Or you may find sidemen touring together while their primary musical employers are taking some time off for the holidays. There are two such mini-tours for the end of 2009 that should be of interest to bluegrass and acoustic music fans.

First up, The Nedski-Mojo Show, which began this past weekend, and continues through next week. It features banjo picker Ned Luberecki, who performs with both Chris Jones and Larry Cordle, and guitarist Stephen Mougin, who works with Sam Bush. Both are superb musicians and singers, and Ned could easily hold forth for half the show as a stand up comedian.

They have a string of concerts and workshops along the east coast leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday and you can be sure to catch a highly entertaining and musically challenging program if they stop near you. A full list of dates can be found on Facebook.

Then in December, mandolinists Adam Steffey and Kym Warner will tour together briefly in Virginia and Maryland, billed as Mandolin Sessions.

Steffey may be the most prominent bluegrass mando man in the biz these days. He has been named Mandolin Player of the Year six times by the IBMA, and his current CD and DVD releases are hits with the public. Most folks first came to know his music when he was a member of Alison Krauss & Union Station, and he has toured since with Mountain Heart and now, Dan Tyminski.

Warner is a founding member of The Greencards, a fascinating, genre-bending outfit of acoustic musicians who formed in the US, though none were native born. Kym hails from Australia, but lives now in Nashville.

You can find information about the Mandolin Sessions dates at Mandolin Cafe.

Mountain Heart: I thought that their showcase was brilliant, and was very interested to see how they would approach this “going over to the other side” vibe. When the band launched in 1999 – in another en masse exodus from Doyle Lawson – they were a decidedly bluegrass group, very much in the Quicksilver mode.

Only banjo player and vocalist Barry Abernathy and fiddler Jim VanCleve remain from the original lineup, and with new members coming and going, you expect any band to see an evolution in their sound.

Over these ten years, they have been drifting towards a more modern sound, both in their recordings and in their stage presentation. With the addition last year of Josh Shilling, a very talented vocalist and songwriter whose background is in blues and funk-based music, the guys have been drifting ever farther from a bluegrass-only format. Even the fiddle tunes they perform often rely on harmony that owes as much to rock as bluegrass, and the production of their recent studio albums have strayed from kickoff-verse-chorus-break arrangements.

The whole point of last night’s showcase was to introduce a new stage show that made no attempt to be “a bluegrass band” or a “blues band” or a “rock band.”  The video Brance is editing now will have a lot of comments from Shilling about their newly-refocused approach, where they just let the various stylistic influences in the band be what they are. Bluegrass traditionalists may not care for it, but it struck me that anyone with an open mind towards quality music would have to work hard to dislike it.

Mountain Heart is hosting a mega-jam tonight (9/30) to celebrate their 10th Anniversary, with a stellar list of guests scheduled to appear with them on stage. We will certainly be trying to catch that, tonight at 11:15 p.m. (CDT).

Adam Steffey: I agree with Brance that this was a highlight of the day’s music. All the Mountain Heart guys were there – they headed down to see Adam (a former band mate) after their event had concluded.

His band – essentially The Dan Tyminski Band with Clay Hess on guitar and Randy Kohrs on resonator guitar – was sonic perfection. Ron Stewart shows every time he straps on one why he is among the most admired banjoists in bluegrass. Barry Bales plays bass with the tone and sense of time that the rest seek to emulate, and Justin Moses plays fiddle and sings tenor as well as one could hope.

Steffey worked his magic on both mandolin and deep-baritone vocals. Adam has never thought of himself as a singer, though the numbers he would do in the AKUS show while he was a member were always extremely well received, and he delivered two of them last night (Cloudy Days and No Place To Hide). The focus, though was on material from his new Sugar Hill CD, One More For the Road.

Interestingly, Brance and I had heard the title track performed by Josh Shilling and Mountain Heart just an hour or so before Adam’s set. Josh wrote the song, and Steffey opened the show with his version. The contrast was striking, though both were compelling. Adam’s growly, nearly-bass voice immediately grabs your attention, and his rhythm section was sheer joy.

This is a fabulous CD, and getting to see the material performed live was a treat. A particular shout-out to Clay Hess who sang Let Me Fall, in place of the absent Dan Tyminski who did the vocal on the album. It was a fine job, and it brought down the house.

Tina Adair: Though nearly asleep at this point, I drug myself downstairs to hear a short set from The Tina Adair Band.

Tina is a terrific singer, with a voice as big as all outdoors. Her group features Justin Carbone on guitar, Sim Daley on banjo and her husband Tim Dishman on bass. Their set was music from an upcoming CD, with one (How Great Thou Art) from one of her previous releases.

The setting was intimate, sponsored by the South Florida Bluegrass Association, and I could hear them as well acoustically as I could through the sound system. Sim Daley deserves special mention, not only for his understated, tasteful banjo playing, but for the tone of Tina’s purple mandolin, which Sim built. It has always puzzled me why a banjo player as skillful as Sim chooses to build mandolins rather than banjos, but he does, and his Daley Mandolins are highly prozed by professional pickers.

Sim’s banjo, which would appear to be an old flathead, had a remarkable tone, and he did a brilliant job of coaxing it gently from the strings.

Guitarist Carbone shone on both rhythm and lead, not to mention as a songwriter. Several of the songs from the upcoming CD they featured are his.

All of the songs were strong, and quite well performed. Tina’s voice is the showpiece of the band, but harmony vocals are powerful as well. It’s a great group all around.

Watch out for this bunch…

We are very fortunate this year to have Dean Hoffmeyer shooting for us during World Of Bluegrass. He is a Pulitzer-nominated photographer with The Richmond Times Dispatch, and his work speaks for itself. Dean’s work also graces a number of recent bluegrass CD covers, including the recent Grasstowne and Jason Davis projects.

Dean will be providing photos over the next few days, including Thursday night’s Awards Show. He will posting them as soon as he shoots, so we’ll have galleries going up during the show, while Brance and I are posting the winners in real time here on The Bluegrass Blog.

First, John and I were able to catch a Mountain Heart show. The band performed some of their more requested tunes, but also unveiled some new music they’re working up. Several of the songs were performed for the first time last night. The material is great and the band sounds powerful. I really enjoyed the show. I taped part of the show and we talked to a couple of the band members afterward, with the camera running, so be on the lookout for a video later today.

Next we caught Adam Steffey’s official showcase. Adam has long been one of my favorites, and last night proved why. There’s just something cool about that “low lonesome sound” as Adam said, “High lonesome is sooooo 2007!”

Since Adam was the last of the official, main stage showcases, I headed downstairs for some “after hours” fun.

I caught Buddy Merriam’s show. Celebrating his 30th year of performing bluegrass music, there is no finer Monroe style mandolin player out there. And Buddy is just one of my favorite people. It doesn’t hurt that he’s got Ernie Sykes Jr. playing bass and singing with him. What a voice!

I stayed put after Buddy was finished and had the pleasure of hearing Frank Solivan II and his band Dirty Kitchen. Frank is a great musician and singer, and he’s surrounded himself with excellent musicians and singers. I was especially impressed with their trio vocals. They had the parts worked out and sounded good. Performing some traditional material as well as many originals, they’ve got a finely tuned sound that obviously appealed to the crowed who gathered to hear them.

After that, I visited with a few friends, picked up a couple pieces of news you’ll be reading about in the coming days, and then headed to bed. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera with me, so no pictures.

Sim hasn’t decided yet whether it will officially be dubbed the Adam Steffey Model, but that is what it will be no matter what its called. It’s the instrument Adam is playing now with The Dan Tyminski Band and you can have one just like it.

• Solid spruce top
• Premium curly maple back sides and neck
• Side and top fully bound with Ivoroid
• Flat fingerboard with small gauge fret-wire.
• 1” neck width (at the nut) with speed neck
• No fingerboard dots or headstock inlay (except “Daley” logo sat straight in headstock)
• Fingerboard abbreviated to the 18th fret
• Solid black face color with Crimean sunburst back, sides, neck and headstock
• Satin lacquer finish
• Waverly tuners and James tailpiece with nickel hardware

The new Steffey will sell for $8500 and orders placed now can be expected for delivery in 10-12 months.

Sim sent along a number of photos of the mandolin, and of Adam when he first came to pick it up.

The CD, One More For the Road, was released on Tuesday and Sugar Hill and BMI have teamed up to sponsor a free live show at The Station Inn (September 24). It all starts at 6:00 p.m. (CDT) and if you won’t be in Nashville, WSM is broadcasting it live online.

Picking with him will be the Dan Tyminski Band as they highlight much of the material from Adam’s new album. Producer Barry Bales will be on bass, Ron Stewart on banjo, Justin Moses on fiddle, and Dan Tyminski on guitar – with Adam on mandolin, of course. Clay Hess, Randy Kohrs and Tina Steffey will also perform with the group.

The folks at Sugar Hill tell us that cold beer and finger food will be available at the Station, free of charge, starting at 6:00 Nashville time.

But we can’t all squeeze in to the friendly confines of the Station Inn, so the rest of us can check out the show on WSM, broadcasting at 650 AM, and online via live audio stream.

You can hear audio samples from the new CD in iTunes.

This morning (9/23) at 9:00 a.m. (EDT), Katy will speak with Valerie Smith about her 3rd annual Dare to Be Different Showcase, held in Bell Buckle, TN just prior to the IBMA events in Nashville. It’s a full day of bluegrass entertainment on Sunday (9/27) to benefit the Foundation for Bluegrass Music’s Bluegrass In The Schools program, which funds scholarships for schools that would like to, but can’t afford to bring a bluegrass band in to teach their students about the music.

The show will feature performances from several groups, including the newly-formed Jerry Butler & the Blu-J’s, plus a set from Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike.

Katy will have Missy Raines with her on Thursday morning (9/24) at 9:00 a.m.. Missy has yet another nomination for Bass Player of the Year from IBMA, and will discuss that with Katy, as well as her new band, The New Hip.

On Friday (9/25), Adam Steffey is on at 9:00 to talk about his new CD, One More For the Road, which dropped this week on Sugar Hill. Adam also has a number of IBMA nominations this year, for Mandolin Player of the Year and with the Dan Tyminski Band.

I’m sure that Katy will spin a few tracks from the CD, and hopefully will drag a yarn or two from Adam about the recording of this stellar project. Guests include Alison Krauss, Ron Block, Ron Stewart, Bryan Sutton, Randy Kohrs, Chris Stapleton and producer/bassist Barry Bales.

Bluegrass Country’s 24/7 bluegrass music feed can be heard worldwide on www.bluegrasscountry.org and in the Washington area on HD Radio WAMU-88.5 Channel Two, and on 105FiveFM.

The album showcases Adam as both a vocalist and a fiery mandolinist, accompanied by an all-star cast of pickers and singers with whom he has toured and recorded over the years.

Maybe you’ve heard of some of these folks: Ron Stewart and Ron Block on banjo, Clay Hess, Bryan Sutton and Dan Tymisnki on guitar, Stuart Duncan and Ron Stewart on fiddle, Randy Kohrs on slide guitars, and Barry Bales on bass.

He found a couple of singers too… Alison Krauss, Dan Tyminski, Ronnie Bowman and Chris Stapleton.

The CD will soon ship to radio so you’ll be hearing a lot of it shortly, but in the meantime, here are bits of three tracks to show what is contained therein.

First up, the title track (from Josh Shilling and Craig Market) with Adam on lead vocal, and Chris Stapleton providing harmonies.

Next, a spicy Scotty Stoneman number, with Dan Tyminski on vocals.

And lastly, Half Past Four a great old time fiddle tune given the modern grass treatment by Adam and company.

That is some mighty powerful pickin’ and singin’!

You can read more about One More For The Road, including some comments from Adam, in our earlier post about the project.

A single has just been sent to radio on the new Rural Rhythm Fresh Tracks CD. The title of the single is Devil of the Trail. The song is based on a true story and written by Randy, Dennis Goodwin, and Ashley Brown.

The players on this particular cut are Ron Block on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Randy on resonator guitar, Clay Hess on acoustic guitar, Tim Crouch on fiddle, and Aaron Ramsey on bass.

The tenor singer on the new Randy Kohrs single is Shannon Lawson. Lawson was a co-writer on the song “Who’s Goin’ With Me” from the last album.

Other special guests on the upcoming CD include Ronnie and Garnet Bowman, the McCrary Sisters, and more!

Here’s a sample of the song through the first chorus. Email your local bluegrass radio show and request the single if you want to hear the whole thing.

Devil of the Trail:   

He has spent time with two powerfully influential acts – Alison Krauss & Union Station and Mountain Heart – where he has been featured on both mandolin and lead vocals. Adam is currently a member of Dan Tyminski’s band, and lent his mandolin to Dan’s Wheel’s CD.

Steffey’s name can also be found in the credits on a great many new recordings, with Alecia Nugent’s Hillbilly Goddess being the most recent. He has been voted as the IBMA’s Mandolin Player Of The Year 7 times, and is an adjunct faculty member in the ETSU Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music program.

But for all that, solo projects under his name have been in short supply. Save one CD from 2002, Grateful, Adam’s music has been found only on albums by other artists.

Thanks to Sugar Hill Records, that is all about to change. They will be releasing a new Adam Steffey CD in September showcasing his singing and mandolin playing, and the musical artistry of the many fine musicians with whom he has been associated in the recent past.

The new album will have 12 tracks, split three ways. Four will be instrumentals, Adam sings five, and three feature guest vocalists. And what a group of guests! Alison Krauss, Ronnie Bowman and Dan Tyminski each take center stage for one song.

Helping out on the picking side are Ron Block and Ron Stewart on banjo, Clay Hess, Bryan Sutton and Dan Tymisnki on guitar, Stuart Duncan and Ron Stewart on fiddle, Randy Kohrs on a variety of resonator and slide guitars, and Barry Bales on bass. Tina Steffey, Adam’s new bride, adds clawhammer banjo to one track as well.

I met with Steffey last week to talk about the new CD, and he mentioned how excited he was to see it as a Sugar Hill release.

“This is something I’ve been thinking about doing for some time, but was unsure how well it would be received in today’s uncertain climate for record labels. I discussed it with Crossroads Music, where my Grateful CD was released, and found that they were moving towards digital-only distribution.

I really wanted actual CDs for sales at shows, and Barry Bales suggested that I contact Gary Paczosa at Sugar Hill.”

Adam and Gary had worked together many times. Paczosa engineered the AKUS albums while Adam was with the band, and was now the A&R director at Sugar Hill. Bales had already signed on as producer for the new project and he had to nudge Adam a bit to make the contact.

“I really didn’t figure that this was something that would interest Sugar Hill, but I emailed Gary about it, and he called me back right away. He said that they really didn’t have many bluegrass releases scheduled, and mine sounded like it would fit right in.

Gary and Barry agreed to produce together and we started tracking at Gary’s studio in February. He is a brilliant engineer, and so is his assistant, Brandon Bell.”

Of the four instrumentals, two are newly-written Steffey originals. The other two are a version of Durang’s Hornpipe and Half Past Four.

“I knew that I didn’t want this to be an all-instrumental record, but I absolutely wanted to pick some on there. We did Durang’s with a sort of old time feel in D, and Tina played clawhammer banjo. That one ended up going down live.

Half Past Four is an old time song I learned from a YouTube video shot at Clifftop, though we grassed it up pretty solid.”

Whenever you talk with Adam about his singing, the apologies start to flow. He sings with a distinctive, gritty baritone and despite his self-deprecation, his vocal numbers with AKUS and Mountain Heart were always among their most requested songs. No Place To Hide with Alison and Mountain Man with MH are perfect examples.

He mentioned three of the five that he sings…

“A Broken Heart Keeps Beatin’ is one I had learned from The Traditional Grass. It was on their Songs Of Love And Life CD. They sang it up high, but I had to drop it down a few notches.

Trusting In Jesus is a Ron Block song that I remember from my time with AKUS. We actually recorded it for the Everytime You Say Goodbye album, but it ended up not being included.

When Ron was in the studio tracking with us, I asked him if he had any new songs we might consider. Ron said that he really hadn’t been writing much recently, and then he reminded me that Trusting In Jesus had never been released.

Then I cut Don’t Lie To Me, a Red Allen song from the 1960s.”

The song that had Adam more animated than any other is one that he thinks could end up being the title track.

One More For The Road is a new song that Josh Shilling and Craig Market wrote. Its got that mean sort of groove that I like so much – its a great song.

After I had cut my vocal, Barry called me over and said that he had a sort of crazy idea for this one. He suggested that we try something different, and call Chris Stapleton from The Steeldrivers to come in and sing harmony. I love Chris’ voice, so I was all for it.

Barry gave him a call, and luckily he was in town. Chris only lives a few blocks from Gary’s studio, and said that he could be right over. Barry explained that we wanted to try something different, and that we weren’t even sure it would work.

Chris has a gravelly kind of voice – like mine, only good – but I didn’t know he had such a wide range. Barry had him adding harmony lines, and they just tried all sorts of different things. He really made that song, and he was in and out of the studio in 45 minutes.”

I’ll admit that I’m a big fan of Adam’s singing and am delighted that he will be doing the bulk of the vocal tracks on the new recording. Still, it’s hard not to be excited about a new album with such stellar guest singers.

“I am so pumped about having Alison, Dan and Ronnie singing on here.

The one Dan sings is Let Me Fall, which I heard Scotty Stoneman sing on a White Brothers CD. It’s a real barn burner and we are already doing it on our shows. Somebody actually requested it recently at a show which blew my mind since we’ve only performed it a few times.”

Ronnie Bowman sings Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends, a Kris Kristofferson song that was a hit for Ronnie Milsap in 1974.

“When I called Ronnie about doing this song, he had just been to see Ronnie Milsap at The Ryman. As soon as I told him the title, he said, ‘No…  not Ronnie Milsap!’

He was concerned since Milsap never misses a note, but then again, neither does Ronnie Bowman. We did it as a ballad, and he sang the feet out from under it.”

Adam’s biggest concern was finding the right song for Alison Krauss. Knowing her to be such a perfectionist, he knew that the fit had to be right.

“Actually Barry came up with the idea of her doing Warm Kentucky Sunshine, one that The Bluegrass Cardinals had on their Cardinal Class record. Barry said that they had been jamming on that one backstage with AKUS, and sometimes during sound check, and that she did a beautiful job with it.

She liked the idea and we needed another ballad so it turned out perfect.

Working with Alison in the studio is a treat. She is such a warm, real and funny person but when it comes to music, she is a genius. She did a scratch track that sounded perfect to me, but she is coming in sometime this week to cut a finished vocal track.

Most of her fans don’t know what a down-to-earth person she is. I got to see her and Robert Plant when they were in Roanoke last year, and took Tina backstage after the show to meet everyone. Alison came up and acted embarrassed saying ‘I was so nervous up there knowing you were in the audience. I was up on stage going ‘Adam is going to think this is so weird.’ ‘

Of course the music was fantastic. She introduced me to Robert Plant, who was also a regular guy. He even recognized my name and knew that I had been in Alison’s band.

That was a weird moment…”

All in all, Adam says that this was his most rewarding time in the studio to date.

“Barry and Gary made it so easy for me. All I had to do is sit down and pick.

If no one else likes it, at least I had a whale of a time!”

Somehow, I don’t thing that will be much of an issue.

Jens Kruger in particular has established himself as one of the most technically advanced banjo players in the history of the five string, and his brother Uwe is no slouch on the guitar. With bassist Joel Landsberg, they perform regularly as a trio all over the world.

The Krugers make their home now in North Wilkesboro, NC, not far from the annual Merlefest site. They have immersed themselves in the traditional music and culture of the Appalachian region, and their original tunes show how they have incorporated themes of their new home into the lush and complex instrumental music they compose.

Despite their demonstrated virtuosity, they have not received the same sort of acclaim in bluegrass circles as they have elsewhere. But that may be about to change.

Staring this weekend at the Carolina in the Fall festival, which they host in North Wilkesboro, The Kruger Brothers will unveil a more accessible, familiar sound featuring a couple of bluegrass heavyweights. Mandolinist Adam Steffey will be on hand and may do a number of future dates as his schedule allows.

“I’ve gone down to Wilkesboro a couple of times in the past month or so just to jam a little with the Krugers. They are talking about booking a few shows next year as an aside to their regular shows, with an emphasis on some more traditional sounding tunes. My involvement in this is totally contingent upon my schedule with Dan Tyminski. I may be able to do a few dates with them, or none. It’s really too soon to tell.

It’s a blast playing with them, though, because not only are they all superior musicians, they are the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet.”

Also on hand this weekend will be fiddle legend Bobby Hicks, who will also join the Krugers on stage.

“I’m working the festival with them this weekend, and I’m doing a couple things in Florida next year. I’m not a regular member of their band as of yet. But you never know what might happen.

They are some awesome musicians.”

Let’s hope someone records the shows.

HT: Ted Lehmann

Rounder has revealed a little about the making of the video and the picturesque setting that all but steals the show.

Directed by Rocky Schenck and produced by Rocky Schenck and Brad Paul, the video, was shot on the unique Sierra Hotel train car on June 10 -11 in California.

The Sierra Hotel car was part of the California Zephyr line that ran from Chicago to Los Angeles from 1948 to 1983. The car was then purchased privately and completely restored and customized. The producers of the video chartered the car and had it attached to the Amtrak Coast Starlight train (which runs from Seattle to Los Angeles) in Oakland and shot the video during the journey south to Los Angeles and back to Oakland the next day. Wheels features grand iconic scenery, informal performances and humorous vignettes about the band finding ways to stay entertained while on the road.

The video is being added on GAC on Tuesday, July 22 and is currently in heavy rotation on CMT Pure. It can also be viewed online.

Entitled From The Heart and Soul, the CD is due to be released on August 12. Joining Wasson will be J.D. Crowe on banjo, Ron Stewart on fiddle and banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Harold Nixon on bass, Randy Kohrs on resonator guitar and Don Rigsby, Sonya Isaacs and Ben Isaacs on harmony vocals.

The first single from this release, Merle Haggard’s Losin’ In Las Vegas, is included in the recent Rural Rhythm sampler, Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks, and we have a brief audio sample you can hear right now.

Listen now:

This one we will certainly be looking forward to hearing in full.

As so it has come to pass. Here are a few shots from after the ceremony on May 10 at the First Baptist Church in Mountain City, TN.

    

Congratulations Adam and Tina!

When the newlyweds return home I’ll see if we can get some photos from the wedding to share on The Bluegrass Blog.

Ten songs from the show are posted, including the title track from Dan’s upcoming Rounder CD, Wheels, several cuts from his previous solo release (Tiny Broken Heart, Stuck In The Middle Of Nowhere) and a few bluegrass classics (Rocky Road Blues, Man Of Constant Sorrow, Muleskinner Blues, Mary Ann).

The band includes Tyminski on guitar and vocals, Ron Stewart on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Barry bales on bass and Justin Moses on fiddle.

The video was shot with a hand held camera, so it’s a bit shaky at times, but the audio is terrific and they give a fine taste of how strong this band is in concert. This show in March took place one day after I saw the band perform in Roanoke (review here).

You can find all the videos on YouTube, and we’ve included the Wheels video for your enjoyment here.

The band is composed of Barry Bales on bass, Justin Moses on fiddle/dobro, Adam Steffey on mandolin, and Ron Stewart on banjo with Tyminski on guitar and lead vocals. I had spoken with Dan earlier that day, and had several prior conversations with Ron and Adam about the new band. That, together with my keen awareness of each member’s musicianship, left me with some fairly high expectations going into the show.

They emerged from stage right with no introduction, and launched into a blistering, nearly-two hour set of traditional bluegrass music with the characteristic front-of-the-beat drive that distinguishes the finest practitioners of the art. It was a powerful ensemble sound, with vocals to match.

The material was chosen from Dan’s 2000 release, Carry Me Across The Mountains, the band’s upcoming Wheels CD, plus numbers Dan (and Adam) had recorded with Alison Krauss & Union Station. Throw in some bluegrass classics and you had a full concert of expertly performed, passionately delivered music.

Tyminski’s voice has been a familiar one in bluegrass since his emergence with Lonesome River Band in the late 1980s, and he gave an impressive performance Friday night. He offered versions of One Tear and Free Born Man on top of cuts from his CD like Carry Me Across The Mountain, Stuck In The Middle Of Nowhere, Think About You Every Day and Tiny Broken Heart.

Of course they also performed Man Of Constant Sorrow, the most recent bluegrass song to hit pop and country radio with a vengeance, for which Dan provided the voice over in the O Brother, Where Art Thou movie. If you have caught Dan doing this one with AKUS, you’ll have heard his amusing tale about breaking the news about scoring the movie gig to his wife, but it is a funny one even on subsequent rehearings.

The vocal trio has Barry Bales singing baritone and Justin Moses on tenor, blending perfectly with Dan throughout. Dan’s voice is plaintive and emotional, and Moses in particular matched him nuance for nuance, never once overshadowing the lead. Bales’ baritone was also dead on.

The picking was equally sharp, and was a particular highlight for me. Ron Stewart is perhaps the finest exemplar of contemporary bluegrass banjo playing on the scene today and it was a real treat to watch him in his element. Other than a few ballads on which he played fiddle, Ron was left free to pound the five string into submission on every tune. Each note was smooth as silk, and right on time.

Adam Steffey provided his share of fireworks on the mandolin as well. I had seen him perform dozens of times over the years with both AKUS and Mountain Heart, but here his unique skills seem most clearly suited to the task at hand. He and Ron stood side by side on stage, and the two seemed to be gearing up the intensity level all night. As one would lay down a spectacular solo, the other would ratchet it up a notch in response.

Adam also sang No Place To Hide in his baritone drawl, and his MC work throughout the evening was as entertaining as the music. He is a natural comedian and he had the band and the audience in stitches between songs.

I’m not sure if I can add any praise to that Barry Bales has already earned for his stellar bass work. Impeccable timing, huge tone and an ability to be creative on his instrument within the accepted parameters of the style have long set him apart. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely all night – as they all did – and his quick ear allowed him to create clever counter rhythms whenever the soloists’ work suggested them.

Justin Moses seemed like an odd man out, but only for his demeanor. If he smiled, I missed it, and his posture and attitude strike you as one of a man uncomfortable with the limelight. But nothing about his playing gives you that impression. His fiddle work was stellar, as was his dobro and banjo playing on a few songs.

All in all, The Dan Tyminski Band struck me as one of the finest of its kind ever assembled. Their rhythmic and instrumental precision, lead and harmony vocal smoothness, and choice of material puts one in mind of the heralded Bluegrass Album Band [heresy alert!]. That touchstone band, which featured Tony Rice, JD Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Bobby Hicks and Todd Phillips defined the apex of the style, and their recordings schooled the next generation of pickers in the finer points of modern bluegrass.

I doubt that I can put it any better than my friend, Keith Roberts, did: If The Bluegrass Album band is The King James Bible, these guys must be the New American Standard.

Just so. Let’s hope they stay together and record for many years to come.

It’s the 3rd annual Pickin’ at the Paramount all star show where top bluegrass artists get together for two shows, performing together in round robin-type groupings quite different from the way fans are used to seeing them.

Artists involved in this year’s show include Mike Bub, Tim Laughlin, Ron Stewart, Adam Steffey, Jim Hurst, Dale Ann Bradley, Bradley Walker, Alecia Nugent, Terry Baucom, Phil Leadbetter, Alan Bibey, David Talbot, Missy Raines, Ricky Wasson, Kenny & Amanda Smith and Josh Williams. Cindy Baucom will be the emcee.

If you live within a comfortable drive’s distance of Bristol, this show would be well worth the trip. Shows are at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Center for the Arts, a restored art deco movie house from the 1920’s.

More details about online ticket purchasing can be found on The Paraount site.

Our friend, old time banjo picker Tina Trianosky, was at the show and sent us some impressions – and found us some photos taken from the crowd.

The show was one of the best bluegrass shows I’ve ever seen. The combination of musicians Dan has put together is unbelievable. They played a combination of original and traditional songs; including some of the classics from Dan’s time with the Lonesome River Band, songs from Dan’s solo CD and songs from AKUS.

The sold out Station Inn crowd particularly liked Mary Ann, One Tear, No Place to Hide, and Del McCoury’s Who Showed Who. One of the biggest highlights came when Ronnie Bowman joined the DTB for two songs, Money in the Bank and Long Gone. Ron Stewart played an smoking version of Pike County Breakdown.

I can’t begin to express how good it was. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Dan did a wonderful job of incorporating new material from their upcoming CD as well as crowd favorites. I can’t wait for the next show!

Here are a couple more photos from the show, taken by NC banjo picker Eric Hardin – who apologized for the quality.