Knee-Deep Guests: Tom T. & Dixie Hall

What a pleasure it was for Terry and I to get to visit Fox Hollow at the home of Tom T. Hall and his lovely wife, Miss Dixie. We were greeted at the door by Tom T. who welcomed us. He gave us a tour of the recording studio and the writing room, then we settled in at the kitchen table for some wonderful conversation, which I recorded for Knee-Deep In Bluegrass. The contributions these two folks have made to Bluegrass and Country music could not even begin to be covered in just a two hour show, but we hit the high spots as best we could. And I'll have to say, of all my 25+ years in radio, sitting down with artists for interviews, this was right up at the top for me. A big thank you to the Halls for an evening to remember...and a memorable show for Knee-Deep In Bluegrass listeners, I am sure! ~CB

Knee-Deep PLAYLIST

(Hour One)

Everytime-Grascals
Dream of Me-Josh Williams
Teddy Bear Revival-Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

(Bluegrass News)

How Could I Love Her So Much-Darren Beachley & Legends of the Potomac
Unfaithful One-Bluegrass Album Band
Look Down That Lonesome Road-Tim O'Brien
My Whole World-Lou Reid & Carolina

I Had But Fifty Cents-Ricky Skaggs
Roll On Buddy, Roll On-Sam Bush with Del McCoury
Who's Gonna Love You Tonight-McPeak Brothers
The Gospel Train-Mountain Heart

(Vintage Vault): BILL MONROE
Walk Softly On This Heart of Mine
Put My Little Shoes Away

(Hour Two)

Call The Captain-Steep Canyon Rangers
Over My Head-Dale Ann Bradley

(Knee-Deep Spotlight): GRASCALS
The Famous Lefty Flynn's / I'm Blue and Lonesome (with Hank Williams, Jr)
Last Train To Clarksville

Warm Kentucky Sunshine-Adam Steffey with Alison Krauss
Long Hard Road-Scott Napier with Marty Raybon
Farm of Yesterday-Gibson Brothers

(Concert Cuts) from The Stage of Merlefest
Sittin' On Top of the World-Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs and Friends

Mountain Girl-Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers

THANKS for listening!~CB

Knee-Deep In The Grascals!

I recently visited with the Grascals on their Mobil DelVac Tour Bus and interviewed the band for Knee-Deep In Bluegrass. Their latest CD on Rounder Records is "The Famous Lefty Flynn's".~CB

KNEE-DEEP Playlist

(Hour One)

Toy Heart---Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Six White Horses---Jeff White
Trail of Sorrow---Lost & Found

(Bluegrass News)

Last Train To Clarksville---Grascals
Light On My Feet, Ready To Fly---Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
World of Forgotten People---Osborne Brothers
There Ain't No Easy Street---Steep Canyon Rangers

Old Brown County Barn---Michael Cleveland
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For---Dale Ann Bradley
Rambers Blues---Kenny & Amanda Smith Band
This Must Be The Bottom---Randy Kohrs

(Vintage Vault): Original Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
On The Sea of Life / A Beautiful Life

(Hour Two)

What's Good For You---Jeremy Garrett
Momma Preached and Daddy Plowed---Ernie Thacker

(Knee-Deep Spotlight): MIKE COMPTON
I Felt The Chill---Elvis Costello & The Sugar Canes
Pretty Red Lips---Nashville Bluegrass Band

Carolina's Arms---Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Waiting For The Boys To Come Home---Country Gentlemen
Can't Stop Now---New Grass Revival
10 Miles To Deep Gap---Jack Lawrence

(Concert Cuts) Recorded Live at the M A C C
The Healing Kind---Ronnie Bowman / Some Old Side Road-3 Fox Drive

I've Seen Enough of What's Behind Me---Melonie Cannon

THANKS for listening!~CB

It's Time For WILLOW OAK in Roxboro, NC

A beautiful park... a great line-up of talent... a promoter dedicated to continuing a tradition of quality Bluegrass Music in the Piedmont of North Carolina... I look forward to serving as one of the emcees on Saturday. My husband, Terry, will be performing with The Mashville Brigade. Bluegrass Fans: COME JOIN US! www.willowoakpark.com has all the details~CB

THURSDAY APRIL 22, 2010

2:00 PM
Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain

3:00 PM
Grasstowne

4:00 PM
NewFound Road

5:00 PM
The James King Band

SUPPER BREAK

7:00 PM
Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain

8:00 PM
Grasstowne

9:00 PM
NewFound Road

10:00 PM
The James King Band

CAMPGROUND PICKING!!

FRIDAY APRIL 23, 2010
12:00 PM
The Hagars Mountain Boys

1:00 PM
Constant Change

2:00 PM
Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice

3:00 PM
Lou Reid & Carolina

4:00 PM
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

SUPPER BREAK

6:00 PM
The Hagars Mountain Boys

7:00 PM
Constant Change

8:00 PM
Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice

9:00 PM
Lou Reid & Carolina

10:00 PM
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

CAMPGROUND PICKING!!

SATURDAY APRIL 24, 2010

12:00 PM
Deeper Shade of Blue

1:00 PM
Big Country Bluegrass Band

2:00 PM
Mashville Brigade

3:00 PM
Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass

4:00 PM
Marty Raybon & Full Circle

SUPPER BREAK

6:00 PM
Deeper Shade of Blue

7:00 PM
Big Country Bluegrass Band

8:00 PM
Mashville Brigade

9:00 PM
Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass

10:00 PM
Marty Raybon & Full Circle

CAMPGROUND PICKING!!

Contact: Mike Wilson mike@WillowOakPark.com 4060-M Harper Trail, Burlington, NC 27215

Born On A Special Day

I was born on a special day in 1965. Everybody's birthday is special, but what makes April 17th so special to me, is the fact that I was born on my Dad's birthday. He always said he received a special present that year. We would celebrate our birthdays together each year, usually with a nice meal somewhere. When I was younger, my grandmother would fix a nice birthday dinner for us, complete with chocolate pie. Later on, we would meet on our birthday, with the family, and enjoy seafood or steak. Grandma's chocolate pie wasn't there, but we would substitute birthday cake or something else less tasty than that wonderful pie. This is the first birthday in 45 years without him. I miss him terribly, but cherish memories of a wonderful childhood and all the great music we shared. My cousin, Tripp, also has an April 17th birthday, as well as two wonderful friends-Myra Phillips and Uwe Kruger. One year at the birthday dinner, we even ran into The Kruger Brothers, who were celebrating Uwe's birthday at the same restaurant. As I have another birthday, I want to spend it honoring the memory of the best Dad in the world, Jim Brooks.~CB

This Weekend's Guest on Knee-Deep In Bluegrass, MIKE COMPTON

Tune in to this week's Knee-Deep In Bluegrass on an affiliate near you to hear an interview with mandolin player, Mike Compton. Mike is busy touring and recording with Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes and The Nashville Bluegrass Band. Join us for lively conversation and Compton mandolin music on this week's Knee-Deep In Bluegrass. And, as always, THANKS for listening!~CB

More About Mike Compton


Mandolinist extraordinaire Mike Compton was born in 1956 in Meridian, Mississippi, hometown of Jimmie Rodgers. He was exposed to music at an early age and received his first mandolin at the age of fifteen. Mike moved to Nashville in 1977 and for the next several years played with legendary North Carolina banjoist Hubert Davis and the Season Travelers.

In 1985 he was recruited for the Nashville Bluegrass Band and during his initial stint in the group (1985-1989), he appeared on the four albums that first brought the band to prominence. After a year of working in the Catskill Mountains, Mike returned to Nashville and began playing with John Hartford in the Hartford String Band, a fertile association that continued until John's death in 2001.

In the fall of 2000, after a tour of the Southwest with David Grier, Mike was offered his mandolin slot with Nashville Bluegrass Band and he didn't hesitate to rejoin. The band has won two Grammy Awards, two "Entertainer of the Year" honors from the International Bluegrass Music Association, and four IBMA Vocal Group of the Year titles. A perennial MerleFest favorite; their Sunday morning gospel set with Doc Watson is not to be missed.

A prolific composer, Mike has made a powerful mark in the old-time and bluegrass music worlds. His resume includes more than 75 recordings with a virtual "Who's Who" of old-time and bluegrass musicians. Among his credits are the O, Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack, the Songcatcher soundtrack, and the Down From the Mountain CD that followed O, Brother. This year has seen Mike Compton touring with Elvis Costello in support of the rock legend's Secret, Profane, and Sugar Cane CD, produced by T-Bone Burnett and featuring performances by Compton, Stuart Duncan, and Jerry Douglas.

The multiple Grammy Award-winner treasures his memories of a friendship with his mentor, Bill Monroe. John Hartford once said that Mike Compton knows more about Bill Monroe-style mandolin than the "Father of Bluegrass" himself.

Knee-Deep PLAYLIST

Thanks to the Steep Canyon Rangers for joining me in studio for this show. It was a blast! Woody, Charles, Graham, Mike and Nicky shared history of the band, background of the latest CD material and an insight to touring with Steve Martin, among other things. For more information on "Deep In The Shade", visit www.steepcanyon.com or www.rebelrecords.com

(Hour One)

Turn Up The Bottle-Steep Canyon Rangers

The Crow-Steve Martin
I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known-Steep Canyon Rangers

The Famous Lefty Flynn's-Grascals
Thank You World-Dailey & Vincent
Georgia Girl-original Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

(Vintage Vault): CURLY SECKLER
No Mother Or Dad / I'll Go Steppin' Too-Lester Flatt Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys

(Hour Two)

The Mountain's Gonna Sing-Steep Canyon Rangers

I Thought That She Loved Me-Steep Canyon Rangers
There Ain't No Easy Street-Steep Canyon Rangers

Daddy Played The Bano-Steve Martin with Earl Scruggs & Tim O'Brien
I Remember You-Del McCoury Band
Nine Pound Hammer-Ronnie Bowman

Mourning Dove-Steep Canyon Rangers

Hollerin' House-Steep Canyon Rangers

THANKS for listening!~CB

Happy Easter, Everyone

Enjoy my friend, Ronnie Bowman, on a portion of his song, "Three Rusty Nails"