Kenny Baker – Mississippi Waltz
Kenny Baker – Wheel Hoss
Kenny Baker – Jerusalem Ridge
Kenny Baker – Lonesome Moonlight Waltz
Since this is my closing theme each time we have an all-vinyl show on Melting Pot, I’m really surprised that I haven’t posted this album before. The story of how I came to find this record, the only bluegrass album I own, and what many consider the best bluegrass record ever recorded, goes back to my time in Wisconsin at WORT-FM. In addition to hosting a jazz program there I was also the volunteer coordinator, which meant I was at the station during the day for long periods of time which means I got to hear most of our weekly programming and meet and talk with most of the people there during the day. The highlight of my week was without a doubt being able to hear what is probably the finest country music program in the entire nation, Back To The Country, with Bill Malone, family and friends. On the show, Malone used a couple of “old-timey” waltzes as bed music, generally for concert calendars. “Mississippi Waltz” was one that stuck in my mind, but for some reason I never thought to ask him what the song and the artist was for the music. Many many years later, far away from Madison, while I lived in California, from time to time the melody from that song would creep back into my mind and I’d kick myself for not figuring it out while I was at the station.
Eventually the misery and mystery got to me. I recorded myself whistling as much as I could remember about the song, which ended up being about 45 seconds of the melody, and sent the recording to Bill Malone. Thankfully my ears held on to just enough of the song to make it easy for him (though he did marvel at my whistlin’ skills and my ability to hold that melody in my mind for what must have been some 6 or 7 years) and finally I was able to track down what is truly one of the most lovely things I’ve ever heard. Kenny Baker is revered as one of the best fiddler players to have ever walked the earth. It doesn’t take long listening to this music to figure out why that was the case.
“Wheel Hoss” is one of the tunes that convinced Baker to give up Western Swing and focus full-time on Bluegrass. “Lonesome Moonlight Waltz” and “Jerusalem Ridge” must have been standards of the Bill Monroe repetoire. I’m still pretty flat out amazed that this recording was the very first one of “Mississippi Waltz.” As I mentioned above, it’s honestly one of the prettiest things I’ve ever heard and likely will ever hear. To think Monroe just had the tune sittin’ on a shelf is just mind boggling, as were the talents of Bill Monroe and the legendary Kenny Baker.
Cheers,
Michael