The Best Favorite Asheville Bluegrass Bands, Music & Musicians

OK Folks,

Until I start a separate blog for biz & personal, here it is. My favorite Asheville NC bluegrass bands & musicians.

I got fired up to post my favorites when Steep Canyon Rangers played with Steve Martin on Prairie Home Companion tonight. This was the best PHC show I have heard in at least five years, without question – and I’ve been listening since, oh, some time in the mists of the ’70’s.

What a stellar performance tonight! Not only did we get the regular cast, and “up and coming” radio performer Martin (sexier than his son and that’s saying a lot) Sheen, we got:

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers; Stuart Duncan; Arlo Guthrie Heather Massey from the Wailin’ Jennies.

Until NPR and PHC see fit to provide a video I can link to, here’s a good one  I pinched from YouTube just to get you rolling. It’s in 2 parts so be sure to watch both. And Nicky, at least, is probably groaning ’cause I picked Orange Blossom Special

The Steep Canyon Rangers kick the bluegrass into the next county, if not all the way to the moon. I particularly love the fiddlin’ by Nicky Sanders – I’m a closet fiddle player. You can check out Nicky at www.nickysanders.com , or on MySpace, or on Facebook (that boy gets around!)

But there are waaay more to tell you about! In no particular order -

A new CD from Lance Mills, “Wore Out Shoes” – boy can Lance write & sing! Check out his MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/lancemillstunes

Then there’s Miriam Allen. She can mix up traditional Appalachian and “south of the border” until you just can’t stay sittin’ down – you just got to get up and dance. Either that, or gaze into your lover’s eyes On her latest, “La Capitana”, it is really hard to pick a favorite, but I love “One Eyed Jack” – you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!!! Give her a listen at www.miriamallen.com or her MySpace page.

How ’bout Town Mountain? Robert Greer can sure croon out a cryin’ in your beer tune. Check out Robert and Town Mountain out at www.townmountain.net .

Ryan Cavanaugh – Wicked banjo! He’s played with so many bands and other musicians it’s hard to pin him down. Check him out MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/banjoryan.

Then of course I can’t leave out my #1 favorite Asheville bluegrass musician of all – Tom Dudley. He likes to mix things up a bit, from traditional to newgrass to country to off-the-wall,for example “Etch-A-Sketch of Love” which got a personal phonecall and a really special thank-you from the Prez at the Ohio Art Company. (Etch-A-Sketch and Ohio Art Company are trademarked, registered, and copyrighted, folks.)

Tom Dudley’s debut independent release by Hoot Holler Music,  “Walkin’ To The Bridge” ranges very widely in style – so if you want to see what he’s got, go to www.hoothollermusic.com. “Walkin’ To The Bridge” features collaborations with his bandmates Jay Mullenax and Paul Leech of County Farm (www.countyfarm.net) as well as contributions from Nicky Sanders, Ryan Cavanaugh, Carey Fridley, Lance Mills, and Daniel Coolik.

This post is by no means complete – i still need to add some links for Carey Fridley and Daniel Coolick & more.

Please tell me about your own favorites so I can add to this post!