Bluegrass Breakdown: Country People and Places

We’ll be careening back to 1982 when, among other things: “Family Ties,” starring Michael J. Fox and “Cheers,” starring Ted Danson, premiere on NBC TV; the first issue of USA Today is published; Epcot Center opens in Florida; Willie Nelson & Ricky Skaggs score CMA awards; George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ single “Bad to the Bone” climbs the charts; the world’s first commercially available CD player is released in Japan; and new projects by Ray Park, the Poetown Ramblers, and the Primitive Quartet take the bluegrass world by storm.

PROGRAM PLAYLIST

• High Windy: “The County Fool” from A Greater Storm(Mountain Home)
• Big Country bluegrass: “County Chain Gang” from Big Country Bluegrass(Hay Holler)
• Josh Williams: “Queen of the County Fair” from Modern Day Man(Rounder)
• Bobby Smith & the Boys From Shiloh: “County Fair” from Bobby Smith & the Boys From Shiloh(Rural Rhythm)
• Ralph Stanley: “Let’s Go to the Fair” from Poor Rambler(King)
• The Grasscals & Friends: “Mr. Bojangles” from The Grascals & Friends(BlueGrasscal)
• Tony Ellis: “Going to the County Fair” from Farewell My Home(Flying Fish)
• The Pickin’ On Pickers: “Coward of the County” from Pickin’ On Kenny Rogers(CMH)
• Mike Havens & Blue Mountain Grass: “County Paper” from Window of My Mind(self-released)
• Grandpa’s Cough Medicine: “Every Critter In the County” from 180 Proof(self-released)
• The Dillards: “The Biggest Whatever” from Wheatstraw Suite(Elektra)
• James Reams & the Barnstormers: “Hills of My County” from Troubled Times(Mountain Redbird Music)
• Frostbitten Grass: “County Line Pickin’” from Frostbitten Grass(Philville)
• George Thomas & Friends: “The County Seat” from I’m Thankful(GT)
• The Grant Street String Band: “Cash On the Barrelhead” from The Grant Street String Band(Flat Rock)
• The Wooks: “County Girl” from Little Circles(Gnar Victory)
• The Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys: “Talk of the County” from Talk of the County(Lark)
• Dirk Powell: “Prettiest Little Girl In the County” from Time Again(Rounder)
• Red Mountain: “Prettiest Little Girl In the County” from Throw the Old Cow Over the Fence(Whoop It Up)