartache, Two Many Banjos - New Shoes, David Grier & Todd Phillips - Old Ebeneezer Scrooge, Doc Watson & David Grisman - All About You, David McLaughlin & Josh Crowe - Going Back to Old Virginia, Don Reno - Road Runner, Doug Dillard Band - Jackrabbit, Fiddle Fever - Party for the Old Folks, The Cox Family - I Am Weary, The Grasshoppers - River of Tears, Hillbilly Dust - Alberta May, Infamous Stringdusters - Fork in the Road, Del McCoury Band - Get Down on Your Knees and Pray, J.D. Crowe & The Bluegrass Album Band - Preachin' Praying Singing, Dickie Dixon - Yee Haw, The Dillards - Dooley, Hazel & Alice - A Few More Years Shall Roll, James McCandless - Out West Somewhere, James Reams & The Barnstormers - Ain't a Bump in the Road, Jeanette Williams - Cherry Blossoms in Springtime, Joe Val - Along About Daybreak, Leon Morris & Buzz Busby - At the End, Marc Pruett Band - Cacklin' Hen, Merle Travis - John Henry, Nashville Bluegrass Band - Red Clay Halo (Gillian Welch cover), Dixon Brothers - Didn't Hear Nobody Pray, Muleskinner - Roanoke, New Vintage - You Can't Have Your Cake and Eat It Too, Old & In the Gray - Honky Tonk Women, Holy Modal Rounders - Mr. Spaceman, Old Crow Medicine Show - Raise a Ruckus, Paul Williams - My Homeward Journey, Phyllis Boyens & The Dreadful Snakes - Lawrence Jones, Davy Spillane Band - Atlantic Bridge

March Closure

Today the Sunday Bluegrass Breakdown pulled off its fourth broadcast of March. The show continues to rumble along, blending traditional, gospel, and progressive Bluegrass, offering up old-time favorites, new releases, and offbeat covers.

Cover image courtesy of John Hartford.

Set List: Tasty Licks - Blue Days Black Nights, John Starling & Carolina Star - South Riding Tango, Steep Canyon Rangers - Don't Ease Me In, John Hartford - With a Vamp in the Middle, Stanley Brothers - Rabbit in a Log, Jody Stecher - Way Downtown, Shady Grove Band - About Right, Reams Hensley & the Barons of Bluegrass - We're the Kinda People That Make the Jukebox Play, Seldom Scene - Rider, J.P. Fraley - One Morning in May, Rudy Barrett - Whoa Mule Whoa, IIIrd Tyme Out - Out of Sight Out of Mind, Rice Rice Hillman and Pederson - Friend of the Devil, The Grass Cats - Weary Lonesome Brokenhearted Fool, The Grascals feat. Dolly Parton - Viva Las Vegas, The Privy Tippers - Elzic's Farewell, Front Range - Montana Girl, Old Home String Band - Shut Up in the Mines of Coal, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band feat. Iris Dement - Mama's Opry, Foghorn String Band - Lonesome Road Blues, Monroe Brothers - New River Train, Emmylou Harris - Green Pastures, The Wilders - When the Levee's Gone, Dread Clampitt - Walkabout, Butch Robbins - I'll Be On That Good Road Some Day, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - Blue Train, Buncombe Turnpike - On the Run, Marty Stuart - Get in Line Brother, Hornsby/Skaggs - The Dreaded Spoon, Lynn Morris - You'll Get No More of Me, The Louvin Brothers - Satan is Real, BlueRidge - He'll Set Your Fields on Fire, Lonesome Standard Time - Bream, Bluegrass Etc. - I Can See Clearly Now, Dave Dowling - Tail Feathers Up, Laurie Lewis - the Wood Rushes Song, Daryl Mosely & Tim Graves - Tupelo County Jail, Laurel Canyon Ramblers - Wait a Minute, The Cumberlands - Soldier's Joy, Country Gentlemen - Sit Down Young Stranger, Larry Stephenson - Knoxville Boy, Coon Creek Girls - Banjo Pickin' Girl, Kirk Suthpin - Lonesome Road Blues, Connie Babe & Red Roberts - Cruel Willie, Kathy Kallick - Griddle in the Middle, Coal Creek Bluegrass Band - Barefoot Nelly, Kane's River - Foisted Possum, Bluegrass Album Band - Home Sweet Home, Josh Graves - False-Hearted Lover, Bill Emerson - Hills of Roane County, Johnson Mountain Boys - Blue Diamond Mines