The other day in the paper, I read a headline that stated (as if it were a fact) - "Winter weather continues to plague the country."  "Plague?!"  No.  Winter is a season.  It comes once a year.  Just around this time.  I wouldn't call it a "plague" - and it certainly isn't really news, is it?  Unless your idea of "news" is to state the obvious.  Sure, we're in a deep freeze as I prepare this show, but it IS January, and I'd expect nothing less.  Which is why today on Routes & Branches & Beyond we dress up warm and go out on some January rambles.  Proper thing, luh?!

We'll hear rags (not the kind you wipe up spilled milk with), giants (the friendly kind), chickens (the fried kind), jars (the kind containing whiskey), strangers (the alluring kind), life (the everlasting kind), hotels (the kind you can check out of but can never leave), and love (the kind that conquers hate).  From musicians like Steve Kaufman, Darren McMullen, Lickin’ Good Fried, The High Kings, Medley Folk Band, Susan Aglukark, The Rucksack Willies, North Country Gentlemen, Trio Garufa, Andrew Collins, Ian Bruce & Victor Besch,  and Mary Anderson-Buchanan.  Put on a scarf and join me.

Routes & Branches & Beyond show # 309 2024 01 18

Well, folks, we made it.  We are now past what some roving after-dinner speakers call "the Most Depressing Day Of The Year!" - the third Monday in January.  Apparently, this is supposed to be a result of a combination of post-celebration ennui, short days, snow shovelling injuries, credit card bills coming due, the cold weather, the backyard chickens laying fewer eggs, and who knows what else.  Of course, I always felt sorry for those who ended up with their birthday on The Most Depressing Day Of The Year.  What a drag.  Plus, the whole premise of this is so sadly geographically and economically limited.  For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, you are enjoying some lovely long days at the moment.  And warm.  And the whole tiring discussion about how our mood is affected by interest rates and credit card spending limits is so... well... so much like yet another diatribe in the Globe and Mail Report on Business written by some fundamentalist economist.  (If you want to find examples of a belief in magical processes and supernatural forces, don't go to religion - hang around with economists and stock market analysts!)

So today on Routes & Branches & Beyond, we reject the silly narratives of our capitalist overlords and head out on some January rambles.  There will be flashy finger picking, Playford dancing delights, singing cowboys, uxorious highwaymen, Bluegrass from that yonder mountain, stringband anthems from the hollers of SW Ontario, and important signs on the freeway.  From musicians such as Wayne Henderson, Steve Kaufman, Robin Kessinger, Tethera, Phil Cerny, Michael Cavan, The Weber Brothers Band, The Blurry Pickers, Yonder Mountain String Band, Danny Michel, Nathan Williams, and a bunch of folks celebrating Rounder Records' 40th birthday.  Put down that newspaper and join me.

Routes & Branches & Beyond show # 310 2024 01 25

Made this song up out of an improv flat picking practice session late at night. Trying to improve my facility with the guitar pick. I made up chords somewhat randomly and came up with four verses.

Acoustic Practice 3 - 12 - 24 V1.5

Brought to Folkway by its owner of the last 65 years, this 000-28 led a storied life leading up to its time on our repair benches and, now, to our sales floor. It’s a beautiful example of one of Martin’s highest-end models of its era, with stunning rosewood, attractive patina and gentle wear, and classic post-war 000 tone.

Purchased in 1959 or 1960 at Noah Wulfe’s 48th Street guitar shop in New York City, this 000-28 spent its time in the folk scenes of NYC and Philadelphia with its then-college-age new owner who shared the stage with the likes of Jack Elliott and Brownie McGhee. The guitar was played by Lightning Hopkins, who shared the bill with this Martin’s owner on one such night. Lightning, we’re told, needed to borrow a guitar for his set and this 000-28 ended up in his hands.

In 1969 the guitar and its owner moved to Canada, and for the last number of years have called Kitchener, Ontario home.

We’ve just completed the required age-related restoration most older Martins need. The neck has been reset and refretted, the bridge has been replaced, a few cracks were repaired, bridgeplate wear repaired and reinforced with a tiny maple patch, new bone nut and saddle installed along with Antique Acoustic Style 28 pins, and Grover Rotomatic tuners were replaced with a set of original Klusons from the mid 1950s with conversion bushings that were aged to match. The guitar now plays properly and is set up with 5-7 64ths action, a fairly straight neck, and 12-54 strings.

With strong and rounded treble response, full and supportive mids, and basses that are well defined and controlled, this 000-28 is an excellent melodic lead flatpicker and a versatile fingerstyle guitar.

The neck has a C shaped carve with a hint of V, 1-11/16” nut, and 1st fret depth of .845”. 9th fret neck depth is .956”, the scale is 24.9” and string spacing at the bridge is 2-3/16”. The guitar weighs 4lbs.

The top has a repaired pickguard crack and a reglued center seam, but no added cleats. The sides are crack free, and the back’s only crack is impossible to find (it’s a hairline crack that’s 1.5” long at the lower treble bout’s binding edge). Original finish throughout, with worn sections along the back of the neck and between the pickguard and bridge, as are visible in the provided photos. The front of the headstock shows minor washer imprints from the small bushing washers that early Rotomatics used.

With non original hardshell case

∞ 1950 Martin 000 - 28

All is well with my soul. A song about a feeling of closeness, longing, and peaceful acceptance of the moment. Joy within chaos. Peace in uncertainty. A glimpse of hope within trial. Love for one another. 

alliswell

Farewell Blues

Man of Constant Sorrow

Prelude To A Kiss

Adaptation of Morrisons and Swallowtail jigs for acoustic guitar 

Morrisons/Swallowtail Jigs

Bottleneck Cove

This week, I’m joined by bluegrass virtuoso Martin Gilmore - a powerhouse songwriter and performer who’s had a banner year, taking home top honors at the Kerrville, Telluride Troubadour, and Folks Fest songwriting contests.

In this episode, we dig into:
	•	The impacts of entering and winning songwriting contests
	•	The impact of Billy Strings on the bluegrass and Americana world
	•	How Spotify has reshaped the landscape for independent artists
	•	A live guitar demo where Martin breaks down beginner, intermediate, and advanced bluegrass rhythm styles

If you enjoy the podcast, please let others know, subscribe, or write a review!

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST IN A MONETARY WAY, I'M NOW ON PATREON! Please note: new Patreon members get to pick a cover song for me to record especially for them! www.patreon.com/andysydow

Guest Links:
https://www.martingilmore.com/

Episode Music:
Original music by Andy Sydow

Contact me: middleclassrockstar@gmail.com (or) andysydowmusic@gmail.com

Middle Class Rock Star

143. From Flatpicking to Spotify: Martin Gilmore's Journey Through Modern Bluegrass

Acoustic guitar; folk; Americana; jam band influences; blues; rock; old time; bluegrass; grungey stuff. Even some electro and EDM vibes occasionally. I play a wide mix of music with a lot of different people.

Canada's Finest Vintage and Modern Guitars, World Famous Repairs and Restorations.

Solo musician from Indianapolis. Alex writes, plays, sings, and produces all parts of his songs.

Drawing from a broad array of musical influences, chillchillchill makes a truly unique sound. Old school bluegrass, early blues music, psychedelic rock of the late 60’s, 90’s alternative rock, early 2000’s pop punk, folk music, reggae, jazz, R&B, Christian Gospel and many more meet at a head to craft a warm, fuzzy, spaceship to drag you off into an infinitely deep place of sensation. Notable influences include Sublime, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Ty Segall, Collective Soul, Slightly Stoopid, Tame Impala, Mac DeMarco, The White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, STRFKR, Beach House, Pat the Bunny, The Black Keys, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Electric Wizard, Kevin Morby, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Each of these influences can be picked out with careful listening, and can explain the, at times confusing, balance between heavy distorted guitar riffs and instrumentals in some places and soft acoustic guitar in others; heavy distorted dark vocals in some places- and clear warm and bright vocals in others. Sensations ranging from angst and frustration, to love and adoration can be found in the themes (and at times even within the same song). You will hear heavy bass guitar, crispy clean or dark heavy electric guitar (and everything between), acoustic flat picking, drums and experimental percussion, ambience, danceable vibes, and others more contemplative- you may even hear Tibetan singing bowls or steel tongue drums blended in surprising ways. chillchillchill looks to make music that emulates the experience of life, love, joy, and sorrow, and to capture these feelings in the most raw and effective ways possible; then use this musical experience to bring healing, and a feeling of bliss and oneness with the listener. Enjoy, and tell your friends about it!

New tracks tagged #flatpicking