Balsam Range consists of Marc Pruett on banjo, Caleb Smith on guitar, Darren Nicholson on mandolin, Tim Surrett on bass, and Buddy Melton on fiddle.

We had a chance recently to discuss the new project recently with Melton, and he shared a few thoughts about the songs, starting with the title cut.

“The Last Train to Kitty Hawk was written by a couple of friends of mine in Nashville (James Ellis and Steve Dukes). I first heard the song several years ago and have been a fan of this song since.

The song is about progress and change.  ‘No nothing lasts forever,’  ‘They say progress makes us better….time ain’t standing still for any man… all aboard the last train to Kitty Hawk….’

I think it is such a well written song with a very artistic view of progress. Balsam Range was born in the Carolinas, as was the first flight. The connection of the Wright Brothers flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina made this song even more appealing.”

Balsam Range and Crossroads have agreed to allow us to post an audio sample of the song, which will be distributed to bluegrass radio early in ‘09.

Listen now:

Buddy also spoke about the process of collecting songs for the new album, something that will be familiar to most any recording artist.

“Finding material for a new project is always a challenge but is also one of fun parts of making a CD. Seeing a song come together from start to finish is rewarding. All the guys in Balsam Range are great at taking a song and making it fit the band. We really worked hard and finding and creating good variety of music for this second release.

There are several songs on this project written from within the band. I co-wrote the lead off track titled Julie’s Train. This song came from a jam session where several friends and I got together for the fun of it. Joe McElroy wrote a line or two, and we finished writing it that night. It is great for me to see this song on the Balsam Range project.  Knowing the history of how it came to be, and that it was written as a result of friends getting together for the fun of it, makes it really special.

Caleb Smith wrote a great haunting story song titled Jack Diamond that takes you back in time to the old west and makes you want to run out and watch The Outlaw Josey Wales. He also wrote a great instrumental piece titled Jaxon Point.

The name Milan Miller shows up again as a writer in this project. Milan is a friend and former band mate of mine. He wrote Calloway County Flood and co-wrote Burning Georgia Down for our last project.  On this one he wrote a song called Caney Fork River. It is definitely on of my personal favorites from this new project and a song that I had recorded several years back with Tony Rice and others but had not officially released nationally.

Anyone who has traveled west to Nashville will notice that you cross the Caney Fork River multiple times. That was the inspiration behind the song. The chorus asks the question how many times must I cross the Caney Fork River until I know that I am home free. This same chorus takes on a new meaning by the end of the song.

Several other well known writers such as Larry Cordle show up on this project as well.

This project was a lot of fun to create.  It has several old standards and one great older gospel song written by Dottie Rambo. The Dottie Rambo song (The Holy Hills) includes a guest appearance from Karen Peck Gooch.

We just wanted to represent all the aspects of Balsam Range. I am very proud of this project.

We are all looking forward to the release of Last Train To Kitty Hawk and traveling the country and meeting great folks along the way.”

You can find more information on Balsam Range on their web site.

He is also known for his songwriting, and as an active member of the IBMA Board of Directors. You can now add to his busy schedule, a job playing bass with Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time.

Let Jon tell us how this arrangement came about …….

“Cord called me shortly after New Year’s Day to ask me if I’d like to join Lonesome Standard Time. My reply, of course, was “absolutely.” I’ve been a big fan of Larry’s music for many years, going back to when Ricky Skaggs first hit with Highway 40 Blues, and I’d written about him back when Murder On Music Row came out. I filled in with him on one date in Columbus, Ohio, just about a year ago, and had a great time – and last weekend’s dates in Fairview, Ohio and Milton, West Virginia confirmed that that’s the norm. Cord’s a great writer, a great singer, and a great front-man – he really knows how to get the audience on our side and keep them there.

The rest of the band is superb, too; Booie Beach (guitar) and Kim Gardner (Dobro ¬Æ) are both exceedingly under-rated instrumentalists, and it’s great to be reunited with Chris Davis (mandolin, vocals) – he had played and sung in my band, Union Springs, back in 1998, shortly before it disbanded. And, of course, it’s cool to have my frequent musical companion Ned Luberecki playing banjo for the rest of the month’s dates.”

Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time has a recently released CD, Took Down And Put Up on the Lonesome Day Record label (LDR 011), a collection that has just figured in the Top 15 Bluegrass Albums chart in The Bluegrass Unlimited Natural Bluegrass Survey listing for January.

You can check the band’s tour schedule online for a chance to catch them live.Weisberger concludes by telling us about his other activities and his hopes for this year. He certainly leads a busy life‚Ķ..

“In the meantime, I’ll continue to perform with Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, the Harley Allen Band, Radiola, Roland White, et al, as I’m able to – so far the dates seem to be working out OK for that. And I’m looking forward to a good song writing year; I’ve got a co-write with Tim Stafford and Bobby Starnes coming out on the new Blue Highway album, and a couple of other songs of mine look like they’re going to get recorded this year, too.”

Back in June, Brance reported that Larry Cordle’s new project, Took Down and Put Up, would be released on Lonesome Day later this summer. We still haven’t seen a street date for this project, but we’ll be sure to update when we get the word.

Just this week, Lonesome Day announced that Ralph Stanley II will be the newest addition to their artist roster. “II” (two), as he is nick named, is the youngest son of the venerable Dr. Ralph Stanley, now just shy of 30 years old. He has released four previous CDs for Rebel Records and looks at the new agreement with Lonesome Day as an opportunity to define his own sound, which Lonesome Day describes as mixing the mountain Stanley sound with some more contemporary material.

One stylistic break from the earlier projects involves the backing musicians. On his prior CDs, Stanley was accompanied primarily by his father’s touring band, The Clinch Mountain Boys, but this time out he had a stellar group of bluegrass superpickers with him in the studio. Tim Crouch, Steve Gulley, Cody Kilby, Randy Kohrs, Marty Raybon, Adam Steffey and Ron Stewart are listed as guest performers.

No title has been announced and a spring 2008 release is expected.

UPDATE 9/14: Reader Rick Randol emailed to say that he recently purchased the new Cordle CD from The Music Shed. Not sure why there is no mention of the release on eitehr the Cordle or Lonesome Day web sites. If it is offered by one retailer, it should be widely available now.

UPDATE 9:45 a.m.: The Took Down and Put Up CD is officially released on September 18, and will be available for sale everywhere at that time.

The interview will include a discussion of Larry’s new relationship with Lonesome Day Records, and the release of his new CD Took Down and Put Up. They will also be discussing the first single planned for release from the new recording.

It should be an interesting interview with a great bluegrass songwriter!

I was able to talk with Larry via email about the new CD and the deal with Lonesome Day Records. He tells me this is the first of two CDs covered by the deal.

Randall & I had talked early on (right after the cd was finished late last fall) about the possibility of working together…….I had other offers to consider at the time & was still toying around with the idea of putting the cd out by myself…….after listening to the other offers that were extended me & deciding against them I called Randall to see if he was still interested in what I had recorded & what I had in mind going forward …….we have been friends for about 6 or 7 years & we were (thankfully) able to put together a 2 record deal.

The first single to be release off the new CD will be a tune penned by Chris Stuart, The First Train Robbery. This is one of 5 songs on the CD not written or co-written by Cordle himself. The other 9 cuts have come directly from Cordle’s pen over the last 30 years.

These songs from my catalog include songs from my early writing days as in “The Hero of the Creek”, (about a lifelong friend of mine from Eastern Kentucky who sadly passed away on Nov 1, 2006 before he got to hear the record of my tribute to him) which was written in 1979 or 1980. Other songs from the not too distant past, such as, “Song For Keith”, “Rough Around The Edges”, “67 Chevy Malibu”, “B.Y.O.B.” were written in the mid to late 90’s, to just really, really new stuff like “Hole In The Ground”, “Old Cheater’s Blues”, “I’m A Lie”, etc……which were written over the last 12 to 18 months.

Larry Cordle is a legendary songwriter having penned a string of #1 country hits starting with “Highway 40 Blues” and with no end in sight. This CD will be a chance to hear more of his great songs sung by himself and backed by a stellar bluegrass band.

It looks like Cordle’s MySpace page includes two songs from the new CD, so click on over for a listen.

Cordle was excited about this CD saying it is the band’s first release in over 4 years and he’s eager for fans to hear it.

We are excited to bring this new cd to our fans who have never wavered in their support and who have incessantly e-mailed & constantly asked me when we were gonna get them some new music from the band…… I know I speak for the entire band when I say how proud we are of the CD. We feel like it’s our finest work to date and to all of those who have steadfastedly supported us, we would like to say thanks, God bless & hopefully we’ll see you at a live show somewhere this summer.

April 10 will feature performances by The Grascals, Ronnie Bowman & Friends, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Steel Drivers, The Roland White Band, and Chris Jones & The Nightdrivers. The following night will see Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, Jerry Salley & Breakin’ New Ground, The Mark Newton Band, Cordle, Salley and Carl Jackson, The Mashville Brigade and a special surprise appearance by one of bluegrass music’s top acts on stage at The Station Inn.

This benefit was organized by two Nashville veterans, both of whose lives have been touched by youngsters with autism. Journalist and musician Jon Weisberger (who also serves on the IBMA Board) has a son with the disorder, and singer/songwriter Jerry Salley has a neice who suffers from autism.

April is promoted as Autism Awareness Month, and Nashville has long hosted a similar benefit each April at The Bluebird Cafe. Weisberger and Salley approached The Station Inn about hosting a bluegrass event as a benefit, and it was the club that suggested that they take two nights.

Admission is based on a $20 suggested donation, and the shows will begin each night at 8:00 p.m. (CDT).

Readers outside of Nashville can contribute to the Autism Society of Middle Tennessee online.

I had the opportunity to speak with Larry yesterday and asked for his thoughts about the concert series. Here is what he shared with me.

Speaking about the relationship between bluegrass music and Kentucky.

Bluegrass music is the sound of Kentucky to me…….from the high lonesome mountains to the rolling horse farms & the endless river towns I feel that it belongs to Kentucky…..and I am so proud to be from Kentucky.

On Monroe, bluegrass, and Kentucky…

He [Bill Monroe] is undoubtedly the ‘reason’ for Bluegrass music in it’s strictest sense & was a wonderful mentor to me. His music reflected all the things I mentioned above & incorporated much of the heavy Scotch Irish drony sounds with Blues & country……I think Kentuckians are always cognizant of Mr. Monroe’s stamp on music history……….He was proud to be a Kentuckian & everyone I know who plays this music, thinks he is the reason that Bluegrass music exists.

About his own involvement with the Cradle of Bluegrass Music Trail.

I am absolutely speechless that I was asked to be part of this series……..what great musicians that comprise this group……….that I could somehow be fortunate enough to be asked to be a part of this is the utmost honor for me………..I hope I can somehow live up to being asked to participate in these shows with so many ‘great’ Kentucky musicians that I admire so much.

Thanks so much to Larry for taking the time to share with us. If you have the chance I would encourage you to make an effort to attend one of these shows and hear some great bluegrass music while enjoying the wonderful Kentucky state parks at the same time.

The series features Kentucky natives who are bluegrass musicians including: Don Rigsby, Larry Cordle, Bobby Osborne, Kenny Bishop, Melvin Goins, the Grascals and, of course, J.D. Crowe and the New South.

The series begins April 7th at the Rough River Dan State Park near Leitchfield, continues April 21st at the Frankfort Convention Center (this show is headlined by Earl Scruggs), then on to Jenny Wiley State Resort Park on April 28, and concludes May 19 at the General Butler State Resort Park.

The genesis of the idea can be traced back to Charles Lewis, president of America’s Bluegrass Inc. Lewis hosts a bluegrass show on WSAZ-TV in Huntington, WV and on KET2, Kentucky Public Television. He approached the park department with the idea of a single concert.

J.T. Miller, commissioner of Kentucky State Parks, tells us what the purpose is of holding this concert series.

From our standpoint, it is to build excitement for and occupancy of our state parks, as well as promoting Bluegrass music in Kentucky. Charles Lewis proposed a “big name” event at the 5,000-seat Frankfort Convention Center to build public awareness of the “Trail.”

Lewis was responsible was choosing the talent for the concert series, but following his Grammy nomination, Miller suggested they add kenny Bishop to the lineup.

All concerts start at 1pm local time and will feature a combination of secular and gospel bluegrass music. Lodging packages are offered at the three state park shows and include the concert, a night’s lodging, meals, and a chance to meet the artists.

The state park concert tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The convention center show tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets can be ordered by visiting the Kentucky State Park website.

J.T. Miller tells me that they may consider a similar event in the fall.

If successful, we’d like to do this in the fall at even more parks. Kentucky is truly the “Cradle” of Bluegrass, so it is natural that we would want to be a part of this.

Congratulations to the proud new parents!

The format is intended to be one where songwriters have an opportunity to pose questions and interact with prominent practitioners of the craft. While everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion, lurkers are welcome as well.

Cordle, of course, has seen success as a songwriter in both the bluegrass and country music worlds, penning hits for Ricky Skaggs (Highway 40 Blues) and Alan Jackson (Murder On Music Row). He has had a long career recording and performing his own compositions with his band, Lonesome Standard Time.

The chat starts at 8:00 p.m. (EST) on January 23, and you can find a link to the chat room on the Bluegrass Guide web site.

The CD was recorded, with the exception of the title track, and mixed at Slack-key studios, owned by Randy Kohrs, in Nashville, TN. The project was engineered by Mike Latterell and Randy, and it was mixed by Larry Cordle & Randy Kohrs.

Randy tells us:

The last song, notably, is an incredible, heartfelt original with just Larry playing guitar and singing into the mic, all one take, no overdubs.

Larry is known far and wide as a prolific song writer and this project is no exception.

The project will have 13 new songs on it, 9 of which were written or co-written by yours truly, and Kimbo & Booie wrote the instrumental that’s on there.

Cordle is planning on a March 27, 2007 release while still talking to record labels about picking it up “but if not, I’m just gonna go on and put it out myself.”

The title cut has already been released to radio and currently resides at #17 on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Survey. We look forward to hearing the rest of the disc come March!

The show has been scheduled again this year, and will be held next weekend (1/20/07) at The Paramount Center on historic State Street in Bristol.

The format of the current show is similar to the one we started in 2000, and reminiscent of the old “package tour” shows popular in the 1950s and 60s. An all star cast of prominent bluegrass pickers and singers will rotate on and off the stage in a variety of configurations, generally performing material outside of what you might normally hear them doing.

This year’s lineup includes Bobby Hicks, Ronnie Bowman, Mike Bub, David Talbot, Larry Cordle, Rob McCoury, Don Rigsby, Kim Fox, Darrell Webb, Steve Gulley, Jason Carter, Barry Bales, Paul Williams, Kenny & Amanda Smith and David Grier.

There will be two shows on January 20, at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets and show details can be found at the Pickin’ at the Paramount site, or the Paramount Center site.

This GrassCast is 13 minutes in length and the file download size is 12MB.

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