Back Porch Bluegrass

This week’s show has a rather diverse collection of early ‘classic’ bluegrass, jazzy numbers, Christmas carols, brand new NZ bluegrass, archival NZ bluegrass and stories about NZ baches. Always something to like. You can listen to Claire Lynch, Jerry Douglas, Larry Sparks, Tony Trischka, Jimmy Martin, the Petersens, Ricky Skaggs and NZ’s ‘You, Me, Everybody’ and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas packed with classic Bluegrass - enjoy this festive repeat episode from 24-12-2019.

Many of the selections in this show come from ‘compilation’ albums, featuring tracks from performers that I don’t have in my general collection. As always, there’s some great picking and singing, from the likes of Ricky Skaggs, reno & Smiley, Arthur Smith, the Witcher Brothers, Hot Rize, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and Charlie Sizemore. The Trenwiths get a song into the mix, as do old favourites the Seldom Scene, and I feature two tracks off an LP I just found in a local OpShop, from Joe Stuart – one of Bill Monroe’s most reliable Blue Grass Boys.

Quite a few of the selections on this show have an ‘old-timey’ feel to them, making it all sound very relaxed. Mark Johnson & Emory Lester get us started after a burst of ‘Sunburst’, then Nothing Fancy, Chad Manning, Dix Bruce and Jim Nunally and Raymond McLain all contribute. The Johnson Boys do a brief ‘set’, Bob Baker sings a song his Mum taught him, and the Barefoot Nellies play a tune in the Amnesia pub in San Francisco. Merle Haggard sings a Jimmie Rodgers favourite, Bill Emerson picks a foxy tune, and Caroline Jones and the Trenwiths do a very bluegrassy version of a Christmas song. We’re definitely into December!

Selections from banjo man Butch Robins, the Bluegrass Album Band, Bobby Hicks, and the Foggy Hogtown Boys. Bill Monroe, Doc Watson feature with ‘live’ recordings, and Caroline Jones does a Christmas song with the Trenwiths. A song from ‘Oh Brother’, and one from the Petersens. Lots to like.