Review of Concert by the Grascals at the Lucy Opry on January 26, 2007

 

by Betty Westmoreland

 

The concert by the Grascals started with impromptu remarks from Ron Jewell, manager of the Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center (BPACC). Mr. Jewell said that the evening’s concert begins the eighth successful year of the Lucy Opry’s seasons at BPACC. He chose the event to single out Lucy Opry promoters, WILL and BETH MAYS, as the two people who have made it all happen, along with the Lucy Opry volunteers:   LARRY BOMAR and his wife JOYCE BROYLES, WOODY MARSHALL, GARY and LINDA PIERCE, CRAIG YARBROUGH, JOHN and MAUREEN FITZER, PETER and LOYCE SMITH, FAN WILLIAMS, and JENNIFER EGGERS, all of whom were recognized onstage.

 

Mr. Jewell announced that Will and Beth Mays are the current recipients of the Thomas B. Westendorf award (the “Westy”) for distinctive service to the city of Bartlett, Tennessee. While the Lucy Opry began its eighth year at BPACC, the long-time bluegrass music tradition of the Opry actually turns 40 with the current season. Happy 40th and may there be many more!

 

Many thanks to Mr. Jewell and BPACC, to Will and Beth Mays and the Lucy Opry, and to the many volunteers who work tirelessly to make the Lucy Opry a success.

 

The Grascals roared onto the stage to begin their electrifying performance as only they can do! The current International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Entertainers of the Year and winners of awards from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA), just knocked the fans right out of their seats!

 

The reader may wish to read more about the band members at the Grascals’ website, so the writer will introduce them as they appeared on stage from left to right: Danny Roberts plays the mandolin and performs some vocals; Jimmy Mattingly, a performer who is familiar to many folks in Memphis and West Tennessee, plays fiddle; Jamie Johnson plays left-handed guitar, carries several vocal parts, and has become the spokesman in the group; Terry Smith, son of Nashville favorite, Hazel Smith, plays the upright bass and sings; Terry Eldredge plays guitar and also carries several different vocal parts; and the new kid on the team is Aaron McDaris, who works his magic on the banjo.

 

Each member of the Grascals has performed in several top-notch bluegrass bands over the years, has performed at festivals and on the Grand Ole Opry, and has served as sideman for several artists. When the group decided to become their own entity, it just had to work. This writer thinks that anyone who has seen and heard the Grascals could certainly agree that it is indeed working and in a very big way. Most recently, the band toured with Dolly Parton, and they credit her with giving their work just the boost it needed. Now, just about everyone knows the Grascals! While they have been performing together as the Grascals for three years, the band has performed with other artists on albums, and they have produced several of their own albums.

 

SET I

  1. Leavin’s Heavy on My Mind (by Jim Rister)
  2. Mourning Dove (by Jamie Johnson)
  3. I’ll Go Steppin’, Too (by Tom James)
  4. Me and John and Paul (by Harley Allen, from first album, IBMA and SPBGMA awards)
  5. Pike County Breakdown (by Bill Monroe)
  6. Hard Times (Allan Aaron Crenwelge)
  7. Will You Be Loving Another Man (by Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt)
  8. Keep Me from Blowing Away (by Paul Craft)
  9. Hear That Lonesome Whistle Blow, Son
  10. My Saro Jane (public domain)
  11. Today I Started Loving You Again (by Merle Haggard)
  12. Sally Goodin (public domain)

 

Intermission

 

SET II

 

1.  Home (by Candace Randolph)

2.  Long List of Heartaches (by Jamie Johnson, currently #1 on charts)

3.  Beneath Still Waters (by Dallas Frazier)

4.  Bonaparte’s Retreat (by Pee Wee King)

5.  Bein’ Me (by Harley Allen, from Long List of Heartaches album, features Dierks Bentley)

6.  Some Things I Want to Sing About (by Roger Murrah, from self-titled first album, features 

     Dolly Parton and Bobby Osborne)

7.  Rolling in My Sweet Baby’s Arms (by Lester Flatt)

8.  Where Corn Don’t Grow (by Roger Murrah)

9.  White Lightnin’ (by J. P. Richardson [the Big Bopper], from Celebration of Life album)

10. Viva Las Vegas (by J. Pomus)

11. Don’t Tell Mama (by Buddy Brock, album recitation by George Jones)

12. Roll Muddy River (by Betty Sue Perry)

Encore:  Sunny Side of the Mountain (by Jimmy Martin)

 

 

The Grascals’ performance was solid and right on the money! They dressed professionally and knew their craft completely. The instrumentation was flawless. The vocals sounded exactly as they were supposed to sound. The band appeared to have a good time working with each other and with their audience. They made sure that everybody in the house enjoyed themselves. That we did!

 

More information:

 

The Grascals  www.grascals.com

 

Musicians Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) – benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital   www.bluegrassclassic.com

 

Skaggs Family Records  www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com

 

Rounder Records  www.rounder.com

 

Lucy Opry  www.lucyopry.com

 

BPACC  www.bpacc.org