A talent booker and bluegrass/country guru friend of mine in North Carolina told me four or five years ago that I ought to keep my eyes and ears on a precocious teenager from his state named Mason Via. I love his last name, which means ‘by way of’ and he’s certainly made his way since the buzz began growing about him. He just wrapped about three years of touring with Old Crow Medicine Show. He’s been a successful songwriter, co-writing “Down Home Dispensary” with Molly Tuttle and “Brown Paper Bag” for Del McCoury. Now he’s really making himself known as a solo artist, and we’ve an acoustic version of “Hey Don’t Go,” which he’s released in twangy band form, now played often on WMOT. It feels good to offer this folky edition with Oliver Craven on fiddle. Also this week, Tim O’Brien is the latest to tease the upcoming Tom Paxton bluegrass tribute album. We have singles from emerging bluegrass talents Shannon Slaughter and Andrew Crawford. And Dallas/Ft. Worth band Hillbilly Fever impressed us with a swinging “Make Me A Pallet.”
Alan Munde Gazette - Traditional Family Breakdown
Tim O'Brien - You Took Me In
Becky Buller - Kismet
Larry Sparks - John Deere Tractor
Jim Lauderdale and Po’ Ramblin’ Boys - She's The Light
Shannon Slaughter - Silent As The Grave
Nick Shoulders - Booger County Blues
The Chicken Chokers - Polecat Blues
Reno and Smiley - Little Rosewood Casket
EZRA - Banjaleena
Mason Via - Hey Don't Go
Hillbilly Fever Bluegrass Band - Make Me A Pallet on your Floor
Osborne Brothers - Dusty Miller
Junior Sisk - A Man Like Me
Andrew Crawford - Back With A Lonesome Sound
The Local Group - McGettigan's Breakdown
Foghorn Stringband - Be Kind To A Man When He's Down
Zoe & Cloyd - We'll Meet Again Sweetheart
