Here's a little unfinished business from last week's CMA Music Festival. Wednesday, during the 4:00 PM ET hour, we'll bring you a performance we captured at the event by the Grascals.You may have been listening last Thursday when we brought you a live broadcast from the Chevy Stage at CMA Music Fest. One of the highlights from that stage we didn't broadcast was Sunday's show with the Grascals. We were there, though--as the pictures in the Bluegrass Junction photo album will attest--and our recorders in the XM Master Control Room in Washington were humming. So, you get to hear it!
For this show, I got to introduce the guys, who turned in their usual outstanding performance. I was especially interested to see Jeremy Abshire, the new fiddler for the group (replacing Jimmy Mattingly, who has left the group to join Dolly Parton). While his style might be a bit different from Jimmy's, he did a teriffic job and it's certain he'll be a huge asset to this group. Also, they did a few songs from the forthcoming album Keep on Walkin', which we'll premiere on Bluegrass Junction July 1.
For this show, I got to introduce the guys, who turned in their usual outstanding performance. I was especially interested to see Jeremy Abshire, the new fiddler for the group (replacing Jimmy Mattingly, who has left the group to join Dolly Parton). While his style might be a bit different from Jimmy's, he did a teriffic job and it's certain he'll be a huge asset to this group. Also, they did a few songs from the forthcoming album Keep on Walkin', which we'll premiere on Bluegrass Junction July 1.
As I mentioned in my earlier post, bluegrass typically hasn't meant much to the CMA Music Festival, which has always been geared toward mainstream country music. However, this year's offerings, meager as they were, were long on both energy and quality. If the fans who took the time to visit the Chevy Stage weren't impressed with these performers, they're tone deaf.
Again, the Grascals were great--you don't want to miss this little slice of live bluegrass. I hope you can tune in for the replay.
1 comment:
Kyle - It's so important for country music to recognize, encourage, and cherish its connection to bluegrass. When Bill Monroe joined the Opry, I believe there was no separation at all. While some bluegras fans denigrate the "Nashvillization" of bluegrass, I prefer to see country music, discouraged by its current glitzy image and unimaginative sound, beginning to look to its bluegrass roots for direction and inspiration. Groups like the Grascals, Cherryholmes, Grasstowne, and The Gibson Brothers are encouraging this from the bluegrass side. I'm less familiar with popular country, but feel sure there's a meeting coming. - Ted
www.tedlehmann.blogspot.com
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