The Fedora Bros. had a good time on our early November swing through East Tennessee and W. North Carolina. Geno and I played a nice set, live on Knoxville’s WDVX “Blue Plate Special.” We shared the hour with Walter Strauss who lives near my old Marin Co., CA stomping grounds. We had a good chat and enjoyed each others’ music. Then it was off to Asheville where we saw my daughter Marie and son-in-law Matt before heading up to nearby Weaverville and the Jack of Hearts. This new venue is in the old Weaverville fire station and is  beautifully restored as a restaurant and music club. Good stage and lights and a super audio tech who had his hands full with a capacity crowd in a Saturday night party mood (some of whom were up dancing to ragtime and country-blues tunes). Thanks Mike; we could hear ourselves fine! Back to Knoxville the next day and a brief stop at the Slow Foods Knoxville fund raiser. Looking forward to getting back up that way again. This trip caught the Fall colors near-peak going through the Smokies between Knoxtown and Asheville; what a beautiful part of America.

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My Fedora Brother Geno (Gene Bush) and I had a great time at the Mississippi John Hurt Tribute Concert on July 30th. We played to a near capacity crowd in The Arts Center of Cannon County’s Wilma Adams Theater. Author Phil Ratcliffe was on hand (all the way from Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland–well done, Phil) to sign copies of his newly-printed biography of Hurt.

We were so pleased that Tom Hoskins’ sister Suzanne and her husband Joe made the trek from Smyrna, GA for the program. Suzanne is rightly proud of her late brother’s role in bringing John Hurt’s genius to public attention–well done, Tom! See below for a couple of sources that tell the story of Hoskins and Hurt

Discovery: the Rebirth of Mississippi John Hurt–the historic 1963 recordings made by Tom Hoskins at the Hurt home  in Avalon, Mississippi are now out on CD. These recordings were the start of Mississippi John’s “rediscovery.”  Designer Sharisse Steber has done a magnificent job with the photos, graphics and notes in the 28 page booklet. The notes tell the story of Hoskins’ search for the recording artist who was just a name on a few old 78 rpm records. The notes draw from the shared research of Phil Ratcliffe, whose 308 page biography of  Hurt is now out (University Press of Mississippi). It’s a great read. Order it from the usual places.

Order the CD from Spring Fed Records: http://www.artscenterofcc.com/Spring-fed/Discovery.html

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At the end of September, I played a concert at the Ruffin Theater, a beautifully restored Art Deco movie palace in Covington, Tennessee. Jeff Long, my friend from Jackson, lent his harmony singing and string wizardry to the evening. Thanks to Mark and everyone at the Ruffin for an enjoyable night.

Links to the Ruffin concert:

Freight Train Boogie: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=JGUT9P5_ZpU&feature=related

Kentucky Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfOq-Vo2PRo&feature=related

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The  new CD has been out for a short while and has received some nice reviews on Amazon.com and in the UK’s premiere folk music magazine fROOTS where, with a thumbs-up, they said:

“His straightforward, no frills style has a homespun, archaic charm, and the overall effect is charming.”

Only the Brits could come up with that!

Americana UK has this to say about Zeno Dreamed

http://www.americana-uk.com/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=525&Itemid=209

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After many years as a sideman, on stage and in recording studios with headliners like Jeannie C. Riley, Bill Monroe, Phil Harris, Vassar Clements, Norman Blake and many others, Bruce has finally stepped out front with his inaugural solo offering, Zeno Dreamed, on the feisty independent label Spring Fed Records.

The eleven tracks of original and “recomposed” traditional songs and tunes, including two performances from live radio broadcast, combine with a colorful booklet of stories and song notes to give Zeno Dreamed the narrative of a concept album. The concept? Music in the South — uniquely appealing music — is born of a peculiar mix of cultures and history. To quote Bruce:

“Whites and Blacks… and Mexicans and Cubans too… whoever can play is welcome. Stone hillbilly coalminers and black-as-midnight cotton-pickers will share a 12-string guitar with a Mexican and drink out of the same bottle. Down here, with music at least, it’s Mix and Mingle… Stir the Stew… Jumble the Gumbo.”

In addition to his history of recording and performing with others, Bruce is a Grammy winning writer, record producer and theatrical music director. He is a cast member, as “Professor Zeno,” in the show Riders Radio Theater, starring Riders in the Sky.

And now it’s time for Zeno Dreamed, Bruce’s musical collection of Southern stories on Spring Fed Records.

Zeno Dreamed [SFR 1001]; distributed by City Hall; Release date 9/21/10  Now on sale at: http://springfedrecords.com and all the usual places, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. But we’d prefer you support our friends at Spring Fed. Thanks.