New Artist – Cedar Hill, Troublesome Creek

Awhile back, Cedar Hill sent me an a CD album entitled “Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyeballs.” Now with a title like that, one tends to discount what’s on the CD. But when I turned the CD over, I saw a band dressed up in costumes and noticed the first song on the album was one of my favorite songs by one of my all-time favorite bands – Credence Clearwater Revival. So I at least had to listen to “Who’ll Stop The Rain.” And I’m sure glad I did. Cedar Hill not only does the song much justice, they went on to play and sing 12 more songs that I found both great and hilarious. I admire bands who put a great deal of emphasis on pleasing the audience – I just run into too many bands that play and act like zombies when on stage. But I can tell from this band’s website that they are trying hard to please their audience. Their website is a fun read and as enjoyable as their music. Don’t miss this band. I’m looking forward to seeing them perform live sometime in the near future. Cedar Hill’s album will be featured on the New Artist Show commencing this Friday 6:00 to 7:00 AM. All of their songs are now in the All Bands playlist.

County Records of Charlottesville, VA sent me a copy of Troublesome Creek’s new album “Fast As Time Can Take Me” and I’m sure glad they did. I love old-time mountain music and the 23 songs on this album are a very pleasant surprise. The album features fiddle tunes that originate from Kentucky and Virginia and showcases the full string band sound of Rick Martin, Steve Arkin, Dick Harrington and Lori Lichenwalner. This group of artists are based in central Virginia in this century, but their sound harkens back to the 19th century. I think you are going to like their music. I sure did! Troublesome Creek’s album will be featured on the New Artist Show commencing this Saturday 6:00 to 7:00 AM. All of their songs are now in the All Bands playlist.

Now Available – Episode #4 of A Bluegrass and Old Time Music Radio Show

A new episode (my 4th) of my one-hour “Bluegrass and Old Time Music Radio Show” in now available. The show is brodacast from 12 noon to 7 PM every Saturday. Remember, if you’re busy and can’t listen to the show, it is available for download as an mp3 file and as a podcast.

This episode features those bands playing on my station that have a website. I play one song by each band, talk about the individual band members and their instruments, and provide links to each band’s website.

I’m getting over a 100 downloads each day 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 think these bands are being heard out there.

Here’s a list of the bands featured in this episode:

Craig County Boys
Clarence & Bobbie Roberts
Galax Little Leaves
Heather Berry & Virginia Carolina
John & Sandy
Jugbusters
Loose Gap Loafers
Marshall Brothers and Highroad
Original Orchard Grass Old Time Band
Original Formula
Oriskany Strings
Randy & Deborah Sheets
Reed Island Rounders
Todd Taylor
Wolfe Brothers

New Artists – Craig County Boys, Reed Island Rounders

The Craig County Boys are celebrating their 35th anniversary with a new CD album – Springtime on the Mountain. This terrific band plays traditional bluegrass music with a distinctive sound that derives from the powerful lead vocals of James Christian (guitar and lead vocals) and the lyrical mix of their instrumentalists (Donnie Myers – mandolin and harmony vocals, Jerry Wood – fiddle and harmony vocals, Tim Rhodes – banjo and Jerry Steinberg – bass fiddle) and harmonies. The band is one of the most active bluegrass groups in the Roanoke, Virginia area, playing everywhere from fancy banquets to concerts to private parties, bluegrass festivals, and old country churches. They have a large following of fans, friends, and family who love their music and appreciate the band’s commitment to keeping traditional bluegrass alive and kickin’! Check out their new website while you listen to their music scheduled to play on Monday 11 PM to 12 AM, Tuesday 7 to 8 PM, Wednesday 8 to 9 PM, Thursday 9 to 10 PM, and Friday 10 to 11 PM. The album is also playing in my general rotation playlist.

The Reed Islander Rounders CD albums, Goin’ Back and Side by Side were just added to my playlists. This versatile old time band is known for their love of variety. From foot-stomping dance tunes to romantic waltzes, or a chilling ballad and beyond to the dark and lonesome mountain tunes of a solo fiddle, or a duet with the banjo, they evoke the soul of Appalachian life. Billy Cornette (guitar and vocals), Betty Vornbrock (fiddle and harmony vocals) and Diane Jones (banjo and lead vocals) play many of the old tunes of West Virginia and Kentucky on their Goin’ Back album that I have featured in my New Artist time slots. They are keeping this music alive and I think you will really like these tunes. Check out their website while you listen to their music on Thursday morning from 6 to 7 AM and Saturday evening from 7 to 8 PM. Their Side by Side CD album features Betty Vornbrock and J. P. Fraley on twin fiddles performing waltzes, 2-steps and other favorites. These songs, along with all songs from Goin’ Back, are playing in my general roation playlist.

New Artists – Clarence & Bobbie Roberts, Galax Little Leaves

Clarence & Bobbi Roberts CD albums, Mountain Music Memories and Beyond The Sunset, were recently added to several of my playlists. Clarence and Bobbie live in the Galax, Virginia which is steeped in the traditions of old time music. This versatile husband and wife team sing and play the banjo, fiddle, guitar and autoharp in the old time style. They have been playing together for 20 years and have five CD albums. Give their music a close listen. You’ll be glad you did. And while you’re listening to their music, take the time to visit their website at: home.psknet.com/songcatcher/. Their Mountain Music Memories album is scheduled to play this week on Wednesday and Saturday from 6:00 to 7:00 AM and from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Both albums are playing in my general rotation and Gospel Sunday Show playlists.

Galax Little Leaves live stage performance on the WBRF 98.1 Blue Ridge Backroads Live radio show held at the Rex Theater in Galax, Virginia on May 6, 2005 in now playing on my Live at the Rex Theater Radio Show between 10 AM and Noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This fabulous bluegrass band is comprised solely of youngsters ranging in age from 11 to 14. Talk about keeping bluegrass music alive, well these kids are doing it and they play like pros. Wow! You’ve got to listen to them. And while you’re listening, take the time to visit their website at: www.galaxlittleleaves.com and go see them perform live if you can. Their music has also been added to my general rotation playlist and three of their songs to my Gospel Sunday Show playlist.

Bluegrass & Old Time Music Internet Radio Station

Jack Lewis of Olde Surber Station Radio runs an Internet radio station that plays bluegrass and old time mountain music only by unsigned bands 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Jack says he’s trying to preserve bluegrass and old time music by restricting the bands he plays to string-bands and not associated with a major recording label. He says his cybernet radio station, unlike conventional land based radio stations, provided his bands with a worldwide audience for their music.

Jack recently started a weekly one-hour radio show that he calls A Bluegrass and Old Time Music Radio Show. The show discusses new bluegrass and old-time bands and their venues. It is broadcast continuously every Saturday from 12 to 7 PM Jack makes the show available as a podcast so listeners who can’t make the Saturday broadcast can subscribe to the podcast or download the show episodes from his website.

Olde Surber Station Radio has a number of other special shows. Each Sunday the station broadcasts only mountain gospel music from 6 am to 7 PM on the Gospel Sunday show. Every weekday, the station broadcast a Live at the Rex Theater show which rebroadcasts some of the bands that play at the historic Rex Theateevery Friday night on WBRF 98.1 FM Blue Ridge Backroads Live Radio Show. During the Fall, Winter and Spring seasons, the station also broadcasts a four-hour show from the James River Music Hall in Eagle Rock, Virginia. Jack helps preserve these bluegrass and old time music venues by being the volunteer webmaster for both of venues.

Jack supports his Internet radio station with a syndicated blog that provides additional information on the bands, venues and his website. He also provides on his website the Cybergrass.com news feed for his bluegrass lovers, and a link to the popular NROT Listserv (New River Old Time Music and Dance Association) for his old time mountain music lovers. The station is independent and financially supported by Jack with donations from bands who participate in his music coop.

Jack plays in an old time band called the Oriskany Strings. He plays a two-string washtub bass which he says keeps the mountain music spirit of building your own instruments alive.

FiddelFest – Roanoke’s Celebration of Traditional String Music

July 28, 29 and 30, 2005 – Hollins University campus

My wife, Carol, and I attended the Thursday (July 28) evening concert of FiddleFest specifically to see The Jugbusters perform live and we were not disappointed. These artists are full of energy and they make it fun to watch and listen to old time music.

I met Bill Richardson (band leader, vocals and fiddle) online when I first started my Live at the Rex Theater Radio Show. Their CD album Live from the REX in GALAX Virginia played for several weeks on my first episode of the show. This time I got to meet Bill in person and he’s a heck-of-a-nice-guy.

I had also met Russ Boyd (vocals and banjo-clawhammer style) at the Floyd Country Store when the band I play with (Oriskany Strings) played there this past April. Since then Russ and I have become online friends and converse often on matters related to my radio station.

Not only do I like the music this band plays, I really like their showmanship. This is a group of musicians who know how to entertain an audience. They don’t talk to themselves on stage, they talk to the audience. And, they don’t keep looking at themselves while on stage – they look (and smile) at the audience. Nor do they stand on stage like a bunch of expressionless zombies – they dance around while playing because the music they play will make anyone want to dance, including themselves. Just about every bluegrass and old-time band should watch and study their techniques for putting on a concert, if thye want to entertain a public audience – not just the musicians in the audience.

I took my band’s new digital audio recorder with me to the concert. This is a Marantz PMD660 flash memory recorder which I really like. I used a pair of omni-directional in-ear microphones and recorded some of the performance. Click here to listen to some of their concert as I heard it from my lawn chair. MP3 audio file duration is about 23 minutes and the size is 5.4 MB.

About the only downside of the Jugbusters’ performance that I could see, was the lack of a dance stage and dancers. The organizers certainly didn’t set up an area conducive to two-steppin’, flat-footin’ and square dancin’. The roped off area in front of the stage was all grass and a bit long at that. We couldn’t get any more than two couples (including Carol and me) up to try a square dance. Of course, that was really fortunate for me since I don’t know how to square dance. But I was gonna’ try! I understand from Gene Guilliams (lead male vocalist for the Oriskany Strings) that last night one of the Roanoke TV stations showed Carol and me flat footin’ to the Jugbusters. I’m sure glad I missed that because I don’t know how to flat-foot either. But I try!

We stayed and listened to the Rush Hour Bluegrass (also featured on my Live at the Rex Theater radio show awhile back), Tim Graves and Cherokee (Tim is one awesome dobra player and has a great voice, and Louis Reid and Cherokee. I noticed that these two latter bands used an electric bass guitar. The one with Louis Reid and Cherokee was too loud for my ears.