Bibey on the Air/Bluegrass Music Update From WNCW 88.7

        Part of today’s post is an update on WNCW 88.7 Bluegrass radio.  Dennis Jones at the station sent me an e-mail, and it is printed below.  Before you get to that, though, I gotta tell you an old Neuse River/WNCW 88.7 bluegrass radio true story.

        One time we had a gig way in the western part of the state, Sparta, N.C. to be exact, and we was riding to the show date in the Neuse River converted school bus.  Like everyone in bluegrass music when you had a show on a Saturday night in that part of the state, you’d tune in a guy named Russ Jordan.  His radio show was the same “Going Across the Mountain” now hosted by Dennis Jones.  (It is a good’un)

        Just before we got into Sparta, Russ came on the air and said, “Folks y’all get out tonight and hear Neuse River- they’re gonna be in Sparta at the Volunteer Fire Hall.  Is Dr. Tommy out there?  We’ve got Miss Molly Tenbrooks down here at the station and she’s sickly.”  (This is bluegrass code talk for someone’s got a fever in their head.)

        Moose got on his car phone and told ’em we was so too far down the road to turn back now, but I talked to ’em and told ’em I knew for a fact that Rebbekker the bass player lady Doc was on call ’cause I’d talked to her when I came through that morning.  They got a hold of her and she took care of the problem.

        Well, that ain’t the end of the story.  Some hospital hired lawyer named Leggett called me in to his office on Monday morning and said he’d heard we was talking patient names over the radio and I’d done a HIPAA violation.  I told him right quick that Molly and Tenbrooks was a couple of dadburn racehorses from a Bill Monroe song for heaven’s sake, and there warn’t nary a thing in the HIPAA book that said folks can’t talk on the radio in bluegrass code about a horse race, so he’d just have to get over it.

        I went on to say just as soon as he found the Federal regulation for that circumstance to fax it over the office, and I’d be happy to look it over.  I never did hear from him.  Shoot, even the Government knows you can’t regulate bluegrass.

        I never did like that little guy ever since he got after Indie anyway.  (I’m gonna tell you more about that in my book.)

        Enough on old war stories, here’s the update on WNCW 88.7.  All the best Dennis, ’cause you guys are.

FROM DENNIS JONES:

Thought Dr.Tommy Bibey would be interested in this……

Starting August 4th, Bluegrass music begins Monday through Friday at 6:00am until 7:00am. The new addition to WNCW programming will be called “Mountain Morning” and is to be hosted by Jerry McNeely. The unbelievable support and astounding ratings show that Traditional and Contemporary Bluegrass is what listeners want. Thanks to all who have made this possible. With this new block, we now have 16 hours of the “real deal” Bluegrass available over an FM signal that covers 5 states….6 on good days. It’s really a thrill to know how important the music we all love so much, is gaining air time on a stations main channel;not regulated to the internet or a side channel that requires buying a new radio. Morning drive time for many is in this hour, or folks getting ready to head out for the day will be able to have another source for Bluegrass music in our listening area…as well as on-line world wide. This truly makes WNCW a Flagship Bluegrass station and we will continue to try our best to deliver the quality programming so many have come to expect.

Dennis Jones
WNCW-FM Technical Director

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SIRIUS Satellite 65 Bluegrass Radio

         SIRIUS Radio, channel 65 on your bluegrass dial, did a live broadcast from the Red White and Bluegrass Festival over the 4th.  These guys are a crowd who can spread the bluegrass gospel in a hurry.  They are a force to be tuned in for sure.

        Chris Jones and the Night Riders were there as the SIRIUS ‘house’ band.  Chris is a a fine singer and songwriter, and his banjo man, Ned Luberecki, is the real deal on the five string.  Not only do they talk a good game on bluegrass radio, but they live it.  They can play it with the best of ’em.  I especially liked the last number they did, a take off on an old Bill Monroe lick.  Cool stuff.

        Of course, after the show Tommy Bibey had to go up and shake and howdy.  In spite their celebrity, in the bluegrass way, they were real down to earth.  

        I told Ned about my book, and he he thought a bluegrass novel about a fiddling doctor whose crisis resolution was directed by a loyal band of bluegrass boys would be a cool thing.  He said he’d love to read it when I’m finished.  (Projected date 2009)  If he likes it I hope he might give it a plug on the radio.

        Ned asked me what I hoped to accomplish and I told him I wanted to bring bluegrass to a million new folks.  He laughed and said, “Well good luck, Doc. I hope you make it.”

        Of course, Ned knows as well as I do that is not a realistic goal, but he also knows not to take away hope.  After all, if an old gray haired Doc can’t have big dreams and bluegrass music, life would be a mightly dull indeed.

        And you never know.  My readers range from professors and teachers to bankers, school principals, farmers and accountants.  Many of them are new to bluegrass.  Ned runs a segment on the show every so often where he asks folks how they first heard about bluegrass.  If ya’ll catch that, and I introduced you to the music, tell him you learned about it from Dr. Tommy Bibey.

        If a mandolin is played in the proverbial forest and no one hears it, there ain’t no music.  If one writes a book, and no reads it, there would be no point in the effort.  So, all my readers are very special- one in a million.  Like a Doc for his patients, as a writer you are my reason to be.  If you call in to Ned, tell ’em you are one in a million to Tommy Bibey.  He’ll get it.  All them bluegrass people is smart; you can’t get nothing over on ’em.

        Ned knows I’m a long shot, but so was Seabiscuit.  For that matter, who’d thought a banjo picker’d wind up a national radio celebrity, either.  Ya’ll tune him in.  As soon as he speaks into the mic, you know it is a radio voice.  His show is authentic bluegrass, and has much to say about our music.

        Hey, when my book comes out, I hope some folks say they heard about it from Ned Luberecki and SIRIUS Satellite 65 Bluegrass Radio.  His sponsors will dig that.  (I don’t have any of those ‘cept me at this point, and the blog will always stay free, and have few classified ads either for that matter.)  The plug will help ’em out.  It is the bluegrass way.

Dr. B

Bluegrass Documentary

        James Reams and the Barnstormers are a New York  group I was not familiar with, but then I don’t get out of the County much.  When I checked their web site they carry a heavy tour schedule; they just haven’t come through eastern N.C.  Their CD came across my desk last week, and it was quite good- very traditional hard driving bluegrass.  Their words describe the style the best- “edgy, emotional and exciting.”

        They are working on a documentary filmed at the International Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky, and it looks to be a dandy.  From what I can see the hard part will be what to edit out, ’cause they interviewed one bluegrass legend after another.  Check their web site for updates, my guess is when finished it is gonna be a keeper.

Dr. B