CMT Blog: Bluegrass

Charlie Daniels is already spreading the good tidings of Christmas. First of all, he's released a new holiday album, Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas, with guests like Jewel, Kathy Mattea and Aaron Tippin, as well as Suzanne and Evelyn Cox, the Grascals and Dan Tyminski. Instead of a duets project, Daniels lets the singers tackle a whole tune. (Tyminski's rendition of "The Christmas Song" is especially terrific.) Daniels also offers a nifty new original, "Mississippi Christmas Eve," and recites both an original short story ("A Carolina Christmas Carol") and a passage from the book of Luke.

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When the Steep Canyon Rangers tell stories to their future grandchildren, they'll probably start spinning yarns with, "Back in October 2009 ..." The bluegrass band started out the month with the IBMA Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, followed by an after-hours gig at the Station Inn with Steve Martin. Within a week's time, they joined Martin at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco, then flew to New York City for Carnegie Hall and The Late Show With David Letterman. Along with backing Martin in a dozen major markets, they also played a handful of festival dates and released a sturdy new album, Deep in the Shade, which has climbed to No. 3 on Billboard's bluegrass chart and helped them secure the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited's November issue. And somewhere in the madness, I managed to catch up with them for a few minutes in Nashville during one of their many visits here lately.

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While going through a stack of new releases, I grew particularly fond of three bluegrass albums, so I figured I'd share them with you. The first is Still Moving Mountains: The Journey Home, a compilation from Aurora Lights that aims to bring attention to Appalachian mountaintop removal. Songs like Blue Highway's "Clear Cut" illustrate the environmental impact from this controversial mining practice, which razes the top of mountains to get at a layer of coal, but ultimately devastates the area's natural resources. Everett Lilly and the Lilly Mountaineers, Kathy Mattea, the Del McCoury Band and numerous local musicians contribute tracks as well. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. provides a stirring testimonial toward the end.

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Sam Bush is celebrating his new album, Circles Around Me, in a couple of fun and unique ways -- as though we would expect anything less from the lively mandolin picker. On Tuesday (Oct. 20), Bush led a private tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Musuem for some of his eager fans, then performed in the museum store. Later that night, he hosted a cocktail party at a Nashville recording studio, surrounded by friends and well-wishers who also toasted Sam and Lynn Bush's 25th wedding anniversary. And last night (Oct. 21), he headlined the Music City Roots concert series at the Loveless Barn. You could tell he was tickled to be performing live on WSM-AM 650, just like the old days. He kicked off his brief set with "Circles Around Me," which always reminds me of my first trip to Telluride Bluegrass Festival last summer. "Blue Mountain" is a fun jam, too. By the way, it's not too late to crash the party - Bush will be chatting with Eddie Stubbs on WSM 650 (a.k.a. "the Air Castle of the South") tonight (Oct. 22) at 9:30 p.m. CT.

They are not going anywhere. The Station Inn near downtown Nashville is quickly being surrounded with fancy schmancy buildings and hot spots, but there they are -- all stubborn and vintage and timeless. In a kind of run-down tiny building, they're doing what they do best: giving bluegrass music a place to call home. Dierks Bentley got his start playing there, legends like Earl Scruggs, Emmylou Harris and Bill Monroe have played there, and stars like Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss and even Dolly Parton have stopped by to sing. But now that the Inn is engulfed in this trendy new 'hood called the Gulch, some folks are wondering how it will survive. The lease expires next year, but the Inn's owners have an option for two more years. That's good news for anyone who likes to go, like Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, who recently caught a Doyle & Debbie show there.

I think it's nice to get out of your musical comfort zone every now. When the Duhks performed at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville on Thursday night (Oct. 16), the Winnipeg-based band took listeners on a trip around the musical world touching on bluegrass, Cajun, Afro beat, funk, jazz, waltz and folk rock styles. That's a lot to take in, so they make it a point to explain what's going on before each song, although even without the tips it's easy to enjoy singer Sarah Dugas' smoky and powerful vocals. Since her first language was French, those Cajun songs are spot-on and feel really romantic, and even when she's singing in English about how the world may be spiraling out of control on "Fast Paced World," it almost sounds seductive. I especially enjoyed a cover of Bob Dylan's "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," which they recorded for a tribute album to the 1960's folk scene in NYC's Greenwich Village, and an instrumental medley of four waltz/jigs. This is one band that truly has something for every music lover.

I have been nearly overwhelmed with new music this fall. I'm finally to the bottom of my stack, so here are some new tunes that I think you'll like. My roots are showing with this list since Patty Loveless and Rosanne Cash are two of the reasons I became interested in country music. (I enjoyed reading this feature story on Patty Loveless, where she talks about reconnecting with her own roots.) And I'm intrigued by the way that younger artists like Corb Lund and Steep Canyon Rangers are tweaking traditional country music. And since we're talking about roots, I tossed in an old Ralph Stanley number that's recently been reissued.

"Fool's Thin Air," Patty Loveless
"Closer to the Bone," Kris Kristofferson
"Miss the Mississippi and You," Rosanne Cash
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Steve Martin has this great banjo song, "Wally on the Run," but he needs a great video to go with it. And he wants you to make it. Oh, and he wants your dog to star in it. Are you up for it? Martin says he was inspired to write that song when he was watching his dog, Wally, run around the yard at top speed. But you can film your dog (or dogs) doing just about anything. Martin suggests catching Frisbees, jumping across rivers, swimming or chasing horses. Once you've created this masterpiece you can upload the video you put together, then see what other fans have come up with. The contest runs through Dec. 1. Martin will select the grand prize winner who will get $1,000 and a few minutes of well-deserved banjo-fueled fame.

Dailey & Vincent, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper and Dan Tyminski were among the top winners at the 20th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards held Thursday night (Oct. 1) at the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. Dailey & Vincent were named the IBMA's entertainer of the year, and the band also received the vocal group of the year honor and the gospel recorded performance award for "On the Other Side." Cleveland picked up his seventh fiddle player of the year award, and he and his band were named instrumental group of the year. They also won the instrumental recorded performance award for "Jerusalem Ridge." Flamekeeper bass player Marshall Wilborn and mandolinist Jesse Brock received top honors in the instrumentalist category. Tyminski was named male vocalist of the year. The Dan Tyminski Band also won the album of the year award for their latest project, Wheels.

Here's a complete list of the winners:

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Although he divides his time between Colorado, Texas and Wisconsin, Michael Martin Murphey is spending this weekend in Nashville for the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) conference, showcasing his new music to bluegrass fans. And his popularity there is spreading like ... "Wiiiild-fiiiire." Sorry, couldn't resist that. Actually, Murphey has re-recorded that classic hit with bluegrass singer Carrie Hassler and they'll perform it at the SMU vs. Navy football game on Oct. 17, in conjunction with a trained mustang being donated to SMU. The track will also be featured on Murphey's next album, due in February 2010 on Rural Rhythm Records.

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