May 10 is the day we set aside to honor the mothers in our families, as well as the loved ones who have stood in a mother’s place for us. Bluegrass has a glorious tradition of mother-themed songs, although they are often fond memories of mothers who sadly have passed on.
Which reminds me of the time, many years ago, when my bluegrass band played the gospel set at a festival. Being big Stanley Brothers fans, we covered a lot of their songs. About halfway through the set, the banjo player’s wife came up to the stage and hissed at us, “Do you realize you just played FIVE DEAD MOTHER SONGS IN A ROW? And this is MOTHERS’ DAY!” We hadn’t even noticed.
So, in this week’s puzzle I have tried to include at least a few references to mothers who are still with us. Bonus fun fact: one clue is about Mother Maybelle Carter, whose birthday this year falls on Mothers’ Day!
This one has some more obscure references, so don’t forget you can use the “Assist” menu when you see the words [HINT AVAILABLE] after the clue.
Be sure to visit Bluegrass Today for a brand new bluegrass puzzle next Saturday morning!
