Geography Div ( Traveling subsection)

We'll be heading home to the Black Hills shortly. This isn't our itinerary.

Wondering what this red line is? This line shows how long can you travel in a straight line without crossing any water. Pretty cool, right?

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div Furriners subsection)

Ms Bear and I just got back to England from Spain so thought I'd put up a Spanish group to close out the year. Grazztrio  doing Mosquito.



Lluís Gòmez - 5 string banjo Oriol Gonzàlez - Mandolin. Maribel Rivero - Double Bass.

Boxing Day Div (Traditional subsection)

Today is also St Stephen's Day and I can't let it go by without sharing this as I do every year.
Hope you and yours has a wonderful celebration yesterday.

 

Christmas Story Div

I post this every year (usuall on the day after Christmas, but thought I'd put it up for the day itself.

Geography Div ( Tourism subsection)

Guess where the Bear family is spending some time ???

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Looks like this will be the last Christmas song (due to the quirks of the calendar). So here's the Mark O'Connor Band Doing one of my favorites Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.



Mark O'Connor - violin Carrie Rodgriquez - violin and vocals Cia Cherryholmes - banjo and vocals Forrest O'Connor - mandolin and vocals Joe Smart - guitar Kyle Kegerreis - bass

Geography Div (Hava Beer subsection)

Mrs Bear and I are spending the holidays abroad, so this map will prove helpful (for me at least)

Beer Names in Different European Languages

A Litle Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Last week we had the Army, this week we'll let a couple of the sailors take a turn.



Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith Arneson, banjo Petty Officer 1st Class Joe Friedman, guitar

Geography Div (Continental Drift subsection)

Things sure can change in 6000 years, eh ?? Here's a political Pangea circa 250 Million BCE

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (It's that time of year subsection)

Time for the Holiday Bluegrass. The US Army Band's Bluegrass group from 2015



SFC Dean G. Woods, guitar . SFC Marlisa D. Woods, fiddle . MSG Michael J. Ford, harmonica . SFC Kristopher C. Armstrong, string bass . CW5 (ret.) Charles Vollherbst, banjo

Geography Div (Bear Attack subsection)

Pretty obvious, eh ??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass (Busker ? subsection)

2019 IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year ---

Missy Raines and Alison Brown cover the classic bluegrass duet "Little Darlin', Pal Of Mine" live from Station Inn in Nashville, TN, from Raines' album 'Royal Traveller.' Featuring Mike Bub and Todd Phillips.

Geography Div (as others see us subsection)

Speaks for itself, eh ??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

2019 IBMA Banjo Player of the Year - Kristin Scott Benson. Here (with the Grascals) doing
Shenandoah Breakdown.

A Little (Early) Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Obit subsection)

Saburo ‘Sab’ Watanabe passes

I've always enjoyed Bluegrass 45 from Japan. Sorry to hear this.



Tsuyoshi “Josh” and his older brother Akira Otsuka (mandolin); two other brothers Toshio (bass) and Saburo Watanabe (Inoue) (banjo) and; Chien-Hua Lee; and Hsueh-Chieng “Ryo” Liao 

Racism Div (sadly subsection)

Here in South Dakota, we don't have an overabundance of black people. Our people of color are predominately the Native Americans from which we went out of our way to get rid of in so many continuing ways.
Mrs Bear recently received this from a long-time acquaintance:

Sociology 101

A young black kid asks his mother, "Mama, what is Socialism and what is Racism?"

"Well, Child… Socialism is when the white folks work every day so we can get all our governmental entitlement stuff for free.

You know… like our free cell phones for each family member, rent subsidy, food stamps, EBT, WIC, free school breakfast, lunch, and in
some places supper, free healthcare, utility subsidy, and on and on… you know, that's Socialism."

"But, Mama, don't the white people get pi--ed off about that?"

"Sure they do, Honey. That's called Racism."

(Never was it more simply explained.)

My wife (and I, when informed) was shocked, hurt and disgusted.
Her reply to the sender:

                          I am appalled that you sent me this horrid, racist story.

                           Surely you do not condone such hateful nonsense. 

                           It is clearly something espoused by white supremacists,

                           by the Ku Klux Klan

                           Seriously, do you really believe that “white folks” work to support 

                           programs for “black folk”.

                           Surely there is nothing Christian in what you have emailed:

                            it only fuels hatred and racism. 

                            I am sick at heart that a friend of mine would propagate such hateful rhetoric.

                            Please remove my name from your list of “forwards”.

I don't know what else I can say about this blatant, racist piece of shit (I won't deign to give the sender that much dignity), We've known the sender for years and have always valued her friendship despite her politics.You can probably  imagine what she thinks of the thug occupying the the Article II office and which political party she supports.

Needless to say, she's no longer welcome in our home.

We have a problem here in South Dakota ...... and it ain't Meth (even though "We're on it").

Geography Div (Do you really want to go there subsection)

How welcoming is ______ ?? Maybe a good reference for your next trip abroad, eh ??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

IBMA Vocal Group of the Year - Sister Sadie doing Losing You Blues.



Sister Sadie: Dale Ann Bradley - Guitar, Tina Adair - Mandolin, Deanie Richardson - Fiddle, Gena
Britt - Banjo and Beth Laerence - Bass.

The Question and the Answer (Impeachment subsection)

The Question:

Yovanovitch: The President had a right to withdraw me, but was it necessary to smear my reputation? 

The Answer:

'nuf said 

Geography Div (USNPS subsection.

I'd love to do this one!!

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

2019 IBMA Entertainer of the Year: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers doing Fiddle Man's Delight.



Joe Mullins, Banjo, Mike Terry, Mandolin, Duane Sparks, Guitar, Jason Barie, Fiddle and Randy Barnes, Bass

Geography Div (Google subsection)

You figure it out .................
Thanks to The Map Room 

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Boston based Lonely Heartstring Band doing their original The Tide.
This from 2014



George Clements (guitar, vocals) Patrick M'Gonigle (fiddle, vocals) Charles Clements (bass, vocals), Matt (now Maddie) Witler (mandolin) and Gabe Hirshfeld (banjo).

Giography Div ( ... and New Mexico will pay for it subsection)

What can I say ..........

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Wednesday that a wall is being built in Colorado.

"And we're building a wall on the border of New Mexico. And we’re building a wall in Colorado. We’re building a beautiful wall. A big one that really works — that you can’t get over, you can’t get under,” Trump said during a speech at the Shale Insight Conference in Pittsburgh.

He continued, “And we’re building a wall in Texas. And we’re not building a wall in Kansas but they get the benefit of the walls that we just mentioned. And Louisiana's incredible.”

Colorado is not positioned along the U.S.'s southern border, where Trump has focused his desire for a physical barrier, and there have been no reports of plans to construct a border wall in the state. A portion of the border wall is being built along the Colorado River in Arizona.

Trump presumably misspoke, as he had just been speaking about the border wall plans along the southern border between New Mexico and Mexico.

“You know why we’re going to win New Mexico? Because they want safety on their border. And they didn’t have it. And we’re building a wall on the border of New Mexico,” he declared before mentioning Colorado.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Fiddlin'' Around subsection)

I can't say that I entirely enjoy Live From Here since it replaced Prairie Home Companion. Though gifted, Chris Thile hosts too many "weird" and un-listenable acts. Every now and then, the true genius does emerge.
Here along with Chris Eldridge and Jeremy Kittel doing a medley of fiddle tunes: St. Anne's Reel, Whiskey Before Breakfast and Salt Creek.



Chris Thile - Mandolin, Chris Eldridge - Guitar and Jeremy Kittel - Fiddle,

Our "Hospitality" Preznit

Trump Still Considers Himself To Be In Hospitality Business

Screw the Ukraine business (tho it's just as damning) .................... Mulvaney sez it all ...

And WTF is wrong woith South Carolina ???

Geography Div (What's Up Doc??)

Seems like there's a lot of Smiths, eh ? (... and I think that Patel is the Indian version).
Of course, we know what the Johnsons specialize in ..... (heh)

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Dic

One of the best pieces of advice I ever had as a young pilot was that "Good judgement is the result of experience. Unfortunately, experience was often the result of bad judgement."
So it goes, Don Schlitz  doing Bad Decisions.




 Don Schlitz lead vocal, Glen Duncan - fiddle, with Rob McCoury on-banjo, Cody Kilby - guitar, Casey Campbell -  mandolin, and Dennis Crouch -  bass.

Geography Div (Marsupial subsection)

There's been some talk of Kangaroo Courts lately (mostly from idiots, but I digress.

Just what is legal in these here United States ??

                 IS IT LEGAL TO OWN A KANGAROO ?

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div ( not blue "grass" subsection)

Our idiot governor here in South Dakota won't let the farmers grow industrial hemp; let alone this stuff. (Though she voted for its legalization when she was a loyal trumpeteer in Congress) go figure.

Andy Thorn, banjoist of Colorado band Leftover Salmon doing Blazing New Frontiers from his new solo album Frontiers Like These. 
I'm sure no musicians got high in the production of the video.



Andy Thorn - Banjo, Jon Stickley-Guitar, Andrew Marlin-Mandolin, Bobby Britt-Fiddle, Miles Andrews-Bass, Jeff Stickley-Tenor Vocal

Geography Div (More from the Judgemental subsection)

I can't figure out why South Dakota is constantly trying to be worse than this place.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass div

Darren Nicholson and his band with a twist on the old standard Old Joe Clark. In this case, they call it Old Jah Clark Mon. From the new instrumental album Fret a Spell.



Darren Nicholson-Mandolin, Kevin Sluder-Upright Bass, Griff Martin-Guitar, Richard Foulk-Drums, Matt Flake-Fiddle and Barrett Sullivan-Banjo

Geography Div ( Judgemental subsection)

Well, it didn't get hit by a hurricane.......... at least not by Dorian.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Dead Memories subsection)

Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley doing one of my favorites, the old Grateful Dead classic Friend of the Devil.



Rob Ickes - Dobro and Trey Hensley - Guitar

MAGA Div ( and the current crroks ain't gonna do it subsection)

There's going to be a lot more of the Trumplican chant of making America great. Ain't gonna happen with the current gang of self-centered crooks.
Saw this last night .......... It's still true .......... but it can be.

 

Geography Div (Commodities subsection)

2017 ... but today nobody's sellin' very much. And guess who gets the credit ??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass div

One of my favorite groups: Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen doing Blue Moon of Kentucky followed by The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.



Frank Solivan (vocals, mandolin, guitar, fiddle) Mike Munford (banjo), Chris Luquette (guitar), and Jeremy Middleton (bass) 

Geography Div (You decide subsection)

If April showers bring May flowers, what do Mayflowers bring?
Well, today in 1620, the Mayflower departed Plymouth, England.
We know what followed.
As one of my Lakota co-workers answers to the riddle, "Genocide."

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

A group from Burnsville, NC The True Grass Band doing Back On My Mind.



Jeff Allen on guitar, Anthony Allen on bass, Daniel Cook on guitar, Jeremy Painter on mandolin, and Daniel Norton on banjo.

Geography Div (What Individual #1 thinks subsection)

A world view like none other .........

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Just heard this while driving. The Grascals doing Clear Corn Liquor. Definite hints of  Whiskey Before Breakfast.



The Grascals: Danny Roberts - Mandolin, Chris Davis - Guitar, Terry Smith - Bass,  Adam
Haynes - Fiddle, John Bryan - Guitar and Kristen Scott Benson - Banjo.

Geography Div (Workin' for a livin' subsection)

It's Labor Day.  Supposed to be a holiday, but untold numbers of workers are out there helping bidness do bidness. I won't be shopping.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Two more IBMA nominees for 2019 Scott Vestal and Kenny Smith, in this from 2013; The Ramblin' Rooks doing Earl Scruggs' Groundspeed. 



The Rambling Rooks consist of, from left, Scott Vestal (banjo), Don Rigsby (mandolin), Ronnie Bowman (bass) and Kenny Smith (guitar).

Geography Div (How's yer swimmin' skills subsection)

What will the Earth look like after all the ice melts ?? Probably optimistic.

A Litle Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Was glad to see Stuart Duncan nominated for Fiddle Player of the year for the 2019 IBMA awards,
he's always been one of my favorites. Here he is joined by two other 2019 nominees, Sam Bush (Mandolin) and Bryan Sutton (Guitar) doing the old standard Paddy on the Turnpike.

Geography Div (Still Happenin' subsection)

Afghanistan has loon been called the Graveyard of Empires. Today in 1919, it gained its independence from Great Britain ...... and so the story continues.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Another song nominated for the 2019 IBMA Song of the year. The Po' Ramblin' Boys doing
Last Train South.



CJ Lewandowski - Mandolin, JerememBrown - Banjo, Josh Rinkel - Guitar and
Jasper Lorentzen - Bass.

Geography Div (In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, etc subsection)

Today in 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in the Canary Islands to rest and refit before sailing off the edge of the world ...... er 

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

One of the songs nominated for Song of the year for the 2019 IBMA Awards,
Appalachian Road Show doing Dance, Dance, Dance



Barry Abernathy - Banjo, Darrell Webb - Mandolin, Jim VanCleve - Fiddle, Todd Phillips - Bass
and Zeb Snyder - Guitar.

Geography Div (Holiday approaching subsection)

I don't think they need to worry about Labor Day or Halloween .....

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Dale Ann Bradley was just nominated for Female Vocalist of the year by the IBMA. From her new album The Hard Way, she superbly covers the late Jim Croce's Hard Way Every Time.



Bradley on guitar and band members Matt Leadbetter on mandolin, Ethan Burkhardt on bass, Steve Wilson on banjo and Chance Watt on guitar.

Geography Div (more names subsection)

The Minibears fouled up and posted this earlier this month. They have been chastised.

Looks like Emma just beat out Olivia.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Heard this song a week or so ago driving home from work. A band originally from the Boston area, Mile Twelve doing The Margaret Keene, from their first album Onwards.
They were just nominated for New Artist of theYear by the IBMA.



David Benedict (mandolin), Catherine “BB” Bowness (banjo), Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (fiddle), Evan Murphy (guitar, lead vocals), and Nate Sabat (bass, lead vocals).

The Ergle has Laundered

I guess this IS quite appropriate.

Geography Div (More population stuff)

... and the winner is ... Liam.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass div

The Amanda Cook Band with their single released last April, Point of No Return.



Amanda Cook - Mandolin & lead vocal, Carolyne VanLierop - Banjo, Joshua Faul - Bass,
George Mason - Fiddle and Aaron "Frosty" Foster - Guitar.

Geography Div (Population Density subsection)

... but they don't have any missiles.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass (Songwriter recognition subsection)

John Prine was recently inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. Here's the Seldom Scene doing one of his early efforts, Paradise.



Seldom Scene is Dudley Connell on guitar, Lou Reid on mandolin, Fred Travers on reso-guitar, Ronnie Simpkins on bass, and Ron Stewart on banjo and fiddle.

Geography Div (Sports subsection)

Guess what's going on here now ??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Get Well Subsection)

I've followed Jeff Autry for years and was happy to finally meet him three years ago when he was with the Dave Atkins Band.
Sorry to hear that he recently suffered a stroke.

GET WELL SOON JEFF !!!



Jeff Autry - Guitar
Glen Crain - Dobro Edgar Loudermilk - Bass Zack Autry - Mandolin

Geography Div ( Fun with Maps subsection)

Hungry ???

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

An unusual group makeup -- father - son and father - daughter. Duck Wallow Lane from Plant City, FL doing Let Me Know written by Mike Maravilla



Duck Wallow Lane is Michael Maravilla on banjo, with his 15 year old son, Barrett, on mandolin, and Beau Brake on bass, with his 13 year old daughter, Morgan, on guitar

Geography Div (Population density subsection)

I've worked at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site for four years. One of the most common questions asked is "Why here?" (in this case being South Dakota.
Well, take a look at these two maps and make a guess.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (More Furriners subsection)

... And it's even about a bear !! The Bluegrass Boogiemen, from Holland doing Old Slewfoot.



Robert Jan Kanis - Guitar), Arnold Lasseur  - mandolin, Aart Schroevers - Bass 
and Bart van Strien - banjo..

Geography Div (per Capita subsection)

You've probably never wondered ......

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Local Happening subsection)

The Black Hills Bluegrass Festival is currently in progress. Featured band this year is The Dave Adkins Band. He was here two years ago when he was teamed with Edgar Loudermilk, Here's his new band doing  Little Maggie.



Dave introduces everyone at the end of the number.

Geography Div (National Shame subsection)

Two weeks ago my wife and I visited the National Memorial For Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.
At one point, I sat down and cried.
Every pillar hanging from the ceiling represents a US County where a lynching took place and is inscribed with the victim's names and the date of their murder.
There really aren't words adequate enough to describe the horror of what happened.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass

Been hearing this song quite a bit lately on Bluegrass Junction [Sirius XM}. Unspoken Tradition doing I Say Let's Go.




Unspoken Tradition: Audie McGinnis - Guitar, Zane McGinnis - Banjo, Sav Sankaran - Bass, Tim
Gardner - Fiddle and Ty Gilpin - Mando;in

Geography Div (Hungry for Italian? subsection)

Seems like the Italians have a prejudicial bent on food, eh ?

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

One Grass Two Grass  doing Why we've Come



The Band: Sam Trimboli is on bass, with Anthony Dente on fiddle, Carson Hunter on banjo, Bud Dillard on mandolin, and Riley Hill on guitar.

Geography Div (Judgemental subsection)

Guess where the Bears are today ??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Seein' as Mr & Mrs Bear are in Alabama, seemed appropriate that a southern  group is featured.
Breaking Grass doing the song made famous by Buddy Holly (and Linda Ronstadt) When Will I Be Loved.



Breaking Grass: Cody Farrar - Guitar, Britt Sheffield - Bass, Tyler White - Fiddle, Zach Wooten - Mandolin and Jody Elmore - Banjo.

Geography Div Healthcare (or lack thereof) subsection

US UNINSURED BY AGE RANGE  

Being in the middle of the demographic really sucks.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

High Fidelity performs a twin banjo rendition of the classic Don Reno & Red Smiley instrumental "Follow the Leader" from their new album HILLS AND HOME [Rebel Records, 2018]



Jeremy Stephens - Banjo, Curt Stephenson - Banjo, Corina Rose Stephens - Fiddle, Vickie
Vaughn - Bass and Daniel Amick - Guitar

Geography Div (Colonists subsection)

1607 - An expedition led by Captain Christopher Newport arrived at Jamestown, Virginia. The passengers went ashore the next day and this site became the first permanent settlement English colony in America.

I've lost count how many time I paddled around that island in a kayak.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass

Cane Mill Road with Gap to Gap from their album of the same name.



Band members range in age from 16 to 21 years and include: 16-year-old Liam Purcell on vocals, fiddle, mandolin; 21-year-old Eliot Smith bass; 19-year-old Trayn Wellington on banjo; and 21-year-old Casey Lewis on guitar and vocals.

Geography Div (Down Under subsection)

Thought you might like to know ..........

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (RIP Subsection)

John Starling has passed away. He joins John Duffy and Mike Aldridge. Only Ben Eldridge and Tom Gray remain from the original Seldom Scene.
RIP John. Thank you for your service to your country and the wonderful music you made.
He Rode All the Way To Texas.



John Starling - Guitar, John Duffey - Mandolin, Mike Aldridge - Dobro, Ben Eldridge - Banjo and Tom Gray - Bass.

Geography Div (Tooth Decay subsection)

Oh yeah ..... gotta go visit.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Sideline with their #1 single Thunder Dan.



Steve Dilling - Banjo, Skip Cherryholmes - Guitar, Jason Moore - Bass, Bailey Coe - Guitar,
Troy Boone - Mandolin and Daniel Greeson - Fiddle

Geography Div (Get while it's hot subsection)

Today, at noon in 1889, the Oklahoma Land Rush began.

A LIttle Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

The Allegheny Drifters from Pennsylvania doing Kansas City Kitty.



Bernie Cunningham - Guitar,Bob Artis - Mandolin, Karen Artis - Bass, Radford Vance - Banjo and Michele Birkby-Vance - Fiddle

Geography Div (Judgemental subsection)

Guess what city was incorporated today back in 1850 ??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

New band Backline from Spartanburg, SC doing Your Love from their album A Thousand Wishes.

Travis Tucker on reso-guitar, Zachary Carter on banjo, Louis Hughes on mandolin, Jason blue on bass and Katelyn Ingardia on guitar.

Geography Div (Hydration subsection)

What do you call it ?? I'm partial to "Belch Water."

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Down Under subsection)

Mustard Courage with the title track from their new album We Played With Fire



Nick Keeling - banjo, Julian Abrahams - guitar, Josh Bennett - mandolin, and Josh Bridges - bass and lead vocal.

Geography Div (Guess what day today is subsection)

Did you guess April Fool's Day ?? Try this ........

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Stevie Wonder subsection)

Nashville Quartet Lateral Blue doing Stevie Wonder's Superstition.



Caleb Edwards (mandolin), Laura Epling (fiddle), Kyle Lee (banjo), Kori Caswell (upright bass)

Geography Div (Who's Readin' subsection)

Well, it appears that the Minibears spent too much time reading over the weekend and didn't get any geography up for today. They have been chastised and told to submit book reports. Guess where they got the books??

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Furiners subsection)

Italian grassers Red Wine doing Fiddle and Bow.



Lucas Bellotti (bass), Martino Coppo (mandolin), Marco Ferretti (guitar), Silvio Ferretti (banjo)

Geography Div (Judgemental subsection)

Guess what city was incorporated tomorrow in 1822 ?

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Irish theme subsection)

Well, tomorrow is St Patrick's Day, and what better than an Irish-themed song, written by an American and performed by a group from Slovenia. The Bluegrass Hoppers doing Steve Spurgin's Walk in the Irish Rain.



Marko Logar-guitar, Dragan Verber-banjo, Mitja Novak-guitar, Anton Cigula-mandolin, Milan Kebrič-bass, Luka Banović-tin whistles, clarinet, Dušan Waldhüter-accordion,

Geography Div (Speaking of "English" subsection)

After having lived there for six years, I can appreciate this .............

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass

Newtown doing Long Hard Road form their new album Old World.



Kati Pen Williams - Lead vocal and Fiddle, JR Williams - Banjo, Travis Anderson - Bass, Mitchell
Cannon - Mandolin and Jared Hensley - Guitar

Geography Div (Bang, You're dead subsection)

Looks like 2017 was a pretty lousy (or good, depending on your point of view) year for dying by gun.