World Bluegrass Day

Swap Meet Finds/YouTube Finds

I went to the Livonia Amateur Radio Club Swap Meet this morning. I go every year, and while 90% of the items on sale is related to ham radio, I like to look around to see if there is any guitar/audio stuff I can get cheap, especially vintage microphones. I did pick up an old Radio Shack omnidirectional mic for the collection, as well as a Dimarzio acoustic guitar pickup, both for a few bucks each.

I also picked up an emergency radio, one that powers on solar or hand crank. You never know if you will need it if the power goes out.

I just wanted to cover three bluegrass-related YouTube channels that I came across recently. The first is World Bluegrass Day. This channel has been around since 2012, but for some reason, I only became aware of it recently, despite the number of times I have done searches on YT for bluegrass videos. Over 250 videos of bluegrass performances, interviews, and mini-documentaries are here, all of which are great to watch. One of the most recent uploads is “Jimmy Martin’s Wedding Video (1988).” It’s over an hour long, and the ceremony is strange to say the least. The bride looks young enough to be Jimmy’s daughter, and all of the Sunny Mountain Boys, along with J.D. Crowe and a few other musicians, stood in as his “best man.” More time was spent by Jimmy talking about his touring history than his bride. From what I recollect, Jimmy was never officially married, so this may have been a stunt. Anyone out there want to elaborate? Anyway, the channel is at https://www.youtube.com/@WorldBluegrassDay .

Cody M. Music is another channel that has been around for a while, but I only recently found it. Cody is a graduate of East Tennessee State University of its Old-Time and Bluegrass Music Program. He posts videos of acoustic guitar reviews and beginner lessons, including numerous shorts on easy licks and rhythm patterns. Some of the short lessons are slowed down to half speed so the viewer can learn it a bit more easily. Cody is using this channel to promote his online teaching program that you can purchase as a subscription. Some people wanting to improve on their bluegrass guitar playing may want to check this channel out at https://www.youtube.com/@codymmusic .

Southern Legacy is a true bluegrass supergroup. The members have been in numerous other bands, and get together occasionally for touring. Members include mandolinist Don Rigsby, banjoist Ron Block (of Alison Krauss & Union Station fame), and Josh Williams, my favorite flatpicker, whom I did a previous blog on (https://luegra.design.blog/2023/09/23/josh-williams-bluegrass-instrumental-genius/). The talent here is phenomenal, and I hope that they will be releasing some material soon. They are the cover story of the March 2025 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited. While there are a number of videos of this band performing on YT, they also have their own channel at https://www.youtube.com/@SouthernLegacyMusic .

Chew on it and comment.

Three More YouTube Recommendations

A short blog this week, just showcasing three YouTube channels that you may want to check out.

World Bluegrass Day – I am not sure when this channel officially launched, but it was created to celebrate World Bluegrass Day on October 1st. The channel currently has 205 videos dedicated to promoting the bluegrass format. This includes performances from legendary artists, interviews, and short documentaries on related artists and festivals. It is definitely worth it for anyone wanting to learn more about bluegrass, which now during the winter months and spending more time indoors, might be a worthwhile subscription.

Cody M. Music – Cody is a recent graduate from the Bluegrass and Old-Time Country Music program at East Tennessee State University. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, but this channel is dedicated to playing bluegrass guitar. He covers choices in guitars, rhythm patterns, simple solos, and has a thing for covering Billy Strings techniques. Some of his advice and lessons are great, but I find myself disagreeing with a few of his statements and suggestions. I do recommend checking out the channel, as you may pick up some improvements on your bluegrass guitar playing.

Deeslounge615 – I first visited Dee’s Lounge when I was in Nashville last year for the SPBGMA conference. I saw Chris Jones and The Night Drivers one night and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes the next night. The cool thing is that it broadcasts shows at the bar live on its YouTube channel every night a band is performing. If you subscribe to the channel, they will send you a notification what artist is performing that evening, and you have the option of “tipping” the artist through Venmo. Acts include bluegrass, country, roots-rock and folk. If you need a dose of live music but don’t feel like leaving the house because of the weather, this is a great alternative.

Chew on it and comment.