Join Me at Albert Music Hall Saturday July 11, 2009 8:30 PM

Albert Music Hall  This is a wonderful venue providing for your entertainment groups every half hour on the half hour starting at 7:30 playing country, folk and bluegrass.  Its $5 to get in and they serve the best darn hot dogs in the world.  Better than Nathans for you New Yorkers.  I can say it since I’m from Brooklyn.  The last show starts at 11:00 so you really get your money’s worth.

This Saturday I’ll join Gene and Friends on the stage at 8:30.   A spot opened and Gene has put together a group who will sing well known country and bluegrass songs.  The performance will be a lot of fun for everyone.

My thanks again to Robert Kraeuter and the famous blogging staff at Kaffe Magnum Opus for letting me roam a bit and help out my son who owns Meadowview Landscaping.   Paul, my son, has been in the hardscape design and construction business for 20 years and has a very successful full service landscape operation.  He is now expanding and has just networked with LandOpt whose mission is: “To empower a select group of highly qualified, regionally-based landscape contractors with a powerful portfolio of business systems to dramatically improve their growth, profitability and productivity.”  The effect is to help fashion an extremely responsive, high quality, high service organization.  Please visit Paul’s web site at Meadowview Landscaping.

And don’t forget to watch Cold Case this Sunday evening at 9 PM on CBS.  Jennifer, my daughter, is the Executive Producer.

I Wish I Had Someone To Love Me – Thanks Dubliners

This is just a fantastic ballad done mostly by Barney McKenna of the Dubliners who opened my eyes as wide as they can be.  What a performance.  I was compelled to take it on.  So here is Bob’s version of “I Wish I Had Someone to Love Me”.

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I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

If you would like a list (with links) of the songs I’ve published on youtube please give me a shout at bob@kmocoffee.com

My Youtube user name is bobjohnson1945 and I have a bunch out there and more coming so please subscribe to this blog or to my youtube channel.

Bob Johnson

Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain –> Bob Johnson, 2/22/09 Wachula Auditorium

Performed during the Hardee County Players Fundraiser in the Wachula Florida Auditorium February 22, 2009

Angel Band –> Bob Johnson with Tresea and Greg Frazier

Performed in Wachula Florida in the City Hall Auditorium during a fundraiser for the Hardee County Players.  Tresea sings lead here.  Greg’s on bass.

Sing Along –> get those lungs moving.

Aragon Mill by Coffee House Grass at Pete Wernick Dr. Banjo’s Jam Camp

 

Here is the result of the practice.  Coffee House Grass performed Aragon Mill as part of the Jamboree at the Pete Wernick, Dr. Banjo, Jam Camp in the YMCA Herring Ridge camp.  It is part of Merle Fest 2009

Coffee House Grass – Aragon Mill Practice Session 2

Another Practice Seession but getting closer to what we wanted. 

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Coffee House Grass – Practice Session Aragon Mill

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This video is around 12 minutes, and it give you a good idea of how to operate a productive practice session.   And the finished prodcut was pretty good too.  See another post on this site of the audio from the show.

Battle Hymn of the Republic

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Greg and Teresa Frazier and I played together for the Hardee County Players Snowbird Fundraiser at the Wauchula City Auditorium, Wauchula, Florida on February 27, 2009.  Our portion of the show was supported by Kaffe Magnum Opus.  We did five or six tunes some of which I have here. 

I love Battle Hymn of the Rebublic.  It kind of helps you stand up and puff out the chest.

John Brown’s Body is tune first written with this music and Julia Howe, when writing Battle Hymn at the Battle of Bull Run in the Civil War, wrote many verses.  It is a captivating tune; uplifting.

The 182nd Air Bourne  adopted the tune and wrote some hilarious words provided  you like free-falling from 18,000 feet.  Blood on the Risers I first heard when in High School.  I’m thinking that a very good friends brother was in the 182nd.  Risers are the cords that connect the jumper to the parachute.  Guess what happens.  Gory Gory what a hell of way to die goes the chorus. 

Bob

Are You Missing Me – Pete Wernicks Jam Camp – Hal, Rick and Bob

Are You Missing Me by a band destined for the stage at Merle Fest.  That’s the cabin stage with the rest of this sturdy jam camp group.  Hosted by Pete Wernick the final day features the groups that played together during the camp.

 

I owe Pete Wernick a debt of gratitude for the help he provides at these camps.  They are a terrific place learn, jam with folks who play or sing at the same level as you do, and eat and be merry.

 

Pete is now hosting intermediate players at these camps, but folks at all levels are welcome.  This is all laid out on the Dr. Banjo site.

 

Anyhow, Hal, the baritone, Rick the tenor, and Bob the lead had a great time harmonizing.  I can’t sing this high now.  I’ve lowered most of my keys to accommodate my voice and my wife, Cathy, who I wish would come and participate in these camps.  No luck yet.

 

Bob Johnson

 

 

Jams In Tabor City – Thanksgiving Entertainment and Hay Rides

Kettle Creek is the band that I played in at Albert Hall.  Its disbanded now.

Kettle Creek Band at Albert Hall, Waretown, NJ

 

 

 

I have stumbled upon a group of young men who play bluegrass and I’m hoping to do some good picking and singing while here at Yogi Bear Jellystone Campground here in Tabor City.  Jesse Coleman is a family member of the folks who built with the own hands this campground and won the best in the nation award for the Yogi Bear chain. 

 

I can tell you the campground is very nice.  Every pad has a concrete slab and 50 amps and sewer.  The television reception is pretty bad, but we did not come to watch TV and fortunately I get CBS which is the station my Daughter Jennifer’s show – Cold Case – is on.  There are several lakes all stocked with fish, and each lake has a different kind.  There are trails in the woods for bike riding or juiced up golf carts or walking and listening and watching.

 

If you listen real well you might here our banjos, fiddles and mandolin’s and guitars and voices.  Listen real good now, ya hear.

 

There is a group of gospel singers coming this weekend and the campground will be crowded for the Thanksgiving weekend so there might be a chance to do some singing publicly. 

 

And Ric Coleman, who I believe is the owner, asked if our family might get on the hay ride on Thanksgiving and drive through the camp.  I agreed since we will be dressed in costumes – Pilgrims and Indians – and it will be good fun for the Grandkids and the folks who are here.

 

I plan to video the dinner we are planning.

 

May your grass be blue and the wind be always at your back.

 

Would you like to join us?

 

Bob Johnson