The Station Inn is touted as one of the music landmarks of Music City. It's been a stage for acoustic music -- Americana, bluegrass, country-traditional -- for around four decades, according to what WSM-AM 650 says, and "The Legend" should know. To celebrate this the radio station commenced one of two new shows at the little tavern. It's called the "Station Inn Sessions", and the first session on the airwaves for A.D. 2010 was Thursday evening.
ON WSM I'd heard "Sessions" host Mike Terry describe the featured acoustic group for the evening, "The Westbound Rangers" as students from Belmont University here, and other details of interest to yours truly. So being free for the moment, I took myself over to Twelfth Ave. South at Eleventh Ave. South -- yes, the latter bends to run into the former -- to have a look 'n listen.
Well, the four young guys were terrific! The foursome are still Belmont students -- what'll happen to them upon graduation? And they use the standard instruments of a bluegrass quartet: upright acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo. They did some traditional and very old bluegrass and string band numbers; the one that impressed me most was "Old Plank Road". I'd heard the recording of it by Uncle Dave Macon, and feel these young fellows' cover was worthy of it. They also played songs off their debut album, and at least one for a prospective second.
As I told Mike Terry at one point, "I'm really impressed with these guys! What they lack in the finesse of years of experience, they make up for in the fire of their freshness!" They may not be Nashville Bluegrass Band -- yet -- but give 'em time, dear reader (and listener).
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