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Red Clay Ramblers On Mountain Stage

Red Clay Ramblers on <em>Mountain Stage</em>.
Brian Blauser
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Mountain Stage
Red Clay Ramblers on Mountain Stage.

Now in its 40th year together, the North Carolina string band Red Clay Ramblers appears on Mountain Stage, recorded live in Charleston, W.V. Red Clay Ramblers' roots reach from the mountain music of the group's native Carolinas to country, bluegrass and New Orleans jazz. The Ramblers also have a long association with musical theater, including their Tony-winning Fool Moon on Broadway and their many collaborations with actor and playwright Sam Shepard.

Red Clay Ramblers' sprawling Mountain Stage set touches on nearly every facet of the band's diverse repertoire, including the traditional "Cotton Eyed Joe" and the wickedly satirical "Pal Yat Chee," a send-up of the iconic opera Pagliacci made famous by Spike Jones & His City Slickers in 1950.

The band is followed by Mountain Stage band pianist Bob Thompson, with his interpretation of the folk tune "Lonesome Road."

This segment originally ran on December 6, 2011.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.