Elkville String Band Bounces Back

By Art Menius, January 30, 2012

Three years ago I had the priviledge of booking Wilkes County, NC's Elkville String Band to Appalshop's Seedtime on the Cumberland  Festival with their friend Wayne Henderson and to write the liner notes for their album. You can read them here.

I heard from Elkville's Bill Williams this morning. "We, The Elkville String, are back up and running. Since the death of our long time friend and fiddle player, Drake Walsh, we have not been doing much.  We are now, however, looking for bookings in 2012 with our new band.  We have been working together now for a pretty good while and we are ready to get out there and start playing.  The band is made up of Herb Key, Trevor McKenzie, Jim Lloyd and Bill Williams."

Herb and Bill are original members of the band.  Elkville plays energetic mountain music that doesn't fit neatly into old-time, bluegrass, or traditional country categories. If you liked classic Roy Acuff, you'll love the Elkville String Band.

Email - elkvillebill@gmail.com or keyluthier@wilkes.net 

Rafe and Clelia Stefanini Kickstarter

Stefanini Kickstarter
You can help Rafe and Clelia Stefanini fund their next CD through a Kickstarter campaign at the link above. Many cool premiums for contributors. I just became one!

Cajun Musician Kevin Dugas Injured

Posted January 25. 2012 by Art Menius

Info from Anne Saunders of Falcon Ridge

Long time drummer for Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Kevin Dugas,

recently suffered a serious injury nearly severing his left index finger. Like

many working musicians, he has no medical insurance. He was even turned away

at the hospital & had to wait for hand surgery. His finger was successfully

reattached in Nov but it's a long recovery. Could be a while before Kevin's

back on the drum throne.

Meanwhile he has bills and a family. Chuck Wentworth of Lagniappe Productions in RI has organized the FRIENDS OF KEVIN DUGAS KREWE to help out. Lagniappe will run KREWE through their annual Mardi Gras Ball Feb 18 2012.

They will have some KREWE tee givaways for those who donate $25 or more and

will be giving away summer fest pkgs to 5 fests, the Bayou & Boogie Fest in

Rehobeth MA, Arnonebs Crawfish Fest In Augusta NJ, Grey Fox Bluegrass,

Newport FF & Rhythm & Roots, Winners so not have to be present to win, they

will mail prizes.B

Friends of Kevin may donate online at www.mardigrasri.com or send a check

to Lagniappe Productions, 51 White Oak Court, Wakefield RI 02879 on his

behalf. Just note your check with Friends of Kevin Dugas on the memo line. No

amount too small, Lagniappe has raised over 5K to date for Kevin's family mostly

from a large volume of small donations.

Barbara Taylor Woodall on Feb 4

It’s Not My Mountain Anymore author Barbara Taylor Woodall will be the special guest for the February 4, 2012 edition of “From the Roots” on WMMT-FM 88.7 from the Appalshop in Whitesburg, KY. The show will air from 11 AM until 2 PM Eastern.

You can hear my interview with Barbara by clicking here.

Dirk Powell Profile

Dirk Powell is profiled in North Vancouver, British Columbia's North Shore News for January 20, 2012. The occasion was a concert with Foghorn. For a newspaper article, it does a good job of covering the many basis of his career, with a focus on the inspiration from his grandfather.

You can read it here.

I have not played enough of either since the move. I am disconnected from most of my CDs yet and still. I'll be working on the February 4 From the Roots with the Lazy Farm Boy on WMMT-FM 88.7 this week.

Phil Ochs documentary

By Art Menius 1/20/2012

Most PBS stations will be rebroadcasting "There But For Fortune," the one hour documentary about Phil Ochs on Monday night at 10 PM. The film website is here. Those who have Netflix streaming can see it there anytime.

Angela Page has produced a radio special, including Sonny Ochs, that is airing Saturday on WFTE at 3pm www.wfte.org or WJFF at 2 pm, www.WJFFradio.org Eastern time.

 For my obits about Johnny Otis and Etta James, please visit http://artmenius.com

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New Chocolate Drops Album Feb 28

From a Nonesuch Records Press Release: North Carolina–based Carolina Chocolate Drops follow up their critically lauded label debut—2010’s Grammy Award–winning Genuine Negro Jig, which reached #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart and #2 on the Billboard Heatseekers and Folk Charts—with Leaving Eden, due February 28 on Nonesuch Records. The group returns with a record of original compositions, covers, and traditional songs produced by Buddy Miller (Emmylou Harris, Robert Plant, Patty Griffin, Solomon Burke). The album is available for pre-order now at carolinachocolatedrops.com and here in the Nonesuch Store, where a download of the track “Country Girl” is included and the first 300 CDs will be signed by the band. Carolina Chocolate Drops will tour the US throughout the winter and spring. For details and ticket links, go to nonesuch.com/on-tour.

From the Roots Jan 7 2012

From the Roots, January 7, 2012, on WMMT-FM 88.7, real people’s radio from the Appalshop (91 Madison Ave; Whitesburg, KY 41858. www.wmmtfm.org). Hosted – remotely - on the first Saturday of each month by the Lazy Farm Boy (aka Art Menius; 3525 Young Rd; Manchester, MD 21102), 11 AM and on until 2 PM eastern. http://artmenius.com and lazyfarmboy.blogspot.com.

John Hartford / Turn Your Radio On (II) / Aeroplane / Warner Brothers / 2:16

Hazel & Alice / Don't Put Her Down You Helped Put Her There / The Rounder Records Story / Rounder / 3:46

Hazel Dickens / The Yablonski Murder / Music of Coal / Lonesome Day Records / 2:57

Hazel Dickens / Are They Gonna Make Us Outlaws Again / By The Sweat of My Brow / Rounder / 2:53

J.P. Fraley / Bonaparte’s Retreat / Harper Van Hoy Presents Fiddler's Grove Traditional Ole Time & Bluegrass Music V. 10 1979 / Fiddler’s Grove / 2:45

J.P. Fraley / Wild Rose of the Mountain / Mountain Journey: Stars of Old Time Music / Rounder / 2:13

J.P. Fraley & Robin Warren / Loreena / Celebrating 70 Years of Traditional Music / Fiddler’s Grove / 3:31

Paul Smith & Burl Hatfield / Rock Andy / Cowan Creek Mountain Music School / June Appal / 2:27

PAUL SMITH & FRIENDS / Boatin’ Up Sandy / The Devil Eat the Groundhog / Rounder/ 1:47

PAUL SMITH & FRIENDS / GOING DOWN TO CHARLESTON / The Devil Eat the Groundhog / Rounder / 1:49

Benton Flippen / Carroll County Blues / Old Time, New Times / Rounder / 3:26

Benton Flippen / Long Tongued Woman / Old Time, New Times / Rounder / 1:39

Benton Flippen / Benton’s Dream / Old Time, New Times / Rounder / 1:39

Bill Morrissey / Robert Johnson / The Essential Collection / Rounder / 4:42

David Honeyboy Edwards / Roamin' And Ramblin' Blues / Delta Bluesman / Earwig / 3:00

David Honeyboy Edwards / Bad Whiskey And Cocaine / Delta Bluesman / Earwig / 4:36

Howlin’ Wolf / Smokestack Lightning / The Blues: A Smithsonian Collection of Classic Blues Singers / The Smithsonian Collection of Recordings / 3:04

Johnnie & Jack / Poison Love / Best of Johnnie & Jack / Koch / 2:15

Johnnie & Jack / Ashes of Love / Best of Johnnie & Jack / Koch / 2:21

Ira & Charlie Louvin / Freight Train Boogie / A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers / Capitol / 3:01

Louvin Brothers / The Family That Prays / Songs that Tell a Story / Rounder / 3:15

Charlie Louvin / Cash on the Barrelhead / Live at Seedtime 2007 / Appalshop / 2:55

Wade Mainer & the Sons of the Mountaineers / Mitchell Blues / Ragged but Right / RCA Legacy / 2:46

Wade & Julia Mainer / Charles Lawson / In the Land of Melody / June Appal / 2:51

Wade Mainer’s  Smilin’ Rangers / Old Ruben / Bluegrass Early Cuts 1931-1953: Classic Recordings Remastered / JSP / 2:39

John Hartford / Tear Down The Grand Ole Opry / Aeroplane / Warner Brothers / 3:28

Carolina Chocolate Drops & Luminescent Orchestrii / Hit 'Em Up Style / Carolina Chocolate Drops & Luminescent Orchestrii EP / Nonesuch / 4:52

The Decemberists / All Arise! / The King Is Dead / Capitol Records / 3:09
released on Capitol Records on 14 January 2011.

Old Sledge / Undone in Sorrow / Don't Let Your Deal Go Down / Old Sledge / 4:11

Dehlia Low / Cannonball Blues / Ravens & Crows / Rebel / 3:07

Pharis & Jason Romero / Engine 143 / A Passing Glimpse / Lula Records / 3:40

Red Hen String Band / Cluck Old Hen / Birds of a Feather / Wepecket / 3:48

Grant Dermody / Waterbound / Lay My Burden Down / grantdermody.com / 4:05

Tangleweed / Logan Square Dance / Please Punch Richard For Me / Squatney / 2:02

Hal Cannon / That’s How It Is on the Range / Hal Cannon / Okehdokee Records / 2:57

Pharis & Jason Romero / Out on the Western Plains / A Passing Glimpse / Lula Records / 2:46

Slaid Cleaves / Texas Top Hand / Sorrow and Smoke / Music Road Records / 3:16

Abigail Washburn / City Of Refuge / City of Refuge / Rounder / 3:42

Tara Nevins / Deep South Blues / Wood & Stone / Sugar Hill / 2:43

Gillian Welch / Hard Times / The Harrow & the Harvest / Acony / 4:54

Laurelynn Dossett, Rhiannon Giddens, Mike Compton, Joe Newberry, Jason Sypher / Lights In The Lowlands / The Gathering / Sycamore Road / 4:07

Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra / Summer Will Come Round Again / Song of Solstice / SunSign Records / 5:29