March 31, 2011

Top 20 Newer Bluegrass Songs as Reported to Bluegrass Music Profiles on 3/31/11

Top 20 Newer Bluegrass Songs for period ending 3/31/11
As reported by Mandorichard, host of the Black Diamond Show
Mondays, noon-2pm on WNHU, 88.7 FM, West Haven CT and www.wnhu.net
Reported to Bluegrass Music Profiles (www.bluegrassmusicprofiles.com)

01. The Hillbenders / Red Stains
02. Balsam Range / Callin' Caroline
03. The Kathy Kallick Band / Where is my Little Cabin Home
04. The Gibson Brothers / One Car Funeral
05. Charlie Sizemore / No Lawyers in Heaven
06. Josh Williams / Cherokee Shuffle
07. Paul Williams / What A Meeting in the Air
08. The Gibson Brothers / I'll Love Nobody But You
09. Balsam Range / On the Run
10. Steeldrivers / The Reckless Side of Me
11. Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys in Hats and Ties
12. The Gibson Brothers / Just Lovin' You
13. Peter Rowan / Jailer Jailer
14. Sierra Hull / Best Buy
15. Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen / The Note That Said Goodbye
16. Infamous Stringdusters / Taking a Chance on the Truth
17. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Light on my Feet, Ready to Fly
18. Charlie Sizemore with Ralph Stanley / Red Wicked Wine
19. Donna Ulisse / Caney Creek to Canaan Land
20. Lonesome River Band / Jack up the Jail

Sources: Airplay on the Black Diamond Show, audience requests, and audience feedback.

Comments: I appreciate your feedback on the new songs we play. Note that this list is a little different than what we turned in about 2 weeks ago--as a result of YOUR feedback!

March 28, 2011

Playlist: Black Diamond Show 3/28/11 WNHU, 88.7 FM & wnhu.net

I must have smiled about a dozen times listening to the songs I put in today's show. I hope you do, too.

Slowly but surely, I'm getting the handle on building polls for you to let me know what you think. By popular request, this week's poll includes a link to a sample for each newer bluegrass song (via amazon.com or cdbaby.com) so you can remember which title went with which new song. I'd love some feedback!

Thanks, as always, for your support.


Artist / Track / Album / Label / Year (Recorded, Released if different) / Notes
• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
• Mark Graham / Lost Indian / Southern Old-Time Harmonica / self / c. 1988, 2000
• Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys / I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome / The High Lonesome Sound of Bill Monroe / MCA / 1950, 1973
• Roy Rogers / Dangerous Ground / Country Masters Vol. 1 / MBop Direct / c. 1946, 2008
• Larry Sparks / Somebody Touched Me / Almost Home / Rounder / 2011
• John Hoffman & Mac Benford / Clinton / It’s About Time / 5-String Productions / 2007
• Sierra Hull / Best Buy / Daybreak / Rounder / 2011
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Mis’ry River / Quicksilver Rides Again / Sugar Hill / 1982
• The Lovell Sisters, Bearfoot, Sierra Hull, New Generation Jam / Gospel Plow / MerleFest Live / FestivaLink / 2010
• Big Country Bluegrass / Black Mountain Special / The Boys in Hats and Ties / Rebel / 2010
• Notorious / Wild Rose of the Mountain / Road to Damascus / Black Socks Press / 2010
• Si Kahn with Kathy Mattea and Jens Krüger / On This Old Farm / Courage / Strictly Country / 2010
• Wayne Hancock / Goin’ Home Blues / Tulsa / Bloodshot / 2006
• Josh Williams / Cherokee Shuffle / Down Home / Rounder / 2008, 2011
• Big Medicine / Looking Toward Heaven / Fever in the South / Yodel-Ay-Hee / 2004
• Hank Williams / Window Shopping / Live at the Grand Ol’ Opry / Mercury Nashville / 1950, 1999
• Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers / Hide Behind a Rock / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder / 2011 / Nicky Sanders, fiddle, Steve Martin, banjo
• Red June / San Juan Hill / Remember Me Well / self / 2010
• The Monroe Brothers / On that Old Gospel Ship / Feast Here Tonight / RCA Bluebird / 1937, 1975
• Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen / July You’re a Woman / Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen / Fiddlemon Music / 2010
• Darol Anger / A Little Help from my Friends / Diary of a Fiddler / Compass / 1999
• The Kathy Kallick Band / Where is my Little Cabin Home / Between the Hollow & the High Rise / Live Oak / 2010
• Fort Worth Dough Boys / Nancy Jane / Legends of Country Music: Bob Wills / Sony BMG / 1932, 2006
• Peter Rowan & Tony Rice / Shady Grove / Quartet / Rounder / 2006 / Bryn Davies, bass, and Sharon Gilchrist, mandolin
• Balsam Range / On the Run / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home, Crossroads / 2010
• Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies / Dark Town Strutters’ Ball / Daddy of Western Swing, Vol. 2, Brownie Special / Proper / 1935, 2003
• Lost & Found / The Rabbit Song / Down on Sawmill Road / Rebel / 1985, 2010
• David Grisman & Tony Rice / I am a Pilgrim / Tone Poems / Acoustic Disc / 1994
• Steeldrivers / Angel of the Night / Reckless / Rounder / 2010
• The Rhythm Rats / Yellin’ in the Shoats / Pretty Crowin’ Chicken / 5-String Productions / 1992, 2006 / Kenny Jackson, solo fiddle
• Asleep at the Wheel / Dance with who Brung Ya / The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel / Bismeaux / 1991, 2007
• Border Radio / Oklahoma Waltz / Li’l Songbook / self / 2001
• Red Allen & The Kentuckians / Those Gone and Left Me Blues / Keep on Going, the Rebel and Melodeon Recordings / Rebel / c. 1965, 2004
• The Hot Club of Cowtown / Faded Love / What Makes Bob Holler / Proper / 2011
• Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys / Lee Highway Blues / MerleFest Live / FestivaLink / 2010
• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

March 21, 2011

Playlist: Black Diamond Show 3/21/11 WNHU 88.7 FM West Haven CT & www.wnhu.net

This show was a lot of fun to put together--a lot of new music--my favorite newer CD is What Makes Bob Holler by the Hot Club of Cowtown--but there's a lot of good stuff on today's play list--some old, some new, some gospel, some secular.

Beginning this week, you can let me know what your think of the newer Bluegrass songs we played this week. You can also use the "Make a request link" to send me email or post a comment on any of the posts here.

As always, thanks so much for your support!

Artist / Track / Album / Label / Year (Recorded, Released if different) / Notes

• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
• Charlie Sizemore / Red Wicked Wine / Heartache Looking For a Home / Rebel / 2011 /Ralph Stanley singing tenor!
• Hot Club of Cowtown / Smith’s Reel / What Makes Bob Holler / Proper / 2011
• Uncle Earl, Infamous Stringdusters, The Duhks, Crooked Still, & The New Generation Jam / Starry Crown / MerleFest 2010 Live / FestivaLink / 2010
• The Stanley Brothers / Ramshackle Shack on the Hill / Long Journey Home / County / 1964, 1973
• Trisha Gagnon / A Parent’s Prayer / A Story About You and Me / Jam ‘n Music / 2010
• Cahelen Morrison & Eli West / Weathervane Waltz / The Holy Coming of the Storm / self / 2011
• Fort Worth Dough Boys / Sunbonnet Sue / Legends of Country Music: Bob Wills / Sony BMG / 1934, 2006
• Balsam Range / Callin’ Caroline / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home, Crossroads / 2010
• Steve Martin / Wally on the Run / The Crow / Rounder / 2009
• The Hillbenders / Red Stains / Down to my Last Dollar / self / 2010
• The Freight Hoppers / Sharp’s Hornpipe / Mile Marker / BakeTown / 2010
• Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys in Hats and Ties / The Boys in Hats and Ties / Rebel / 2010
• Wayne Hancock / Working at Working / Viper of Melody / Bloodshot / 2009
• Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys / Just When I Needed You / Bluegrass Classics / Epic, Columbia / 1963
• Red State Ramblers / Five Miles to Town / Commonwealth / Old 97 / 2009
• Paul Williams / Anywhere is Home / Just a Little Closer Home / Rebel / 2010
• Rick Lang / His Loving Care / Look to the Light / Rural Rhythm / 2010
• Blue Moon Rising / Barely Hangin’ On / Strange New World / Rural Rhythm / 2010
• David Grisman / Opus 38 / Early Dawg / Sugar Hill / c. 1971, 1980
• Hot Mud Family / Going That Way / The Complete Vetco Recordings / self / 1974, 2010
• Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers / Atheists Don’t Have No Songs / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder / 2011
• Riders in the Sky / Never Go to Church on Sunday / A Pair of Kings / Oh Boy / 2002
• The Louvin Brothers / The Great Atomic Power / The Louvin Brothers / Rounder / 1952, 1978
• Art Gomperz Band / Beg Steal or Borrow / A Different Story to Tell / All About Murray / 2010
• Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys / Crippled Turkey / Legends of Country Music: Bob Wills / Sony BMG / 1936, 2006
• Red Molly / Troubled in Mind / James / self / 2010
• Larry Sparks / Tennessee 1949 / Classic Bluegrass / Rebel / 1988
• Steeldrivers / Guitars, Whiskey, Guns, & Knives / Reckless / Rounder / 2010
• Flatt & Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys / Martha White Theme / Flatt & Scruggs at Carnegie Hall / Columbia / 1962, 1963
• Newfound Road / My Shoes Sure Know How to Get Around / Same Old Place / Rounder / 2009
• Willie Nelson / Pistol-Packin’ Mama / Country Music / Rounder / 2010
• Craig Johnson / The Rolling Mills / Away Down the Road / 5-String Productions / 2009, 2010
• Billy Cardine / Swampwater / Southern Filibuster: A Tribute to Tut Taylor / E1 Music / 2010
• The Gibson Brothers / Walkin’ West to Memphis / Help My Brother / Compass / 2011
• The Honey Dewdrops / That Good Old Way / These Old Roots / self / 2010
• The Krüger Brothers / Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right / Merlefest 2010 Live for the Bluegrass Trust Fund / FestivaLink / 2010
• The Hot Club of Cowtown / It’s All Your Fault / What Makes Bob Holler / Proper / 2011
• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

March 16, 2011

Top 20 New Bluegrass Songs as Reported to Bluegrass Unlimited (3/16/11)

Top 20 "New" Bluegrass Songs on the Black Diamond Show
As reported to Bluegrass Unlimited on 3/16/11
WNHU 88.7 FM, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT

01. The Hillbenders / Red Stains
02. The Gibson Brothers / One Car Funeral
03. Balsam Range / Callin' Caroline
04. Charlie Sizemore / No Lawyers in Heaven
05. Paul Williams / What A Meeting in the Air
06. The Gibson Brothers / I'll Love Nobody But You
07. Iron Horse / Oh Moses
08. Steeldrivers / The Reckless Side of Me
09. Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Ramblers / Jubilation Day
10. Peter Rowan / Jailer Jailer
11. Big Country Bluegrass / The Boys in Hats and Ties
12. Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen / The Note That Said Goodbye
13. Blue Moon Rising / Barely Hangin' On
14. Infamous Stringdusters / Taking a Chance on the Truth
15. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Light on my Feet, Ready to Fly
16. Charlie Sizemore / Red Wicked Wine
17. Charlie Louvin / Down by the Riverside
18. Lonesome River Band / Jack up the Jail
19. Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen / Driftin' Apart
20. Big Country Bluegrass / I'm Gonna Walk the Streets of Gold

Sources: Airplay on the Black Diamond Show, audience requests, and audience feedback.

Comments: The two tracks listed at the top got strong audience reaction from listeners in CT, MD, MI, and DE. The tracks listed at #03 and #16 are in queue for airplay on March 21. All the other tracks have been played on air in the last several weeks. The audience seems to appreciate a good mix of Bluegrass Gospel.

March 13, 2011

Playlist for 3/14/11 Black Diamond Show (WNHU, West Haven, CT, 88.7 FM & www.wnhu.net)

We've been reporting our playlists to folkradio.org since October. Starting this month, we're going to start reporting feedback to Bluegrass Unlimited and Bluegrass Music Profiles. I'd love to hear what you think of the new bluegrass we've played in the past month.
Tell me what new Bluegrass have you liked? Deadline: March 20. And don't be shy about using the "Make a request" link on the right hand side of this blog.

Thanks, as always for your support.

Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date / Notes

• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
• Red Clay Ramblers / Rabbit in the Pea Patch / Merchants Lunch / Flying Fish / 1977, 1992
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Light on my Feet, Ready to Fly / Light on my Feet, Ready to Fly / Crossroads / 2010
• Quebe Sisters Band / Shame on You / Timeless / FiddleTone / 2007
• Warrior River Boys / The Gold Rush is Over / Sounds Like Home / Rounder / 1992
• Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers / Jubilation Day / Rare Bird Alert / Rounder / 2011
• Cahalen Morrison & Eli West / Jealous Sea / The Holy Coming of the Storm / self / 2011
• Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys / Elizabeth / Some Rust…Runs Good / self / 2000
• Bad Livers / Corn Liquor Made a Fool out of Me / Hogs on the Highway / Sugar Hill / 1997
• Steep Canyon Rangers / I Can’t Sit Down / One Dime at a Time / Rebel / 2005
• Red Hen / Red Hen / Red Hen Crossing / self / 2009
• Jonathan Byrd / Cackalack / Cackalack / Waterbug / 2011
• Dailey & Vincent / Don’t You Call My Name / Dailey & Vincent / Rounder / 2008
• Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys / Take Your Shoes Off Moses / Cry From the Cross / Rebel / 1971, 2000
• Reed Island Rounders / Ship in the Clouds / Hand Me Downs / Burnin’ Wolf/ 2006
• Robbie Fulks / I Told Her Lies / Lonely Hearts Valentine’s Day Sampler / Bloodshot, Amazon / 1995, 2011
• The Gibson Brothers / Frozen in Time / Help My Brother / Compass / 2011
• Time for Three / Ragtime Annie / Time for Three / self / 2002
• Ralph Stanley / Shady Grove / Old-Time Pickin’, A Clawhammer Banjo Collection / Rebel / c. 1971, 2008
• The Wilders / Broken Down Gambler / MerleFest Live / FestivaLink / 2010
• Seldom Scene / The Tie That Binds / Old Train / Rebel / 1974
• The Hot Club of Cowtown / The Devil Ain’t Lazy / What Makes Bob Holler / Proper / 2011
• Rhonda Vincent & The Rage / Cheatin’ Kind of Love / Ragin’ Live / Rounder / 2005 / Josh Williams, lead vocal
• Big Medicine / Red Rocking Chair / Pine to Pine / Yodel-Ay-Hee / 2009
• Tony Furtado / The Hoedown Polka / Full Circle / Rounder / 1993
• Caleb Klauder / My Baby Came Back / Western Country / Padre / 2010
• Red Mules / Ida Red / The Marimac Anthology, Deep in Old Time Music / Rounder / c. 1988, 1996
• Flatt & Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys / Cora Is Gone / Best of Bluegrass, Vol. 1 / Mercury / 1950, 1991
• The Critton Hollow String Band / Oklahoma Rooster / The Young Fogies / Rounder / 1994
• Al Dexter / Maybe, Baby, It’s Me / Pistol-Packin’ Mama / Living Era / 1949, 1999
• Lonesome River Band / Jack Up the Jail / Still Learning / Rural Rhythm / 2010
• Randy Burns / Hobo’s Lullaby / Hobos and Kings / self/ 2010
• Kenny Baker / Denver Belle / Master Fiddler / County / c. 1978, 2003
• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper / Sunday Morning Christian / Leavin’ Town / Rounder / 2008
• Katie Wilson / More Than Love / Katie Wilson / self / 2009
• Notorious / Boatman / The Road to Damascus / Black Socks Press/ 2010
• Riders in the Sky / Blue Bonnet Lady / Silver Jubilee / Acoustic Disc / 2003
• ShoreGrass / I’m On My Way Back to the Old Home / Going Home/ Shaw Family / 2007
• Ricky Skaggs & Tony Rice / Tennessee Blues / Skaggs & Rice / Sugar Hill / 1980
• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

March 5, 2011

Playlist for 3/7/11 Black Diamond Show (WNHU, West Haven, CT, 88.7 FM & www.wnhu.net)

I'm posting the playlist for Monday's show early, since I expect a busy day at work that day. I really enjoyed putting this show together, even if it stretched my credit card a bit at cdbaby.com and amazon.com. Some great new music makes its BDS Debut! The HillBenders "Red Stains" is perhaps the most gruesome tragic wedding day song I've ever heard. And the Gibson Brothers "One Car Funeral" is so sad. And I really like a lot of the tracks on Iron Horse's new CD, "Horse and Pen." Played "Oh Moses" from that CD--and that got me playing other "Moses" songs--with some more to come next week! Charlie Sizemore's new CD is very good, too. How could we not play "No Lawyers in Heaven"?

Plenty of good old music, in this show, too: By request, there's even an Old & In The Way song on the docket!

Even though the WNHU fundraiser will be done by the time the show airs, you can still support WNHU, a great college radio station (University of New Haven) whose programming includes both the student and the off-campus communities, by following this link.

Thanks for your support of the Black Diamond Show, Bluegrass Music, Old-Time Country Music, and WNHU.

Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date / Notes
• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
• Ronnie Bowman / Drifting with the Tide / Cold Virginia Night / Rebel / 1993
• Reed Island Rounders / Over the Waves / Goin’ Back / Burnin’ Wolf / 2002
• Roland White / The Storms are on the Ocean / I Wasn’t Born to Rock’n’Roll (But I Love to Cook) / Ridgerunner / 1976
• Old & In the Way / ‘Til the End of the World Rolls ‘Round / Breakdown / Acoustic Disc / 1973, 1997
• Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers / Going Up Home to Live in Green Pastures / Rockygrass / Blue Planet Music / 1994, 1995
• Leon Mcauliffe / Panhandle Rag / Tulsa Straight Ahead / Bear Family / 1949, 2009
• The HillBenders / Red Stains / Down to My Last Dollar / self / 2010
• The Gibson Brothers / I’ll Love Nobody But You / Help My Brother / Compass / 2011
• Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys / Grave in the Valley / Bluegrass Special / Epic (Columbia) / 1963
• Lonesome Redwing / Devil’s Dream, June Apple / Fly, Fly, Fly / self / 2009
• Merle Travis / When My Baby Double Talks to Me / Hot Pickin’ / Proper / 1948, 2003
• The Gibson Brothers / One Car Funeral / Help My Brother / Compass / 2011
• Butch Baldassari & David Schnaufer / Tater Patch / Appalachian Mandolin & Dulcimer / Sound Art / 2006
• Charlie Sizemore / No Lawyers in Heaven / Heartaches Looking For a Home / Rounder / 2010
• The Hot Club of Cowtown / Little Liza Jane / Four Dead Batteries (Soundtrack) / Hightone / 2005
• Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys / Cabin of Love / Bluegrass Special, 1950-1954 / unknown import / 1951, c. 1971
• Chris Brashear & Peter McLaughlin / Desert Trails / So Long Arizona / Dog Boy / 2007
• Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band / Carrie Brown / The Mountain / E Squared, New West / 1998, 1999
• Matt Brown, Paul Brown, & Beverly Smith / Horses in the Canebreak / Lone Prairie / 5-String Productions / 2006
• Charlie Sizemore / Pamela Brown / The Story Is… Songs of Tom T Hall /Rebel / 2002
• Paul Williams & The Victory Trio / What a Meeting in the Air / Just A Little Closer Home / Rebel / 2010
• The Quebe Sisters / Mansions on the Hill / Texas Fiddlers / self / 2003
• Joe Val & The New England Bluegrass Boys / Bound to Ride / Rounder / 1979
• Steep Canyon Rangers / Be Still Moses / Lovin’ Pretty Women / Rebel / 2006
• The Steel Drivers / If You Can’t Be Good, Be Gone / The Steel Drivers / Rounder / 2008
• Katie Wilson / Beacon / Katie Wilson / self / 2009
• The New Pilot Mountaineers / Chinese Breakdown / Down the Road / Yodel-Ay-Hee / 2001
• Jeni Hankins & Billy Kemp / Chicken Ridge / MerleFest 2010 / festivalink.net / 2010
• Jethro Burns & Red Rector / Lara’s Theme / Old Friends / Rebel / 1983
• Big Country Bluegrass / I’m Gonna Walk the Streets of Gold / The Boys in Hats and Ties / Rebel / 2010
• John Hartford, Mark Howard, & The Hartford String Band / Alaska Hornpipe / Cadillac Rag / Small Dog Abarkin / 1992
• Iron Horse / Oh Moses / Horse and Pen / B Sharp / 2011
• Lefty Frizzell / Cigarettes and Coffee Blues / Look What Thoughts Will Do / Columbia Legacy / 1958, 1997 / A Marty Robbins song!
• Kenny & Amanda Smith Band / When Her Smile Is Gone / Always Never Enough / Rebel / 2005
• The Mayfield Brothers / Midnight Ramble / Vintage Recordings, 1948-1956 /Patuxnet Music / 1956, 2006
• Delia Bell & Bill Grant / It’ll Be Me / The Cheer of the Home Fires / Rounder / 1984
• Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme