Gentlemen Of Bluegrass Archives

Tom Langdon passes

Tom Langdon, long time reso-guitarist with The Gentlemen of Bluegrass, died on March 11, 2023 following a lengthy illness. He was 78 years of age.

Born Walter Thomas Langdon in Fair Oaks, NC, Tom was active in the bluegrass scene around Raleigh most of his life. Initially inspired to learn guitar as a boy by Chet Atkins, it was seeing Flatt & Scruggs when he was 14 that made him a life long grasser. Young Tom sought out a banjo and became proficient on that, as well as Scruggs style guitar before taking up the dobro.

Outside of music, Langdon pursued an academic career, earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Biology, while playing catcher on their baseball team. He then obtained a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, followed by a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration.

Tom taught biology, phys ed, and driver’s education for many years at West Craven High School in Vanceboro, NC, where he also served as an athletic coach in several sports. He was later able to apply his Ph.D. serving as a principal and subsequently Superintendent of Sampson County Schools.

In 1994 he was married to Lorraine Jordan, who he had met playing bluegrass in the Raleigh area. They played together in a number of groups. While Lorraine retained her maiden name in bluegrass, in her other business ventures she goes by Langdon.

She remembered Tom with this lovely tribute…

“I lost my best friend, my soul mate, and one of the only people in this world that really understood me. I fell in love with Tom a long time ago. We shared a connection in our love for bluegrass music, travels, Mayberry Days, riding motor bikes, and loving dogs. We followed the original Seldom Scene together for years. He took me to baseball and I took him to football.

We were similar in so many ways, and we were also different in so many ways. Tom liked to get up early, eat breakfast, and read. I liked to sleep in, skip breakfast, and watch TV.

Dr. Thomas Langdon was well educated and very good at things that required education. I was a road musician and an entrepreneur starting small businesses. He held a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt and dedicated his life to the education system. We made it work and we supported each others passions.

Several words come to my mind to describe Tom: kind, gentle, quiet, laid back, smart, considerate, proud, decent, handsome, loving, special. He loved staying home and he loved his family.

We will lay this remarkable man to rest in a few days in his home county of Johnston, east of Raleigh, North Carolina. Tom was loved by many and he will be missed by many. He was one of the good guys.

Rest in peace honey. You left your mark on the world, and anyone who ever met you liked you.”

Following his retirement from the school system in 2014, Tom rededicated himself to his passions for bluegrass and baseball, following the Durham Bulls at their home games, and setting up a studio where many regional bluegrass artists would record. He was also able to travel to Florida in the spring for spring training games.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 18 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home in Garner where Tom lived. His funeral will be on Sunday at 2:15 p.m., with a graveside service at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Clayton. A reception at the Carolina Bleu Grille in Clayton afterwards.

Saturday evening following visitation, Lorraine will host a Celebration of Life gathering at Lorraine’s Coffee House & Music in Garner, starting at 7:30 p.m. The Gentlemen of Bluegrass will perform, and other musicians are invited to bring their instruments and honor Tom with the music he loved.

R.I.P., Tom Langdon.

Carolina Memories – Gentlemen of Bluegrass

In bluegrass music, we have a King and a Queen, a Father and Daughters. What’s next? Gentlemen, perhaps.

Recently making their debut on Pinecastle Records are the Gentlemen of Bluegrass, a North Carolina-based group with a strong, smooth traditional sound. Their new album, Carolina Memories, showcases fine vocals and instrumentation that fans of first- and second-generation bluegrass will surely enjoy.

The fourteen-track collection was produced by Lorraine Jordan (whose husband, Tom Langdon, is the band’s resonator guitarist), who also contributes two original songs and guests on mandolin on several cuts. The traditional-yet-fresh sound that Jordan and Carolina Road have made their own is present here, though the Gentlemen of Bluegrass have pulled more from the sounds of the 1960s and ’70s than earlier decades.

The album opens up with the title track, one of Jordan’s originals. It’s an upbeat number anchored by Randy Smith’s banjo that tells a familiar bluegrass story: a man who has wandered from home and now longs to return. It’s certainly enjoyable, and also serves as a nice introduction to the warm, rich vocals of Danny Stanley. Stanley’s voice has a classic country sound, and is particularly reminiscent of Jim Reeves.

Stanley’s vocals also fit well with the Southern Gospel sound, which is where It’s a Long Lonesome Road leans toward. It’s another upbeat number with fine harmonies on the chorus. Also on the Gospel side of things, the band includes a moving a capella version of Amazing Grace and Father’s Table Grace, a recitation song which finds the singer reminiscing about his father’s simple yet strong prayers.

>The Gentlemen of Bluegrass have borrowed from another set of Gentlemen for several of the songs here. The Country Gentlemen’s This Morning at Nine is one of the album’s strongest tracks, fast-paced and with fine lead vocals from mandolin player Julian Rowland. Waltz of the Angels is also well-done, with great high harmonies from Rowland. Traveling Kind is perhaps the most similar to the previous version, shot through with lonesome, with driving banjo and tight harmonies. Stanley’s enjoyable original God’s Country also has a Country Gentlemen feel.

The band members obviously respect the work of John Duffey. In addition to a cover of the Seldom Scene’s Keep Me From Blowing Away (featuring excellent resonator guitar work from Langdon and fine mandolin and fiddle from guest Josh Goforth), they have included Tribute to John Duffey, written by Jordan. The song recalls Duffey’s passing and his lasting legacy from the perspective of a fan and friend.

Stanley (guitar), Rowland (mandolin), Langdon (resonator guitar), Smith (banjo), and Greg Penny (bass) have put together a solid effort for their introduction as a band. Though the Gentlemen of Bluegrass might be a new name to most listeners, they have a time-honored sound that fans should like.

For more information, visit their website at www.gentlemenofbluegrass.com. Their new album can be purchased from several online retailers.

New projects from Pinecastle this year

Pinecastle Records’ Ethan Burkhardt shared some news today about what they have in the pipeline for 2014. They have just recently released a new CD for bassist/vocalist Matt Wallace, and had previously announced one coming from reso-man Phil Leadbetter and an Osborne Brothers CD of lost tracks.

Ethan says that Wildfire is working now on a new Pinecastle project, with a single expected in April.

The Osborne Brothers CD, Nashville, is scheduled for a June 10 street date. It will include 7 tracks recorded in 1973, but never released owing to a disagreement between the Osbornes and MCA Records after they took over for Decca, with whom the brothers were under contract.

Also scheduled are an album from The Gentlemen Of Bluegrass (6/10) and one from Irish bluegrass/Americana band I Draw Slow (7/8).

Burkhardt shared this latest video from I Draw Slow, Valentine, which will be part of their next CD, along with an interesting story about the shoot.

“The Valentine video features actor Aidan Gillen who is one of the few main characters on Game Of Thrones that hasn’t been killed off. The director of the video, Hugh O’Conor, knew Gillen and sent him an email about possibly being in the video a few days before they were set to shoot. He checked out their past videos and fell in love with the band, and said he’d do it free of charge.”

Keep an eye on Pinecastle’s web site for updates.

Gentlemen of Bluegrass to Pinecastle

If a band chooses the name Gentlemen of Bluegrass, they had better be prepared for comparisons to legendary The Country Gentlemen, whose name theirs undoubtedly calls to mind. And how many want to invite that comparison?

Well these boys from Carolina feel up to the task, and Pinecastle Records has signed them with plans to release their Carolina Memories CD this Summer. All five members have a wealth of bluegrass experience, and Ethan Burkhart with Pinecastle says that it is the band’s ability to recollect the sounds of prior masters that drew them to the label’s attention.

“We are delighted to have ‘the Gents’ as part of the Pinecastle Family. We think their close harmonies and Waller/Duffey influenced vocals provide a sound that is in keeping with the traditions of The Classic Country Gentlemen and Seldom Scene, and are a prefect compliment to the music in our catalog.”

The band consists of Danny Stanley on guitar and lead vocals, Randy Smith on banjo, Greg Penny on bass, Julian Rowland on mandolin, and Tom Langdon on reso-guitar.

Danny says that he and the rest of the guys are pumped about the new CD.

“We are thrilled to join Pinecastle Records and share some of our favorite music with our fans. “Thanks so much to all of our fans, our producer, Lorraine Jordan, and our publicity team at Make Welcome Entertainment. All of these people are helping our music reach more people, which is the dream of all performers.”

A debut single is set for a March release, with the full CD to follow in June.