Eldridge on the Sawtelle Martin; Lehmann on the CD Review

Here are a couple of cool things to check out. Chris Eldridge playing guitar for Fretboard Journal magazine, and Ted Lehmann's blog.

Chris Eldridge - "Wildwood Flower" from fretboardjournal on Vimeo.

Ted Lehmann's Bluegrass Blog

Sara

This blog post is full of digression, but centered on Sara Watkins.

The first time that I clearly remember seeing & hearing the band Nickel Creek was in August 1997 at the Four Corners Folk Festival in Pagosa Springs, CO. That was a great event, for many reasons. I was living in Boulder, CO at the time, working at a technology company where I met 4 guys who also loved bluegrass music; they would become great lifelong friends. We started a band together called No Handle. (The handle of my cardboard guitar case had broken off, so I carried it around under my arm, like an oversized football.) The five of us loaded up in Thom A's big rig and drove down from Boulder to Pagosa Springs for the Labor Day weekend. It was a small festival with onsite camping, and a great lineup of acts including Tim O'Brien, Peter Rowan and Tony Furtado! Mighty fine!

Anyway, there was a fair amount of buzz at the festival regarding Nickel Creek because they were these 3 young kids playing like veteran bluegrass musicians. Everyone was talking about this mandolin prodigy named Chris Thile, and he certainly lived up to the hype. However, many of us were smitten by the fiddle player. She would have been only 16 at the time. I clearly remember thinking, and commenting to my buddies, "I'll be glad when she gets older, so I won't have to feel as guilty about thinking she's so hot!" Now, I don't want to incriminate my pals, but I'm pretty sure they all agreed with me on this point.

The band developed and gained notoriety and popularity over the years. (I'm talking about Nickel Creek, of course. The No Handle band had some great times, but faded into oblivion back in the 90's.) Sara Watkins also developed beyond just her great fiddling, becoming one of the best singers around as well. In April 2009, I saw an ad on Facebook for a solo album from Sara. I bought it immediately. I've probably listened to it eighty or a hundred times. (This is not unusual or obsessive behavior for me. I've listened to plenty of Hot Rize and Tim O'Brien and Tony Rice albums that much, or more. But I would only give it that much play if it were good. And it is very good.)

I live in Charleston, SC now and play in a band called River Boy. Like most bluegrass musicians, I need a day job if I am to put food on the table. I have a very good day job. I sell software to nonprofits all over the U.S. The software helps them track information on supporters, build websites, do their accounting, etc. It's good stuff. And the job allows me to travel around a bit, meeting all kinds of great people. This week, I flew out to Los Angeles to meet with a couple of clients. At the close of my Wednesday afternoon meeting, my client suggested that I have dinner in Culver City at one of the many nice restaurants in/around Washington & Culver Blvd. So I did. And after dinner, my colleague (David) and I stopped off at Starbucks. We sat down for just a couple of minutes. And in walks Sara Watkins.

I'm not easily star-struck, but if I see an artist that I really like, I am prone to walk up and introduce myself. I mainly want to let them know how much I appreciate what they do, and how they've enriched my life. I did so on this occasion. I've seen Sara's pictures and seen her on stage many times, but this was definitely the closest of encounters. I confess, I was giddy.

She is no longer 16. She is hot. (I'm just saying.) I summonsed my buddy David to come over and take my picture with this girl. He did a good job, don't you think?


We chatted for about 80 seconds. I suppose I stumbled all over myself about having seen her perform here & there. She was on her way to perform for a play at a theater next door, so off she went. That 80 seconds has had me on cloud 9 ever since.

Now, for those of you thinking, "settle down Beavis, you're married, and she is too." I know, I know. But even my wife understands this thing. When I left Starbucks, I called Debra (my wife) and told her with great excitement that I'd just met Sara Watkins and got a picture of us together, and that we kissed. I was just kidding about the kiss, but Debra's response was perfect. She said "Seriously?" Her tone said "Seriously? I'm bummed, as your wife, that you've kissed another woman, but I understand. For goodness sakes, we're talking about Sara Watkins!"

Well, I guess this is the end of today's rambling. Truthfully, my thoughts of Sara are pure, in honor of her husband and my wife. She's even prettier and sweeter up close than from afar. And she's such a talented musician. Go buy her CD. And go see her play.

Harvest Fest today

Plenty of good bluegrass music is on tap for Harvest Fest again this
year. Drive on out to Johns Island. Head south east on River Road to
a place called Mullet Hall. Fun stuff for the kids out there too!
11:00 am - 6:00 pm.

--

mighty fine music

I've had this new one on constant rotation lately. The song-writing is unbelievably good. Great singing and harmonies. And she hired some of the best bluegrass musicians in Nashville for the recording project - including Stuart Duncan, Scott Vestal and Tim O'Brien. Check out Nora Jane Struthers.

http://www.norajanestruthers.com

Goin' Across The Mountain

WNCW is playing some great music today. Tune in! www.WNCW.org

. . . and really enjoyed the Steep Canyon Rangers last night at The Music Farm here in Charleston!

Moonshine and Bluegrass on YouTube

This is just too good!

Checking in

Well, I'm sorry for not posting more often on this blog. I suppose it hasn't been a valuable resource to the bluegrass community in and around Charleston, for that reason. Anyhow, I'm here today and thinking I should pass along a couple of updates I'm aware of regarding the local scene.

Home Team BBQ expanded it's operation to include a Sullivan's Island location. I know they have a bluegrassy sort of thing going on out there nearly every week. Check their site for details.

There's a fairly new place on James Island called the Smokey Oak Taproom. They've had some local bluegrass acts in there regularly as well. The grub is good too, so check it out sometime.

The Pour House on James Island has some bluegrassy stuff on the deck Thursday nights, 6-9, as well as other days and nights of the week. Keep an eye on their website.

Dunleavy's is always fun on Tuesday nights with Bob Sachs and his musical entourage. They usually start around 7:30 pm.

The Folly Beach Bluegrass Society is still meeting on Thursdays at 7. I believe they're now at the Crab Shack.

I've head a lot of good things about Awendaw Green over on the north side of Mount Pleasant. Sounds like a really supportive community thing going on over there. Check it out.

Alrighty, I'll catch you on the flip side.

River Boy: acoustic, bluegrassy music - for the people!

Is a year & a half too long to get a record produced? Well, maybe. But it's been a learning experience (for me anyway). And, I think everyone involved is pleased with the results. So, check it out! www.RiverBoyMusic.com

a note from Walter Biffle about music around town

Well, it appears spring has finally sprung in Charleston, and i'm glad about it. It certainly took it's time getting here, and this being Alison's and my winter of discontent, i can't say how glad i am to finally do a little normal yard work and to see tiny sprigs of new green growth showing their tiny little heads. And with this spring has come the gigs: here is what is going on, and i encourage, nay, implore you, to come out and celebrate some good music:

Tonight, Tues March 16th: The ever-loving gig with Bob Sachs and the Maniax at Dunleavey's on Sullivan's Island. 7:30-10:30 or maybe later. good food, great company, fantastic musicians. We'll be playing and singing the best tunes of the last....oh, fifties years. I love it cause i get to sing whatever i want (and people still seem to enjoy it!) My thanks goes out to Carol Brown for throwing this gig at me from time to time. Come on out!

Wednesday March 17th: I'll be playing the St. Paddy's day celebration out at Somerby. Assisted Living from 3-4, the dining room from 5-7. Sorry, but residents only, although i'd appreciate you keeping me in your thoughts as playing the memory ward always kinda breaks my heart.

Thursday, March 18th: Home Team Barbecue playing bass with Blue Plantation. Starts at 9:30 and we play 'til they make us go home. Home Team has some killer collards and, in my opinion, treats their musicians better than any place i've ever played. If they treat the help that good, i can't imagine how good it must be to be a customer. Blue Plantation plays some of the best rock and roll bluegrass i've ever gotten a chance to play, btw. From super trad. Stanley Brothers to Eric Clapton to the Grateful Dead to Coltrane and back to the mountains of North Carolina again. Good stuff--and i get to sing alot again.

Friday, March 19th: Friday finds me again with Blue Plantation down at Edisto Beach's Thirsty Fish. If you haven't seen people having some fun in along time, then you might want to get a look at how tired those folks at Edisto are of winter. Hair will be let down, to say the least.

Saturday, March 20th: A favorite. The Deck at the Pourhouse. Not to be outdone by Hometeam BBQ, Alex treats his musicians well, too. Me and one of favorite musicans in the world, Roger Bellow, will be playing the deck before Larry Keel plays a great bluegrass show inside. (Larry's an old North Carolina soul in a young body and puts on a great show). Roger and i will be playing...well, Roger will be playing anything with strings, running amok among the audience of attractive bluegrass-loving hippie chicks, and singing in numerous languages. i'll be the one trying to hang on as best i can! We'll be playing outside on the deck from around 3-5. Larry Keel and the Marion Brothers take it from there...at that point, i'll be the one hanging around learning a few things by watching some real bluegrass players.

Sunday, March 21st: Back at Tommy's Irish Pub. Thankfully, because of my gig at the old folks home on St. Paddy's day, i will have missed all the crowds and accompanying...uhhh...various technicolor messes...made at Tommy's on St. Paddy's. The excellent staff will have cleaned up beautifully by then and Teddy and I will resumed our fairly low-key and enjoyable duet tenure there known as Fried Rainbow Trout. If you find yourself in need of a Tom-and-Dick-Smothers act (except more music and slightly less funy) then come one down. 8-midnight or so.

Alright. There you go folks. I hope to see some of you out!

Walter

updates from RSF

Well, it's been an awfully long time since I posted here. I suspect there weren't many people keeping an eye on the blog, thus my lack of urgency in keeping it updated. I ran into Ken Strange last fall, and to my surprise, he said "why haven't you updated that blog?!" I was honored to know that someone actually read it, and cared. Ken is a fine banjo player.

Which brings me to another subject, . . . Ken's fine banjo can be heard, as played by Walter Biffle, on a recording we just finished. The recording is called Big Timber Project. It's been mixed and mastered. We are now going through this phase of listening and critiquing and learning and wrestling, & on & on. We're thinking of all the things we'd go back and tweak if we had more time and money. But I'm pretty sure we have neither. Anyway, expect to see & hear more about this Big Timber Project real soon.