David Grier will be performing live on Monday morning (11/24) at 10:30 a.m. on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country.

He will join hosts Katy Daley and Lee Michael Demsey to pick some guitar and talk about his latest CD, Live at the Linda. Grier is one of the finest flatpick improvisers around, and his live performances are always a treat.

David is in the Washington area for a solo concert Monday night for the Institute of Musical Traditions.

You can hear the 24/7 bluegrass feed at www.bluegrasscountry.org.

Bluegrass has always been a highly participatory genre, with a higher than average number of fans being amateur or part time players as well, something we share with jazz and folk music.

One of the surest signs of the continuing growth of interest in bluegrass music is the success of the many new instructional camps and workshops held each year. Some are instrument specific, while others offer classes for many or all bluegrass instruments at the same time. They are gaining in number and popularity all over the US and Europe as pickers seek to learn more about the music they love.

St. Louis Flatpick is one hosted by guitarist Bull Harman, who developed the concept and started the weekend workshop event to help boost interest in flatpicking in the Midwest.

My wife, Tammy, and I attend workshops throughout the U.S. and have noticed that our area was severely lacking in a weekend workshop type event. So based upon on our experience with others’ weekends, we decided to start St. Louis Flatpick. We are proud to say that this is our 4th year, of hopefully many. We planned the 3 day event months before it’s actual time to allow for preparation and advertising. Our Exhibit Hall hosts several of our sponsors throughout the weekend and our Saturday evening concert has become the highlight of the weekend. Students are thrilled at the opportunity to sit back and watch their instructors shine.

Our goal was to bring a workshop of this kind to the Midwest area, where there aren’t classes available of this type. We outgrew our first hotel after the first year moved to the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel in St. Louis where we have lots of room to grow including a ballroom for the concert.

This year’s event will be March 7, 8 & 9th in St. Louis, MO. Featured instructors will be Clay Hess and David Grier

David Grier has released his latest album of solo flatpicked guitar.

Live At The Linda was recorded in concert at the Linda Norris Auditorium in Albany, NY in September of 2006. It showcases David in his element – performing his unique improvised guitar style before an appreciative audience.

The 13 tunes are drawn from David’s own compositions, traditional fiddle music (Red Haired Boy, Red Wing, Bonaparte’s Retreat), bluegrass instrumentals (Randy Lynn Rag, Old Ebeneezer Scrooge) and pop hits (Killing Me Softly, Yesterday).

There are no audio samples up yet online, but David says that you’ll be able to find them on his web site soon.

Jon Glik’s fiddle playing can be heard on some of my favorite records. Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a huge Del McCoury fan. Don’t Stop The Music may be my all time favorite McCoury album, and Glik’s fiddle plays an important roll in the band’s sound on that recording.

Over the years Jon has recorded with a number of other bluegrass legends including David Grisman, Frank Wakefield, Peter Rowan, the Forbes Family, Dave Evans, Paul Adkins, Walter Hensley, Bob and Danny Paisley, and more.

Sadly, Jon is now in the hospital due to liver failure. This makes the third time this year he has been hospitalized. Like many other musicians, Jon does not health insurance and is faced with rising medial bills. In the midst of this, he is in need of a liver transplant if he is to survive.

The bluegrass community is coming together in an effort to assist this beloved fiddle player. A fund has been started to raise money for the transplant and to help offset his medical expenses.

Several things are being done to raise money for the fund.

A benefit concert is being held on Friday, October 19, from 7:00-11:00 PM. The concert takes place at The Arcadia Fire Hall, in Arcadia, MD. Admission is $35 at the door. Performers include The Del McCoury Band, David Grisman, David Grier, and The Forbes Family.

Eastman Strings has kindly donated a beautiful 904 D Mandolin to be raffled off at the concert, with all proceeds going directly to Jon’s medical fund.

James Reams, Walter Hensley & The Barons of Bluegrass are donating all proceeds (during the month of October) from the sale of the CD Wild Card, featuring Jon Glik on fiddle, to Jon’s medical fund. To order the CD, they ask that you mail a check for $15, made out to Jon Glik Medical Fund, to Mountain Redbird Music, 565 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215. They ask that you also include $1 in cash or postage stamps to cover shipping costs.

You may also contribute directly to the fund by sending a check to Jon’s sister, Barbara Glik. Again, the check should be made out to Jon Glik Medical Fund, and mailed to:

Barbara Glik
P.O. Box 4005
Annapolis, MD 21403

Let’s all pull together and help one of our own in his time of need.