March 25, 2012

Close Kin (and playlist for 3/26 & 3/29)

Before we get to this week's playlist, I want to highlight a CD that I learned about recently and from which we played a track last week. In fact, we got an Internet request to play another track this week! So, of course we did. The CD is called Close Kin, and was released late last year on Mountain Roads Recordings.

I love the project because it consists of bluegrass and old-time musicians collaborating on a great set of tunes and songs, proving that indeed the styles of traditional country music work well together. Here's an excerpt of the Mountain Roads Recordings' description of the project:

The Appalachian Highlands region of Northeast Tennessee, Northwestern North Carolina, Southwestern Virginia and Eastern Kentucky is home to the origins of both bluegrass and old-time string band music. This music has been enjoyed for generations in kitchens and back porches, school auditoriums and music festivals and venues. Many times bluegrass and old-time artists can be heard jamming off stage at festivals before or after shows or even late into the night after the crowds have gone home. Amazing sounds are created when these styles are blended together as their heritage intended and rarely heard by the fans. Close Kin brings these sounds to the fans. Close Kin, produced by award winning songwriter/singer Johnny Williams, features superb arrangements and vocal and instrumental combinations of 16 songs performed by such great artists as

  • Adam & Tina Steffey (The Boxcars & The Grayson Highlands String Band)
  • Johnny & Jeanette Williams (Freeman & Williams; The Jeanette Williams Band)
  • Scott & Mark Freeman (Freeman & Williams, Siamese Cousins, Pathway)
  • Mickey Galyean, Brad Hiatt & Jordon Blevins (Mickey Galyean & Cullen’s Bridge)
  • Greg Jones & Jay Adams (Rich In Tradition)
  • Bud, Zeb, Samantha & Laine Snyder (The Snyder Family Band)
  • Dale Morris & Jerry Correll (Wolfe Bros String Band)
  • Edwin Lacy (Skeeter and the Skidmarks; Siamese Cousins)
  • Eddie Bond (The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters)
  • Jim Lloyd & Trevor McKenzie (Jim Lloyd and the Skyliners)
  • Brian Grimm (The Konnarock Kritters)
  • Trish Kilby Fore (Fox Creek Ramblers)
  • Tiffany (Hurt) Lowery (Wheeler)
  • Tim White, Dave Vaught & “Fat Albert” Blackburn (The VW Boys)
  • Wesley Easter (Eastwood Studio)
  • Rebecca Jones (Travis Frye & Blue Mountain)
It's a great project. Check it out. On to the playlist. Thanks for your support of WNHU and of the entire spectrum of traditional country music.
  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Lonely Street / Lonely Street / Rounder / 2009
  • Darrin & Brooke Aldridge / Lonely Ends Where Love Begins / So Much In Between / Mountain Home, Crossroads / 2011
  • Robin & Linda Williams / Going, Going, Gone / Buena Vista / Red House / 2008
  • The Grascals / Eleven Eleven / Life Finds a Way / Crossroads / 2012
  • Chris Brashear / Put My Little Shoes Away / Wanderlust / self / 1999
  • April Verch / Guide Me Home / That’s How We Run / Slab Town / 2011
  • Flatt & Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys / On My Mind / Foggy Mountain Jamboree / Sony BMG / 1955, 2005
  • Mariel Vandersteel / Flannery’s Dream / Hickory / self / 2012
  • David Peterson & 1946 / A Good Woman’s Love / In the Mountaintops to Roam / self / 2005
  • John McCutcheon / Forked Deer / Barefoot Boy With Boots On / Rounder / 1980
  • Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys / The New Green Light / Vintage Collections / Capitol Nashville / 1954, 1996
  • The Stanley Brothers / I Saw the Light / The Early King & Starday Years / Gusto / 1960, 2003
  • The Missy Werner Band / Snowbird / Drifting and Dreaming / self / 2009
  • Moon Mullican / Ragged But Right / Super Hits / Gusto / 1961, 2005
  • Freeman & Williams / Wrong Road Again / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings / 2012
  • Riley Puckett / Blue Ridge Mountain Blues / Country Music Pioneer / JSP / 1935, 2011 / 2nd version Puckett recorded (1934, released 1935). He had also recorded it in 1924.
  • Don Stover / White Oak Breakdown / Rounder Banjo / Rounder / 1971, 1987
  • Shoregrass / Soldier / Going Home / Shaw Family / 2007
  • Audie Blaylock & Redline / You’ll Find Her Name Written There / I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky A Bill Monroe Celebration / Rural Rhythm / 2011
  • The Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls of Time / Walls of Time / Rounder / 1981, 1982
  • Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys / My Little Georgia Rose / Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys 1954-1957 / JSP / 1954, 2009
  • Donna Ulisse / I’m Calling Heaven Down / When I Look Back / Hadley Music Group / 2006
  • Wayne Hancock / Sands of Time / A-Town Blues / Bloodshot / 2001
  • The Gibson Brothers (with Ricky Skaggs) / Singing As We Rise / Help My Brother / Compass / 2011
  • The Delmore Brothers / I Let the Freight Train Carry Me On / Crazy Heart (Original Soundtrack) / New West / 1950, 2010
  • The Freight Hoppers / Hell Bound for Alabama / Mile Marker / Bake Tone / 2010
  • The Grass Cats / Detour / A Good Way to Get the Blues / New Time / 2009
  • Hot Mustard / Let Me Walk Lord By Your Side / Live at the Mole Hill Theater, Alstead, NH / unreleased / 2011
  • Jerry Correll et al. / Old Horse & Buggy / Close Kin / Mountain Roads Recordings / 2011
  • The Wolfe Bros. / Honey I’m Rambling Away / Old Roads, New Journeys / Copper Creek / 2004
  • Big Country Bluegrass / Yesterday I Didn’t Know / The Boys in Hats & Ties / Rebel / 2010
  • Jimmy Martin et al. / My Walking Shoes / Will The Circle Be Unbroken / United Artists / 1972
  • Phil Rosenthal / Arkansas Traveler / A Treasury of Bluegrass and Country Songs / American Melody / 2009
  • Leon’s Lone Star Cowboys / Angry / Western Swing Chronicles Volume 2, Leon Chappelear / Origin Jazz Library / c. 1935, 2002
  • Charlie Sizemore Band / Mama Turn Aloosa My Soul / Good News / Rounder / 2007
  • Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands / How Old Are You, My Pretty Little Miss? / MerleFest Live / FestivaLink / 2010
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

March 22, 2012

Top Newer Bluegrass Songs (3/22/12): Black Diamond Show WNHU

In addition to submitting top new song reports to Bluegrass Unlimited and Bluegrass Music Profiles, we also report the Black Diamond Show playlists and actual airplay to Bluegrass Today and the FOLKDJ-L email list & folkradio.org.

Top Newer Bluegrass Songs for the period ending 3/22/12

Reported to Bluegrass Unlimited (top 12) and Bluegrass Music Profiles (top 20)

01. Dailey & Vincent, Cast Aside
02. Mike Scott, Aubrey Haynie, Mike Compton, Bryan Sutton & Ben Isaacs, Road to Columbus
03. April Verch, Guide Me Home
04. Charlie Sizemore, I Don’t Remember Loving You
05. Darrin & Brooke Aldridge, Lonely Ends Where Love Begins
06. The Missy Werner Band, I’d Rather Love a Memory
07. The Gibson Brothers, Just Lovin' You
08. Crowe Brothers, Southern Moon
09. Freeman & Williams, Wrong Road Again
10. Bearfoot, Come Get Your Lonesome
11. Donna Ulisse, Let it Rain
12. Blue Highway, I Ain’t Gonna Lay My Hammer Down
13. Ronnie Bowman,The Story in your Eyes
14. Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar
15. Janette Williams, Adam Steffey, Tina Steffey, Samantha Snyder, Zeb Snyder, Scott Freeman & Bud Snyder, Little Bird of Heaven
16. Dailey & Vincent, Living in the Kingdom of God
17. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Greenbrier Hop
18. The Gibson Brothers, I’ll Love Nobody But You
19. Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Ominous Anonymous
20. Audie Blaylock & Redline, You’ll Find Her Name Written There

Thanks for your continued support of WNHU and traditional country music.

March 18, 2012

Black Diamond Show Playlist: 3/19 & 3/22 WNHU

This week's show includes the funniest interview we've aired on the Black Diamond Show:
Hot Mustard, appearing on Saturday, March 24, at Guitar Town. Bruce, Bill, Kelly, and April are great musicians with great senses of humor. You'll enjoy their music and their "stage presence"--both on our show and in concert.

Lots of other great music on this week's show, too. This week we play more "old-time" music than we have the past couple of weeks. And look for that "Close Kin" CD on Mountain Roads Recordings. It contains traditional country songs and tunes performed by a mixture of bluegrass and old-time musicians. Cool stuff!

Tune in lunch time on Monday or supper time on Thursday. Thanks for your support of WNHU and bluegrass & traditional country music!

  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • Tony Trischka / Salt Creek / Dust on the Needle / Rounder / 1977, 1987
  • Perfect Strangers / Homeless Joe / Perfect Strangers / Rebel / 2003
  • Freeman & Williams / Don’t Think I’ll Cry / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings / 2012
  • Janette Williams / Little Bird of Heaven / Close Kin / Mountain Roads Recordings / 2012
  • Bill Boyd & His Cowboy Ramblers / Eyes of Texas / Wizards of Country Guitar, Selected Sides 1935-1955 / JSP / 1936, 2011
  • Balsam Range / The Other Side / Trains I Missed / Mountain Home, Crossroads / 2010
  • Lost & Found / Peace in the Valley / Down on Sawmill Road / Rebel / 1994, 2010
  • Mike Compton / Yankee Gal / Rotten Taters / Tater Bug / 2011
  • Hot Mustard / Clinch Mountain Backstop / Live at the Mole Hill Theater, Alstead NH / unreleased / 2011
  • Hot Mustard / Interview / Black Diamond Show / WNHU / 2012
  • Hot Mustard / Theme Time / Black Diamond Show / WNHU / 2012
  • Hot Mustard / Foggy Mountain Top / Live at the Mole Hill Theater, Alstead NH / unreleased / 2011
  • Hot Mustard / Bright Morning Star / Live at the Mole Hill Theater, Alstead NH / unreleased / 2011
  • Mariel Vandersteel / Hog and Sheep Going to the Pasture / Hickory / self / 2012
  • Banjo Dan & The Mid Nite Plowboys / Back When the Old Folks Were Young / Some Rust . . . Runs Good / self / 2000
  • Todd Grebe & Cold Country / I’m Going Crazy / Until Tomorrow / self / 2011
  • The Piros / Kansas City Rag / The Piro’s self / 2010 / http://www.myspace.com/thepiros
  • Red Hen / Too Late for the Bacon / Red Hen Crossing / self / 2009
  • The Orpheus Supertones / Going to Town / Going to Town / Mud Thumper Music / 2011
  • The Osborne Brothers & Red Allen / Wild Mountain Honey / The Osborne Brothers & Red Allen / Rounder / 1956, 1977
  • Ricky Skaggs & Tony Rice / The Old Crossroads / Skaggs and Rice / Sugar Hill / 1980
  • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage / Eighth of January / Destination Life / Rounder / 2009
  • Bill Evans / Lonesome Polka / Bill Evans plays Banjo / Mighty Fine / 2001
  • Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys / The First Whipoorwill / Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys 1951-1954 / JSP / 1951, 2009
  • Jim Watson / Prodigal Son / This World Would Be All Sunshine / Barker / 2008
  • The Stanley Brothers / Think of What You’ve Done / The Early King & Starday Years 1958-1961 / Gusto / 1958, 2003
  • Merle Travis / Sixteen Tons / Country & Western Classics / Music & Melody / 1947, 2009
  • Kenny & Amanda Smith Band / It’s Not the Wind / House Down the Block / Rebel / 2003
  • Darrell Scott / American Tune / Modern Hymns / Appleseed / 2008
  • Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys / Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes / Bluegrass Special / Epic, Columbia / 1963
  • Crowe Brothers / Southern Moon / Bridging the Gap / Rural Rhythm / 2011
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

March 11, 2012

Black Diamond Show Playlist 3/12 & 3/15 on WNHU

This week's show turned into a wild one. The show kicks off with Mark Piro and three of his sons, Yuri, Ian, and Evan, playing "Cotton-Eyed Joe." Let me put it this way: if they invite you to a music party at their house in Downingtown, PA, accept. Even if you live in New Haven! Right Christina? :-)

I told Randy Burns I planned to play his version of Goebel Reeve's "Hobo's Lullaby," and he emailed me a story about it, which I had to have him tell me for the show, particularly since he's appearing in New Haven at Never Ending Books on March 17.

Meanwhile, to help promote Darrell Scott's appearance in Easton, two wild, self-professed Yankee hillbillies, Dan Carlucci & Dan Tressler, from String Fingers, checked in with us. They're opening Darrell Scott's show on March 18 at the Jesse Lee Church.

Details on both shows in our file of concert listings.

We also include songs to thank those who contributed to WNHU during the Black Diamond Show portion of the phone-a-thon--I've noted our thanks below for those donors who claimed a premium from us! I'd like to thank Pat Kennedy from WNHU's Echoes of Erin show for helping out with the phones during the March 5 show: Thanks, Pat!

On to the playlist. Thanks for your support of WNHU and bluegrass and traditional country music.

  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • The Piros / Cotton Eyed Joe / The Piro’s / self / 2010 / http://www.myspace.com/thepiros
  • Dailey & Vincent / Cast Aside / The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent / Rounder, Cracker Barrel / 2012
  • Randy Burns / Hobo’s Lullaby / Hobos and Kings / self / 2010
  • Randy Burns / Interview / Black Diamond Show / WNHU / 2012
  • John Reischman & The Jaybirds / The Girl I Left Behind / Vintage & Unique / Corvus / 2011 / Thanks Barbara from Branford!
  • Ivan Rosenberg & The Foggy Hogtown Boys / Cold Creek / The Hogtown Sessions / Vole-O-Tone / 2011 / Thanks Carl from DE!
  • Mike Scott, Aubrey Haynie, Mike Compton, Bryan Sutton, Ben Isaacs / Road to Columbus / Instrumental Tribute to Bill Monroe / Rural Rhythm / 2011
  • Chris Stuart & Backcountry / Take Me into your Heart / Mojave River / Backcountry Music / 2004 / Thanks Jennifer from PA!
  • The Chicken Chokers / Grey Eagle / Chokers and Flies: Old-Time Music / Rounder / 1985
  • Wayne Scott / In the Mountains / This Weary Way / Full Light / 2005
  • Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien / Long Time Gone / Real Time / Full Light / 2000
  • The String Fingers / Writing on the Wall / Don’t Forget / Railroad Crossing / 2011
  • Dan Carlucci and Dan Tressler (String Fingers) / Interview / Black Diamond Show / WNHU / 2012
  • The String Fingers / Don’t Forget / Don’t Forget / Railroad Crossing / 2011
  • The String Fingers / Has the Whole Darn World Gone Mad / Don’t Forget / Railroad Crossing / 2011
  • Jim Lauderdale / Love’s Voice / Reason & Rhyme / Sugar Hill / 2011 / Thanks Mick from Fairfield!
  • 23 String Band / Leave Everything to Me / Catch 23 / self / 2011 / Thanks Dennis from New Haven!
  • Don Reno / Hot Corn, Cold Corn / Roots Music of Rural America / Rural Rhythm / 1964, 2010
  • New Pilot Mountaineers / Yellow Rose of Texas / Down the Road / Yodel-Ay-Hee / 2001
  • The Manic Mountain Boys / Mad as Hell / The Manics Pick on Monahan / Compassionate Care ALS / 2011 / Thanks Jaynka from Shelton!
  • J.D. Crowe & The New South / Rock, Salt, & Nails / J.D. Crowe & The New South / Rounder / 1974
  • Gene Austin / Cindy / The Story the Crow Told Me, Volume 1 / Yazoo / 1929, 2000
  • Kenny & Amanda Smith / ‘Til I Get Home / Tell Someone / Rebel / 2006
  • Freeman & Williams / June Apple / Freeman & Williams / Mountain Roads Recordings / 2012
  • Bobby Hicks / Cherokee Swing / Texas Crapshooter / County / 1978
  • Chris Jones & The Night Drivers / Last Nail / Cloud of Dust / GSM / 2009
  • The Monroe Brothers / Have a Feast Here Tonight / Feast Here Tonight / RCA Bluebird / 1938, 1975
  • Jim & Jesse / A Memory of You / Best of the Early Years / Master Classics / 1952, 2002
  • Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant / Swingin’ on the Strings / Wizards of Country Guitar: Selected Sides 1935-1955 / JSP / 1953, 2011
  • Nashville Bluegrass Band / I’m Rolling Through This Unfriendly World / Way Down in my Soul, Best of Sugar Hill Gospel Volume 2 / Sugar Hill / 1990, 1993
  • Bearfoot / Come Get Your Lonesome / American Story / Compass / 2011 / Thanks Sue from MD!
  • Adam Hurt / Flannery’s Dream / Earth Tones / Ubiquitone / 2010
  • James King / Crazy Heart / Blue Trail of Sorrow / Rounder / 2000
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

March 4, 2012

WNHU Phone-A-Thon Week 2: Playlist & Premiums

For the March 5 edition of the Black Diamond Show, I am assured that we'll have three folks sharing the phone duties. So please call 1-203-479-8807 and make a contribution to WNHU during Monday's show! WNHU serves the University New Haven and the greater West Haven and New Haven community. We are not affiliated with any of the national public broadcasting behemoths. As a result, we rely on your support! Please call 1-203-479-8807 and donate to support WNHU.

CDs available as premiums for contributions to support WNHU
Because of the issues we had last week with the phones, we've reduced the contribution required to obtain a CD as a premium for Black Diamond Show listeners: Donate $25 to WNHU, and pick a CD from our premium list! Donate $50, and, if they're still available, select a pair of tickets to the April 27 Doyle Lawson concert for Guitar Town in Hamden.

On this week's playlist, we've marked the songs from CDs available as a premium. Click the comment at the end of the track listing to see the complete premium list. If you would like to donate and claim a premium after the show is over, the bottom of the premium list includes information about leaving voice mail at the station, contacting me via email, or mailing a check to the station.

Thanks very much to those of you who hung in there to make contributions to WNHU during the Feb. 27 edition of the Black Diamond Show. I'm hoping that it will be easier for folks to donate this week! Note that we did sneak in some good music from Hank Williams, Flatt & Scruggs, Jim & Jesse, and the Stanley Brothers this week. It's a fun show. Enjoy it Monday lunch time or on the repeat Thursday dinner time. Thanks to all for supporting WNHU.

  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • Travers Chandler & Avery County / Have You Come to Say Goodbye? / State of Depression / Patuxnet Music / 2010 / Available as a premium
  • Boiled Buzzards/ Grey Haired Dancing Girls / Old Time Music on the Air, Volume 2 / Rounder / 1996 / Available as a premium
  • The Barefoot Movement / The Whole World Round / Footwork / Lonesome Records / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Tim O’Brien / Dear Diary / Moody Bluegrass Two. . . Much Love / Bunny Rae / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Scott Prouty / Jenny Put the Kettle On / Puncheon Floor / self / 2010 / Available as a premium
  • Jim Lauderdale / Cruel Wind and Rain / Reason & Rhyme, Bluegrass Songs by Robert Hunter and Jim Lauderdale / Sugar Hill / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Mark Grobner & Ken Kolodner / Annie’s Song / Sun Rise / SunRise / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Frank Solivan / Holly Hill / I am a Rambler / Fiddlemon Music / 2002 / Available as a premium
  • Jackstraw / If I Die / Sunday Never Comes / self / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Dan Crary & Thunderation / Thunderation / Perfect Storm / Blue Night / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • The Manic Mountain Boys / Warm Tender Feeling / The Manics Pick On Monahan / Compassionate Care ALS / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Flatt & Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys / Take This Hammer / Flatt & Scruggs at Carnegie Hall / Columbia / 1962, 1963
  • Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys / Hard Hearted / In the Tradition / Rounder / 1987
  • Hank Williams / There’s Nothing as Sweet As My Baby / Unreleased Recordings / Time Life / 1951, 2008
  • Donna Ulisse / Shady Glen / An Easy Climb / Hadley Music Group / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Downtown Ramblers / Be My Baby Still / On the Other Side of the City / DTR Music Productions/ 2011 / Available as a premium
  • The 23 String Band / Raleigh & Spencer / Catch 23 / self / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Steve Spurgin / Collar to the Wind / Past Perfect / Blue Night / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Missy Werner Band / Leaves in the Wind / Three Kinds of Lonesome / self / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • David Harvey / The Last Chord / Moody Bluegrass Two. . . Much Love / Bunny Rae / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa / She Put the Tears in my Eyes / It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Day! / Raincoe Music / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / Gone Long Gone / Drive Time / Mountain Home / 2011 / Tix for April 27 Guitar Town Concert available as a premium! 2 pair!
  • The Stanley Brothers / Little Maggie / The Early King & Starday Years, 1958-1961 / Gusto / 1960, 2003
  • Frank Solivan / If I’m Lyin’ I’m Dyin’ / Selfish Tears / Fiddlemon Music / 2006 / Available as a premium
  • April Verch / Fork Creek River / Steal the Blue / Slab Town / 2008 / Available as a premium
  • Spring Creek / Chase the Sun / Hold on Me / self / 2011 / Available as a premium
  • Nora Jane Struthers / Evelyn / Nora Jane Struthers / Blue Pig Music / 2010 / Available as a premium
  • Frank Solivan / Cryin’ Here Today / Selfish Tears / Fiddlemon Music / 2006 / Available as a premium
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme