Kudos To Angelina!

No matter which side of the Iraq war argument you happen to be on, isn’t it impressive whenever someone looks at the situation and actually makes an effort to do something good. Take for example actor Gary Sinise who is co-founder of Operation Iraqi Children; or all of the singers, actors and comedians who have made their way to Iraq on USO trips and met with our troops.

Just today an article appeared in the Washington Post written by none other than Angelina Jolie. Many of the Hollywood crowd could learn a thing or two from her I believe. I urge you to read the article here for yourself.

Tift Merritt – Another Country

Tift’s new CD called Another Country hit the record store shelves today. I got my copy. I’ll not pretend to write a review of the CD because I’m pretty biased on this one… However, there are several reviews I’ve read online so far, all really favorable. Highly recommended.

Tommy Emmanuel at The Variety Playhouse FEB, 2008

Note- this blog post is about the Tommy Emmanuel show from February of 2008.

I’ve been hearing “the greatest guitar player in the world” tag applied to Tommy Emmanuel for some time now, so I was looking forward to finally seeing him in person. I’m actually a little late in getting around to Emmanuel and his music. He’s very well known in his native Australia and has a career which spans over 40 years. The Grammy nominated Emmanuel has performed and recorded with everyone from the late, great Chet Atkins to Les Paul, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder and the list goes on.

Upon arriving at the Playhouse, I immediately noticed a huge crowd of what appeared to be loyal, hardcore Tommy Emmanuel fans. This is always a good sign. Artists aquire fans like these only through years and years of heavy touring and decades of stellar recordings. Joining me was my friend and fellow guitarist Keith Cowart. Keith appreciates great guitar playing and I was curious to see his response.

Now here’s the hard part – how do I describe the Tommy Emmanuel experience… One thing I know is that you cannot say that Tommy Emmanuel is just a guitar player. That’s like saying Tiger Woods is just a golfer. No, Tommy Emmanuel is more like a force of nature! With no band, just the man and his guitar, Emmanuel comes on stage and seizes control. Exhibiting complete mastery of his instrument, Emmanuel at first plays hard, loud and aggresive, intentionally overplaying, which I’m sure he does just to see the guitar players in the audience shake their heads in amazment. It was clear right from the start that Emmanuel was enjoying himself immensley. After a lifetime of playing his music all over the world it was clear that Saturday night in Atlanta, Tommy Emmanuel was having the time of his life.

Tift Alert!

Tift Merritt will be appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday February 25, the night before Another Country hits record store shelves across North America on February 26.

http://www.tiftmerritt.com/

http://www.myspace.com/tiftmerritt

http://www.tiftmerritt.net/

Currently Reading

Touching The Void by Joe Simpson

From the author’s website-

Joe Simpson presents a gripping tale of adventure on the very edge of survival. This story has become one of the all-time classic epics of mountaineering and the book has reached far beyond the world of climbers. It is an inspirational story of humanity in the extreme. Mixing humour and drama, Joe tells of his experiences in the Peruvian Andes with total honesty and lets the intense excitement of the story grip the reader.

The Dan Tyminski Band

Saturday night I made my way down to Little Five Points and the Variety Playhouse where I met up with my bluegrass buddies Gary and Ellen Bramlett. We were there to see The Dan Tyminski Band. Dan Tyminski, a member of Alison Krauss And Union Station, is widely known as the singing voice of George Clooney’s character in the film O Brother Where Art Thou?

While AKUS is on an extended break, Dan has put together a group of bluegrass masters for a tour and soon to be released CD. The Bluegrass Buddies and I certainly enjoyed the show Saturday night, and it was good to see a sell out crowd supporting bluegrass at the Playhouse. The music ranged from the traditional, such as Jimmy Martin Classics, to the contemporary music of Ron Block and Tim Stafford. Also featured were several cuts from Dan’s solo project of a few years ago.

A special treat for me was getting to see Ron Stewart on banjo and fiddle. Without a doubt one of the finest musicians around. I first gained a huge respect for Ron several years ago when I studied under him at Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend. Ron is a great teacher and expert in the Scruggs and Crowe tradition. Ron proved the point Saturday night with a blistering version of the Scruggs classic “Shuckin’ The Corn.”

All in all a solid, entertaining night of bluegrass.

Stone Mountain Hike 2/10

Joining me on my weekly trek up Stone Mountain were Amanda, along with her husband Darryl and daughter Sarah. Also up for the challenge were Tony on the far right and Keith behind the camera. I’m happy to report that everyone made it to the top! Even though it was quite windy, the blue sky and sunshine made it a very enjoyable hike.

Dailey and Vincent at Everett’s Music Barn

Saturday night found me in Suwanee at Everett’s Music Barn to see and hear one of the most talked about new bands in Bluegrass Music. Jamie Dailey, formerly of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, along with Darren Vincent, formerly of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, have teamed up and put together their own band of high powered harmony driven bluegrass. The crowd arrived early and filled the barn quickly. One standout band member for me was 18 year old Joe Dean Jr. on 5-string banjo, who played with the skill and taste of someone twice his age. I’m sure Dailey and Vincent will be a favorite of many for some time to come.

My Musical Roots?

I love old photographs. A moment captured in time forever. A faded, creased and yellowed bit of history. It’s kind of like looking back in time for a glimpse of one’s own roots. I found this picture in a box of old family photos. I don’t know who these fellows are but maybe this explains my love of old time music. These two young musicians, dressed for a performance or a square dance, quickly pose for a picture in the front yard. Click the image for a larger version.

One Month Of Blogging!

After a brief pause for the Super Bowl and Super Tuesday, “Scott’s Corner” is back in action. The blog is one month old and I want to thank all who have read, posted comments and otherwise expressed interest in my little enterprise.

Things have gone well during the first month. The blog continues to evolve and offer a range of topics. Basically, it’s just me and my interests but your feedback is important. Thanks for being a part of it.

February looks good with several music events coming up that I’ll surely be posting on. And I’m sure to spot a new bird or two to add to my bird list. Then there is the next installment of my “Getting Fit” series coming up.

So I think a little celebration is in order. I’ve rounded up some old friends from 1965. I was about 6 years old, riding around in my mother’s ‘57 Chevy… seems like just yesterday. Please welcome Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs with “Wooly Bully!”