Saturday, February 28, 2009

Keep it Close to the Ground, Boys, Keep it Close to the Ground...


The words of Grand Ole Opry founder, George D. Hay, to his performers, to ensure there was no artifice, no pretense, in their music...just heart and soul. Well, there are still a few bonafide country stars keeping it real, chief among them, Marty Stuart. On his new show on RFD-TV, which I can only view through clips, he's showcasing some great artists who don't always get the visibility they deserve, like Little Jimmy Dickens and LeRoy Troy, who must be the great grandson of Uncle Dave Macon. Comfortable in any genre--country, Americana, folk, bluegrass, rock--Marty knows himself and his audience. And, in all he does, he honors the greats who inspired him (Johnny Cash, Lester Flatt, Porter Wagoner and on and on). Now, he's become one of the greats himself, well on the road to induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The first clip features Marty, the legendary, Miss Connie Smith and Earl Scruggs; the second, a great number by The Old Crow Medicine Show.

Thanks, Marty, for keepin' it close to the ground...






http://www.martystuart.net/
Porter Tubb

Friday, February 27, 2009

Joe Crookston...The Hardest Working Man in Folk Business

Joe Crookston continues to amaze audiences and his peers in the folk music world. At the Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, his remarkable CD, "Able Baker Charlie & Dog", was awarded "Album of the Year". And his performances there were pretty epic, including two in the Fox Run Room, joined by Anthony da Costa, Abbie Gardner and Cheryl Prashker. Enjoy:





http://joecrookston.com/
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Jonathan Byrd was right...

In Memphis, at the Folk Alliance Conference 2009, Jonathan Byrd said, "Dennis, come see Ray Bonneville." God, I'm glad I did. Can he groove?

Yeah.
www.raybonneville.com www.jonathanbyrd.com


Porter Tubb