This post is the first in what will be an occasional feature – Songwriter Profiles. If you have a suggestion for a bluegrass songwriter we might want to consider, please contact us. 

Patrick McDougal was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina and he grew up watching his father, Robert McDougal, perform at the Grand Ole Opry in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was influenced by the first generation of bluegrass musicians, Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs and the like.

He lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina, where he owns and operates Music Plus, a music store and instruction studio, as well as teaching a music course at Blue Ridge Community College.

Currently McDougal is a member of  High Windy. In the past Patrick has performed with such notable musical talents as Herschel Sizemore, Jimmy Haley, The Blue Dogs and country star David Ball. He is 43 years old and has been with High Windy for two years.

McDougal is best known for writing the title song to Dan Tyminski’s Grammy-nominated CD, Wheels. The song was September’s No. 1 on Bluegrass Music Profiles‘ Top 30 Hot Singles chart in and is noted in the December edition of Bluegrass Unlimited at No. 2 in the National Bluegrass Survey, having been five months on the charts. His work has also been performed and recorded by Del McCoury, Alan Bibey and Blue Ridge, The Lonesome River Band, Jeanette Williams Band, Dixie Creek Revival and The Blue Dogs.

Recently, I chatted with McDougal about his background and his song writing …….

Tell me about your formative years in music.

“I always wanted to play banjo, since I was about 6 months old. They told me that I would cry unless I could go to sleep holding on to the banjo players pants leg when my dad’s band would practice. My dad played in a very successful band in 1960s and 1970s; even played the Opry some. I got my first banjo at age 12 and practiced some times all day.”

Who was the first bluegrass songwriter that you took noticed and why?

“Bill Monroe was. I noticed most of his songs were about every day things or events that really happened. I sorta got the bug when I heard two friends of mine sing their songs and thought that was a true way of expressing your thoughts. Tim O’Brien was one of my favouritess. But Tim Stafford makes me cry…” (more…)

Audio from Dan Tyminski’s recent appearance on Mountain Stage can now be accessed online.

The show was recorded on October 12 of this year and broadcast during the week of November 14. Patty Loveless, Chris Knight and Solas were also featured on this show.

Dan and his talented band get a substantial portion of the program, time enough for five songs from his two solo projects (How Many Times, Old Love Affair, Wheels, Heads You Win, Tails I Lose, Knock, Knock!) and his iconic version of I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow.

Joining Dan are Ron Stewart on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Barry bales on bass and Justin Moses on fiddle.

Find the audio online on the Mountain Stage archives page.

The nominees for the 51st Grammy Awards have been announced, and the bluegrass category is filled with familiar names.

Here are the nominees for Best Bluegrass Album for 2009.

• Cherryholmes III: Don’t Believe – Cherryholmes
• Del McCoury Band ‚Äî Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Del McCoury Band
• The Ultimate Collection / Live At The Ryman – Earl Scruggs With Family & Friends
• Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 And 1947 – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Wheels – Dan Tyminski

Cherryholmes also was nominated in the Best Country Instrumental Performance category for the track Sumatra from that same CD, as was Jerry Douglas for Two Small Cars In Rome from Glide, and B?©la Fleck & The Flecktones for Sleighride on Jingle All The Way.

The Steeldrivers were nominated in the Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals category for Blue Side Of The Mountain from their self-titled debut release.

Alison Krauss received several with Robert Plant for their Raising Sand CD – Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, Best Country Collaboration With Vocals and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album.

Bill Monroe’s 1940 single recording of Mule Skinner Blues will also be inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame this year.

The 51 st Grammy Awards will be broadcast live on CBS February 8, 2009. The bluegrass awards are announced and distributed in a  separate ceremony to be held earlier that day.

Here is the second installment of our IBMA Red Carpet interviews (watch episode 1). Katy Daley, of BluegrassCountry.org, continues as our hostess and interviews an all-star line up here in episode two.

You’ll see Del McCoury, Dan Tyminski, Nicky Sanders (Steep Canyon Rangers), Pete & Kitsy Kuykendall, Larry & Dreama Stephenson, Nancy Cardwell of IBMA, and Casey Henry, all grace our Red Carpet. Enjoy…

This video is brought to you in part, by Huber Banjos.