Del McCoury Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, The Del McCoury Band to Perform on Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage with Larry Groce is proud to announce the return of Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn and The Del McCoury Band to Charleston, West Virginia.

On Sunday, May 14, Mountain Stage will celebrate its 34th season of live performance radio at The Clay Center in Charleston, West Virginia, with the unofficial “First Family of the Banjo” Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn. The duo are widely credited with reinventing the sound and image of the banjo — Fleck through the three-finger Scruggs style and Washburn via the traditional clawhammer approach. A fifteen-time Grammy winner, Béla has devoted time away from his genre-busting ensemble Béla Fleck and the Flecktones to a staggeringly broad array of musical experiments, from writing a concerto for the Nashville Symphony to exploring the banjo’s African roots to jazz duos with Chick Corea, while Washburn has drawn critical acclaim for her solo albums, done fascinating work in folk musical diplomacy in China, presented an original theatrical production, contributed to singular side groups Uncle Earl and The Wu-Force and become quite a live draw in her own right.

The show will also feature the return of The Del McCoury Band. One of the most respected and beloved performers in bluegrass music, Del McCoury began working as a musician in the ’60s, touring and playing as a singer and guitarist with various groups, including Bill Monroe’s famous Bluegrass Boys. He made his first trip to Mountain Stage in 1989, backing legendary mandolin player David Grisman. It was also around this time that he began spending more time with his own band, which included his young sons Ronnie on mandolin and Robbie on banjo. The band’s popularity has continued to rise over the years, and they remain one of the few groups capable of headlining both traditional bluegrass festivals and jam band shows with equal success and adoration.

More acts for this show will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets are already available for Clay Center subscribers. Single tickets go on sale for the general public online and at the Clay Center Box Office on Friday, January 6, and are $25 in advance and $40 day of show. All tickets are assigned seating for this May 14 show, with doors opening at 6:30pm and the show promptly starting at 7pm.

Stay up to date on Mountain Stage show news and ticket deals by following us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram and signing up for our e-mail newsletter. And if you’re looking for a new soundtrack between now and then, listen back to our favorite performances of 2016 and subscribe to the Mountain Stage podcast on iTunes.

Mountain Stage Acts Nominated for 2016 International Bluegrass Music Awards

The 2016 International Bluegrass Music Awards nominations are in! We’re proud to see so many of Mountain Stage’s guests on the list. Click on the artist’s name to hear their recent performance on Mountain Stage.

Congratulations to Flatt Lonesome, who racked up five nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year. We can’t wait to see this up-and-coming band make their Mountain Stage debut on August 13 during the Augusta Heritage Festival. Ticket and artist information is available at mountainstage.org.

Another shout-out to Mountain Stage alumni who have racked up 2016 IBMA Award nominations, including The Del McCoury Band, The Earls of Leicester, The Gibson Brothers, Dale Ann Bradley, Claire Lynch, Amanda Smith, Rhonda Vincent, Shawn Camp, Del McCoury, Tim O’Brien, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Frank Solivan, Punch Brothers, Sam Bush Band, The Travelin’ McCourys, Sierra Hull, The SteelDrivers, Steep Canyon Rangers, Lonesome River Band, Laurie Lewis, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley, Alison Brown, Steve Gully, Della Mae, Brad Paisley, Charlie Cushman, Jens Kruger, Noam Pikelny, Barry Bales, Alan Bertram, Mike Bub, Missy Raines, Mark Schatz, Andy Hall, Phil Leadbetter, Josh Swift, Jason Carter, Michael Cleveland, Stuart Duncan, Bryan Sutton, Kenny Smith, Chris Aldridge, Josh Williams, Jim Hurst, and Adam Steffey.

We know: that’s a lot of talented folks on Mountain Stage. If you missed seeing them live, make sure to catch them on the Mountain Stage podcast (and leave rating and review, while you’re at it). And sign-up for our email newsletter for future show announcements! You might just hear/see them again in the near future.

Good luck to all the nominees! And if you haven’t already, go out and hear some live music wherever you are just as soon as you can.

Hear the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience w/ Del McCoury on Mountain Stage

The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience featuring Del McCoury on guitar and vocals play “Little Georgia Rose,” live on Mountain Stage, recorded April 9th, 1989. Ronnie McCoury joins Grisman on mandolin, along with Rob McCoury on banjo, Jon Glick and Warren Blair on twin fiddles, and bassist Mike Garris. As recently heard on Mountain Stage After Midnight.

Relive 1988/89 with Mountain Stage After Midnight

Get excited, ’cause West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s spring pledge drive is happening this week! Since this station is our “Mountain Mama,” we’re pulling out all the stops to show you why West Virginia Public Broadcasting is “Almost Heaven” and deserves your pledge of support! That’s why we’re playing exclusive, archived shows from 1988 and 1989 on this weekend’s Mountain Stage After Midnight.

Broadcast from 1am-5am Saturday and Sunday mornings here on West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Mountain Stage After Midnight takes the best episodes from the show’s 31 year history and shares their memories and songs with our late-night listeners.

And this weekend (April 11 & 12) is no exception. Keep your eyes (and ears) open for sets that you can’t hear anywhere else but on WV airwaves.

First up is a show from March 20, 1988, recorded at the former Capitol Plaza Theatre (now known as the West Virginia State University Capitol Center Theatre). The show features Red Clay Ramblers (their first Mountain Stage appearance, as a matter of fact), Tommy Thompson (now a West Virginia Music Hall of Fame inductee), Norman & Nancy Blake (did you hear his recent chat with NPR’s Fresh Air?) and Mick Moloney & Friends (who received the National Heritage Award, the highest official honor a traditional artist can receive in the United States).

Jesse Winchester on the Mountain Stage in 1989.

We’ll also hear an April 9, 1989 show that features such legendary acts as Grammy winner Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, David Grisman & the Bluegrass Experience featuring Del McCoury and our old friend Jesse Winchester.

It takes a whole lot of time and manpower to make Mountain Stage happen, but as the old saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” We’d love to have you as part of our community, whether that’s by connecting with us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram), signing up for our monthly email newsletter or pledging your support for Mountain Stage.

Mountain Stage After Midnight- January 10 & 11

National Bubble Bath Day was this past week (yes, that’s a thing), but why not keep the relaxation celebration alive this weekend by unwinding, lighting some candles and listening to some smooth music provided by “Mountain Stage After Midnight?” Broadcast from 1am-5am Saturday and Sunday mornings here on West Virginia Public Radio, “Mountain Stage After Midnight” takes the best episodes from the show’s 31 year history and shares their memories and songs with our late-night listeners. Each week we’ll hand-pick two of our favorite episodes that’ll alternate order each night.

Tune in this Saturday January 10 and Sunday January 11 for music that’s sure to please on “Mountain Stage After Midnight.”

First up is a May 2008 show featuring Canadian folk crooner Brooke Miller, Dublin singer-songwriter Paddy Casey, indie rocker (and Band of Horses guitarist) Tyler Ramsey, Irish alternative pop group Bell X1 and the prog-grass string band Punch Brothers (who are releasing a new record later this month).

2015 Grammy nominee Eric Church made his Mountain Stage debut during this 2008 show.

Next is an August 2008 show recorded in Bristol, Tennessee, and it includes such musical talents as multi-talented actor/singer/playwright Ed Snodderly, gospel blues singer Mike Farris, American country singer (and June Carter Cash’s offspring) Carlene Carter, country pop star Eric Church and legendary bluegrass ensemble Del McCoury Band.

Did you know you can take Mountain Stage wherever you go? Find show updates and a 24/7 Mountain Stage stream on our new website, keep in touch with our adventures on the show’s social media (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram) and subscribe to The Mountain Stage Podcast on iTunes to hear the best live performance radio.

Listen to the Del McCoury Band Perform "In Despair," Live on Mountain Stage

One of the most respected bluegrass bands of all time, The Del McCoury Band is one of the few groups who are equally beloved by audiences at traditional bluegrass festivals and hippie jam band gatherings. They perform the song “In Despair” on this week’s premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage.