Thuper Thong Thurthday #18: Bluegrass!

BLUEGRASS!!! I love Bluegrass.  I really do.  And as SOME people seem to think I play too much Indie I am going to be doing non indie stuff for the next couple of weeks.  So we'll see how that goes.

When I was younger, probably 12 or so, my dad took me to a thing called the Longville Camp N' Jam.  It is essentially what it sounds like.  RV's, RV-ers, banjos, guitar, picking, grinning and campfires.  I didn't play guitar back then but I sure wish we could go back now.  I'd love to sit it and be a part of some of those late night jam sessions.  Just musicians sitting under the stars playing til late in the morning.  Heaven.

I miss it.  Since I miss it, and the Smoky Mountains, I have made this week's list in honor of that longing.  I hope you enjoy it.  It is a fair mix of old time-y stuff and new old time-y stuff and maybe one song of new time-y (if that's such a thing).  So most of these songs remind me of hanging with my Dad.  So I hope he gives the list a listen (Sherry...make him...).

Enough jabber, on with it...

TTT #18 Playlist
TTT Mega Mix Playlist
Twitter for Spotify Playlist


Trains are very prevalent in American Roots Music

Wabash Cannonball - Benny Martin

I decided to start with an old bluegrass standard.  This is an old song that has its roots stuck right in 1882.  I think the fiddler Benny Martin did my favorite version.  Plus look at that picture!  If he wasn't singing bluegrass he'd be a Mafia don.  Eating pasta, leaving the gun and taking the canoli.


Sometimes This Feels All Too True

Good Times Are Past & Gone - Lester Flatt

Usually you see Mr. Flatt there teamed up with Earl Scruggs.  Nothing to scoff at.  You should look them up if have never done so.  This is probably my favorite song by Lester Flatt, at least one of.  I like the way it moves rhythmically and the lyrics just resonate with me.


Godfather of Bluegrass

Blue Moon of Kentucky - Bill Monroe

This man.  This man right here... That's Bill Monroe.  He is the father of bluegrass music.  He made it what it is.  You need to listen to him.  Now.  I mean it...


Pigeon Forge, TN

I Want To Go Back To The Mountains - Bill Harrell

I honestly don't know much about Bill Harrell.  I do know however that my Dad showed me this song.  I also really do want to go back to the mountains.  So does my Dad.  I think my whole family belongs in the mountains.  We aren't made for heat 10 months out of the year.  Mountains are nice.  Colorado Springs could work...


The Most Ridiculous Lyrics Ever

Big Rock Candy Mountains - Harry McClintock

My nephew knows all of the words to this song.  By heart.  We play Diablo III online and chat with skype.  He sings this as we kill ghouls.  The fact that he can remember the nonsensical lyrics astounds me.  I know I have listen to this song more than he has.  I remember listening to it before he was even a thing that was around listening to things.  Really let the lyrics sink in and then you will know why playing PC games with my nephew is a uniquely, hilariously, wonderful good time.


O, Brother...

Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss

Alison Krauss has one of the best female singing voices I have ever heard.  It's sooo damn soothing.  Absolutely one of the best singer in bluegrass.  Now I must say I didn't put it up there but I wanna give credit to the rest of the folks on the track.  That's not just AK overdubbed a bunch of times.  That's Alison Krauss, Tim O'Brien, Maura O'Connell, Pat Enright, Sam Phillips, Gillian Welch and The First Baptist Church of White House, TN.  Yeah.  All acapella, all harmonious, all wonderful...


Not The Drug

Ecstasy - Crooked Still

This is most definitely one of the most interesting bands I've ever seen.  Mostly due to the antics of cello player Rashad Eggleston.  He wears crazy hats and bounces all over the places.  Definitely a unique way of approaching cello music.  Sadly he left Crooked Still and went out on his own.  This pic of the old band was difficult to find.  Enjoy it.


Don't Worry, Be Happy

Keep On The Sunny Side - The Whites

I chose this song for the closing track because I don't know about you, but I can get caught up in how horrible things seem sometimes.  Shootings.  War.  Gun control.  Hatefulness.  Just general grumpiness.  I think it is important to truly think about the people in the world that are ACTUALLY less fortunate.  If you have money to pay the bills, a roof over your head and food in your belly you are doing better than a good portion of the population of the planet.  Just remember to try and focus on the good stuff, at least as much as the bad stuff.  It's better than not at all.  *steps off soapbox*


That is all for the playlist.  You'll notice there are no videos this week.  That is because most of these songs don't have decent videos attached to them.  So I am not going to post any sub par nonsense here, at least not when I don't mean to.  I am, however, going to add a couple of videos here of a little group called the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys.  Just a couple of under 15 kids (banjo player is 8) that I thought you should hear.  This should more than make up for it.

Dueling Banjos
Pretty Polly Practice
Flint Hill Special

This is a picture of what I miss...while you listen to 8 year-olds.

If you haven't already seen those kids I bet you didn't expect that did ya?  That blew my mind the first time I saw it.  Whew...anyway...

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this week's list.  Until next week...KKNY signing off...