The 'mclain family band'

[Ivan Kelsall]

This is a band that i heard back in the '70's. I've never seen or heard anything from them since - really nice duet playing,
# # # #Saska # #
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlfwxc-ZyIo

[fanomando]

Very tasty picking-thanks for the link.
David
Apitius Classic F-5
Gibson F-4 (1915)

[Jordan Ramsey]

I studied under Raymond Jr. (banjo right in video) at East Tennessee State University from '03 until '07. He was hired in 2000 as assistant director, after playing banjo for ten years with Jim an Jesse. He eventually became director of the program in 2006, taking over the reigns from founder Jack Tottle. Raymond Sr. (guitar in video) started one of the first bluegrass programs in the country at Berea College in Kentucky. Michael (banjo left) teaches bluegrass at Belmont College in Nashville. The McLain Family Band served as American cultural ambassadors in the 70's and 80's, traveling to over 60 countries promoting traditional American bluegrass music. It is truly a family that has done all they can to promote bluegrass in this country and abroad. Although Raymond Sr. has passed, the family still gets together once a year at the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Va. to host a reunion concert.

Jordan Ramsey
myspace.com/crosspicker
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'07 Gibson Sam Bush

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Jordan - many thanks for the info.re.the McLain Family. Like i said,i heard them in the late '70's & i really liked them. They were a bit on the 'modern/folky' side of things,but i think that's why i liked them,they were different. It was round about the time that the Seldom Scene recorded "Fox On The Run". The last time i was over in the USA in '92,i visited Berea & the Log House Craft gallery in Visitor's Square (i think !). It's a shame that they aren't still recording,
Saska

[JimRichter]

I always dug listening to them, especially Raymond Jr. Loved his banjo playing. I grew up in southeastern Indiana so you would encounter the McClains at local festivals. They were also all over our local PBS station out of Kentucky.

Thanks for posting!

Jim

[Alex Fields]

I too know Raymond Jr. from the time I spend at ETSU, and also my dad went to high school with him and one or two of his siblings in Kentucky. #Raymond was a year or two above my dad but they would sometimes carpool, I think dad told me Raymond's father used to drive them all sometimes. #And maybe I shouldn't add this next part but I'm going to anyway, dad also told me that he dated Raymond's younger sister at one point. (This would have been 30+ years ago.)

I talked to Raymond about this one time and he didn't remember any of it. #

[cooper4205]

I always dug listening to them, especially Raymond Jr. Loved his banjo playing. I grew up in southeastern Indiana so you would encounter the McClains at local festivals. They were also all over our local PBS station out of Kentucky.

Thanks for posting!

Jim

speaking of his banjo playing, have you seen the 6-string one he's got that used to belong to Sonny Osborne?

Like Alex and Jordan, I know Raymond from ETSU and he's quite a talent, both as a teacher and a player, and he's one heck of a nice guy. Besides banjo and fiddle (which he also played with Jim & Jesse), he can play some mean sock chords on the guitar. He's also a pretty good mandolin player, check out this cross-tuned piece, Old Joe's Dream (the tuning is similar to Get Up John tuning, but I can't remember exactly.) Also, check out some of his stuff he's doing with Mike Stevens, it's not bluegrass but it's good.

Anyway, here he is laying down rhythm in one of the bands I was in a semester or two back

Southern Flavor

And here he is on that 6-string banjo, with our own Jordan Ramsey holding it down on mandolin

Rolly Polly

[Ivan Kelsall]

Great clips Wes - Many thanks for them. The 6-stringer that Raymond has he got from Sonny Osborne as you say.It was built by Frank Neat Back in '67/'68 & has an extra bass string,
Saska

[Ken Olmstead]

I took mandolin from Raymond Jr. McLain at Fiddle Camp here a couple of years back. He was a good teacher and could play and sing great! Talented guy.

[D C Blood]

Michael and Raymond and Michael's wife played and recorded as "The McLains for a while. Fantastic pickin' and great singing also.

[swampstomper]

It was round about the time that the Seldom Scene recorded "Fox On The Run".

Picking nits, it was Emerson & Waldron who found and recorded this, just before the Scene got started. Mike Auldridge was on it with that very distinctive dobro style that he carried over to the Scene. Then the Country Gentlemen did the "hit" version (they were better known than Emerson & Waldron), I think this after Doyle had joined the band.

Back to the McClains, I remember them also in the early 70's festival scene. There was a sister who sang very earnestly, and I think played mostly rhythm mando. Raymond Jr. was a teenager with lots of talent for sure. They were a bit too "folky" for my taste but brought good music all around the world, as others have said. I also remember the father and son got into the marathoning movement about that time.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Thanks for the info.re. "Fox.....". I always thought that it was the Seldom Scene that did the 'hit' version. That belief was reinforced back in '92,when i went to the Birchmere in Alexandria VA.just before i flew back to the UK. The 'Scene' actually performed 'Fox' & it was like listening to the recording that i'd heard years back. Obviously Bill Emerson et al, had brought this to the band. I must add here,that the 'Scene' had been performing at the Birchmere for 13 years at the time & it showed. They were a bit 'jaded' shall we say, & it was only the fact that the incredible Tony Rice was on the bill that night,that lent some drive to the evening. Somewhere,I still have the Birchmere Menu that i picked up that night,
Saska