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Mountain Blog

News and Notes

Brand new radio, this weekend

(Radio Shows) Permanent link

By Mountain Stage

· March 27, 2009

Mountain Stage presents a premiere broadcast this weekend in most areas. To find a station in your area that airs Mountain Stage, click here.

Brian Blauser

Shelby Lynne made her second appearance on this show, recorded in November of 2008. She did a few numbers from her most widely recognized albums, including her latest, a tribute to the blue-eyed soul of Dusty Springfield.

Brian Blauser

James McMurtry, never at a loss for words, has followed up "Childish Things" (which spawned the hit song "We Can't Make It Here Anymore") with "Just Us Kids," another heartland rocker with threads of America woven deep into its core.

James plays three songs from "Just Us Kids," as well as the title track to "Childish Things." (Featured over at Song of the Week) The players you see above, Ronnie Johnson on bass and Tim Holt on guitar (Daren Hess on drums, not pictured) have been with McMurtry for many years, a sign of a good band-leader.

Brian Blauser

Pretty much no denying this gentleman was the biggest JM fan in the house that night. At least he had the most evidence of such.

Brian Blauser

Jim Bianco, originally from Brooklyn, educated in Boston and now living out west, kicked the show off with songs from his latest, "Sing!" The Mountain Stage band backed Bianco during his set, and our own vocalists Julie Adams and Laurel Dennie joined in on harmony vocals. If you like a good story, don't miss Bianco's set.

Brian Blauser

The Lee Boys, like the Campbell Brothers and Robert Randolph, have been taking the authentic sacred steel music from the church to the streets for many years now. Above is Roosevelt “The Doctor” Collier, nephew of Alvin Lee, the leader of the group. Something about that singin' steel that makes the soul shake!

Brian Blauser

Speaking of authentic, it doesn't get any realer than Malcom Holcombe. This North Carolina boy has sandpaper in his voice and a heart as big as the mountains. He's joined by Ed Snodderly, who was just featured in our re-broadcast from Bristol a couple weeks ago. If you haven't heard Ed do "Workin' in the New Mine," (featuring Ronnie McCoury) yet, please do yourself the favor and go hear it HERE.

You can hear more of Malcolm's album "Gamblin' House," on his Web site.

Brian Blauser

This is what the Green Room looks like backstage most of the time.

...And then the food arrives.

Last Edited by Mountain Stage at 3/26/2009 12:34 PM Comments (0)

Chuck Leavell on NPR Music

(Radio Shows) Permanent link

By Mountain Stage

· March 25, 2009

Brian Blauser

Piano great Chuck Leavell

I saw this guy jogging down the street on my way to Mountain Stage.

You would never know that he played on the quintessential recordings by the Allman Brothers Band, has been leading the touring band of the Rolling Stones for 25 years and is the go-to piano player for many greats-Eric Clapton, The Black Crowes to name a couple-had his own success in Sea Level and went on to write three well received books on conservation.

I could go on, but there's plenty more on just who and what Chuck Leavell has done in his BIO.

What he's done for us is record a killer live set with the Mountain Stage band, featuring tunes from all periods of his career, including some from his latest double-live album, Live in Germany.

This and much more for your listening pleasure at NPR.org/MountainStage.