Cma awards

[AlanN]

Never watch this stuff, and quickly read it, but I see the winner gave a tip of the hat to KW, who died in 1989. Talk about lasting impact. I still listen to The Country Store with KW and Jim Gaudreau, the man had deep respect for bluegrass.

Also listed were Aubrey Haynie and Stuart Duncan...then I stopped reading.

[Kevin K]

I watched a few minutes of it last night, enough to see Kix Brooks with a new Gibson mandolin (I believe) that didn't have the normal burst to it.

[jaco]

Keith's "When you say nothing at all" has to be one of the best ballads ever written.

[Ken Berner]

I think Keith and Ricky Skaggs were in Ralph Stanley's band quite a few years ago, as was Mr. Larry Sparks. Can someone give us a year for that band?

[Timbofood]

Seems to me that I saw Keith with Stanley at Charlotte MI. in the late70's. Maybe '78, I remember that Curly Ray Cline was there too (with keychains) back then.

[swampstomper]

Larry Sparks replaced Carter Stanley in late Dec 1966 or early 1967. He left to form the Lonesome Ramblers in fall 1969 and was replaced by Roy Lee Centers (who sounded eerily like Carter). Ricky and Keith travelled in the summer with Ralph in 1970 and 71 (I think) and full time in 1972 - 1973. Keith was featured as lead on some songs but Roy Lee was the main lead. Keith picked lead guitar, Ricky mando and some twin fiddle with Curly Ray ("Cry from the Cross"). Roy Lee was murdered in 1974 at the age of 29. Keith had left the band but came back as lead singer in 1975-6, by this time Ricky was gone, working with the Country Gentlemen (after a brief spell working for Virginia Power & Light in the DC area). Danny Marshall played mandolin on some of the fine gospel recordings of Keith's time as lead singer -- like "Travelling the High Way Home".

See this page (http://elvispelvis.com/gunshot.htm#rlc) for a piece by Ivan Tribe on Roy Lee.

[Keith Wallen]

Speaking of the CMA I watched a few of the performances last night and couldn't believe how bad some of the big stars were. Maybe my ear is going bad but I heard so many flat vocals that I couldn't hardly stand to listen. Not that I could do any better but I thought it was pretty bad.

[Ken Berner]

swampstomper, Thanks for catching us up on all that good history! It would be great to have a book inwhich each year would be a chapter, containing the whereabouts of all these musicians. I guess that many of them were trying to find their niche back in the '60s and '70s.

[ronlane3]

Alan, I heard Kenny Chesney give credit to Keith, which was a shock considering how Kenny's music seems to put him in the Jimmy Buffett wanna be class.

I'm not sure what mandolin that Kix's was using last night but it appeared to have sequin's all over it.

[Scotti Adams]

Keith was a great singer and human being..Im honored to be able to have called him a real friend....I guess I can say that seeing how I have had him riding piggy back on my back in the past...long story...dont ask....lol..plus alot of other great memories. When he passed I had a long talk with his mom on the phone...very heartening. One can hear Keiths many infleunces on these wanna be country singers today...a true talent that left this world much too soon.

[allenhopkins]

Whitley and Skaggs' Second Generation Bluegrass (made when they were teenagers, I believe) is still a great re-doing of Stanley-influenced music.

[f-5 dude]

Keith Whitley was one of the all time greats. His song "Dont close your eyes" will always be one of my all time favorites.

[swampstomper]

Well, not to rain on the parade too much, but Keith in his country days, and also with J D Crowe, was essentially a channel of Lefty Frizzel.