Back at the mic, Grascals and Jimmie Dale

by Chris Aaland

As Gene Autry famously sang, “I’m back in the saddle again.” For nearly six months, I’ve been a DJ without a mic. All that changed at 7 p.m. yesterday, as “Tales of the New West” made its debut on KSUT Public Radio. From 7-9 each Wednesday night, I’ll be spinning classic country and Western, contemporary alt-country and twangy singer-songwriters, with a smidgen of bluegrass, old-time, blues, Southern rock and related genres thrown in.

I was part of the KDUR family for nearly 20 years as a volunteer DJ and board member. Few things in my life have influenced me as much. From my musical tastes to political leanings, my core circle of radio friends – DJs, concert promoters, listeners and assorted freaks and musicians – played a huge role in my personal and musical development. When I signed off the 91.9 and 93.9 frequencies for the final time last July 22, it closed a chapter in my life. I literally broke down on the air when back-announcing my last set of tunes.

The next day, I made the 35-minute trek south to Ignacio to begin my new career as KSUT’s membership manager. I work with like-minded souls here. They’re a collection of musical experts with diverse tastes and vast knowledge and I’m surrounded by sounds of new and classic artists.

The KSUT signal reaches from Cuba, N.M., in the south to Silverton in the north, and from the eastern edge of the Navajo Nation to Pagosa Springs. The station is making a strong statement by featuring two hours of locally produced specialty programs from 7-9 p.m. each weeknight. Nationally syndicated favorites like “American Routes,” “eTown” and “The Thistle and Shamrock” have been moved in the process in a programming shift that emphasizes local and organic shows. (More on this in the Top Shelf list at the end of the column.)

I’m humbled to have even been considered. My comrades who host Celtic, blues, bluegrass and world music shows have much stronger radio resumes than me. As Wayne and Garth shouted while kneeling at Alice Cooper’s feet, “We’re not worthy!”

The Grascals, a Nashville bluegrass sextet that has garnered a pair of Grammy nominations during their 10-year career, plays the Community Concert Hall at 7 p.m. Saturday. As their records prove, The Grascals’ rare musical empathy allows its members the opportunity to elaborate on their original songs and rework bluegrass classics and pop standards. The vocal trio of Terry Eldredge, Jamie Johnson and Terry Smith cut loose on driving vocals, while instrumental soloists Danny Roberts (mandolin), Jerry Abshire (fiddle) and Kristin Scott Benson (banjo) are given ample time to shred. They’ve recorded and performed with such artists as George Jones, Dolly Parton, Steve Wariner, Dierks Bentley and the Jordanaires. Durango-based Running Out of Road opens the show.

One of the forefathers of Texas acoustic music, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, returns to the area at 8 p.m. Friday when he plays Telluride’s Sheridan Opera House. Born in Amarillo and raised in Lubbock, Gilmore’s honky tonk is Zen-inflected, as he spent time at an ashram in Denver studying metaphysics with Indian guru Maharaji. Music fans mostly associate him with the Flatlanders, a Lubbock group that featured fellow Lone Star songwriters Joe Ely and Butch Hancock. They recorded a legendary album in 1972 and then went their separate ways. Gilmore resurfaced in Austin in 1988 with his solo debut, “Fair and Square,” and has been juggling solo efforts with the Flatlanders and other outfits ever since. And he’ll always hold a soft spot in Big Lebowski lore, having played the pacifist bowler, “Smokey,” who was threatened at gunpoint by John Goodman’s “Walter Sobchak” for foot-faulting. Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules? Mark it a zero!

Colorado beer junkies will notice a new look for the packaging of New Belgium products. Incorporating paintings of artist Leah Giberson, the design sports Belgian imagery and a love for the bicycle. Labels and six-pack holders feature a clean, balanced design and plenty of white space. The eco-friendly packaging is also lighter and slimmer, leading to a 450-ton reduction in material. Don’t worry, the brewer’s recipes stay the same.

Music in the Mountains has a new interim conservatory artistic director. Matt Albert assumes the role previously held by Arkady Formin the past 17 years. Albert’s resume spotlights a diverse career: he’s the director of chamber music at Southern Methodist University, won three Grammy awards with Chicago-based contemporary chamber sextet eighth blackbird (purposely lowercase, I even checked on the internet, which is always right). He has worked with artists as diverse as Wilco, Meredith Monk and Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues.

Moe’s madness this week includes Funked Up Friday with Durango’s finest musicians from 6-9 p.m. and dancing with Ras Das, Distinct and RXN from 9 ’til close Friday; plus mainstays like Salsa Night from 7 ’til close Saturday and Music of Mexico from 9 ’til close Sunday. There’ll also be a fundraiser for the Dgo Mob Freestyle Team from 8 ’til close Monday.

A local musical highlight this week is the Ben Gibson Band’s “Rock and Roll Night” at the Derailed Pour House at 8 p.m. Friday. Expect them to cover all the bases from Led Zeppelin to Pink Floyd to Rush.

Also of note: Jack Ellis plays acoustic blues at the Derailed Pour House from 6-10 p.m. tonight (Thurs., Jan. 16) and the Office Spiritorium from 7-11 p.m. Friday; the Kirk James Blues Band rocks the Schank House at Vallecito from 7-11 p.m. Saturday; the Black Velvet duo performs at 6512 Restaurant & Lounge at 7 p.m. Saturday and its trio does the Derailed at 6 p.m. Wednesday; and Jack Tallmadge brings honky-tonk to the Diamond Belle Saloon at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

This week’s Top Shelf list highlights locally-produced evening programs on KSUT. The new schedule went into effect this past Monday:

•  “A Celtic Journey,” Mondays, 7-9 p.m., hosted by Seanessy
• “Barrelhouse Blues,” Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m., Rob Rawls
• “Tales of the New West,” Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m., Chris Aaland
• “The Grass is Bluer,” Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., Hugh Felt
• “The Global Groove,” Fridays, 7-9 p.m., Kenny B
• “A Garden of Delights,” Fridays, 9-10 p.m., Seanessy
• “Strange Brew,” Saturdays, 8-9 p.m., Jim Belcher

Where the longhorn cattle feed on the lowly gypsum weed? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.