Bluegrass Jam Along

My guest this week is Bob Minner and we're celebrating one of the most iconic flatpicking records of all time - Norman Blake's 'Whiskey Before Breakfast'.

We chat about Bob first hearing this record and why he loves it so much; its place in the flatpicking repertoire; the gear Norman used (including guitars, picks and even string gauges!) and we go through the record track by track.

Not only that, Bob phoned Norman before we did the interview specifically to ask him about the songs and tunes he picked for the record and where he first heard them.

Whether you're new to this record or you know it inside out, I hope you'll learn something from our conversation. I certainly did!

Bob mentions a video he made with Bryan Sutton, Chris Eldridge and Kenny Smith, about the D18 that appears on the album cover - you'll find it on the Fretboard Journal's YouTube channel

Also, check out Bob's wonderful tribute album to Norman, 'From Sulphur Springs to Rising Fawn'.

It's always a joy chatting to Bob. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.

Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.

News and Announcements (Church Street News)

• Romp Festival lineup and tickets
• Bluegrass Hall of Fame gigs
• Green Mountain Lineup
• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
• Carolina Chocolate Drops documentary

Releases (The Grass is New)

• George Jackson Patreon
• Tristan Scroggins Patreon
• Caterina Lichtenberg Mike Marshall & Friends - Bandcamp
•  The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist

Other bits

• Sign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/
• The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist
• Full list of interviews
• Collings Guitars

Happy picking.

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

My guest this week is Wayne Erbsen, professor of old-time and bluegrass music at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Wayne joins me to talk about half a century of writing about old-time and bluegrass music, including his latest book Southern Mountain Music: The Collected Writings of Wayne Erbsen.

Over the past 50 years Wayne has interviewed many legendary figures in Appalachian music, as well as many lesser known names (including the guitarist who acted as AP Carter's 'human tape recorder'), often being the first and only person to collect their stories. These articles come together to create a fascinating history of bluegrass and old-time music in Appalachia.

The book profiles many pioneers of old-time and bluegrass music, alongside chapters on brother duets from the 1930s, legendary banjo pickers and fiddle players and tales of 19th-century songwriters whose songs still populate bluegrass music. 

Wayne also shares some great stories, including the time Charlie Cline's powerful snoring led to the Bluegrass Boys spending a night out in the cold and the gig where Clarence White borrowed his guitar.

You can buy Wayne's book at the MacFarland Books website. 

Check out Wayne's YouTube channel too

Happy picking!

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.

Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.

News and Announcements (Church Street News)

• Bluegrass on Hudson lineup and tickets
• IBMA WOB tickets
• IBMA International Stage applications
  • Note - the deadline is being extended to the end of May
• Phillips, Grier and Flinner tour dates

Releases (The Grass is New)

•  The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist

Other bits

• Sign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/
• The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist
• Full list of interviews
• Collings Guitars

Happy picking.

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

My guest on the podcast this week is six time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year Jason Carter.

Jason recently ended his 33 year run with the Del McCoury Band and we talk about that extraordinary journey, from the fascinating story about how he got the job in the first place, to the decision to move on and what comes next. We also talk about the huge changes bluegrass has gone through in those 33 years, how Del's career grew alongside that, recording The Mountain with Steve Earle and Jason's recent solo album, plus his project with Michael Cleveland.

This was a wonderful conversation - I hope you enjoy it.

For more info, head to jasoncarterfiddle.com and follow Jason on his Instagram 

You'll find the videos Jason mentions on his YouTube page

Enjoy!

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

This Bitesize episode features a conversation I had with Wyatt Rice for a set of episodes in 2023 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tony Rice's 'Church Street Blues' album.

Wyatt talks about his experience of playing on the sessions aged just 17, hanging out with Tony, the first time he saw an Ovation guitar at Tony's house and the track from 'Church Street Blues' he ended up playing backup on, even though he'd never played it before the tape started running.

It was a really special interview to get to be a part of - I hoe you enjoy it.

Here are the links to the full Church Street Blues episodes:

- Part 1  - (inc. Tim Stafford, Wyatt, Alison Krauss, Bryan Sutton and Chris Eldridge

- Part 2  - (inc. Bob Minner, Jake Eddy, Justin Moses and Scott Nygaard)

- Wyatt (extended interview)

Happy picking,

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.

Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.

News and Announcements (Church Street News)

• Tony Rice Memorial Day Music Fest
• Banjo in Sicily with Tony Trischka

Releases (The Grass is New)

• Daniel Kimbro album - buy/stream
•  The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist

Scroll on Buddy

• Alison Krauss vinyl reissue
• Soul Folk book

Other bits

• Sign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/
• The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist
• Full list of interviews
• Collings Guitars

Happy picking.

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

My guest this week is Katie Harford Hogue, who joins me to chat about the wonderful album 'Julia Belle: The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 2'

We discuss how the project came about, following the discovery of dozens of John Hartford's notebooks, kept between 1983 and 2001, full of as many as 4,000 original fiddle tunes he'd composed. That led to the book - 'John Hartford's Mammoth Collection of Fiddle Tunes', followed by two albums, the second of which we're exploring today.

Co-produced by Katie, with Sharon Gilchrist and Megan Lynch Chowning, 'Julia Belle' features a selection of John's original fiddle tunes, as well as some favourite songs, performed by some of the most beloved female artists in the Hartford-inspired bluegrass scene, including Rachel Baiman, Phoebe Hunt, Ginger Boatwright, Brittany and Natalie Haas, Deanie Richardson, Allison de Groot, Della Mae, The Price Sisters, Uncle Earl, Alison Brown, Missy Raines and Sierra Hull. 

It's a wonderful record and made for a fascinating conversation. Check out the links below to buy the album and discover the many amazing resources available to celebrate John's music.

Happy picking,

Matt

More info...

Buy on CD from johnhartford.com

Download on Bandcamp

Listen - Matt Coombs plays John Hartford's Mammoth Collection of Fiddle Tunes

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass.

Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.

News and Announcements (Church Street News)

• Darol Anger’s Big Book of Tunes vol 3

Releases (The Grass is New)

• The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist

Scroll on Buddy

• Steve Earle’s Fifty Years of Songs and Stories tour dates

Other bits

• Sign up for emails https://bluegrassjamalong.com/contact/
• The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist
• Full list of interviews
• Collings Guitars

Happy picking.

Matt

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts

This Bitesize episode comes from an interview I did in April 2023 with Rachel Baiman about her wonderful record Common Nation of Sorrow

I re-listened to the episode (and the album) recently and this section really stood out. We chat about storytelling in music; the power of infusing a song with emotion; the importance of connection and conversation and how music can foster community.

I really enjoyed this and found it thought provoking to listen back to. I hope you find something interesting, inspiring or meaningful in it too. Do go and listen to Common Nation of Sorrow  as well! Links below for more info on Rachel and to buy her music.

Happy picking!

Matt

Rachel's website – http://www.rachelbaiman.com/

Bandcamp: https://rachelbaimanmerch.bandcamp.com/music

Follow Rachel:

Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/rachelbaiman/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Rachelbaimanmusic/

Support the show

===

Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)

Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins and Token premium guitar picks

- Sign up to get updates on new episodes

- Free fiddle tune chord sheets

- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews

- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:

• Instagram
• Facebook

- Review us on Apple Podcasts