One of the delights of being a DJ on this wonderful station, quite apart from the great guys I work with, is the opportunity to sometimes pick up a stream at times when the schedule is a little lightly loaded with DJs and just do your own thing..within genre reason of course.
Living in England, such opportunities are easier for me as the schedules, reasonably, tend to fit round an American day and evening, so in my afternoon there are a few opportunities to grab a stream and broadcast.
And this has given me the chance to indulge my love of American country music over the last few weeks..and particularly bluegrass. I do try to mix my material even in my impromptu shows as I realise not all country listeners have the same enthusiasm for bluegrass music that I do.(despite DJ Jazzy joking yesterday that I should have called the show 'DJ Alex's Bluegrass Wednesday')
But I just wanted to plug it - and a few of the bands I currently like within the genre. There are so many good bluegrass outfits around now and I'll do a brief list of my current favourites:- (cites are from 'Wikipedia')
The CherryholmesCherryholmes is a bluegrass music group consisting of members of the Cherryholmes family, including father Jere Cherryholmes and wife Sandy Lee and their kids, Cia Leigh, BJ, Skip, and Molly Kate. They are all self taught and amazingly have been nominated for Bluegrass album of the year three times in a brief six years. They come from Nashville...surprise surprise :)
The Infamous StringdustersThe Infamous Stringdusters are a bluegrass band. The band emerged in 2007 with the acclaimed album, Fork in the Road on Sugar Hill Records. The various members of the band all have résumés that include numerous notables that they've worked with in the past. The band's current line-up features: Andy Hall (Dobro), Andy Falco (guitar), Chris Pandolfi (banjo), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Jesse Cobb (mandolin), and Travis Book (upright bass).[1] Falco is the newest member, filling the role vacated by guitarist Chris Eldridge (son of Ben Eldridge and later a touring partner with Chris Thile).
The Infamous Stringdusters won three awards at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards Ceremony in October 2007. They came away with the award for Emerging Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Fork in the Road (in a tie with J.D. Crowe & the New South's album Lefty's Old Guitar), and Song of the Year for the album's title cut.[2]
Del McCouryDel is hardly a newcomer but still one of my favourite outfits. Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939 in Bakersville, North Carolina) is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively
Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain BoysCompared to Ralph Stanley, however, Del McCoury at 70 is a kid in short pants. Ralph Stanley (born February 25, 1927), also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is a legendary American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing. He formed the Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946 and his music formed part of the score of the wonderful Coen Brothers 'O Brother, where art thou?'
Ricky SkaggsHas played bluegrass since he was a kid and at the age of six played mandolin on stage with the legendary Bill Monroe. Ricky's list of Grammy awards and awards from the International Bluegrass Association are impressive. He currently has a band called Kentucky Thunder.
Nashville Bluegrass BandThe Nashville Bluegrass Band is an American bluegrass music ensemble founded in 1984.
The group's members first played together in 1984 as a backing band for Vernon Oxford and Minnie Pearl; each of the members were established musicians from the Nashville bluegrass community. They signed to Rounder Records and recorded their Béla Fleck-produced debut, My Native Home, in 1985. Incorporating elements of black gospel and spirituals, then a rarity in bluegrass, they became critical and popular successes both in America and abroad. The group toured in some 20 countries and were the first bluegrass band to ever play in China.[1]
So if you like country music in ALL its shades..and particularly Bluegrass...I try and grab the stream either on Wednesday or Thursdays at around 10.30 am Hot Trax Time. If you'd like to listen in I always drop an IM round to everyone on the HotTrax Country buddy list...so please keep an eye open and I'll try and play you some great music.
