Sometimes it’s difficult to cope with the fact that many legends within bluegrass are aging. It’s especially tough hearing about their ailments, and worse yet when we all too often learn of their passing. We’ve lost far too many of them in the last year. One highlight of this year’s World of Bluegrass week in Raleigh, NC, is sure to be the session dedicated to the memory of the late James King, who passed this May.
Brought together by Rounder Records’ Ken Irwin to honor James’ life and musical legacy, the session is set to be one of the most poignant experiences of the week. I had the chance to sit down with him earlier in the week and talk about Friday’s presentation. “It’s a time for people to come in and share appreciative memories of James,” he said.
As we talked about James’s life, it was easy to see how much King meant to Ken. He was loved by many and there are several folks scheduled to be in attendance on Friday morning. Becky Rhodes, Adam Poindexter, and Kevin Prater are sure to be there among others such as Steve Chandler (who engineered most of James’ recordings), and Danny Paisley, who I learned had already signed a contract to make a duo record with James before his passing.
If you’re going to be in Raleigh tomorrow and happen to like traditional bluegrass, make sure you come to this session – Celebrating the Life and Music of James King, at 10:00 a.m. in room 304 of the Raleigh Convention Center.
