BLUEGRASS HISTORY WAS MADE....

If you aren't a bluegrass music lover...you won't give a hoot about this post.....except perhaps to smile at the thought of the famous words spoken by John Belushi in the movie "Blues Brothers".

"WE ARE GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER!!"

Saturday night, at Bluegrass First Class you could have heard a pin drop before each of the artists of the Bluegrass Album Band were introduced....followed by a thundering applause and lots of happy memories for many folks.

Here's what Wikipedia says about this group:

Bluegrass Album Band was a bluegrass supergroup, founded by Tony Rice and J.D. Crowe in 1980.^[1] Originally, there was no intention to build a group and the main reason for the collaboration was to record a solo album for Tony Rice. They found that this cooperation could work and the result was an album called The Bluegrass Album, released in 1981, with 5 more volumes of music to follow.^[2] On September 5, 2012, they announced a reunion show to be held at Bluegrass First Class in Asheville, NC on February 16, 2013. This event will reunite the Bluegrass Album Band with their former manager and promoter, Milton Harkey.^[3]

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'The husband' and I were there.....what an accomplishment Milton Harkey achieved by 'getting the band back together'.  Alas, it was only for one night....they were to play for appx. an hour +.......happily with a standing room only crowd....and numerous standing ovations we were treated to the best in Bluegrass music for much longer.  It was 2:00 AM before I turned my light out Saturday night...oops...Sunday morning!

In the photo, are the original members of that first album....L to R.....Bobby Hicks playing the fiddle, Doyle Lawson on mandolin, Tony Rice (center on the guitar who has been VERY ill....and up to that morning, it wasn't guaranteed that he'd be well enough to attend, sadly it appears he may have done his last encore)....  Todd Phillips on the bass, and the new comer Josh Williams.....who got the opportunity of a lifetime, singing and playing with this band to replace the vocals that Tony Rice can no longer do.  Finally, there was JD Crowe on the banjo.

I know of one blog reader who will understand what a really big deal this was....so Mary B. this post is for you.  I have now heard the best there ever was....and perhaps best there ever may be.....

So, before I get too sentimental here....let's lighten it up.  How about Doyle Lawson's jacket??  A country gentleman with style!  Here he's playing with his own current band in the afternoon. 

I was glad to be able to include Joe Dean (on the banjo) too.  Joe is now with Doyle's group after being with the very, very, internationally sought after group Dailey and Vincent.  Perhaps this is another "I can" example.  Despite the huge amazing success of the group he'd been in....he recently moved to Doyle Lawson's band.  They say Doyle has 'trained' more successful professional bluegrass artists than just about anyone.  Joe will expand his skills into different styles we are sure and will be a stand out for years to come.  BTW....he started playing with Daily & Vincent when he was only 18!!!  I know...he still looks 18!

By the time any of you who've gotten to the end of this 'personal love affair with Bluegrass' post......I'll be on my way to Hampton, VA to lecture and teach at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival with 'the husband and 'the dog' holding down the fort at home.

I hope I'll be able to post during my teaching stint but perhaps not since paying $12.95 for hotel room Internet access is not in my budget!  I'll keep a good photo journal going to share when I get home if necessary...and come and say howdie to me if you are attending.