Bristling with music…

Pretty sure this is the longest I’ve gone between journal posts which prompted a friend’s question to which I replied “no, I wasn’t dead…just busy.”  New motivation to get one out was provided by the musical overload we were in the midst of this time last week in the modern-day frontier town of Bristol, VA/TN.  Last year’s remarkable Rhythm & Roots Reunion got us hooked.  It's now on our annual must list along with MerleFest, Graves Mountain and FloydFest.  More than 150 acts on 22 stages all over downtown Bristol…big outdoor stages, comfortable indoor theaters and a bunch of intimate bar and restaurant venues for a raging river of Americana talent.  If you’ve never been there, as we hadn’t until last September, Bristol straddles the Virginia/Tennessee state line which runs down the middle of State Street, which they close down for four long blocks packed with food trucks, great festival merch and thousands of milling fans spanning generations and backgrounds but here for a common cause…great live music.  It’s a haul from Richmond, most of it on I-81 (my least favorite of Eisenhower’s Interstates) but more than worth it given the cost of admission ($40 for the whole weekend) ease of parking, incredible lineup and general great vibe.  I’ll try to compel you to join us next year with the photos that follow.

How’s this for a marquee?  Lovingly restored old theater where we enjoyed the Lonesome River Band, Red Molly and Darrell Scott.

Darrell opened with “Never Leave Harlan Alive” and encored with “Great Day to Be Alive”  Full hearts…

Steve Martin Award winner Sammy Shelor, Brandon Rickman and Randy Jones of LRB…stronger than ever.  They join Steve on Late Night with David Letterman on 11/11/11.  How cool is that for the banjo man from Meadows of Dan?

Abbie Gardner, Laurie MacAllister and Molly Venter of Red Molly cast a spell as only they can.  Their new CD Light In The Sky is out October 4th.  We’re working on getting them to Ashland Coffee & Tea.  Their repertoire and vocal blend bring chills.

 

Our festival high point may have happened as we wandered into Borderline Billiards…packed to the rafters with fans of the Nashville supergroup 18 South with guest John Oates.  We’d just seen their outdoor set on the State Street stage but had to go back for more.  Voted the band most festival goers wanted back this year, they were without Jon Randall’s wife and mother of his soon-to-be first child Jessie Alexander, but with John and reigning IBMA dobro king Rob Ickes (left), they raised the energy level to 10, maybe 11 with the substantial contributions of guitar shredder Guthrie Trapp, beloved bassman Mike Bub, superb singer/keyboardist Jimmy Wallace and acoustic music’s go-to drummer Larry Atamanuik.  You gotta hear these guys…also working on getting them to town in the proper venue.

 

 

Another revelation was provided by Austin honky-tonk hero and local favorite Dale Watson who’s been building his Richmond base for years at Poe’s Pub and Shenanigans…and at our Folk Festival.  So we’d seen him in fits and starts but never an undistracted full set…now in Bristol’s Cameo Theatre.  Flashing his million-dollar grin, Dale held court with a chipotle-hot band and rolled through a riveting set of covers and originals.  He more than validated the esteem in which he’s held by so many.  This guy OWNS the stage.  Chuck Wrenn and Brad Spivey have been trying to tell me.  Brad’s Honky Tonk Experience will play the State Fair-opening Black Tie & Boots party again this Friday and will return to Shenanigans at the end of October.  Next best thing to an evening with Dale Watson & Lone Stars.

 

Brad made made a special point of making sure we saw alt-country queen Elizabeth Cook, which we did and were genuinely taken by the combination of her aw-shucks country charm and her way with a song.  Another one to keep an eye and ear out for.

While his pappy was playing the National last weekend, Justin Townes Earle, now calling Nashville North home (NYC), was spinning his authentic Woody Guthrie/Hank Williams-inspired yarns on the Piedmont Stage, ably accompanied by Amanda Shires and Bryn Davies.  The bloodlines run true.  JTE is a new American original.

The timeless Seldom Scene were the toast of Saturday night at the Country Mural Stage as they celebrate their big fortieth anniversary this fall…and Ben Eldridge has been there for all of it.  Ronnie Simpkins, Lou Reid, Dudley Connell and Fred Travers have easlily been on board long enough to be bona fide as the most enduring lineup since the John Duffey, John Starling, Mike Auldridge, Tom Gray era.  And Ben’s still the friendly flamekeeper.  They have a big night at the Birchmere coming in November to mark the occasion with Starling, Auldridge and Gray back in the house.  Tickets on sale here.

These adorable Texas siblings were all the rage at MerleFest and Graves Mountain this year and no wonder…the Quebe Sisters and their rock solid rhythm section comprised of Joey McKenzie (right) on guitar and Drew Phelps on bass are likely the most polished and professional western-swing outfit on tour today.  Their vocal precision and triple fiddles along with their faithful respect for the genre are a joy to behold and we can only hope to get them back to our Folk Festival next year.  Hope we don’t have to wait that long.

Proof positive that this music’s in good hands comes from the Snyder Family, who I met on the Cabin Stage at MerleFest last April and who continue to hone their skills.  Siblings Samantha and Zeb Snyder who both took first place in the adult divisions on their respective instruments at Galax last August, along with their dad Bud on bass are taking the cliché out of the family band thing.  Kinda like a traditional Nickel Creek in the early days.  Zeb is, at 16, already a monster player who can hold his own with the best of today’s more familiar flat pickers.  And their secret weapon is a real showman in the making, five-year-old Owen (left) who confidently ambled on stage to render a perfectly pitched and timed Stephen Foster tune after asking, “So how y’all doin’ tonight?”  The Cameo Theater melted.

 

I’d need to ask Tony if he’s heard Zeb Snyder play…I venture he’d be impressed.  Just like he was when he took a young Chris Eldridge under his wing many years ago.  Tony Rice and a stellar edition of the Unit (Wyatt Rice, Josh Williams, Rob Ickes, Bryn Davies and Rickie Simpkins) continued along a trail of tour dates this year that have seen Tony playing more fluidly and creatively than he ever has, while wistfully looking back and emotionally counting his blessings.  Tony just lost his stepson John in a tragic motorcycle accident in North Carolina.  The toll something like that takes was evident in the heartfelt way he embraced the songs he shared.  God bless you Tony.

A first hearing for us on the sunny Saturday Piedmont Stage was Ohio-born Jessica Lea Mayfield, a head-turning writer/singer who might fit into the same alt-country bin as a Lucinda Williams or a Shannon Whitworth.  She’s also the sister of the former Cadillac Sky sparkplug who was also slaying BRRR as the David Mayfield Parade.  They decorated each other’s energetic and intriguing sets.  Yet another example of power in the blood.

 

Jon Lohman put together another amazing roster for his Virginia Folklife Stage at Bristol (don’t miss his area at this year’s Richmond Folk Festival just three weeks away).  Lenoir, NC’s terrific Harris Brothers (Ryan and Reggie) filled the tent with fans of their varied folk/country/blues based brother duets.  We’re delighted to say they’re the next guests of our JAMinc/In Your Ear concert series on October 27th and they’ll be joined by the one and only Nate Leath on fiddle.  If you want to be part of this one, reserve your spot soon.  We WILL run out of room before you know it. 

I’ve posted a few more memories of the singular Bristol experience in the column to the top right.  Do consider making the trip in 2012 if you haven’t.  If you’re now a committed regular, I’m preaching to the choir.

 

I hope you’ve had a chance to check out our new radio show on WCVE Public Radio.  JAMinc presents In Your Ear every Saturday afternoon at one this fall at 88.9 on your FM dial or streaming at ideastations.org/radio.  If you’re footballing or otherwise occupied at that time, we hope to have the show downloadable on the IdeaStations’ website next week.  Our guest on this coming Saturday’s show are North Carolina troubadour Jonathan Byrd, harmonica monster and returning Flecktone Howard Levy and area fave Jesse Harper and Friends.  One of our best so far.

Straight ahead…Page Wilson’s veteran backup band now fittingly renamed Recklessly Abandoned, ; (l to r, Billy Lux, Jim Skelding, Charles Arthur, Jay Gillespie, Chris Fuller) will play a tribute gig at Ashland Coffee and Tea this coming Saturday, October 1st.  They’ll also sing “Virginia” and take part in a salute to our dear departed denizen of the Chickahominy Swamp on the Altria Stage at noon on Sunday, October 16 on the final day of the Folk Festival.  Handkerchiefs encouraged.

 

Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Waybacks’ triumphant return to RVA for their seventh annual Music For Massey throwdown, this year on Thursday, October 6th in the rose garden ampitheater at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden with very special guest Grammy-winning musical chameleon Jim Lauderdale.  Tickets going fast here, and to find out about patron-level tickets including reserved seating and a pre-show meet&greet reception, email me:  mail@timtimberlake.com

I’ll leave you with a couple of pertinent links…one to a brand new site dedicated to the current state of bluegrass and those who make and mold it, called Bluegrass Today.  My first visit was impressive…lots of capable minds on board, sharp graphics and enough material to keep fans busy for hours. 

 

The other is a revealing NPR interview with producer T-Bone Burnett on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the groundbreaking Coen brothers film Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?  Click here to listen for details of a new CD containing 10 previously unreleased tracks from the original project.

I trust you’re all back to a comfortable normal in the wearying wake of Irene and that you’re sharing my smile that this is only the first day of fall…the best season of all.

TT