Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Playlist for 'Knee-Deep In Bluegrass'


East Kentucky Home-SteelDrivers
A Little Change-Bradley Walker

Aim High-Jon Weisberger with Darren McGuire
Sis Draper-Shawn Camp
Katie's Winter Love-BlueRidge
Footprints In The Snow-IIIrd Tyme Out

Gone To Carolina-Special Consensus
Heart Wrenching Love Sick Memories-Rhonda Vincent
That's What Country Folks Do-Lost & Found
Three Silver Dollars-David Parmley

Vintage Vault: BENNY MARTIN
Alabama Jubilee / Night Train To Memphis

Crooked Man-Christ Stuart & Backcountry
Little Mountain Church House-Ricky Skaggs & Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Artist Spotlight: STEVE GULLEY
Lizzie Lou-Grasstowne / Through The Window of a Train-Blue Highway

Minor Swing-Andy Leftwich
Rock Hearts-David Grisman Bluegrass Experience
Blackberry Rag-Jens Kruger & Jim Brooks

Concert: HOT RIZE
Radio Boogie / Walk The Way The Wind Blows

Come Back To Me In My Dreams-Balsam Range w/Joe Diffie

Thanks for listening!~CB

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"Gold Rush" Performance From Stillwater

Here, Byron Berline, orginal fiddle player on Bill Monroe's "Gold Rush" cut, is featured with Terry Baucom, Mike Compton, Kenny Smith & Jacob Eller.

More Photos From Stillwater, OK





Home From Stillwater, OK






After spending days on I-40, we are home from the "Pickin'-AllStar Bluegrass Tour's" final show in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It was a wonderful trip. The Oklahoma audience was very responsive, making the performance so much fun for everyone. Byron Berline joined us on fiddle. It was so nice to hang out with him and hear his fabulous fiddle playing on classics like 'Gold Rush' and 'Sally Goodin'. Fiddler, Tim Crouch, was also on the show for the first time, this tour. He was a pleasure to be around, as well. Thanks to the Oklahoma folks who came out...and thanks to Dennis Houser for the photos. Enjoy!~CB

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Playlist


Leavin' Town-Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Take Me Back-Dailey & Vincent

Butch Baldassari-A Place In The Heart
Unfaithful One-Bluegrass Album Band
Ain't No Way of Knowin'-Steep Canyon Rangers
Iron & Diamonds-Gibson Brothers
New Camptown Races-Jesse Brock

Long Way From Here-Lonesome River Band
Dark Shadows-Melonie Cannon
Two Coats-Tim Hensley
Epitaph of Lester Moore-Ronnie Bowman

VINTAGE VAULT-BOYS FROM INDIANA
Sad Wind Sighs / How Will I Explain About You / My Night To Howl

Old Log Cabin-LongView
Muddy Bottom-Osborne Brothers

Artist Spotlight: MICHAEL CLEVELAND
Troubles 'Round My Door / I'm Ridin' This Train

All I've Got Is Lonesome-Larry Cordle
Moundsville Pound-IIIrd Tyme Out
Me and Bobby McGee-Dale Ann Bradley

Concert: DARRELL WEBB
Rough Edges / Dim Lights, Thick Smoke

My Dixie Home-Stuart Duncan

Thanks for listening!~CB

Monday, January 19, 2009

Photos from 'Pickin' AllStar Tour'





I have enjoyed serving as MC for the Pickin' AllStar Bluegrass Jam Tour. We have one more show scheduled-this Saturday, January 24, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For further details visit www.pickonejams.com Here are some photos from the tour. Enjoy!~CB

Sunday, January 18, 2009

One Tear Performance-AllStar Jam

Here is a YouTube clip I found posted following the Pickin' Allstar Bluegrass Jam in Bristol, VA. This clip features my husband, Terry, on banjo, Michael Cleveland on fiddle, Missy Raines on bass, Josh Williams on guitar and vocals, Alan Bibey on mandolin and vocals and Steve Gulley on guitar and tenor vocal. Enjoy!~CB

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Kutztown, PA, Pickin' AllStar Jam Show

We had another great show at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania Thursday night. The auditorium was beautiful. We had traveled to Winchester, VA the night before. When we got up to travel on to Pennsylvania, there was a dusting of snow on the ground. Actually, snow covered the ground all the way to the venue site. In addition to a nice trip, it was so much fun getting to hang out with friends in Bluegrass...many of which we do not get to see very often. Dale Ann Bradley, Amanda Smith, Kim Fox and I harmonized in the dressing room prior to the show. Hanging out with Michael Cleveland, Mike Bub, Josh Williams, Mike Compton and the rest, was a real treat. Nicky Sanders joined us on fiddle for this show. He did a wonderful job. Nicky had to be back in North Carolina the next day for a radio interview and performance with The Steep Canyon Rangers at the Orange Peel in Asheville. I sat down with Steve Gulley backstage, prior to the show's start, to interview him for an upcoming radio show. Steve and I talked about his new recording studio, his forthcoming duet project with Tim Stafford and the new Grasstowne project that is currently being recorded.

Below is an article from the Pennsyvania Newspaper, The Reading Eagle:

CONCERT REVIEW: Bluegrass extravaganza not only fun, but educational
By Susan L. Peña
Reading Eagle


The Kutztown University Performing Artists Series celebrated American roots music with a bluegrass extravaganza that was not only an evening of joyous music making, but a learning experience for nonaficionados.

The Bluegrass All-Star Jam, directed by bassist Mike Bub and emceed by Cindy Baucom — host of the syndicated radio show "Knee-Deep in Bluegrass" — thrilled the audience in Schaeffer Auditorium on Thursday night with an array of talent that Baucom called the "cream of the crop" of bluegrass.

What we learned is that bluegrass artists are an unpretentious lot, hardworking but with a twinkle in their eyes, and downright fabulous musicians. We also learned that there is infinite variety, not only in the music but in the sound of stringed instruments in the hands of experts.

The ever-shifting band, made up of soloists, backed one another as one by one they took the spotlight. Their offerings ranged from contemporary and original material to old-timey music to classic bluegrass to songs by Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson, with a little praise and country thrown in.

Featured on fiddle were Michael Cleveland, who played with finesse and a gorgeous tone, and Nicky Sanders, a more aggressive player; on dobro were the formidable Rob Ickes and the subtle Phil Leadbetter; on bass were Bub (who also sang "I’m the Luckiest Man ‘Twas Born") and Missy Raines, whose solo in Dylan’s "Nashville Skyline Rag" was full-bodied and tuneful.

On mandolin were Mike Compton, as powerful as a high-speed train, and Alan Bibey, whose Gypsy swing version of "Sweet Georgie Brown" with guitarist Kenny Smith was one of the evening’s highlights.

On banjo were the quicksilver Terry Baucom (Cindy’s husband) and the impeccable Sammy Shelor of Lonesome River Band, who played a Civil War-era tune.

There were several guitar/vocalists, all of them excellent: Smith and his wife, Amanda; Steve Gully, who sang his own songs and the wistful "Angel on Its Way" with co-writer Tim Stafford; Don Rigsby, whose version of Bill Monroe’s "Kentucky Waltz" was another standout; the deep-voiced Kim Fox, who gave a lovely rendition of "Help Me Make It Through the Night"; Josh Williams, a fine vocalist, and Dale Ann Bradley with her velvet voice in "Run, Rufus, Run."

Next week the show travels to Stillwater, OK

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Playlist


Here are my playlists for the past couple of weeks. Thanks for listening!~CB

Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar-Jim Mills with Dan Tyminski
You've Still Got It-Alecia Nugent

Highway 40 Blues-Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
That's Not What Ships Are For-Grasstowne
Changing-Kenny & Amanda Smith Band
Eternity Has Two-Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

Alaska-Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum
Blue Kentucky Girl-Hunter Berry
High Alleghenies-Big Country Bluegrass
Harvest Time-Lost & Found

Vintage Vault-JIM & JESSE & THE VIRGINIA BOYS
Cotton Mill Man
It's A Long, Long Way To The Top of the World

Won't Be Coming Back-Infamous Stringdusters
Blue Diamond Mines-Kathy Mattea

Spotlight: GIBSON BROTHERS
Gone Home / One Step Closer To The Grave

North Carolina 1943-Cody Kilby with Rhonda Vincent
My Turn To Laugh-Jon Weisberger
Home of the Red Fox-Bill Emerson
Have You Met My Friend-Barry Scott & Second Wind

Concert: NEW GRASS REVIVAL (Live In France)
White Freightliner Blues / Reach

Selfish Ways-Ronnie Bowman

---------------------------------------------------

Blue Yodel #3-David Peterson & 1946
Don't Cross The River-Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

Uphill Climb-Chris Jones
Georgia Stomp-Jesse Brock
Atlanta Is Burning-Boys From Indiana
Life Is Not A Guarantee-Valerie Smith & Becky Buller

Nine Pound Hammer-Mickey Harris
Bounce-Jerry Douglas
Ain't It Funny-Lou Reid
Changes-Tony Rice

Vintage Vault: KENTUCKY COLONELS
Fire On The Mountain/If You're Ever Gonna Love Me/Dark Hollow

Music Makin' Man-Bobby Osborne
This Is The Last Time-Jim Lauderdale

Spotlight: MIKE ANDES (Nothin' Fancy)
Lord Bless This House/Lord I Hear Your Call
Heart That Will Never Break Again

Sold Down The River-Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Girl From The Canyon-Keith Whitley
Blame It On The Pain-Pine Mountain Railroad
By The Millpond-Jens Kruger

Concert: LAURIE LEWIS & THE RIGHT HANDS
Before The Sun Goes Down / Tall Pines

In My Younger Days-Country Gentlemen

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Incredible Bluegrass in Raleigh & Bristol

Thanks to those of you who made it out to one of the first two 'Pickin'-Allstar Bluegrass Jam' Shows in Raleigh, North Carolina and Bristol, Virginia last week. (We travel to Kutztown, PA at Kutztown University this coming Thursday)

We had a ball at both venues. I served as MC and had the opportunity to bring to the stage some of the very best in the business.

Fiddle: Michael Cleveland and Jason Carter
Bass: Missy Raines and Mike Bub
Banjo: Rob McCoury and Terry Baucom
Guitar: Tim Stafford, Kenny Smith, Steve Gulley, Ronnie Bowman & Josh Williams
Dobro: Phil Leadbetter and Rob Ickes
Mandolin: Alan Bibey and Mike Compton
Female Vocalists: Dale Ann Bradley, Amanda Smith and Kim Fox

It was especially great to hear Ronnie Bowman sing again! I have posted a video from a little while back with Ronnie singing one of my favorite Tim Stafford songs, "Midwestern Town", accompanied by Tim and Bryan Sutton. Enjoy!

Carolina Panthers Season Over


With an embarrassing loss to the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, the season for the Carolina Panthers has come to an end. Overall, they had a good season. I had high hopes for an appearance in Superbowl 43, but it wasn't meant to be. As Julius Peppers said: they picked the worst possible day to play their worst possible game. My 'dream match-up' for the February 1st game was Carolina vs. Tennessee, but the Titans lost to Baltimore on Saturday night in Nashville,too. Now comes the task of deciding who to put my support behind...~CB

Pennsylvania Show This Thursday


BlueGrass All-Star Jam
Thursday, January 15, 7:30 pm: KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, Kutztown, PA

The cast for this year's show includes the following artists Michael Cleveland, Josh Williams, Terry Baucom, Steve Gulley, Kim Fox, Rob Ickes, Missy Raines, Alan Bibey, Mike Compton, Phil Leadbetter, Sammy Shelor, Nicky Sanders, Kenny Smith and Amanda Smith, Dale Ann Bradley, Tim Stafford, Ronnie Bowman and Mike Bub.

About the artists participating:

Michael Cleveland—A Louisville, Kentucky native, has been blind from birth and began fiddling at the age of four. He is the six-time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year. In 2006 he won IBMA award for Instrumental Album of the Year ("Let'Er Go Boys!"). His group, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, won the 2007 and 2008 IBMA awards for Instrumental Group of the Year.

Josh Williams—A vocalist and multi-instrumentalist on fiddle/mandolin/guitar who recently won the 2008 IBMA Guitar Player of the Year. He currently fronts the Josh Williams Band and from 2003-2007, he was the guitar player for Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.

Terry Baucom—Banjo player who has performed in such groups as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, Lou Reid, Terry Baucom and Carolina among others. Terry recently got his own model of banjo with the Deering Banjo Company.

Steve Gulley—Vocalist/guitar player with Grasstowne; co-writer, with Tim Stafford, of the Song Of The Year at the International Bluegrass Music Association's award show, "Thru The Window Of A Train".

Kim Fox—A member of 3 Fox Drive, Kim is an accomplished vocalist and songwriter and past winner of the Chris Austin Songwriting Competition Award at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC.

Rob Ickes—A member of Blue Highway, Rob is the 10-time IBMA Dobro Player Of The Year and is the most awarded individual player in the history of the IBMA.

Missy Raines—Leader of the group Missy Raines and The New Hip. She is the seven times IBMA "Bass Player of the Year".

Alan Bibey—Mandolin player with the group Grasstowne and 2007 Society For Preservation Of Bluegrass Music Association's Mandolin Player of the Year. He has also performed in groups such as Blueridge and IIIrd Tyme Out.

Mike Compton—Mandolin player with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Plays Bill Monroe-style mandolin "better than just about anybody except for Monroe himself," (Bluegrass Unlimited). He performed on the soundtrack to the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and appeared on the Down from the Mountain tour and album. He was one of the "Soggy Bottom Boys".

Phil Leadbetter—Dobro player with the group Grasstowne who won the 2005 IBMA awards for Dobro Player of the Year and Instrumental Album of the Year ("Slide Rules").

Kenny Smith & Amanda Smith—A husband and wife team with their own group, The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band. In 2003, they won IBMA's Emerging Artist of the Year award. Kenny is a two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year.

Dale Ann Bradley—Has her own band. In 2007 and 2008 she won IBMA's Female Vocalist of the Year award.

Tim Stafford—Guitarist with the group Blue Highway. Tim is also a great songwriter and has songs recorded by many in bluegrass. He, along with Steve Gulley, received the IBMA award for Song of the Year for their collaboration on "Thru The Window of a Train." Tim has also produced several award winning projects.

Don Rigsby - Worked his way through Morehead State University playing music with Charlie Sizemore, emerged onto the national scene as a member of the Bluegrass Cardinals, played with JD Crowe and the New South, and was a member of the award-winning Lonesome River Band. The two-time Grammy nominee and two-time SPGBMA Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year shared two IBMA awards while performing with Longview and sang on a Grammy-winning album by rocker John Fogerty.

Mike Bub—A five-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year who has performed with some of the greats such as Del McCoury Band, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice, Shawn Camp and Vince Gill. Mike is the music director for Pickin'.

Sammy Shelor - member of the Lonesome River Band. 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and won IBMA award for Banjo Player of the Year. (Co-winner in 1996 with Scott Vestal.)

Nicky Sanders - Since 2004 a member and fiddle player for Streep Canyon Rangers who were awarded 2006 IBMA Emerging Artist.

Cindy Baucom—MC for the Jam and host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Knee-Deep In Bluegrass", which is distributed by the John Boy and Billy Radio Network. Her radio show goes out to more than 70 radio stations. She was named the 2005 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Butch Baldassari, We Will Miss You, Friend


Terry and I are sad about the passing of an incredible musician and remarkable gentleman, Butch Baldassari. Our friend, Mike Bub, knew him as well as anyone. His thoughts are below:

Dear Friends,
With heavy heart I am sending this to let you know that good friend and Mandolinist, Butch Baldassari, passed away early this morning at St. Thomas Hospital here in Nashville, TN. Some of you may not be hearing this for the first time today but I wanted let all that are in my email list know just in case. It has been nearly 20 years ago that Butch and I moved to Nashville with Chris Jones and Ward Stout to pursue our musical endeavor in Weary Hearts. I have known Butch since I was probably 15 or 16 and that is just shy of 30 years. We've played alot of music and traveled many miles together before our musical paths took on new directions in the early 90's. He was a great player known for his taste and beautiful tone on the mandolin. He was a sharp businessman, and involved himself in all aspects of the music business as it related to the mandolin: recording artist, session musician & sideman, performer, producer, label owner, arranger, bandleader, booking agent, instrument collector & designer as well as teacher. Butch's music covered alot of varied genre's and he played it all with great ability and respect.
Butch's fight with brain cancer has lasted over a year and a half. Saddened to see him go, I am relieved that he is no longer having to suffer with this terrible and painful disease. His fight has been valiant and inspired due to his wife Sinclair and son Blake at his side the entire way. Keep them in your thoughts as they struggle through these toughest of times.
Rest in peace my friend..
Mike Bub
Nashville, TN

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Article From MyNC.com (Raleigh Show This Thurday)


WAKE COUNTY, N.C.
Raleigh, N.C.—PineCone presents a "Who's Who" collection of bluegrass musicians at Raleigh's Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts for one night only: January 8, 2009. Almost 20 artists, including Rob McCoury, Terry Baucom, Jason Carter, Steve Gulley, Kim Fox, Rob Ickes, Missy Raines, Alan Bibey, Mike Compton, Phil Leadbetter, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Tim Stafford, Mike Bub, Michael Cleveland, and Josh Williams, will perform in a song circle format during this special program. Come join PineCone and host Cindy Baucom (deejay for the nationally syndicated radio show Knee Deep in Bluegrass) for an unforgettable night showcasing some of the best of bluegrass music!

The event "Pickin'—A Bluegrass Allstar Jam" was started in 2006 at the Paramount Center in Bristol, Tennessee. The show's idea was to bring some of the best pickers and singers from the bluegrass genre to the Paramount to perform in a jam type setting. Each artist appearing would bring two songs to the event and, among the other artists appearing, they could choose who they wanted to appear on their selections. If they did not have a preference as to who appeared with them, the music coordinator arranged the selection. There was an emcee who introduced the song selection and the performers as they appeared on stage. The artists would then speak to the crowd and perhaps give their reasons for their song selections or related stories.

After an increasingly successful three-year run at the Paramount, this is the show's first year on the road. Tickets are $20-$30 for PineCone members and $25-$35 for the public. Tickets can be ordered by calling the PineCone box office at 919-664-8302, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by visiting the Progress Energy Center box office on Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh. The show will be in Meymandi Concert Hall at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009.

About the artists participating:

Michael Cleveland—a Louisville, Kentucky native, has been blind from birth and began fiddling at the age of four. He is the six-time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year. In 2006 he won IBMA award for Instrumental Album of the Year ("Let'Er Go Boys!"). His group Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper won the 2007 and 2008 IBMA awards for Instrumental Group of the Year.

Josh Williams—a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist on fiddle/mandolin/guitar who recently won the 2008 IBMA Guitar Player of the Year. He currently fronts the Josh Williams Band, and from 2003-2007 he was the guitar player for Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.

Rob McCoury—Son of Del MCCoury and banjo player in the Del MCCoury Band, the most awarded band in the history of bluegrass music.

Jason Carter—Member of the Del MCCoury Band and a three-time winner of "Fiddle Player of the Year" at IBMA.

Terry Baucom—Banjo player who has performed in such groups as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, Lou Reid, Terry Baucom and Carolina among others. Terry recently got his own model of banjo with the Deering Banjo Company.

Steve Gulley—Vocalist/guitar player with Grasstowne. Co-writer, with Tim Stafford, of the Song Of The Year at the International Bluegrass Music Association's award show, "Thru The Window Of A Train."

Kim Fox—A member of 3 Fox Drive, Kim is an accomplished vocalist and songwriter and past winner of the Chris Austin Songwriting Competition Award at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC.

Rob Ickes—A member of Blue Highway, Rob is the 10-time IBMA Dobro Player Of The Year and is the most awarded individual player in the history of the IBMA.

Missy Raines—Leader of the group Missy Raines and The New Hip. She is the seven times IBMA "Bass Player of the Year."

Alan Bibey—Mandolin player with the group Grasstown and 2007 Society For Preservation Of Bluegrass Music Association's Mandolin Player of the Year. Has also performed in groups such as Blueridge and IIIrd Tyme Out.

Mike Compton—Mandolin player with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Plays Bill Monroe-style mandolin "better than just about anybody except for Monroe himself," (Bluegrass Unlimited). He performed on the soundtrack to the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and appeared on the Down from the Mountain tour and album. He was one of the "Soggy Bottom Boys."

Phil Leadbetter—Dobro player with the group Grasstowne who won the 2005 IBMA awards for DobroTM Player of the Year and Instrumental Album of the Year ("Slide Rules").

Kenny Smith & Amanda Smith—A husband and wife team with their own group, The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band. In 2003, they won IBMA's Emerging artist of the Year award. Kenny is a two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year.

Dale Ann Bradley—Has her own band. In 2007 and 2008 she won IBMA's Female Vocalist of the Year award.

Tim Stafford—Guitarist with the group Blue Highway. Tim is also a great songwriter and has songs recorded by many in bluegrass. He, along with Steve Gulley, received the IBMA award for Song of the Year for their "Thru The Window of a Train." Tim has also produced several award winning projects.

Mike Bub—A five-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year who has performed with some of the greats such as Del McCoury Band, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice, Shawn Camp and Vince Gill. Mike is the music director for Pickin'.

Cindy Baucom—MC for the Jam and host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Knee-Deep In Bluegrass," which is distributed by the John Boy and Billy Radio Network and goes out to more than 70 radio stations. She was named the 2005 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year.