Della Mae has been on a heck of a journey since Boston fiddler Kimber Ludiker assembled a band of women to play bluegrass that shreds and defies limits in 2010. The cool thing is that their freshly rebuilt website acknowledges this with a crisp account of the band’s phases and stages – getting signed by Rounder Records, the global touring by way of the U.S. State Department, the IBMA Awards. Now, they say “Della Mae can boast their strongest lineup yet. Founders Kimber Ludiker and Celia Woodsmith are joined by guitarist and songwriter Avril Smith and vocalist and two-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year Vickie Vaughn.” And they’re coming in hot on Jan. 23 with their newest album Magic Accident, which “explores the complexity of being human and the drive to seize joy and possibility amid the sheer improbability of being here at all.” We spin the single “Family Tree” to launch this episode. Also, a special song cycle album from Valerie Smith and I play a batch of 1980s and 90s bluegrass I picked up over the holidays on CD at Nashville’s used record stores.
Kimber Ludiker and Deanie Richardson - New Camptown Races
Della Mae - Family Tree
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes - North Garden
Aaron Burdett - Arthur's Last Dance
Carla Gover - Kentucky Queen
Valerie Smith - Started Wrong In This Life
Hot Rize - Western Skies
Magic Tuber String Band - Needlefall
The High And Wides - Second Time Around
Tune Hash - Eighth of January
James King - Letters Have No Arms
The Brother Boys - Kiss the Dream Girl
The Country Gentlemen - Roving Gambler
The Front Porch String Band - Will You Be Lonesome Too
Shadowgrass - Highway of Regret
Ralph Stanley II - Breaks Of The Cumberland
BB Bowness - La Sciatica
Wood Box Heroes - Better When We're Living
