Playlist: The Moonshine Show - 21 December 2008

In addition to continued seasonal celebration (and anti-celebration in the form of "Blue Christmas," Tim O'Brien's "Bah Humbug" and Ralph Stanley II's "Mary, Merry Christmas"), I played a bunch of new releases. From the Pinecastle label, I've already described Kristin Scott Benson's disc; Nothin' Fancy has a nice new gospel CD out, and Ernie Thacker's The Hangman has a bunch of great songs and playing on it -- Ernie's return to bluegrass after a serious auto accident. Another new disc was Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King, a terrific collection of new and old material from one of the best singers in bluegrass. And we started the show off with our traditional first snow of the season song.

-------

The Moonshine Show - 89.9 WKCR-FM, NYC
Sunday 21 December 2008 - 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Host: Matt Winters

Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys; "Footprints in the Snow," "Dusty Miller"; _Anthology_ (MCA)

Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys; "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"; _Live from Mountain Stage_ (Blue Plate)

-----

Earl Scruggs with Family and Friends; "Salty Dog Blues," "Black Mountain Blues," "Step It Up and Go"; _The Ultimate Collection / Live at the Ryman_ (Rounder)

-----

Kristin Scott Benson; "No Steering, No Breaks," "No Southern Comfort," "Sandy River Belle"; _Second Season_ (Pinecastle)

Nothin' Fancy; "Lord I Hear Your Call," "Heart That Will Never Break Again"; _Lord Bless This House_ (Pinecastle)

-----

Open Road; "Christmas is Near"; _O Christmas Tree_ (Rounder)

The Johnson Mountain Boys; "The Friendly Beasts"; _O Christmas Tree_

Foxfire; "12 Days of Bluegrass Christmas"; _Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas_ (Pinecastle)

-----

Ralph Stanley II; "Mary, Merry Christmas"; _Christmas in the Mountains_ (Rebel)

Tim O'Brien; "Bah Humbug"; _Christmas on the Mountain_ (Universal)

Open Road; "Blue Christmas"; _O Christmas Tree_

-----

James King; "Will He Wait a Little Longer," "Will You Feel at Home," "Happy I'll Be"; _Garden in the Sky_ (Rounder)

-----

Ricky Skaggs and Family; "What Child is This"; _A Skaggs Family Christmas, Volume One_ (Skaggs Family)

Country Gentlemen; "Silent Night"; _Christmas in the Mountains_

The Del McCoury Band; "Bluegrass Christmas"; _Christmas on the Mountain_

-----

Ernie Thacker; "This Drinkin' Will Kill Me," "Word of Mouth," "The Hangman"; _The Hangman_ (Pinecastle)

-----

Various Artists; "Away in a Manger," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"; _Christmas Grass_ (Audium)

-------

Next week: The Moonshine Show will be preempted for WKCR's annual Bach Festival. We will return on January 4th. The show also will be preempted on January 11th and January 18th for a Roy Haynes Festival.