(upbeat jazz music) (audience applauding) - Welcome to Bluegrass on the Rim.

(audience applauding) My name is Pete Conroe, I'm the Director of the Jacksonville State University, Little River Canyon Center.

And guess what, we're back.

(audience applauding) Last year, about a year from right now, COVID was a new thing.

We were trying to figure it out.

And so with help from Brad Gilbert, who's standing up on a funny stool over there, we had Bluegrass on the Rim virtually, and it was awesome.

We had Foggy Hollow and Valley Road and Megan Mullins was from Nashville.

There's nothing like being here together and under the stars.

And it's gonna be a great night.

And not only is it great to have Foggy Hollow back, who will be our first act, followed by Valley Road, who will be the second act, but Three on a String, ladies and gentlemen, their 50th anniversary tonight.

(audience applauding) For the first set, we're gonna have a little bit of sunlight, at the second set, it's gonna get interesting.

The third set is gonna be dark.

Y'all have a great night.

Let me introduce Glenn Williams.

(instrumental music) ♪ It's been ten long years since I left my home ♪ ♪ In the hollow where I was born ♪ ♪ Where the cool fall nights make the wood smoke rise ♪ ♪ And the foxhunter blows his horn ♪ ♪ I fell in love with a girl from the town ♪ ♪ I thought that she would be true ♪ ♪ I ran away to Charlottesville ♪ ♪ And worked in a sawmill or two ♪ ♪ What have they done to the old home place ♪ ♪ Why did they tear it down ♪ And why did I leave the plow in the field ♪ ♪ And look for a job in the town ♪ ♪ Well my girl she ran off with somebody else ♪ ♪ The taverns took all my pay ♪ And here I stand where the old home stood ♪ ♪ Before they took it away ♪ Now the geese they fly south and the cold wind blows ♪ ♪ As I stand here and hang my head ♪ ♪ I've lost my love I've lost my home ♪ ♪ And now I wish that I was dead ♪ ♪ What have they done to the old home place ♪ ♪ Why did they tear it down ♪ And why did I leave the plow in the field ♪ ♪ And look for a job in the town ♪ ♪ What have they done to the old home place ♪ ♪ Why did they tear it down ♪ And why did I leave the plow in the field ♪ ♪ And look for a job in the town ♪ ♪ And why did I leave the plow in the field ♪ ♪ And look for a job in the town ♪ - Oh, yeah, thank you, thank you, thank you.

- [Announcer] There's knowledge, and then there's knowing.

Where do you wanna go?

Who do you wanna be?

You may not know yet, that's okay.

We have your back.

So when the moment is right, you'll know.

(upbeat music) - We're gonna do one now.

The guy that wrote it to years ago, didn't realize this was a bluegrass song.

Turns out it was.

So we're gonna try to do it justice and I hope we do.

Hope you enjoy it.

♪ In my mind I'm going to Carolina ♪ ♪ Can't you see the sunshine ♪ Can't you just feel the moonshine ♪ ♪ Ain't it just like a friend of mine to hit me from behind ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm going to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ Karen she's the silver sun ♪ You best walk her way and watch it shine ♪ ♪ Watch her watch the morning come ♪ ♪ A silver tear appearing now I'm crying, ain't I ♪ ♪ I'm going to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ There ain't no doubt in no ones mind ♪ ♪ That loves the finest thing around ♪ ♪ Whisper something soft and kind ♪ ♪ And hey, babe, the sky's on fire, I'm dying, ain't I ♪ ♪ I'm going to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ In my mind I'm going to Carolina ♪ ♪ Can't you see the sunshine ♪ Can't you just feel the moonshine ♪ ♪ Ain't it just like a friend of mine to hit me from behind ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm going to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ Dark and silent late last night ♪ ♪ I think I might have heard the highway calling ♪ ♪ Geese in flight and dogs that bite ♪ ♪ And signs that might be omens say I'm going ♪ ♪ Going, I'm gone to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ In my mind I'm going to Carolina ♪ ♪ Can't you see the sunshine ♪ Can't you just feel the moonshine ♪ ♪ Ain't it just like a friend of mine to hit me from behind ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm going to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ Now with a holy host of others standing round me ♪ ♪ Still I'm on the dark side of the moon ♪ ♪ And it seems like it goes on like this forever ♪ ♪ You must forgive me ♪ If I'm up and gone to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ In my mind I'm going to Carolina ♪ ♪ Can't you see the sunshine ♪ Can't you just feel the moonshine ♪ ♪ Ain't it just like a friend of mine to hit me from behind ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm gone to Carolina in my mind ♪ ♪ Gone to Carolina in my mind ♪ Gone to Carolina in my mind ♪ Gone to Carolina in my mind (audience applauding) (instrumental music) (audience applauding) - [Voice Over Phone] Hey honey, it's mom, just wanted to call and check in and see how everything's going.

You'll probably say not worry, everything is great.

But we just (indistinct).

I'll call you back later.

(phone ringing) How are you doing?

Tell me everything.

- Everything's great.

I love it here.

(upbeat music) - Everybody, if you're not awake, now's the time.

(laughs) I love these guys, I've been through a lot with them.

I've had so many laughs, so much fun.

So many things.

Smoked 37 cigar with you one time, I'll never forget it.

Please make welcome to some of the greatest guys in the world, Three on a String.

(audience applauding) ♪ Oh have you seen Miss Molly ♪ Her cheeks are rosy red ♪ Her lips are soft as satin ♪ And they taste like ginger bread ♪ ♪ Oh, Oh, Oh, Me, oh my Miss Molly ♪ ♪ I'm in love with you ♪ Me oh, my Miss Molly won't you say you love me too ♪ ♪ Now when Miss Molly smiles, the sun is dim a spell ♪ ♪ And when she laughs her voice is like a little silver bell ♪ ♪ Oh, Oh, Oh, Me oh my Miss Molly, I'm in love with you ♪ ♪ Now listen here Miss Molly, I've told you once before ♪ ♪ But even though I've told you ♪ ♪ I'll tell you just once more ♪ Oh, Oh, Oh, Me oh my Miss Molly, I'm in love with you ♪ ♪ Me, oh, my Miss Molly won't you say you love me too ♪ ♪ Oh, have you seen Miss Molly ♪ Her cheeks are rosy red ♪ Her lips are soft as satin ♪ And they taste like ginger bread ♪ ♪ Oh, Oh, Oh, Me, oh my Miss Molly ♪ ♪ I'm in love with you ♪ Me oh, my Miss Molly won't you say you love me too ♪ ♪ We're old but we're still kicking ♪ ♪ So we might as well keep on picking ♪ ♪ Having fun like we always do ♪ Our steps might not be quite as bold ♪ ♪ Like in days of old ♪ Having fun and we're still kicking too ♪ ♪ Traveling around for miles and miles ♪ ♪ Just hoping to make you smile ♪ ♪ Real worries have fallen into ♪ ♪ Making music, making friends ♪ That's how it all began ♪ You all keep showing up, we will too ♪ ♪ We're old but we're still kicking ♪ ♪ So we might as well keep on picking ♪ ♪ Having fun like we always do ♪ Our steps might not be quite as bold ♪ ♪ Like in days of old ♪ Having fun and we're still kicking too ♪ ♪ Now marathon we may not brace ♪ ♪ Or wind up in some late night place ♪ ♪ But as long as we see your smiling face ♪ ♪ We're old but we're still kicking ♪ ♪ So we might as well keep on picking ♪ ♪ Having fun like we always do ♪ Our steps might not be quite as bold ♪ ♪ Like in days of old ♪ Having fun and we're still kicking too ♪ ♪ Having fun and we're still kicking too ♪ (audience applauding) - Thank you.

We're try to do a little bit of everything in our program but no, we'd like to say that we like to do as many genre of music as we can possibly get work in the program.

- Genre, genre (laughs).

- That's a good word, genre I got another one, plethora.

We'd like to do a plethora of genre for you.

And one of them is blues.

I guess you could see, you don't hear a lot of blues at a bluegrass festival, but we'd like to play just a little blues for you.

(laughs) (audience applauding) ♪ When I was a little bitty boy, just up off of the floor ♪ ♪ We used to go down to grandma's house evry month end or so ♪ ♪ We'd have chicken pie, country ham ♪ ♪ Homemade butter on the bread ♪ But the best darn thing about my grandma's house ♪ ♪ Was the great big feather bed ♪ ♪ It was nine feet high, six feet wide ♪ ♪ Soft as a downy chick ♪ Made from feathers of forty eleven geese ♪ ♪ Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick ♪ ♪ It'd hold eight kids 'n' four hound dogs ♪ ♪ And a piggy we stole from the shed ♪ ♪ We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun ♪ ♪ On grandma's feather bed ♪ And after supper we'd sit around the fire ♪ ♪ The old folks'd spit and chew ♪ ♪ Pa would talk about the farm and the war ♪ ♪ And granny'd sing a ballad or two ♪ ♪ I'd sit and listen and watch the fire ♪ ♪ 'Till the cobwebs filled my head ♪ ♪ Next thing I'd know I'd wake up in the morning ♪ ♪ In the middle of the old feather bed ♪ ♪ It was nine feet high and six feet wide ♪ ♪ Soft as a downy chick ♪ It was made from the feathers of forty 'eleven geese ♪ ♪ Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick ♪ ♪ It'd hold eight kids 'n' four hound dogs ♪ ♪ And a piggy we stole from the shed ♪ ♪ We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun ♪ ♪ On grandma's feather bed ♪ Well I love my ma, I love my pa ♪ ♪ I love granny and grandpa too ♪ ♪ I've been fishin' with my uncle, I wrestled with my cousin ♪ ♪ I even kissed Aunt Lou, eww ♪ But if I ever had to make a choice ♪ ♪ I guess it ought to be said ♪ That I'd trade 'em all plus the gal down the road ♪ ♪ For grandma's feather bed ♪ It was nine feet high and six feet wide ♪ ♪ Soft as a downy chick ♪ It was made from the feathers of forty 'eleven geese ♪ ♪ Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick ♪ ♪ It'd hold eight kids 'n' four hound dogs ♪ ♪ And a piggy we stole from the shed ♪ ♪ We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun ♪ ♪ On grandma's feather bed ♪ We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun ♪ ♪ On grandma's feather bed (audience applauding) - If you ever get a chance and you haven't already been there, go to Coleman, Alabama, you don't have to stop or nothing drives through.

Chances are you'll hear this is a good hotbed for this type music we're about to play.

And it's from the fossil lodge.

Or as I call it the sacred harp, is the proper name.

But this is about that type music.

- Are you ready?

♪ Well there's a happy time a week ♪ ♪ Now the people congregate ♪ And I hand down my color and my tie ♪ ♪ Glue the horses to the (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Singing on the part that you lie ♪ ♪ Hear the (indistinct) are ringing ♪ ♪ See the lemonade are swinging ♪ ♪ Lots of soda pop and candy bars to bag ♪ ♪ I am so happy I can holler ♪ 'cause I got a silver dollar ♪ Gonna spend it on the fourth of July ♪ ♪ As I treat this mighty chime ♪ And I'll sing my old little lady ♪ ♪ And I'll pick me out a girl to pass the time ♪ ♪ If I could get her in the buggy ♪ ♪ I could get a little huggie ♪ And singing on the fourth of July ♪ ♪ Everybody (audience applauding) - Ever down there, one of the genre we like to sing are the work songs and this is what this is about.

♪ Traveling down Nicole town road ♪ ♪ Listen to rubber tires fine ♪ (indistinct) I'm leaving you behind ♪ ♪ Well I've been a cold man all my life ♪ ♪ Laying down trucks in the hole ♪ ♪ Gotta pack like a dump wood piper in the wind ♪ ♪ Where things are blue as the cold ♪ ♪ Where things are blue as a cold ♪ ♪ Once somebody said that's a strange tattoo ♪ ♪ You've got on the side of your head ♪ ♪ I said that's a mark of the number nine coal (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Oh, I love the ramble, I love the dark ♪ ♪ I love the pool at the slake ♪ By the shrine, down the street ♪ ♪ Looking for a chance ♪ Just traveling there looking down here ♪ ♪ Just traveling there looking down here ♪ ♪ I stood for the union, walk in the land ♪ ♪ Hot against the company ♪ Stood forward (indistinct) ♪ Who's gonna stand for me ♪ Well I got no job and I got no pay ♪ ♪ I just got a worry soul ♪ And a plain tattoo on the side of my head ♪ ♪ Left by the number nine coal ♪ Left by the number nine coal ♪ Someday when I am dead and gone ♪ ♪ To heaven the land of my dreams ♪ ♪ Don't have to worry about losing my job ♪ ♪ The hard times and big machines ♪ ♪ Well I ain't gonna my pay my money ♪ ♪ Or lose my speed plans ♪ I'm gonna be (indistinct) ♪ Sing with the angels band ♪ And sing with the angels band ♪ (audience applauding) - We dedicate this song to the sweetest little four legged girl I've met tonight.

She's right over here.

I can't see her, but four legged friend.

♪ I look up and I see God ♪ I look down and see my dog ♪ Simple spelling G-O-D ♪ Same word backwards D-O-G ♪ They would stay with me all day ♪ ♪ I am the one who walks away ♪ Both of them just wait for me ♪ ♪ And dance at my return with glee ♪ ♪ They love me no matter what ♪ Divine God and canine matter ♪ I take it hard each time I fail ♪ ♪ God forgives, dog wags its tail ♪ ♪ God thought up and made the dog ♪ ♪ The dog reflects a part of God ♪ ♪ I have seen love from both sides now ♪ ♪ It's everywhere, amen ♪ I look up and I see God ♪ I look down and see my dog ♪ And in my human frail ♪ I can't match their love for me ♪ (audience applauding) - I met Coleman a while ago, also Sandy's from Jasper, the older junior high.

They don't call them middle school then, they call it a junior high school, but it burned to the ground.

They like Andy song, did y'all hear that?

It burned to the ground, the old junior high school, in the basement they found a skeleton and nobody knew who it was.

It was leaning up against one of the old posts and his head was turned to the side like that.

Nobody knew who it was until the school librarian researched and found that it was the 1932 heightened go seat champion of all Walker county.

So there.

♪ You got a friend in me ♪ You got a friend in me ♪ When the road looks rough ahead ♪ ♪ And you're miles and miles ♪ From your nice warm bed ♪ You just remember what your old pal said ♪ ♪ Boy, you've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ Yeah, you've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ You've got troubles, I've got 'em too ♪ ♪ There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you ♪ ♪ We stick together and we see it through ♪ ♪ 'Cause you've got a friend in me ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ Some other folks might be ♪ A little bit smarter than I am ♪ ♪ Bigger and stronger too maybe ♪ ♪ But none of them will ever love you ♪ ♪ The way I do ♪ It's me and you, boy ♪ And as the years go by ♪ Our friendship will never die ♪ ♪ You're gonna see it's our destiny ♪ ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ You've got a friend in me ♪ You've got a friend in me (audience applauding) - Thank you folks.

Way back in World War II, in 1942, the war been going just about a year or so.

And my father got stuck in north Africa, and it was Christmas time.

And he was down in the dumps as were his buddies because, it was Christmas time, and they're in north Africa.

Well they found a short wave radio and got the thing working and believe it or not from the deserts of Tunisia, they were able to pick up the BBC in London, and the very first song that they heard over that shortwave radio changed everything for all of them because it reminded them of home.

And this was the tune that they heard.

(instrumental music) (audience applauding) - Thank you very much.

Years ago, we used to play at a little club called the Lowenbrau House in Homewood, Alabama.

All right, and we had some people that came in there, went on to become famous Emmylou Harris, being one of them and a guy that used to come in, Richard Jim, the Jim wrote that grandma's feather bed song and got fairly rich on that.

And another guy that did pretty well, was called, his name was Steve Young.

And he used to come in and play a special song.

Everybody wanted to hear.

It was a dear real good song.

And he wrote it and we used to play it and sing it and finally recorded it.

And a guy came in another club we were playing one time, heard us sing it.

He liked it, took it to his band, and they messed it all up, changed a bunch of stuff and messed it up so bad, they made about $20 million out of it.

And 'cause they were the Eagles and you got to lie.

You're gonna hear the noncommercial version of Steve Young songs.

♪ There are stars in the Southern sky ♪ ♪ Southward as you go ♪ There is moonlight ♪ And moss in the trees ♪ Down the Seven Bridges Road ♪ Now I have loved you like a baby ♪ ♪ Like some lonesome child ♪ And I have loved you in a tame way ♪ ♪ And I have loved you wild ♪ Sometimes there's a part of me ♪ ♪ Has to turn from here and go ♪ Running like a child from these warm stars ♪ ♪ Down the Seven Bridges Road ♪ There are stars in the Southern sky ♪ ♪ And if ever you decide you go ♪ ♪ There is a taste of thyme sweetened honey ♪ ♪ Down the Seven Bridges Road ♪ Down the Seven Bridges Road (audience applauding) - I know you heard a story about the mayor of Birmingham told everybody in the year 2020, which is the last year that the Olympics would held in Birmingham, Alabama.

And how disappointed everybody was that not only did not have the Olympics, we did not have many shows to do because of the COVID.

But he was...

Pretty sure... And I forgot what I was gonna talk about.

We weren't near as disappointed as the people in Holly pond, because they were convinced when the Olympics came to Birmingham, the diving competition would be in Holly Pond, Alabama, in the pond, in the pond.

They even had a guy build a big diving tower and it wasn't a very good tower.

However, he wasn't a builder, he was a veterinarian and he wasn't a very good veterinarian either.

But that part was okay because he was also a taxidermist and kind of even doubt.

But that's not why I brought it up.

He's the guy that got me interested in playing harmonica.

And he said, it's not a harmonica and you don't even play it.

He said, it's a harp.

And you choke it.

When he said choke it, I'm not sure he's talking about to do like this.

(instrumental music) I'm not playing a song.

Just showing how to choke.

I said, "Man, you got to show me how to do that.

"'Cause I love that sound."

He said, "No, I can't.

"Because if I take the harp out of my mouth to show you "it's over."

And it took me a year to figure out how to choke one near to death.

But when I learned to choke, I was so proud.

Everywhere I go, I'd choke.

Find me a place, I'll stand there and choke.

And one day I was standing there choking, and this girl came over there and she said, "Show me how to do that."

And all I knew how to do was stand there like this.

But I got an idea and I told her, I said, listen, "Put your lips over here on my lips "and I'll show you what I'm doing to the harp there."

And me and her was standing there playing rocket top.

And I had that harp in my pocket.

Now I'm not gonna play Rocky top 'cause I can't because that's our song.

But I would like play that old bluegrass standard called "The Orange Blossom."

(instrumental music) (audience applauding) Thank you.

- All right, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.

♪ Well you wake up in the morning ♪ ♪ Hear the ding dong ring ♪ You go a-marching to the table ♪ ♪ See the same damn thing ♪ Well, it's on a one table ♪ Knife, a fork and a pan ♪ And if you say anything about it ♪ ♪ You're in trouble with the man ♪ ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her light on me ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her ever-loving light on me ♪ ♪ If you ever go to Houston ♪ You better walk right ♪ You better not stagger ♪ You better not fight ♪ Sheriff Benson will arrest you ♪ ♪ He'll carry you down ♪ And if the jury finds you guilty ♪ ♪ Penitentiary bound ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her light on me ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her ever-loving light on me ♪ ♪ Yonder come little Rosie ♪ How in the world do you know ♪ Well I can tell her by her apron ♪ ♪ And the dress she wore ♪ Umbrella on her shoulder ♪ Piece of paper in her hand ♪ She goes a-marching to the captain ♪ ♪ Says, I want my man ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her light on me ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her ever-loving light on me ♪ ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her light on me ♪ Let the midnight special ♪ Shine her ever-loving light on me ♪ (audience applauding) ♪ When I was up in Memphis, Tennessee ♪ ♪ Jug band music sounds so sweet to me ♪ ♪ Because it sounds so sweet ♪ And they're hard to beat ♪ Jug band music certainly was a treat for me ♪ ♪ And then I took off my socks ♪ I took off my shoes ♪ I danced all night ♪ To the jug band blues ♪ Because it sounds so sweet ♪ And they're hard to beat ♪ Jug band music certainly was a treat for me ♪ ♪ And then I took off my socks ♪ I took off my shoes ♪ I danced all night ♪ To the jug band blues ♪ Because it sounds sweet ♪ And they're hard to beat ♪ Jug band music certainly was a treat for me ♪ ♪ Well, I went to my girl ♪ Put my hand on her knees ♪ If you can't play the jug ♪ You can't play with me ♪ Because it sounds so sweet ♪ And they're hard to beat ♪ Jug band music certainly was a treat ♪ ♪ Jug band music certainly was a treat ♪ ♪ Jug band music certainly was a treat to me ♪ (audience applauding) - You folks are nice, you know that?

I wanna tell you how much you've mean to people like us who kind of do this for a living and we kind of missed you all during the shutdown, but it's such a good feeling to in all these bands.

And by the way, all of these bands, that's about as good a bluegrass that we've heard ever tonight with the... (audience applauding) - Foggy Hollow Review and Valley Road Bluegrass.

Give them a round of applause.

(audience applauding) - Hey, what about these guys right here?

(audience cheering) They don't think we'll you let them get away that easily, do you?

(audience applauding) And by the way Jay, I want you to know Mr. Garland called and he said you finally learned how to do that.

(laughs) - Well, thank you so much.

So good to be back seeing people, but we can't see you, and we hope you're still here.

(audience laughing) Thank you so much for letting us be here, Jackson, and his team, (indistinct).

By the way, that's Andy Meginniss that played on the grand Ole Opry.

Give him a hand.

(audience applauding) This right here, Mr. Rick and Bubba theme song, Brad Ryan, sings it every morning on the radio.

(audience applauding) This guy over here has done 19, is it now?

Working on 20 projects with Ken Barnes of baseball and civil wall of fame, Bobby Horton.

(audience applauding) And my name's Jerry and I part my hair in a circle.

(audience applauding) And you folks are nice, thank you very much.

♪ I see trees of green ♪ Red roses too ♪ I see them bloom ♪ For me and you ♪ And I think to myself ♪ What a wonderful world ♪ I see skies of blue ♪ And a bug flew in my mouth (audience laughing) ♪ And I think to myself ♪ That didn't taste very good ♪ The colors of the rainbow ♪ So pretty in the sky ♪ Are also on the faces ♪ Of people going by ♪ I see friends shaking hands ♪ Saying, How do you do ♪ But what they're really saying ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ I hear babies cry ♪ I watch them grow ♪ They'll learn much more ♪ Than I'll never know ♪ And I think to myself ♪ What a wonderful world (audience applauding) ♪ The colors of the rainbow ♪ So pretty in the sky ♪ Are also on the faces ♪ Of people going by ♪ I see friends shaking hands ♪ Saying, How do you do ♪ But what they're really saying ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ I hear babies cry ♪ I watch them grow ♪ They'll learn much more ♪ Than I'll never know ♪ And I think to myself ♪ What a wonderful world ♪ Yes, I think to myself ♪ What a wonderful world ♪ Oh yeah (audience applauding) - Good night everybody, thank you.

(audience cheering) (upbeat music)