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SHAN-611-DVD FLATT & SCRUGGS 'Best Of The Flatt & Scruggs TV Show Vol. 1' Although Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs recorded their classic sounds more than 50 years ago, they remain a very strong fan favorite to this day, and deservedly so. For the past 20 years or so there have been rumors of the existence of some of their legendary Martha White TV shows from the late 1950s and early 1960s, but many of us who knew of their survival had despaired of ever being able to get to see any of this material. Now, at long last, and thanks to a collaboration between Shanachie Records and the Country Music Hall of Fame, the rumors have become reality, and this first volume (of a projected 10-volumes) will bring joy to the hearts of thousands, we are sure! This first disc includes two full 30-minute TV shows, one from August 1961 and the other from February 1962, just as they were originally broadcast, complete with commercials (most announced by T. Tommy Cutrer). Each show features around 10 songs & tunes, which typically consisted of both the group’s current “hits” (A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW), some songs from their earlier repertoire (JIMMIE BROWN THE NEWSBOY), a bit of comedy and some instrumentals (featuring some combination of Earl Scruggs’ banjo, Paul Warren’s fiddling, and dobro playing by “Uncle Josh” Graves). On one of the two shows here Hylo Brown is a guest (singing JOHN HENRY and LOVESICK & SORROW). Apart from the wonderful fiddle & banjo tunes that marked every show, there are other great moments that were never preserved on record: the Foggy Mountain Boys Quartet doing a lovely a cappella rendition of PRECIOUS MEMORIES, and a neat up-tempo version of PIG IN A PEN featuring the unusual trio of Curly Seckler, Uncle Josh and Paul Warren, with Scruggs picking some dynamite banjo! The shows are all in black & white and a bit grainy, but this will matter little to the legions of Flatt & Scruggs fans who should be ecstatic to view these shows at last. This disc also includes BEFORE I MET YOU, GEORGIA BUCK, DURHAM’S BULL, JESUS SAVIOUR PILOT ME, etc.
For a limited time, we are offering this DVD at the special discount price of $18.00. On April 1st the price will be $20.00. (more...) $18.00 Buy Now
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SHAN-612-DVD FLATT & SCRUGGS 'Best Of The Flatt & Scruggs TV Show Vol. 2' This second generous helping of vintage Flatt & Scruggs on film consists of shows from July and August of 1961—the latter a great show that includes guest Mother Maybelle Carter picking guitar & singing WILDWOOD FLOWER, and then playing LIBERTY DANCE on her autoharp. In addition to newer songs, the group does a super job with the old timers DOWN THE ROAD and WE’LL MEET AGAIN SWEETHEART. Thanks to Flatt’s masterful MC work, the shows have a relaxed & friendly feel that is even appealing when they make the occasional mistake: Lester announces “FAREWELL BLUES” but Earl goes on to play “FIREBALL MAIL”, and in another instance Scruggs botches a break on EARL’S BREAKDOWN and takes a good natured ribbing from Lester at the end of the tune. The disc is replete with hitherto unexpected surprises like the quartet singing ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD with Scruggs picking guitar, HAVE YOU COME TO SAY GOODBYE, and Lester’s masterful recitation on I DREAMED ABOUT MAMA LAST NIGHT. Watching these thoroughly pro-fessional and entertaining shows, viewers can really appreciate Curly Seckler’s superb tenor singing, Scruggs’ amazingly solid & tasteful banjo picking, and Flatt’s smooth, consummate MC work (as well as his wonderful vocals). The group worked beautifully around two mikes—one for the instrumental breaks and the other for the vocals-- whether it be a solo, a duet, a trio or quartet, the band’s blend and choreography were impeccable. There’s plenty going on here—fans of Josh Graves’ dobro and Paul Warren’s fiddling will certainly enjoy seeing their work as well. (See description of SHAN-611-DVD for more commentary on this great series—we’re ready for the next couple of volumes now! )
For a limited time, we are offering this DVD at the special discount price of $18.00. On April 1st the price will be $20.00. (more...) $18.00 Buy Now
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SHAN-613-DVD FLATT & SCRUGGS 'Best Of The Flatt & Scruggs TV Show Vol. 3' Having about run out of superlatives in describing the first two DVDs in this series (See NL-284 for March-April), let’s just say that we feel very fortunate that these amazing TV shows were preserved and we can now really enjoy both seeing & hearing this fantastic band in its prime. Like the first two volumes issued, this DVD presents two half hour shows—basically a full hour of old, new and gospel songs plus fiddle & banjo duets, guest appearances, banter, comedy, and even the original Martha White commercials. On this disc you can see a 7-year old Ricky Skaggs picking FOGGY MT. SPECIAL on mandolin and singing RUBY ARE YOU MAD! Scruggs picks WILDWOOD FLOWER on the guitar, Curly Seckler does a lovely YOU TOOK MY SUNSHINE, and there are three fine gospel songs, GO HOME, ON MY WAY TO CANAAN’S LAND and LORD I’M COMING HOME. Just wonderful! (more...) $18.00 Buy Now
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SHAN-614-DVD FLATT & SCRUGGS 'Best Of The Flatt & Scruggs TV Show Vol. 4' Here’s what you’ll find on Volume 4 of this series, with one show undated and the other from March 1962: there are 2 guests—a very young Randy Scruggs plays WILDWOOD FLOWER on the autoharp, plus another tune, and Hylo Brown makes an appearance singing I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU and a fine TO MY MANSION IN THE SKY. The band delves into its early repertoire for wonderful versions of THINKING ABOUT YOU, I’LL NEVER SHED ANOTHER TEAR and SALTY DOG BLUES. Lester sounds great on I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE LONESOME and I WONDER HOW THE OLD FOLKS ARE AT HOME, and the quartet presents beautiful versions of HE WILL SET YOUR FIELDS ON FIRE and CABIN ON THE HILL. Whether or not you ever saw Flatt & Scruggs in person or heard/saw their radio and/or TV shows, you won’t want to miss any of this series! (more...) $18.00 Buy Now
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SHAN-615-DVD FLATT & SCRUGGS 'Best Of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show Vol. 5' Judging from the huge number of fans gobbling up these extremely popular DVDs, I’m not the only one who can’t get enough of this wonderful vintage material that has been rescued and nicely presented by Shanachie Records in collaboration with the Country Music Hall Of Fame. This 5th volume contains another two full length 30-minute TV shows (black & white) from June of 1961 and March of 1962. Each show contains about 10 songs & tunes, plus banter and Martha White commercials, and as on the first 4 volumes there are some songs that the group never recorded commercially, like Lester’s THE GIRL I LOVE DON’T PAY ME NO MIND and a lovely HAND IN HAND WITH JESUS by the Foggy Mountain Quartet. Hylo Brown is a guest on one show, singing STONE WALL and HILLS OF GEORGIA. The more you see of this great band in its prime, the more one can appreciate all the virtues of the individuals as well: Earl’s banjo picking is truly something to smile & marvel at, Curly Seckler’s bold, authoritative tenor singing fits perfectly with Lester Flatt’s lead, and Josh Graves’ dobro work reminds us older Bluegrass fans what an impact he had on the music (there was essentially no use of the dobro in Bluegrass until Graves joined Flatt & Scruggs in the mid 1950s). And Flatt’s lilting, masterful and highly nuanced vocals are a thing of beauty—as is his friendly & smooth manner as perhaps the finest M.C. that Bluegrass ever saw. Other songs include CABIN ON THE HILL, I’LL NEVER SHED ANOTHER TEAR, WHO WILL SING FOR ME, EARL’S BREAKDOWN & HOLLOW POPLAR. (more...) $18.00 Buy Now
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SHAN-616-DVD FLATT & SCRUGGS 'Best Of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show Vol.6' As above, with two shows from May 1962. On these shows Curly Seckler is not present, so Hylo Brown fills in on tenor (and sings a few solos including GIRL IN THE BLUE VELVET BAND). Scruggs plays FLINT HILL SPECIAL and a neat LONESOME ROAD BLUES, and the Quartet features ON THE ROCK WHERE MOSES STOOD and I’LL NEVER BE LONESOME AGAIN. The band was featuring a lot of Carter Family songs at the time, with Earl on guitar, and here they include KEEP ON THE SUNNYSIDE and FALSE HEARTED LOVER. Lester & Hylo do a great duet on LIVE AND LET LIVE, and Paul Warren has his fiddle pieces with Earl’s banjo very much present. Flatt & Scruggs’ show was thoroughly professional and quite sophisticated musically, yet it was 100% aimed at and welcomed by a purely rural audience: a unique time and occurance in the history of country music. (more...) $18.00 Buy Now
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MP-0108-DVD DON RENO & RED SMILEY '1963' Many of our readers will recall two different videocassettes that featured some long lost footage of this great band—one was a short lived VHS tape (remember them?) put out by Carlton Haney, and the other came out on the Pinecastle label. Both have been sought after collector’s items for years. Thanks to Ronnie Reno, this wonderful material has been combined onto one DVD, with the addition of some songs & tunes that were not included in either of the prior VHS tapes. Like the recent Flatt & Scruggs DVDS that have come out on Shanachie/CMF, this is a most welcome treasure for those of us lucky enough to have seen this great band in its prime, and a revelation to those who know Reno & Smiley’s music but never got to see them, either in person or on their legendary “Top O’ The Morning” daily TV shows in Roanoke, Va. in the early 60s. There are 20 songs & tunes here, plus one comedy routine (not one of their best, unfortunately), that feature their long time sidemen Mac Magaha on fiddle and John Palmer on bass, plus guitarist Steve Chapman and a young Ronnie Reno on mandolin. There are the fine renditions of their classics like I KNOW YOU’RE MARRIED, I’M THE TALK OF THE TOWN, LOVE PLEASE COME HOME and I’M USING MY BIBLE FOR A ROADMAP. And—hold on—a guest spot from none other than THE STANLEY BROTHERS!: to see and hear Ralph & Carter singing IN THE PINES with a railroad track setting behind them sent chills up this listener’s spine. Ralph then joins Don Reno for a twin banjo workout on HOME SWEET HOME, and and the Stanleys join Reno & Smiley’s full band on a great OVER IN THE GLORYLAND (enough said??~!). Other notable tracks include NINE POUND HAMMER (also with the Stanleys), DOWN YONDER, FISHER’S HORNPIPE, WHISPERING HOPE and PANHANDLE COUNTRY. It’s hard to cite anything negative about this amazing DVD, but there is one flaw: the individual tracks are not “keyed” or isolated, so if you want to go back or forward to see one piece in particular, there is no way to do that except to start the DVD from the beginning again. (By the way, at least one or two of the cuts are from 1957). This is a precious and amazing document that any “vintage” Bluegrass fan will have to get—it has our highest RECOMMENDATION! DVD: $ 18.00
(more...) $18.00 Buy Now
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WW-2006-DVD HOT RIZE 'Classic Hot Rize With Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers' Along with the Johnson Mountain Boys, the Colorado-based Hot Rize was one of the memorable Bluegrass bands of the 1980s: both made a strong impact on the scene, introduced many to real Bluegrass, then retired after a decade or so. It’s wonderful that members of the band were able to retrieve this show from July 1987, and release it on DVD. The show was originally filmed as part of the Lonesome Pine Special series for Kentucky Educational TV—the quality of the video and the sound is excellent, and the group was in top form, with fine lead vocals by Tim O’Brien and lovely, tight trios and duets. The late Charles Sawtelle contributes some nice guitar work and Pete Wernick’s banjo picking is particularly sharp & tasteful. The choice of songs is superb and includes fine versions of RADIO BOOGIE, DON’T MAKE ME BELIEVE, JUST LIKE YOU, WON’T YOU COME & SING FOR ME, UNTOLD STORIES and an excellent KEEP YOUR LAMP TRIMMED & BURNING. As if this isn’t enough, there is also a 4 song segment that features the band’s alter ego, Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers, doing their country/western thing. (Many of today’s younger groups could learn a thing or two here about really entertaining a crowd). It’s also a welcome treat to see the band neatly dressed in sharp suits—not coincidentally The Johnson Mountain Boys also showed their respect for their audiences in similar neat attire). There are brief interview segments with O’Brien and Nick Forster which add a nice touch to a very fine DVD. Lest we forget to say it, this band showed it was entirely possible to appeal to a young, contemporary crowd while still playing tough, traditional music. (more...) $20.00 Buy Now
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VARESE-066-768-DVD DILLARDS 'A Night In The Ozarks' Some of our customers may have purchased this video when it was originally issued in VHS format back about 1989. Although it’s a bit on the amateurish side, it will still provide a good bit of enjoyment for those who remember this band for its appearances on the Andy Griffith Show (as the Darling Family), their early records for Elektra, and their personal appearances that were mostly in the mid-west and in California. Most of the disc features the band playing informally in a farmhouse in Salem, Missouri. The tape was produced by John McEuen, and he adds his recollections and comments on the group and its times in a nice extra section of producer’s notes and band memories. There’s some fine, solid banjo work by Doug Dillard, including a few of the pieces that he was noted for, BANJO IN THE HOLLOW, DOUG’S TUNE and OLD HOME PLACE. One of the neatest features is a segment of reminiscences of the group’s inimitable M.C. and bass player, Mitch Jayne, whose commentary on local country speech and habits is priceless. A very relaxed, enjoyable keepsake. (more...) $20.00 Buy Now
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ROU-0553-DVD RHONDA VINCENT 'Ragin' Live' Recorded live at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, Missouri. Bonus features include: "Sally Mountain Memories"- A Documentary, Photo Gallery, Outakes. (more...) $20.00 Buy Now
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TL-19264-DVD VARIOUS 'Bluegrass Country Soul' (A film by Albert Ihde). At last it’s here! A reissue of this 1971 movie—the only one of its kind, as far as we know—has been talked about for almost 20 years now. Happily, the DVD format has finally made it feasible, and now fans old and new can live the excitement of an early Bluegrass festival and get solid glimpses of their heroes, whether it be Ralph Stanley (singing MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW with Curly Ray Cline and a young Keith Whitley & Rick Skaggs), Jimmy Martin (with Alan Munde on banjo), The Country Gentlemen (with Doyle Lawson & Bill Emerson), or the Bluegrass Alliance singing ONE TIN SOLDIER with a very young Sam Bush and Tony Rice. Like some of the films of rock and jazz festivals of the period, this one cuts back & forth between musical highlights and scenes from the campgrounds including midnight jam sessions; there are frequent cuts to festival promoter Carlton Haney, who is never at a loss for words in commenting on the artists’ and fans’ love of the music. (On the same disc there is also a 2nd version of the film that includes running commentary by Fred Bartenstein, who was Haney’s right hand man—Fred points out some people and facts that many fans would not be aware of, such as a shot of Missy Raines, then just a child, walking through the campground). There’s nice footage of the Osborne Brothers in their prime, and it’s a real treat to see Chubby Wise, Del McCoury, Mac Wiseman, J.D. Crowe’s group and The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (with Tex Logan). And let’s not forget Earl Scruggs, emcee Bill Vernon, and featured guest of the event Roy Acuff in a rare Festival appearance—check out Joe Greene, Acuff’s fiddler at the time! It may be just a faulty memory, but it seems to me that the color is not quite as bright and true as in the original movie—which saw only a very limited distribution when it came out in 1972. But that does not take away from a hugely important film that will be highly enjoyable to Bluegrass fans whether they were there at Camp Springs, N.C. or not. A big thanks to Time-Life for making this available!. (more...) $17.50 Buy Now
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MH-1063-DVD DOYLE LAWSON & QUICKSILVER 'Through The Years' Few Bluegrass band leaders have achieved the level of quality and consistency that have marked the music of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver over the 25 years that he has led his own band. You have heard it through the years in the many great albums Doyle has made (mostly for the Sugar Hill label), but this wonderful 32-song DVD (filmed in Nashville’s War Memorial auditorium) really brings it home to you, as you watch Doyle work seamlessly with members of the 13 different band combinations he has had over that period. It’s a thrill to see him working again with Russell Moore, Randy Graham, Jim Mills, John Bowman, Scott Vestal, Ray Deaton, Barry Abernathy, Terry Baucom and the others in this superb program that contains an ample amount of Lawson’s secular recordings as well as his knockout gospel quartets. We can’t say enough about this well-filmed, thoroughly enjoyable DVD that will entertain you for hours. ON THE SEA OF LIFE, MY LORD DELIVERED ME, HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN, IT TOOK HIS BLOOD, I DON’T CARE, JUST OVER IN HEAVEN, etc. (more...) $20.00 Buy Now
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