The Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame in Waynesville, OH has announced that Paul “Moon” Mullins and his son, Joe Mullins, will be inducted in 2025. Both father and son are recognized as bluegrass music icons, as well as celebrated radio broadcasters, in the state of Ohio.
Current bluegrass lovers are well acquainted with Joe, from his highly-successful touring band, The Radio Ramblers, his country and bluegrass radio network in southwestern Ohio, Real Roots Radio, and his twice-yearly festivals, Industrial Strength Bluegrass. But Joe is quick to attribute his natural talent, his professionalism, and his passion of broadcasting to his dad, along with his love for bluegrass and gospel music.
Paul, who died in 2008 at 71 years of age, was among the many Kentuckians who moved north to southern Ohio in search of work, though his career in music started in eastern Kentucky. A noted fiddler, a skill he picked up while stationed in Alaska with the US Army in the late 1950s, he went to work for The Stanley Brothers for a time when he was discharged. He then joined The Bluegrass Playboys, for whom he wrote the now classic song, Katy Daley, which they recorded as Katie Daly, which was based on an Irish drinking song.
As he became a popular radio host in Kentucky, and later Ohio, “Moon,” a nickname that derived from a popular comic strip, was also sought out as an MC at bluegrass festivals, a role he also served at the Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festivals in Brown County, IN at Bill Monroe’s behest.
Paul was involved in the founding of two 20th Century bluegrass bands that make the history books, The Boys From Indiana and The Traditional Grass, the latter of which was the bluegrass world’s introduction to a fresh-faced young banjo player and tenor singer named Joe Mullins.
That tenure with The Traditional Grass allowed Joe to go from a band member in his father’s group to leading his own band, absent the many years of working as a sideman with various groups on the way to becoming a solo artist. His own radio career was cemented when he purchased WBZI in Xenia, OH in 1995, followed shortly thereafter by a pair of other small regional stations. The Real Roots Radio signal now broadcasts on all three, as well as via online streaming, covering the bulk of southwestern Ohio and parts of Cincinnati and northern Kentucky.
Joe Mullins carries the family name forward in bluegrass with his many activities, which include hosting the widely-syndicated radio show, Front Porch Fellowship, while his son, Daniel, makes his own career in the bluegrass business world. Daniel has a popular noon time show on Real Roots Radio, and currently manages the two annual Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festivals.
Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame Director Jackie Thomas says of their 2025 inductees…
“The Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame remains true to its commitment of honoring Ohioans who have excelled in maintaining the genre of traditional country music with the induction of Paul Mullins (posthumously) and Joe Mullins. Both men have made it their mission to promote and preserve Ohio’s rich musical legacy. Their commitment to this aligns perfectly with our mission to ‘preserve the past in order to ensure the future’ for generations to come.”
The Mullinses will be inducted on April 26 during a ceremony at the Keepin’ It Country Farm in Waynesville, OH, starting at 7:00 p.m. The Radio Ramblers will perform, along with The Richard Lynch Band. Tickets for the show can be purchased online.
Many congratulations to Joe and Paul Mullins for this richly deserved honor!
September 18 has been given as the release date for The Blue Are Still The Blues, a 15-song retrospective CD from Rebel Records taken from the four albums recorded for the label by The Traditional Grass in the 1990s.
The highly influential group featured the father/son team of the late Paul “Moon” Mullins, icon of The Boys From Indiana, and Joe Mullins, current leader of Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers. For many bluegrass fans, this was Joe’s introduction to the national market, along with Mark Rader on guitar and vocals, and north-central US legend, the late Gerald Evans. Mike Clevenger completed the band on bass.
Together they created a major buzz in the bluegrass world, bringing what has come to be described as the Ohio/Indiana sound to a wider market. They featured the sort of soaring harmonies that had been the hallmark of the Boys From Indiana two decades earlier, on a mix of newly-written songs and bluegrass classics.
While these original Rebel albums were enthusiastically received in the market, it was the band’s powerful live shows that cemented their status as bluegrass legends, and established the younger Mullins as among our most talented tenor singers and banjo players, a role he continues to this day.
Historians of the era rightly consider the emergence of The Traditional Grass as a major impetus for the revival among modern bands playing and writing new music within a solidly traditional bluegrass format.
Songs chosen for the retrospective project include:
The Blues Are Still The Blues
You Are My Flower
I’ll Not Be A Stranger
Rough Edges
The Shuffle of My Feet
A Broken Heart Keeps Beatin’
Old Joe
It’s Grand To Have Someone To Love You
I Believe In The Old-Time Way
She Has Forgotten
Lazarus
You’ll Never Be The Same
You Can Keep Your Nine Pound Hammer
Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar
Back To Hancock County
Anyone who missed this tremendous outfit in the ’90s will want to have this disc in their collection.
This week we are going to once again remember the life and times of America’s Blue Yodeler, the Singing Brakeman, and the Father of Country Music: the late, great Jimmie Rodgers. On Sunday, May 26, Jimmie Rodgers will have been gone 80 years.
Arguably the most significant man in American music, he has heavily influenced country, blues, folk, jazz, Hawaiian, rock, pop, Americana, western swing, jazz, and bluegrass music. As I did last year, I will be highlighting a Rodgers’ song each day and showcasing popular bluegrass versions of each song, to celebrate the career of Jimmie Rodgers.
The way I been treated, some time I wish I was dead;
The way I been treated, some time I wish I was dead; (Lord know…)
‘Cause I ain’t got no place
To lay my weary head.
[Yodel]
When I want you, woman, I always find you gone;
Ev’rytime I want you, always find you gone; (You’re always gone…)
Listen here, good mama,
I’m gonna put your air brakes on.
[Yodel]
Some like Chicago, some love Memphis, Tennessee;
Some like Chicago, some love Memphis, Tennessee. (Ask sweet mama…)
Give me sweet Dallas, Texas,
Where the women think the world of me.
[SPOKEN] Hey, hey, hey…
[Yodel]
You may have your troubles, I’m having my troubles, too;
You may have your troubles, I’m having my troubles, too;
Yes, I know how it feels
When you’re feeling so doggone blue. (Have mercy, Lord…)
[Yodel]
I’m not singin’ the blues, I’m tellin’ you the hard luck I’ve had;
I’m not singin’ blues, I’m tellin’ you the hard luck I’ve had. (Baby, I’ve had it, too…)
The blues ain’t nothin’ but a good man feeling bad.
[Yodel]
In addition to being the father of country music, Jimmie Rodgers is a leading figure in blues music. Revered by many as the greatest blues singer of all time, Howlin’ Wolf’s favorite blues singer was Jimmie Rodgers.
“My man that I dug, that I really dug, that I got my yodel from, was Jimmie Rodgers. See, he yodeled, and I turned it into something more of a howl.” Howlin’ Wolf
Rodgers’ blues is evident in many of his songs, particularly in his collection of thirteen blue yodels. The blues sound is clear in Jimmie’s Texas Blues due to its format. Most classic blues songs follow the same pattern. The songs are written with one line, the line repeated, and then a punch line. The punch line is key. In addition to adding a hint of humor, the punch line adds clarity to the preceding lines and expresses the true sentiment of the verse and the song itself.
For example
1st Line: I’m not singin’ the blues, I’m tellin’ you the hard luck I’ve had; 1st Line Repeated: I’m not singin’ blues, I’m tellin’ you the hard luck I’ve had. Punch Line: The blues ain’t nothin’ but a good man feeling bad.
A well-written blues song is timeless, which is why Jimmie’s songs are some of the most-recorded tunes of all time. Not just in country and bluegrass — Jimmie’s songs are recorded and performed all over the world.
One aspect of Jimmie’s Texas Blues which is purely Rodgers is his spoken asides. In the verse quoted above, the aside used was “Baby, I’ve had it too…” Rodgers transformed so many aspects in American music and introduced many subtle practices which are now common place in the music industry. He was the first to include spoken phrases not directly connected to the song, such as his “Hey, hey, hey” with which many are familiar. Rap artists use this all the time, and it all started with Jimmie Rodgers.
Jimmie’s Texas Blues is a quintessential example of some of Rodgers’ best aspects. This song hasn’t been as popular through the years as some of his others, but it still has all the earmarks of a Rodgers song. Even though you probably haven’t heard it before, you can still tell it is a Jimmie Rodgers song, the sign of a real artist. Jerry Lee Lewis once said that there were only four stylists in all of popular music: Hank Williams, Al Jolson, himself, and Jimmie Rodgers. Jimmie’s Texas Blues is a great example of why.
One of the few covers of the song comes from The Traditional Grass. Mark Rader is such a fan of Rodgers’ music, and does a magnificent job channeling his inner “Blue Yodeler” for Jimmie’s Texas Blues. He features many Rodgers-influenced guitar licks throughout, and sings as if his heart has just been crushed and “sweet Dallas, Texas” is the only place where he can find solace. The rest of the band’s bluesy instrumental breaks complete the transformation from an overlooked Rodgers cut into a bluegrass song.
Come back tomorrow for Rodgers Remembrance Vol XI: Those Gambler’s Blues.
If you enjoy the Rodgers Remembrances this week, feel free to tune in to my radio program, Bending The Strings, this Saturday afternoon on Classic Country Radio from 3:00-5:00 p.m. (EDT). In honor of the life of Jimmie Rodgers, I will be producing a very special tribute show including many of the songs discussed in the Rodgers Remembrances this week. You won’t want to miss it!
It’s finally here, fellas: Die Hard 5 hits theaters TODAY!
Unfortunately, for most of you, Bruce Willis takes a backseat to Cupid. If you didn’t know by now, today is Valentine’s Day. How many of you have forgotten until now? And yes, your local Wal-Mart is already sold out of flowers and chocolates. What’s a man to do?
Never fear! I am here to save the day. Here is The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Playlist for your Bluegrass Valentine! (Don’t worry, Pretty Polly did not make the final cut.)
1. I’m Head Over Heels In Love — Flatt & Scruggs
I know we’ve heard it a thousand times, but do Lester and Earl ever get old? I vote an emphatic no. Besides, I’m sure your girl would love knowing that you’d “go across the ocean” for her (unless you’re going across the ocean to get away from her!)
2. Still They Call Me Love — The Grascals
A newer number from The Grascals, this is a standout song off their Grammy-nominated album, Life Finds A Way. Love takes many different shapes and sizes, and can have a variety of results, but no matter what, it is the most powerful thing on earth.
3. My Love Will Not Change — The Del McCoury Band
If you can cuddle up with your sweetheart and listen to Del McCoury together, MARRY HER! That’s a keeper in my book. It’s hard to believe this Del McCoury hit is a decade old already. It still sounds just as fresh as it did ten years ago.
4. I’ll Love Nobody But You — Jim & Jesse/The Gibson Brothers
Reassuring your darling that she’s the only one is always a good thing to do. Whether you have Jim & Jesse or The Gibson Brothers do the reminding for you, you can’t go wrong!
5. A Good Woman’s Love — Bill Monroe
Although The Father Of Bluegrass has some powerhouse vocals on this song, this a good one on which you can share a waltz. Nothing says romance like swaying back and forth to Bill Monroe! Your better half will really feel appreciated if you dedicate this one to her.
6. Love At First Light — Newfound Road
While this song may be lesser known, you and your Valentine will love it! Love At First Light is a great contemporary number, which really highlights Tim Shelton’s vocal style (and shows why Shelton has been a bluegrass heartthrob for the past decade! Don’t believe me, just ask my sister or your girlfriend!) It is a remarkable love song, which tells a great story.
7. Erase The Miles — IIIrd Tyme Out
Erase The Miles is definitely a must-listen for your Valentine, especially if you have to spent today apart. (Hopefully, for a better reason than sneaking off to see Die Hard 5 with the guys!) A breakout hit for IIIrd Tyme Out, Russell Moore’s singing seems to get better with each listen!
8. When You Say Nothing At All — Keith Whitley/Alison Krauss
Whether you decide to have Keith Whitley or Alison Krauss serenade your sweetheart, you really can’t go wrong with this timeless song. In addition to her getting that puppy dog look in her eyes, you have a great line if she starts talking your ear off. You say it best when you nothing at all.
9. It’s Grand To Have Someone To Love You — The Traditional Grass
A hit from the later years of The Traditional Grass, I have heard my dad dedicate this one to my mom countless times both on stage and on the air. You both will be singing along to this one in no time. There is a reason this is Junior Sisk’s ringtone. (Don’t believe me? Ask him! Haha.) Note: If your girl does not think it is grand to have someone to love her, dump her.
10. Ocean Of Diamonds — Jimmy Martin
The chorus says it all…
I’d give an ocean of diamonds, a world filled with flowers
to hold you closely for just a few hours.
Hear you whisper softly, that you love me too
would change all the dark clouds to the bluest of blue.
If your date doesn’t start getting mushy after that, she has a heart of stone. And once again, if you can cuddle up with her and listen to The King Of Bluegrass, either marry her or give me her number.
11. Perfect Love — Ronnie Bowman
Perfect Love was co-written by Ronnie Bowman and Dan Tyminski. The lyrics to this song are simple but powerful. What also makes this song special is that Ronnie has his wife singing with him on the track. Guys, this would be a good one for you and your girlfriend to learn for karaoke night at your nearest Applebee’s. Just an idea!
12. Fine As Fine Can Be — Tony Rice
Last, but certainly not least, you should close your night with Gordon Lightfoot’s Fine As Fine Can Be. I think this is one of the best love songs ever written. The simplicity in its phrasing is what makes it so brilliant. Everyone can understand this song. The one liners from this tune are too many to count, but any one of them could cause your girlfriend to melt. If you close your date with this one, you will definitely be ending the night with a goodnight kiss!
With this playlist, you and your sweetheart are sure to have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
What’s your favorite bluegrass love song? Let us know in the comments below.
This week we are going to remember the life and times of America’s Blue Yodeler, the Singing Brakeman, and the Father of Country Music: the late, great Jimmie Rodgers. On Saturday, May 26, Jimmie Rodgers will have been gone 79 years.
Arguably the most significant man in American music, he has heavily influenced country, blues, folk, jazz, Hawaiian, rock, pop, Americana, western swing, jazz, and bluegrass music. To celebrate the life and times of Jimmie Rodgers, I will be highlighting a Jimmie Rodgers’ song each day and showcasing a popular bluegrass version or two of each song.
My Old Pal — Elsie McWilliams/Jimmie Rodgers
I’m thinking of you tonight, old Pal
And wishing that you were here
I’m dreaming of the times and the days gone by
When you filled my heart with cheer
I remember the nights when all alone
We sang Sweet Adeline
No other face can take your place
In my heart, old Pal of mine
[Yodel]
The old pals are always the best, you see
New friends you can find ev’ry day
But they can’t fill their place or ever be
Like the old pals of yesterday
I’m wondering just where you are tonight
And if you ever think of me
It would make my weary heart so light, Sweetheart
Your face again to see
But in my checked life I find
Nothing comes right it seems
Still you’ll always be a pal of mine
Though it may be only in dreams
[Yodel]
The old pals are always the best, you see
New friends you can find ev’ry day
But they can’t fill their place or ever be
Like the old pals of yesterday
My Old Pal is one of many songs in Jimmie Rodgers’ career written by his sister-in-law, Elsie McWilliams. Elsie wrote roughly thirty-nine songs for Rodgers, although she is only given credit for nineteen. She helped Jimmie with such songs as My Rough And Rowdy Ways, Everybody Does It In My Hawaii, Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues, You And My Old Guitar, Daddy And Home, Nobody Knows But Me, Never No Mo’ Blues, Blue Yodel No. 7, and more.
Rodgers had a relentless tour schedule. When he wasn’t on the road touring, Ralph Peer (of Victor Records and the famous Bristol Sessions) had Jimmie in the studio recording new songs. The key word there is new. Ralph, essentially, wanted only new material. This left quite a strain on Jimmie, so he turned to his sister-in-law, Elsie McWilliams, for help.
Jimmie noticed that Elsie had a knack for songwriting, after reading some poetry and children’s church songs she had written. He decided to have Elsie help him keep up the demand for new material. While Jimmie was on the road touring, Elsie would work on writing songs for her brother-in-law. When Jimmie would return, he would tweak them a bit to fit his style more. Many of these tunes ended up being some of his most successful.
While only accredited with nineteen of these songs, Elsie co-wrote nearly thirty-nine. Her reasoning for not taking co-writing credit on these other songs was that Jimmie needed the songs and the money, particularly due to Jimmie’s tuberculosis. Elsie reflects on this:
“I didn’t want a penny for those songs, you understand, if there was any money coming, I wanted him to have it. He was sick and broke and I loved ‘em both so very much.
He kept after me to sign a contract, but I wouldn’t, I didn’t want any of his money. But he kept after me anyway, so I finally agreed to accept 1/25th of a percent [.04%]… I nearly fainted when I got my first royalty check, it was for $256.56 dollars. I signed it right over to the church.”
Just for fun, here’s our math lesson of the day:
When calculating inflation over the past eight decades, that same $256.56 would be worth $3,234.78 today. Also, if $256.56 is .04% of the earnings, the total royalties would have equaled $641,400. $641,400 then is the equivalent of $8,086,953.88 now! (I can hear the songwriters’ jaws hitting the floor right now!)
Of Jimmie’s 111 issued recordings, Elsie McWilliams wrote 39 of them- roughly 35%. Many of Elsie’s songs have become some of Jimmie’s most popular. One of these is My Old Pal.
This one of those songs to which everyone can relate. We all know what it’s like to have and lose friends. Whether they were friends of a romantic nature or not, friends are friends, and losing them hurts. My Old Pal does a great job at connecting this experience to the listener, making it very relatable. We’ve all been in those shoes before, and after listening to My Old Pal, you’ll want to pick up and phone and call the “Old Pal” in your life. Elsie put it best when she wrote the chorus.
The old pals are always the best, you see
New friends you can find ev’ry day
But they can’t fill their place or ever be
Like the old pals of yesterday
Although this is a popular Jimmie Rodgers song, much of its acclaim came after Jimmie’s passing. Both Lefty Frizzell and Merle Haggard recorded tribute albums to The Father of Country Music which included My Old Pal. These stellar albums brought about a new awareness for Jimmie Rodgers’ music. One such is example is Mark Rader of The Traditional Grass.
The Traditional Grass was a popular bluegrass band in the 1980s and early ’90s based out of southern Ohio. They recorded four albums for Rebel Records, three of which are still in print. Featuring Mark Rader, Paul “Moon” Mullins, Joe Mullins, Gerald Evans Jr, and Mark Clevenger, The Traditional Grass have had some of their songs recut by such popular modern artists as Adam Steffey, Brandon Rickman, and Mickey Harris. They recorded two different Rodgers songs on their Rebel albums: Jimmie’s Texas Blues and My Old Pal.
Mark Rader attributes the Rodgers influence in his own style to Merle Haggard’s tribute album to Jimmie, Same Train, A Different Time.
“On his radio shows sometime back in the early 70’s, I heard Paul Mullins mention Merle Haggard’s tribute album to Jimmie Rodgers. He regularly featured cuts from it. I rushed out and bought a copy and have been heavily influenced by it ever since.”
As far as I know, The Traditional Grass’s version of My Old Pal is the only bluegrass version of this Jimmie Rodgers’ classic. Mark Rader’s distinguishable lead vocals deliver the song beautifully. Emotion and control are earmarks of a great singer, and both are executed here with ease.
You’ve heard the saying “Sometimes less is more”? Well this song could be the poster-child of that phrase. A simple arrangement featuring just Mark, his guitar, and Gene Wooten’s dobro does wonders. This provides more room for Mark’s voice and his beautiful guitar work to take the spotlight. Gene’s tasteful dobro compliments Mark brilliantly. In my opinion, My Old Pal has yet to be done as well as this. This recording is a masterpiece, and I’m sure you will agree.
After listening to My Old Pal, you will see why this has become such a popular Rodgers song, and why Elsie McWilliams was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1979 for her work with The Father of Country Music.
Come back tomorrow for Rodgers Remembrance Vol V: Blue Yodel No. 1 (“T” for Texas).
If you enjoy the Rodgers Remembrances this week, feel free to tune in to my radio program, Bending The Strings, this Saturday afternoon on My Classic Country from 3:00-5:00 p.m. (EDT). In honor of the life of Jimmie Rodgers, I will be producing a very special tribute show including many of the songs discussed in the Rodgers Remembrances this week. You won’t want to miss it!
On December 5, 1983, The Traditional Grass was formed.
Joe Mullins, banjo player for The Traditional Grass, retells the history of the group …..
“We worked a Flea Market in downtown Dayton, Ohio, and it was a live broadcast for WPFB Radio, the station my Dad was heard on for about 25 years.
The first line-up was Paul “Moon” Mullins – fiddle and vocals, Mark Rader – guitar and vocals, Joe Mullins – banjo and vocals, Bill Adams – bass.
We had no clue the group would last 12 years! And we had few changes, mainly bass players. Glen Inman came to the group on bass in 1986, then Mike Clevenger in 1992. The only other member was Gerald Evans Jr, who joined in 1990 on mandolin, fiddle and vocals. Sadly Dad and Gerald have both been gone for a couple of years now.
When the group organized, I was only 17 years old! Mark Rader and I started jamming together in late Summer of 1983, and we even met Bill Adams at a local festival. I turned 18 in October that year, and by then, Mark Rader and I had developed a friendship that has now lasted 28 years. We would dig for songs and sing together two or three days a week! Dad was a very popular radio personality and fiddler, and we quickly had work throughout the region almost every weekend.
By 1989, we had released three independent recordings, and were coming into our own as a band. Dad and I both left full-time radio work in March 1989 and the band began booking a full time schedule. After Gerald Evans, Jr. joined in 1990, our sound and show really expanded and we soon signed with Rebel Records. We really hit the tour schedule full-blast in those days with everyone in the group writing and arranging, Mark taking care of the bus, I did the booking and promotion and Dad cooked for the band – best cornbread and fried chicken in the business!
All total, we did eight recordings in 12 years, four indies and four for Rebel. Three of the Rebel releases are still available. My current band, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, still carry the CD’s with us and we do a couple of the songs from those days. Other Traditional Grass tunes have been covered recently by Adam Steffey, Brandon Rickman, Mickey Harris and Dailey and Vincent.
I was blessed with an opportunity to buy my first radio station in 1995, and the Traditional Grass wrapped up with our final show September 17, 1995.”
Paul Mullins was the band’s direct link with tradition. In the 1950s he played fiddle with the Stanley Brothers and in 1974 he helped to form the Boys from Indiana.
Mullins passed away on August 3, 2008 at the age of 71.
He hosted a bluegrass radio program on WPFB in Middletown for more than 20 years, and won the IBMA award for Broadcaster of the Year in 2000.
The Traditional Grass worked extensively throughout the region due to the popularity of Paul and Joe’s radio programs. After they both resigned from the Middletown station in 1989, the band began performing, recording and touring full-time on a nationwide basis.
The Traditional Grass produced and recorded several albums, four of which were for Rebel Records.
Joe formed Town and Country Broadcasting in 1995 for the purpose of purchasing WBZI AM 1500 in Xenia, Ohio. With such a business demands led to The Traditional Grass disbanding in September of that year.
In 1997 Joe Mullins became part of the group Longview, then in Spring 2006 he formed Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, originally put together to help to promote the radio station.
Discography:
Paul Mullins and the Traditional Grass (1985)
A Touch of the Fifties (1987)
Traditional Favorites (1989)
A Lonesome Road to Travel (1990)
All have long been out of print, but The Traditional Grass did re-record the most requested tunes on the CD 10th Anniversary Collection, along with a new selection of tunes. That CD is still available.
We have reported previously about Gerald Evans, the popular Kentucky bluegrass musician, singer and songwriter, and his battle with cancer. He had been diagnosed in the summer of 2009 with an aggressive, stage 4 cancer that was already widespread throughout his body.
Gerald lost his struggle this past Saturday (April 10) when he passed away early that morning at 50 years of age. He had been perhaps most visible nationally and internationally as a member of The Traditional Grass during the 1990s, but was well-known and loved in his native Kentucky and among the many bluegrass musicians and fans in the Bluegrass State.
Two of his bandmates from the Traditional Grass have sent remembrances of their dear friend. First up is Mark Rader, who played guitar and shared singing duties with Gerald.
“Gerald was a rough and tumble kind of guy with a heart of gold. He loved to play music more than anyone I have ever met, and he was darn good at it too! What a touch on that fiddle! And songwriting was something he did constantly.
He never met a stranger, and due to that and his love of jamming, he made many friends all across the country. When he joined The Traditional Grass in 1990, our group had been in existence for nearly seven years. Paul Mullins told him ‘You’ll have to make yourself a place here to where you’d be missed if you weren’t there.’
Little did we know that Gerald did this in anything he became involved with. He’ll be missed by all who knew and loved him.”
Joe Mullins has called Gerald a friend since they first started to play music together.
“I had the blessing of Gerald’s friendship for 25 years. We first met in the 1980’s when he was fiddling for Dave Evans. His time with the Goins Brothers in the late 80’s though was certainly memorable for me and thousands of fans. Gerald had been working eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio with Rick May and Bill Hamm. When all three joined Melvin and Ray as the Shed House Trio, they really lit a fire under two bluegrass pioneers and created a fantastic show! The Traditional Grass and the Goins Brothers worked dozens of the same festivals back then and Gerald, Rick and Bill became like brothers to me. We would jam all night!
The Trio got to record a gospel project for Vetco records in Cincinnati. One of the guys called me one afternoon and said ‘We are going to record and would like you to play banjo if you are available.’ I said ‘Absolutely – when is the session’ – they said ‘Tomorrow!’ So, I invited them to drive up to Ohio that evening so we could rehearse. My Dad cooked a kettle of beans and put them up that night and the session came off the next day with no problems at all. Oh the wonderful memories of being young and spontaneous!
Within the next year, the Traditional Grass began touring full-time and needed to expand our show. Me (banjo and vocals), Mark Rader (guitar and vocals), my Dad Paul Mullins (fiddle and vocals) and Glen Inman (bass) had been together several years as a four piece band. We needed a lot to take our music to the next level – mandolin, more vocal variety and original songs. Gerald Evans Jr, was all of the above. A good mandolin player, a great fiddler and showman, could sing ANY part and he was fast becoming one of the most thoughtful songwriters I have known.
Gerald had written some wonderful gospel songs in the 1980’s. He spent a little time in Nashville with Wayne Lewis and worked on Bill Monroe’s farm for a while. Monroe’s Grammy-winning album Southern Flavor included Gerald’s song Give Me Wings. He was really thankful for his time and friendship with Bill.
Gerald joined the Traditional Grass in September 1990. He was an immediate inspiration to our music, stage show and audience. He inspired me and Mark Rader to get much more creative vocally and to become songwriters ourselves. Over the next five years, we recorded four Traditional Grass CD’s for Rebel, each one featuring some of Gerald’s original songs, strong vocal, mandolin and fiddle work. Gerald and I also did an all instrumental CD of just old-time fiddle and banjo tunes.
He continued to create and perform great, original music through last year. He worked with the Wildwood Valley Boys, his own band Paradise and Don Rigsby and Midnight Call. I was so glad to record two of his songs on my latest CD with my band the Radio Ramblers.
One of my most memorable moments on the road with Gerald was in the summer of 1991. We were working the Smithsonian Folk Festival for a week in downtown Washington DC. One afternoon we were free to walk around town and site-see. As with any big city, you encounter a few unfortunate folks who are asking for a hand out. Gerald and I passed a homeless guy by an alley asking for money. Gerald said something to the guy as we passed. The next street had a vendor wagon selling food. Gerald bought a big burrito with the works and carried it back to the homeless guy. I have never forgotten that moment and I will never forget my friend Gerald.”
Funeral arrangements are being handled through Waddell & Whitt in Sandy Hook, KY. Visitation is scheduled for this afternoon (Monday April 12) at 5:00 p.m. with the funeral service tomorrow (4/13) at 1:00 p.m.
Online condolences can be posted on the funeral home web site, where you can also read Gerald’s obituary notice. Friends and fans are also welcome to leave their thoughts and comments here on Bluegrass Today.
We have reported previously about Gerald Evans, the popular Kentucky bluegrass musician, singer and songwriter, and his battle with cancer. He had been diagnosed in the summer of 2009 with an aggressive, stage 4 cancer that was already widespread throughout his body.
Gerald lost his struggle this past Saturday (April 10) when he passed away early that morning at 50 years of age. He had been perhaps most visible nationally and internationally as a member of The Traditional Grass during the 1990s, but was well-known and loved in his native Kentucky and among the many bluegrass musicians and fans in the Bluegrass State.
Two of his bandmates from the Traditional Grass have sent remembrances of their dear friend. First up is Mark Rader, who played guitar and shared singing duties with Gerald.
“Gerald was a rough and tumble kind of guy with a heart of gold. He loved to play music more than anyone I have ever met, and he was darn good at it too! What a touch on that fiddle! And songwriting was something he did constantly.
He never met a stranger, and due to that and his love of jamming, he made many friends all across the country. When he joined The Traditional Grass in 1990, our group had been in existence for nearly seven years. Paul Mullins told him ‘You’ll have to make yourself a place here to where you’d be missed if you weren’t there.’
Little did we know that Gerald did this in anything he became involved with. He’ll be missed by all who knew and loved him.”
Joe Mullins has called Gerald a friend since they first started to play music together.
“I had the blessing of Gerald’s friendship for 25 years. We first met in the 1980’s when he was fiddling for Dave Evans. His time with the Goins Brothers in the late 80’s though was certainly memorable for me and thousands of fans. Gerald had been working eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio with Rick May and Bill Hamm. When all three joined Melvin and Ray as the Shed House Trio, they really lit a fire under two bluegrass pioneers and created a fantastic show! The Traditional Grass and the Goins Brothers worked dozens of the same festivals back then and Gerald, Rick and Bill became like brothers to me. We would jam all night!
The Trio got to record a gospel project for Vetco records in Cincinnati. One of the guys called me one afternoon and said ‘We are going to record and would like you to play banjo if you are available.’ I said ‘Absolutely – when is the session’ – they said ‘Tomorrow!’ So, I invited them to drive up to Ohio that evening so we could rehearse. My Dad cooked a kettle of beans and put them up that night and the session came off the next day with no problems at all. Oh the wonderful memories of being young and spontaneous!
Within the next year, the Traditional Grass began touring full-time and needed to expand our show. Me (banjo and vocals), Mark Rader (guitar and vocals), my Dad Paul Mullins (fiddle and vocals) and Glen Inman (bass) had been together several years as a four piece band. We needed a lot to take our music to the next level – mandolin, more vocal variety and original songs. Gerald Evans Jr, was all of the above. A good mandolin player, a great fiddler and showman, could sing ANY part and he was fast becoming one of the most thoughtful songwriters I have known.
Gerald had written some wonderful gospel songs in the 1980’s. He spent a little time in Nashville with Wayne Lewis and worked on Bill Monroe’s farm for a while. Monroe’s Grammy-winning album Southern Flavor included Gerald’s song Give Me Wings. He was really thankful for his time and friendship with Bill.
Gerald joined the Traditional Grass in September 1990. He was an immediate inspiration to our music, stage show and audience. He inspired me and Mark Rader to get much more creative vocally and to become songwriters ourselves. Over the next five years, we recorded four Traditional Grass CD’s for Rebel, each one featuring some of Gerald’s original songs, strong vocal, mandolin and fiddle work. Gerald and I also did an all instrumental CD of just old-time fiddle and banjo tunes.
He continued to create and perform great, original music through last year. He worked with the Wildwood Valley Boys, his own band Paradise and Don Rigsby and Midnight Call. I was so glad to record two of his songs on my latest CD with my band the Radio Ramblers.
One of my most memorable moments on the road with Gerald was in the summer of 1991. We were working the Smithsonian Folk Festival for a week in downtown Washington DC. One afternoon we were free to walk around town and site-see. As with any big city, you encounter a few unfortunate folks who are asking for a hand out. Gerald and I passed a homeless guy by an alley asking for money. Gerald said something to the guy as we passed. The next street had a vendor wagon selling food. Gerald bought a big burrito with the works and carried it back to the homeless guy. I have never forgotten that moment and I will never forget my friend Gerald.”
Funeral arrangements are being handled through Waddell & Whitt in Sandy Hook, KY. Visitation is scheduled for this afternoon (Monday April 12) at 5:00 p.m. with the funeral service tomorrow (4/13) at 1:00 p.m.
Online condolences can be posted on the funeral home web site, where you can also read Gerald’s obituary notice. Friends and fans are also welcome to leave their thoughts and comments here on Bluegrass Today.
Rebel Records has announced that Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers have signed with the label, and that they will release their project, Rambler’s Call, on March 30.
Though not so visible on the bluegrass circuit of late, Joe Mullins established himself as a premier banjo player and tenor singer with The Traditional Grass in the 1990s. The band wowed ’em all over the country with their dynamic presentation of hard core grass, and also with a string of powerful recordings.
Joe stepped away from performing in 1995 when he moved into the radio business full time, and he now owns and operates a number of radio stations in southern Ohio. They all broadcast the same classic country format, with a prominent dose of bluegrass, which can also be heard online at MyClassicCountry.com. He did some recording as a member of Longview, and appeared on some selected recordings, but not on a regular basis.
With the radio business now firmly established, Joe has begun to tour and record again with his own group, The Radio Ramblers. Their first album, Tuned In, was released in 2007 and Rambler’s Call came out in limited distribution in 2009. Rebel’s Mark Freeman tells us that they are delighted to re-release this CD to a wider audience, and that they have made only minor revisions to the packaging.
Mark was especially excited about Mullins’ next album, an all-Gospel project tentatively titled Hymns From The Hills with a projected Rebel release during the Fall of 2010. Mullins has already started on this next record, and says that it is one he has wanted to do for some time.
“The CD will include both classic and original gospel songs and will feature several special guests–many of them my heroes–like Doyle Lawson, Ralph Stanley, Rhonda Vincent, Larry Sparks and Paul Williams.”
Joe and the Ramblers are touring actively in 2010, and you can find their schedule online.
Gerald Evans, popular bluegrass singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has been diagnosed with cancer. He has recently begun chemotherapy treatment, but his cancer has already reached stage 4, where the disease has spread widely through the body.
Evans was part of the Traditional Grass in the 1990s, along with Joe Mullins and Paul “Moon” Mullins, and had worked also with Dave Evans. He currently fronts his own group, Gerald Evans & Paradise.
Friends and fans who would like to send along words of encouragement can do so at the following address:
