Bethany Carson, Author at AcoustiCult

Show Review: Harry Clark & Friends @ Station Inn 12/11/19

Bethany Carson — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 05:11:02 +0000

Weeknight shows are hit or miss: sometimes it’s as full as a Saturday night, sometimes there are more people on stage than there are in the house. Regardless of the number of empty seats in front of them, for the few people that came to the Station Inn on Wednesday night Harry Clark & Friends put on a show that deserved a packed room.

I’ve known Harry for over 10 years, and he has continued to be a delight to watch perform. His laid-back, easy approach is certainly not inattentive, as proved by the precise and original playing he is known for. The band had a festival jam feel to it, with an ease associated with friends who play together often and can anticipate where the moment is going to go. This history of working together was particularly clear between Harry and his brother Jed Clark (guitar), swapping licks and jumping in on harmonies in perfect sync. Other band members Maddie Denton (fiddle), Cory Walker (banjo) and Nashville newcomer Travis Anderson (bass) supported in their own unique ways through a set list of jam classics, blending traditional and progressive bluegrass backgrounds with the confidence and command of seasoned performers.

Harry’s relaxed singing, accented with the occasional off-handed yodel, was featured in ‘Rollin In My Sweet Baby’s Arms’, ‘Ghost of Eli Renfro’, ‘Darlin’ Corey’, ‘Cold Rain & Snow’ and his signature jam hit ‘Rovin’ Gambler.’ A thoughtful approach was given to Larry Sparks’ retrospective ‘Timberline’, followed by stout harmonies from Jed Clark and Maddie Denton on the historic ‘Train On The Island’. Jed, Maddie and Cory were highlighted on instrumentals throughout the night beside Harry, showcasing veteran competition chops with polish and flair that can only come from complete command of and familiarity with one’s instrument.

The Station Inn is always a fun place to go, particularly when young, fresh musicians with serious skills are performing. You can catch Harry on the road with The Wooks and The 432 Sessions Band.

All photography courtesy of StationInnTV.

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Show Review: Rhonda Vincent at American Legion Post 82

Bethany Carson — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 18:47:56 +0000

The parking lot under the newly-illuminated sign for the American Legion Post 82 was packed to the gills this week in honor of a special guest. While the chatter and casual picking in the front room was typical for a Bluegrass Wednesday at the Legion, you could feel the buzz of anticipation and excitement as soon as you hit the front door…only appropriate for loyal subjects expecting a visit from their Queen.

Rhonda Vincent held court for a time-polished set of hits, opening the night with hard-driving ‘Kentucky Borderline’ and ‘Driving Nails In My Coffin’ before switching to a more mellow tribute to George Jones with ‘When The Grass Grows Over Me’. Backed effortlessly as always by her award-winning band The Rage, Vincent switched from mandolin to fiddle to guitar and then back again throughout the night. Josh Williams was featured with a nod to his home state of Kentucky in ‘Thunderclouds of Love’, and again later in instrumental ‘Rebecca’. Vincent’s daughter Sally Lea gracefully joined her with striking mother-daughter harmonies for ‘Please’, a tribute to Elton John and Bernie Taupin that was recorded by Vincent and Dolly Parton last year. Mickey Harris brought the set back to a more traditional bluegrass feel with ‘My Long Journey Home’, singing with straight-forward honesty. Sally took the lead later on in the set with ‘God Knew You’, an original gospel song from her new project. Aaron McDaris and Hunter Berry played with trademark blazing precision at every turn, trading quips back and forth across the stage with Vincent between songs. A touching tribute to the late Daryle Singletary left Vincent alone on stage with a guitar to sing ‘American Grandstand’, before calling the band back up to close out the night with a request for ‘Rocky Top’. (Banjo fans will remember that McDaris plays Sonny’s RB-4 that recorded ‘Rocky Top’ back in 1967.)

Rhonda Vincent

A fresh face on stage was immediately noticed by long-time fans of The Rage. British Columbia native Michael Kilby filled in for regular Rage dobro player Brent Burke, as smoothly as can be expected for an apparently last-minute call. Kilby also supplied a third fiddle voice to ‘Last Best Place’ and ‘Just Someone I Used To Know’, filling out instrumentals to match the in-your-face harmonies from Vincent, Harris and Williams. Whether this is a long-term fill-in or very temporary, hopefully we will see more of this promising young instrumentalist soon.

Vincent’s famous bus rolled out of the American Legion fairly soon after the show to make its way to South Carolina and Pennsylvania, reminding us that a queen’s work is never done. Rhonda Vincent and The Rage will be featured next week on the Wednesday night Grand Ole Opry show here in Nashville. For tickets visit www.opry.com, or to listen online go to www.wsmonline.com.

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Show Review: Dan Tyminski Fall Residency @ Station Inn

Bethany Carson — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 21:43:29 +0000

After shaking up his fan base with ‘Southern Gothic’, Dan Tyminski seems to be coming back to his roots with a new project, a fall residency at one of Nashville’s premiere bluegrass venues, Station Inn.

Backed by a stout lineup of Tony Wray on guitar, Tim Dishman on bass, Jason Davis on banjo and former DTB member Justin Moses on fiddle, Dan Tyminski brought a blistering set of classics and new releases to the adoring crowd at a packed Station Inn on Tuesday night for the first of three fall residency performances as the new Dan Tyminski Band.

Hits such as “Carry Me Across the Mountain”, “Blue Trail of Sorrow”, “Rain Please Go Away” and “Whose Shoulder Will You Cry On” were sailed through with the trademark ease and perfection Tyminski is revered for. Several resounding clangs of the famous Station Inn bell pealed through whoops and hollers from the crowd, a sound that any artist hopes to hear from the stage during the course of a set there. Sneak peeks of his upcoming new release brought an enthusiastic response, as well as solo selections from the controversial ‘Southern Gothic’ and recent EP ‘The Planetarium Sessions’. Tim Dishman provided “the Alison part” almost effortlessly, sailing tenor over Tyminski’s high lead vocals without a second thought, with Tony Wray bringing it all together with steady baritone on old LRB standards like “Mary Anne”. Jason Davis and Justin Moses brought fresh fire to standard instrumentals throughout the set, providing an opportunity for Tyminski to hammer down on mandolin with the boys. Entertainment was not lacking either, as is to be expected from a veteran stage performer; back-and-forth banter with the crowd and self-deprecating humor kept the evening light and engaging, even without taking a break for a whirlwind 90 minute set.

It seems as if Dan Tyminski is returning to his roots, much to the excitement of his more traditional fans. If you have the opportunity to attend the two remaining shows in his fall residency at the Station Inn (November 5 and 15), I highly recommend you do so. There’s nothing like a night at the World Famous Station Inn anyway – with the addition of a legendary performer like Tyminski, it’s sure not to disappoint.

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