Mountain Blog

We had a great time this weekend with the Drive By Truckers (Above), The Spring Standards, Sometymes Why, the Belleville Outfit and Steve Poltz. The show will air the weekend of May 15, so listen for yourselves on the radio via these radio stations.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the show and made it a success. Stay tuned to the blog for some photos by our after-hours photographer Chris Morris, snapped at The Empty Glass post-jam where Steve Poltz put the entire congregation of post-Mountain Stage goers into the palm of his hand...and subsequently on the floor.

 (Below: The Spring Standards- Heather Robb, James Cleare, James Smith- and Steve Poltz during the finale song. Photos by Chris Morris )

Things are shaping up for our live show in Morgantown March 29. Tom Wilson (above) of Junkhouse, & Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, has joined with musicians from Canadian hit-makers Skydiggers, Michael & Margo Timmons of the Cowboy Junkies, folk artist Greg Titcomb and members of The Sadies under the moniker Lee Harvey Osmond (named for the least nurtured Osmond, according to Wilson). Here is an interview with Mr. Wilson on CBC NEWS  and a killer live performance of "I'm Going to Stay that Way" by LHO members Wilson (guitar, vocals), Ray Farrugia (drums, backing vocals) and Brent Titcomb (harmonica). It's an "artist collective" according to Wilson but  he'll be by himself on Mountain Stage. Although it's probably safe to say since Margo and Michael Timmons appear on "A Quiet Evil," the latest LHO record due out in spring, there's good chance there is some on-stage collaboration in store. "A Quiet Evil" is out in the spring- hear more on MYSPACE.

Clarence Bucaro joins us as well. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, at the Mountainlair for those of you in Morgantown, or by calling 304.293.SHOW.

Our April 5 show for Charleston is coming together nicely with The Gourds and Backyard Tire Fire. We've just added influential singer-songwriter Tom Rush to the mix.

"What I Know," his first studio album in 30 years is out tomorrow. You can hear bits and pieces of it and his other records (including 2003's "Trolling for Owls" HERE. Having released his first album in 1962, Rush is still turning heads every day, "The Remember Song" video has 3.7 million views.

This coming weekend, tune in to Mountain Stage to hear blue-eyed soul singer and songwriter Amos Lee as well as Sharon Little, The Steeldrivers(Grammy nominees, above), Peter Bradley Adams (formerly of eastmountainsouth) and long time friend of the show Don Dixon. Click HERE for the playlist and find a station in your area by clicking HERE.

Photo by Brian Blauser

On the radio this weekend you heard a show we taped at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences back in June, featuring Jakob Dylan & the Gold Mountain Rebels, Hayes Carll, Priscilla Ahn, Andy Davis and Krista Detor. Hear them throughout the week on NPR Music, and please, tell a friend about it!

(Left to Right: Krista Detor, Andy Davis, Hayes Carll & Priscilla Ahn rehearse the finale song, June 29, 2008)

Photo by Brian Blauser

Irish rockers Bell X1 (above) visited Mountain Stage in May of 2008 (Here's the Playlist). At the time their record "Flock" was just catching on stateside. The band has a new album called "Blue Lights on the Runway" coming out in the states March 3 (it's already out in Ireland).

There are a few subsequent major market tour dates in February and March, but you don't have to wait to get a glimpse of them live. They perform songs from "Flock" on Mountain Stage and you can hear it now (along with the story on how they got their name) on NPR Music.

Or perhaps a modern string quintet playing on bluegrass instruments is more up your alley? Then check out a set by progressive chamber-folk band The Punch Brothers featuring Noam Pikelny, Chris Thile, Greg Garrison, Chris Eldridge and Gabe Witcher (above, Left to Right). You can hear two movements of Thile's daunting 40 minute suite "The Blind Leaving the Blind" duringer their set, captured completely live, RIGHT HERE.

Stay tuned for sets from Prince Edward Islander Brooke Miller, Band of Horses newest member Tyler Ramsey and Irishman Paddy Casey.

(Photos by Brian Blauser)

Thanks to everyone who came out to our sold out show last night at the Cultural Center Theater, and to our wonderful guests The Derek Trucks Band, Lenka, Dr. Dog, Scrapomatic and Jeff Ellis. Here's a review in case you missed it.

If you already have a ticket for February 22, consider yourself lucky because we are indeed sold-out. If any tickets are available last-minute we will put them on sale at 5 pm at the Cultural Center.Be sure to check out the rest of our upcoming shows and grab your tickets now.

Some folks made it out to our post-jam with the Carpentar Ants at the Empty Glass. It seems that a good time was had by all. Above: Mountain Stage host Larry Groce (far right) joins the Ants and members of Lenka's band for a gospel sing-a-long. Below: Kofi Burbridge of the Derek Trucks Band solos while Paul Olsen (seated) of Scrapomatic and Erik Kertes of Lenka's group, joins on bass. Drummer Stella Mozgawa (barely visible) joined in on the fun as well.   

We just added Sonos, an captivating vocal group who has recently covered Radiohead and Fleet Foxes a cappella, to the line-up on April 22. Here's a YouTube video for previewing. Greg Brown, Crooked Fingers and Neko Case will all be joining us. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and here in Charleston at Taylor Books, 226 Capitol Street.

On the radio this coming weekend, most of you will be hearing an encore broadcast featuring Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels (above), along with angelic-voiced Priscilla Ahn, honky-tonk songwriter Hayes Carll, pop-singer Andy Davis and the lovely Krista Detor.

You can get a preview of the show a bit early thanks to our Song of the Week page, a cooperative effort between Mountain Stage and our news department here at WV Public Radio. Each week we'll preview Mountain Stage with one song during our state-wide news program WV Morning with Beth Vorhees. The song is also available all week at the Song of the Week page. This week's preview is Jakob Dylan's haunting, "Will It Grow."

Over at NPR Music we've got fantastic sets from Kathy Mattea, Tim O'Brien, Abigail Washburn & Sparrow Quartet and Tift Merritt (above) just to name a few. Keep scrolling down for more live performances from Nellie McKay, the outrageous 17 Hippies and the everybodyfields .

And finally, if you have six minutes, take the time to check out this news feature by Kristi Fowler & Mona Seghatoleslami on late Charleston jazz singer Ann Baker, who was inducted into the WV Music Hall of Fame this past November.

We'd like to congratulate banjo-master Bela Fleck on his Grammy win last night in the Best Pop Instrumental Album for his Christmas release, "Jingle All the Way."

Coincidentally you can hear Bela as a member of Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet today on NPR Music, from their March 2008 appearance on our show from Ashland, KY. It's a beautiful brand of chamber-folk, played impeccably by some of the world's best string players: (pictured above: Bela and Abigail on Banjo, Ben Sollee on cello and Casey Driessen on violin).

Stay tuned for sets by Sonny Landreth, Tift Merritt, Kathy Mattea and Tim O'Brien. 

Thanks to everyone who pledged their support during WV Public Broadcasting's 2009 Holl's Chocolate Challenge. Same goes to all of the volunteers, food vendors and staff who donated their time and efforts to make the pledge drive a success . Your overwhelming support is invigorating to everyone in our organization and we remind you that your contributions go directly to our programming funds to keep the shows you love and respect on the air- including Mountain Stage.

If you haven't done so yet, consider a contribution to the mother station of Mountain Stage by clicking HERE.

Check out the delicious chocolates from Holl's, made in the Swiss style in Vienna, WV.

Also visit West Virginia artist Chad Pitts who donated some very beautiful, unique pieces of jewlrey and swizzle sticks as pledge gifts as well.

The line-up for our February 15 recording here in Charleston has been solidified with the addition of Huntington, WV's own Jeff Ellis. A co-winner of the 2008 Mountain Stage New Song competition for performing songwriters, Ellis released "Covering The Distance" last year and is already working on songs for its follow-up. Produced by Eddie Ashworth (sublime, Pennywise, Izzy Stradlin) in Athens, OH, "Covering the Distance" offers some of Jeff's most personal songs done with his distinctively earthy tone. Get a glimpse at MySpace and hurry up and get your tickets HERE.

As we do four times a year, we'll take the show on the road March 29 to Morgantown, WV at our "home-away-from-home" the Creative Arts Center on the campus of WVU. Our good friends and mood-makers The Cowboy Junkies will grace our stage for the 7th time!

I'm reminded of a story that Last Town Chorus founder/guitarist Megan Hickey told during her first appearance on the show about traveling from Pittsburgh to see the Junkies on Mountain Stage (click HERE to hear Megan from our archives). I wonder if any future guest artists will be in the crowd March 29. Ticketmaster has the tickets, or you can call 304.293.SHOW.

UPDATE: We've just added songwriter Clarence Bucaro to the line-up on March 29. Combining elements of Wait Until Spring, Bandini, a 1938 novel by author, John Fante and "You Must Believe in Spring," a 1977 record by the great jazz pianist Bill Evans, Bucaro will release "'Til Spring" on March 3. With appearances by Ollabelle-member Glenn Patscha and recent guest Anders Osborne playing in the band.

Another show just added to the Live Show schedule will be back in Charleston on April 5, featuring Austin Texas' proud sons The Gourds. Their new record Haymaker from Yep Roc just debuted at #2 on the Americana charts, a genre they far preceded. Fetch a listen right HERE then fetch some seats HERE before they're gone.

Greg Brown will be making his 7th appearance on the show April 22 along with Neko Case and Crooked Fingers. This is a Wednesday show at the Little Theater in the Charleston Civic Center. Ticketmaster can get you into this show too, or call the Box Office at 1-800-745.3000. There's some other helpful info HERE.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to see Mountain Stage this past Sunday in Charleston. It was an exceptional effort on behalf of Dierks Bentley (above) and crew to drive over 900 miles overnight to be with us and it helped shine a spotlight on our other guests, Andy Friedman & the Other Failures, Reagan Boggs, Grayson Capps, and Jessica Lea Mayfield. 

The music continued into the morning at the post-jam , traditionally hosted by the Carpenter Ants at the Empty Glass. One of our promotions specialists Chris Morris snapped a couple of shots. Above: (L to R) Tommy MacLuckie, John Milham, Josh Kerin and Grayson Capps. Below: Kerin & Capps.

Andy Friedman & the Other Failures got some extra stage time and treated us to Dave Van Ronk's "Sunday Streets." Friedman's latest, "Weary Things," is out now and contains the eight-minute recitation "Freddy's Backroom," which he performed on the show. 
Listen for this particular episode in April. Visit our broadcast schedule for more.
Above: (LtoR) Matt Walsh, Adriane Palikat, Greg Donahue and Andy Friedman.

Bentley's new album "Feel That Fire" hits stores today and you can get the mp3 download of the album for $3.99 at Amazon.com.

He did a bright and early performance on the TODAY SHOW this morning with a short interview. The song is great- can't say much for the mix however.

Trust me, the album version has a bunch more guitar.