Beer, bluegrass, occasional other stuff
Auld Lang Syne. For Old Times Sake. We’d heard rumors of the impending hiatus, but it had not been announced yet. That was not a factor when we asked Pappy Biondo if he’d be a part of the 12 Days of Bluegrass. We just thought Auld Lang Syne was a song made for the pedal steel and we knew Pap was into playing that contraption he picked up not to long ago. Seems like it[…]
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Here is what our friend Randi Brent Starrett would call a “pro tip” for those attending live shows this weekend, courtesy of Mr. Bob Weir. Seriously, be kind to your neighbors and respectful of the performers. You would never dream of going to a symphony concert and letting out a whoop when the bassoon player hits a high note. You would not sit through the ballet carrying on a conversation with your buddy next to[…]
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Well, this is awkward. You came here expecting to find another original video by an amazing artist, done specially just for the 12 Days of Bluegrass. Of course you did. And why not? After all, that is what we promised when we began this series back on December 20. One a day between then and New Year’s Eve. That was the promise. That was the plan. So we are rather embarrassed to tell you, sorry,[…]
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You will hear people talk about traditional music when they talk about bluegrass. But in bluegrass, traditional usually means from the 1940s. The song selected by The Plate Scrapers, our featured artists on Day 10 of the 12 Days of Bluegrass, is much older than that. Almost 100 years older, to be exact. Oh Holy Night was written in France in 1847 by a guy by the name of Adolphe Adam, the same dude who[…]
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Oh his 2006 album Silent Nightclub, comedy lounge act Richard Cheese starts into a cover of the song featured for Day 9 of the 12 Days of Bluegrass, then abruptly stops, saying, “We were going to do a swinging lounge version of Last Christmas, by Wham, but that song sucks.” Truth be told, we shared that opinion for a long, long time. The song may be the best selling single all time in the UK,[…]
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Every time we see Dave Brown play, he seems to have a different supporting cast. Bass player Ron Penska seems to be the only constant, but Brown has been known to go the solo singer-songwriter route on occasion, too. Actually, there are two other constants. The show is always entertaining. Whether by himself with a guitar over his shoulder and a harmonica rig around his neck, or fronting his current five-piece outfit, with whom he[…]
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Family. It’s what the holidays are all about. So it is exciting to have a second generation carrying on the 12 Days of Bluegrass tradition. Shane McGeehan, who holds down the bass in this beautiful instrumental version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Serene Green, is the son of Patrick McGeehan, who, along with his band Coal County Express, were our featured artists on Day 5. The younger McGeehan has been doing this since[…]
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And on Day 6, the jolly fat man came to town. This song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, is a true classic. And the first known recording of the song was by banjo picker Harry Reser’s band in 1934. Since then it has been recorded by more than 200 artists, including The Jackson 5, Frank Sinatra, Mariah Carey, Tommy Dorsey, Bruce Springsteeen, and now, The Larry Keel Experience. Our Day 6 artist is a[…]
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We have buddy who likes to say “there is no school like old school.” And that is how we are rolling on Day 5 of the 12 Days of Bluegrass. It’s kind of cool having this band be a part of the 12 Days with this beautiful rendition of Silent Night. After all, this is the night we celebrate the birth of a very special son, and the banjo picker in this band is the[…]
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