The Wimberley Bluegrass Band is comprised entirely of four teenage siblings! Danielle plays the mandolin, James is a Deering endorsed artist and plays banjo, Mark, his twin, is a Black Diamond Strings endorsed artist and plays guitar, and Michael plays the fiddle. They all sing with Michael usually taking the lead and the others singing that tight harmony unique to family groups.
“Brothers Jonny, Robbie and Tommy Mizzone are The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, a trio of virtuoso bluegrass musicians who play with dazzling vivacity.
Did we mention they’re all under 16?”
Hoogerbrugge’s “A Thunderstorm in a Beautiful Summer Sky.” Want more video oddness ala Hoogerbrugge? Click here.
Now let’s make some moonshine.
What’s moonshine without country? Here’s Karen Wheeler’s version of “Muleskinner Blues.” [via] (This is the same song that The Fendermen covered in 1960 with their rockabilly version.)
“The Claw.” Can’t beat a combo of Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins.
I bet I’ve posted this video before, but I’ve been a longtime fan of the late Country Dick Montana and the Beat Farmers, and it just seems right to wrap up this Saturday Matinee with Big Ugly Wheels.
Have a great weekend folks, and be back here tomorrow for more fun.
How to breakdown and reassemble a Willy’s Jeep in under four minutes. [via]
The Cleverlys’ bluegrass version of “Walk Like An Egyptian.” [via]
After the Cleverly’s drummer’s action, it’s only proper to post a video of clogging, aka, Bluegrass Flamenco. Both bluegrass and clogging are closely related to Irish reels and dancing, so…
Here’s Earl Scruggs with the seminal Irish band The Cheiftains. Nice blend, that.
Have a great weekend, folks, y’all be back here tomorrow.
It all makes sense now, considering Jimbo Hendrix’ love of the ‘grass and his discography:
Hey Bud
Purple Hayes (tribute to Woody)
All Along the Wheat Flour
Breakdown Traffic
MooMoo Child
Stone Fence
Fox-N-Ladle
The Wind Cries Opal
(Many more classics were showcased at the Monterrey International Harvester Festival in 1970.)
Aside from Jimbo, The GrooveGrass Boyz mixed some Grand Ole Opry standards with funk, with Bootsy Collins on bass. Really.
Now Ebo Walker was born in Kentucky, and raised by his daddy on a hillside farm,
He took up fiddle playing just for fun, that’s the last work that Ebo Walker done.
Well Ebo Walker, he left Kentucky
’cause Ebo’s daddy said durn your hide,
You won’t plant corn, and you won’t make hay,
you sit on the porch and play that thing all day.
Well Ebo Walker, he walked and he fiddled and he walked and he fiddled and he fiddled till he died,
But I’ve heard tell when the winds is down and the moon shines bright, and the leaves are brown,
You can hear old Ebo fiddlin’ all around.
The Dillards (as the Darling Boys) on the Andy Griffith Show, around 1960 sumpm.
Pure Oddness. Now for something completely different.
FZ on the Mike Douglas Show, 1976, playing “Black Napkins” with the studio band. Amazing benign culture clash. [This is part one of a two part interview… kinda slow to load, and we may have linked to this one before. So what.]
Zappa’s “Black Napkins” live on MTV’s Halloween BFD, 1981.
“Germany’s Funniest Home Videos?” [Via Phils Phun.]
Politically ignorant animation, but Bunk finds it funny (coupla entirely unnecessary F-bombs, though). [Via Kitty’s Saloon.]
“Smoke Smoke Smoke.” Here’s Tex Williams’ original deal. (Tell me that rap didn’t start in 1947.)
Commander Cody’s 1973 take… Here’s to Dolph for those two.
Commander Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen: Excellent cover of Phil Harris’ “Hot Rod Lincoln.” (Video cuts off that last “Hot-Rod-Lincoln” with the coda. That’s just not right.)
Bluegrass has its roots in northern Britain according to my ear. The chord patterns of early country music from Appalachia follow those of Scottish and Irish reels. In the immigration wave of the early 1800’s, the Scottish and Irish tended to venture southward, away from the constrictions of the north, to where they could work their own land. No wonder that early southern recordings sound similar to those of Ireland and Scotland.
Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys popularized it and gave the style it’s moniker: Bluegrass. This song (video from 1956) is a tribute to Pendleton Vandiver, Monroe’s uncle. Monroe joined his uncle Pen’s band as a kid; his sound dates back to the turn of the century.
The Dillards were the Darlings clan on the Andy Griffith show. The Dillards decided that L.A. had more to offer than the Missouri Ozarks, and advertised themselves on the streets in the early 1960’s.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were influenced by the Dillards, and took Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Mr. BoJangles” for a ride.
What I was really looking for when all this linkyness began was New Grass Revival‘s version of “Steam Powered Aeroplane,” one of the prettiest bluegrass songs I ever heard:
"Well I went away on a Steam Powered Aeroplane.
Well I went and I stayed and damn near didn't come back again.
Didn't go very fast on a steam powered aeroplane,
The wheels went around, up and down, and inside and then back again.Sittin' on a 747 just watching them clouds roll by,
Can't tell if it's sunshine, if it's rain.
Rather be sittin' in a deck chair high up over Kansas City,
On a genuine old fashioned oil finish Steam Powered Aeroplane.Well I'd could be PILOT on the Steam Powered Aeroplane.
I'd pull that pilot wheel 'round, then back again.
And I'd wear a blue hat, YEAH, on the Steam Powered Aeroplane,
With letters go 'round the brim and then back again.
Sittin' on a 747 just watching them clouds roll by,
Can't tell if it's sunshine or if it's rain.
Rather be sittin' in a deck chair high up over Kansas City,
On a genuine old fashioned oil finish Steam Powered Aeroplane."
Here’s the songwriter, John Hartford, with Tony Rice, Vassar Clements and others. (Yeah, his vocals don’t do justice for the song.)
Great pre-sunrise morning roadtrip music, just like Pat Metheny’s “New Chataqua Highway,” or anything by Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grappelli.
[Bunk’s compiling his roadtrip list for next month. Lemme know your favorites.]
Tacky Raccoons 