Artist description Bluegrass music has a long history in the Maritime Provinces. Countless young musicians learned their love of bluegrass from the broadcasts of radio stations like WWVA in Wheeling West VA. which brought early country, stringband, and bluegrass music to eagerly waiting listeners. Many treasured recording collections began via the mail order business from these broadcasts. The ease with which bluegrass music took root in the Maritimes is in no way unusual because, as everyone knows, the Maritimes have a rich heritage in all the folk arts. In our music, however, we find our greatest outlet, our best expression, our happiest evenings and our closest friendships. The Maritimes have always been known as a source of great professional musical talent. People like Don Messer, Scotty Fitzgerald, Hank Snow, Ned Landry, to pick a few names from a long distinguished list, have become well known through their recordings and personal appearances. Aside from the musicians who record and/or make part or all of their living by playing, the Maritime Provinces are blessed with some of the greatest amateur musicians in the world. These are people who play primarily for personal pleasure. In the long run it is the amateur who plays the greatest part in preserving tradition because he or she has no other concern than the pure love of music. And so, while professional players come and go, the amateur stands fast. His following is close to home and constant. Occasionally he will be persuaded or inspired to make a recording of his accomplishment, to the great joy of his supporters. This is what Shady Grove has done here. When I first saw Shady Grove in 1977, they already showed what have become the trademarks of their style. In Tammie MacKay this band has one of the finest lead voices in Canadian bluegrass music. His country music background and his close study of such bluegrass greats as Mac Wiseman combine with his feeling for a bluegrass song to make Tammie a unique talent. His guitar work, always the backbone of the Shady Grove rhythm section, here again proves him to be among the best at laying down that distinct, driving rhythm that puts the life into bluegrass music. In a similar way, the tenor singing of Ed Hynes is in a class by itself. Strong, high and hard in the best bluegrass tradition, Ed's tenor has complimented Tammie's lead so well these past years that their duet singing is instantly recognizable at any festival or jam session. Ed's banjo playing is from the Scruggs school, still the best education any banjo player can have. Ed plays with restraint and taste. His back up work (the best indicator of a players ability) always enhances the song while his lead work is straight forward and direct. On the fiddle, Shady Grove has a rare find - a Canadian fiddler with a bluegrass feel in his playing. Allie began as a downeast old-time fiddler. He has become a bluegrass fiddler by doing what most fiddlers find impossible - developing a bluegrass bowing style. His playing has an intensity and rhythm that has excited me from the first time I heard him play. Darrell Frail is a strong, solid bass player who understands the job of the bluegrass base. Bluegrass fans save most of their praise for the flashy front instruments and the vocals. The better the bass player is, the more overlooked he is until he steps down and gives the his bass to a less experienced hand. Only a person who loves bluegrass music and loves the bass knows this. Darrell is such a person and because of this, when he opens up on the beginning of "Cabin Home on the Hill", roll up the carpet, Ma. Sam Vezeau, the newest member of the group, is one of those musicians who come along once in a long while. At ease on several stringed instruments, especially the guitar, Sam's mandolin work has developed very quickly through his work with Shady Grove. He ha s a strong sense of melody and a very good ear for backup playing. His confidence and directness make his work on this album very important in Shady Grove's overall sound. He is also heard here singing baritone, adding the final touch to their distinctive vocal sound. Shady Grove represents to their fans the very best in traditional bluegrass music. The dedication of this album to their fans is their way of saying thank you for years of support. Instead, we their fans should say thank you, Shady Grove, for the years of good music for the love of it. ---Gordon Stobbe---(taken in whole from the record "Snowflakes" released in 1983)

Music Style Traditional Old Time Bluegrass

Similar Artists Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Ladies Choice

Artist History Bluegrass music has a long history in the Maritime Provinces. Countless young musicians learned their love of bluegrass from the broadcasts of radio stations like WWVA in Wheeling West VA. which brought early country, stringband, and bluegrass music to eagerly waiting listeners. Many treasured recording collections began via the mail order business from these broadcasts. The ease with which bluegrass music took root in the Maritimes is in no way unusual because, as everyone knows, the Maritimes have a rich heritage in all the folk arts. In our music, however, we find our greatest outlet, our best expression, our happiest evenings and our closest friendships. The Maritimes have always been known as a source of great professional musical talent. People like Don Messer, Scotty Fitzgerald, Hank Snow, Ned Landry, to pick a few names from a long distinguished list, have become well known through their recordings and personal appearances. Aside from the musicians who record and/or make part or all of their living by playing, the Maritime Provinces are blessed with some of the greatest amateur musicians in the world. These are people who play primarily for personal pleasure. In the long run it is the amateur who plays the greatest part in preserving tradition because he or she has no other concern than the pure love of music. And so, while professional players come and go, the amateur stands fast. His following is close to home and constant. Occasionally he will be persuaded or inspired to make a recording of his accomplishment, to the great joy of his supporters. This is what Shady Grove has done here. When I first saw Shady Grove in 1977, they already showed what have become the trademarks of their style. In Tammie MacKay this band has one of the finest lead voices in Canadian bluegrass music. His country music background and his close study of such bluegrass greats as Mac Wiseman combine with his feeling for a bluegrass song to make Tammie a unique talent. His guitar work, always the backbone of the Shady Grove rhythm section, here again proves him to be among the best at laying down that distinct, driving rhythm that puts the life into bluegrass music. In a similar way, the tenor singing of Ed Hynes is in a class by itself. Strong, high and hard in the best bluegrass tradition, Ed's tenor has complimented Tammie's lead so well these past years that their duet singing is instantly recognizable at any festival or jam session. Ed's banjo playing is from the Scruggs school, still the best education any banjo player can have. Ed plays with restraint and taste. His back up work (the best indicator of a players ability) always enhances the song while his lead work is straight forward and direct. On the fiddle, Shady Grove has a rare find - a Canadian fiddler with a bluegrass feel in his playing. Allie began as a downeast old-time fiddler. He has become a bluegrass fiddler by doing what most fiddlers find impossible - developing a bluegrass bowing style. His playing has an intensity and rhythm that has excited me from the first time I heard him play. Darrell Frail is a strong, solid bass player who understands the job of the bluegrass base. Bluegrass fans save most of their praise for the flashy front instruments and the vocals. The better the bass player is, the more overlooked he is until he steps down and gives the his bass to a less experienced hand. Only a person who loves bluegrass music and loves the bass knows this. Darrell is such a person and because of this, when he opens up on the beginning of "Cabin Home on the Hill", roll up the carpet, Ma. Sam Vezeau, the newest member of the group, is one of those musicians who come along once in a long while. At ease on several stringed instruments, especially the guitar, Sam's mandolin work has developed very quickly through his work with Shady Grove. He ha s a strong sense of melody and a very good ear for backup playing. His confidence and directness make his work on this album very important in Shady Grove's overall sound. He is also heard here singing baritone, adding the final touch to their distinctive vocal sound. Shady Grove represents to their fans the very best in traditional bluegrass music. The dedication of this album to their fans is their way of saying thank you for years of support. Instead, we their fans should say thank you, Shady Grove, for the years of good music for the love of it. ---Gordon Stobbe---(taken in whole from the record "Snowflakes" released in 1983)

Press Reviews Bluegrass music has a long history in the Maritime Provinces. Countless young musicians learned their love of bluegrass from the broadcasts of radio stations like WWVA in Wheeling West VA. which brought early country, stringband, and bluegrass music to eagerly waiting listeners. Many treasured recording collections began via the mail order business from these broadcasts. The ease with which bluegrass music took root in the Maritimes is in no way unusual because, as everyone knows, the Maritimes have a rich heritage in all the folk arts. In our music, however, we find our greatest outlet, our best expression, our happiest evenings and our closest friendships. The Maritimes have always been known as a source of great professional musical talent. People like Don Messer, Scotty Fitzgerald, Hank Snow, Ned Landry, to pick a few names from a long distinguished list, have become well known through their recordings and personal appearances. Aside from the musicians who record and/or make part or all of their living by playing, the Maritime Provinces are blessed with some of the greatest amateur musicians in the world. These are people who play primarily for personal pleasure. In the long run it is the amateur who plays the greatest part in preserving tradition because he or she has no other concern than the pure love of music. And so, while professional players come and go, the amateur stands fast. His following is close to home and constant. Occasionally he will be persuaded or inspired to make a recording of his accomplishment, to the great joy of his supporters. This is what Shady Grove has done here. When I first saw Shady Grove in 1977, they already showed what have become the trademarks of their style. In Tammie MacKay this band has one of the finest lead voices in Canadian bluegrass music. His country music background and his close study of such bluegrass greats as Mac Wiseman combine with his feeling for a bluegrass song to make Tammie a unique talent. His guitar work, always the backbone of the Shady Grove rhythm section, here again proves him to be among the best at laying down that distinct, driving rhythm that puts the life into bluegrass music. In a similar way, the tenor singing of Ed Hynes is in a class by itself. Strong, high and hard in the best bluegrass tradition, Ed's tenor has complimented Tammie's lead so well these past years that their duet singing is instantly recognizable at any festival or jam session. Ed's banjo playing is from the Scruggs school, still the best education any banjo player can have. Ed plays with restraint and taste. His back up work (the best indicator of a players ability) always enhances the song while his lead work is straight forward and direct. On the fiddle, Shady Grove has a rare find - a Canadian fiddler with a bluegrass feel in his playing. Allie began as a downeast old-time fiddler. He has become a bluegrass fiddler by doing what most fiddlers find impossible - developing a bluegrass bowing style. His playing has an intensity and rhythm that has excited me from the first time I heard him play. Darrell Frail is a strong, solid bass player who understands the job of the bluegrass base. Bluegrass fans save most of their praise for the flashy front instruments and the vocals. The better the bass player is, the more overlooked he is until he steps down and gives the his bass to a less experienced hand. Only a person who loves bluegrass music and loves the bass knows this. Darrell is such a person and because of this, when he opens up on the beginning of "Cabin Home on the Hill", roll up the carpet, Ma. Sam Vezeau, the newest member of the group, is one of those musicians who come along once in a long while. At ease on several stringed instruments, especially the guitar, Sam's mandolin work has developed very quickly through his work with Shady Grove. He ha s a strong sense of melody and a very good ear for backup playing. His confidence and directness make his work on this album very important in Shady Grove's overall sound. He is also heard here singing baritone, adding the final touch to their distinctive vocal sound. Shady Grove represents to their fans the very best in traditional bluegrass music. The dedication of this album to their fans is their way of saying thank you for years of support. Instead, we their fans should say thank you, Shady Grove, for the years of good music for the love of it. ---Gordon Stobbe---(taken in whole from the record "Snowflakes" released in 1983)

Location Upper Stewiake, Nova Scotia - Canada

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