  Introduction of Tom Knowles by Buzz Busby Running Away The Loving of the Game Rain Ole Slew Foot Sugar Foot Rag She Was a T-Bome Talking Woman March Around the Throne One Time for Me You Go to Your Church and I’ll Go to Mine Reuben’s Train A Vision of You Amy I’m on My Way Back to the Old Home Amanda Sally Goodin Devil’s Little Angel When Lightning Hit the Outhouse Sunshine in My Heart Life’s Elevator Put Another Log on The Fire Barefoot Nellie The Old Coon Dog Remember Me As I grow older and reflect on my life, the period when I was active in the Washington, DC Bluegrass community brings back cherished memories. In 1975, I organized a band called Appalachian Reign which performed at area night spots and East Coast festivals from 1975 to 1984. A group of famous musicians lived in the area and I was fortunate to have many of them in the band as full-time players or as occasional fill-ins Dick Smith and Chris Warner were committed to touring bands but both of them were available for almost every gig for several months. The original cast of band members was myself as front man, guitar and vocals; Danny Kimball on mandolin and vocals; Dave Goldman on fiddle; Dick Drevo on banjo and Dave Bowen on bass. As most bands go, the personnel changed from time to time but I was fortunate to be able to recruit good musicians to join. Many of them had played and recorded with well-known touring bands. Regular band members over the years were Page Duppstadt on banjo; Nevin Lambert on mandolin; Steve Spence on banjo; Jim Duke on bass; Roger Green on bass; Jim 'Ratso' Silman on bass; Pat Murphy on banjo: Buford Johnson on mandolin; Bill Torbert on mandolin; Stafford Markham on banjo; Porter Church on banjo; Porter's son Kevin Church on banjo; Earl Brown on bass; Lamar Grier on banjo and Joe Meadows on fiddle. Lamar had been a part of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass boys in the mid 1960s. Joe Meadows recorded and toured with The Stanley Brothers, Jim and Jesse, Bill Monroe and Larry Sparks. Buzz Busby was even part of the band for several months. Buzz was a great influence on me when I was a teenager and starting out learning to play music. He had a radio show on WGAY in Silver Spring, MD and a TV show called Hayloft Hoedown on WRC TV in Washington, DC. Buzz contacted me when he learned that I needed a mandolin player and joined the band. What a thrill for me to play music on stage with my musical hero. There is a long list of musicians that filled in for a show or two or in some cases as regular fill-ins. They include Don Stover on banjo; Bob Spates on fiddle; Carl Nelson on fiddle; Dave Norman on banjo; Vern Bryant on fiddle; Jon Glik on fiddle: Missy Raines on bass: Wayne Lanham on mandolin; Les McIntyre on mandolin; Tom Gray on bass; Smiley Hobbs on fiddle; Benita Murphy on bass; Don Mulkey on bass; Jeff Wiser on fiddle; James Hann on banjo; Emery Lester on mandolin; Fred Geiger on banjo; Akira Otsuka on bass and mandolin; James Bailey on banjo; Doug Ward on bass; Bob Wilkerson on banjo; Ray Griffin on bass; Billy Wheeler on banjo; and Wayne Fairfax on fiddle. On one occasion Dudley Connell of the Johnson Mountain Boys played banjo with us. |
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