The websites of songwriters and bands mentioned in this podcast follows:

James Lindsey: The Mountain Ramblers
Songs: The Vision and Clear Cold Water
Album: Visions

Betty Jo Rockwell: Allegheny Uprising
Songs: In Love With You Before and Frosty Mountain
Album: Pretty Little Dog

Rita Parady: Oriskany Strings
Songs: Bluegrass Harmony
Album: Live at the Rex, Volume 1

James Christian: Craig County Boys
Songs: Springtime on the Mountain and Home I Used To Call Mine
Album: Springtime on the Mountain

James Christian: Oriskany Strings
Songs: Jesus is Hiring and If These Walls Could Talk
Album: The Train Don’t Run Here Anymore

Episode #16 is about the history of bluegrass music. It is my third installment of “A History of Old Time and Bluegrass Music.” Previous episodes 9 and 14 are prerequisties. In this installment I cover the band “Monroe Borthers” and the early years of the band “Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys.” Below are links for further study and places where you can buy the CD containing songs I used in this episode.

HISTORY OF BLUEGRASS MUSIC

IBMA History of Bluegrass
Bill Monroe Biography

BUY THE CD “The Essential Bill Monroe & The Monroe Brothers”

iTunes
J&R
Amazon

Episode #15 is about the old-time and bluegrass music West Virginia. The state of West Virginia was a part of the state of Virginia prior to the American Civil War. So no wonder oldtime and bluegrass music is as alive in West Virginia as it is in the mountain regions of Virgina. In this episode you’ll visit the Vanadalia, a festival hosted by the Division of Culture and History, located in the state capital of Charleston, West Virgina. Listen in to some fantastic oldtime music from the “mountain” state. Its going on right now, this Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28 just as it has been for the last 30 years.

THE VANDALIA WEBSITE

Vandalia home page

BUY THE TWO-CD SET

The Music Never Dies – A Vandalia Sampler 1977-1987

MOUNTAIN AND HAMMERED DULCIMERS

Everything Dulcimer

Good history of the dulcimer

Hammered Dulcimer

Episode #15 is about the old-time and bluegrass music West Virginia. The state of West Virginia was a part of the state of Virginia prior to the American Civil War. So no wonder oldtime and bluegrass music is as alive in West Virginia as it is in the mountain regions of Virgina. In this episode you’ll visit the Vanadalia, a festival hosted by the Division of Culture and History, located in the state capital of Charleston, West Virgina. Listen in to some fantastic oldtime music from the “mountain” state. Its going on right now, this Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28 just as it has been for the last 30 years.

THE VANDALIA WEBSITE

Vandalia home page

BUY THE TWO-CD SET

The Music Never Dies – A Vandalia Sampler 1977-1987

MOUNTAIN AND HAMMERED DULCIMERS

Everything Dulcimer

Good history of the dulcimer

Hammered Dulcimer

Episode #12 features a preview of a new CD album entitled, “The Train Don’t Run Here Anymore” by James Christian and the Oriskany Strings. Using individual band member tracks taken during the recording session, I analyze one song so listeners can appreciate the contribution of each member to the entire sound of the band. Here’s more information about this new CD:

The Oriskany Strings just released a new CD on the Catawba Records label, featuring the songs of James (Junior) Christian, a well-known musician and songwriter from New Castle, Virgina. The CD is called The Train Don’t Run Here Anymore, after the title song written by Christian. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the CD will be donated to the Craig County Rescue Squad located in New Castle, Virgina where band members Rita, Dick, Carol and Jack are volunteer medical technicians.

The songs written by Christian reveal a man of faith with a big heart and a deep love of nature. Many of them express a longing for simpler days and rural life and have themes that will resonate with residents of this area of Virginia or with anyone who loves country living. The varied collection features gospel songs, love songs, and even “history” songs. The nostalgic title song, “The Train Don’t Run Here Anymore,” is about the old steam train that used to run from Eagle Rock to New Castle, hauling iron ore, mail and passengers, and about the lifestyle that disappeared with the train and the mining company that supported it. The CD cover has a photo of the old steam train and the insert has old photos of the New Castle, Eagle Rock and Oriskany train stations.

“Junior is best-known for being the lead singer and guitar/banjo player with the Craig County Boys for over 30 years, but not so many people know that he is also an excellent songwriter,” said Carol Lewis of the Oriskany Strings. “He is a real poet! He plays with our band when his schedule permits, since our lead singer Gene Guilliams had several strokes and is not able to play guitar anymore. On this new release we wanted to feature some of the many songs Junior has written, and also show off his great country voice and guitar playing, with the Oriskany Strings backing him up with our harmonies and instruments. Even though most of the songs on the CD aren’t really old ones, Junior’s music does have an old-time sound. It’s a different type of project for us, and we’re very pleased with how it turned out.”

The CD also has three songs by other songwriters, old favorites that fit in well with Junior’s songs, according to Lewis. “We hope The Train Don’t Run Here Anymore will appeal to our audience and also to the many fans who like the Craig County Boys’ music,” she said. “Although this CD is not a traditional bluegrass sound, it’s sweet-sounding music with a definite old-fashioned flavor.”

The Train Don’t Run Here Anymore will be available for purchase for $15 at a number of local stores, at Oriskany Strings performances, and on the internet at www.cdbaby.com/oriskanystrings4.

Episode #11 features the Oriskany Strings Christmas Concert held at the Buchanan Theatre in Buchanan, VA on December 1, 2005. The Oriskany Strings is the old time band that I play my 2-string wahstub bass fiddle with. They are a fun group and put together a terrific Christmas concert that I think you will enjoy.

Episode #8 features three bluegrass bands comprised only of kids. These kids range from 8 to 14 years of age and they are fantastic musicians and vocalists. All three are from Virginia and I personally know the kids in two of the bands. I’m hoping this episode of my show will interest you and get you to send me contact information on other kid bands that play bluegrass or old time mountain music. If you know of any send an email to JackLewis@surberstation.com.

The idea of this kid’s bluegrass band began at the Band Music competition sponsored by the Galax Lions Club in February of 2003. Ben Hill (age 11 – mandolin) and Makenzie Neff (age 12 -bass) were competing against lots of classical musicians. This gave Ben’s dad hope of finding other kids who might want to play together. Grace Wilson (age 11 – fiddle) and Houston Caldwell (age 13 – banjo) were taking lessons at Barr’s Fiddle Shop and their parents decided the kids should join together. Their first jam took place under the “The Big Red Tent” Monday night of the 2003 Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention. Ben’s dad says, “they were a little off key and their timing wasn’t the best, but the band had a start.” They continued to play together but felt they were missing a guitar player. The band had a show at the Laurel Rescue Squad Building on March 12, 2004 and got introduced to Asa Gravely (age 14 – guitar). Asa had never practiced with them before, but he played along great and later joined the band. After considering several names for the band, they chose the Galax Little Leaves because they were all from Galax, a town still famous for its leaves as well as its old time mountain music. Since then the band has been very busy competing in Fiddler’s Conventions and playing shows. In May of this year they played at the Rex Theater in Galax and caught my ear as I am also the volunteer webmaster for the theater. I suggested they use the recording of their Rex performance to create the CD shown here. I dressed up the audio here and there and created tracks that flow together so you can experience the magic of this band’s Live at the Rex performance. You will love listening to this band. Visit their website and be sure to buy their new CD.

The Wright Kids consists of Mason ( age 15 ), Sage ( age 8 ) and Baruch ( age 5 ) Wright. Mason and Sage are very accomplished fiddle players and learned to play from their grandfather. Baruch plays the guitar. Sage sings mostly the lead and Baruch sings mostly harmony. I first met these kids in 2003 at the Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia. They were playing with my wife’s band (Oriskany Strings) and I was taking movies of their jam at the Super 8 Motel. Mason and Sage played the fiddle like I could hardly believe. They have won numerous contests and are among the best fiddle players in Virginia. Baruch was only 4 years old at the time, but he got up and sang anyway. Now two years later these kids are even more fantastic. I know you will want to hear them, buy their CD and visit their great website.

This family band hails from Front Royal, Virginia. At the time they produced the album I feature in this pod cast ( We’re Practically on Our Way) in 2002, the band consisted of Teresa Furtado ( age 8 ) – vocals, Christina Furtado ( age 10 ) – bass fiddle and vocals, Malia Furtado ( age 11 ) – mandolin and vocals, Joe Furtado ( age 12 ) – fiddle and Regina Furtado ( age 15 ) – banjo and vocals. Their dad, Tom Furtado, played back-up guitar and sang. The group became very popular and made the bluegrass circuit on the east coast. Unfortunately, it appears the band may have disbanded as their website, http://www.punypickers.com, is no longer active. I’m sure you will like their music and join me in wishing them lots of success in their musical careers.

Episode #6 features bands that opened the fall season at the James Rive Music Hall in Eagle Rock, Virginia on September 10, 2005. Oriskany Strings opened the show and were followed by the Original Orchard Grass Old Time Band. House band, Love Buzzards played for 30 minutes and the Little Mountain Boys dropped by and played for about 30 minutes. The entire show will be be aired this Saturday and next Saturday at the following Eastern Daylight times:

7:00 – 8:00 pm – Oriskany Strings
8:00 – 8:30 pm – Love Buzzards
8:30 – 9:30 pm – Orchard Grass – Set 1
9:30 – 10:00 pm – Little Mountain Boys
10:00 – 11:00 pm – Orchard Grass – Set 2

I’m getting about a 250 downloads each day now of this show as a Podcast and that’s a lot of exposure for the bands being played on my internet radio station. Combine that with my listening audience and I sure these independent bands are being heard out there. I have also received several emails from fans of the show and I really appreciate these emails

Here are photos of the Oriskany Strings ans Orchard Grass at the James River Music Hall on 10 September 2005.

Waking Up Tille hails from Riegelsville, PA and their new album was released on July 11th of this year.

TrueGrass is a new bluegrass band based in Rural Retreat, Virginia and playing “tradional bluegrass music the way it should be played,” acording to the band’s new website. While the band may be new, the members of this band are certainly not new to bluegrass music. Emory Parks (guitar and vocals) has been playing bluegrass music all his life and was inspired by his father. Emory says he stuck with tradional bluegrass music even when bluegrass went through unpopular times. He has recorded his own album, “Let’g Go Back Again” which will be playing soon on my radio station. Freel Taylor (bass and vocals) also started playing music as a kid after he started listening to the “Grad Ole Opry.” He’s played with a number of old time and bluegrass bands. Jack Wells (mandolin and vocals) is another veteran bluegrass musician who has played with a numerous northern Virgina and Maryland based bands. Travis Houck (dobro) brings a fresh new approach to the dobro in bluegrass, and Wayne Thomas (banjo and vocals) plays banjo with skill that he may have inheritied from his bluegrass musician father. I’m sure you are going to enjoy the music of this new band.