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This week’s rebroadcast of a 2017 show celebrates fiddler Eddie Bond’s receipt of a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Bond fronts The New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters, a powerful and charming old time mountain string band with a rich history. Hear the band with Eddie Bond’s fiddling, singing and hilarious storytelling on this Across the Blue Ridge episode.

Eddie Bond

Fiddler Eddie Bond of the New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters has received a 2018 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. The award recognizes tradition bearers for their outstanding artistry and for both preserving traditions and moving them forward. On this encore broadcast, we hear a fabulous Muddy Creek Music Hall stage performance from The New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters, one of the finest mountain string bands performing today. Hailing from southwest Virginia, the band is a dyed-in-the-wool old time group with a stylish sound and a driving beat you will love. Its name harks back to the original Bogtrotters, a highly popular band of the 1930s and 1940s centered around the famously musical Ward family of Ballard’s Branch. The current band’s founder, Dennis Hall, can lay good claim to the name: He was raised practically steps from the home of one of the original Bogtrotter fiddlers, and he’s played since childhood. Hear the music and the history, plus a hilarious story from fiddler Eddie Bond about how he came to reconcile traditional religion with playing “the Devil’s Box” – the fiddle.

Playlist

1. Sugar Hill

The Buck Mountain Band

The Original Bogtrotters

Biograph 2. Polly Put The Kettle On

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

Same Branch, Different Trotters

Heritage 3. Pole Cat Blues

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 4. Red Rocking Chair

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 5. Lee Highway Blues

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 6. Hop Light Ladies

The Bogtrotters

The Original Bogtrotters

Biograph 7. Break 1 - Cluck Old Hen

The Bogtrotters

The Original Bogtrotters

Biograph 8. Susan Anna Gal

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 9. Staggerlee

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 10. Interview - The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 11. John Brown's Dream

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 12. Break 2 - Piney Woods Girl of North Carolina

The Bogtrotters

The Original Bogtrotters

Biograph 13. The Sweetest Gift

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 14. Durang's Hornpipe

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 15. Reuben's Train

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 16. Jimmy Sutton

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording

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atbr #new ballard’s branch bogtrotters #eddie bond #dennis hall

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The New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters, a powerful and charming old time mountain string band with a rich history, are our featured performers on this episode of Across the Blue Ridge. L-R Josh Ellis, Eddie Bond, Dennis Hall, Bonnie Bond, Caroline Beverly.

Paul Brown

This week we hear a fabulous Muddy Creek Music Hall stage performance from The New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters, one of the finest mountain string bands performing today. Hailing from southwest Virginia, this band is a dyed-in-the-wool old time group with a stylish sound and a driving beat you will love. Its name harks back to the original Bogtrotters, a highly popular band of the 1930s and 1940s centered around the famously musical Ward family of Ballard Branch. The current band’s founder, Dennis Hall, can lay good claim to the name: He was raised practically steps from the home of one of the original Bogtrotter fiddlers, and he’s played since childhood. Hear the music and the history, plus a hilarious story from fiddler Eddie Bond about how he came to reconcile traditional religion with playing “the Devil’s Box” – the fiddle.

Playlist

1. Sugar Hill

The Buck Mountain Band

The Original Bogtrotters 2. Polly Put The Kettle On

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

Same Branch, Different Trotters 3. Pole Cat Blues

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 4. Red Rocking Chair

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 5. Lee Highway Blues

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 6. Hop Light Ladies

The Bogtrotters

The Original Bogtrotters 7. Break 1 - Cluck Old Hen

The Bogtrotters

The Original Bogtrotters 8. Susan Anna Gal

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 9. Staggerlee

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 10. Interview

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 11. John Brown's Dream

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 12. Break 2 - Piney Woods Girl of North Carolina

The Bogtrotters

The Original Bogtrotters 13. The Sweetest Gift

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 14. Durang's Hornpipe

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 15. Reuben's Train

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording 16. Jimmy Sutton

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

ATBR recording

atbr #the new ballard’s branch bogtrotters #ward family #dennis hall #eddie bond

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Curly Seckler has helped establish the tradition of bluegrass harmony singing, and is also a great lead singer.

Flatt & Scruggs TV show frame, 1950s

This week we examine the career of bluegrass singer Curly Seckler, who turns 97 on Christmas Day 2016. A new biography is out by Penny Parsons, titled Foggy Mountain Troubadour: The Life And Music Of Curly Seckler. Raised on a North Carolina farm, Seckler started playing on local radio with his brothers in Salisbury, NC – and before long had joined Charlie Monroe’s band. He eventually settled in with Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys, where with his high yet silky tenor, he did as much to establish the tradition of bluegrass harmony singing as anyone. We hear some of Curly’s reminiscences, comments from biographer Parsons, musical and historical context from host Paul Brown to stitch the story together, and lots of memorably great music. Also on this week’s show: Eddie Bond and the New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters; Alice Gerrard; Larry Stephenson; and Lightnin’ Wells.

Episode 49 Playlist

1. Foggy Mountain Breakdown

Earl Scruggs

Flatt & Scruggs 1947-59 Vol. 1 2. Waves On The Ocean

New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters

Bogtrotter Blues 3. Sweet Sunny South

Larry Stephenson

Larry Stephenson Webco Classics Vol. 5 4. Old Virginia Hills

Alice Gerrard

Calling Me Home 5. Prodigal Son

Lightnin' Wells

Shake 'Em On Down 6. Break 1 - Old Salty Dog Blues

Flatt & Scruggs

Flatt & Scruggs 1947-59 Vol. 1 7. That Old Book Of Mine

Curly Seckler

Bluegrass, Don't You Know? 8. No Letter In The Mail

Sauceman Brothers with Curly Seckler

The Sauceman Brothers on WCYB Bristol 9. Interview with Curly Seckler

Penny Parsons field recording 10. No Depression in Heaven

Charlie Monroe & The Kentucky Pardners

Single 11. Interview with Penny Parsons

ATBR recording 12. Why Don't You Tell Me So

Flatt & Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys

Flatt & Scruggs 1947-59 Vol. 1 13. Pike County Breakdown

Flatt & Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys

Flatt & Scruggs 1947-59 Vol. 1 14. Break 2 - We Can't Be Darlings Anymore

Curly Seckler

Bluegrass, Don't You Know? 15. No Mother Or Dad

No Mother Or Dad

Flatt & Scruggs 1947-59 Vol. 1 16. Interview with Curly Seckler

Penny Parsons field recording 17. Why Did You Wander

Curly Seckler

Bluegrass, Don't You Know? 18. Katy Hill

Curly Seckler & Tater Tate

Bluegrass, Don't You Know? 19. Moonlight On My Cabin

Curly Seckler

That Old Book Of Mine 20. I've Got A Home In The Beulah Land

Curly Seckler & Tommy Scott

radio transcription

atbr #penny parsons #foggy mountain troubadour: the life and music of curly seckler #eddie bond #alice gerrard #larry stephenson #lightnin’ wells.

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Clinch Mountain Boys 1980: L-R Curly Ray Cline, Junior Blankenship, Ralph Stanley, Charlie Sizemore, Jack Cooke.

Bluegrasstoday.com by Fred Robbins http://bluegrasstoday.com/charlie-sizemore-remembers-jack-cooke/

This week we feature some outstanding string band music from the New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters of southwest Virginia, with powerful singing, fiddling and autoharp playing from Eddie Bond. Also, some wonderful West Virginia fiddle tunes from the Sky Island String Band, featuring the outstanding Jimmy Triplett on fiddle. We also continue our remembrance of mountain music great Ralph Stanley, who died recently at age 89. In this week’s segments, we hear 1960 Stanley Brothers radio performances; some hot music from the Clinch Mountain Boys in one of their strongest periods, the early 1970s, when Ricky Skaggs, Roy Lee Centers, Curly Ray Cline, Jack Cooke and Keith Whitley were in the band; and music from the extremely strong 1970s-80s band including Charlie Sizemore, Curly Ray Cline and Junior Blankenship. Also featured, some poignant and compelling thoughts about Ralph Stanley the musician and the man from Sizemore, drawn from an interview a number of years ago with Across the Blue Ridge host Paul Brown.

Episode 28 Playlist

1. Johnson City Rag – New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters

Bogtrotter Blues

Independent Release 2014 2. Storms On The Ocean -- New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters

Bogtrotter Blues

Independent Release 2014 3. Little Lyzie Jane – Sky Island String Band

Adventures In Old Cranberry

Bemlar 2016 4. The Lost Girl -- Sky Island String Band

Adventures In Old Cranberry

Bemlar 2016 5. Lonesome For You – Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz

Draw Closer

Rounder 2009 6. Shake That Thing – Mississippi John Hurt

Revisited

Varese Sarabande 2006 7. BREAK 1

Pretty Little Indian – Curly Ray Cline

Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mtn. Boys 1971-73 Vol. 3

Rebel 1995 8. Theme – Stanley Brothers

Stanley Brothers on Radio

County 1995 9. Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms – Stanley Brothers

Stanley Brothers on Radio

County 1995 10. A Few More Seasons – Stanley Brothers

Stanley Brothers on Radio

County 1995 11. Love Me Darling Just Tonight – Stanley Brothers

Stanley Brothers on Radio

County 1995 12. Black Mountain Blues – Chubby Anthony

Stanley Brothers on Radio

County 1995 13. Old Country Church – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys 1971-73 Vol. 3

Rebel 1995 14. Give Me The Roses Now – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys 1971-73 Vol. 3

Rebel 1995 15. BREAK 2

Sally Goodin’ – Curly Ray Cline

Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys 1971-73 Vol. 2

Rebel 1995 16. Sharecropper’s Son – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Lonesome & Blue

Rebel 2011 17. Charlie Sizemore Interview

Across the Blue Ridge recording 18. Old Richmond Prison – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Lonesome & Blue

Rebel 2011 19. Charlie Sizemore Interview

Across the Blue Ridge recording 20. I’ll Take The Blame – Ralph Stanley & Rhonda Vincent

Clinch Mountain Country Disc 1

Rebel 1997 21. Charlie Sizemore Interview

Across the Blue Ridge recording 22. Room At The Top Of The Stairs – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Lonesome & Blue

Rebel 2011 23. Come On Little Children – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Ralph Stanley 1971-73 Disc 1

Rebel 1995

atbr #charlie sizemore #curly ray cline #junior blankenship #ricky skaggs #roy lee centers #jack cooke #keith whitley #new ballard’s branch bogtrotters #clinch mountain boys #eddie bond #sky island string band #jimmy triplett #ralph stanley

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