New CD from an allstar band that includes a pair of brothers, Grammy and IBMA winners and nominees and a whole lot of fine pickin' and singing!
"We've been hosting Learned Place Concerts for a decade now, featuring great acoustic music in a variety of "Southern Roots" styles. There's been no higher pleasure for us or our audience than hearing Tony and Gary and the All-Star Band perform the songs on this album the night before they went to work in the studio. We knew that Tony is a mandolin magician but we weren't prepared for the wondrous singing; we've heard no finer voice than Gary Williamson, and the brother harmonies are astonishingly beautiful. They evoke the deep historical roots of the finest traditional music, a time before internet, before TV, before radio and even before recorded music. Backward looking and often nostalgic for the Old Home Place, skeptical about "progress," disdainful of materialism -- focused on family and community, sin and salvation, on the trials and imperfections of life on earth and hope for a better world. The happy songs are often tinged with sadness, but the sad songs are always suffused with hope. Music like this is one of the joys in this imperfect world, and Tony and Gary and their All-Star band deliver the joy -- you can't beat Don and Marty Lewis, Bert Sprye, Craig Smith and Don Wright to bring virtuosity and energy to this fine recording."
--Jim Roberts and Deborah Jakubs
Learned Place Music
"Bluegrass!" by the Williamson Brothers
Featuring:
Tony and Gary Williamson: mandolin, guitar and vocals
Don and Marty Lewis, the Sons of Ralph: fiddle and guitar
Craig Smith*: banjo
Don Wright+: banjo
Robert "Bert" Sprye: bass
Program:
First Step of the Journey +... Tony Williamson & Don Lewis
I Miss My Dear Mother and Dad * .... Shadee Lee & Wilbur Clark
Over In the Sky * ... Tony & Gary Williamson
Thunderclouds of Love + .... Hylo Brown
John Hardy *... traditional, arr. Tony & Gary Williamson
When It's Lamplighting Time In The Valley * ... (Harold Goodman / Sam C. Hart / Joe Lyons / Curt Poulton / Dean Upson)
The Wreck of the Old 97 * traditional, arr. Gary Williamson
I Live In the Past + ...Virginia Stauffer
When The Angels Carry Me Home + ....Charlie Monroe
Song For Jimmy Campbell * ... Tony Williamson
Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die + ...(C.Van Ness/Z.Manners)
Lonesome Road Blues + .... traditional, arr. Tony & Gary Williamson
(bonus track) Green The Grow Lilacs ...traditional, learned from Tex Ritter
Produced by Tony Williamson for Flatt Mountain Records
Executive Producers: Gary and Tony Williamson and Randy Wood
Photography: Ben Maschal, Jim Roberts, Shaena Mallett and Tony Williamson
Layout, design and post production coordination: Andrew H. Williamson
All songs recorded by Jason Richmond at SoundPure in Durham, NC and mixed there by Tim Austin and Jason Richmond
Mastered by Bill Wolf
(c) 2013 Mandolin Central Publishing, Inc.
We would like to thank each and every wonderful artist who is credited on this CD--musicians, songwriters and the technological geniuses--, we extend our highest regards, praise and thanks. We send many thanks to April and Velna who stand by us every step of the way We also thank all the wonderful spirits who inspired us including Ralph Lewis, Shadee Lee Clark, and the many other legends of the music we love; and to the one who taught us music, inspired us to love playing at a very early age, and provided the opportunity, the instruments and the support: our father and favorite banjo player, W.G. Williamson, who ultimately instilled his own love of music in us.
--Tony and Gary Williamson, April, 2013.
...and much gratitude to my beautiful and brilliant wife Andrea, without whom this recording would never have been undertaken. During the two-year process that culminated in this album, from choosing material to recording and performing, she has been my muse: a delightful inspiration who has filled my world with sweetness, encouragement, excitement and realization as no other ever has or ever could!
--Tony Williamson, April 2011 thru April 2013
This album features solo performances by Tony Williamson on a baker's dozen of the world's finest mandolins, most of which were signed and dated by the legendary acoustical engineer Lloyd Loar. A team of brilliant craftsmen built these instruments in the Gibson factory of Kalamazoo, Michigan in a two year period beginning December of 1922, except for two which were shipped out a few years later with no signatures. All instruments on this CD are preserved in original condition except #87367 which has been restored to period correct condition. They were set up identically and strung with D'Addario EXP74 strings. Each mandolin (except #71635: Crusher) was played studio live into a pair of vintage Neumann u47 microphones and delivered through Neve pre-amps. There were no electronic effects or EQ used in mixing and only minimum room placement employed in mastering. It is our hope that you can hear the natural brilliance of these amazing instruments and also that you may appreciate the subtle differences in their tonal nuance.
Songs & Mandolins:
(links: click on the names for stories; serial numbers for photos and Lloyd Loar's signature!)
Theme / Twin River Rag...played on the Gold 'un, F-5 #79719 signed by Lloyd Loar on 12/1/24
All Of Me... Cleveland #75696 2/18/24
Secret Love... Tiger #72211 2/26/23
Manha de Carnival/Tico Tico... Short Fern #87367
Cherokee... Crusher # 71635 12/20/22
(Crusher made available courtesy David Grisman and Acoustic disc)
Satin Doll... Lloyd's Other Brother Lloyd # 72450 3/16/23
Never Find Another You... The Fern #84682
Dusty Miller... Mon #73994 7/9/23
Fiddle Tunes
(Arkansas Traveler, Soldier's Joy, Forked Deer, Ragtime Annie, Coloured Aristocracy)
... the twenty-two #71633 12/20/22
Ain't Misbehavin'... Ziebarth #72857 4/12/23
What Is This Thing Called Love...Fred #75702 2/18/24
Lovely Hula Hands...the Green Hornet #72060 2/8/23
Song For Aimée ... Lloyd #75941 3/31/24
Lloyd Loar Mandolin Song ... Lloyd #75941 3/31/24
scale A: The Fern #84682
scale B: Fred #75702 2/18/24
scale C:. 22 #71633 12/20/22
scale D: Cleveland #75696 2/18/24
scale E: 2006 Paul Duff F-5
scale F: Gold 'un #79719 12/1/24
scale G: Green Hornet #72060 2/8/23
scale H: Lloyd #75941 3/31/24
scale I: Lloyd's other brother Lloyd # 72450 3/16/23
scale J: Mon #73994 7/9/23
scale K: Short Fern #87367
scale L: Tiger #72211 4/26/23
scale M: Zeibarth #72857 4/12/23
Produced by Tony Williamson for Mandolin Central Publishing, Inc.
Mandolin Tech: Ben Maschal of Old Invention Guitars
Photography: Ben Maschal and Tony Williamson
Layout, design and post production coordination: Andrew H. Williamson
All songs recorded and mixed by Jerry Brown at the Rubber Room in Chapel Hill, NC on August 16 & 17, 2011 except "Cherokee", which was produced, recorded, edited, and mixed by David Grisman at Dawg Studios in August of 2005.
Mastered by Jerry Brown, Rubber Room, Chapel Hill, NC
This recording of "Cherokee" first appeared on the album "Tone Poets" (ACD 62) used courtesy Acoustic Disc http://www.dawgnet.com/
(c) 2011 Mandolin Central Publishing, Inc.
Captured live in December, 2007 at Randy Wood’s Pickin’ Parlor, Low Country Jazz features inspired acoustic renditions of classic and original jazz tunes, performed by a magical grouping of true instrumental virtuosos.
Tony Williamson – Mandolin & Vocals
Jeff Autry – Acoustic Guitar & Vocals
Don Stiernberg – Mandolin & Vocals
Ben Tucker – Acoustic Bass
Concert Tracks:
1 Lady Be Good
2 Wild Julio
3 Avalon
5 Well You Needn’t
6 Blue Heels
7 Limehouse Blues
8 Blues Santa Cruz
9 Spanish Eyes
10 Mr. Ambassador
11 Blooming Dale
12 Midnight on the Water
13 Now’s the Time
14 Short Sleeves in December
15 DVD Bonus Feature
When It’s Time for the Whippoorwill to Sing – Randy Wood & Tony Williamson
16 DVD Bonus Feature
The Making of Low Country Jazz
17 DVD Bonus Feature
(I’m Changing the Words to) My Love Song—Randy Wood & Tony Williamson