My old Bluegrass band, circa 1978-79

[Dale Ludewig]

It is with some hesitancy that I'm doing this. Our bluegrass band from the late 1970's, Bluestem, had part of one of our practices recorded in an apartment on a reel to reel recorder. One mic. The recording was actually done by a photographer friend, who also happens to be the guy that took the first modelling photos of Cindy Crawford.
Anyway, I recently stumbled on the files and converted them to MP3's. And after you listen to this, you should note that I actually slowed them down. The pitch is still where we were at. I was about 30 back then. And we were frenetic.
So please forgive the tone but it's interesting to look back. I'm playing banjo. The mandolin player, Mike O'Connell passed away recently. The bass player, Tim Tyner, who is singing lead on this one, passed away some years ago. The guitar player, David Kolars, and I still play a lot together.
So- a shot back into time.

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[Jim Garber]

I love it. Thanks, Dale. I love your break, esp that gliss at the end. Fantastic? You have more?

[Dale Ludewig]

Thanks Jim. Remember, I'm playing banjo. The mandolin player is Mike O'Connell. He took lessons from Jethro.
I've got a few more. I'll put one more up now. This will be the same practice. This one I'm singing lead on. Quite the tenor I was...

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[sunburst]

I won't make any comments about the descent from Cindy Crawford to Dale Ludewig... oh wait, I just did...

That was back in my rock-n-roll drumming days! I hadn't even started playing Bluegrass yet.
I must admit it sounds pretty good.

[Jim Garber]

Thanks Jim. Remember, I'm playing banjo. The mandolin player is Mike O'Connell. He took lessons from Jethro.

Sorry, Dale. I missed that about your playing banjo. I went back to hear your banjo break around 2:50. I am no connoisseur of bluagrass banjo but that sounds pretty solid to me and I like the jazzy riff at the end.

[Ken]

Thanks Dale. Some history here. Sorry to learn about Mike. I was in DeKalb in 78-79 and he was one of my inspirations to take up mandolin.

[MikeEdgerton]

Fine stuff!

[HonketyHank]

Thanks for sharing those tunes, Dale. It's great to associate actual music (and good stuff, at that) with the folks whose posts one reads with respect.

[AndyV]

Anyway, I recently stumbled on the files and converted them to MP3's. And after you listen to this, you should note that I actually slowed them down. The pitch is still where we were at. I was about 30 back then. And we were frenetic.


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Thanks for sharing. On one hand I understand slowing it down, but on the other, I'd always prefer to hear music as originally intended by the artists.

Let's have a show of hands. Who wants to hear them at original speed? I'm curious.

[Timbofood]

For some reason, I can’t open the mp3 file, all I get is a wall of code.

[Denny Gies]

Thanks for sharing. I sounds as though you guys were having a ton of fun. Good job.

[MikeZito]

Nice job - If I was still producing the old-time country/bluegrass radio show, I would offer to play the song on the air.



Now, about those Cindy Crawford pictures . . . .