The Tradition

March 3rd, 2023 would have been Doc Watson’s 100th birthday.  His influence on bluegrass and old-time music is undeniable. For guitar players, learning to flatpick Doc’s version of “Blackberry Blossom” and fingerpick “Deep River Blues” was almost considered a rite of passage.  Countless players spent countless hours slowing Doc’s records down so they could steal…

Queries  I just borrowed a copy of a release on John’s Gospel Records, RI-1635, 12” vinyl 33 1/3 RPM.  Side A appears to be the Stanley Brothers with the same song list as Wango 103, while Side B is Clyde Moody, the Tate Brothers & the Gospel Trio, along with recitations by Ray Davis.  There…

Q: I’m trying to find out who the Foggy Mountain Boys were who played on the original “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” Thanks. Arthur Liblit, via email. A: According to research by Neil Rosenberg that was published in the booklet to a 1991 Bear Family boxed set of Flatt & Scruggs recordings, the personnel on the original…

Porter Church And Kevin Church Father And Son Porter Church left a grand legacy of musicianship and performance in the Washington, DC area. An extensive biography of him written by Fred Geiger appeared in the January, 1986 edition of Bluegrass Unlimited. Here are some of the highlights of his life and career and the story…

Q: I have a question that I have been looking to have answered for years. Most people agree that the “Salty Dog” is/was a road house/tavern/speak-easy. The song “Salty Dog Blues” is an old bluegrass favorite with more than one person claiming authorship. After some investigation I have determined that the likely author(s) are the…

Photos Courtesy of Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum In the summer of 1972, Mark Jones, son of Grandpa Jones, auditioned to perform at the newly-opened Opryland theme park in Nashville, Tennessee. He had practiced his chosen number on the banjo, working out solos high on the neck. Before auditioning, he ran his performance…