Bill Keith discography part III: 1980-2008: mature works

1980 – Rowan, Keith And Rooney – Hot Bluegrass (Waterfront Music – WF 016)
Live recording by Jacobs Mobile at Amberley, West Sussex, England, UK on 24/11/1980. Released in 1985 in the UK.
Banjo: Bill Keith, Double Bass, Producer: Dave Hatfield, Guitar, Vocals, Producer: Jim Rooney, Mandola, Guitar: Peter Rowan.

1981 – Fiddle Tunes for Banjo-Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, Bela Fleck
(Rounder Records – 0124 , CD 0124: 1999)

In early 1980, three generations of banjoists came together for the album “fiddle tune for banjo”, following in the footsteps of the innovations introduced by Bill in the early 60s. In addition to Bill (b. 1939), there was Tony Trischka (b. 1949) and Trischka’s former pupil, the young Béla Fleck (b. 1958), who was destined for a dazzling career. All three are influenced not only by bluegrass, but also by jazz, classical, and various world music genres.

Our three banjoists open the album together with ‘Bill Cheatham‘, combining different styles. The CD version also contains 2 bonus 3-banjo tracks: ‘John Hardy‘ and the classic ‘Salt Creek’, originally composed & recorded by Bill with Monroe in 1964.

At the age of 22, Béla Fleck already has a solo album to his credit, featuring Russ Barenberg and Sam Bush and , but he also plays in the group Spectrum with Glenn Lawson (guitar) and Jimmy Gaudreau (mandolin). These last three musicians and his sidekick Mark Schatz (bass) accompany him on this album. Béla Fleck contributes five tracks, including two of his own compositions.

Tony Trischka contributes four tracks, including 2 compositions of his own. He reunites with his New York accomplices Andy Statman (mandolin) and Russ Barenberg (guitar) and Kenny Kosek (fiddle). Californian Darol Anger (fiddle), founding member of the David Grisman Quintet, plays on two tracks.

Bill Keith is accompanied by Kenny Kosek, with whom he has toured Europe and the USA and who recorded on the Keith & Collier album; Russ Barenberg, who toured with him as a duo in Japan; and Gordon Titcomb, a multi-instrumentalist who plays mandolin here, and with whom he collaborated on the Woodstock Mountains Revue (1978), and who would appear on Bill’s subsequent solo albums.

Bill contributes four tracks, including two of his own compositions: “Clinging Vine” and “Mead Mountain Blues”, an unconventional Celtic-style piece featuring a subtle dialogue between Bill’s banjo and Kenny and Larry Campbell‘s fiddles. “Jolly Waffle Man” features an interesting chord progression from major to minor, offering subtle variations between the instruments. Finally, in more traditional fashion, Bill Keith and his partners (Matt Glaser replaces Larry Campbell) give a superb rendition of Monroe’s “Panhandle Country”.

In a review of this album twenty years after its release, writer Chet Williamson declares: “For the banjo pickers and lovers among us, this is a must have, as much a summit meeting of banjo players as “The Three Tenors” is a summit meeting of, well, tenors. (..) It’s also a hoot to hear young Bela Fleck on the threshold of his career, as well as the pickers who inspired him ”. In its context, this is certainly the most innovative banjo record I’ve ever heard.

1981 – ‘Carolina In My Mind’ – Woodstock Mountains Revue : Back to Mud Acres (Rounder Records – 3065)
Banjo: Bill Keith, Bass: Roly Salley, Fiddle: Caroline Dutton, Guitar, Lead Vocals: Happy Traum Harmony Vocals: Andy Robinson, Mandolin, Pedal Steel Guitar: Larry Campbell – Recorded August 10-12, 1981 Grogkill Studios, Mt. Tremper, NY

The New Blue Velvet Band : Jim Rooney, Bill Keith, Eric Weissberg, Kenny Kosek

1984 – Bill Keith – ‘Banjoistics’ (Rounder Records – 0148)

Session 1: Rick’s Americana Studio, New York City. Credits: The New Blue Velvet Band (Jim Rooney (guitar, vocals), Bill Keith (banjo, vocals), Eric Weissberg (guitar, vocals), Kenny Kosek (fiddle), Guest artists: Russ Barenberg (guitar), Gordon Titcomb (mandolin/vocals), Ron Carter (bass).

• Six White Horses (Traditional)
• Morrison’s Jig (Traditional, instrumental)
• Should We Tell Him (Everly Brothers: Phil & Don)
• Pentachrome (Bill Keith, instrumental)
• Busy Body (Winston S. Sharples)
• Sunday’s Hornpipe (Pierre Bensusan, instrumental)
• Lay Down Sally (Eric Clapton)

Session 2: Dreamland Studio, Bearsville, NY. Credits: Bill Keith (banjo), Bobby Farris (guitar), Dick Kniss (bass), Larry Packer (fiddle).

• You Came A Long Way From St. Louis (John Benson Brooks)
• Mood Indigo (Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills)
• Nola (Felix Arndt)

session 3: Jack Clement’s Cowboy Arms Hotel And Recording Spa, Nashville, TN. Credits: Bill Keith (banjo), Jim Rooney (guitar), Pat Alger (guitar), Mark Howard (guitar), Bill Kenner (mandolin), Junior Huskey (bass), Buddy Spicher (fiddle)

• Banjo Boy Chimes (Sonny Osborne)
• Bully Of The Town (traditional)

1985 – Peter Rowan – ‘The First Whippoorwill’ (Sugar Hill Records – SH-3749)
‘The First Whippoorwill‘ is a tribute album by Peter Rowan to Bill Monroe, featuring only the latter’s compositions. Produced by Peter Rowan and Jim Rooney, it is accompanied by a first-rate band, including Alan O’Bryant (2° guitar, Tenor vocals), Buddy Spicher (fiddle – harmony vocals), Sam Bush ( mandolin, Baryton vocals), Roy Huskey Jr. (bass) and long-term partners: Bill Keith (banjo) et Richard Greene (fiddle – lead, Bass vocals).

• A1 I’m on My Way Back to the Old Home (Bill Monroe)
• A2 I’m Just a Used to Be (Bill Monroe)
• A3 I Believed in You, Darling (Bill Monroe)
• A4 Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong (Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt)
• A5 When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall (Bill Monroe)
• A6 I Was Left on the Street (Bill Monroe)
• B1 Goodbye Old Pal (Bill Monroe)
• B2 When You Are Lonely (Bill Monroe)
• B3 The First Whippoorwill (Bill Monroe)
• B4 Sittin’ Alone in the Moonlight (Bill Monroe)
• B5 Boat of Love (James W. Smith – a Bill Monroe alias)
• B6 It’s Mighty Dark to Travel (Bill Monroe)

1985 – 21th Cambridge Folk Festival: Bill Keith, Jim Rooney, Marc O’Connor

• Soldier’s Joy/Rickett’s Hornpipe/Turkey In The Straw (Traditional)
• Six White Horse (Traditional, Jim Rooney, Vocals)
• Opus 57 (David Grisman)
  

1989 – David’s Rounder Album Band – ‘Live at Grass Valley’ (Bluegrass festival, Ca July 30 1989) – (David Grisman (mandolin) , Tony Rice (guitar), Bill Keith (banjo), Vassar Clements (fiddle), Jerry Douglas (dobro), Mark Schatz (bass)) .
Acoustic disc/Acoustic Oasis Downloads

1992 – Bill Keith – ‘Beating Around the Bush’ (Green Linnet GLCD 2107) Recorded in three sessions:
– Session 1: Clement’s Cowboy Arms Hotel And Recording Spa, Nashville, TN, with Junior Huskey (bass)
– Session 2: RBY Studio, Southbury, CT, with Roger Mason (bass)
– Session 3: NRS Recording Studio, Kingston, NY, with Midge Pike (bass).
Credits: The New Blue Velvet Band: (Bill Keith (banjo), Jim Rooney (guitar, vocals), , Eric Weissberg, (guitar), Kenny Kosek (fiddle)) Gordon Titcomb (mandolin/drip/steel)
Guests: Mark Howard (guitar), David Grier (guitar), Craig Vance (guitar), Ed Diehl (guitar), Sam Bush (mandolin), , Mike Cuglielmo (percussion), Mark O’Connor (fiddle), Larry Packer (fiddle), Tony Trischka (banjo on Old Hickory).

1. Beating Around The Bush (Bill Keith, instrumental feat. Sam Bush: mandolin)
2. Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down (Jim Rooney, vocals – Trad. first recording by Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, in 1925.)
3. Cherokee Shuffle 2:59
4. Liebestraum 3:36
5. Bay State Bounce 2:22
6. Step Lively 2:59
7. Drop In The Bucket 2:47
8. Little Old Log Cabin 3:32
9. Old Hickory (Tony Trischka, banjo)
10. Ready For The Times (Jim Rooney, vocals)
11. Bending The Strings (Allen Shelton, with Keith’s Pegs)
12. Hornswoggled 3:23
13. Crab Waltz (Bill Keith, first recorded in 1978 on Keith & Collier with Kenny Koseck on fiddle and Henri Texier on bass)

1995 – The Grass Is Greener: Richard Greene (fiddle), Bill Keith (banjo), David Grier (guitar), Kenny Blackwell (mandolin), Tim Emmons (bass) – ‘Traditional Bluegrass Instrumentals’ (Rebel Records – REB-1714)

1. The Methodist Preacher (Bill Monroe, arr. Richard Greene)
2. Home Sweet Home (John Howard Payne, PD arr. Earl Scruggs, Bill Keith, Richard Greene)
3. The Virgin’s Lament (PD arr. Richard Greene, David Grier)
4. Northern White Clouds (Bill Monroe, arr. Richard Greene)
5. Whiskey Before Breakfast (Traditional, arr. David Grier)
6. Stoney Lonesome (Bill Monroe, arr. Richard Greene)
7. The Cannonball Blues (A.P. CArter, arr. David Grier, Richard Greene)
8. Panhandle Country – Guest: Chris Thile, mandolin
   (Bill Monroe, arr. Richard Greene)
9. Faded Love (Bob Wills John Wills, arr. Richard Greene)
10. The Kentucky Mandolin (Bill Monroe, arr. Kenny Blackwell)
11. The Brown County Breakdown (Bill Monroe, arr. Richard Greene)
12. The Beaumont Rag (Traditional, arr. Richard Greene)

1999 – Bill Keith, Tony Trischka, Eric Weissberg, Kenny Kosek, Stacy Phillips, Molly Mason – ‘Footprints In The Snow’ in Song Of The Hills: Appalachian Classics (Shanachie – 6041, track 5)

2005 – Gordon Titcomb – ‘The Last Train Rising’ (Son Records)

• Gold Plated Love (Bill Keith: Banjo)
• The Last Train (Bill Keith: Banjo, Mike Auldridge: dobro)
• Take Me Back (Bill Keith: Banjo, Mike Auldridge: dobro)
• Snake River Hoedown (instrumental, Bill Keith: Banjo)
• The Road That Never Ends (Bill Keith: Banjo)

2008 – Tony Trischka, Bill Keith – ‘Trompe De L’oreille‘ (‘Territory’ – Smithsonian Folkways · SFW CD 40169) feat. Paula Bradley, piano