The track list reads like, well… a treasury of classic bluegrass and country songs.

In fact, he might have called it a Family Treasury of Bluegrass and Country Songs, as the bulk of the accompaniment is provided by kith and kin. Phil explains…

“My wife, Beth Sommers, plays bass and sings harmony with me on a lot of the songs. Our daughter, Naomi Sommers (who is a wonderful songwriter as well as singer – check out her website, www.naomisommers.com), also sings on some of the songs. Naomi started singing with me, at the age of 5, when I began recording a series of albums of bluegrass for children in 1985, just before I left the Seldom Scene – in fact, if you listen to all the albums I produced on my label, American Melody, you can basically hear Naomi grow up (she’s 31 now). Daniel Rosenthal is Beth and my son, and he plays trumpet on the album and also sings bass parts on some of the quartets. Golden Slippers, Rye Whiskey and Sail Away Ladies has all four of us singing on the choruses.

My parents, Lil and Irv Rosenthal, sing on the chorus of Some Folks Do, along with me and Naomi. My father also sang with me on some of the children’s CDs I’ve recorded over the years, and was a great singer. Sadly, he died last spring, just before the record came out.”

He also offered a nice overview of the songs he chose for this new project.

“The songs on my new CD are some of my all-time favorite bluegrass and country songs, plus some originals, including Muddy Water, a song that the Seldom Scene recorded before I was in the band, and had something to do with the band approaching me to replace John Starling when he left the group in 1977. Songwriting was part of my appeal to them, and part of the reason they asked me to audition for John’s spot.

I’ve added some new verses to some of the songs, like Down the Road (which has a verse about Beth keeping me on my musical path through the years, and also mentions the chicken farm that my parents ran when I was growing up – and a verse about first hearing Lester and Earl’s recording of the song when I was a kid), plus Old Joe Clark and Sail Away Ladies. I guess that’s part of the folk process – adding new things to older songs. But some of the songs I’ve done just the way they were written – like Some Folks Do, a little-known but wonderful Stephen Foster song, and Listen to the Mocking Bird, which has become known more as a fiddle tune, but I think sounds better when it’s sung (it’s such a great, sad song, with an uplifting melody).”

It’s likely that most readers of The Bluegrass Blog know Phil primarily for his work with Seldom Scene. For his fans and friends from those days, he gave us a thumbnail version of his post-Scene activities in the music business, where he has remained active and productive.

“I left the Scene in 1986, and have spent most of my time starting and running my label, American Melody. The main focus of the label was to produce good quality bluegrass and folk recordings geared especially for kids, but with appeal, I hope, for any age.

I never wanted to simplify things musically on these recordings. I fell in love with bluegrass the first time I heard it, when I was about 11, and always felt it had something in its sound that had appeal for kids, beginning with infants, so that’s why I decided there needed to be recordings directed especially to them. I’ve produced over 25 albums, many of which have won awards from various organizations, including the Parents’ Choice Foundation, the American Library Association and others, and very good reviews over the years.

Now that my kids are grown and pursuing their own musical careers (Daniel is a professional jazz trumpet player), my musical focus has gone back to more ‘adult’ music again.

I have my own recording studio, which is where I’ve produced all my American Melody albums, and where I’ve been working on the songs for the new album over the past 7 or 8 years.  It’s nice to finally have finished it!

I’ve also been performing since leaving the Seldom Scene. Beth, Naomi, Daniel and I perform occasionally as the Sommers Rosenthal Band. I also do solo performing, and Beth and I  perform as a duet. In the past few years Naomi and I have also toured together. We (Naomi and I) performed in Europe this past May and June, including an appearance at the European World of Bluegrass, the biggest European bluegrass festival, and will be touring the United Kingdom in September, 2010.”

You can hear audio samples from A Treasury of Bluegrass and Country Songs on Phil’s web site, and at CD Baby.

The majority of the guests at The White House special dinner last Monday (July 21) were members of the 2008 United States Olympic and Para-Olympic teams. Athletes such as Allyson Felix, Lauryn Williams, Sanya Richards, Bernard Lagat, Tyson Gay, Adam Nelson, Bryan Clay and Jeremy Wariner; and swimmers Michael Phelps, Larsen Jensen, Brendan Hansen, Natalie Coughlin, Katie Hoff, Christine Magnuson were given a fitting send off prior to the competitions next month in Beijing, China.

There were Ambassadors and other dignitaries also, alongside George W Bush and his wife, Laura. The President sat right up front, listening intently, perhaps thinking about the ole home place…?

Playing on a small stage in the Rose Garden, the Seldom Scene performed four songs, Old Train, Wait a Minute, the old Bob Dylan tune, It’s All Over Now Baby Blue and City of New Orleans. President Bush must have enjoyed what he heard as at the end he went onto the stage and requested “just one more.” Of course, they graciously obliged, after kidding that they said they didn’t know one more‚Ķ they’re such kidders‚Ķ and they launched into Nadine, in fact.

I wonder, at the end did they hand him a copy of their latest CD, SCENEchronized, only to find that he had a copy already?

Members of the band are Ben Eldridge on banjo; Dudley Connell on guitar, Lou Reid on mandolin, Fred Travers on dobro; and Ronnie Simpkins on bass. Thanks to Sally Love and Dudley Connell for the insight.

Footnote: (Weather Report) …

The rained-out event was a picnic on June 3rd, honouring the Executive Office and Cabinet staff. The weather in Washington DC during the daytime on the 21st was in the upper 90s, humidity about 120%, and it didn’t cool off too much when the sun went down. Fortunately, they played after sun set!

Last week the band had one of those rare opportunities. They were scheduled to perform Tuesday evening at the annual White House Lawn Picnic, to a crowd of around 1,000, including many congressmen and their families. The picnic was scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, but because of inclement weather, the Tuesday activities were called early and Wednesday activities were rescheduled to Thursday. The Band did get a full tour of the White House and a photo op with the President and First Lady.

They were invited to return on Thursday and perform with the Oak Ridge Boys, but had to decline. I’m told they are considering a performance at the White House in September. I wonder if the President has any bluegrass on his iPod?

The bulk of the interview is focused on how the Scene has made mixing hard core bluegrass with songs from well outside of the generally recognized boundaries of the genre. As Ben recalls from the old days, “There ain’t no rules.”

Long time fans will especially enjoy hearing Ben reminisce about the early days of the band, when they had no intention of touring or recording regularly.

Several clips from their new CD are featured during the discussion. The shows are not archived on the Bob Edwards show site, but the podcast can be downloaded for free from iTunes or StreamOS.

HT: Jake Schepps

New from Rebel is Lovin’ Pretty Women from The Steep Canyon Rangers. We have mentioned this project a number of times recently, and now that it is available widely, we expect it will get a lot of attention. Clever songwriting and crisp execution mark this CD as a keeper.

You can hear audio samples on the band’s MySpace page, or check out their video bio with both live clips and CD audio.

Sugar Hill has SCENEchronized, the first new set from Seldom Scene in quite some time. Both long time fans and followers of a newer vintage should enjoy this CD. Even with Ben Eldridge as the lone original member, the song selections, arrangements and performances all bear the hallmarks that have set this band apart for more than 30 years.

More details on SCENEchronized can be found in our earlier post, and audio samples can be found in iTunes.

Also from Sugar Hill comes Sam Bush’s first live concert DVD, On The Road. It was recorded last August in Colorado, and features The Sam Bush Band in their element – live on stage. Featured are Scott Vestal on banjo (and banjo synth), Byron House on bass, Stephen Mougin on guitar, Chris Brown on drums, and Bush on mandolin, fiddle and lead vocals.

I could not find any video clips online, but there is a full track listing on Sam’s web site.

SCENEchronized, their first CD of new recordings since 2000, is expected from Sugar Hill Records on August 14.

This new Scene project will contain 13 tracks, with songs from Paul Craft, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Merle Haggard and Donna Hughes. It also features a number of tributes to founding member, the late John Duffey, with refashioned versions of two songs he recorded with The Country Gentlemen and one he wrote and cut with the original Scene 34 years ago.

On this list is Katy Dear, one of my favorite Country Gentlemen songs ever. Current guitarist Dudley Connell explains how they came to choose this song, and record it with 3 part harmony start to finish.

“We all knew this one from the Gentlemen, and we would pull it out from time to time just for the sheer pleasure of harmonizing together.”

Lou Reid adds his homage to Duffey with a redo of This Morning At Nine, and Fred Travers sings Don’t Bother With White Satin, a John Duffey/Ann Hill composition that had appeared on their Act III album in 1973.

“I brought this song up with Duffey right after I joined the group [in 1995],” says Connell. “And he said that whenever he sang it, he only got a smattering of applause, so we never did it with Duffey. But now when we sing it live, it goes over really well.

Fred really nails it. I swear, it’s like he’s channeling Duffey.”

In true Seldom Scene fashion, they include a couple of rock/pop songs turned bluegrass: John Fogerty’s A Hundred And Ten In The Shade; Please Be With Me, recorded by both Eric Clapton and The Allman Brothers; Bob Dylan’s Tomorrow Is A Long Time.

Members of Seldom Scene are Dudley Connell (guitar), Lou Reid (mandolin), Fred Travers (dobro), Ronnie Simpkins (bass), and lone remaining original member, Ben Eldridge (banjo).

We couldn’t find any audio samples online yet, but we’ll be sure to post back when we do.

These include a first-time-on-CD reissue of JD Crowe’s classic Bluegrass Holiday, and compilations of new-to-CD Gospel cuts from Ralph Stanley, Mountain Preacher’s Child, and a budget-priced Seldom Scene compilation project, Different Roads.

More details about all three can be found in our earlier post.

You can listen to audio samples from Bluegrass Holiday, Mountain Preacher’s Child and Different Roads in the iTunes Music Store.

Due on April 3 from Rebel is one great re-issue, and two compilations that will be welcome additions to many bluegrass CD libraries.

Bluegrass Holiday from JD Crowe was first released on LP by Lemco in 1969, was re-released on King Bluegrass in 1973, and yet again on rebel in 1981. The band featured Red Allen on guitar and lead vocals, Doyle lawson on mandolin and tenor vocal, Bobby Slone on bass and fiddl and Crowe on banjo and baritone vocals.

Recorded in just two days in December 1968, this record introduced Crowe and his Kentucky Mountain Boys to a bluegrass audience outside of Lexington, KY where they had a successful regular club show at a Holiday Inn – hence the album’s name.

Material on this debut release was taken from their Holiday Inn set list, and included a number of bluegrass standards (My Little Girl In Tennessee, Before I Met You, Orange Blossom Special, Train 45) plus some of their arrangements of songs like Philadelphia Lawyer and Will You Be satisfied That Way.

The Rebel CD re-issue also contains four bonus tracks, previously released as 45 RPM singles from King, and not found on the original LPs, including the original Crowe recording of Black Jack.

Fans of Ralph Stanley’s Gospel music have much to rejoice with the release of Mountain Preacher’s Child. This anthology includes 14 tracks from his 1980s Rebel LPs, all available for the first time on CD. They are taken from previous Stanley records I’ll Wear A White Robe, Snow Covered Mound and I Can tell You The Time.

This is the plaintive, almost primitive vocal sound that has drawn so many fans to Dr. Ralph in recent years, here featuring one of his stronger singing groups. Charlie Sizemore sings the lead on most of these tracks, joined by Jack Cooke on baritone and Stanley on top.

There is also one track, Looking For The Stone, which features Keith Whitley, taken from Stanley’s 1975 release, Let Me Rest On A Peaceful Mountain.

Different Road is a budget “best of compilation” from three Rebel LPs by The Seldom Scene. All 3 (Act Two, Old Train and The New Seldom Scene Album) are available as individual CD releases, so this repackaged release could serve as an introduction to the band’s earlier work for newer listeners, or a chance for more casual Scene fans to get some of their more requested numbers on a single CD.

Wait A Minute, Old Train, Last Train From Poor Valley, Pan American and Pictures From Life’s Other Side are here, along with nine other songs selected by Rebel’s Dave Freeman. These are peformed by the band’s original lineup of John Starling, John Duffey, Ben Eldridge, Mike Auldridge and Tom Gray.

Rebel also has two classic LPs just out for download-only release. Del McCoury’s Take Me To The Mountains (originally on Leather Records) and Charlie Moore’s The Original Rebel Soldier are now for sale digitally.

Kudos to Rebel for continuing to make these gems available for the iPod generation.

Rebel Records announced yesterday that the entire project can be previewed at CMT.com, where advance orders for Slidin’ Home can also be placed for shipment on the February 20 release date. At that point, the CD will be available wherever bluegrass and acoustic music are sold.

For Scene fans, the disputes are about whether the original band (Starling, Auldridge, Eldridge, Duffey and Gray) has ever been eclipsed by the many fine lineups that followed, or the first rate band now performing under that name, with Ben Eldridge the sole founding member on stage.

Taking no side in this dispute, I can predict that Seldom Scene originalists will have much to cheer in the February release of Slidin’ Home, from John Starling & Carolina Star. In addition to Starling, the band includes Scene founders Mike Auldridge and Tom Gray, plus Jimmie Gaudreau and Ricky Simpkins.

They were assisted on the new CD by Emmy Lou Harris, who has been a long time duet partner with Starling. She joins him on In My Hour Of Darkness, a song she co-wrote with Gram Parsons. Other tracks include Starling’s take on Lowell George’s classic anthem, Willin’ and Waitin’ For A Train.

Starling says that they dedicated a lot of effort to utilizing modern recording technology in ways that would enhance a live, living room sort of feel.

"For the new project, we felt that modern, high-resolution digital recording and mixing techniques, a good acoustic environment and musician practice prior to, not on, recording day, would once again make the process fun for everybody. And I knew Mike and Tom were the type of world-class musicians who could pull this off.

We were able to really capture the energy and excitement that comes from playing live. We had really high expectations going into this, but I think the new record exceeds everything we wanted to accomplish."

There are a couple of audio samples from Slidin’ Home on the band’s MySpace page, which also lists some show dates where the band will be appearing next year.

Slidin’ Home is scheduled for a February 20, 2007 release on Rebel Records. Radio service is anticipated shortly after the new year.