Mountain Blog

This week’s premier broadcast of Mountain Stage features one of our most exciting shows of 2011. Recorded live in the border town of Bristol TN/VA, in partnership with our friends at the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, you’ll hear from country music icon Vince Gill, along with Jim Lauderdale, the David Mayfield Parade, Red Molly, and John Lilly.

One of the top-selling country music artists of all time, Vince Gill appears on Mountain Stage in support of his first studio album in five years, Guitar Slinger. Gill cut his teeth in the 70’s as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with outfits like Ricky Skaggs’ Boone Creek before joining country rockers Pure Prairie League – a group his high school bluegrass band had opened for – in 1979.

He left in 1981 to join Rodney Crowell’s renowned backing band The Cherry Bombs. By the late 80's, Gill was a bona fide superstar, releasing multiple Top 10 platinum-selling albums, and hosting the CMA awards a record-setting 12 consecutive times.

You can see part of his Mountain Stage performance, and hear him talk about his new album and musical roots via our Backstage at Mountain Stage above.

You’ll also hear from the David Mayfield Parade. A Mountain Stage veteran already, Mayfield has appeared with Cadillac Sky, Among the Oak and the Ash, and alongside his sister Jessica Lee Mayfield. David Mayfield’s solo project builds on his solid roots in bluegrass, combining it with folk, indie rock, and his trademark humor and showmanship. See Mayfield and his band in action, and hear him talk about his new record via our Backstage at Mountain Stage above.

Jim Lauderdale also stops by. A multi-talented performer and songwriter with successes in both country and bluegrass music, Jim Lauderdale’s career has taken him all over America’s musical landscape.

He’s among Nashville’s “A” list of songwriters, with tunes recorded by artists such as Patty Loveless, George Jones, The Dixie  Chicks, and Vince Gill. Not content to just write hits for the stars, he’s toured with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Elvis Costello. His latest release is Patchwork River.

Red Molly makes their first appearance on Mountain Stage. This bluegrass and old-time trio began around a campsite at the 2004 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate New York.

After six years of touring, the New York-based group has expanded its audience and performed at events like Merlefest and the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. Founding members Laurie MacAllister and Abbie Gardner were recently joined by Austin-based singer/songwriter Molly Venter. Their latest is Light in the Sky.

Finally, you’ll hear from West Virginia’s own John Lilly. The editor of Goldenseal Magazine since 1997, John Lilly’s music recalls the sounds of a different era. Bluegrass Unlimited called 2000's Broken Moon one of the "most unusual and interesting acoustic disks of the year" while 2005's Blue Highway was a collaboration with legendary Tennessee fiddler Ralph Blizard. His current release is John Lilly: Live on Red Barn Radio.

Click here to find out when and where you can hear this show in your area. 

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Thanks for listening to Mountain Stage.