Lots of audiences are used to solo performers, but bluegrass enthusiasts? Not so much. Bluegrass is pretty much by definition a band music, but consider Tim O'Brien. He's been doing the occasional solo show for some years now, but the release of Chameleon, an album on which he's accompanied only by his own guitar, fiddle, bouzouki, banjo and more, has spurred him to take on more solo shows, and not just at home.
Bluegrass in the U.S. is barely a curiosity anymore, not since O Brother. Not so here in Germany. A few stalwart supporters and curious music lovers are enough to make touring viable, but it's a lot like being in a traveling freak show. You get up on stage and play, some nights you get wild applause and a double encore. Other nights, blank stares. Like Jeremy says, "They looked like they were being milked." Read more...
Is there a better way to celebrate International Bluegrass Month than by getting really international? None that I can think of, which is one reason I'm happy to be winging my way across the Atlantic to spend two weeks on tour with Sally Jones. It's a cool gig on its own, but it's also a great way to check out the European bluegrass scene during its busiest month -- and to see some good friends and neighbors along the way, since we'll be crossing paths with the likes of Tim O'Brien and the Infamous Stringdusters.Of course, if you haven't already made plans to visit the Continent during May, it's probably a little late. Fortunately, thanks to two recent releases, you can get a couple of good tastes of European bluegrass anyhow.
Merlefest is probably the world's largest Americana and roots music festival. I was at the very first Merle Watson Memorial Festival (as it was called in those days) 21 years ago. The first concert featured jams with Chet Atkins, Doc, Earl Scruggs, Mac Wiseman, Jim Shumate, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Grandpa Jones, Marty Stuart, Newgrass Revival, John Hartford, Mark O'Connor and others inside the Walker Center and outside on a flatbed truck stage. I remember sitting on hay bales outside watching the whole thing go down. A few years later, I was playing Merlefest as a member of Alison Krauss and Union Station. One particular year was memorable because the mainstage show consisted of us and Ronnie Milsap, who just murdered the crowd with a solo guitar version of "Knoxville Girl."
It was short but sweet for The Infamous Stringdusters this weekend. A last minute call to play on the Opry forced a hasty retreat from Merlefest, but that didn't stop the band from packing four days' worth of picking into two. On Thursday morning, we played a middle school for the school outreach program (Go Falcons!) then dashed down to the festival for our 5:45 mainstage set. That was our only set of the day, so I got a plate of Southern cooking and a good seat for Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives. It had been awhile since I had seen him, but Marty did not disappoint. I put him at the top of my must-see list for this summer.
The singer Maura O'Connell once said that what country music and Irish music have in common is a passion for sentimentality. In other words, you can't have country music without a sense of loss and a lyric that will tear your heart in two. One listen to George Jones singing "My Wild Irish Rose" should leave you suitably teary. Every so often the classic sounds of Ireland will make it on a country record, though admittedly it is rare. The Dixie Chicks tipped their hats to the Emerald Isle on "Ready to Run," as well as "More Love," which was written by Tim O'Brien.
Tim O'Brien has made two fantastic records that explored his Irish roots: Two Journeys and The Crossing. Using a combination of Irish and American musicians, he finds a common ground that honors both American roots music and the change that Irish music would undergo once it came to the new World. A perfect example is "Cumberland Gap," as Irish fiddler Kevin Burke plays alongside banjo legend Earl Scruggs while Tim chops away on his mandolin. It sounds like a journey back in time.
Ireland also has its own array of country stars, such as T.R. Dallas, Big Tom, Philomena Begley and the enormously successful Daniel O'Donnell. Special mention should be made of Ray Lynam, a truly fantastic singer who also recorded in Nashville. While on a radio performance in Nashville, he sang a cover of "He Stopped Loving Her Today," and as soon as he went off air, the station phone rang -- it was George Jones himself calling in to say how much he loved Ray's singing and encouraging him to stay in Nashville. Due to prior commitments, Ray had to return home, but I often wander what might have happened had he stayed...
Come Monday morning, we should proudly wear the greenest item of clothing we can find, and celebrate the warm and welcoming qualities that Ireland embodies -- and of course the great music! I suppose the Guinness and Irish whiskey is optional, but I can assure you it's an option I'll be exercising gladly. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Ignore those people that say jet lag is just a state of mind. I'm here to categorically state that it's real, and it's doing my sleep patterns a lot of damage. After being in Australia for two weeks, I was barely back in the States long enough to adjust before I flew to Scotland for 10 days, and now I'm back in Nashville. My body doesn't know whether it's night or day -- but it's not all bad. Waking up at 6 a.m. wide awake when you are a musician is quite a novelty, and this maybe the first time I've realized there are two 6 o'clocks in the same day.
Glasgow is an incredible city -- vibrant and modern in the best European style. I was there to perform with the Greencards as part of the Celtic Connections Festival, a stunning display of Celtic music from all over the world, as well as American folk musicians such as Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien and Joan Osborne. We played a show with Alison Brown that ended up in a super-jam at the end, skippered by Tim O'Brien singing "Blue Night." Tim was in rare form the whole week, and at one point he actually stopped the band and gave the audience a solo! He may have become my favourite person in the world ...
I saw all the acts I wanted to, and often the music would rage till 7 or 8 a.m. I can barely remember leaving the residents' bar as folk were coming down for breakfast! Such a life would be reckless if it weren't all in the name of music. ... And so from one extreme to the other, I'm now preparing to fly out on Saturday to L.A. for the Grammys. I've got my suit ready and a quick ironing of my shirt this evening should see me ready to clink glasses of chardonnay with fellow pop star prima donnas. Simply gaining a nomination is a big deal for the band, so even if we lose, we've still won a great deal. I'm keeping my fingers crossed however, so check this space for more info after Sunday night.
Fare thee well to the shores of Amerikay; bid me fair travels as I embark for Glasgow on the morrow. (The language of the Auld World is coming back to me....) The Greencards are playing Celtic Connections on Feb 2, and I couldn't pass up the idea of going early and having a wee bit of a holiday for myself. I'd be a fool not to when my airfare is already paid for. This is an amazing festival that showcases the cream of Celtic talent from all over the world, as well as some of the finest American acts - folks like Mindy Smith, Tim O'Brien, The Duhks and Suzy Bogguss, for example. Now this sounds like my idea of a good time.
For those of you who have wandering musical tastes (like myself), a wealth of talent is waiting to be discovered at this festival. I only found out about a lot of these musicians because a friend of mine bought me some of their music for Christmas. So, in order to further the cause, let me recommend three brilliant artists that I sincerely think are absolutely fantastic. There's no accounting for taste, they say, but all I can do is give you my recommendations... So, here they are:
Vasen - Three-piece acoustic outfit from Sweden that write some of the greatest instrumentals I've ever heard - honest! Consisting of guitar, fiddle and Nyckelharpa (go on, Google it - I dare you), these guys sound like an army. I can't stop listening to their album, Trio. I can't wait to see them.
Catriona McKay and Chris Stout - First-class harp and fiddle, respectively, from two Scottish musicians. Although they are playing separately in Glasgow, they made a fantastic record together called Laebrack. Beautiful music from two beautiful musicians.
Andy Irvine and Paul Brady - Two legendary Irish musicians who made their name with bands like Planxty and Patrick Street, as well as on their own backs. Andy is a sublime bouzouki player who plays the part of three men at once. The idea of him performing with Paul Brady, one of the finest singers ever to come from Ireland, is enough to bring goose-pimples.
Of course, there's no reason why you should check out any of this music, but if you don't take a chance now and again, how are you ever going to find new music?
I have a small stack of country Christmas CDs that I always pull out on Thanksgiving morning, and that’s pretty much what I listen to until I put up a new calendar. Luckily, those old-fashioned songs have moved into the digital age, making this the most wonderful time of the year for a holiday music mix. Do you hear what I hear? You can, if you track down this playlist:
“Christmas in Dixie,” Alabama
“A Holly Jolly Christmas,” Alan Jackson
“Shimmy Down the Chimney,” Alison Krauss
“Feliz Navidad,” Billy Joe Shaver
“Rockin’ Little Christmas,” Carlene Carter
“Frosty the Snowman,” Dan Tyminski
“Silent Night,” Dolly Parton
“Light of the Stable,” Emmylou Harris
“Merry Christmas Strait to You,” George Strait
“Silver Bells,” Joe Nichols
“O Holy Night,” John Berry
“The First Noel,” Josh Turner
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Kelly Willis
“My Holiday,” Mindy Smith
“O Come All Ye Faithful,” Patty Loveless
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Raul Malo
“O Christmas Tree,” Rhonda Vincent
“Christmas Time is Here,” Shawn Colvin
“Two-Step ‘Round the Christmas Tree,” Suzy Bogguss
“Making Plans,” Tim O’Brien
“The Christmas Song,” Trisha Yearwood
“All I Want for Christmas is You,” Vince Vance and the Valiants
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” Wynonna
I know you’ve heard these songs many times, many ways, but these are the renditions I prefer. In particular, Kelly Willis’ version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” has just the right twinge of sadness – but not as much as the original version. Next time you complain about Christmas, remember that opening line. May your day be merry and bright.
I could feel the excitement in the air as I walked toward the Ryman for the last show of Nickel Creek’s Farewell (For Now) Tour. As the lights faded, the crowd erupted with an eager anticipation that announced this was going to be a very special evening.
I’ve seen this band play before many times, but this was without a doubt, the most relaxed and self-assured I have ever seen them. They began with their trademark instrumental, “Ode to a Butterfly,” and seamlessly moved to the awesome single, “When in Rome.” The set list wasn’t chosen in order to promote one particular record, but instead seemed to provide an all-around view of the band’s history and the music they have recorded beginning with their 2000 self-titled debut (produced by Alison Krauss). Sean Watkins has commented that this leads to “no expectations” – and there certainly seemed to be a wonderful freedom in the way the band performed. They soon launched into a fantastic version of “House Carpenter” that gave Chris Thile his first real attempt to redefine mandolin playing – and he did so with a cracking solo that led the whole audience to react.
The performances in general were excellent and Chris, Sean and Sara have come an awful long way since the early days of traditional bluegrass. Nowadays, the band prefers to be known as “progressive acoustic,” and most of the set fell into that category. They brought up Benmont Tench, Fleck, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, who all visibly loved the experience. It was more than poetic that they finished their second encore with “I’ll Fly Away,” after all their statements on being progressive. The band plus special guests Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Fleck and Tim O’Brien ended the final show of Nickel Creek (for now…) with a mass chorus coming from the audience.
As they took their final bow after their third encore, it was touching to see Chris, Sean and Sara simply looking around the theatre and take it all in. This band changed the face of acoustic music and set new levels for the rest of us to aspire to. Congratulations are in order for everyone involved in this outfit, and let us all tip our hat as Chris strikes up the opening chords for “The Fox”! As one door closes, so others will open. Here’s to the past, and here’s to the future.
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