A new episode (8th) of my one-hour “Bluegrass and Old Time Music Radio Show” in now available. The show is broadcast four times every Saturday: 8-9 am, 10-11 am, Noon to 1 pm and 2-3 pm Eastern Daylight Time. Remember, if you’re busy and can’t listen to the show, it is also available for download as an mp3 file and as a podcast.
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, 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.
