Here’s a clip of us performing Orange Blossom Special at the Celtic Knot Public House in Evanston. Orange Blossom Special appears on our first CD, Just a Spoonful. Thanks to Marty Schwartz for the clip.

My bluegrass roots largely spring from a party I attend in rural Pennsylvania every summer.  Between 50 and 100 of us camp out on our friend’s land, share potluck food, and play acoustic music for the entire weekend.  The party is hosted by some great lifelong friends of mine who have dozens of amazing country, bluegrass and/or blues playing friends.  I’ve learned alot from them all over the years. 

One of them is a song-writer named Ken Harnage, who writes great old-timey country and blues songs with a distinct humor element.  One of his best-loved numbers that we hear at the party, ”YOUR TRAILER OR MINE?”, was recorded in 2003 by a D.C.-area band called Honkytonk Confidential, and garnered them two awards for best song and best album of the year at that year’s WAMMIES (Washington-area-musicians…). 

You can hear their recording of Ken’s tune here:  http://www.honkytonkconfidential.com/audio.html 

This little clip comes from Saturday’s night at the Celtic Knot Public House in Evanston, Illinois. The tune is our medley of Angeline the Baker and Soldier’s Joy, which appears on our second CD, Where You Been So Long?. Thanks to Marty Schwartz for the clip.

I’ve been spending most of my time these days in rehearsal for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, which I’ll be performing in with American Theater Company. This production takes a departure from the traditional Broadway style musical and puts everything in an intimate setting faithful to the period of the story, 1900’s frontier America. All the music is stripped to a four piece string band in which I play fiddle and mandolin.

The show runs from Jan. 31 through Mar. 4. It was named one of the top ten shows to see this year by the Chicago Tribune.

WFMT’s Rich Warren named Tangleweed’s Where You Been So Long? as one of his ‘pick hits’ this week on his Midnight Special radio program. Rich played two tracks from the CD: ‘Draggin’ the Bow’ and ‘Hard Times’. Many thanks to Rich for his support.

You can view the playlist online at MidnightSpecial.org or view a PDF here: Tangleweed on Midnight Special

Over the Holidays I receive a great book for Christmas from my wife Lauren How To Live Well Without Owning A Car by Chris Balish. The older my car gets, the more attractive this option is looking. In the beginning of January we decided to give it a month long trial. I am loving the results.

This has been a somewhat forced experiment due to a dead starter motor in my car. However a month has passed and I’ve navigated my way around Chicago just fine. I have added hours to my week by taking public transportation instead of my wheels. In addition to this my transportation costs are 1/3 of operating my own car. Sure sometimes it’s frustrating lifting my bass through the subway turnstile but it’s been worth it to my wallet and waistline.

For more information check out:

HOW TO LIVE WELL WITHOUT OWNING A CAR by Chris Balish and
www.carfree.com

You could be the proud new owner of one of the mandolins I used to record Where You Been So Long?, a very cool 1930s Dobro resonator mandolin.

The serial number is L9268, which would most likely place the date of manufacture around 1936 or 1937. Dating Dobros by serial number is an inexact science, so it could be a few years on either side. This was most likely manufactured by Regal in Chicago, under license to Dobro.

You can view the auction and place a bid here: eBay.com.

This little clip comes courtesy of Marty Schwartz, who filmed Saturday night’s show at the Celtic Knot in Evanston, Illinois. It’s us (Tangleweed) playing the Ola Belle Reed song ‘High on a Mountain’, from our second record, Where You Been So Long?. Ryan Fisher sings lead, Billy Oh and I sing harmony.

Thanks, Marty.