Friday, March 30, 2012

Earl Scruggs, BANJO Man!

Folks, I tried to come up with a clever title for this, but I think it is said best to simply state that Earl Scruggs was THE banjo man.  I wanted to write something poignant about Earl Scruggs, but upon receiving an email from The Laughing Penguin Publicity Agency, with a heartfelt letter to all of us from Kristen Scott Benson, anything I might try to say would sound hollow.  So, now, I have attached, in it's entirety this wonderful essay from Kristen.  Read it and then wait a day or so and then come back and really read it.  It is a letter filled with awe and love for a man all five string banjo enthusiasts owe their very lifeblood to, Earl Scruggs!Kristen Scott Benson  accepting the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) fro Banjo Player of the Year 2011.  Her fourth consecutive win!The

"Thoughts on the Passing of Earl Scruggs from Kristin Scott Benson;
4-time winner, IBMA Banjo Player of the Year award and member of the multi-award winning band, The Grascals

Like everyone else that loves bluegrass music and the banjo, I was saddened to hear the news of Earl Scruggs' passing.  Terry Smith, bass player with The Grascals, called me at my parents' house in South Carolina to give me the news.  Though I didn't know him well, I immediately felt a void because his life has had so much impact on mine.  In fact, anyone that plays traditional 3-finger, bluegrass banjo (which is almost every banjo player in the world) owes their craft to Earl Scruggs.  Even the players that unfortunately haven't listened to him first-hand, should understand that their primary influence is still Earl Scruggs. 

Bluegrass banjo playing is odd.  The goal, in many ways, is to replicate the past.  For many listeners, and players alike, your worth as a bluegrass banjo player is gauged by how closely you can emulate what Earl did back in the late 1940s, 50s, and 60s.  I'm not aware of any other instrument, in any other genre of music, that places such a strong emphasis on recreating the past.  Perhaps it is because Earl set the standard so high, that it is quite simply impossible to reach or surpass.  This is what sets the rest of us on a lifelong pursuit with the beloved instrument that Earl Scruggs introduced to the masses. 

The banjo is amazing, capable of doing whatever the player can imagine.  Earl understood this, as well as anyone.  While there is debate over whether he was the very first person to use the 3-finger style, he is certainly the man that brought it to the forefront, in his intricately, refined way.  Listen to players like Bela Fleck or Noam Pikelny, and you will get a glimpse of what the banjo can do, in any arena.  I am sure that Earl celebrated the banjo's journey into every musical environment because he, too, was an innovator that loved the instrument itself, not just its role within a bluegrass band.  The banjo is bigger than that.  Within the bluegrass world, however, the truth is that banjo playing hasn't changed that much.  It has evolved, for sure, but many people regard that evolution as "watered-down" Scruggs style. I celebrate all things banjo, but the older I get, the more I understand their sentiment.  You learn these cool, new things and you are enthralled with awesome players of recent years, yet when you go back and listen to Earl, the purity and perfection of his playing still stands taller than the rest, all these years later.  I would encourage players that haven't spent time with his music to go back and do the work to understand why his mark is so indelible.  Music is art; art is subjective, and creativity is the lifeblood of it all, but there are "right" and "wrong" ways to play bluegrass banjo.  You just can't get around it, even if you disagree or wish it wasn't that way.  And the "right" way, most would agree, is Earl's way.  Eventually, we all figure out we will never be able to sound like him, so we create and settle for our own niche, but Earl is the foundation that supports us all.

Finally, I am very thankful for a couple of personal moments with Earl Scruggs.  The first was having my grandfather, who was a professional musician and friend of Earl's, introduce me to him, at a show at Gardner Webb University in NC.  I was very young and had never considered playing the banjo yet, but I clearly remember it.  I realized it was a special opportunity, even then.  I treasure the second encounter, even more.  Sonny Osborne used to host parties at his house.  He would have a bass and guitar player, and the rest of the musicians all played the banjo!  The special guest was usually Earl Scruggs and Sonny was kind enough to invite me to one of the gatherings.  For once in my life, I was bold!  I took the seat next to Earl, on Sonny's living room sofa, realizing it was literally the chance of a lifetime.  For hours, I mustered up the courage to play alongside the greatest banjo player that ever lived.  I will forever be indebted to Sonny Osborne for that experience and I will forever be indebted to Earl Scruggs for creating what we all enjoy as Bluegrass Banjo Playing.  It has defined my life.

Kristin Scott Benson

March 29, 2012"

"NUFF SAID!"

Friday, March 23, 2012

The "Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment" (VMRE) is presenting Four live concerts this Spring

This is the first of FIVE brand new posting to my blog today!  There are four more, so keep on scrolling down to read each of them.

The second posting is about the Sierra Hull & Highway 111 concert coming up on March 31st at the Kenbridge Community Center.  Don't be an APRIL FOOL and miss this one!

The third posting is about the Dark Star Orchestra with special guest Jesse McReynolds coming up on May 17th, 2012 at the Pocahontas State Park as part of the "Pocahontas Live" Concert Series,

The fourth posting is about Delbert McClinton appearing live at Powhatan Village in Powhatan, VA on June 1st at 6:30 PM as part of the "Powhatan Live" Concert Series.

The fifth and last posting of the day concerns the appearance of the legendary rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd ay Hooper Park in Crewe, VA on May 11th at 7:00PM as part of the "Virginia Crossroads Live"  Concert Series.

Please read all of my postings and attend as many of the shows as you can.  Hey, I know most of these shows are very far removed from Bluegrass.  But, as i stated in several of my posts, The "Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment" as part of WSVS Radio AM 800 present Bluegrass every weekday between the hours of 3 and 6 PM and also present an hour of live Bluegrass (usually) at 12PM on Saturdays.  As long as these two entities present Bluegrass music as part of their programming I shall support them in any way I can.  And so should you!

Read on!!!!!

"NUFF SAID!"

The "Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment" (VMRE) partnering with Lunenburg County Schools Presents and Evening with SIERRA HULL & HIGHWAY 111 on Saturday, March 31st, 2012 at The Kenbridge Community Center

Okay, the VMRE is presenting a lot of concerts over and throughout the spring, but this is the only one, so far, that is truly a Bluegrass event.  The lovely and vivacious Sierra Hull with her group Highway 111 will present an evening of Bluegrass and acoustic music.  sierra, now just 20 years old, has been performing professionally for six years and has only gotten better with each passing year.

  Sierra performing as part of the IBMA Awards in Nashville, September 2011.

I hope this picture along with my strong recommendation will influence you to attend this show.

It's on Saturday March 31st!  Don't be an APRIL FOOL and miss this one!!!

Advance tickets for $10.00 each are still available.  please call: 434-645-7734 to reserve "will call" tickets right now!  Tickets, if still available will be sold at the door for $14 each.  Hope to see you there!

"NUFF SAID!"

The "Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment" (VMRE) presents the DARK STAR ORCHESTRA with special guest JESSE McREYNOLDS as part of the "Pocahontas Live" concert Series at Pocahontas State Park on Thursday, May 17th @ 6:30PM

Yes, another very long headline , but I gotta get it all in there!  I don't know how many of you have been to the amphitheater at Pocahontas State Park, but I must tell you it is an under-utilized and wonderful concert location.  Take a lawn chair or a blanket or sit in the provided bleachers; any way you choose this is a great place to hear live music.  From reading Penny Parsons press release, which I shall provide, I know that the Dark Star Orchestra was formed after the death of Jerry Garcia and presents Grateful Dead music as nearly as possible as it was originally done.  As an added treat Bluegrass Great Jesse McReynolds will guest star, performing songs form his Grateful Dead project.  Hey, don't listen to me, read Penny Parsons email representing the VMRE as Media Contact and member of the Board of Directors.

"On Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 6:30 PM the Virginia Museum of Radio
Entertainment is pleased to present Grateful Dead tribute band DARK
STAR ORCHESTRA at Pocahontas State Park, 10301 State Park Rd,
Chesterfield, VA.  Bluegrass legend JESSE McREYNOLDS will make a
special guest appearance with DSO, performing several songs from his
"Songs of the Grateful Dead" CD, released in 2010.  Pocahontas State
Park is just a few miles southeast of Richmond, and is easily
accessible from Highway 360 or Interstate 95.  Tickets are $16.50
advance/$20.00 at the door, available through
www.ticketstobuy.com.  
For more information, visit:
www.pocahontaslive.com

For eleven years Dark Star Orchestra has presented its critically
acclaimed live show at esteemed venues all over the world.  Dark Star
Orchestra's concerts are built off the extensive catalog of the
Grateful Dead. On any given night the band will perform a show based on
a set list from the Dead's 30 years of extensive touring, or use the
Dead's catalog of songs to create a unique set list for that show. 
Grateful Dead classics are performed in the same way that an orchestra
interprets music of classical composers.   Precision is king with DSO;
the band members adapt their stage positioning, vocal arrangements,
specific musical equipment and instruments to fit the era of the show
they are performing. Following each performance the band announces the
date and venue of the original Grateful Dead performance.


The band's determined commitment to "raising the Dead" has drawn
national media attention.  Rolling Stone praised their "fanatical
attention to detail."  The Washington Post called them  "...the hottest
Grateful Dead tribute act. A cover band for people who don't like cover
bands."  Critics aren't the only ones singing Dark Star Orchestra's
praises. Five original members of the Grateful Dead have played
alongside DSO.  Vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux-McKay, a  frequent guest,
says, "Playing with Dark Star Orchestra feels just exactly like it felt
when I was playing with the Grateful Dead!"

Bluegrass legend Jesse McReynolds began his career in the late 1940s,
alongside his brother Jim.  Jim & Jesse made their first recordings in
1952, and became members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1964.  They were
inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 1993
and received a National Heritage Award at the White House in 1997. 
Though Jim passed away in 2002, Jesse has continued to perform, and
this year he celebrates 65 years in music.  He has always been known as
an innovator, having created his own unique and intricate style of
mandolin playing now referred to as "the McReynolds style."
Jim & Jesse frequently pushed the boundaries of bluegrass and country
music by incorporating material from other genres into their
repertoire.  Now Jesse has gone a step further, by recording an entire
album of Grateful Dead covers, with a group of musical friends
including David Nelson and Stu Allen!   "Songs of the Grateful Dead"
was released in 2010, and in November of that year Jesse made a
surprise guest appearance with Dark Star Orchestra at a concert in
Nashville.  Over the last two years he has performed at numerous Jerry
Garcia tributes, alongside such artists as David Nelson and New Riders
of the Purple Sage.  The May 17 concert at Pocahontas State Park will
be Jesse's second guest appearance with Dark Star Orchestra, and is
sure to be a special event, for the musicians as well as the audience!


The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment (VMRE) is a non-profit
501(c)3 organization based in Crewe, Virginia.  The mission of the VMRE
is to archive, sustain, and perpetuate roots-based American music, and
to enhance public awareness of central Virginia's rich musical
heritage.  In addition, the VMRE partners with school systems in
several counties, presenting special programs to educate students about
music business.  Since its formation in 2010, the VMRE has hosted
concerts with some of the top names in acoustic music, including Riders
in the Sky, Sierra Hull, Curly Seckler with The Steep Canyon Rangers,
and The Quebe Sisters.  This year the VMRE has  expanded its concert
series to include several new and bigger venues!  Visit: www.vmre.org
to see a list of venues and upcoming events.


The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment welcomes donations, which
are tax deductible, and may be made on our web site or sent to: VMRE,
PO Box 607, Crewe, VA 23930.  For more information about the VMRE or
for concert information, call: 434-645-7734.
Like us on Facebook at: The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment"

"NUFF SAID!"

The "Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment" (VMRE) Presents, in person, DELBERT McCLINTON as part of the "Powhatan Live" Concert Series on Friday, June 1st, 2012, @ 6:30PM in Powhatan Village

As stated in other columns, as long as WSVS and the VMRE support and presents Bluegrass music as part of the daily programming at WSVS AM 800, I shall support any endeavor they may take to support themselves.  I must be completely honest at tell you I know nothing whatsoever about Delbert McClinton, therefore, I shall let you get your information from an email posting sent to me from Penny Parsons, member of the Board of Directors and the Media Contact for the VMRE.  Her email appears below in italics.

"On Friday, June 1, 2012 at 6:30 PM the Virginia Museum of Radio
Entertainment, in partnership with the Powhatan Chamber of Commerce, is
pleased to present DELBERT McCLINTON at Powhatan Village in Powhatan,
Virginia.   This is the inaugural concert in the VMRE's brand new
POWHATAN LIVE series!
Powhatan is about 20 miles west of Richmond, just off Highway 60, and
is easily accessible from Interstates 64 and 95.  Tickets are only
$12.50 advance/$15.00 at the door, available through
www.ticketstobuy.com.  For more information, visit:
www.powhatanlive.com


The quintessential Texas blues rocker singer/songwriter, Delbert
McClinton has known few genre boundaries during his more than five
decade-spanning career. Born in Lubbock (hometown of such other musical
notables as Buddy Holly and Joe Ely), McClinton came of age in the Fort
Worth joints.  He received his musical education playing harmonica with
The Straightjackets, the house band at a local R&B club, backing
artists such as Jimmy Reed, Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Boy Williamson. 
McClinton first became known for his outstanding harmonica skills and
reportedly gave John Lennon a few lessons in the early '60s.


With the release of his 1975 solo debut, Victim of Life's
Circumstances, McClinton firmly stamped his Fort Worth-bred blend of
blues, country and blue-eyed soul onto the pop musical landscape.  In
1980, McClinton scored the top 10 hit “Giving It Up For Your Love,”
which pushed the accompanying Capitol album, The Jealous Kind, into the
national Top 40.   In 1991, he won his first Grammy Award for his vocal
collaboration with Bonnie Raitt on “Good Man, Good Woman” (from Raitt’s
Luck Of The Draw).  After spending the late ‘80s and ‘90s cutting
consistently powerful albums for Alligator, Curb, Mercury, and MCA,
McClinton arrived at New West Records in 2001.  He has since won two
Grammy Awards in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category, for 
Nothing Personal in 2001 and Cost of Living in 2005.  The long list of
artists who have covered McClinton's original songs includes Emmylou
Harris, The Blues Brothers, Vince Gill, Wynonna, Lee Roy Parnell,
Martina McBride, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.


McClinton, one of the greatest American vocalists, released his
thirteenth studio album, Acquired Taste, in 2009.  It is a juke joint
blend of country soul, infused with blues, rock and jazz.  The
reflective lyrics provide one of the wisest and most introspective
albums of the Texas roots music legend’s musical career.  “I’m an
acquired taste in that my kind of music’s not for little kids,”
McClinton says. “It’s adult rock ‘n’ roll. I write from the sensibility
of the people I knew growing up, and I grew up with all the heathens,
the people who went too far before they changed and tried to make
something out of their lives. There are a lot of beautiful colors and
sad stories and much-deserved joy in that.”


The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment (VMRE) is a non-profit
501(c)3 organization based in Crewe, Virginia.  The mission of the VMRE
is to archive, sustain, and perpetuate roots-based American music, and
to enhance public awareness of central Virginia's rich musical
heritage.  In addition, the VMRE partners with school systems in
several counties, presenting special programs to educate students about
music business.  Since its formation in 2010, the VMRE has hosted
concerts with some of the top names in acoustic music, including Riders
in the Sky, Sierra Hull, Curly Seckler with The Steep Canyon Rangers,
and The Quebe Sisters.  This year the VMRE has  expanded its concert
series to include an even greater variety of music in several new and
bigger venues!  Visit: www.vmre.org to see a list of venues and
upcoming events.


The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment welcomes donations, which
are tax deductible, and may be made on our web site or sent to: VMRE,
PO Box 607, Crewe, VA 23930.  For more information about the VMRE or
for concert information, call: 434-645-7734.
Like us on Facebook at: The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment
."

"NUFF SAID!"

The "Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment" (VMRE) presents as part of the "Virginia Crossroads, Live, Concert Series" LYNYRD SKYNYRD at Hooper Park, Crewe, VA - Friday, May 11th, 2012 @ 7:00PM

Hey!  That's a huge and long Headline, but I wanted to get it all in.  Now, I know that Lynyrd Skynyrd is not Bluegrass, but be it known to all who read this that WSVS Radio AM 800 is the physical location of the VMRE and they play three hours of Bluegrass every day between 3 and 6 PM and also produce a live one hour show each Saturday as part of the "High Noon Hoe-Down,".  As long as WSVS and the VMRE support Bluegrass as they do now, they will have my support, no matter what the musical style or venue. 

I want to inform you that ticket sales fir Lynyrd Skynyrd began today, Friday March 23rd, 2012.  Tickets are $25 in advance and only 8 tickets will be sold to any one individual.  My understanding is that sales are running along briskly today, so hurry and get your tickets ASAP!  The following information, in italics,  was provided to me via email from Penny Parsons, a member of the Board of Directors for the VMRE.

"On Friday, May 11, 2012 at 7:00 PM the Virginia Museum of Radio
Entertainment is pleased to present iconic rock band LYNYRD SKYNYRD at
Hooper Park, on Highway 460 West in Crewe, VA.    Tickets are $25.00
advance, $30.00 at the door, and $45.00 for Gold Circle seating.  They
are available through
www.ticketstobuy.com and at select Benchmark Bank
locations.  TICKETS ARE LIMITED, SO ORDER EARLY!  For more information,
visit: www.virginiacrossroadslive.com

With a catalog of over 60 albums and sales of over 30 million, Lynyrd
Skynyrd remains a cultural icon that appeals to all generations.  Known
for its driving, hard-edged live performances and signature hits
including "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," and "Gimme Three Steps,"
the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
Beyond the history, the raging guitars and the killer songs,
ultimately, Lynyrd Skynyrd is about an indomitable will.  It's about
survival of spirit - unbowed, uniquely American, stubbornly resolute. 
Driven by core members Gary Rossington (guitar), Johnny Van Zant
(vocals) and Rickey Medlocke (guitar), along with longtime drummer
Michael Cartellone, Lynyrd Skynyrd very much lives up to the legacy
begun some 38 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida, and halted for a
decade by the 1977 plane crash that killed three band members,
including Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines.  Since then, the band
tragically lost Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson, Hughie Thomasson,
founding member/keyboardist Billy Powell and longtime bassist Ean Evans
- yet they rock on.


In 2008-2009, Lynyrd Skynyrd teamed with noted rock producer Bob
Marlette and guitarist John 5, drew from a wealth of material written
by the band and a cadre of elite Skynyrd-minded songwriters, and a
remarkable album emerged.  With a backbone of Southern rock and
country, passionate Van Zant vocals, and trademark layered guitars,
"God & Guns" manages to maintain the iconic Skynyrd punch while
sounding completely contemporary.  It is an album laden with attitude,
heart and purpose.


This is a band well aware of the responsibility that comes with putting
the name ‘Lynyrd Skynyrd’ on anything, be it an album or a concert. “We
feel like we have to keep the standards high,” says Rossington. Van
Zant adds. “We love the music. We have to make a living, sure, but it’s
about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and what it stands for, what the
fans are all about. There’s nothing like getting out there playing a
great show with Skynyrd and seeing people love this music.”


Don't miss your chance to rock out with the legendary LYNYRD SKYNYRD on
May 11 in Crewe, Virginia!  Your ticket purchase will help to sustain
important community service programs.  The VMRE thanks Lynyrd Skynyrd
for supporting our mission!


The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment (VMRE) is a non-profit
501(c)3 organization based in Crewe, Virginia.  The mission of the VMRE
is to archive, sustain, and perpetuate roots-based American music, and
to enhance public awareness of central Virginia's rich musical
heritage.  The VMRE works with public service agencies, including
Virginia State Parks and Virginia's Retreat marketing group, to provide
educational programs and promote tourism in the region.  In addition,
the VMRE partners with school systems in several counties, presenting
special programs to educate students about music business.  Since its
formation in 2010, the VMRE has hosted concerts with some of the top
names in acoustic music.  This year the VMRE has  expanded its concert
series to include an even greater variety of music in several new and
bigger venues!  Visit: www.vmre.org to see a list of venues and
upcoming events.


The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment welcomes donations, which
are tax deductible, and may be made on our web site or sent to: VMRE,
PO Box 607, Crewe, VA 23930.  For more information about the VMRE or
for concert information, call: 434-645-7734.
Like us on Facebook at: The Virginia Museum of Radio Entertainment"

"NUFF SAID!"