When Words Fail: September Songs

(cont'd)

But what's a bluegrass fan to do? One bluegrass DJ with a show to plan just after the attack found himself at a loss for material to play. He wrote a desperate-sounding note to the FolkDJ listserve asking for help. But the roots of bluegrass go deep into the soil of old time gospel and southern spirituals. Terry Moses of KCLC in St. Louis knows this part of the tradition well, and put together a bluegrass radio show gone old-time gospel that I wish I'd heard Tuesday. I found that just reading the song titles was enough to evoke the ghosts of these songs - they linger around me still. Here's what he posted for us, reprinted here with his permission:

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KCLC Tuesday Night Bluegrass on 9/11/2001. Never forget
Tuesday, September 11, 2001. All Gospel tonight. We were on from 7-9 because of a prayer service we broadcast from the Lindenwood University campus.

For all of those innocent people who perished and for those who loved them and cared about them.

[Artist - Song - CD - Label]

Randy Scruggs - Amazing Grace - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume II - Universal

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder with Rev. Billy Graham - Are You Afraid To Die - Soldier of The Cross - Skaggs Family

Nashville Bluegrass Band with The Fairfield Four - Roll Jordan Roll - Home of The Blues - Sugar Hill

Patty Loveless - Rise Up Lazarus - Mountain Soul - Epic*

Alison Krauss(I) and Union Station - Heaven's Bright Shore - Two Highways - Rounder

The Isaacs - Muhraqua - Stand Still - Horizon*

Tony Trischka - Looking For The Light - The Stained Glass Hour - Rounder

The Isaacs - I Said I'll Go - Stand Still - Horizon*

Ronnie Bowman - Three Rusty Nails - The Man I'm Trying To Be - Sugar Hill

Jerry and Tammy Sullivan - He Lives - Tomorrow - Ceili

Dan Tyminski - Faith Is a Mystery - Carry Me Across The Mountains - Doobie Shea

Doc Watson - What a Friend We Have In Jesus - Way Down Deep In My Soul - Sugar Hill

Larry Stephenson Band - Heavenward Bound - Heavenward Bound - Pinecastle*

David Johnson - Just a Closer Walk With Thee - Crossroads Bluegrass Gospel Sampler April 1997 - Crossroads

The Cluster Pluckers - Weapon of Prayer - Unplucked - CPR

Bull Harman(M)(I) with Rhonda Vincent (I) - Unclouded Day - Bull's Eye - Music Masters

Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver - Safe With You at Home - Just Over In Heaven - Sugar Hill

David Parmley and Friends - When Love Is All You Want(It's All You Need) - What We Leave Behind - Pinecastle*

The Rice Brothers - Life Is Like a Mountain Railway - The Rice Brothers - Rounder

Emmylou Harris - Green Pastures - Soundtrack, Down From The Mountain - Lost Highway*

The Seldom Scene with Emmylou Harris - Satan's Jeweled Crown - Scene 20 - Sugar Hill

David Peterson & 1946 - I'm Traveling On and On - David Peterson & 1946 - Self Released*

Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver - Just Any Day Now - Rock My Soul - Sugar Hill

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder - Soldier of The Cross - Soldier of The Cross - Skaggs Family

The Bluegrass Cardinals - The Carpenter Shop - Every Time I Feel The Spirit - Sugar Hill

Nashville Bluegrass Band - Every Humble Knee Must Bow - To Be His Child - Rounder

Alison Krauss(I) and Gillian Welch - I'll Fly Away - Soundtrack, Oh Brother Where Art Thou? - Mercury*

Alison Krauss(I) - Down To The River to Pray - Soundtrack, Oh Brother Where Art Thou? - Mercury*

Tim Austin, Dale Perry, Tony Williamson, Aubrey Haynie, Wyatt Rice - Amazing Grace - Living on the Hallelujah Side - Doobie Shea

Hugh Blumenfeld, Editor
hugh@balladtree.com