Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver vs The New Quicksilver

[Larry S Sherman]

I was curious about the group The New Quicksilver, which featured Alan Bibey on mandolin, Terry Baucom on banjo/fiddle, Randy Graham on bass, Jimmy Haley on guitar, and Steve Wilson on dobro.



This first record came out in 1986, at a time where Doyle Lawson was really peaking with Quicksilver. I believe that this group is where Alan Bibey first got attention as a mando player to watch.

Does anyone know where the name "The New Quicksilver" came from? Was it a reference to Doyle's group? It seems a bit odd to call yourself "The New Originals" if there's already "The Originals" out there.

I'm a big fan of Alan's playing, and like those first Doyle Lawson Quicksilver records too. Just curious if the name is a tribute, or if there's a story there?

Larry

[Hal Jeanes]

With the exception of Alan Bibey and the dobro player, these guys were Doyle Lawson's Quicksilver. When they left and joined Alan Bibey, they took the Quicksilver name with them. Didn't last all that long. Doyle immediately hired Russell Moore, Scott Vestal and Scott's brother, and hit the ground running. It was an interesting time.

[Larry S Sherman]

Thanks Hal...you solved the mystery for me. I went back through the older Doyle records, and see exactly what you mentioned.

Very interesting. I wasn't into bluegrass back then, so I missed out on a lot of these things playing out in real time.

Larry

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Hal Jeans - " Doyle immediately hired Russell Moore, Scott Vestal and Scott's brother, and hit the ground running...". That was the band that toured the UK many years back. I saw them at a Bluegrass festival over here & they were incredible. Scott Vestal blew us UK banjo pickers clean away with ''Up On The Blueridge''. A great line up,
Ivan

[Willie Poole]

I know that Doyle and Randy Graham had a hard time getting along as did a few others with both of them, I saw Randy`s group at a show just after they formed "The New Quicksilver" and a lot of bad mouthing was going on.....I once had some band members quit my band and they put the word "New" in front of the name of my band, they did one gig with that name and found that it didn`t bother me any so they changed to something else....I don`t believe that was the case with Doyle though, I think he was going to try and press some charges but I am not sure a person can be sued using a name , maybe, I`m not sure...

Willie

[GTison]

"Just curious if the name is a tribute, or if there's a story there?"

Boy was there at the time. I wouldn't call it a tribute. Seems more like trademark infringement to me, which means you can hire a lawyer to defend it.

Time seems to have healed over all that. It was a good band though. Doyle changed emphasis to gospel bluegrass from then on.

[Fretbear]

This same recording was later re-released on CD as "Baucom, Bibey, Graham and Haley"



Doyle was originally going to name his band "Foxfire" but it was already taken.
Quicksilver is a much better name for a band than a fungus anyways, even if it is bioluminescencent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxfire

They all got together to kick this show off again, a long time later, and it's just as good as it ever was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ6mBzdVFLE

[Tenorcat]

Thought I'd chime in here to clear up a considerable amount of second hand (mis)information, and completely unfounded, baseless opinions that have long swirled around this subject. Much as been made about a very simple set of circumstances, NONE of which had ANYthing to do with a dispute over the (trade) name Quicksilver, per se.

In May of 1985, the three remaining founding members of D&LQ (Doyle, Jimmy Haley, Terry Baucom) parted ways. Differences of opinion over the division of certain assets/liabilities arose that they could not agree upon between those parties. Alan Bibey and I had NO dog in the hunt. If parties in such situations cannot negotiate, they are left with no other option but to litigate, which they did, and a court date was set. In the interim it was a foregone conclusion that Doyle would continue with his professional life, as would Jimmy & Terry and myself. Since we (Jimmy Terry and yours truly) had 3/4ths of a band that had been playing for several years, we immediately put out feelers for a mandolin player. While all of us had and style do have a great deal of admiration for Doyle's mandolin playing, we knew the last thing the world needed was two versions of the same established sound. We had to have our own definable musical style/brand, which would be impossible to achieve with a Doyle Lawson mandolin clone. Enter Alan Bibey... hands down, our choice from the first note he played at his audition. It didn't take long... we had found our guy!

So then you ask, what was the deal with Quicksilver vs. NEW Quicksilver? Again, a very simple explanation... since there was ongoing, unfinished business winding its way through the judicial system, Jimmy & Terry's attorney advised it would not be in their best interest to vacate the (trade) name "Quicksivler" until settlement was reached. Unfortunately, this meant until the legal matter(s) were finalized, their was, by necessity, going to be two bands working the circuit with the same name. To eliminate confusion for fans and promoter alike, the most obvious solution was to simply add the word "new" to differentiate the "old" band from our new incarnation.

Other points in this discussion that need clearing up:

1. We didn't care a whit about retaining, or laying claim to the name Quicksilver, and the notion of a "tribute" band was never considered. We were absolutely fine with the music we made/recorded with Doyle staying with him as part of his legacy. We rarely, if ever played any of those songs as part of a NQS show.

2. If you spend as much time on the road as we did, there's a near certainty that there will be disagreements, sometimes of the "heated" variety. And it is true that Doyle and I who, by the way, roomed together had a few of them. They never lasted long, were quickly forgotten, and at NO time have we ever NOT been friends. Our kids played together,and I loved his mom, Minnie, his dad, Leonard, and the rest of the clan like they were family. Any talk/rumor that the reason for the breakup of DLQ was somehow related to ANY notion of Doyle and I not getting along is absurd!!

Questions?

[AlanN]

There you have it, sports fans. Straight from the source. To foment un-truths and gossip with stuff like "I heard", "so and so said" and the like just underscores the dicey nature of the internet-fueled rumor mill.

[AlanN]

I had forgotten Steve Wilson was in the early version of the band. Great multi-purpose musician.

[Tenorcat]

Steve Wilson, is indeed a GREAT musician/singer, but was never a member of the band, except for the recording session.

[AlanN]

Thanks, bud.

[Tenorcat]

My friend and former booking agent, Lance Leroy once mused, "bluegrass is the most rumor fueld business in the world."

A quick story... at the first show we played as BlueRidge, a gentleman came up to me with what can only be described as a vacant stare, and immediately began vigorously shaking my hand. After what seemed an uncomfortably long time he said, "it's SO good to see you." Exchanging the social pleasantry, I replied in kind, "well it's good to see you too." He just kept starin' and shakin' my hand... woudln't turn loose. Finally, I said, "is something wrong?" He replied, "no you don't understand, I heard you died of throat cancer." "No", I said, "it's just my career that's been dead. I'm still here." lol

Looks like ol' "Lancer" hit the ol' nail right on the head.

[Russ Jordan]

hey Randy,

Was that at Old Rock School? Seems like I booked one of the first BlueRidge gigs.

And let me say that there are probably more than a few of us that miss you playing out these days.

[Larry S Sherman]

Thanks again to everyone for the information. I never expected to hear from one of the actual band members...how cool is that?

After I originally posted this topic I enjoyed re-watching my DVD of Through The Years:



Larry

[GTison]

I may be the one who inserted trademark infringement and hurt feelings into the discussion. If it fed the rumor mill, I am sorry for this. It is great to actually hear what happened all those years ago. That is great info. I used to be a faithful reader of the Bluegrass Unlimited, but I don't recall ever hearing anything like this. Thanks for setting the record straight here on the cafe. I hope others can read it an remember it too.

[Willie Poole]

Randy, I saw you guys at one of your forst shows at Luckettes School house in Va. and I may have mis understood your meaning when you talked about how you guiys had split from Doyle but it sure sounded like a put down to me...I`m sorry if It seems like I was passing on some thing that wasn`t what they seemed but I also heard the members of The bluegrass Cardinals say that you split from their bad a few times, I talked to you back stage at Arcadia festival in Md. when you had a Stiver mandolin for sale and you let me take a quick look at it, If I had of had the money I would have bought it too, it was good one that's for sure........I must say that I have always placed your mandolin playing and tenor singing high on my list of some of the best...

I meant no dis respect to you or any one else when I posted my comments.... I myself have had a few run ins with some of my past band members and I know most of it is resolved in a very short time...good luck and God bless...

Willie

[Ivan Kelsall]

Isn't it always good when there's somebody who ''actually knows what went on'' clears the air ?. I have numerous recordings of Doyle & various incarnations of Quicksilver,& also recordings by bands with whom ex-band members are involved. It's seemed to me over the years that Doyle's band was almost as good a 'launching pad' as Bill Monroe's band. I had the good fortune to meet up with DL at Owensboro in '92 & met a few of the band members when they came down to English park. I was sat with Geoff Stelling outside his motor home,playing Geoff's own banjo when i looked up,i saw Jim Mills looking at me - i quit playing. It's one thing for folks to think you're no good,it's quite another thing to prove it !,
Ivan