Adele resurgence is of great excitement to us. Click here to listen to the track that will the the b-side on the physical format of the first single “Rolling In The Deep.”

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1.The Black Keys-Brothers: The duo from Akron, Ohio unleashed their finest, most varied collection yet. Further expanding on their bedrock blues and soul influences, vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerabach and drummer Patrick Carney cook up a nasty stew of swamp-infested grooves and falsetto crooning greased with modern wit and menace. Not just the rock record of the year, but a mighty fine dance party jam as well.

2. Grinderman-Grinderman2: Nick Cave, one time King of the Goths turned Dylan heir apparent, followed up the primal scream of 2007’s Grinderman with another album of feral gut-punch racket. Working off a template of improvised lyrics and music, Cave and his band mates, all long time members of his other great band, the Bad Seeds, have added a deeply unsettling psychedelic fog to their jazz punk fury. These songs teeter on the edge of control, the band stumbling and galloping in turn as Cave strips the mundane façade from the workaday world to reveal humor and horror in equal measure.

3. Forest Swords-Dagger Paths: Ambient-rock soundscapes to melt the heart and mind. Dagger Paths, the 2010 release from Forest Swords, sounds like a field recording from the battlefields of World War I, after the artillery has gone quiet and the armies have moved on. Ghosts of both men and machines seem to roam through this music — voices lurch out of echo-laden bass and piano jabs one moment only to be replaced by metallic, spaghetti-western guitar and plaintive moans. An acquired taste to be certain, but one that offers rewards well beyond the ephemeral pop joys of the moment.

4. Merle Haggard-I Am What I Am: Against all logic and, seemingly, the very laws of physics, Merle Haggard continues to push his 73-year-old mind and body to creative heights that few, if any, of his modern day country kin seem capable of. Or maybe they simply haven’t lived the life that Hag has, filled with prison stretches, drug abuse and enough woman trouble to put most men half his age out of commission. In a better world this album, filled with deep pools of regret, joy and humor, would have topped the country charts.

5. Steeldrivers-Reckless: One of the finest outfits currently mining the vein of traditional American music, the Steeldrivers second album continues their often-stunning look at the tragedies and mundane wonders that sweep across this country’s history like wind and slow rain.  A confluence of Nashville studio veterans given the chance to spread their wings, the group conjures tales of slaves running for freedom, ghosts at the crossroads and good men making bad decisions. All this and a 44-magnum bemoaning its cruel fate as a dealer of death and heartbreak, sung in hues of regret and pride by Chris Stapleton, whose voice is a wonder of country moan and blues power.

Albums to watch for in 2011:

The Drive-by-Truckers-Go-Go Boots: Lead singer Patterson Hood has described this as the band’s “R&B murder ballad album,” and while the title track, about a preacher who hires a friend do in his wife, and “Used to be a Cop,” which details the mental descent of a former officer, bear out his assessment, this is an album of some breadth and variety, a work that explores the light and shadows inherent in every family, friendship, and dreams for the future. Due out February 15.

Iron and Wine-Kiss Each Other Clean: The latest from Sam Beam, whose last release, 2007’s  “The Shepard’s Dog” was a classic of folk yearning and hard-boiled rural narrative. Beam has expanded the scope of his music and voice with each release, and this album, due January 25, promises new sonic back roads crossed with familiar trails of melody and song-craft.

Here are my picks for the Ten Best Bluegrass Albums of 2010:

10. THE BOXCARS, “The Boxcars,” Mountain Home Records. 13 tracks.

The Boxcars are a new group with a veteran lineup.

When they call them a supergroup, they’re not kidding.

Just look at their credentials.

Adam Steffey and John Bowman once played with Alison Krauss & Union Station.

Ron Stewart, Harold Nixon and Bowman are graduates of J.D. Crowe & The New South.

Keith Garrett and Nixon were members of Blue Moon Rising.

And Steffey and Stewart were in The Dan Tyminski Band.

The band’s sound leans toward the country side of bluegrass — a reminder that there was a time when bluegrass was part of country music

9. BALSAM RANGE, “Trains I Missed,” Mountain Home Music. 12 tracks

Balsam Range melds country, gospel, bluegrass and old English ballads into a sound that is both traditional and contemporary.

 Having four lead singers — and two writers on this project — shows the band’s depth.

And “Trains I Missed” shows why bluegrass fans should pay attention to Balsam Range.

8. RANDY KOHRS, “Quicksand,” Rural Rhythm. 13 tracks.

Randy Kohrs’ resophonic guitar has appeared on more than 500 CDs, but he’s a lot more than a sideman.

He’s also a first-class singer-songwriter. He co-wrote five of the songs on this album.

“Quicksand” is classified as an acoustic album, rather than bluegrass, because it pushes boundaries.
And it pushes them in an exciting way.

7. CHRIS HILLMAN AND HERB PEDERSEN, “At Edwards Barn,” Rounder. 15 tracks.

Most musicians can only dream of careers like Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen have had.

Hillman, 65, who got his start in the California-based Scottsville Squirrel Barkers as a teenager, went on to make music history with The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas and The Desert Rose Band.

Pedersen, 66, played in the Pine Valley Ramblers, the Dillards, The Desert Rose Band and the Laurel Canyon Ramblers, contributed music to several TV shows and movies, and performed on a number of albums by other artists.

The 15 songs on the album are really a career retrospective done bluegrass style.

6. THE STEELDRIVERS, “Reckless,” Rounder Records. 12 tracks.

The SteelDrivers roared out of Nashville in 2008 with a sound that’s best described as “outlaw grass.”

The band had a sound that ranged from high-lonesome to low-down blues — often in the same song.

They mixed a rock attitude with some Delta blues, gospel and country, but kept it all within the framework of bluegrass.

High tenor vocals were replaced with Chris Stapleton’s rough-hewn growls and wails.

But it’s the last album with the original lineup.

And that’s a reason for fans to check it out.

5. THE GRASCALS, “The Famous Lefty Flynn’s,” Rounder. 12 tracks.

The Grascals burst on the bluegrass scene in 2005 with a self-titled album featuring Dolly Parton on a grassed-up version of Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas.”

It made a splash, earning the band “emerging artist of the year” honors from the International Bluegrass Music Association and a Grammy nomination.

The Grascals went on to win entertainer of the year honors from the IBMA in both 2006 and 2007. And they picked up another Grammy nomination for 2006’s “Long List of Heartaches.”

A resume like that leaves a band room to coast for a few years.

But The Grascals are still taking chances, trying new things while sticking to the sound that brought them fans and honors.

“Lefty Flynn’s” is a bluegrass album with a country edge. It features steel guitars on three tracks, drums, a mandola and a viola — instruments not typically found on bluegrass albums.

4. JOSH WILLIAMS, “Down Home,” Pinecastle. 12 tracks.

Back in 1993, Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick put together a band he called the Bluegrass Youth All-Stars to perform at the International Bluegrass Music Association awards show at the  RiverPark Center in Owensboro, Ky.

The band — which would make a great supergroup today — consisted of Michael Cleveland on fiddle, Josh Williams on banjo,  Chris Thile on mandolin, Cody Kilby on guitar and Brady Stogdill on bass.

Williams went on to work in the Special Consensus and Rhonda Vincent’s band, The Rage.

Now, he’s on his own with his first solo album since “Lonesome Highway,” which made several “best of” lists back in 2004.

His tenor/baritone vocals rank him among the top male singers in the genre as well. He really shines on lonesome ballads.

3. DON RIGSBY & MIDNIGHT CALL, “The Voice of God,” Rebel. 14 tracks.

Too many bluegrass gospel albums fail to challenge listeners.

They stick with the tried and true songs and sounds.

But Rigsby presents story songs that make you think about the message.

The album’s highlight is “Harmonica” Phil Wiggins’ “Forgiveness,” a powerful blending of bluegrass and blues in a duet with blues singer and slide guitarist Rory Block on a song about cocaine, whiskey and salvation.

At 42, Rigsby is just coming into his own as a solo artist.

2. DAILEY & VINCENT, “Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers,” Rounder/Cracker Barrel. 12 tracks

The Statler Brothers hit the road with Johnny Cash in 1964 and racked up 33 Top 10 country singles before their retirement in 2002.

In January 1966, their “Flowers on the Wall,” climbed to No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 (pop) charts.

The Statlers have been retired for eight years.

But Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent — the hottest act in bluegrass music as the second decade of the 21st century begins — are counted among their rabid fans and saluted them with this outstanding collection of Statler Brothers songs available in Cracker Barrel stores.

1, JOE DIFFIE, “Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album,” Rounder. 12 tracks.

The only thing you can say about an album like this is: Wow, what took so long?

This is the album Joe Diffie was born to make. His voice isn’t high, but voices don’t come more lonesome than his.

“Homecoming” — a title that refers to his return to bluegrass where he started his career with the Oklahoma-based The Special Edition — is finally the album that bluegrass fans have waited years for.

And it’s definitely worth the wait.

http://www.box.net/embed/v86d1s3f11kndi9.swf
Right-Click File Above to Download

News Script for File below

The Infamous Stringdusters and The SteelDrivers top the top ten list of Bluegrass artists in 2010 according to PopMaters dot com.   Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, and Chatham County Line round out the top 5.
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Valerie Smith and Liberty pike have announced the release date for their new ground-breaking CD entitled “Blame It On The Bluegrass”    The CD is the first ever to be recorded in the Cave at the International Bluegrass Museum and will be available in stores on January 11, 2011.
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New Cuts of Bluegrass is a new service available to bluegrass artists helping them to distribute new material to over 400 radio stations and DJs for airplay.  Artists, Labels and Radio Stations wanting more information can email them at INFO at New Cuts of Bluegrass dot com
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Bluegrass on your smart phone.  Hey there’s an app for that.  The Award winning  bluegrass band from North Carolina, Nu Blu, has just become the first group to make their free smart phone app available for iPhone and coming soon for Android.
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Just in time for Christmas, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen are making available free downloads of their current album.  The band’s website is www dot dirty kitchen band dot com.
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Bluegrass supergroup The Grascals have just raked in 10 more nominations for (SPBGMA) Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America  Awards including Song, Album and Entertaining group of the year.

Here’s the line-up

10. Dierks Bentley
Up on the Ridge

6. Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
Legacy


5.Chatham County Line
Wildwood.

1. The Infamous Stringdusters
Things That Fly

Source: PopMatters

• “New Cuts of Bluegrass !  What a great way for bands, old and new, to get their music directly to the folks at radio!” – Tammy Rogers of the Grammy nominated group, The SteelDrivers 
• “This is a service Bluegrass music has been missing- glad to see someone step in”  – Brandon Rickman of the IBMA & SPBGMA award winning group The Lonesome River Band.
• “It’s good to see the Bluegrass Genre has a service like “New Cuts of Bluegrass ” available to it. Quality folks providing a Quality service” – Jerry Salley, IBMA, Grammy & Dove award winning Artist & Writer
• “No better way to get on the radio than New Cuts of Bluegrass !” – Sammy Passamano, Rural Rhythm Records

Here’s a brand new tune from the ensemble’s latest album, Cherryholmes IV: Common Threads. The composition— co-written by BJ Cherryholmes and his younger sister Molly— is called “Tattoo of a Smudge.” The title refers to the permanent ink that collects on the sides of musicians’ hands after they have been signing a lot of merchandise at shows. Doesn’t that clear things up? I’ll let the music speak for itself—

Listening to  Cherryholmes going to town on this tune got me to thinking about a musical trope that has become a fixture in contemporary bluegrass, something that I call the “bluegrass power chord.”

Before we go any further, let me anticipate a question that might come up with regard to the following clip, namely, “Was I drunk when I made it?” Friends, in truth, I was stone cold sober, but this doesn’t exactly get me off the hook, since I’ll be the first to admit that the video makes very little sense. After gassing on this summer about the pernicious influence of percussion in bluegrass and other burning issues, I had decided that my proper place was behind the camera. I know I should have staid the course in this regard, but the current topic required a fair number of examples, and once I had settled upon a musical show-and-tell format, I didn’t see how I could avoid putting my ugly mug— Oh, just have a look and see what you think…

I’m less concerned about looking like a lunatic* here than I am about failing to make my point. You see, having committed to treading the boards once more, I was determined at least to get through the whole exercise as quickly as possible. As a result, I raced through the various musical excerpts, making it very hard for even the attentive listener to grasp my point.

Be that as it may, I still believe there is a case to be made here. Watch Sandy Cherryholmes hitting those chords in the first video clip, or turn the dial to the Bluegrass Channel on satellite radio or some other outlet for contemporary bluegrass, and you’ll hear what I’m talking about. Whereas bluegrass up until around 1970 was marked by a steady backbeat punctuated by the occasional lick or fill from the rhythm guitar, today’s music features surging rhythms that are often quite tightly arranged. That caesura that you hear in Ricky Skagg’s version of “Walls of Time”— the little hiccup where the whole band seems to take a collective breath— is a common stylistic device for contemporary groups like The Steeldrivers and Blue Highway.

As the carol goes, “Do you hear what I hear?” If so, when exactly did bluegrass get that extra rhythmic punch? Where did it come from? Send me your thoughts, and should you try to make one, let me know how that “bluegrass turntable” works out. A word of caution, however: try it out first on your old Bay City Rollers LPs and keep those bluegrass heirlooms on the shelf.

Yer Pal— Curly

*Self-flagellating postscript: Precisely why I was drawn like a moth to immolate myself on the flame of exhibitionism is a matter I’ll be taking up shortly with my bluegrass therapist, Dr. George Dickel.

When The Steeldrivers debuted their self-titled first CD in 2008, they played off their unique bluegrass sound. Dark, gritty, bluesy vocals and songwriting from lead singer Chris Stapleton, dynamic fiddling and vocals from Tammy Rogers, led a backbone bluegrass sound few had heard before. The group’s second CD “Reckless” (Rounder Records), hits the streets on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010, and includes many of the songs that Steeldrivers fans have been waiting for, including “Can You Run” and “Good Corn Liquor.”  In addition, it includes the band’s original lineup, in particular, Stapleton, who left the band in the spring to pursue a songwriting career.

Since then, the group has replaced Stapleton with veteran lead singer and guitarist Gary Nichols, who has a remarkably similar voice to that of Stapleton. You can hear some samples of Nichols’s singing here.

Here are The Steeldrivers performing one of my favorites “Can You Run”:

Meanwhile “Reckless” features the gutsy, captivating sound I’ve come to expect from The Steeldrivers, from the driving opening track “Reckless Side of Me” to the tender harmonies of “Where Rainbows Never Die.” They sing the crying waltz of “Midnight on the Mountain.” “Guitars, Whiskey, Guns & Knives” will be popular among the partying crowds, and the fast-paced “Angel of the Night,” with its verse that sounds like “All Along the Watchtower” and anthem-like chorus that’s bound to get you singing along.

Here are The SteelDrivers performing “Angel of the Night”:

You can hear more samples of the songs from the CD, which features 12 original songs, with 11 written by Stapleton and mandolinist/vocalist Mike Henderson and one co-written by Stapleton and Ronnie Bowman (formerly Lonesome River Band).

The band had a sound that ranged from high-lonesome to low-down blues — often in the same song.

They mixed a rock attitude with some Delta blues, gospel and country, but kept it all within the framework of bluegrass.

High tenor vocals were replaced with Chris Stapleton’s rough-hewn growls and wails.

And the songwriting — primarily Stapleton and bandmate Mike Henderson — told full-blooded tales of hard people and hard times.

Now comes the band’s sophomore effort — “Reckless.”

It’s just as strong as the debut self-titled album.

But it’s the last album with the original lineup.

Stapleton, an accomplished songwriter who co-wrote every song on “Reckless,” left the band in April to devote more time to songwriting and his family.

That makes this album special for fans.

Gary Nichols of Muscle Shoals, Ala., is new lead singer and the band is still strong.

But “Reckless” is the last chance to hear the band’s original sound.

And it’s a great sound.

In “The Reckless Side of Me,” Stapleton sings, “When it comes to takin’ sides and takin’ chances, there’s a part of me that didn’t come to talk.”

“Good Corn Liquor” tells the tale of a sheriff who shot the singer’s daddy beside his still beneath a “blood-red moon.”

“Can You Run” finds a slave on his way to join Mr. Lincoln’s Army.

In “You Put The Hurt On Me,” the singer finds that since the woman he loves has been gone “the dark got twice as deep.”

And “Ghosts of Mississippi” tells of a drunken dream where “the blues came walkin’ like a man,” tuned his guitar and began to wail the blues.

Great album. Great sound.

Can’t find it in stores? Try www.rounder.com.

These days, you won’t find many radio stations like that — or many albums either.

The soundtrack for Sony Pictures Classics’ new movie, “Get Low,” is about as eclectic as you can hope for.

Where else can you hear the music of Alison Krauss, The SteelDrivers, The Ink Spots, Gene Austin and Bix Beiderbecke in the same place along with music written by Academy Award-winning composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek and Grammy-winner Jerry Douglas?

The movie, which opens in limited release on July 30, stars Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek and Lucas Black.

It’s based on the story of Felix “Bush” Breazeale, a Tennessee hermit who wanted to have his funeral while he was alive and sold lottery tickets offering his property as a prize to those who attended the 1938 event.

More than 12,000 people from 14 states are said to have attended.

Krauss performs a lovely version of “Lay My Burden Down,” a song about death. Rounder says this is the first new track she’s recorded in three years.

The SteelDrivers, a Nashville band that mixes blues with grass to create a unique sound, appear in the movie and perform four cuts on the soundtrack — “Jesus Come For Me,” “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” “East Virginia Fast” and “Angelina Baker.”

Douglas wrote or co-wrote four tunes for the sound track and performs on a fifth. He’s joined on various tunes by Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Russ Barenberg.

If you like a variety of music from pop to bluegrass to jazz to gospel, you’ll like “Get Low.”

But if you’re just looking for traditional bluegrass, you might keep looking.

Can’t find it in stores? Try www.Amazon.com.

We first saw SteelDrivers, which was the longest set I think I’ve sat through. Then we went to Troo Music Lounge to see Fiction Family. We weren’t right up front, but close enough to get some shade from the tent. They were good and pretty funny. I really liked their “Rob Me” song.

Then we waited for Joe Pug to go on. Someone was playing really loudly at the Which Stage, which is behind Troo, so sometimes it nearly drowned Joe Pug out.

Right after that we went over to see The Del McCoury Band. I wanted to actually see them, so we had to be in front. And we were. It was so hot waiting for them to go on, but luckily someone next to us had a spray water bottle and squirted everyone around with it. The set was recorded live for a radio station, and the band took a couple of requests. The whole thing was nice and energetic. It was so much fun, especially being around other people who really loved singing the songs. Toward the end of their set, though, two girls squeezed their way up front and were right behind me, squealing for someone who was on stage taking pictures, or something. Other than that, it was good.

I only got to listen to a few songs of The Decemberists and then saw Bruce Springsteen. It took, like, 30 minutes (after his scheduled start time) for him to come out. Such a diva, that Bruce. Then he spent about 10 minutes on each song, sprawled out across the stage. He’d slow a song down and I’d think it was a different one until he started singing the chorus again. Ugh. I wasn’t really a Bruce fan to begin with.

Dit nummertje was toevallig op onze mp3-speler beland. En zo kon het gebeuren dat wij vanavond op een Haags busplatform stonden te wachten op verder vervoer en plots The Steeldrivers ons meevoerden langs de ellende die de liefde kan meebrengen. Moord enzo in het geval van het nummer If It Hadn’t Been For Love. Hoewel wij zulks afraden thuis te proberen, blijft het nummer wel in het hoofd hangen en ontkomen wij er dus niet aan het aan u voor te leggen…

The Steeldrivers – If It Hadn’t Been For Love

Because I limit myself to a day at the EFMF, I do try to take in as much music as possible. I go in with a bit of a game plan as to which sessions I most want to catch, but try to allow for some spontaneity. This year I was very much looking forward to finally catching Rodney Crowell as he has been a long time favourite I haven’t caught in concert; I remember a scheduled Red Deer show in the early nineties was cancelled after only a few dozen tickets sold- and this after six consecutive number ones on the Canadian country charts.

Celebrating its 30^th anniversary, the festival is well-established and there are usually not too many organizational surprises, leaving one to discover music without worrying about food (lots of vendors), water (two different locations with plenty of taps with potable water), potties (go early is my advice!), or discs (the CD tent is fully stocked, although some artists still don’t bring enough (or any) product to satisfy the demand). I’m estimating this is my tenth festival over fifteen years, and despite attending only the one day, I must admit I have never more enjoyed an Edmonton Folk Music Festival. It helps that the weather was sunny without being uncomfortably hot.

I got to the park in plenty of time to catch the opening sessions, and made a bee-line for Stage 2 for Newgrass, a pairing of Nashville’s The SteelDrivers and Mongolia’s Hanggai. I had checked out Hanggai’s Myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/hanggaiband) the day before and was intrigued at the interaction that may occur between southern bluegrassers and an Asian stringband. I was not disappointed.

Richard Bailey, the SteelDrivers’ five-stringer and one of the most in-demand session players in Nashville, had a huge smile on his face as he dropped in some basic fills while the throat singer and other members of Hanggai performed their music. Quite a bit of interplay occurred between the quintets, with Hanngai’s electric guitar player taking an extended break during one of the SteelDriver tunes- can’t recall which one.

This was my first chance catching the SteelDrivers, and they didn’t disappoint. Tammy Rogers has played Edmonton numerous times as a member of the Dead Reckoners, and her contributions to a song are always appreciated. Chris Stapleton’s growly blues vocals are as effective on stage as they are live, and Mike Fleming kept things moving along with a restrained approach to MC duties. The bands came together for a rousing closing on “The Drinking Song.” This was one session that ended much too soon, and it seemed that everyone on the stage left quite pleased with their collaboration.

Next up were my favourite Canadian alt-country band, The Swiftys. I was pleased to see Marc Ladouceur hanging around the stage area as the SteelDrivers and Hanngai performed, leading me to believe he might be sitting in with the band. And he was, performing on acoustic and electric guitars and mandolin. It became clear early on that Jody Johnson was no longer playing with Shawn Jonasson and Grant Stovel  as a new bassman was on stage with them- and Jody was off to the side. Roger Marin was also sitting in on pedal steel, making the trio a quintet.

I didn’t take notes during the show, and instead just sat back to enjoy the forty-minute set. They played songs from both of their albums including “Ridin’ High” and “Sweet Rose”. They dropped in Shuyler Jansen’s “Bottle of Wine” and Darrek Anderson’s “26 oz of Gin”, both recorded on their Ridin’ High disc, as well as a cover of Waylon’s “Sweet Mental Revenge.” I don’t know how much this line-up has been gigging, but they sounded quite tight and there were no noticeable slips. Knowing how much Marc likes the electric guitar, I was pleased to finally, after how many years, get to hear him play in a couple spots. Very nice, and complemented the band’s sound nicely.  A strong set of electric barroom-inspired country music was enjoyed by a fairly large gathering of friends, family, and fans at stage two.

After touching base with acquaintances after the show, I rushed off the catch the final bit of a session featuring Tift Merritt, Sam Baker, Alana Levandoski, and Slaid Cleaves. To be able to listen to three of my favourites- four, if one includes Gurf Morlix who was sitting in with Sam- was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I don’t often enjoy the sessions that include a number of singer-songwriters taking turns playing their songs with little interaction. It often seems pretty stiff and awkward. Maybe it has to do with the mind-set of the songwriter.

Sam Baker was finishing up “Orphan” as I got to Stage 5. Slaid slipped nicely into “Drinkin’ Days” along with a backing duo whose names I didn’t catch. Tift was next up, and sang a beautiful version of “Something to Me” unaccompanied. Very nice, and a great way for my only chance to see Merritt at the festival to begin. Later, she moved over to the keyboard to perform “Good Hearted Man.”

I only caught a couple songs by Alana, one of which was a cover of “Those Memories of You” inspired by her dual love of Emmylou Harris and Brit-pop bands.

Sam Baker performed “Truale” and Slaid’s mando player was invited to drop in a four-second break. Gurf Morlix wrapped things up, playing it “weird and scary”, transforming the Stones’ “The Last Time” into a breezy gospel clap-a-long. A nice way to close things down.

The session- at least the portion I witnessed- didn’t feature a lot of interplay between the participants although many quips were exchanged and laughter was plentiful.

The mid-afternoon main stage performance was by Oysterband. I’ve long thought the Saturday afternoon 2:00 set as the toughest of the weekend. By Sunday afternoon, most folks are tired enough to sit down and just veg and listen. But on Saturday it seems the performers always face a sea of movement, lanes of wanderers in search of sustenance, shade, and lost pals. While it didn’t seem many were listening to Oysterband initially, John James’ personable interactions, encouragement of audience participation, and the band’s lively Celtic-rock hybrid seemed to bring things around. Fortunately, the sound system was cranked up loud enough that the set could be heard throughout the site, allowing one to indulge in green onion cakes and the like. I want to dive back in and explore their catalogue a bit.

I was a bit torn for the next slot. The Skydiggers were doing a concert set, and as they are a new-to-me favourite, I was tempted. But, in the end, seeing a bit of Fred won out- how can I attend any festival and not spend at least a bit of time being amused, enlightened, and offended by our Fred? So, I went over to the Megatunes session for Fred Eaglesmith and Loudon Wainwright III. Joining them at the far stage six were Danny Michel and Jill Barber, two singer-songwriters that don’t much interest me but whom I know have devoted and- judging by the crowd in attendance- sizeable fan bases.

This one had all the makings of a session disaster- too many chairs on the small side stage, too many hands setting up too much gear. The start time of 3:00 came and went with only Danny Michel appearing ready to go. Plugs, cords, and mics were still being manipulated by the time Fred and Jill were ready, and Loudon was still nowhere in sight. Of course, the biggest straw hat in the park had to sit directly in front of me, ta boot. I considered beating a hasty retreat, but elected to hang in. Loudon took the stage at seven past, and by about eleven after the hour things appeared set to go.

Jill Barber did a couple of her jazz-tinged songs of an earlier time. She has a lovely voice, but it doesn’t quite stick with me or hold my attention for very long. She did “Wishing Well” and “Be My Man” and audience loved that.

Joined by Bill Chambers, Fred launched into one of his ‘lesbian love songs’ “Wilder than Her,” offending half of the slope with an off-colour quip about gay pride and rainbows that I figure will somehow be edited out by the time this session is broadcast on Radio 2 August 27. He also pulled out “Rough Edges,” which I haven’t heard in years. That’s one of the many things I like about Fred, he is willing to pull out older songs and give them an airing on occasion. Some songwriters, well you have a fair idea of what you’ll hear, but with Fred all bets are off. Fred is able to do more in two songs than lesser entertainers can in an entire set.

Loudon performed a pair of songs from his upcoming Charlie Poole project that really interested me, and will encourage me to check out High Wide and Handsome when it is released.

Knowing that I would only likely hear another song from each of the performers, I decided to head back across the park for the 4:00 concert by Chumbawamba, a band I really wanted to experience. They were booked into the festival a few years back, but I missed their performance and since then I’ve purchased a handful of their discs and quite enjoyed them. I am also interested in them because of their refusal to fall victim to the ‘pop trap’, and have gone out of their way to maintain their values and aims while setting “Tubthumping” well behind them.

Chumbawamba Acoustic is a very impressive group- heavy songs, lightly presented. Two guitars, accordion, trumpet, tambourine, a pipe and usually four but occasionally five voices taking on the world. I spent a wonderful fifty minutes listening to them, and was absolutely impressed in every way. They engaged their audience- actually went a bit far with that and had a young gal from the audience come up to sing the first verse of “Ring of Fire”  within “Charlie”- and were completely brilliant. They even dropped in a bit of “pissing the night away” into “Charlie.” I’m gushing, I know, but I just loved what they did. The did several songs from The Boy Bands Have Won (including “I Wish They’d Sack Me” and “El Fusilado”) as well as the chuckle inspiring ode to the joys and perils of social networking, “Add Me.”  “Hanging On the Old Barbed Wire” brought things back to somber realties. I downloaded a couple albums last night- UN and Boy Bands-and can’t get enough.

Which brings me to a suggestion I’ve thought of making to the festival’s A.D., Terry Wickham. I think it may be time to let go of the mid-day main stage performance. Many (most?) people appear to have trouble focusing on the music during the middle of the afternoon when the stage is so far down the hill from many of the audience. Judging by the number of folks in the food lineups, under the shade of the sheltering tent, and just wandering the grounds,  I wonder if the slot might be better used by having seven extended concert sets going instead of one main stage performance.

While a Fred Eaglesmith, Chumbawamba, or Tift Merritt- or for that matter, The SteelDrivers, Hot Tuna, or Joel Plaskett)  may not warrant a full, main stage set, they are more than deserving of greater than forty-five or fifty minutes to show their wares. Perhaps if one scheduled a series of 80-minute concert sets between 1:30 and 3:00 on all the stages, more engagement may occur between listeners and performers.

I know I would have much rather had the Oysterband play to a really enthusiastic but smaller audience than have them playing to a sparsely populated hill of half-listeners. Just a thought.

Next up was Texan Sam Baker, again accompanied by Gurf Morlix. I love his voice and approach to songwriting. He did a couple songs from the new album Cotton including the title track and “Moon.” I don’t mind his penchant for borrowing lyrics at all as he makes the traditional words fit his characters and their situations so effectively. He punctuates his singing with an oddly lively picking style that is appealing.

“Waves” is up there with “75 Septembers” for impactful songs of sustained commitment and aging. Baker has a way of singing that is unlike anyone I can think of off the top of my head. It is a hesitant yet melodic singing-speaking voice that is attractive. He’s top drawer, engaging, self-deprecating, insightful.  I enjoyed the set immensely. And yet…

When Gurf Morlix gets a chance to do one of his songs- and Sam turned things over to him twice during the nine-song set- it is magic. He doesn’t blow Sam Baker off the stage- they are too different in approach for that to occur- but when he is finished a song like “Crossroads,” one thinks, “Damn, that’s how it is done.”

They are like two visual artists of very different styles. One is grounded in realism, texture, and details, the other is into poetic uses of colour within impressionistic murals. I’m not sure which is which, but I enjoy them both as they are completely compelling when sharing their music.

But note to Sam- don’t ask for requests from the audience when you can’t hear what they are yelling! Just play your songs.

So that was the day in the sun. Next up were the main stage acts, supper, and such. After having my fill of green onion cakes, we settled in on the hill for the main-stagers. I didn’t hear much of Johnny Flynn  and the Sussex Wit, but we were ready for Patty Griffin.

According to my friends, I’ve seen and heard her at the folk fest before, but I don’t remember her. I don’t think I’ll recall much of this performance as well. I don’t find her music terribly appealing, although I am definitely outvoted in that regard within our small group. My ears perked up for a version of “Silver Wings”, but I would have a real hard time recalling any of her other songs. It wasn’t unpleasant by any means, but just more suitable to an audience that doesn’t include me, I suppose.

Iron & Wine was next. I have to be honest, I own several Iron & Wine albums and EPs but without liner notes I don’t know one Sam Beam song from the next. Strangely, I’m okay with that ignorance. I just like the sounds. And on the main stage, standing alone in a revolving spotlight, he alternately banged and strummed his guitar- making the bass notes count- and sang. And for an hour or so, the crying babies, squabbling couples, (loudly) reuniting friends, and other annoyances faded away. I’m told he sounds like Jethro Tull/Ian Anderson, and that was a good thing, I believe. I didn’t recognize a single song, and that has more to do with the way I listen to Iron & Wine than anything else. I just love the music. It was a great set, very enjoyable. The word ethereal is used a great deal when describing music that causes other words to be inadequate. I think I now know the meaning of the word.

Okay, that isn’t completely true.  I didn’t fully enjoy the set. I had gone all day without having any conflicts with any other attendees. I had even mentioned this to my friends- the chatterers seemed to be missing this year. Well, all good things come to an end.

I hope you are reading this! If you want to gush about your friend’s knitting, discuss the dental crown you lost, compare and discuss the relative merits of hoodies and zippered sweaters, and….Why come and do it on a hill surrounded by folks who are actually trying to listen to the freakin’ music? I will never, ever understand it.

I do understand and embrace the social aspects of the folk festivals. Over the last twelve or so years, more often than not I’ve attended festivals with a small group of friends, and recently that group has included a great wee lad. We chat relatively quietly, we catch up, and then we listen. That is the part I don’t get- why would you pay money and ignore world class artists who are sharing their innermost thoughts and observations? A mystery.

Back to the hill.

When the lights go down, things do change. When the sun finally sets around 10 o’clock, and darkness engulfs the hill, it is really quite spectacular. I remember both of the Joans (Baez and Armatrading) marveling at the effect of the candle-covered hill. With the candles on our side, and the downtown skyline on the other, a better setting for a festival of this type is hard to imagine.  And, amazingly, people tend to quiet down as well! Bonus.

Rodney Crowell was next, the act my group and I had been waiting for, and he was amazing. Fronting a three-piece band, including Cicadas compatriot Steuart Smith for the first time in nine years, Crowell focused largely on material from The Houston Kid and later albums. “The Rise and Fall of Intelligent Design” and “Moving Piece of Art” started the show, setting the tone for an evening of music played with maturity and good taste. “Still Learning How to Fly” seemed especially poignant, and “I Wish It Would Rain” seemed to capture the audience’s attention. I was especially pleased to hear “Closer to Heaven,” if only to howl “I love Guy Clark” along with Rodney.

More than halfway through the show, Crowell started reaching back into his extensive catalogue. “Leaving Louisiana” and “Til I Gain Control Again” got things going while an amped up take of “I Ain’t Living Long Like This” was blistering, and on this familiar tune Crowell and his band demonstrated that a country band can rock without resorting to recycled Van Halen riffs.

While at an afternoon session (I’m told by an ecstatic Cheryl) Crowell dipped into the songbooks of George, Hank, and Merle, the only cover on this night was a spell-binding rendition of “Pancho and Lefty.” Introduced by Crowell as “one of the greatest songs ever written,” he launched into the song and made it sound new. I think this version may  get Waylon and Willie playing dress-up out of my head, and perhaps I can enjoy the song now as others do.

As an encore, Crowell came back unaccompanied with quiet, gentle benediction that I just can’t identify although I know I’ve heard it before; it reminded me a little of “Forever Young,” but I couldn’t figure it out. (Edit: Two years later…”Earthbound,” I do believe.) He swung into “I Know Love Is All I Need” with the band rejoining him before the song’s conclusion.

A perfect performance, in my opinion. Too often I am disappointed in performances on large festival stages from my favourites, but not this time. Even lacking the Columbia hits and our being several hundred feet from the stage, Crowell kept me engrossed the entire performance.

My friends left after Rodney, and I decided to move to another location for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. I knew I wouldn’t stay long, no matter how good they were because of the two-hour commute home, but I wanted to be close to one of the video screens. I found a wonderful spot, and I think it may now be my favourite secret location, on a steep incline that no one else seems to sit on.

The tweener for this slot was Ashley MacIsaac accompanied by Quinn Bachand, a thirteen year-old guitar wizard. One could almost hear the hill collectively sigh, “Ashley, all is forgiven. Welcome back, lad!” The attention-seeking behavior of the past was forgotten as the duo electrified those remaining in attendance. They did three numbers, the middle of which was a dreamy, passionate fiddle tune that was lovely. Bookending this sensitive number that really showed off MacIsaac’s gifts were a pair of up-tempo leapers with which one more readily associates with the Nova Scotian. Seeing MacIsaac mouth the chord changes to Quinn was like watching the skills of one generation being passed down to the next, which I guess it was. I’ll be on the lookout for more music of this type from MacIsaac and I won’t be surprised to see him making a return visit soon.

The seven-piece Dap-Kings opened the show Wilson Pickett-style, with a horn rich instrumental, firing up the audience with an extended introduction to the revue while getting the lower bowl on their feet. By the time Jones joined the boys, the hill was rocking to the soul-fest. “How Do You Let A Good Man Down?” got things jumping, and “Nobody’s Baby” kept it going. A couple tunes later and I was making my way to the bus, wishing I could stay later. But, knowing it would be 2:00 AM before I got home kept me going toward the exit as midnight approached.

What a day! I can’t remember the last time I left a music festival so drained and satisfied. I was unable to catch several favourites, including Chuck Brodsky, Kimmie Rhodes, The Skydiggers, Spirit of the West, and Great Lake Swimmers, and I still haven’t caught up to Sierra Hull. Hot Tuna intrigued me, especially after I realized who was playing with them- Barry Mitterhoff. Dang! I even missed Dick Gaughan, something I never thought I would do. Too many choices. A friend suggested I hear The Wooden Sky, but I was unable to. I bought their disc instead, unheard and only on my pal’s advice. I must say, Ross has me figured out as I’ve quite enjoyed the album already.

A last thought- It was nice to see a mention of Gilbert Bouchard in the festival’s program guide. I won’t pretend Gilbert and I were friends, and certainly have no desire to overstate our relationship. But for several months from 1984 to 1986, Gilbert was a close acquaintence. He was the first person to give me a chance to write about music and was a brutal but supportive editor. His taste in sherry not withstanding, without his involvement, I likely wouldn’t have followed a path that has included writing.

As always, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival appeared to be excellently organized, and my experience was entirely pleasant, excepting a half-hour of chatter-chatter during Iron & Wine. For those of you not in the Edmonton area, consider putting this fest on your vacation planner; but get your tickets early, as the fest tends to sell out quickly. www.efmf.ab.ca

Bluegrass Music and the Pennsylvania 500 – a great weekend happening

Long Pond, PA. – February 24, 2009. Billed as ‘The Music of the Mountains’, Pocono Raceway will play host to a weekend of Bluegrass prior to the August 2^nd Pennsylvania 500, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. The two days of concerts, Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1, will feature top artists – Ricky Skaggs, Steep Canyon Rangers, Charlie Sizemore Band, Dailey & Vincent, Del McCoury Band, Cherryholmes, Blue Highway and SteelDrivers – and is free to infield campers attending the race.

According to Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Pocono Raceway C.E.O., “For the past nearly forty years, in addition to outstanding racing, we’ve always endeavored to provide a fan experience like no other, and this year’s Pennsylvania 500 will be no different.” Mattioli added, “Two days of top flight bluegrass music, to an already exciting race weekend, provides our fans added value for their entertainment dollar – an outstanding weekend at the track.”

The two day music event is free to campers in the infield, and if history is any guide, that means thousands of fans milling about will enjoy this great, mid-season summer event. In addition to the concert, for online fans, a pre-concert, thirty minute ‘red-carpet’ event will be broadcast live on the Internet. A worldwide, online audience estimated at 250,000 will watch NASCAR and ARCA stars interviewed as they walk the ‘carpet’ to the concert’s VIP seating section.

Andrew Kaplan, Yabutz.com outside marketing director, (Yabutz is sponsoring the event) states, “When Pocono called regarding the concert idea we jumped on the opportunity to be involved, of particular interest for us was providing the technical expertise to host a live, Internet event.” Kaplan continued, “although Yabutz’ audience consists of race teams and their procurement staff, our worldwide racing audience will get an opportunity to see top drivers, their counterparts, in a red-carpet like environment, the first ever such event streamed live.”

For more information visit http://yabutz.com/bluegrass. Once there, signing up for the free web-event is simple. The red-carpet event will be simulcast to racing websites around the world.

For Pocono Raceway ticket and camping information, visit: www.poconoraceway.com or call toll free 1-800-RACEWAY

About The Groups

Charlie Sizemore Band

Much beloved for both his musical talents and integrity, Charlie Sizemore is highly regarded as a vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist and bandleader. A native of eastern Kentucky, Sizemore was hired at age 17 to take over for the departing Keith Whitley in Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys, with whom he stayed for nine years before leaving to start his own band and to attend college. He graduated with honors, and now maintains a successful law practice in addition to his musical endeavors. The Charlie Sizemore Band toured for a dozen years and made seven critically acclaimed albums. Over the years, he built a large following among fans and performers alike. High esteem within the music industry is demonstrated by the numerous artists who have appeared on his records. These guest artists include the Oak Ridge Boys, Vern Gosdin, Alison Krauss, Kathy Mattea, Tom T. Hall, J. D. Crowe and Ralph Stanley.

Steep Canyon Rangers

The Steep Canyon Rangers have built a reputation as a powerful, engaging quintet seasoned by constant touring. Their willingness to carry bluegrass to music-lovers worldwide has put the band on stage at Americana and Bluegrass festivals in the U.S. and overseas, as well as major Rock & Roll venues on the national jam-band circuit. Voted 2006 International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Emerging Artist of the Year”, the Rangers’ fierce commitment to traditional bluegrass audiences is obvious, as well as their dedication to bringing their music to the next generation of fans. Constant touring, intense rehearsing, and most importantly, creative songwriting, sets them apart from the field.

Dailey & Vincent

Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent both have a deeply rooted respect and admiration for Bluegrass and Bluegrass Gospel music. These two gentlemen have been singing bluegrass since the age of three and playing since they were nine and six respectively. Dailey and Vincent both have achieved great success in their careers as members of two of the most accomplished Bluegrass bands in the world (Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder). While only in their second year as a group, Dailey & Vincent have already achieved staggering success winning seven International Bluegrass Music Awards in 2008 including Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, and Album of the Year.

Ricky Skaggs

2009 marks Ricky’s 38th year as a professional musician, and this twelve-time Grammy Award winner continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music. Known affectionately today as bluegrass music’s official ambassador, Ricky has brought the genre to greater levels of popularity in the past few years than the father of bluegrass music, the legendary Bill Monroe, could ever have imagined. With eight consecutive Grammy-nominated classics behind him, all from his own Skaggs Family Records label, bluegrass music is undoubtedly in good hands, with the masterful Skaggs at the helm.

Cherryholmes

As America’s new first family of bluegrass, Cherryholmes has stormed to the top of the bluegrass world by winning the 2005 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Award for Entertainer of the Year. Debuting at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart, their self-titled album has received a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album of the Year. The Cherryholmes sound is made up of hard-driving instrumental virtuosity and explosive vocal harmonies, featuring a mixture of original songs written by members of the band and carefully chosen classics.

Blue Highway

First convened in 1994, Blue Highway quickly set themselves apart from the bluegrass pack with a trio of heralded albums for Rebel Records that offered ample evidence of the band’s ability create striking original music that still resounded with timeless bluegrass soul. The five men who make up Blue Highway are committed to expanding the expressive boundaries of bluegrass through their own powerful individual songwriting voices, formidable instrumental abilities, dynamic arrangements, and an unrivaled ensemble sound born of over fourteen years of performing together

SteelDrivers

The SteelDrivers’ brand of bluegrass – intense, dark, poetic, and inescapably human – is a refreshing reminder of the timeless power of stringband music. The willingness to set aside the unspoken rules that ruthlessly govern bluegrass set the SteelDrivers apart from the innumerable faceless acts vying for the bluegrass spotlight. While each member of the band is distinguished in his or her own right and valued in Nashville’s commercial community, they’ve seized an opportunity to follow their hearts to their souls’ reward. In doing so, they are braiding their bluegrass roots with new threads of their own design, bringing together country, soul, and other contemporary influences to create an unapologetic hybrid that is old as the hills but fresh as the morning dew. This is new music with the old feeling. SteelDrivers fan Vince Gill describes the band’s fusion as simply “an incredible combination.”

Del McCoury Band

Regularly drawing SRO crowds which run the gamut from tie-dyed’n’patchouli neo-hippie jammers to button-down Yuppies to suspendered good ol’ boys, The Del McCoury Band may well boast the broadest, most inclusive fan base this side of the Grateful Dead. They are undeniably one of the most talented, revered and vital groups in bluegrass history (and one of the most potent bands in any field today). No less than The Washington Post recently called Del “a national treasure”, while numerous music publications have credited The Del McCoury Band with increasing the bluegrass “hip factor,” generating much of the genre’s steady upswing in popularity with a more youthful crowd. He’s equally welcome at traditional bluegrass festivals, jam band gatherings, and the most prestigious music venues in America—from Merlefest, to Bonnaroo to Carnegie Hall.

About Pocono Raceway

“The Tricky Triangle” is host to two NASCAR Sprint Cup and ARCA Re/Max races each year.  Pocono Raceway’s 2.5 mile triangular design makes it truly unique.  Pocono is the only track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Circuit with 3 turns, 3 different radii and 3 variant degrees of banking.  All that ensures our fans will enjoy some serious action, meanwhile presenting a competitive challenge to the world’s best drivers and their crew chiefs.  Pocono strives to create a family atmosphere with increased focus on the Fan Experience.  We are Pocono Raceway and this is “The Tricky Triangle.”

In business for over 50 years, Pocono Raceway is family owned and located in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.  We are located within 300 miles of one-third of the US population and within 90 miles of New York City & Philadelphia.  Pocono Raceway is and always will be an attractive option for NASCAR and race fans alike.

About Yabutz

Yabutz provides professional and amateur motorsports drivers, teams and parts-procurement staffs within the racing industry a search engine for racing parts, shop equipment, tools and education. Yabutz is not a “swap-meet” for used parts, nor a classified for selling unwanted stuff but rather a search tool dedicated exclusively to worldwide motorsports racing, its competitors and suppliers. Visit www.yabutz.com.

Submitted by Pocono Raceway

Andy Leftwich(mandolin & fiddle) of the band Three Ring Circle is nominated in the Best Bluegrass Album  (for his particpation as a member of Kentucky Thunder)  for Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute to 1946 And 1947-Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.

Rob Ickes (Dobro) of both Three Ring Circle and Blue Highway is nominated in the Best Bluegrass Album for his playing on the album Earl Scruggs Family & Friends.

Ronnie & Rob McCoury who are appearing at Wintergrass with their side band The Travelin’ McCoury’s have been nominated as part of the Del McCoury Band for their album Live at The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

A variety of these musicians and bands will also be participating in the Wintergrass Academy and Workshops.

Apparently there is still at least one major addition coming to the line-up, but here are my highlights of the 2009 line-up. The complete list is at: Merlefest.org

Doc Watson
Angel Band
Bearfoot
BeauSoleil
David Bromberg
Sam Bush
Cadillac Sky
The Carolina Chocolate Drops
The Circuit Riders
Dailey and Vincent
The Dixie Beeliners
Donna The Buffalo
The Duhks
The Greencards
Emmylou Harris
The Kruger Brothers
Jim Lauderdale
Del McCoury Band
Tift Merritt
Mountain Heart
Nashville Bluegrass Band
Ollabelle
Polecat Creek
Missy Raines and the New Hip
Tony Rice
The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
Martha Scanlan
The Steeldrivers
Travis Tritt and Jerry Douglas
The Waybacks

Wintergrass itself did have the honor of winning the Bluegrass Music Event of the Year in 2005!

Vocal Group of the Year – Blue Highway, The Isaacs

Instrumental Group of the Year – Blue Highway, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper

Female Vocalist of the Year – Sonya Isaacs

Album of the Year – Blue Highway for “Through the Window of a Train”, The Steeldrivers for “The Steeldrivers”

Song of the Year- Blue Highway for “Through the Window of a Train”, The Steeldrivers for “Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey”

Emerging Artist of the Year – The Steeldrivers

Bass Player of the Year – Missy Raines, Marshall Wilborn

Fiddle Player of the Year – Michael Cleveland

Dobro Player of the Year – Rob Ickes

Guitar Player of the Year – Tim Stafford

Mandolin Player of the Year – Ronnie McCoury

Winners will be announced in October at the IBMA convetion in Nashville. For more information on the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) and the full list of nominees see their website at http://www.ibma.org

Good luck to all of the nominees!