Playlist - 1/25/2014 - RIP Julia Mainer, and Happy Birthday J. E. Mainer, Jr.

Hi Folks.

This was an all-Mainer show because of a couple of significant Mainer family events over the past week.

Wade and Julia Mainer  (photo by David Holt)

First, Julia Mae Brown Mainer, a.k.a. Hillbilly Lilly, a.k.a. "Princess," female bluegrass and country music pioneer and wife of the late Wade Mainer, passed away from a stroke at 95 Wednesday, January 21, 2015.  Because Julia had worked with her husband Wade since their engagement and marriage in 1938, there was much recorded material -- especially from the period of the 1960s forward -- from which to select songs on which she sang lead. The earliest recordings we had of Julia were from a couple of Wade Mainer singles from 1938, and of course Jim played them.

For more about Julia, read this article from the Winston Salem Journal, and this item from Bluegrass Today.  Also, a remembrance by Julia of her late husband Wade shortly after his death in 2011.

J. E. Mainer, Jr. performing at the ceremony inducting his
father into the N.C. Music Hall of Fame, 10/11/2012
(photo by NCMHoF)

Second, Jim's great friend from his hometown, J. E. Mainer, Jr., a.k.a. "Curly," son of the legendary string band leader and early bluegrass influence J. E. Mainer, celebrated his 91st birthday Thursday, January 22, 2015.  Jim had all the recordings J. E. Jr. made with the Mountaineers over the years, and played as many as he could in the time allotted, including all five 1946 King recordings written by J. E. Jr. and all six, included those five, on which he sang lead.  Jim also played several tracks from the 1963 Arhoolie recording of the Mountaineers made as a field recording by Chris Strachwitz in Concord NC (J. E. Jr.'s hometown and current residence).

Jim spoke with J. E. Jr. by telephone after the show and is happy to report J. E. Jr. is doing well, and was surprised by a big gathering by his church in his honor at a local restaurant last Thursday on his birthday.

Tune in next Sunday for another great window into the obsolete music of America's past.

Jim Beaver

Artist / Song / Album / Label / Year

• Golden Gate Quartet / Bedside of a Neighbor / Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1937) / Document / 1937
• Wade Mainer & Sons of the Mountaineers / Where Romance Calls / Classic Sides 1937-1941 / JSP / 1938
• Wade Mainer & Sons of the Mountaineers / Another Alabama Camp Meetin' / Classic Sides 1937-1941 / JSP / 1938
• Wade Mainer and the Mainer's Mountaineers / I Want To Go There / Sacred Songs Mountain Style / Old Homestead / 1972
• Wade & Julia Mainer / Bring Back My Mountain Boy To Me / In The Land of Melody / June Appal / 1991
• Wade and Julia Mainer / The Soldier Boy / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• Wade and Julia Mainer / Didn't It Rain / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• Wade & Julia Mainer / Royal Telephone / In The Land of Melody / June Appal / 1991
• Wade and Julia Mainer / I Like To Hear Elijah / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• Wade & Julia Mainer / Jonah / In The Land of Melody / June Appal / 1991
• Wade and Julia Mainer / Fade Coat of Blue / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• Wade & Julia Mainer / I Saw Mom with God Last Night / Old Time Sacred Songs / Old Homestead / 1985
• Wade and Julia Mainer / I Cannot Stand Alone / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• Wade & Julia Mainer / I Claim Jesus First / Old Time Sacred Songs / Old Homestead / 1985
• Wade & Julia Mainer / Old Blind Bartemous / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• Wade & Julia Mainer / God Moved In The Windstorm / Old Time Sacred Songs / Old Homestead / 1985
• Wade and Julia Mainer / It Seemed Heaven Was There / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• Wade & Julia Mainer / He Gives Me More Than Enough / Old Time Sacred Songs / Old Homestead / 1985
• Wade and Julia Mainer / What Are They Doing There Now / Family Album / Old Homestead / 1982
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / The Yodelin' Mountaineer / 78 RPM Single / King / 1946
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / The Forks Of The Road / 78 RPM Single / King / 1946
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Walking For The Lord / 78 RPM Single / King / 1946
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / The Lonely Train / 78 RPM Single / King / 1946
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Johnson County Blues / 78 RPM Single / King / 1946
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Before Judgment Day / 78 RPM Single / King / 1946
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Ramshackle Shack / The Legendary Family From The Blue Ridge Mountains / Arhoolie / 1963
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Over In The Gloryland / The Legendary Family From The Blue Ridge Mountains / Arhoolie / 1963
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Maple On The Hill / The Legendary Family From The Blue Ridge Mountains / Arhoolie / 1963
• J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers / Mama Don't Allow / The Legendary Family From The Blue Ridge Mountains / Arhoolie / 1963
• Wade & Julia Mainer / I Can't Sit Down / In The Land of Melody / June Appal / 1991