The last couple of days here in Music City have held some mighty fine music making that I was lucky enough to get to observe. Wednesday night Chris Jones held a CD pre-release party for his new disc “Cloud of Dust.” Although it is not officially out yet, he had copies there for sale and after listening to it on my drive home I have to say that it is a great record.
The band was fresh back from a two-and-a-half week European tour, so they were all a bit jet-lagged. Chris told us he learned to say “We have CDs for sale” in every language while they were abroad! Near the end of the second set Chris called up his wife Sally to sing on a song—unfortunately their daughter Joanna was asleep on her lap at the time. Never one to let little things deter her, she just sang the whole song while holding Joanna in her arms:
Thursday night found me at the Station Inn taking in the Claire Lynch Band. I’ve known Claire as long as I’ve been alive and she is absolutely one of my favorite singers. She has a new album coming out in September called “Whatcha Gonna Do” that is absolutely spectacular. She sings her butt off (as she always does) and the songs are wonderful.
We were treated to Mark Schatz’s hamboning on “Cindy,” which the whole crowd sang along on. I stood in the back next to my friend Ben Surratt, who was running sound (he is the one who recorded the Casey and Chris “Get Along Girl” CD at his studio). Also in attendance were Bela Fleck, a long time friend of Mark’s, and Abagail Washburn. I’m going to see Bela’s documentary movie “Throw Down Your Heart” on Sunday. It’s about his trip to Africa to play with musicians there. I’m really looking forward to that. But before then I’ll be back at the Station to see Tim O’Brien on Saturday night with the Irish Band Grada. That should be quite a show!
Murphy Method Blog 
Good entry and report. I have a Mark Schatz CD (Rounder), “MARK SCHATZ Brand New Old Tyme Way,” and on the back of the jacket Bela Fleck is quoted as saying, “I soon found out he (Mark) considered himself a banjoist.” Most of us have always seen him as a bass player. Do you know that Mark Schatz is a banjoist and did you ever play or jam with him? He’s a well, well experienced musician with one long, long resume. In my opinion, in a band he seems to do more than just play the bass in the back and is more like the QB of the offense in the game. I remember reading in one of your BNl articles that Mark was in the audience at the end of one of your Camps, Kamps or Work Shops.
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Yeah, Mark is a great banjo player, but no, we hardly ever get to jam together. He and Eileen Carson (his wife) were at Augusta this summer, but they were working with Teen week rather than Bluegrass Week, so I didn’t get to hang out with them as much as I would have liked. He’s also a KILLER hamboneist (is that a word?).
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Hi, I;m looking for an older song that Chris and Sally Jones did, but I only know some of the words. Throw it in the back yard to keep the front yard clean. Can you help me out? Thank you
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Hmmm. It’s not ringing a bell with me, but I’ll forward your comment on to Chris Jones.
Casey
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Chris Jones says:
“This sounds like a case of mistaken identity. I don’t recognize these lyrics at all, although it sounds like a good domestic tip.”
Are you thinking about a different low-and-lonesome singer, perhaps?
Casey
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