Carol Beaugard Archives - Bluegrass Today

Carol Beaugard in touring cast for Fiddler on the Roof

In the “where are they now” department, we check in today with a longtime member of the bluegrass community, Carol Beaugard, who served for nearly 30 years as the host of Lonesome Pine RFD on WFDU, broadcast from the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ.

The show reached a wide broadcast audience, including New York City, where a full generation of bluegrass fans had grown accustomed to her voice announcing new music each week on the show. In 2007 it was picked up by Bluegrass Country and re-aired several times each week on their worldwide streaming signal.

She started doing radio while in college, studying theater, but was initially attracted to jazz and Latin music. She was bitten by the bluegrass bug after school and launched Lonesome Pine RFD in 1985. Bluegrass became a passion over the years, so much so that she even married a banjo player!

But in 2014, Carol took the plunge and decided to pursue her acting career full time. Theater was something she had always enjoyed, and Beaugard did regular work in New York, off-broadway, and on television as well as radio. It simply came to a point where doing both wouldn’t work, with the weekly WFDU commitment cutting into her ability to accept roles that were coming her way.

Since that time, she has appeared in a number of film and television shorts, and played lead roles in several NYC theater productions. Recently Carol received the Best Actress Award from the Strawberry Theatre Festival for her portrayal of Grandma Carmen in The Plastic Couch.

Now she has been cast as Yente, the matchmaker, in the North American tour for the Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Anyone who has seen the theatrical or film edition of this classic musical knows this is a central role, and a big break for Beaugard to be seen on stage all over the US.

Carol tells us this is something she has been working towards almost her whole life.

“This is my first national tour and I’m absolutely thrilled to win the comical lead role of Yente. Fiddler was the first show I ever did as a young girl and it’s one of my favorite musicals of all time. The show’s message of love, life and hope is inspiring and poignantly relevant. The music is familiar and joyous. I can’t wait to bring this incredible celebration to audiences around the country.”

Congratulations to Carol for this achievement!

Ticket information for the tour can be found online.

Stiles of Bluegrass replaces Lonesome Pine RFD on WAMU

When longtime radio host Carol Beaugard announced recently that she would be signing off from her Lonesome Pine RFD program on WFDU-FM in the New York City market, it also affected the schedule at WAMU’s Bluegrass Country, which streams bluegrass 24/7 online. Bluegrass Country had been replaying Carol’s show on Saturday mornings.

Beaugard, who has also performed with bluegrass groups in and around the Big Apple, has found success of late as an actress, and had to step away from her twice-weekly radio program to accommodate her new profession.

Unfortunately, WFDU has replaced Lonesome Pine RFD with a blues show, Sounds of Blue with host Bob Putignano, though they do still have bluegrass on Thursday mornings from 6:00-9:00 a.m. on Bluegrass & Beyond, hosted by Richard Haas.

On Bluegrass Country, Carol’s slot has been given to Jessica Stiles and her new show, Stiles of Bluegrass, airing from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at www.bluegrasscountry.org. Jessica is also a performer, and her latest single, Answer Him, is now available online.

Chris Teskey, Senior Music Producer at Bluegrass Country welcomes Stiles to their stable.

“We are excited to welcome Jessica Stiles to the Bluegrass Country broadcasting staff. Jessica has performed live music for us in the past, and we are pleased to have her join us as a program host.”

Her first show aired July 5, and you can tune in and hear Stiles of Bluegrass now every Saturday.

2013 Brown Jug Award goes to Carol Beaugard

Carol Beaugard, host of Lonesome Pine RFD on WFDU is the latest recipient of the Brown Jug Award, an honor bestowed on those who have made a positive impact on traditional bluegrass and old time music in the Northeastern US. The award was initiated by James Reams when he was living in New York, meant to bring attention to artists and music professionals in the area worthy of note, but whose profile was more regional than national or international in scope.

In addition to her visibility as a broadcaster in the New York metro market, Carol performs on stage in both music and theater. She has played with regional bands in New York and New Jersey, and more recently is making a mark in theatrical productions as an actress, receiving rave reviews and even an award or two. Hers is also a familiar voice as MC at festivals throughout the northeast.

Carol accepted the award on Sunday at the 14th Annual Park Slope Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Jamboree in Brooklyn, another legacy of Reams’ time in the city. The Brown Jug is sponsored by The Clay Pot, The Old Stone House and the Folk Music Society of NY.

You can catch Carol’s show every Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon on WFDU-FM 89.1, or online at wfdu.fm.

Carol Beaugard hits the boards

Carol Beaugard is known to the bluegrass world as a performer in the NY/NJ area, and as the long time host of Lonesome Pine RFD, airing on WFDU-FM and WAMU’s Bluegrass Country.

But Carol has a second passion in the arts, and has begun to develop a career in the theater. She has been cast in a number of roles this past few years, and has found work in film, television and voice-over.

A major milestone will be marked this evening when Carol experiences her Off-Broadway debut, as Grandma Carmen in The Plastic Couch. The play is a new work by Alyssa Burgos, presented at Hudson Guild Theater on West 26th Street in New York City as part of Strawberry Theatre Festival. It follows three generations of a Puerto Rican family in New York, with Grandma Carmen serving as a central role.

Carol shared a few thoughts about the different approach to musical and theater performance.

“There are many similarities – but also big differences – between working in a bluegrass band and broadcasting my show vs. my work on stage. I’ve always been a singer, but I studied Broadway and opera as a young girl, and when I began to front my bluegrass band I had to work to let my voice sound ‘more free’ and less ‘trained’.

Communicating on air, I speak on a one-on-one basis with each listener and manipulate the microphone to capture the best tones of my voice. In theater, I’m relating very personally one to one with my fellow actors, but have to use my voice and entire body to convey the playwright’s thoughts and the role’s intentions.

In radio and in the band I’m always me. On stage, I’m portraying a character. I have to admit – I love the thrill that comes from being on stage in a play or musical and it was always my number one dream.”

You can also look for Beaugard this year in lead roles on two episodes of Fatal Encounters on the Discovery Channel.

The Plastic Couch will play tonight (2/28), and again on March 4th and 10th. Ticket details can be found online.

Break a leg!