|
Post by Chesapeake on May 22, 2015 23:30:31 GMT -5
When researching material for the “script” (wall panels) and film treatment for the Earl Scruggs Center, I ran across a source that said touring country-music bands in their heyday typically would turn to gospel for about one-third of their set lists. I do “I’ll Fly Away,” “Angel Band,” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Is gospel in your repertoire?
Some inspiration:
|
|
|
Post by Doug on May 23, 2015 0:06:59 GMT -5
Sure, I do:
Will the Circle I Saw the Light I'll Fly Away When the Saints You Got to Walk that Lonesome Valley
Plastic Jesus Hand of the Almighty Smoke a Big Joint for Jesus
|
|
Tamarack
Administrator
Ancient Citizen
Posts: 9,342
|
Post by Tamarack on May 23, 2015 7:33:19 GMT -5
A few gospel songs in my back porch solo repertoire.
The good people of Castle Ridge know lots of gospel songs. Many late Saturday nights at Idiot Jams and Swan Jams have ended as gospel sessions.
|
|
|
Post by epaul on May 23, 2015 10:32:55 GMT -5
Bluegrass is the only gospel I get.
It suffices.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,743
Member is Online
|
Post by Dub on May 23, 2015 12:58:05 GMT -5
As Tamarack says, we do lots of gospel tunes. Often a festival will include a gospel show. They used to be on Sunday mornings but a lot of them have moved to Thursday nights because a lot of campers like to pull out early on Sunday. We've done whole shows of gospel and always do one or two gospel tunes in any set. Gospel has always been a big part of both bluegrass and country. I suppose that's because bluegrass was born as country.
Of the tunes Don posted, the Stanley Brothers’ “Rank Strangers” is closest to my heart. I love the harmonies and the archaic use of language. In that video you can see that the whole Stanley sound really came from Carter. Ralph used to talk about how hard it was to go on after Carter died and here you get a glimpse of how true that must have been. I don't know who's TV show that was but I'm guessing the fiddle player and bass player belonged to the show and weren't with the Stanleys. During that period they worked mostly as a trio with the great George Shuffler (seen here) on lead guitar. It's interesting that Shuffler is using a thumb pick here. He was better known for using a flat pick.
I would so love to be able to reprise the old Blue Grass Gospel Quartet sound but we need two more strong voices. Here is one of the best of those old tunes IMO.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,743
Member is Online
|
Post by Dub on May 23, 2015 15:53:50 GMT -5
We've got this one worked up…
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,743
Member is Online
|
Post by Dub on May 23, 2015 16:13:20 GMT -5
We just started doing our own version of “Angel Band.” We used to do it the traditional way but quit doing it for some reason. Recently, Fiddlerina came up with the idea to Change it to 4/4 time and pick it up a little. So I worked up a thumbstyle guitar part in A (played from E chords capoed at 5). It went over really well at a festival we played a couple of weeks ago.
Flat & Scruggs used to have Earl pick the guitar for gospel tunes. He'd capo high up the neck around 7 or 8 and play something akin to thumbstyle using his banjo picks. I try to use that on some of our gospel tunes.
Here's one of theirs…
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,743
Member is Online
|
Post by Dub on May 24, 2015 22:30:39 GMT -5
’Peake, I don't think we generated much interest on this one. Too bad.
|
|
|
Post by epaul on May 24, 2015 22:41:43 GMT -5
Hey, you convinced me to add "The Soul of Man Never Dies" to our set list. I emailed the link to my duo partner. It will fit right in with "I am a Pilgrim", "Rank Stranger", and "Build Me a Cabin in Gloryland".
|
|
|
Post by Chesapeake on May 24, 2015 23:24:50 GMT -5
’Peake, I don't think we generated much interest on this one. Too bad. Bunch of atheists.
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on May 25, 2015 7:57:04 GMT -5
At the Summer Acoustic Music Week (SAMW) on Lake Winnipesaukee we have informal workshops led by campers at lunch. You have inspired Maureen and I to lead an old time gospel work shop.
|
|
|
Post by drlj on May 25, 2015 8:07:40 GMT -5
I tend to like gospel songs even though I also tend to not like church and all its trappings much. Something about a good gospel song sort of grabs a person and makes them think, "I don't believe any of this stuff but I sure do like the emotion of it."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 8:14:18 GMT -5
Doc, I worked up that way at Camp Winaukee my first two college summers. That region is gorgeous.
|
|
|
Post by Doug on May 25, 2015 8:16:06 GMT -5
If you haven't done a tent revival you should before they are a thing of history.
|
|
|
Post by drlj on May 25, 2015 8:58:25 GMT -5
I sneaked into one of those as a kid. Totally scared the crap out of me. All those people jumping up and down and "speaking in tongues" was right out of Steven King to me. At least nobody pulled out a box of snakes to pass around. There was music, but I do not recall what it was. There was too much other stuff going on to listen to the tunes.
|
|
|
Post by TKennedy on May 25, 2015 9:04:54 GMT -5
We were asked to play in a brand new Catholic Church that had been built so as to spare absolutely no expense. I remember we did " House Of Gold".
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on May 25, 2015 9:18:12 GMT -5
I sneaked into one of those as a kid. Totally scared the crap out of me. All those people jumping up and down and "speaking in tongues" was right out of Steven King to me. At least nobody pulled out a box of snakes to pass around. There was music, but I do not recall what it was. There was too much other stuff going on to listen to the tunes. One of my favorite movies is 'Leap of Faith.' Steve Martin plays a charlatan preacher who leads a traveling gospel show and performs 'miracles' assisted by a carny crew. The highlight is his gospel choir that really rocks the house at each show. The climax of the movie occurs when he is confronted by true faith and a possible real miracle. A beautiful and moving ending to a great movie.
|
|
|
Post by millring on May 25, 2015 9:22:02 GMT -5
In order of bluegrass fantasticness:
Nashville Bluegrass Band.
Blue Highway
Doyle Lawson/IIIrd Tyme Out (Russell Moore --lead tenor)
Modern Gospel, nobody comes close to the Isaacs.
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on May 25, 2015 10:12:20 GMT -5
Here's one (or two) from New England's best, 'The Bluegrass Gospel Project
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on May 25, 2015 10:23:13 GMT -5
Off of my favorite Bluegrass Album, 'Roses in the Snow.'
|
|