Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 14 presents Holler Down the Hollow: A Hardly Strictly Salute to the Masters (Dickens, Hellman, Reed, Scruggs, Seeger, Watson & Winchester)
2014-10-04
Banjo Stage, Hellman Hollow
Golden Gate Park, 50 Overlook Dr, San Francisco, CA 94122
2:45 PM, Saturday, October 4, 2014

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[2:55 PM; Emcee intro; banter about Doc Watson]

1. [2:56 PM] The Train That Carried My Girl From Town (tribute to Doc Watson) (BS)
2. [2:59 PM] Sally Ann (tribute to Earl Scruggs)
   [pause to bring up Johnnyswim for Johnny Cash Tribute]
3. [2:05 PM] Jackson [Johnnyswim out; add Robert Earl Keen, Peter Rowan]
4. 23:11 PM] ? “look for a job in town” “flowers in the fields”
   [REK and Peter Rowan off; add Buddy Miller: acoustic guitar]
5. [3:15 PM] A Showman's Life (tribute to Jesse Winchester) (BM)
   [BM off; add unidentified female harmony singer]
6. [3:21 PM] Tall Buildings (tribute to John Hartford) (TO)
   [fem off; add Brothers Gibb - banjo+vox, mandolin+vox]
7. [3:26 PM] Foggy Mountain Top (tribute to Earl Scruggs)
   [Brothers Gibb off; add Kevin Welch: acoustic guitar]
8. [3:30 PM] Needles and Pins (tribute to the Ramones) (KW)
   [KW off; add Chuck Prophet]
9. [3:35 PM] Sweet Jane (tribute to Lou Reed) (CP)
   [CP off; add Emmylou Harris: acoustic guitar, vox; unidentified female harmony vox #2]
10. [3:23 PM] Green Rolling Hills (tribute to Hazel Dickens) (EH)
    [EH and ? off; add Vince Gill]
11. [3:43 PM] Ophelia (tribute to Levon Helm) (VG)
    [VG off, band off except BS; add Peter Rowan]
12. [3:53 PM] Doc Watson Morning (tribute to Doc Watson, duh!) (PR/BS)
    [add band, Steve Earle: acoustic guitar]
13. [4:00 PM] This Land Is Your Land (tribute to Woody Guthrie) (SE)
    [add Hannah Brown]
14. [4:05 PM] Long Journey Home (AKA $2 Bill, another tribute to Woody Guthrie) (SE)
    [set ends 4:09 PM]

• Alison Brown: banjo;
• Brian Lawrence: drums;
• ?Nick Forster or Garry West?: bass;
• Tim O'Brien: mandolin, lead and harmony vox;
• Christian Sedelmyer: violin;
• Bryan Sutton: acoustic guitar, vox.

• Hannah Browne: harmony vox;
• Steve Earle: acoustic guitar, mandolin, lead and harmony vox;
• Vince Gill: acoustic guitar, vox;
• Emmylou Harris: acoustic guitar, vox;
• Robert Earl Keen: acoustic guitar, vox;
• Buddy Miller: acoustic guitar, mandolin, vox;
• Chuck Prophet: guitar, lead and harmony vox;
• Peter Rowan: acoustic guitar, vox;
• Kevin Welch: acoustic guitar, vox.

• Frank Gibbs: lead and harmony vox;
• Matt Gibbs: banjo, lead and harmony vox;
• Sam Gibbs: mandolin, lead and harmony vox.

Johnnyswim

• Abner Ramirez: acoustic guitar, vox;
• Amanda Sudano: acoustic guitar, vox.

Whoa, Nelly! Another set featuring a cavalcade of stars! Like last year, the Alison Brown Quintet served as the house band for this set. With pickers and singers swapping in and out on every single tune, it's entirely possible that there are numerous minor errors in the information I've presented, but I did my best to try and keep track of the comings and goings.

What were the highlights? No doubt that's going to be a personal choice thing, but I'm going to come down on the side of the rocking tunes from this set. Johnnyswim – a duo unknown to me until they walked out onstage – pulled off an excellent June 'n' Johnny tribute with their cover of Jackson, and really, I would have been psyched to hear more from them. Thankfully, their set from the XX Stage has been archived – randolo sez, “Give 'em a listen!”

Even better, all the more for being totally unexpected, was Chuck Prophet's cover of Lou Reed's Sweet Jane. Chalk that one up to the 'Hardly' part of the name, right? I'm positive this was the first time I'd seen Chuck in the daylight – I hope his sweetie Stefanie made sure to slather him in high SPF sunscreen that morning, you know his pasty complexion can't be compatible with today's broiling sun.

Ophelia featuring Vince Gill and _$2 Bill _ fronted by Steve Earle were also compelling. It's sad to lose folks (goodbye Levon!), but as long as we keep them alive in our collective memory (hello Woody!) we'll be all the richer for sharing the treasure of the tunes and words they set down for us to enjoy. Gone, but not forgotten!

Thanks to velvettblue for helping with the setlist.

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2014 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2014 event list! ☸ On to the next event! ☸