The Baker Boys. Photo by Michael Stewart.

If you caught Karl Shifflet’s Big Country Show last summer on the Midwest bluegrass festival circuit, chances are you saw banjo wiz-kid Jessie Baker perform. He spent a stint on the road with Shifflet’s band. Not bad if you’re 17.

What you might not have seen was his brother, Taylor, age 15, who plays mandolin.

Together — and with their mom Anna playing bass — they’re The Baker Boys from Martinsville, Ind., not far from Indianapolis and closer still to Bill Monroe’s old stomping ground, the hallowed Bean Blossom.

And, the brothers have their first CD on the market, Lonesome Weary Heart on the Patuxent Music label.

According to publicity on Patuxent’s Web site, Jessie Baker taught himself the major chords at age 11 after receiving a $10 pawn shop guitar from his grandma. He soon branched out to his primary instrument, the banjo.

Around the same time, 9-year-old Taylor Baker started on mandolin because it fit his hands, and has since begun playing fiddle. Both boys sing and have a natural ear for harmonies. After playing together only six weeks, Taylor and Jessie played on stage at a local festival. They took every first-place prize they tried for in Indiana state competitions.

Home-schooled, the Baker Boys soon figured out that if they could get through their lessons without slacking, they’d have the rest of the day free to pick. They started winning awards and gaining attention wherever they went. Their father Rex and mother Anna were extremely supportive of their abilities, driving long distances to music events where the boys could be heard and appreciated — and where they could win more ribbons.

Anna, playing bass and contributing vocal harmonies, joined them, allowing the duo to expand their repertoire. Working with a band further increased the speed and flexibility of their styles. The Baker Boys band, led by Jessie, garnered a goodly share of first place prizes. “I love real traditional bluegrass,” Jessie says. “The old stuff.”

Taylor shares that enthusiasm, as well as an insatiable desire to learn many styles of music on the mandolin from Italian to jazz. The brothers demonstrate a special touch with gospel songs, having been raised in a religious family.

On their new CD, the Boys tackle everything from the high-strung drive of Ralph Stanley’s “Hard Times” to the rarified strains of Frank Wakefield’s “Lonesome Weary Heart.” Wakefield contributes a mandolin solo on the fast and furious opener, “Air Mail Special.” The boys are also assisted by journeyman players Michael Cleveland (fiddle), Audie Blaylock (rhythm guitar and percussion) and Barry Reid (bass) with contributions from Jordan Tice and Danny Knicely.

Lonesome Weary Heart can be ordered from the label’s Web site, http://pxrec.com.

The track listing includes:

1. Air Mail Special on the Fly
2. Cold Grey Tomb of Stone
3. Roanoke
4. My Baby’s Gone
5. Lonesome Weary Heart
6. Talk of the Town
7. Taylor’s Waltz
8. Silence or Tears
9. The Family Who Prays
10. Hard Times
11. I Don’t Believe You’d Do Me Wrong
12. Jessie’s Tune
13. Polka on a Banjo
14. Midnight Special

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The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation recently held its inaugural event, a fund raising benefit concert featuring Special Consensus and Blue Moon Drive, on May 3, 2008. The venue was the his­tor­ic Sons of Hermann Hall near downtown Dallas, Texas. Current IBMA Presi­dent Greg Cahill (founder of Special Consensus) and his band entertained the crowd throughout the fun-filled musical evening.

“The plea­sure was truly ours. We were honored to be featured for the Found­ation’s inaugural event. We certainly enjoyed the evening, the won­der­fully responsive audience, and the great music of Blue Moon Drive. I hope we can work together again to support the Found­ation.” Greg Cahill - Special Consensus

Bluegrass Heritage Foundation announces Bluegrass Heritage Festival

The Foundation is excited to announce the first annual Bluegrass Heritage Fes­ti­val, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6 at South Oaks Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. Appearing at the festival will be Mark Phillips & Third Generation, Hickory Hill, Blue River, Warren Hull & Acoux Deville, Blue Moon Drive (featuring The Gerald Jones), Ellis County Bluegrass, Salt Rock Rounders, and more. Festival admission will also in­clude banjo, mandolin, guitar, and song­writing instructional workshops. For more information, see www.BluegrassHeritage.org.

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Muddy Sunshine recording artist Billy Smith will perform at a CD release party Thursday, May 22 at The Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn. The celebration is in honor “Five Flat Rocks,” Smith’s newest CD. The band will kick off the music at 9:00 pm and cover charge is $10.00 at the door.

Chris Henry (mandolin), Matt Combs (fiddle), Dave Talbot (banjo), Jon Weisberger (bass) and Marilyn Smith (vocals) will be backing Smith.

Fellow label mate Rocky Alvey (”Blackberry Jam” & Muddy “Coal Mine”) will join Smith as well.

Billy Smith carries the repertoire of most of the first generation bluegrass music pioneers around in his head and heart. The natural result of growing up onstage and performing with artists like the Father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt and Jimmy Martin. Billy’s mother, Hazel Smith is a well-known country music journalist and television cooking show host and brother Terry Smith plays bass for The Grascals, IBMA’s reigning Entertainers of the Year, but Billy himself is most known for his soulful, impassioned live performances, as well as being an award-winning songwriter. Muddy Sunshine

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