Compass Records has released an extra fun video from Missy Raines for another of the songs from her current Royal Traveler album. And like the first, for Swept Away, this one features appearances from a number of her Nashville buds, both playing music and in unexpected cameos.
The song is a bluegrass classic, Little Darlin’, Pal Of Mine, recorded as a banjo and bass duet by Earl Scruggs and Jake Tullock in September of 1960. It was a staple of the Flatt & Scruggs stage show for a long while, and a fan favorite due to Jake’s quips he would make as the song went along.
In the video, we see Missy and banjo maven Alison Brown sitting at the bar in Nashville’ Station Inn, enjoying a video of Earl and Jake from the old Flatt & Scruggs TV show. Next thing you know, the two are recreating the song out in from of the bar, as passers by drop bills into Alison’s case. We won’t spoil the fun any further, and let Missy share what happens next.
“When a bluegrass bass player and a banjo player are working on a record together, it’s just a matter of time before the idea of performing the quintessential banjo and bass duet, Darlin’ Pal of Mine, comes up in conversation. Alison had the brilliant idea of bringing in other players in to create the ‘6 hands, 1 bass’ take on the tune. Going in, we really didn’t know how we were going to make it all work but there was no question in my mind who the other bass players should be. Mike Bub and Todd Phillips. Mike, because his playing is so deeply rooted within the tradition of the great players like Jake Tullock, and Roy Huskey, Jr., and Todd, because of his unique melodic sensibility.
It was a blast coming up with the ‘choreography’ for the section where we are all playing my bass. Lots of laughing and a few elbows-in-the-face moments! But we did it and the video turned out great. We had some very special guests show up that day so there are some fun cameos in it like Bobby Osborne and Jake’s son, Gary. Enjoy!
Well done, all!
Royal Traveler is available now wherever you stream or download music online, and on CD from Missy’s web site.
