Butch Baldassari

More good people and good deeds keep roaring forward to come to the aid of mandolinist Butch Baldassari and his family. The latest comes from a fellow mandolinist, Grand Ol’ Opry star Jesse McReynolds, who is hosting the 15th annual McReynolds Memorial, billed as a Bluegrass Music Spectacular on Jan. 31 at the Gallatin, Tenn., Civic Center.

This year’s show, beginning at 6:30 p.m. is also billed as “a Fundraiser and Benefit Concert for Butch Baldassari and his family in their fight against cancer.”

Baldassari has been battling an inoperable brain tumor for close to a year.

The annual Gallatin benefit is sponsored by the Southeast Community Fire Department.

This year’s show will feature Jesse McReynolds & the Virginia Boys, The Grascals, Ronnie Reno & the Reno Tradition, Williams and Clark Expedition, Larry Stevenson, Luke McKnight and Thunderoad, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time and other special guests.

In another recent gesture of kindness to Baldassari and his family, four noted mandolin makers have donated new instruments to be sold as another fundraiser.

According to mandolincafe.com, which is helping with the fundraiser, the first of four mandolins in the possession of Gruhn Guitars of Nashville went on sale in December. The mandolins are from Gibson, Weber, Collings and Trinity College.

“Links to the individual sales of the instruments will appear on the Mandolin Cafe Classifieds with all questions and control of the mandolins (shipping, financial transactions, etc.) handled by the staff of Gruhn Guitars,” according to MandolineCafe.com.

Participant web sites include:

Gruhn Guitars
Collings Guitars and Mandolins
Weber Fine Acoustic Instruments
Trinity College (parent company Saga)

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Tony Rice guitar , Jerry Douglas dobro , Sam Bush mandolin , Mark o’Connor fiddle and Béla Fleck on banjo doin’ a smokin’ version of “Freeborn Man”

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Dailey & Vincent’s Opry Debut - photo by Chris Hollo / Hollo Photographics

The Ryman Auditorium became another debut venue in late December for new Rounder recording artists Dailey & Vincent. With the crowd nearly in a New Year’s Eve mood on Dec. 29, Jamie Daily and Darren Vincent took to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for the first time — as band leaders.

Both are no strangers to the Grand Ole Opry, having performed there many times as side members with various groups, such as Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for Vincent and, in Dailey’s case, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

But their debut on that stage as Dailey & Vincent made my very first visit to the Grand Ole Opry that much more memorable. Getting to see the Opry that night at the famous Ryman didn’t hurt a bit either.

The duo opened their set with a barebones version of “By The Mark,” with only the two band leaders singing. The power and dynamic range of their voices combined would make you think you were listening to a three or four-part harmony group.

For their next two numbers ,they chose “Poor Boy Workin’ Blues” and “Don’t You Call My Name.”

Booked at over 100 shows already this year, Dailey & Vincent promise to be one of bluegrass’ best emerging artists. Don’t pass up a chance to see this incredibly talented band.

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