Country Gazette (Part 8)

1987 - Now

Country Gazette

"Country Gazette" - 1990
Watson / Vandertuin / Munde / Garner

Now Alan Munde reformed the group with young unknown musicians. Dawn Watson on mandolin and vocals, Chris Vandertuin on guitar and vocals and Steve Garner on bass and vocals.
The new Country Gazette members began working together in September 1989, and there is a freshness in their music as well as a continuation of the classic Country Gazette sound.

Dawn, Chris and Steve are all former students of the bluegrass program at "South Plains College" in Levelland, Texas, where Alan has taught full-time since 1986.

Spring and summer 1990 they went into the studio and recorded a new Country Gazette album "Keep On Pushing" with the help of ex-members Gene Wooten on dobro and Joe Carr on fiddle and mandolin.
After nearly twenty years they recorded the Gene Clark song again. But also Bluegrass standards and Woody Guthries "Pretty Boy Floyd" (a song "The Byrds" recorded too), Dave Loggins "We've got a good fire going", "Forgive And Forget" which was written by Jim Lauderdale and a Bob Wills number "Get up there and dance".
The liner notes were written by Tony Trischka.

ALAN MUNDE & COUNTRY GAZETTE: Keep On Pushing Keep on ...
- ALAN MUNDE & COUNTRY GAZETTE: Keep on pushing (Flying Fish 70561)
Produced by Ed Marsh, Alan Munde & Country Gazette
with Alan Munde, Chris Vandertuin, Dawn Watson & Steve Garner
guests Gene Wooten & Joe Carr

Tracks: Rosa Lee McFall/Forgive and forget/Get up there and dance (Bob Wills' stomp)/Lovely, lovely world/Anywhere the wind blow
Keep on pushing/Pretty Boy Floyd/Picking at Snuffy's/Going back to Alabam'/Lucky dog/Marching through Georg
Live and love/We've got a good fire going/Durang's hornpipe

Munde

Alan Munde

This was the last Country Gazette album. Throughout it's twenty years, Country Gazette has always had a distinctive sound. Elements of that band style include selecting songs from a diverstiy of musical styles, favorite writers like Bill Caswell and John Hadley, vocal arrangements that often include a high baritone and, of course, Alan's powerhouse banjo playing. Another aspect of the Gazette's special sound is what Alan calls a "polyphonic" approach to playing.

Alan said in an interview:

"There is an instrumental fullness in our music so that if you focused in on any one instruments you would find something interesting and creative to listen to. We also try to tailor our playing to fit the needs of the song, rather than force the song into a particular style, that's the Country Gazette attitude. We have always paid attention to the artfulness of playing bluegrass, rather than making our music an exhibition of gymnastics and songs played for the purpose of showcasing hot licks."

Alan Munde helped develop a unique "pops" program that Country Gazette performed with ten different symphony orchestras. The program, featuring 12 Country Gazette songs arranged and scored for full orchestra, has been enthusiastically received by symphony and bluegrass fans alike.

1994 Roland White released his second solo album "Trying to get to you" on the Sugar Hill label. Gene Wooten played dobro on that album.

Trying to get ... ROLAND WHITE: Trying To Get To You
- ROLAND WHITE: Trying to get to you (Ridge Runner 0010)
Produced by Butch Baldassare
with Roland White, Gene Wooten, Richard Bailey, Jr., Stuart Duncan, Pat Enright, David Grier, Gene Libbea & Alan O'Bryant

Tracks: Trying to get to you/The wall around my heart/Lucky break/Toy heart/Crazy blues/Gaiete Acadienne
Midnight/I'll hold you in my heart ('Til I can hold you in my arms)/Ocean of diamonds/Only you (can break my heart)/Roll along Kentucky moon

1995 Joe Carr and Alan Munde released on Flying Fish records the album "Windy days and Dusty Skies". Guest on that album are ex-Country Gazette members: Roland White, Billy Joe Foster, Steve Garner and Chris Vandertuin. The album includes traditional, Texas style and original music. It was produced by Joe and Alan in Lubbock/Texas. Guests on that album were Roland White, David Grier, Laurie Lewis, Tim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor and others.

JOE CARR and ALAN MUNDE: Windy Days And Dusty Skies Windy days ..
- JOE CARR and ALAN MUNDE: Windy days and dusty skies (Flying Fish 70644)
Produced by Alan Munde & Joe Carr
with Alan Munde & Joe Carr
guests Roland White, Billy Joe Foster, Marshall Wilborn, Lynn Morris, Ed Marsh, Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor, Leigh Taylor, Gerald Jones, Beppe Gambetta, Kathy Chiovola, Steve Garner
David Grier, Randy Howard, Laurie Lewis & Chris Vandertuin

Tracks: Jordan am a hard road to travel/Little Tumbleweed/Two different worlds/Forked Deer/Blue skies, blue water
Amarillo highway/Milwaukee blues/Texas blues/Hotfood/Mountain girl/Nancy Jane/Windy days, dusty skies
Put the baby down/The Mike Richey special/Fifty Dollars

book

Munde & Carr
book

Alan and Joe also released a book 1995  "Prairie Nights to Neon Lights: The Story Of Country Music in West Texas", released by "Texas Tech University Press".

Down the road

"Down The Road"
Gagos/Birkett/Green/Wertz

1998 Kenny Wertz teamed up with other musicians from group "Down The Road" but the band has decided to stop performing effective January 1, 2002.
Memers of "Down The Road" were: Kenny Wertz on banjo, Roger Gagos on mandolin, Kit Birkett on guitar and Becky Green on bass.

Here is some info from their (now closed) web-page:

"Down the Road, a trend-setting bluegrass band brings together four very experienced musicians who have focused on the traditional bluegrass style. The result of this happy event is a band which always produces a professional and entertaining musical experience. Featured at many public and private events in the area, they were twice selected as the San Diego Bluegrass Society's Fan's Choice in a popular vote and are the proud winners of Championship Band for the year 2000 in the Southwest's National Bluegrass Playoffs."

1999 the San Diego Bluegrass Club released a live compilation CD with the title "Live at the Carlton Oaks" which includes 3 songs performed by "Down The Road": White house blues, Don't let your deal go down & Shenandoah breakdown.
These songs were recorded in February 1999 at the "Carlton Oaks Country Club" in Santee, California.

1998 Joe Carr and Alan Munde released another album together "Welcome to West Texas" on Flying Fish. For this album they recorded five Joe Carr and two Alan Munde originals and songs from Bill Monroe, Ed Marsh ... . Guests are ex-Country Gazette members Billy Joe Foster on fiddle, Steve Garner & Chris Vandertuin.

West Texas ALAN MUNDE & JOE CARR: Welcome To West Texas
- ALAN MUNDE & JOE CARR: Welcome to West Texas (Flying Fish 669)
with Alan Munde & Joe Carr
guests Billy Joe Foster, David Grier, Ed Marsh, Gene Libbea, Rusty Hudelson, Tania Moody, Chris Vandertuin, Steve Garner, Bubby Ray Bodart, Melissa Jones, Jayson Jones

Tracks: Oklahoma flats/Yellow rose/Used to be/Keep a light on in the window/Windflower moon/Jenny's desire/San Jacinto farewell
When the cottonwoods are yellow/Dust, drought and depression/Border baby boogie polka/Trial of the century/Dos Corazones
Please play the Tennessee waltz - Tennessee waltz/Welcome to West Texas

In October 2000 Country Gazette did a reunion show in Guthrie, Oklahoma with Alan Munde, Roland White, Byron Berline, Roger Bush, Joe Carr & Billy Joe Foster. Gene Wooten & Bill Bryson were at the festival too!

Country Gazette 2000

"Country Gazette" - Reunion 2000
White / Bush / Berline / Carr / Foster / Munde

 Bush/Roland 2000

October 2000
Roger Bush & Roland White

Byron Berline released a lot of CD's since he left Country Gazette but a very "Country Gazette" related album is the "Clark / Parsons tribute album" released 2001 on his "Double Stop" label. For this album he recorded with "The Byron Berline Band" (Byron Berline, Jim Fish, John Hickman, Richard Sharp & Steve Short) six Gram Parsons songs and six Gene Clark songs! Guests on that album are Chris Hillman (ex- "Byrds" and ex- "Flying Burrito Brothers"), Vince Gill (played with Byron in his "Sundance" band), Jay Dee Maness, Al Perkins (played with Byron in the "Flying Burrito Brothers" 1971 on the "Last of the red hot Burritos" album with other members of "Country Gazette") and others.

BYRON BERLINE BAND: Clark / Parsons Tribute Album Clark/Parsons ...
- BYRON BELRINE BAND: Clark / Parsons tribute album (DS 001)
Produced by The Byron Berline Band
with Byron Berline, Jim Fish, John Hickman, Richard Sharp & Steve Short
guests: Chris Hillman, Vince Gill, Al Perkins, Jay Dee Maness, Katrina Elam, Bo Graham, Barry Patton & Stephanie Short

Tracks: With care from someone/Wheels/Sin city/Train leaves here this morning/Hickory wind/Full circle/Home Run King
Through the morning through the night/I'll feel a whole lot better/One hundred years from now/In my hour of darkness/Ooh, Las Vegas

Roland 2002

Gabe Witcher/Roland White/Herb Pedersen/Bill Bryson

Gene Wooten died November 2001 after a hard battle with lung cancer. Wooten, 3-time pick as best dobro player by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass in America, moved to Nashville in the 70's and often backed Wilma Lee Cooper and more recently the Osborne Brothers. He played on Patty Loveless' critically acclaimed "Mountain Soul" album. He was a Country Gazette member from 1984 - 1989. Gene Wooten was 49 years old.

Scottsville Squirrel Barkers

The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers - 2003
Douglas / Jeffords / Hillman / Leadon / Murray / Wertz

Left is a picture Kenny Wertz has sent to me from Roland White's concert on 4/12/02 at the "Valley Music Store" in El Cajon/California. Roland White (mandolin) Herb Pederson (banjo) Bill Bryson (bass) Gabe Witcher (fiddle) and not shown Diane Bouska (guitar).

"The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers" with Kenny Wertz (an original Country Gazette member) did a few shows end of April 2003 in California.
The original "Scottsville Squirrel Barkers" were Kenny Wertz, Chris Hillman, Larry Murray, Ed Douglas and Gary Carr.

Scottsville Squirrel Barkers

The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers - 2003
Leadon / Douglas / Murray /Jeffords / Hillman / Wertz

The group was founded by guitarist Larry Murray and Ed Douglas on bass, this seminal Southern California Folk-Bluegrass band emerged out of the Blue Guitar Music shop in San Diego in the early 1960s. The recruits included banjo wizard Kenny Wertz, a very young Chris Hillman on mandolin, and the late Gary Carr on guitar.  The band recorded one album "Bluegrass Favorites".
Shortly thereafter Wertz joined (or was drafted) the USAF, and Bernie Leadon became an "unofficial" Barker. The band shortly thereafter disbanded.
Musicians for the reunion shows 2003 were: Kenny Wertz, Chris Hillman, Larry Murray, Ed Douglas, Bernie Leadon (who was a latter-day member of the band, but also a member of "The Flying Burrito Brothers" and "The Eagles") and Doug Jeffords.
Note: Gary Carr, original member of "The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers" is dead.

2003 Alan Munde has released two banjo CD's.
The first one is a banjo solo CD recorded in spring 2003 with the title "Solo Banjo (Just Banjo, All Banjo, Nothing But Banjo)". For this CD Alan recorded own, traditionals and songs written by Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs and Ravel.:

Solo banjo ALAN MUNDE: Solo banjo
- ALAN MUNDE: Solo banjo
Produced by Alan Munde, Joe Carr & Paula Carr
with Alan Munde

Tracks: Old Joe Clark/Fred's Frolic/Red wing/Old spinning wheel, Old grey Bonnet, Seeing Nellie home/Liza Jane
Lonesome road blues/Peaches and cream/Prisoner's song/Gold rush/Grandfather's clock/Titanic/John Henry
Nashville skyline rag/The French broad/Pavane for a dead princess

The second Alan Munde CD is an album with Wayne Shrubsall. A collection of twenty traditional tunes arranged for two banjos - Bluegrass & Clawhammer Banjo duets - finally, a banjo album that is easy to listen to. Title of the CD is "Old Friends":

ALAN MUNDE & WAYNE SHRUBSALL: Old friends Old friends
- ALAN MUNDE & WAYNE SHRUBSALL: Old friends (Camp Bluegrass Productions)
with Alan Munde & Wayne Shrubsall

Tracks: Home sweet home/Down yonder/Angeline the baker/Dixie hoedown/Liberty!/Poor Richard's blues/Blackberry blossom
Whiskey before breakfast/Molly Bloom/Cotton eyed Joe/Bully of the town/Georgia boys/Temperance reel/Soldier's joy
Pretty little dog/Bill Cheatum/Texas gales/Oh Susannah/Year of Jubilo/Traditional family breakdown

Alan Munde has formed a new band "The Alan Munde Gazette" with Glenn Mitchell on mandolin, Phill Elliott on guitar, Bill Honker on bass and Alan Munde on banjo). They have a web-page at www.alanmundegazette.com.

The Alan Munde Gazette

The Alan Munde Gazette
Glenn Mitchell / Phill Elliott / Alan Munde / Bill Honker

AMG

THE ALAN MUNDE GAZETTE
Bill Honker/Phil Elliott/Alan Munde/Glenn Mitchell

2003 "Centerstream Publishing" released a new Byron Berline book with the title "Fiddling thru the years" by Byron Berline. (CD included!!).
Book

Berline book

In this fiddle book Byron takes you from his early years of fiddling to the present! This book includes some fantastic rare pictures with "Country Gazette", "L.A. Fiddle Band", "Sundance" with Vince Gill, "Doug Dillard and the Expedition", a picture with Clarence White and many, many more.

The Alan Munde Gazette has released a brand new CD 2004. Phil Elliott and Bill Honker are the lead vocalists on that 14 track CD (including 3 instrumental tracks). Songs included on that CD are "Hamilton County Breakdown" which was recorced on the "Pickin' and fiddlin'quot; album by the Dillards feat. Byron Berline", "Never ending song of love" which was recorded on the Country Gazette "LIVE" album nearly 30 years ago, "Home again" which was written by bassist and lead singer Bill Honker, Bob Dylan's "Don't think twice" etc ... .
You can order that CD direct from the Alan Munde Gazette web-page.

ALAN MUNDE GAZETTE: Alan Munde Gazette Alan Munde Gazette
- ALAN MUNDE GAZETTE: Alan Munde Gazette (Munde's Child Record MCR001)
Produced by Denny Allen and The Alan Munde Gazette
with Alan Munde, Bill Honker, Glenn Mitchell & Phill Elliott
special guest: Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor

Tracks: This morning at nine / Don't think twice / Hamilton county breakdown / My Kentucky dream
Deep ellum blues / Daybreak in Dixie / Softly and tenderly / Alberta bound / Darcy Farrow
Misty morning amble / Put it off until tomorrow / Home again / It's never too late / Never ending song of love

Kenny Wertz

Kenny Wertz

Kenny Wertz has formed a new band early 2004 "117 West".
"117 West" is a new Bluegrass band on the musical map, fashioning their name from San Diego's navigational longitude. Their mood setting choice of material takes you on a musical journey from Bluegrass to Country, Pop and Jazz. "117 West" has high-engery instrumentals and vocal styles creating heartfelt images.

117 West

117 West
T. Cunningham / B. Green / D. Broder / Kenny Wertz / D. Weiss

The members of the band:
Kenny Wertz's (well known for "Country Gazette" fans) forceful banjo playing and high lonesome tenor voice chart the course for the band.
Dan Broder's intricate guitar solos, rock solid rhythm, teamed with his wide vocal range are impressive with seventeen years of guitar. His first bluegrass band was "The Bluegrassholes" in Champaign, IL two members of which later formed "The Yonder Mountain String Band". He played in "Waffle Hoss" with banjo player Noam Pikelny (now with the "John Cowan Band").
Tom Cunningham's energetic and aggressive fiddling coupled with his upbeat vocals enlivens the band's performance. Tom has played fiddle since he was seven and is well known to the community as a member of "Lighthouse". Tom plays fiddle on the "Buck Howdy" television show and played at the 2004 Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn.
Becky Green's bass guitar sets a dependable beat and her sweet harmony and lead voice add warmth. Her background is piano, clogging, guitar and her first band was "Dixie Road Bluegrass". Becky played with "Down The Road" for three years and the "The Goodtime Gospel Gang" for two years.
Darren Weiss's complex mandolin propels the listener over waves of music. He started playing mandolin in Flagstaff, AZ (after playing guitar for ten years). He learned chop chords in Amherst, MA, jammed in Oakland, CA and played in a band in San Francisco.

For more information and schedule visit their web-page: http://www.117westbluegrass.com/.

Early 2005 the Alan Munde Gazette went into the studio to record two instrumental tunes ("Cotton Patch Rag" and "Powder Creek") for Geoff Stelling's upcoming banjo CD. COUNTRY GAZETTE album Dave Ferguson guested on fiddle!

117 West

Broder / Wertz / Green / Weiss

Kenny Wertz's band 117 West has recorded following tracks for a demo CD:

  • I can see clearly now
  • Gentle on my mind
  • Streets of Baltimore
  • Beaumont rag

    The acoustic band is performing bluegrass, jam-grass, alt-country, country and any roots related music. The core group consists of 4 instrumentalists on banjo, guitar, mandolin and bass. They have 3 soloists with great harmonies.
    They perform songs like:

    Cherokee shuffle / Goldrush / Hard hearted / Train leaves here this morning / Gentle on my mind / Freeborn man / Streets of Baltimore / Kaw-Liga / Fisher's hornpipe / Wheels / I can see clearly now / Nashville skyline rag / Turn your radio on / I wonder where you are tonight .... and many more!

    For booking and any questions contact their manager Annette AuBuchon.

    Kenny Wertz's band "117 West" released a new CD 2006. It contains the Gene Clark/Bernie Leadon song "Train Leaves here This Morning" and "With Care From Someone" written by Gene Clark, Bernie Leadon and Doug Dillard.

    117 WEST: Neon Streets Neon Streets
    - 117 WEST: Neon Streets
    Produced by Dennis Caplinger
    with Kenny Wertz, Dan Broder, Becky Green & Darren Weiss
    guests: Rachel Larsen & Dennis Caplinger

    Tracks: I Can See Clearly Now / Gentle On My Mind / Hard Hearted / Look Down that Lonesome Road / Homeward Bound
    Put My Guitar Away / Train Leaves Here This Morning / But for the Grace of God / Streets of Baltimore / House of the Rising Sun
    A Few Old Memories / With Care From Someone

    You can order this CD from their web-page: 117 West.

    Change in the line-up of the Alan Munde Gazette 2006. Here's a letter from Alan Munde:

    "We are pleased to announce the addition of 2 new members to the Gazette:
    Steve Smith and Nate Lee have joined Alan Munde, Phill Elliott, and Bill Honker in the band. Yes, we're now a 5-piece band, and no longer an all-Texas band, as Steve lives in Las Cruces, NM!

    Alan Munde Gazette

    The Alan Munde Gazette

    Steve Smith needs no introduction to many bluegrass fans. He is widely known as a musician, composer, performer, and teacher. From his work with Cloud Valley and the Nothin' Doin' band to his stage and session work with many top bluegrass and acoustic music performers (Robin and Linda Williams, Jim Hurst and Missy Raines, Stephen Bennett, Bill Evans, Charlie Provenza, Nosostros, Eliza Gilkyson, Anna Egge, Peter Rowan, Tony Rice, Tony Trischka, Eddie and Martha Adcock, the list goes on...), Steve has performed professionally for over 25 years and has toured in 47 states, 8 European countries, Cuba, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Steve will continue to lead his old-time, retro-bluegrass, modern acoustic band Steve Smith and Hard Road and will also brings his many talents as mandolinist, singer, and composer to the Gazette.

    Nineteen-year-old Nate Lee brings a youthful energy to the "old souls" of the band. Like Steve, Nate was born in Virginia, but moved to Texas when he was four years old. Growing up in a musical family in Ovilla, Texas (Nate's father is banjo maker Chuck Lee), Nate started playing fiddle at the age of ten. He took lessons from Valerie O'Brien and gained valuable experience in Texas Old-Time Contest fiddling. Nate is currently a student at South Plains College, in Levelland, Texas, where Alan teaches. He cites his influences as Terry Morris, Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor, Sam Bush, Byron Berline, and Casey Driessen. Nate plays fiddle and sings harmony vocals with the Gazette."

    Some more news from the Alan Munde Gazette July 2007:  Elliott Rogers has joined the band on guitar and vocals.
    Elliott is a fine singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Albuquerque whom many of you probably know from his work with his own band, Elliott's Ramblers.

    Alan Munde released a new CD with unreleased recordings - "Old Bones" - Order here.
    Alan: "Over my many years in the studio, several songs and instrumentals recorded never made it to vinyl (the format in those days) for various reasons ­ never because the recorded efforts were not worthy of release, but because of career timing, personnel change, finances, and such. I have gathered these fine and varied performances together offer them in this CD package. Features David Grier, Gene Wooten, Joe Carr, Roland White, Mike Compton, Marshall Wilborn and many other talented musicians."

    Old bones ALAN MUNDE: Old Bones
    - ALAN MUNDE: Old Bones
    with David Grier, Gene Wooten, Joe Carr, Roland White, Mike Compton, Marshall Wilborn etc ...

    Tracks: Stompin' in the Flatlands / Darling, Pal of Mine / Arriba Francie / Blue Days, Black Nights / Cindy
    Angel on the Running Board / Little Rabbit / Long Distance Romance / Hickory Hollow / Miles and Miles of Texas
    Wait Til the Sun Shines, Nellie / Old Bones / Sweet Dixie

    New Alan Munde Gazette CD "Made to Last" out now. It's full of original material, including four of Elliott Rogers' fine tunes, two by Bill Honker, and two new instrumentals by Alan.  It also features songs written by Gene Mills and Mary Gibbons which have not been previously recorded.  One of the originals by Bill is "Above the Waterline", which he wrote about post-Katrina New Orleans, and which is especially relevant in the wake of Gustav and Ike.  The CD also spotlights the Oklahoma roots of Alan and Bill, with Alan's "The Run of '89" and Bill's "Made to Last", which was inspired by Picher, OK.  Steve Smith leads a rousing version of "John Hardy" and Bill Monroe's "Brown County Breakdown" rounds out the project.

    ALAN MUNDE GAZETTE: Made To Last Alan Munde Gazette
    - ALAN MUNDE GAZETTE: Made To Last ()
    with Alan Munde, Bill Honker, Steve Smith, Elliott Rogers & Nate Lee

    Tracks: Wave goodbye / Fool's gold / Traditional family breakdown / Made to last / Little teardrops / Brown county breakdown
    Above the waterline / John Hardy / Penthouse to poorhouse / The run of '89 / Haul away / What's so good about goodbye?

    Order new Alan Munde Gazette CD "Made To Last" from CD Baby.

    In April 22-30 2011, Alan Munde and Adam Granger recorded a live CD at "The High Noon Saloon" in Madison, Wisconsin and at the "Armatage Hall" in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
    This CD titled "Dapple Patti" was released on "Jeep Records".

    Dapple Patti ALAN MUNDE & ADAM GRANGER: Dapple Patti
    - ALAN MUNDE & ADAM GRANGER: Dapple Patti (Jeep Records)

    Tracks: Sleepy-eyed John / Traditional family breakdown / Coyote hangin' on a barbed wire fence / Dapple Patti
    Sermonette / What a friend we have in Jesus - Softly and tenderly / John Hardy / Mother earth /I'm not sure I want to dance much any more
    House of the rising sun / Festival favorites medley: Shenandoah valley breakdown - Sally Goodin - Buffalo Gals - Bill Cheatham - Devil's dream - Cripple creek
    Hard times / Trail of the Red Fox / Old man river / Molly bloom / Roll in my sweet baby's arms / Sabrosa

    Alan Munde has retired from Banjo College in Texas.
    He still plays in "Alan Munde Gazette", "Two High String Band" and in "Ranch Road 12" (with Elliot and Jeanice Rogers).

    Billy Joe Foster member of "Country Gazette" in the 80s passed away on 23. February 2013

    2014 Alan Munde and Billy Bright recorded a CD together.
    Here is some info from Alan:
    Billy Bright, a great friend and wonderful musician, lives very near by, and for several years we have been making music together in various formats (see Two High String Band - Hot Texas Burrito). Here we are playing in a duo format - just banjo and mandolin (I grew up musically on the sound of Doug Dillard's banjo and Dean Webb's mandolin in the Dillards - always loved that sound). We have put our heads together and come up with the 13 pieces recorded on Bright Munde - 10 original, 2 traditional, and 1 Bill Monroe number. It was a real creative boost for me to work with Billy. What was way cool is that he made my few original numbers make sense and really come to life. Hope you enjoy the banjo and mandolin music we made.

    Munde Bright ALAN MUNDE & BILLY BRIGHT: Bright Munde
    - ALAN MUNDE & BILLY BRIGHT: Bright Munde (Munde's Child Records MCR 004)

    Tracks: Geezer Ride / G / Sad Eyes / Old Yellow Rocking Chair / Like Sonny / Tumblin' / Methodist Preacher / Jaybird
    Hot Dog Dreams / Everybody Say Wow / Plurabelle / Red Fox in the Bush / Who Killed the Shanghai Rooster

    Byron Berline died at the age of 77, July 10th 2021!

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