Thanks for your interest in Bay Area bluegrass and old time music events — and for sending me updates and corrections. Please visit the Bluegrass Signal web site for the latest listings and playlists, as well as a number of items and articles of interest to bluegrass and old time music fans.

The Bluegrass Country Winter Membership Campaign has begun! For the next two weeks, we’ll be celebrating our 5th anniversary as an independent public radio/internet station presenting bluegrass, old-time, classic country, Americana, Celtic, blues, and other great roots music on 35 different programs. This has been possible only because of the generous donations of listeners who become station members.

Despite everything, there were a number of fine albums released in 2021, and the Bluegrass Signal specials (playlists at the bottom of this newsletter) during this campaign feature a few favorites — including Turn Your Radio On, the 2-CD compilation of SF Bay Area musicians recorded live on Bluegrass Signal from 1999-2019. Turn Your Radio On is one of the thank-you gifts offered to Bluegrass Country supporters between now and March 6th. HERE is the place to make a secure online donation; you can also call 202-844-6670 with your donation. Thanks in advance!

The EASTERN time broadcasts of Bluegrass Signal on Bluegrass Country:

• Monday at 11 pm,
• Wednesday at midnight,
• Friday at 6 pm, and
• Sunday at midnight.

Turn your radio on, indeed!

~ PeterT

CONCERTS

NOTE: most of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

Feb. 22 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice – The Page, SF

Feb. 23 (6 pm): Dana Frankel – Coast Cafe, Bolinas

Feb. 24: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band – Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Roseanne Cash w/ John Levanthal –

– Feb. 24-27: SFJazz Center

– March 1: Center For the Arts, Grass Valley

– March 2: Uptown Theatre, Napa

– March 4: Sunset Center, Carmel

Mission Blue Duet –

– Feb. 25 (5 pm): HopDogma Brewing, Half Moon Bay

– Feb. 26 (5 pm): Southpointe Seascape, Aptos

Evie Ladin Band –

– Feb. 25: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

– Feb. 26: The Side Door, Sacramento

March 4-13: ELB shows in Fiddletown, Reno, Bishop, Kernville, Joshua Tree, Hollywood, and San Luis Obispo

Feb. 25: Mei Lin, Ida & Friends – High Water Brewing, Lodi

Feb. 26: High Water Line​; The Truckaderos – Plough & Stars, SF

March 1 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice – The Page, SF

March 3: Goat Hill Girls – Summit House, Los Gatos

March 3: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends – Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

March 4: Mr. Sun (feat. Darol Anger) – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

March 4: AJ Lee & Blue Summit; The Stash Band; Ismay – Hopmonk Tavern, Sebastopol

March 8: Rachel Baiman; Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno; Melody Walker – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

March 8 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice – The Page, SF

John Reischman & the Jaybirds –

– March 10: The Old Steeple, Ferndale

– March 11: The Little River Inn

– March 12: Sebastopol Community Center Annex

– March 13: Fifth Street Farms, Berkeley (*sold out*)

March 10: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers – Summit House, Los Gatos

March 10: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends – Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

March 15 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice – The Page, SF

March 17: Purple Mountain Majesty Band – Summit House, Los Gatos

March 17: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band – Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

March 20 (5 pm): Thompsonia – outdoor house concert in the Santa Cruz hills;

info/res: justsayyess-at-hotmail-dot-com

March 22 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice – The Page, SF

March 23: David Nelson & Eric Thompson + Suzy (Thompson) Sings Siebel – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

March 24: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band – Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

March 26: Bluegrass Gathering – fundraiser to help finish the restoration of the Port Costa schoolhouse; info: suzanne-dot-statler-at-gmail-dot-com

March 29 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice – The Page, SF

Della Mae –

– March 29: Hopmonk Tavern, Sebastopol

– March 30: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

– April 1: Winter Wondergrass – Olympic Valley

March 31 (5:30 pm): Skillet Licorice + guests – Bull Valley Roadhouse, Port Costa

March 31: AJ Lee & Blue Summit – Chico Women’s Club

April 1: Infamous Stringdusters; Dustbowl Revival – The Fillmore, SF

Sarah Jarosz –

– April 1: Felton Music Hall, Felton

– April 2: Mystic Theatre, Petaluma

– April 3: Center for the Arts, Grass Valley

– April 4: Great American Music Hall, SF

Aoife O’Donovan –

– April 7: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

– April 9: Center For the Arts, Grass Valley

– April 10: Sunset Center, Carmel

– April 12: Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara

– April 13: The Loft (UCSD), La Jolla

– April 14: Troubadour, West Hollywood

John Reischman & the Jaybirds –

– April 7: Otter Opry – Monterey United Methodist Church

– April 9: Deep End Sessions, Santa Paula

– April 10: Piazza’s Pine Cone Inn, Kernville

April 9-10: Billy Strings – Santa Barbara Bowl

April 19: Jake Blount – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

April 22: Mission Blue – POPS Performing Arts and Cultural Center, Dunsmuir

April 28: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – The Guild Theatre, Menlo Park

Kathy Kallick Band –

– April 29: The Side Door, Sacramento

– April 30: Pacifica Performances

– May 1: Berkeley Bluegrass Festival – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley​

Lonesome Ace Stringband –

– May 7-8: Parkfield Bluegrass Festival

– May 10: The Back Room, Berkeley

– May 11: Otter Opry – United Methodist Church, Monterey

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys –

– May 12: Miners Foundry Cultural Center, Nevada City, CA

– May 13: Moe’s Alley, Sant Cruz; AJ Lee & Blue Summit open

May 22: Evie Ladin Band; Rita Hosking Trio – Hopmonk Tavern, Novato

May 24: Ray Fest, honoring Ray Edlund & his 48 years hosting Pig In A Pen on KPFA

with Laurie Lewis & Kathy Kallick; Thompsonia; High Country; The Road Oilers; High Water Line; North Country Blue

May 29: Jim Kweskin with Meredith Axelrod & Suzy Thompson – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

June 7-8: Tommy Emmanuel – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley​

June 30: Black Opry Revue featuring Rissi Palmer, Miko Marks, Stephanie Jacques, and Leon Timbo – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

July 30: Eric Thompson & Friends – The Back Room, Berkeley

FESTIVALS

Feb. 24-27: Wintergrass – Seattle

Sister Sadie; The Dawg Trio (David & Sam Grisman, Danny Barnes); Peter Rowan’s Free Mexican Airforce featuring Los Texmaniacs; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; Della Mae; Mr. Sun; Hubby Jenkins; Tony Trischka/Bruce Molsky/Michael Daves; Travelin’ McCourys; Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands; Kenny & Amanda Smith; Jake Blount; AJ Lee & Blue Summit; Brother Boys with Missy Raines; Caleb Klauder & Reeb Williams Country Band; Nefesh Mountain; Mike Block Trio; Betse & Clarke; Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer; Eli West; Pearl Django; Joe Craven & Mamajowali, Miles & Karina; The Brothers Comatose; Never Come Down; Kristen Grainger & True North; The Jangles; Farmstrong; Brother’s Keeper

March 4-6: Bluegrass On the Beach – Lake Havasu City, AZ

Appalachian Road Show, Little Roy & Lizzy, Special Consensus, Monroe Crossing, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Seth Muldar & Midnight Run, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, Central Valley Boys, Kentucky Sky

April 29 – May 1: Berkeley Bluegrass Festival – Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Fri: Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands; Tim O’Brien & Jan Fabricius; Jacob Joliff Band

Sat: Seldom Scene; Windy Hill; NorthSouthEastWest Jam (Michael Daves, Tatiana Hargreaves, Missy Raines, Kristin Scott Benson, Laurie Lewis)

Sun: The Grascals; Kathy Kallick Band; Missy Raines & Allegheny

May 5-8: Parkfield Bluegrass Festival

Lonesome Ace Stringband; Chris Brashear, Peter McLaughlin & Paul Knight; Lonely Heartstring Band; Joe Craven & Dead on Grass; AJ Lee & Blue Summit; The High Water Line; Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band; Honeysuckle Possums; SLO County Stumblers; Blah Blah Stringband

May 26-30: Strawberry Music Festival – Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley

Sierra Hull; Allison Russell; Steep Canyon Rangers; Samantha Fish; AJ Lee & Blue Summit; Sunny War; Ron Artis II; Evie Ladin Band; John Craigie; Marley’s Ghost; Lindsay Lou; Rainbow Girls; Rita Hosking; Barbaro; others

June 16-19: Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival – Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley

Della Mae; Dom Flemons; John Reischman & the Jaybirds; Kathy Kallick Band; Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; The Onlies; Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band; Special Consensus; Emerging Artist: AJ Lee & Blue Summit; California Showcase Bands: Blue & Lonesome; Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band; North Country Blue; Sheri Lee; Skillet Licorice; Vern’s Stage bands to be announced

June 17-19: Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival – Cashmere, WA

Appalachian Roadshow; Po’ Ramblin’ Boys with Laura Orshaw; Dave Adkins; Fast Track; Rusty Hinges Bluegrass

June 23-26: Kate Wolf Music Festival – Black Oak Ranch – Hwy 101, 5 miles north of Laytonville

Tim O’Brien Band (Fri/Sat); Laurie Lewis, Kathy Kallick & Nina Gerber (Sat/Sun); AJ Lee & Blue Summit (Thur/Fri); Phil Salazar & The Kin Folk (F/S/S); Iris Dement (Thur); plus … Taj Mahal, Ani DiFranco, Bruce Cockburn, Darlene Love, Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Ruthie Foster, Greg Brown, Hot Tuna (acoustic), The Wood Brothers, Ranky Tanky w/ Lisa Fischer, Calexico, The Blues Broads, Leftover Salmon, Madeleine Peyroux, Cris Williamson, Tom Paxton & The Don Juans, Marcia Ball, Chris Smither, Carrie Rodriguez, Old Blind Dogs, Ruth Moody Band, Charlie Musselwhite, David Lindley, Eliza Gilkyson, Jorma Kaukonen, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Joe Craven, Hills to Hollers, Mary Gauthier, Poor Man’s Whiskey, others

June 30 – July 3: High Sierra Music Festival – Quincy

Peter Rowan with Railroad Earth (as Old & In the Way), Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, Birches Bend, Watkins Family Hour, Greensky Bluegrass, Lindsay Lou, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, The California Honeydrops, The War & Treaty, others

July 21-24: Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival – Stevenson, WA

The Price Sisters; The Slocan Ramblers; The Special Consensus; Farmstrong; Sunny South; Dennis Berck Band with Annie Staninec; Bill Jolliff; Ellie Hakanson

July 29-31: Bluegrass From the Forest Festival – Shelton, WA

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Aug. 11-14: Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival – San Benito County Historical Park, Tres Pinos

Aug. 12-14: Blue Waters Bluegrass Festival – Medical Lake, WA

John Reischman & the Jaybirds, Lonesome Ace Stringband, The Onlies, Ben Winship & Eli West, West Coast Bluegrass Trio (w/ Nick Dumas & Chris Luquette), Northbound, Riders of the Rockin’ B Ranch, Buck 99, King Trouble & The Cherry Pickers, Eyer Family Band, A Tribute to John Hartford

Aug. 19-21: Summergrass San Diego – Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, Vista

Aug. 19-21: Bowers Mansion Bluegrass Festival – Washoe Valley, NV

Sept. 2-4: North Cascades Bluegrass Festival – Bellingham, WA

The Special Consensus; Blue Canyon Boys; Stillhouse Junkies; The Kody Norris Show; Rebekah Speer; Lonesome Town Painters; Runaway Train

Sept. 22-25: Berkeley Old Time Music Convention

Earl White Band; Alice Gerrard with Tatiana Hargreaves and Reed Stutz; Skillet Licorice All Sorts Orchestra; New Vintage Revelers; Evie Ladin; Robin Fischer; others

JAM SESSIONS

2022 CBA Great 48 Jam * Photo: Patrick Campbell

Jammers include Mei Lin Heirendt, Gary Friedman, Ida Winfree, Steve Lodonga, and Jason Winfree

NOTE: most of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

First Saturday (12-3 pm): Coffee Catz, Sebastopol

Second Saturday (12:30 – 2:30 pm): Arlene Francis Center, Santa Rosa

Third Saturday (1-4 pm): Coffee & Moore, Sebastopol

Fourth Saturday: tba

Host/info: David Carlson davidacarlson62-at-hotmail-dot-com

Second Saturdays (12-3pm): Bluegrass Train Jam – Santa Clara Depot, 1005 Railroad Ave, SC; host/info: Mary Kennedy kennedymk-at-comcast-dot-net

First Sunday (1-5 pm): Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association monthly jam – Hoover School, Park & Naglee Sts, San Jose; includes a slow jam (1:30 – 2:30 pm) and the

Annual General Meeting at 2:45 pm.

Mondays (7-9 pm): South Bay (Mostly) Old-Time Jam – Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 East Charleston Rd., Palo Alto

First Monday (6-8 pm): The Garage Jam – Out West Roadhouse, 321-2nd St., Petaluma

Tuesdays (7 pm): Andronico’s Oldtime Jam via Zoom led by Dinah and Noah Stroe; info/link: steve-dot-goldfield-at-gmail-dot-com

In-person jams at the Freight & Salvage, Berkeley –

• Feb. 27 & March 27 (3 pm): Bluegrass/Country jam w/ Richard Brandenburg
• March 13 (3 pm): Old Time jam w/ Tony Phillips

INSTRUCTION

2019 CBA Music Camp; photo: Alan Bond

Some possibilities …

• Evie Ladin
• Jack Tuttle
• Dix Bruce
• Old Time Fiddling w/ Suzy Thompson suzy-at-ericandsuzy-dot-com
• Bernal Jam Workshop w/ Richard Brandenburg richardbrandenburg-at-gmail-dot-com
• Flatpicking Fundamentals w/ Eric Thompson eric-at-ericandsuzy-dot-com
• Structure of Music w/ Avram Siegel avramsiegel-at-comcast-dot-net
• Manning Music chadandcath-at-gmail-dot-com

The next recent series of online Freight & Salvage classes begins the week of March 6th; classes include:

Tuesdays

5:30 pm: Rank Beginner Clawhammer Banjo w/ Evie Ladin

7:00 pm: Clawhammer Banjo Repertoire & Technique w/ Evie Ladin

8:00 pm: Fiddle Tunes with a Touch of Theory w/ Erik Hoffman

Wednesdays

5:30 pm: Mountain Dulcimer 2 w/ Deborah Hamouris

7:00 pm: Intro to Mountain Dulcimer w/ Deborah Hamouris

Thursdays

5:30 pm: Singing from Inside the Song w/ Richard Brandenburg

7:00 pm: Flatpicking Essentials w/ Richard Brandenburg

8:30 pm: Expand Your Bluegrass/Country Repertoire w/ Richard Brandenburg

​MUSIC CAMPS

NOTE: most of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

May 4-8: Julian Family Fiddle Camp – instructors:

Bruce Molsky, John Reischman, Caleb Klauder, Reeb Willms, Patrick Sauber, Carolyn Kendrick, John Hermann, others

June 12-15: CBA Music Camp – instructors:

Brandon Godman, Cary Black, Celia Woodsmith, Greg Blake, Greg Cahill, Jack Tuttle, John Reischman, Kathleen Rushing, Keith Little, Laurie Lewis, Leo Shannon, Mike Compton, Patrick Sauber, Riley Calcagno, Sally Van Meter, Sami Braman, Steve Pottier, Vivian Leva

June 15-18: CBA Youth Academy

July (2 sessions): California Coast Music Camp

July & August (4 sessions): Puget Sound Guitar Workshop

August (2 sessions): Nimblefingers

RADIO SHOWS

Feb. 29: All Kinds Of Country

Sully Roddy’s trademark mix of bluegrass, blues, country … and more.

March 5: What’s Goin’ On

Allegra Thompson previews upcoming Bay Area bluegrass and old time music events.

March 12: Happy Birthday, Tom Bekeny!

PT presents an overview of his music with High Country, the Kathy Kallick Band, Done Gone, Tenbrooks, Grant Street, and, possibly, others.

March 19: Green Grass Signal

Leah Wollenberg explores Irish and bluegrass/old time connections.

March 26: All Kinds Of Country

Sully Roddy’s trademark mix of bluegrass, blues, country … and more

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Bluegrass Signal is also broadcast four times each week on Bluegrass Country.

The initial broadcast of Bluegrass Signal is on Monday at 11 pm (Eastern time). The show is then rebroadcast on Wednesdays (midnight), Fridays (6 pm), and Sundays (midnight). The times given are EASTERN and the program is available HERE.

Bluegrass Country has an ARCHIVE PLAYER, so you can pick the date and (Eastern) time of broadcast to hear Bluegrass Signal — or any of the other 33 shows on Bluegrass Country — at your convenience!

NOTE: Pacific Time broadcasts of Bluegrass Signal on Bluegrass Country:

Mon. (8 pm), Tues. (9 pm), Fri. (3 pm), and Sat. (9 pm).

Feb. 21-27 AND Feb. 28 – March 6: Winter Membership Campaign Specials

PT samples a few of his favorite releases from 2021 — expect some surprises! — and raises some bucks for your favorite all-bluegrass station.

March 7-13: Double Trouble

Leah Wollenberg explores a variety of banjo-fiddle duets.

March 14-20: (Hell On) Church Street (Blues)

Leah Wollenberg bids farewell to JD Crowe, then compares and contrasts the Tony Rice original and Punch Brothers reimagining of the classic 1983 album.

March 21-27: Across the Tracks: West Coast Report

PT samples new releases from Paul Shelasky, Annie Staninec & Nick Hornbuckle, Molly Tuttle, and Laurie Lewis, as well as providing a memorial celebration of Don Humphries.

March 28 – April 3: Across the Tracks: Mostly Singles

The same program that’s on demand from KALW this week! See below for playlist …

Bluegrass Signal PLAYLISTS

BLUEGRASS SIGNAL: Across the Tracks: Mostly Singles – available on demand (just select ‘Bluegrass Signal’) until Feb. 26, 2022

NOTE: all releases in 2022, all advance singles from forthcoming albums (some of which remain untitled).

LAURA ORSHAW: Hank/single (Dark Shadow)

PO’ RAMBLIN’ BOYS: The Blues Are Close At Hand/Never Slow Down (Smithsonian-Folkways)

JIM HURST: Back To the One/single (Pinecastle)

DALE ANN BRADLEY & DANNY PAISLEY: One By One/single (Pinecastle)

DEL McCOURY BAND: Once Again/Almost Proud (McCoury Music)

JUNIOR SISK: Patches On My Heart/single (Mountain Fever)

JUNIOR SISK: I Wanna Be Where You Are/single (Mountain Fever)

MIKE COMPTON: Trail Of Tears/Rare & Fine – Uncommon Tunes of Bill Monroe (Taterbug)

ALISON DeGROOT & TATIANA HARGREAVES: The Banks of the Miramichi/Hurricane Clarice (Free Dirt)

MR. SUN: Just a Little Lovin’ (Will Go a Long, Long Way)/Extrovert (Compass)

KENNY & AMANDA SMITH: Everything To Me/single (self)

ALEX LEACH BAND: Up To You/single (Mountain Home)

TINA ADAIR: Tell Me Baby Why You Been Gone So Long/single (Engelhardt)

THE NO JOKE JIMMY’S: Be Proud Of the Gray In Your Hair/single (self)

MR. SUN: Breaker’s Bakedown/Extrovert (Compass)

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Please visit the Bluegrass Signal website for the December, 2021, January, 2022, and February, 2022 playlists — and all the others!

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Here’s what’s on Bluegrass Signal for the Bluegrass Country Winter Membership Campaign specials:

Feb. 21-27: Favorites of 2021 – part 1

Winter Membership Campaign special

DAVID THOM BAND: I’ve Never Been So Lonesome/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)

DAVID GRISMAN & TONY RICE: On & On/The Gasoline Brothers (Acoustic Disc/76)

VIVIAN LEVA & RILEY CALCAGNO: On Account Of You/Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno (Free Dirt)

LONESOME ACE STRINGBAND: The Hills Of Mexico/Lively Times: Live at the Anza Club (self)

RHIANNON GIDDENS (with FRANCESCO TURRISI): Waterbound/They’re Calling Me Home (Nonesuch)

ANYA HINKLE (with GRAHAM SHARP): What’s It Gonna Take/Eden & Her Borderlands (Organic)

DALE ANN BRADLEY: After While/Things She Couldn’t Get Over (Pinecastle)

DANNY PAISLEY & THE SOUTHERN GRASS: Eat At The Welcome Table/Bluegrass Troubadour (Pinecastle)

KATHY KALLICK BAND: The Messenger/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)

EARL SCRUGGS TRIBUTE QUARTET: Foggy Mountain Special/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)

DEANIE RICHARDSON: Walking In My Sleep/Circle Up (Engelhardt)

JOE MULLINS & THE RADIO RAMBLERS: Readin’, Rightin’, Route 23/Industrial Strength Bluegrass (Smithsonian-Folkways)

AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT: Roll On Buddy/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)

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Feb. 28 – March 6: Favorites of 2021 – part 2

Winter Membership Campaign special

JEREMY STEPHENS: Could I Knock on Your Door/How I Hear It (Rebel)

THOMPSONIA: Very Bad Mood/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)

STAIRWELL SISTERS: Boats Up the River/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)

JOHN REISCHMAN: The Old Steeple/New Time & Old Acoustic (Corvus)

AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT: Not Gonna Cry Over You/I’ll Come Back (Old White Horse)

MIKE BARNETT (featuring MOLLY TUTTLE): Born To Be With You/+1 (Compass)

ALEX LEACH BAND: The Turntable/I’m The Happiest When I’m Moving (Mountain Home)

JUNIOR SISK: I Wanna Be Where You Are/single (Mountain Fever)

BLUE & LONESOME: Foggy Mountain Top/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)

MATT DUDMAN: One Short Year/POA (Pleasant Valley)

THE FOREIGN LANDERS: Put All Your Troubles Away/Put All Your Troubles Away (self)

J.D. CROWE & RICKY WASSON: Have You Come To Say Goodbye/Crowe & Wasson (Truegrass)

SKILLET LICORICE: Babe/Turn Your Radio On (Bluegrass Signal)