Amen Sonny- it has and will always be Merry Christmas for my family and I. And after a bad car accident nearly two weeks ago, everyday is Thanksgiving for me.
It's always been Merry Christmas, and always will be. I have two words for "Politically correct!" (They're not very nice)
So listern..Rhonda Vincent sent me a text message earlier saying that our Banjo friend, Aaron McDaris is in Hollywood, California and is to play the banjo on Monday's network show...THE VOICE...if you're familiar with it you might tune in.
That's big time. And guess what banjo he'll be playing??? Why the Rocky Top Chief. Probably not the old one if he had to fly, but he also has a new version of Rocky Top.
Fortunately (unfortunately) I was the only one injured; got to have my first (and hopefully last) ambulance ride. No broken bones, the seat belt and air bags did a good job, just beat me up pretty good. But all is better now.
I will definitely tune in to The Voice. Does Aaron's new Chief Rocky Top have the new tone ring in it? Good to hear that he will be on a "big stage" nationally and playing a Chief banjo.
I'm in central Saskatchewan,,it's a balmy -20*F . It's Arizona for me after Christmas - Yuma Fiddle Contest, then Blythe Bluegrass Fest in the first 2weeks of Jan. Stay cool, my friends....👍
Yep, too cold for brass monkeys...ha. Notice, though, Sonny, I gave the temp in F....yep -20*F. It's early in the season to be this cold, but hey- you gotta luv this glowball warming! 😎
Chuck...my mistake. You did, in fact give the temp in Fahrenheit at -20. That's cold. The coldest I've ever encountered was a place in Iowa. -25 with a wind chill of -60. We left the bus block heater plugged in all night. It wouldn't begin to try starting next morning. What a day.
That was Bettendorf, Iowa around 1994, wasn't it? You played the festival on Friday and I arrived to play Saturday and Sunday. It was so cold that freezing air was blowing through the hotel room heaters.
Sonny- That sounds like the winter of 1976-77? The temps were near that for about a week in Central and Northern IL. It was around New Years, Christmas break from school and I was riding with my dad in the truck (semi). We were stranded near Rockford, IL for 4 days, man was it ever cold.
Bettendorf, Iowa. Right. Maybe 93. Raymond Huffmaster, best bus driver ever, was still with us and he left in 93. His family and Mississippi called...sad day for me.
Bill, you are right. Man, was it ever cold. I saw it almost as cold once in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada too...but Iowa tops the list.
Moncton, New Brunswick! Great country, hillbilly, Southeastern Kentucky type cooking, Moosehead Ale, and Magnetic Hill. And some of the best, most friendly, people I've ever met. Fun people.
Those were cold, snowy and icy conditions and you couldn't see twenty feet in front of you. We drove all night Friday to get there, only to find that the hotel rooms were colder than the van! You had the -75 at that festival too and everybody told me on Saturday that you had been looking for me! Bill
You know what though...Corey, Chuck, Bill, Dean..and everyone....As we get older, it's these times that we won't ever forget, and tend to tell over, and over, and over, to our Grand Kids. My Dad did it, and I do it. I'm not sure the reason. Maybe one or more of several things. We don't want to forget, we want to hear and remember those times, or we just want to bore them to tears....after they've heard every one of them a hundred times or more.
We know they won't say anything because we're old!!! Does anything like this work for you???
I'm in central Saskatchewan,,it's a balmy -20*F . It's Arizona for me after Christmas - Yuma Fiddle Contest, then Blythe Bluegrass Fest in the first 2weeks of Jan. Stay cool, my friends....👍
Chuck, it's gorgeous right now in NW AZ. I live close to the Colorado river and I think today it was a balmy 68 degrees. Sounds like you have some good music plans lined up after Christmas. There's a bluegrass festival here in Bullhead first part of every year. You should check it out, too. Maybe get in a little fishin' while you listen to some pickin'.
I don't miss those cold Tennessee days at all. The first spring we were there and it snowed the last day in April, I asked what's his name "what the hell did you get me into here?" lol Bundle up good, Sonny.
I would love to be living in some Tennessee winters especially around the Mountains and Gatlinburg. It may get cold but there is always a quick reprieve and it doesn't last long. ( or so it seems to me).
ken
Edited by - From Greylock to Bean Blossom on 12/14/2016 04:27:06
Hmm...that's why I was hearing those weird sounds coming outta my banjo last January 😆. Guess I'd better do what Earl said to do in his book - rub my finger picks behind my ears to get some oil on'em,,, (every two minutes). haha
You're right Sonny "had" cause I don't know what this stuff they call country music is now. Even a lot of the bluegrass doesn't sound right anymore. I finally got to go to the Opry earlier this year. With the exception of Bobby O, Connie S and Jeannie I don't have a clue what the other was. Sad really
I still tune into the Opry on Sirius-Xm quite often, mostly to hear Bobby, Ricky, Buck and the girls, Mike Snider, and other BG ,old time, and classic country acts. Some of the new groups aren't really country except maybe a thin thread of connection to the old stuff.
Seasons Greetings to Sonny and the gang here! I wanted to give you folks a special Christmas present. I've edited some vintage audio from around 1957 (I think) of the Osborne Brothers with Red Allen from radio shows of WWVA out of Wheeling, West Virginia. The audio is pretty rough in spots, but the I think that you can definitely get some enjoyment out of it. I love hearing Bobby and Sonny's take on some of the classics from Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, and even Elvis Presley! Here's a list of the first few songs for you:
Salty Dog Blues, Cripple Creek, Mama Blues, Sonny Mountain Chimes, Nine Pound Hammer, Pike County Breakdown, Pretty Polly, Ruby, Don’t Be Cruel, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, In the Pines, Cumberland Gap, Little Maggie, Groundhog, Dim Lights, Thick Smoke, Shortnin’ Bread, Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky, Lonesome Road Blues, etc,,
Sonny, there is a banjo instrumental that I could not understand what Bobby said the name of it was. It's number 25 on the playlist. If you happen to remember, I would love to know. Thanks!
Sonny - I got this today from an old Army buddy.....the Army country/bluegrass band's spin on Ruby for Christmas.....thought you might get a kick out of it.
Merry Christmas to you and your family - hope to see you at Banjothon.
