These are great times for bluegrass, to be sure. I was thinking just yesterday about how many great new releases we have added or are about to add to our playlist at Bluegrass Junction.
Just within the past few days, for example, we've added the long-awaited and much-admired album by Dan Tyminski.
Wheels is an outstanding collection of traditional bluegrass, done by a man who is one of the masters of the art. You'll hear all the tracks from the CD at the Junction, and we're particularly emphasizing the title track.
Just recently, we've begun airing tracks from
Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King. This album is a compilation of several of the gospel tunes The Bluegrass Storyteller has recorded over the years, but listen for some freshly-recorded cuts as well. Particularly striking (to me) are "Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore" and "It's Hot Down Here."
Ever since his version of "A Memory of You" first hit our airwaves last fall, you've been asking when you were going to hear more from Danny Paisley. Dan's single was released as part of a Rounder compilation CD handed out to DJs at the IBMA convention, with the promise that a new album would be coming soon. Well, that time is now. His new album,
The Room Over Mine, is a fabulous set of new traditional bluegrass that's sure to please. Be listening for it over the next few days on XM.
Here's one from a group you probably haven't discovered. High Windy plays mostly traditional-flavored tunes, and their new album,
A Greater Storm, is composed almost entirely of original songs. Patrick McDougal and Shane Lail handle the lead vocals and play guitar and banjo, respectively, while Mark Davis (bass), Tim Gardner (fiddle, clawhammer banjo), and Ty Gilpin (mandolin) provide some very nice harmony and instrumental work. They're also supported on the new project by Rob Ickes (Blue Highway) and Cody Kilby (Kentucky Thunder), among other guests. You'll be hearing tracks from this one soon on Bluegrass Junction, and I think you'll be impressed, as I was.
Finally, there has been quite a lot of discussion about the new
Moneyland CD, headed up by the Del McCoury Band. It's an interesting CD with songs intended to make statements about the economic plight of rural America, and the official word from McCoury Music is "The goal of
Moneyland is to raise awareness of serious economic issues facing Americans today through a thoughtful selection of six new (or newly recorded) songs, mixed with eight neglected gems and classic favorites that offer a hard-hitting look at today's economic injustice. In addition to songs from the Del McCoury Band, the album features songs from Marty Stuart, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Bruce Hornsby along with the Fairfield Four, Chris Knight and others."
Well, it'll be interesting to see whether this project achieves its goal, but there's nevertheless some interesting music here, and songs from the disc arrive on the Bluegrass Junction airwaves this coming week.
As I said, it's a great time for bluegrass. Join us at the Junction and check out the new tunes!
One of your favorite "irregular" features on Bluegrass Junction--judging from your comments--is Track-By-Track, where we play all the songs on a current bluegrass album, in sequence, with the artist in the studio to add his or her comments.
As Wichita Rutherford would say, "We had the best time" at the CMA Music Festival yesterday. As you know, Bluegrass Junction broadcast the bluegrass show, and it featured "killer" sets from The Steeldrivers, Mountain Heart, Dan Tyminski, and Sierra Hull. I hope you got to hear it.