Country music comes from the heart of the south in our country. It speaks to the prairies and bogs and swamps and hoe downs that keep communities alive and full of life.
Popular country music of today is represented by Cowboys who might look handsome and play the role but aren't really cowboys.
The mavericks full of brass and spur and cattle end arounds came from Appalachia and the bluegrass Pickers and fiddlers like Red Allen, Tex Logan and Bill Monroe. Entertainers who would wear suits on stage on a sweltering hot Alabama day because they knew that's what the farmers wore to Church on Sundays.
My guest today hails from Wilmington, NC which was bubbling with its own regional music clustered inside the black mountains where there might have been a shady grove to cool off rosin up your bow and do some fiddlin and singing.
My guest today is a multi instrumentalist who plays the mandolin, fiddle, guitar and bass. What is fascinating to this host is the idea that my guest was a prolific session player for the likes of Al Kooper, Gary Scruggs, Ringo Starr, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan.
His showmanship and songwriting soon led to a career as a leader with Te John and Joel "Taz" Digregorio.
Back then he was talking Armageddon all the while willing to wake up and try again tomorrow.
His albums have been played under a full moon in South Carolina and in the Whispering Pines of upstate New York where as a camper the images of Chicken in Bread Pans and Fire on The Mountain permeated the minds of so many kids who dream of painting a masterpiece.
1/2 a mile from Tucson by the morning light Charlie Daniels welcome to the JFS.