Ya’ll Sound Good!4 min read

I love doing my blog for many reasons, but the best part is talking to new people and learning about things that are new to me.

I just got off the phone with Dudley Connell, the lead singer and guitarist for the Bluegrass band Seldom Scene. This Grammy-nominated band––that’s been making iconic music since 1971––is coming to Cincinnati to play at Memorial HallSaturday November 18th.

Seldom Scene has maintained a huge following through the years, making more than 20 albums and transitioning through multiple members. Though they’ve kept true to their music, they also add rock, country and even pop to their shows. Additionally, they’ve collaborated with Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Jonathan Edwards and more.

After listening to their music and watching videos of their performances, you just want to grab a beer, throw on a flannel and escape into their music! Smooth voices and fast banjos…doesn’t get much better!

Here’s my conversation with Dudley:

Q: How do you describe Bluegrass music?

A: Legendary Folk artists Allen Lomax and his dad John once described it as “Folk music in overdrive”. Seldom Scene has taken old folk music and brought it new life. We do all kinds of stuff like James Taylor, Eric Clapton, Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe.

Q: You’ve been together for more than 40 years. How do you think you’ve kept the band together for that long?

A: Well, that’s kind of funny. I believe one of the reasons the band has stayed together is because we don’t ride on the bus together weeks at a time. We travel separately, and we have separate hotel rooms. Sometimes we eat together sometimes we don’t. So when we see each other we are genuinely happy to see each other. It’s like our weekly card game.

Q: What gets you jazzed about performing?

A: Smiling faces! It’s great to see people happy to be there. There’s nothing like the energy that you can get back from people having a good time.

Q: Ron Stewart is starting with you on this tour. He’s taking over for Ricky Simpkins. What do you think he’ll bring to the band?

A: Well, he filled in when Ricky was having a medical emergency awhile back. He came in and “fit like a glove”. It’s like he’s always been there. It’s the most wonderful thing.

Q: Why do you think Bluegrass is continuing to have such a following? When I was at a music festival a couple months ago, there was such a young crowd jamming to the Bluegrass bands.

A: It seems like it goes in waves. Back in the 60’s, the Bonnie & Clyde movie used Foggy Mountain Breakdown by Earl Scruggs in the chase scenes. Then a few years after that, Deliverance came out with the dueling banjos. Then Alison Krauss came along, and she gave it a shot in the arm. She’s a country music star with bluegrass as a backing. The jam band thing––with a bunch of kids coming along using bluegrass with a ton of energy––is like a mix of bluegrass and rock and roll.

Q: Will you be mixing it up by singing “covers”?

A: Yes, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and things like that. I’ve never judged music in categories. A good song is a good song. A good song stands the test of time.

Q: If you guys could have anyone dead or alive join you on stage who would it be?

A: That’s a tough one! Bill Monroe, Carter Stanley, Hank Williams or Jimi Hendrix.

Q: You play guitar, so how many do you take on the road with you?

A: Well, I only bring one! I have a very cool old guitar. It’s a 1943 Martin D-28 Herringbone that I’ve playing since 1983. It’s hard for me to part with it because it is part of who I am.

This is a great opportunity to check out an amazing band at the newly renovated Memorial Hall in OTR!

I love going to concerts. I mean LOVE, and sometimes I go just because I want to see someone new. I very rarely leave a show without some appreciation for the band and the music they create. These guys have to be doing something extremely well to be going strong for over 40 years. This is one “card game” I would like to watch being played!

Details:
Memorial Hall in OTR Saturday November 18th 8:00
Click herefor tickets
Tour dates click here

A couple songs I’ve been jamming to while writing…
Appalachian Rain
Wait A Minute