Mike Farris and The McCrary Sisters perform “Trouble of the World,” from the pilot episode of Bluegrass Underground shot in HD on 2.27.10.

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The John Cowan Band, The Tn Mafia Jug Band, The Josh Williams Band, Missy Raines and The New Hip, Pokey Lafarge and Christabel and The Jons… WOW!  4th of July was spectacular!

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Bluegrass Underground is featured this week on Tennessee Crossroads. The award-winning PBS show came down to The Volcano Room with Joe Elmore and crew on March 14th, which of course was the Travelin McCoury’s and Ronnie Bowman. The segment airs on Thursday night , June 11th at 7pm CST and again on Saturday morning at 10am CST. It’s also online at http://wnpt.org/productions/crossroads/2009_jun.html

We had a spectacular turnout and were completely sold out  for the Cherryholmes and Michael Cleveland show this past weekend.  Thanks to everybody who came out to see such a spectacular show from both bands.  Photos will be posted shortly.

Amazing set by the McCoury Brothers… in addition to Jason Carter and Alan Bartrum, Cody Kilby filled in on guitar and sounded fantastic!
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3-14-2009… Ronnie Bowman  and crew came out of the gate strong .  Great set with a great band!  Rob McCoury played banjo the entire show and Chris Harris on mandolin played his first gig with the band and sounded great!

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The Farewell Drifters  opening for Cadillac Sky Feb. 7 2009.

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Missed the Steeldrivers show the first time?  Now’s your chance to hear their amazing Bluegrass Underground performance again or for the first time on Legendary WSM radio!  Tune in to WSM 650 at 5pm Feb. 14 to hear a re-braodcast of the Steeldrivers performing live 333 feet underground at Cumberland Caverns.  Don’t miss it again!

All my favorite singers couldn’t sing. Now there’s one less of them still performing. We’ve seen musicians retire and unretire before, but unless David Berman is pulling our leg, Silver Jews are now no more. The band’s performance Saturday night at McMinnville, Tennessee’s Cumberland Caverns was their last, and included this emotional take on American Water’s indelible “We Are Real”. But first, Berman gives a brief introduction: “If you’re in a position in your life where you need to make a change, this is the best time,” he says, citing all the changes going on these days. One of the most recent historical changes, the inauguration of President Obama, flies in the face of the work of Berman’s father, whom the Silver Jews main guy recently revealed to be right-wing lobbyist Rick Berman. Strange victory, strange defeat.

Update: “Smith and Jones Forever” is now on YouTube as well.

via “Introduction / We Are Real” / “Smith and Jones Forever” (Live at Cumberland Caverns; final show) | Pitchfork.

Say what you will about The Spin’s penchant for impunctuality; we know when to show up on time. Even after a near two-hour car ride to a dank hole in the ground in McMinnville, even when it involves being wrangled and herded down a path with confused-looking hipsters and families led by tour guides–all looking more than a bit like cattle–we know when to show up on time. And as we descended into the depths of the Cumberland Caverns, we overheard a preteen ask his father, “How long did it take ‘em to build this?” Damn. And we thought our generation was doomed. Keep an eye out for that one.

It was shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon as we made our way into Cumberland Caverns’ Volcano Room, a large chamber dimly lit and musty with cave stank. We quickly spotted a few dozen familiar faces–mostly those of Nashville show-goers and musicians, though Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox was also in the mix. We managed to share a few words with William Tyler, who, gleeful over the locale of his final show with the Jews, informed us that their performance was being shot on 16 mm film for a project that will hopefully be released sooner rather than later.

via Nashville - Nashville Scene - Nashville Cream - The Spin: Silver Jews Final Show at Cumberland Caverns’ Bluegrass Underground.

Videos just posted of The Grascals performance at the Bluegrass Underground taping. What a great band!

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Being that Tim O’Brien epitomizes roots music, it is only appropriate that he and some of his best pickin’ buddies could be found at the root of the Cumberland Plateau - literally - in early December.

Tim O’Brien and Friends - banjo deviant Danny Barnes, flatpicking guitar whiz Bryan Sutton, and much-in-demand bassist Dennis Crouch - put on a tremendous show in the Volcano Room, part of the series of caves that make up Cumberland Caverns near McMinnville, Tennessee, for the December installment of the Bluegrass Underground series.

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Here are 2 video clips from The Infamous Stringdusters Bluegrass Underground performance… November 2008.
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Here are some samples from the Tim O’Brien broadcast that will air on WSM, Sirius and XM on Friday and Saturday Dec. 26 and 27th.  Audio recording and mixing by Grammy winning engineer Phil Harris.

Tim O’Brien and Friends - Making Plans (Tim O’Brien Original)

Tim O’Brien and Friends - Christmas Time’s a Comin’

Hey Folks,

If you haven’t had the opportunity to listen to this show, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT! The sound is absolutely spectacular; the levels are perfect - no distortion whatsoever, so you can crank it as loud as you want; the clarity and separation are second to none. The vocals are as good as any I’ve heard - Jeremy really has it going. The instrumental exchanges/transitions are awesome, especially during Count Me In - Jesse lays down one lick that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck, and Gettin’ Down The Road - Jesse and Andy H. trading licks during a superb jam - WOW. “Rivers” has this Pure Prairie League feel to it - I hope this makes the next album - what a sweet tune. Then there’s travis’ “Holy Cowan” vocals (holds a note for over 10 seconds) and Panda wailing away during Sunny Side Of The Mountain.

Phil…you’re a genius! This is a perfect show for a live double-cd, after you get Mexicali Live out.  How do I pre-order?
Click to view setlist

Wow! Spectacular performance of “Midnight Tears” by the Steeldrivers during their Aug. 16 taping.

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