The stars will definitely be out in Nashville on May 15 when a dozen or more top bluegrass artists will congregate at 3rd & Lindsley for a Music City benefit concert for Glen Duncan. Among the finest of Nashville fiddlers, Glen suffered a stroke around Christmas time last year and has a long road back to a full recovery.
The good news is that he is making remarkable progress towards his goal of being able to return to his music career, but there is a great deal of therapy, and loss of work between now and then. A gofundme campaign has been launched where people who know Glen, or have enjoyed his music, can contribute to his recovery efforts, and this May 15 concert, billed as Nashville Fiddle Fest, is part of the same effort to assist Duncan until he is better.
Scheduled to perform that evening are Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Sister Sadie, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, Hawktail, Michael Cleveland, The Travelin’ McCourys, Jason Carter, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Stuart Duncan, and Darol Anger, with more names to be added by the show date. This will undeniably be the place to be that week in Nashville, and worth a drive to town for the most devoted lovers of the fiddle.
Glen has been involved in bluegrass music for more than 40 years, including as a founding member of Lonesome Standard Time with Larry Cordle. Since then, he has played on recordings by some of the top artists in bluegrass and country music like Bill Monroe, Doyle Lawson, The Osborne Brothers, Josh Graves, Merle Haggard, Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn, among many, many others.
Tickets for the Nashville Fiddle Fest on May 15 are available online now from 3rd & Lindsley for $40. Surely opportunities to make further donations will be offered at the show.
The Mandolin Store in Lebanon, OH, among the most celebrated and dedicated retailers of mandolin family instruments in the world, is hosting a special raffle this month with proceeds to benefit noted bluegrass fiddler and songwriter Glen Duncan, who is recovering from both a stroke and a serious automobile accident.
A $10 raffle ticket gets you a chance to win a Northfield F5S mandolin, valued at $3,695. This is the Adirondack spruce version of the mandolin, with figured maple back and sides, and ebony bridge and fingerboard, with a sunburst top and single ply ivoroid binding.
All proceeds from the raffle, which ends February 29, will go directly to Glen’s medical and living expenses while he recovers. As you might imagine, the limited mobility that comes with a stroke, or a series of them as Duncan suffered in December, is devastating for a musician’s ability to earn a living. Though he is recovering nicely, he is still unable to use his left arm or leg.
Glen had been a popular sessions player in Nashville for years, and previously had served as a founding member with Larry Cordle of Lonesome Standard Time. He also toured with Longview and Rock Hearts, and has done studio work for nearly everyone in Nashville, from Bill Monroe, Doyle Lawson, The Osborne Brothers, and Josh Graves, to Merle Haggard, Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn, just to name a few.
Raffle tickets can be purchased online from The Mandolin Store, and there are no limits on how many $10 chances you can buy.
They have already raised more than $5,000 in just one day, so don’t miss your opportunity both to support Glen, and perhaps get a nifty, hand made mandolin in the bargain.
Zach Vance with The Mandolin Store told us yesterday that they are honored to be able to participate in helping such a remarkable artist as Glen Duncan.
The winner will be chosen on March 1 and announced on The Mandolin Store Facebook page.
A medical relief fund has been created at gofundme for popular Nashville fiddler Glen Duncan. Just a month ago he suffered a stroke while driving, and has been hospitalized at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he has shown remarkable progress, especially considering his age of 68 years.
Now recovering in a rehab facility, Glen and his family are coming to grip with the fact that it may take him quite some time to get back into playing shape, as he is unable to use his left arm or leg. Fortunately, there seems to be little cognitive disruption, but playing the fiddle, his sole livelihood, seems unlikely any time soon.
As a result, his good friend and fellow fiddler Deanie Richardson of Sister Sadie, has created a fundraiser to help with the accumulating medical bills, not to mention loss of income.
It is highly unlikely that any bluegrass or country fan hasn’t heard Glen’s fiddle at some point, and odds are you’ve heard him many times. A short list of artists he has recorded with includes Bill Monroe, Doyle Lawson, The Osborne Brothers, Josh Graves, Merle Haggard, Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn, among many, many others. Duncan was Larry Cordle’s initial partner with Lonesome Standard Time, and had played on a great number of bluegrass tracks each year until his stroke.
Deanie’s appeal at gofundme is direct and personal.
“We are calling on our family, friends, and the music community to help the Duncan family out. Any amount is greatly appreciated. I love this man with all my heart and, if you know him, you love him too. If you don’t know him, I wish you did. He is one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever known. Thank you all so much for your help.”
She has set a goal of $200,000, and given all of Glen’s fans and friends in the music business, that seems like a reachable number.
Gofundme allows donations to be safely and easily processed online using major credit cards or online payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
As Richardson said, even small contributions add up to the sort of support the Duncan family needs at this time. Please consider whether you are able to participate.
He spent several days in the Critical Care Unit, and underwent surgery, but his recuperation has been so swift that he is set to be released from the hospital tomorrow.
We just heard from banjo pickin’ preacher man Steve Bruce, who spoke with Dennis Money of SweetSong Nashville who had visited Duncan this afternoon at Vanderbilt hospital, and shared this very encouraging update.
“Glen is being moved to an outside rehab tomorrow. He is improving but has a long way to go. He is eating and drinking now, and is sitting up this afternoon. His is thankful for all the prayers and concern. Dennis said his strength has improved because he is getting nourishment, and he can tell lots of improvement.”
That is terrific news, giving us all hope that Glen can recover fully from this setback, and be back in the studio with his fiddle again before too long.
Popular Nashville fiddler, songwriter, and producer Glen Duncan is recovering from a series of strokes suffered on December 20. He is hospitalized at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center where his improvement over the past several days has been described by family and friends as a Christmas miracle.
Duncan, 68, was driving when the stroke occurred, so he is also recuperating from injuries sustained in the resulting accident.
The stroke hit at 9:26 a.m. on the 20th, and Glen was taken to Vanderbilt where he was in the Critical Care Unit until surgery was performed that evening to relieve some blockages. A number of additional strokes were detected while in the CCU.
Bluegrass fans have watched almost all of Glen’s life, as he has been involved in the music for most of it. He started out learning steel guitar at only seven years old, quickly branched out to guitar, and upon hearing Earl Scruggs play Foggy Mountain Breakdown, was drawn to the banjo. Piano followed, and in his teens, Duncan got involved with the rock ‘n’ roll scene.
But when he heard Kenny Baker and Vassar Clements, the fiddle won out over all, and Glen has dedicated his career ever since to bowmanship. After a few years doing studio work in Cincinnati, he moved to Nashville where he has worked in sessions for most everyone in town, both bluegrass and country. Notable names include Bill Monroe, Doyle Lawson, The Osborne Brothers, Josh Graves, Merle Haggard, Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn, among many, many others.
Together with Larry Cordle, he served as a founding member of Lonesome Standard Time, and has been a notable member of Rock Hearts and Longview as well. In recent years he has been deeply involved with recordings for the Engelhardt Music Group label, as a performer and writer.
A statement has just been released by Glen and his family regarding his remarkable recovery.
“First and foremost, Glen, Marsha, and Brady would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for all of the support and very intentional prayer since Glen’s hospitalization. It’s working.
Glen has been moved from CCU to ICU, he is able to keep his eyes open, he is very alert, and is regaining movement on his left side that was affected by the stroke. They are hopeful that his feeding tube will be removed later today. Physical therapy began today, and the therapist had Glen working out to the Shania Twain music that he played on. The team of doctors, nurses, and caregivers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been amazing, and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts!
Mentally, he’s all Glen. Complete with his unique humor, his legendary Bill Monroe impressions, he is already dictating new songs he’s writing to Marsha from his hospital bed. The music just keeps flowing, and he is wanting to play his instruments again.
Glen has received many visitors, some with instruments, and phone calls, from industry friends like Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Patty Loveless, Byron Hill, Jerry Salley, Bob Minner, Eddie Sanders, Scott Vestal, Deanie Richardson, Terry and LuAnn Smith, Terry Eldredge, Larry Cordle, Joe Mullins, Michelle and Logan Beard, Teri Cox, and all the ladies from The Salon. Special thanks to John and Barbara Walker for their support, Lt. General Dennis Cavin and Father and Son, Tim and Dalton Clark, who were the first at the scene of the vehicle accident, and to Dennis Money, who gave Marsha a much needed reprieve to go home for a break from the hospital on Monday.
The Duncan’s are so humbled by the outpouring of love and prayer from the music community. Glen’s spirits were high today and he wanted everyone to know ‘how wonderful it is to be a part of this bluegrass family.'”
Given the early reports, this is wonderful news. We hope to hear more soon about Glen’s further recovery and return to work.
The new single this week from fiddler and vocalist Glen Duncan, Six Feet Under The Ground, is the third released in advance of his upcoming album from Engelhardt Music Group.
Long time bluegrass veteran, Duncan, has ‘been there and done that’ in the music world, performing, recording, or producing with almost everyone who matters in Nashville. His credits include work with Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, The Osborne Brothers, Roy Acuff, Ralph Stanley, Mac Wiseman, Doyle Lawson, and Larry Sparks. In the country world he’s been called upon by Shania Twain, John Denver, George Strait, Mark Knopfler, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Faith Hill, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Randy Travis, Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw, Statler Brothers, Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Davis, Hank Snow, Kenny Chesney, The Chieftains, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and more. And he’s not done yet!
For this latest track, Glen set out to create a worthy tribute to the great Bill Monroe, his former boss, and someone he looked up to tremendously.
“When I was a Blue Grass Boy, it was always such a powerful moment to walk out on a festival stage with Bill Monroe and launch into a song like Six Feet Under The Ground!! That’s exactly the feeling I wanted to capture when I recorded this: Bean Blossom on a Saturday Night, a huge crowd under the trees, full of anticipation, and we’re kicking off our show with Six Feet Under The Ground.”
Duncan is supported here by a literal who’s who of bluegrass Nashville: Scott Vestal on banjo, Kenny Smith on guitar, Casey Campbell on mandolin, Rob Ickes on resophonic-guitar, and Dennis Crouch on bass. To make it even more special, Del McCoury came in to sing the vocal harmony!
It’s a rockin’ track where Glen takes care of the lead vocal and the triple fiddles. You can definitely feel the old man’s presence.
Radio programmers can get Six Feet Under The Ground now from AirPlay Direct. It will be available to consumers wherever they stream or download music online next Friday (July 17).
Engelhardt Music Group has released a new single to radio from Glen Duncan, Lonesome For You Blues, which he wrote with Eddy Sanders.
Glen has worked in bluegrass since he was a young man, even touring with Bill Monroe as a member of his Blue Grass Boys. He was partnered for several years with Larry Cordle as Lonesome Standard Time in the early 1990s, and has played or recorded with quite nearly everyone in bluegrass, and quite a few pop stars as well.
Though known primarily as a fiddler and a producer, Duncan takes the lead vocal here on a song that reflects the influence of two of the artists he has recorded with over a long career, Bill Monroe and Del McCoury. Starting out with a bluesy twin fiddle theme, Lonesome For You Blues alternates between that opening signature line, and the verses and chorus of the song. It’s a very effective hook that should stick in the ear of anyone with a taste for tradition al bluegrass.
Support comes from Scott Vestal on banjo, Cody Kilby on guitar, Casey Campbell on mandolin, and Dennis Crouch on bass. Tim Crouch supplies the second fiddle to Glen.
Here’s a taste of the track.
Lonesome For You Blues is available now to radio through AirPlay Direct, and will be released to the public on November 8.
Folks around bluegrass have known Glen Duncan for years, mostly as one of the top fiddlers in the business. He is a former Blue Grass Boy, and has recorded with almost everyone in Nashville – Earl Scruggs, The Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Roy Acuff, Ralph Stanley, Mac Wiseman, Doyle Lawson, Larry Sparks, and Del McCoury to name just a few.
Glen has also added his fiddle to hit projects from a great many top commercial artists, including Shania Twain, John Denver, Merle Haggard, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, and The Statler Brothers. That list truly does go open and on.
He is also known as a talented producer, and was a founding member with Larry Cordle of Lonesome Standard Time, and of bluegrass supergroup Longview as well.
But did you know he is also a singer, and plays all of the instruments in the bluegrass band? Duncan has a new project set for release later this year with the Engelhardt Music Group, and a debut single is out this week to give a flavor of what he has in store.
It’s a cut of the old favorite, Roving Gambler, with assistance from Ned Luberecki on banjo, Cody Kilby on guitar, Casey Campbell on mandolin, Dennis Crouch on bass, and Aubrey Haynie on fiddle. Glen sings the lead, and takes the fiddle break, with harmony vocals from Eddie Sanders and Don McAfee.
Here’s a taste…
Roving Gambler will be available on all the popular download and streaming services starting on June 7. Radio programmers can find it now at AirPlay Direct.
