I mentioned Monday that Hardly Strictly Bluegrass was populated by many ghosts, and nowhere was that more evident than during Hazel Dickens’ set on Sunday.
Hazel sings a lot of songs of loss and tragedy to begin with, but those of us who don’t pay a lot of attention to the news also heard about the August death of Mike Seeger for the first time from her. (All things considered, a better way to find out than in the newspaper.)
Mike Seeger did a hundred men’s worth of work in keeping traditional music alive, and served as a beacon to desperate wannabe banjo players for 50 years.
On his deathbed, Seeger asked Hazel to play “Mama’s Hand” for him “from time to time,” and if it’s good enough for Mike & Hazel, it’s good enough for us.
Hazel Dickens – Mama’s Hand from A Few Old Memories
And here’s some Mike Seeger rocking “Walking Boss” (you can learn more about his contribution to the universe at Smithsonian Folkways):
