The Dillards as the Darlin's. Mitch is 3rd from the left.

One of my bluegrass music heroes died this week and along with the sadness that I have felt, I also have felt deep gratitude. Mitch Jayne was the senior member of the Dillards, a bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri that came to California in the early sixties, landed a job on the Andy Griffith TV show and played “The Darlin’ Family” on several episodes which probably are rerun somewhere in the world every day. They also recorded two LP’s for Elektra Records, “Backporch Bluegrass” and “Live, Almost” which in my opinion are two of the most important bluegrass records ever made.

Mitch played stand-up bass with the Dillards and was the band’s emcee. He was a wonderful storyteller and stand up comedian who had a wry self-deprecating sense of humor that always had audiences in stitches. ”We’re the Dillards and we’re hillbillies. I thought I’d better tell you that in case you thought we were the Budapest String Quartet.” he would say in his Ozarky accent while puffing on his pipe. I saw the Dillards in person more than once back in the sixties at folk clubs like the Ice House in Pasadena and I always laughed until I cried. I loved the music they made, but even more I think, I loved how the Dillards entertained. They had the whole package: great musicianship, great songs and a great stage show featuring Mitch’s stories and humor. I always credit the Dillards with being the band that hooked me on bluegrass music, but it’s not because they were the first bluegrass band I ever heard. My dad had several Flatt and Scruggs records around the house when I was a kid. I got hooked on the Dillards’ brand of bluegrass because it was just so much fun.

When my  brothers and I formed our band “The Rice Kryspies” (and later, Brush Arbor) we pretended to be the Dillards and I tried to play the role of Mitch. I wanted to be Mitch in the worst way. I did my best to tell funny stories like Mitch and I even tried to pretend I was from the Ozarks too and talk with a southern accent. I didn’t even know where the Ozarks were. When I listen to early recordings of the Rice Kryspies now, it’s kind of embarrassing to hear how much of Mitch’s material I stole outright.

All that to say that I mourned Mitch’s death at age 80 this week. He had a big influence on me and I will always be grateful. Rest in peace Mitch.

One of KSON’s listeners made this sticker for his car, e-mailed it to the radio station and it was then forwarded to me.  I really don’t know this person so I’m not sure what led him to do this. He either likes my radio show … or likes guitarist Tony Rice … or maybe he just likes to eat rice while listening to bluegrass? Whatever the reason, I think it’s pretty cool.

UPDATE: I received an e-mail from the 16-year-old girl who e-mailed the photo and she explains: ”My dad listens to your show every Sunday really loud. lol. He had that sticker made at a store down the street and wanted it to be an inside joke that only fans of the show would get. “

Every year on Father’s Day weekend, my two worlds (music and ministry) collide at Huck Finn’s Jubilee, the biggest bluegrass festival in Southern California. A couple years ago, it won the IBMA Award for “Bluegrass Event of the Year.” I’ve been attending this festival in Victorville, California for most of it’s 34 years (same age as my radio show) and it is always enjoyable despite the fact that the weather can sometimes be brutal. It’s usually too hot, but there was one year when we actually froze to death. We’re expecting hot weather this year.

For years  I have served as stage announcer (emcee) for the festival on the main stage Saturday night and all day Sunday. I also conduct a nondenominational chapel service on Sunday morning which draws about 300 people or so who are camping for the weekend. My band Lighthouse provides the music and I get to preach a gospel message, usually with a Fathers Day theme. This year, I’m focusing on Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son which he told to illustrate the amazing grace and love of God the Father.

Marci and I are still stuck in a hotel, waiting for our house to be restored after the fire. Really, we’re waiting for our insurance company to pay for the work being done. Once that happens, we should be able to move back in. All of our belongings are being held for ransom it seems.

I’m hoping that being at Huck Finn will provide a little break from the stress this situation has caused us. I know we’re going to hear some good music!

Well, actually it was another bluegrass Easter at our house this year, but a major earthquake in Baja California (Mexico) had things “all shook up” for a few seconds. It happened while our band was playing the Cherokee Shuffle. Everyone looked a bit startled by the whole thing but we just kept on playing and everyone enjoyed the ride.

We were blessed with another beautiful day for our annual celebration of Easter. We are so grateful that Sunday was warm and sunny (75 degrees). The next day (Monday), a cold front came through and it rained all day.

This year marks the 30th year we have hosted our Easter party. Actually, we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to do it this year as we had some serious damage around our house from winter storms.  But we finally decided to give it a shot about three weeks before Easter and it turned out to be one of the best ever with the earthquake adding an exclamation point to the festivities. He is risen indeed!

For more pictures, go here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wayne_rice/sets/72157623667669379/

Three banjos! Steve Martin, Tony Trishka and Bela Fleck. Enjoy!

I am so envious of these guys.

The Rangers On Playing With Steve Martin from SteepCanyonRangers on Vimeo.

Alison Brown

Marci and I went to see Alison Brown last night at a local San Diego supper club called Anthology.

Yesterday’s San Diego Reader carried an interview with Alison which included a nice mention for my radio show:

“And I tuned in every Sunday night to Wayne Rice’s Bluegrass Special on KSON. He’s still on the air and probably has one of the longest running bluegrass radio shows in the country. So, as it turned out, San Diego was a great place to learn to play bluegrass, even though that might sound a little counterintuitive.

Alison grew up here in San Diego, then went to Harvard University where she majored in finance.  She became an investment banker with Smith-Barney but later ditched her banking career for a stint with Alison Krauss and Union Station.  She later formed her own group The Alison Brown Quartet, which is more jazz-oriented than bluegrass.  She now owns her own successful record label with an impressive roster of artists.

Her show at Anthology was fantastic.  Yesterday was Marci’s birthday and while Marci doesn’t usually allow banjos at her birthday parties, she made an exception for Alison, who wished her a happy birthday from the stage.

The Rice Kryspies: Wayne, Joe, Jim and Marci

I began my youth ministry career as a club director for Ventura County (California) Youth for Christ in 1963.  Folk music was getting real popular about that time (Joan Baez, the Kingston Trio,  Bob Dylan, the New Christy Ministrels) so we formed our own folk groups as a way to be “relevant” with teenagers.  The first group I had was a trio patterned after Peter, Paul and Mary called “The Accidents.”  I played the upright bass in that group.  Then, after hearing the Dillards (who were playing folk clubs around Southern California and appearing on the Andy Griffith TV show), I learned to play banjo and formed a bluegrass group with my brothers called “The Rice Kryspies.”  My wife Marci played the bass.

Harry White, who was Ventura YFC’s sound engineer,  recently unearthed some old tape recordings of early YFC rallies, several of which featured The Rice Kryspies.  The recording below was made on May 10, 1969–exactly 40 years ago.  The introduction is by Ventura YFC director Roger Cross (who later became the president of Youth for Christ/USA).  The song you’ll probably recognize.  Just keep in mind that the Beatles were still together in 1969.  This was very cutting edge stuff back then!

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OK, I know bluegrass isn’t going to replace hip hop anytime soon as the music of choice for teenagers, but I’m no longer surprised by groups like the The Doerfels who suddenly appear out of nowhere.  I don’t know too much about this family band except they are from Florida and just released a new CD featuring some of their original songs.  The senior member (T.J. on banjo) is only 20 years old, joined by his sister Kimberly (19 on fiddle), and brothers Eddy (16 on mandolin), Joe (14 on bass) and Ben (13 on guitar).  Check out this video:

I sometimes point to groups like this when I hear some of my colleagues express pessimism about the extent to which parents and other adults can influence teenagers in today’s media-saturated world.  Let’s be honest here, teenagers who embrace and perform bluegrass music are not the norm.  These are kids who have grown up in an environment, usually provided by their parents, where they have had constant exposure to the music and lots of encouragement from a community of bluegrass music fans.

I’ve spent time with many of these young musicians, like Nickel Creek (Chris Thile, Sean and Sara Watkins) who grew up here in the San Diego area.  Also the Cherryholmes family, who also came from Southern California and have become one of bluegrass music’s biggest success stories.  There are many more just like them.  The Wright Kids, who were finalists on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” show and The Clark Brothers, who won Fox TV’s “The Next Great American Band” competition a couple of years ago.   I’m always impressed not only by the talent and skill of these kids on their musical instruments, but with how well-adjusted they are and how articulate and comfortable they are around adults.

So how did these kids become such accomplished bluegrass musicians?  Did they find the sound of the banjo and fiddle too cool to resist?

To understand these kids, you have to meet their parents.  I’ve met some of them and it’s clear that they made a choice when their kids were little to create a family culture that was centered around bluegrass music.  In almost every case, these kids were home schooled and taught music as part of their curriculum.  They made field trips to bluegrass festivals where they learned to play (jam) with adult musicians who were more than happy to  show them how to improve their playing.  I also have a hunch their parents turned off the TV and spent a lot of time playing and singing with their kids.

I know most people would shudder at their thought of their kids forming a bluegrass band, but I do think there’s something we can learn from these families about how to raise children up in the Christian faith.

Last Saturday night on the Grand Ole Opry: Actor Jack Black with Sam Bush (mandolin), Jim Mills (banjo), Bryan Sutton (guitar), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Charlie Haden (bass) and other all-star pickers … must have been a fun night at the Opry house.  Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury and Michael Martin Murphey were also on the show.