Eugene Crabtree, who played banjo for many years with The James King Band, died suddenly yesterday (4/9) from a heart attack. He was 43 years old.

We’ve not been able to find an obituary online, but understand that he died of a heart attack, and was found in his truck too late for any attempt at resuscitation. Eugene had made mention of chest pain this week, but sadly ignored the symptoms and a fine musician and friend to many in bluegrass is lost.

I knew Eugene when I lived in the Tidewater area of Virginia in the early 1980s - where we both were raised. His fiery red hair and aggressive banjo style always made him stand out on stage or in a jam. He played a Stanleytone banjo (made by Frank Neat) back then, and for many years after, making him one of the very few professional banjoists using an arch top.

Eugene had taken time off the road in the past few years, only returning recently to performing with James King.

UPDATE 12:26 p.m. Through some mutual friends, we have learned a few more details regarding Eugene’s most untimely passing.

Arrangements are being handled by Andrew’s Funeral Home in Gloucester, VA.

Anyone who would like to send along condolences to Eugene’s family (who are taking this very hard, as you would imagine) can send them in care of his wife:

Hannah Crabtree
6847 Ark Road
Gloucester, VA 23061

Though they have not requested any financial help, it would surely be most welcome with unexpected expenses. As we understand it, Eugene did not have health insurance nor sufficient life insurance to help his family with funeral costs.

Rounder Records has posted information on its website about the forthcoming release of a new CD by James King. Titled Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King (Rounder 0595), the album is scheduled for release on May 20.

This is what the Rounder website says about King and the anthology:

James King is considered among the leading voices in traditional bluegrass, summoning timeless echoes of Appalachia with a voice that is equal parts urgent, yearning, and tender. For that reason, this project - his first entirely gospel collection - has been eagerly awaited by his public, whose frequent requests for such an album inspired its release. King’s interpretations of bluegrass gospel classics both vintage and modern are so uniquely suited to the powerful longing and commitment that underpins every note he sings.

‘Gardens in the Sky’ combines favorites from the James King catalog with performances featured on albums by Paul Williams and Longview, King’s contributions to ‘The Stanley Gospel Tradition’ CD, and six previously unreleased recordings.

I can add some more information about the album content …….

The CD begins with two songs from The Stanley Tradition – Songs About Our Savior that was originally on Doobie Shea DS-300, a various artists tribute CD re1eased in 1998.

From the Longview catalogue are The Touch Of God’s Hand, Angels are Singing (In Heaven Tonight) and Voice of My Savior, while on what is essentially a Paul Williams recording, King sings lead vocal on the chorus to I Just Steal Away and Pray (Albert E. Brumley).

The majority of the cuts are from King’s existing catalog released on these four CDs; These Old Pictures, The Bluegrass Storyteller, Bed By The Window and Lonesome And Then Some.

The six new tracks are Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore, an original composition by Chris Stapleton of The SteelDrivers, It’s Hot Down Here (an a cappella quartet), Don’t Worry Mama (written by King himself), The Prettiest Flowers Will Be Blooming, Will You Feel at Home (Vern Williams-Ray Park) and Happy I’ll Be. The last named, also written by Park and Williams, is an out-take from the sessions for Bed by the Window. The others are new recordings featuring, in various combinations, Adam Haynes - fiddle; Kevin Prater - rhythm guitar, high baritone vocal; John Wade bass; Adam Poindexter - lead guitar, tenor vocal; and Chris Hill - banjo, tenor and bass vocal.

There’s a host of other exceptional pickers and singers on this 18-song collection, too many to list here.

There aren’t any audio samples available yet on the Rounder website, but we will let you know as soon as they become available.

Recently we provided some information about the forthcoming Longview CD Deep In The Mountains, Rounder 0578. We can now add that there are 30 second WinMedia and RealAudio audio clips available to listen to at the Rounder website.

The group is a largely studio-only supergroup, featuring James King, Don Rigsby, Lou Reid, JD Crowe, Ron Stewart and Marshall Wilborn. The personnel has changed some over the years and the three previous recordings under this name, but their penchant for finding terrific songs and capturing them in a soulful, traditional bluegrass style has remained throughout.

The CD, which has 12 tracks, is scheduled for release on April 8. You can read more about the new project in our earlier post.

Rounder Records has announced the release of a new CD from the two-time IBMA Award winning combination, Longview.

It is a little over ten years since the debut release by the super group bearing the name Longview and with their first release they caused so much of a furor that two more followed in quick succession. Now it is six years since the last and I, for one, didn’t expect to enjoy the prospect of another album.

The three remaining original members Marshall Wilborn (acoustic bass, vocals), Don Rigsby (mandolin, vocals) and James King (vocals) are joined by Lou Reid (guitar, vocals), Ron Stewart (fiddles, vocals) and J.D. Crowe (banjo, vocals) for this particular set of recordings. To quote from the liner notes, the result is…

“…a potent new line-up with the chops, discipline, and heart required to make the bluegrass tradition come alive. From the first note to the last, Deep In The Mountains is a striking update of the band’s long-held goal: soulful old-school bluegrass with soaring lead singing and riveting three-part harmonies.”

Deep In The Mountains, self produced by the group member and recorded at Skaggs’ Place Studio; Hendersonville, Tennessee, comprises a dozen excellent songs ………..

Eating Out of Your Hand, Dudley Connell’s Weathered Grey Stone - what irony!, Randall Hylton’s Room at the Top of the Stairs, Don’t Leave Me Alone (one of two James King’s favourites by Cullen Galyean), Old Log Cabin (John Sloas-Lonnie Nipper), Cotton Eyed Joe, I’ll Love Nobody But You, Baptism of Jesse Taylor (classic country from Dallas Frazier and Sanger Shafer), the Louvin Brothers’ composition I’m Gonna Love You One More Time, At the First Fall of Snow, I Love You Yet and Georgia Bound (Charlie Moore-Bill Napier).

Don Rigsby, the prime mover in getting things organised for this album, comments ………………..

“The songs were compiled by all of the members of the band and Ken Irwin too. There actually are no new songs per se, but lots of obscure old material in keeping with the Longview tradition. The lead singing duties are split with James, Lou Reid and I. Of interest to all of the fiddlers and banjo pickers out there will be a version of Cotton Eyed Joe from Ron Stewart and J.D. Crowe with a break from myself and one from Lou Reid too.

As for rehearsal, the way we have always made these was to hatch the arrangements in the studio and record them while they were fresh.

We are currently booking shows and are booked by Mike Drudge at Class Act Entertainment. We hope to see the fans at some premier event in the near future.” (more…)

Last year about this time we told you about a concert being organized in Wisconsin for the benefit of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. We’ve just received word that October 6, 2007 is the date for the 2nd Annual event.

The venue has changed this year, as the one day event has grown in scope. The benefit will be held in Wehr Hall on the campus of Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI this year. The event has grown to include the sponsorship of The Reiman Foundation and Northwestern Mutual.

The line up has also evolved since last year. Two of the same bands will be performing again this year, with the addition of two other regional bands and one national act. Here’s the line up.

• The James King Band - headlining
• The Liberty Bluegrass Band (including event organizer James Brocksmith on banjo)
• Sawdust Symphony
• Lucky Break
• Jefferson County Bluegrass

James comments on some of the activities surrounding the event this year.

This year’s festival will have plenty of jamming, concessions and silent auction. We are in a larger venue and will have excellent sound provided by Steve Klein. We will be on WTMJ’s (NBC) Morning Blend program September 20 (9-10 AM) talking of the show and performing one or two numbers.

This festival is growing this year and people are bending over backwards to help out and make this a bluegrass success!

For more information about the genesis of this event, be sure to read last year’s post.

Advance tickets are available now at the discounted price of $20 for adults and $10 for students. Visit the event website for more information.