December 31, 2012

WNHU Black Diamond Show Playlist, December 31, 2012

  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • Hank Williams / Wedding Bells / Health and Happiness Shows / MCA Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Bill Evans / A Hard Day’s Night / In Good Company / Native and Fine / 2012
  • Doc Watson / Ready for the Times to Get Better / Legacy / High Windy Audio / 2002
  • Kenny and Amanda Smith / Winter’s Come and Gone / Slowly but Surely / Farm Boy / 2002
  • Hank Williams / A House of Gold / The Complete Hank Williams / Mercury Nashville / 1950, 1998
  • The Haints Old Time String Band / Milwaukee Blues / Shout Monah / self / 2009
  • The Western Swing Authority / All Dolled Up / All Dolled Up / self / 2012
  • Tater Patch / Grubb Springs / Old Time Country Music / self / 2012
  • Hank Williams / Where the Soul Never Dies / The Unreleased Recordings / Time-Life / 1950, 2008
  • Mark Houser and Bluegrass Drive with Joanne Williams / When Standin’ Up Stood for Something / Uneven Road / Rural Rhythm / 2012
  • Coty Hogue / Blue and Lonesome / When We Get to Shore / Perpetual Hoedown Music / 2012
  • Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys / You’re Drifting Away / Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys 1951-1954 / JSP / 1952, 2009
  • Hot Mustard / The Banks of the Ohio / Live at the Mole Hill Theater / self / 2012
  • Hank Williams / Dear John / Live at the Grand Ole Opry / Mercury Nashville / 1950, 1999
  • The Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band / A Rovin’ on a Winter’s Night / A Fiddler’s Holiday / Rounder / 2012
  • Wayne Taylor and Friends / Winter Wonderland / Praise His Holy Name: A Christmas Collection / Raincoe Music / 2012
  • Cahelen Morrison and Eli West / All I Can Do / Our Lady of the Tall Trees / self / 2012
  • Hank Williams / Happy Roving Cowboy / Health and Happiness Shows / MCA Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Hank Williams / I’m a Long Gone Daddy / Health and Happiness Shows / MCA Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Jerry Rivers, Hank Williams, and the Drifting Cowboys / Bill Cheatum / Health and Happiness Shows / MCA Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Hank Williams / When God Comes and Gathers His Jewels / Health and Happiness Shows / MCA Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Jerry Rivers, Hank Williams, and the Drifting Cowboys / Sally Goodin / Health and Happiness Shows / MCA Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Bob Amos / Where the Wild River Rolls / Borrowed Time / self / 2012
  • Shel Sandler / Chinquapin Pie / Tater Patch: Old Time Country Music / self (Tater Patch) / 2012
  • Akira Otsuka / Long Black Jacket / First Tear / Patuxnet Music / 2012
  • Mariel Vandersteel / Three Forks of the Cumberland / Hickory / self / 2012
  • Red Molly / By the Mark / Light in the Sky / self / 2012
  • Merle Haggard and the Strangers / If We Make It Through December / If We Make It Through December / Capitol / 1974, 2010
  • Chris Jones and the Night Drivers / If That Was Love / Single / Rebel / 2012
  • Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers / If I Can’t Trust You With a Quarter (How can I trust you with my heart?) / Starlight Hotel / Signature Sounds / 2011
  • Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out / If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again / Prime Tyme / Rural Rhythm / 2011
  • Hank Williams / I Can’t Help It (If I’m still in love with you) / The Unreleased Recordings / Time-Life / 1951, 2008
  • The Boxcars / Crawford County / All In / Compass / 2012
  • Chris Brashear / The Old Pueblo / Heart of the Country / Dog Boy / 2012
  • Rhonda Vincent / Blue Sky Cathedral / Sunday Mornin’ Singing / Upper Management Music / 2012
  • Jerry Rivers, Hank Williams, and the Drifting Cowboys / Fire on the Mountain / Health and Happiness Shows / MCA Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

December 24, 2012

Top New Bluegrass Songs: Period ending 12/23/12

Top Newer Bluegrass Songs for the period ending 12/23/12

Reported to Bluegrass Unlimited

It's Christmas Season. There were a bunch of good holiday songs this year--my two favorite holiday projects were Donna Ulisse's All the Way to Bethlehem and Wayne Taylor's Praise His Holy Name, A Christmas Celebration. Donna's project is an all original telling of the Christmas story; Wayne's is a mixture of sacred and secular holiday songs done up with great cheer by Wayne and a bunch of his musical friends. I particularly like Keith Arneson's banjo work.

I'm picking tracks from both projects at the top of this month's list, with the nod going to.... Donna Ulisse's "You Cannot Stay Here," one of four tracks we played from her project during the holiday season.

  1. Donna Ulisse, You Cannot Stay Here
  2. Wayne Taylor and Friends, Go Tell It on the Mountain
  3. The Boxcars, Crawford County
  4. Bob Amos, Where the Wild River Rolls
  5. The Spinney Brothers, Makin' a Killin'
  6. Chris Brashear, Mama's Opry
  7. Mark Houser and Bluegrass Drive, John the Baptist
  8. Rhonda Vincent, Blue Sky Cathedral
  9. The Grass Cats, The Mountains, My Baby, and Me
  10. Detour, Quarterline Road
  11. Steep Canyon Rangers, Natural Disaster
  12. Akira Otsuka, Line Drive
    Holiday Honorable Mention: Wayne Taylor and Friends, Dueling Jingle Bells
    Holiday Honorable Mention: The Cockman Family, Maker of the Stars
    Holiday Honorable Mention: Donna Ulisse, All the Way to Bethlehem

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

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

WNHU's Black Diamond Show Holiday Special (Part 2): Playlist 12/24/12

  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • Alan Jackson / I Only Want You for Christmas / Honky Tonk Christmas / Sony BMG / 1993
  • Big Medicine / Christmas Eve / Too Old to be Controlled / Yodel-Ay-Hee / 2002
  • Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys / Christmas Time’s a Coming / Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys: 1951-1954 / JSP / 1951, 2009
  • Doyle Lawson / Oh Christmas Candle / Christmas Grass Too: A Continuing Celebration of Christmas / Koch / 2007
  • The Greystone Ramblers / Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake / A Winter Night’s Ramble / self / 2008
  • John Denver / Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas) / Rocky Mountain Christmas / MCA / 1970, 1975
  • Tracy Lawrence / Cold Beer / All Wrapped Up in Christmas / Lawrence Music Group / 2011
  • Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen / Blue Christmas Lights / Tinsel Tunes: More Holiday Treats from Sugar Hill / Sugar Hill / 2007
  • Hal Willis / The Christmas Polka / Santa’s Clones / Western Hat Productions / 2004
  • The Cockman Family / Maker of the Stars / A Cockman Family Christmas / Heartwarming / 2012
  • Doc Watson / Christmas Lullaby / Sugar Plums: Holiday Treats from Sugar Hill / Sugar Hill / 1993
  • The Johnson Mountain Boys / The Friendly Beasts / O Christmas Tree: A Bluegrass Collection for the Holidays / Rounder / c. 1985, 2002
  • Donna Ulisse / You Cannot Stay Here / All the Way to Bethlehem / Hadley Music Group / 2011, 2012
  • Randy Travis / Pretty Paper / An Old Time Christmas / Warner Brothers / 1989
  • Willie Nelson / Blue Christmas / Pretty Paper / Columbia / 1979
  • The Champion Sisters / Heart of Texas-The Texas Christmas Song / Christmas with the Champion Sisters / I S Records / 2007
  • Chris Jones and the Night Drivers / Kentucky Noel / single / GSM / 2010 / Co-written by Jones and Tom T. and Dixie Hall
  • Dirk Powell / Deck the Halls / A Fret Free Christmas / Valcour / 2010
  • Ann and Phil Case / O Come O Come Emmanuel. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Old-Time Christmas Duets / Dry Run Recordings / 1995, 2006
  • Wayne Taylor and Friends / Go Tell It On the Mountain / Praise His Holy Name: A Christmas Collection / Raincoe Music / 2012
  • Ranch Romance / Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me / Sugar Plums: Holiday Treats from Sugar Hill / Sugar Hill / 1993
  • Tim O’Brien / Making Plans / Sugar Plums: Holiday Treats from Sugar Hill / Sugar Hill / 1993
  • Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / The Messenger / Winter’s Grace / Signature Sounds / 1999
  • Amy Grant / O Come All Ye Faithful / iTunes Holiday Sampler / Apple / 2009
  • John Denver / Christmas for Cowboys / Rocky Mountain Christmas / MCA / 1970, 1975
  • Shoregrass / December Waltz / Going Home / Shaw Family / 2007
  • Alan Jackson / If We Make it Through December / Honky Tonk Christmas / Sony BMG / 1993
  • The Missy Werner Band / Snowbird / Drifting and Dreaming / self / 2009
  • The Knuckle Knockers / Christmas Time in the Morning / The Knuckle Knockers / self / 2010
  • The Little River Band / We Three Kings / A Little River Band Christmas / Wurld and WBA / 2011
  • Donna Ulisse / All the Way to Bethlehem / All the Way to Bethlehem / Hadley Music Group / 2012 / Vocal duet with her husband Rick Stanley
  • Chris Thile / Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella / Tinsel Tunes: More Holiday Treats from Sugar Hill / Sugar Hill / 2007
  • Randy Travis / Oh, What a Silent Night / An Old Time Christmas / Warner Brothers / 1989
  • Raymond Fairchild / Joy to the World / Smoky Mountain Christmas - A Bluegrass Holiday / Rural Rhythm / 2012
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

December 17, 2012

WNHU's Black Diamond Show Holiday Special (Part 1): Playlist 12/17/12

  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band / The Solstice Set / A Fiddler’s Holiday / Rounder / 2012
  • Peter Rowan and Tony Rice / Cold Rain and Snow / Quartet / Rounder / 2007
  • Carolina Road / Cold Carolina Snow / Back to my Roots / Rural Rhythm / 2011
  • Lizard Thom Case / What Christmas is About / Single / Old Oblivion / 2012
  • Asleep at the Wheel / Xmas in Jail / Merry Texas Christmas, Y’All / Windham Hill / 1997
  • Woody Guthrie / Hanukkah Dance / The Asch Recordings / Smithsonian Folkways / 1944, 1999
  • The Klezmatics / Honeyky Hanuka / Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah / Jewish Music Group / 2006
  • Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum / Hot Buttered Rum / Winter’s Grace / Signature Sounds / 1999
  • Donna Ulisse / I’m Gonna Shine / All the Way to Bethlehem / Hadley Music Group / 2012
  • Dirk Powell / Joy to the World / A Fret-Free Christmas / Valcour / 2010
  • Alison Brown Quartet with Joe Craven / Carol and the Kings / Evergreen / Compass / 2008
  • John McCutcheon / Interview / Black Diamond Show / WNHU / 2012
  • John McCutcheon / Christmas in the Trenches / Water from Another Time / Rounder / 1984, 1988
  • Frank and Barbara Shaw / Every Day is Christmas / Playing with Friends / Shaw Family / 2012
  • Wayne Taylor and Friends / Dueling Jingle Bells / Praise His Holy Name – A Christmas Collection / Raincoe Music / 2012
  • Tracy Lawrence / All Wrapped up in Christmas / All Wrapped up in Christmas / Lawrence Music Group / 2011
  • Larry Sparks / Blue Christmas / Christmas in the Mountains / Rebel / 2003
  • Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements / Mama, I Know you Ain’t Santa / A Place in the Sun / self / 2012
  • Annie Lou / Winter Song / Grandma’s Rules for Drinking / self / 2012
  • Bryan Sutton / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Christmas Grass Too / Koch / 2004
  • The Greystone Ramblers / Christmas Island / A Winter’s Night Ramble / self / 2008
  • Maddy Rodriguez / Mama Made Christmas / single / self / 2012
  • Donna Ulisse / Elisabeth / All the Way to Bethlehem / Hadley Music Group / 2012
  • Dolly Parton / Christmas Time’s A-Comin’ / Christmas Grass Too / Koch / 2004
  • Riders in the Sky / I’ll be home for Christmas / Christmas the Cowboy Way / Rounder / 1999
  • Rhonda Vincent / Christmas Time at Home / Beautiful Star: A Christmas Collection / Rounder / 2005
  • The Austin Lounge Lizards / Xmas Time for Visa / The Drugs I Need / Blue Corn Music / 2006
  • James King / Call Collect for Christmas / Oh Christmas Tree: A Bluegrass Collections for the Holidays / Rounder / 2002
  • Ray Stevens / Guilt for Christmas / Through a Different Window / MCA Nashville / 1997
  • Riders in the Sky / Let it Snow: The last Christmas medley you’ll ever need to hear / Christmas the Cowboy Way / Rounder / 1999
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

December 10, 2012

WNHU Black Diamond Show Playlist: December 10, 2012

  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • Junior Brown / Sugarfoot Rag / Guit With It / Curb / 1993
  • Lonesome River Band / Tune of a Twenty Dollar Bill / Window of Time / Mountain Home Music / 2002
  • Pharis and Jason Romero / Cimberland Gap / Old Time Gathering, Portland, OR, 1-14-11 / YouTube / 2011
  • Chris Brashear / Mam’s Opry / Heart of the Country / Dog Boy / 2012
  • Scott Anderson / Drivin’, Singin’, Cryin’ / Tales from the Swamp / Mato / 2011
  • Too Blue / Yesterday’s Eyes / Trouble with the Grey / self / 2011
  • Shenandoah Valley Trio / Let Me Rest (At the end of my Journey) / Bluegrass Early Cuts, 1931-1953 / JSP / 1953, 2004
  • Clark Kessinger / Whistlin’ Rufus / World Champion Fiddler, Live April 1968, Union Grove, North Carolina / Triagle Far / 1968, 2002
  • Steve Spurgin / The Children of the Sea / Folk Remedies / Blue Night / 2012
  • David Peterson and 1946 / Wall Around Your Heart / Howling Blue Winds / self / 2003
  • David Peterson / Interview / Black Diamond Show / WNHU / 2012
  • David Peterson and 1946 / 1946 / In the Mountain Tops to Roam / self / 2005
  • David Peterson / Lovin’ Lies / Comin’ on Strong / self / 2009
  • Hank Williams / Lost Highway / Health and Happiness Shows / Mercury Nashville / 1949, 1993
  • Todd Grebe and Cold Country / The Last of the Late Night Wine / Until Tomorrow / self / 2011
  • Tim O’Brien / Sinner / Chicken and Egg / Howdy Skies / 2010
  • Hedy West / Moonshiner’s Lament / Hedy West, Volume 2 / Vanguard / 1964
  • Art Stamper / Don’t Come Home Drunk, Johnny / The Lost Fiddler / County / 1982, 1994
  • Larry Sparks / For Your Love / The Last Suit You Wear / McCoury Music / 2007
  • Tennessee Ernie Ford / Anticipation Blues / Country and Western Classics / Music and Melody / 1949, 2009
  • Audie Blaylock and Redline / 14 Days / Hard Country / Rural Rhythm / 2012
  • Rayna Gellert and Susie Goehring / Fish upon the Hook / Heard Her Squeal / 2005
  • Ronnie Bowman / Walkin’ the Dog / It’s Getting Better al the Time / Koch / 2005
  • John Cowan / Nights in White Satin / Moody Bluegrass / Rounder / 2004
  • The Steep Canyon Rangers / A Ramblin’ Man is a Ramblin’ Man / Lovin’ Pretty Women / Rebel / 2007
  • Longview / Where the Dim Lights are the Dimmest / High Lonesome / Rounder / 1999
  • Craver, Hicks, Watson, and Newberry / Sally Ann / You’ve Been a Friend to Me / Barker / 2012
  • The Time Jumpers / Someone Had to Teach You / The Time Jumpers / Rounder / 2012
  • Special Consensus / Sea of Heartbreak / Scratch Gravel Road / Compass / 2012
  • Audie Blaylock and Redline / Newton’s Grove / Hard Country / Rural Rhythm /2012
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme

December 3, 2012

WNHU Black Diamond Show Playlist: December 3, 2012

  • Artist / Song / Album / Label / Date(s) / Notes
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme
  • The Country Gazette / Sweet Allis Chalmers / Hello Operator / Flying Fish /1983, 1991
  • Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys / A Big Ball in Cowtown / Best of Bob Wills: Legends of Country Music / Sony / 1966, 2006
  • Blue Highway / Storm / Sounds of Home / Rounder / 2011
  • The Delmore Brothers / The Storms are on the Ocean / The Delmore Brothers: Classic Cuts / JSP / 1940, 2004
  • David Peterson and 1946 / Praying Shoes / In the Mountaintops to Roam / self / 2005
  • Mark Tamsula and Richard Withers / Right Foot, Left Foot / Up in the Batten House / Snappin' Bug / 2011
  • Kenny and Amanda Smith / Catch Me if I Try / Catch Me if I Try / Farm Boy / 2012
  • Cahelen Morrison and Eli West / The Poor Cowboy / Our Lady of the Tall Trees / self / 2012
  • The Kickin’ Grass Band / Roanoke / Walk With Me / SuperFan / 2012
  • Frank Solivan / This Old River / I am a Rambler / Fiddle Mon Music / 2005
  • Jethro Burns and Red Rector / Arkansas Traveller / Old Friends / Rebel / 1983
  • Frank Wakefield and Buster Turner / You’re the one I see in my Dreams / Bluegrass Early Cuts: 1931-1953 / JSP / 1950, 2004
  • Akira Otsuka / Time for New Green / First Tear / Patuxnet Music / 2012
  • John Reischman and the Jaybirds / Lancaster Sound / Vintage and Unique / Corvus / 2011
  • Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys / Uncle Pen / Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys 1950-1952 / JSP / 1950, 2002
  • Jesse McReynolds, Sam Bush, David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Bobby Osborne, Ricky Skaggs, Frank Wakefield, Buck White (all on mandolin), Del McCoury (guitar) / Dixie Hoedown / Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza / Acoustic Disc / 1999
  • Ernest Tubb / Half My Heart’s In Texas / Last Sessions / First Generation / ND, 1979
  • The Grass Cats / All of Tennessee / A Good Way to Get the Blues / New Time / 2009
  • The Western Swing Authority / Yearning / All Dolled Up / self / 2012
  • Detour / I’ve Just Seen the Rock of Ages / A Better Place / Bluegrass Ahead / 2012
  • The Improbabillies / Piney Ridge / The Improbabillies / Yodel-Ay-Hee / 2007
  • The Honey Dewdrops / One Kind Word / Silver Lining / self / 2012
  • Mike Compton / Jenny Lynn / Rotten Taters / Tater Bug Music / 2011
  • Chris Brashear / Hills of Arkansas / Heart of the Country / Dog Boy / 2012
  • Norman Blake and Tony Rice / It’s Raining Here This Morning / Blake and Rice 2 / Rounder / 1990
  • The Johnson Mountain Boys / Teardrops Fell Like Raindrops / Blue Diamond / Rounder / 1992
  • The Reed Island Rounders / I get the Blues When it Rains / Hand Me Downs / Burnin’ Wolf / 2006
  • The Stanley Brothers / It’s Raining Here This Morning / The Early King and Starday Years / Gusto / 1959, 2003
  • The Lonesome River Band with Audie Blaylock / Hold Whatcha Got / Graves Mountain All Star Jam / Rural Rhythm / 2010
  • Merle Haggard / The Sermon on the Mount / The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams / Columbia / 2011
  • The Walker Brothers / Lock, Stock, and Barrel / The Walker Brothers / self / 2012 Rhonda Vincent / Crazy Love / Destination Life / Rounder / 2009
  • The Steep Canyon Rangers / Call the Captain / Lovin’ Pretty Women / Rebel / 2006
  • The Mayfield Brothers / I Have Found the Way / Vintage Recordings, 1948-1956 / Patuxnet Music / 1950, 2006
  • Don Stover / Black Diamond / Things in Life / Rounder / 1972 / Theme