]]> 2008-03-21T15:04:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233295 Artists, Blind Boys of Alabama, The, Junior Brown, Keen, Robert Earl, Lynn, Loretta, Old Crow Medicine Show, Parton, Dolly, Stuart, Marty, Musical Styles, Bluegrass, Country, Dance, Jazz The Old Crow Medicine Show recently visited BMI's Nashville office to become affiliated with the organization. The band plays songs from some of the earliest traditions of American music: tunes from jug bands and traveling shows, back porches and dance halls, southern Appalachian string music and Memphis blues.

(front) Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor, Morgan Jahnig and Critter Fuqua, (back) BMI's David Preston, Old Crow Medicine Show's Kevin Hayes and Willie Watson photo: Brian Tipton

Lead vocals are covered by Ketch Secor and Willie Watson, with Willie on guitar and Ketch on fiddle and harmonica. Critter Fuqua joins in on vocals and plays five-string banjo, accordion, and slide guitar. Kevin Hayes plays the guitjo, a six string banjo that plays like a guitar, once popular in jazz and swing music of the 20's, and Morgan Jahnig beats the doghouse bass.

Two years ago the band relocated from North Carolina to Nashville to perform weekly at the Opry Plaza and for the Grand Ole Opry’s 75th Birthday celebration. OCMS made their Grand Ole Opry debut on the Ryman Auditorium stage on January 13, 2001, where they received a standing ovation from an enthusiastic audience and went on to perform five Opry shows in 2001.

The Old Crow Medicine Show has opened for some of America’s finest musical talent including Del McCoury, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Robert Earl Keen, Junior Brown, Doc Watson and the Blind Boys of Alabama. The Crows have appeared in several documentaries including PBS’s "American Roots Music" series; "In the Valley Where Time Stands Still," a film about the history of the Renfro Valley Barndance; and an upcoming documentary produced by Marty Stuart for the Country Music Hall of Fame.

OCMS is currently recording a new album in in Nashville's RCA Studio B with David Rawlings producing.

"I've never prejudiced myself against any type of music," Brown advises. "It has to be something I can really sink my teeth into if only for a song or two. I try to add my style and then move on."

Junior's previous album included a psychedelic foray with a former member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. He's parted the musical waters with a surf medley and plans to pursue some northern New Mexico folk music. "It's unique to that area, and I'd like to put my little twist into some of that."

Brown's booming baritone flavors every song he stylizes while his blazing guitar licks are becoming legendary. He invents some of those instruments, including a steel guitar merged with a six-string regular guitar.

Junior first took to the keyboards. "I was making up melodies on the piano before I could talk," he recalls. His father's big-band 78s made an impression, along with the stars of pop, rock and country, especially Ernest Tubb. "He had his own style," praises Junior, "and he appreciated people who had their own style."

Junior played in bands, taught guitar, backed country artists on guitar, and finally landed a deal with Curb Records where he has churned out six albums, winning four Grammy nominations. He loves the craft of songwriting, citing such favorites as Hoagy Carmichael, Cindy Walker and Harlan Howard. "A lot of times I like the writers better than the performers," he explains. "Sometimes I sit down and write to make myself do it, but most of the time it will be a spur-of-the-moment idea and I'll just grab a pen."

To clear that kaleidoscopic mind of his, Brown takes to the hills. "I like to have a little time to get up into those New Mexico mountains, out in nature, and enjoy it."

Then it's back to his latest musical mélange. "It's throwing different ideas out but still being true to the traditional honky-tonk music that's the backbone of it all. You can try other things but you always have to remember who you are and what your particular style is that you're contributing to these different kinds of music. Otherwise, you don't really have a rudder and you sort of drift whichever way the wind blows."