Having spent 24 years in the U.S. Navy, 20 years and 7 months with Country Current, Wayne Taylor retired to civilian life on March 21, 2008. What does that mean for a bluegrass musicians?

Wayne is in Nashville this week at the IBMA leadership class, and says his plans are to get more involved with bluegrass music. And getting more involved he is.

He has a new CD out titled Dear Mom. He just recorded an interview with Kyle Cantrell for XM Radio, which I’m told may air next Tuesday. And he’s found a new musical home.

I am playing with Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band. We’ve played a few gigs and will be hitting the festival circuit this year. Our schedule can be viewed at Myspace.com/waynetaylor.

The guys in Country Current are going to miss Wayne’s presence for sure. I spoke to Frank Solivan II, who plays mandolin and fiddle in the band, and he shared his thoughts on Wayne’s departure from the band.

Wayne Taylor has been and is an inspiration as a musician, boss, and especially as a friend. Personally he has been there for me and my wife Leah from our start with the Navy Band. From helping us move two times and helping me install drywall in my new house to personal dilemmas. I’ve been able to count on his professionalism, honesty, and good natured attitude for almost 5 years without as much as a hiccup.

His retirement ceremony last Friday not only honored his service to our country, but his commitment to family, friends and coworkers. The masses that gathered was proof of this. Many people came to honor him… from childhood friends and his Father’s best friend to local musician, friends and family. The room was charged with emotion and the golf ball in Wayne’s throat was apparent. It was evident that everyone loves Wayne. He received a number of awards, letters of appreciation, and mementos from prominent figures in our military and the President. A number of people got up and honored his accomplishments. The legacy and shoes to fill that he’ll leave behind is immeasurable. I’m sure his fine character will carry him far in the civilian world and his musicianship and vocal ability will impart emotion just as it always has. He’ll be missed and thought of fondly.

~Frank

We wish Wayne all the best in his future endeavors, and we encourage you to take the opportunity to see him this summer at a festival near you.

We’ve posted recently about banjo man Bill Emerson’s new CD, Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band, and the former member of The Country Gentlemen, The Sunny Mountain Boys and the US Navy Band’s Country Current coming back to music after several years in retirement.

Country Standard Time has a wide ranging interview with Bill published on their web site, where he discusses Charlie Waller, Jimmy Martin, his return to touring and recording and his new band and CD.

A few choice tidbits…

Recalling that Fourth of July 50 years ago when he and Charlie Waller brought the Country Gentlemen into being, he admits they were just doing what they needed to do at the time.

“We never thought we’d amount to that much, we just wanted to play music and make a little money, have some fun. We never thought we would ever get a recording contract and become the group that the Country Gentlemen became. I was just glad to play with somebody who could play guitar as well as Charlie Waller and somebody who was as great a singer as he was. I certainly benefited from that, and I hope he benefited from me being around, especially in the later years, and Charlie Waller is certainly one of the greatest lead singers of all time as far as bluegrass music goes.”

Emerson also notes that his former US Navy band mate Wayne Taylor will soon be a part of The Sweet Dixie Band.

“(Wayne’s) gonna be full time with me starting at the end of April when he retires…I’m not gonna start hittin’ it heavy until 2008. I’ve got some other people lined up, plus the thing we did in Nashville, the (IBMA) Rebel showcase was almost like a variety show. We had a lot of the people that were on this project with me, and we’re gonna try to maintain that concept.”

Read the the full piece by John Lupton online.

Bluegrass banjo has been fortunate to see so many capable practitioners of the art carrying the banner over its relatively short 60 year life. One of the banjo’s most celebrated champions, Bill Emerson, has been largely missing from the performing scene for several years since his retirement, though he has made a number of notable recorded contributions of late.

He is featured with Tony Trischka on Tony’s Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, and also took part in the Stelling Banjo Anthology CD.

In what is great news for his many fan (like me), Bill will release his third CD for Rebel Records on October 9, his first as a solo artist in more than ten years. Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band represents something as a departure, showcasing Bill as a band leader with his own group for the first time.

Bill credits Tony Trischka’s urging as a primary reason to embark on this new project.

“Tony’s encouragement was a one reason why I decided to record Bill Emerson and The Sweet Dixie Band. While I have recorded many albums with groups like The Country Gentlemen, instrumentals projects and duos like Emerson and Goble, I had never done an album with a band of my own, so this is a new beginning for me.”

The Sweet Dixie Band is made up primarily of members of Country Current, the US Navy country/bluegrass band which Bill led for 20 years while he was in the service. Wayne Taylor is on guitar and vocals, Joe Wheatley on bass and vocals, Pat White on fiddle and vocals, and Frank Solivan II on guitar, mandolin and vocals, with Bill on banjo and Con Burch on vocals.

In addition to his core band, the new CD features guest appearances from Paul Williams, Tony Rice, Randy Waller, Mark Newton, Andy Ball, Scott Linton, Brad Corbin, Gary Ferguson, Darren Beachley and Pete Goble. Bill says that The Sweet Dixie Band will perform live as a unit, with a CD release concert scheduled at the Strasburg Theater in Strasburg, Virginia on November 10.

He is especially proud to introduce his lead vocalist, who may not be familiar to a lot of bluegrass fans.

“Con is a piano and voice teacher from Fort Valley VA, and I think anyone who hears her sing will agree that she is a special talent. She also wrote two songs on the album.”

A single from the CD, Sweet Dixie Girl, has just been released to radio so you may be hearing it soon on your favorite over-the-air on online program.

This week’s Musicians Tip from BluegrassCountry.org comes from banjo man Bill Emerson. Bill earned his reputation as a solid picker with Jimmy Martin and The Country Gentlemen, and then served as a musician in the US Navy Band, Country Current where he played banjo and led the group.

Bill shares his thoughts about stage presence in his brief (1 minute) audio presentation. Find it at BluegrassCountry.org, where you can listen to each of their Musicians Tips segments. A new segment is added each week, with bluegrass music professionals sharing their wisdom and experience.

Emerson has a new CD due out next month, Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band, which will feature Bill with his new group, and guest appearances from Paul Williams and Randy Waller.