Not Broke Enough to Miss King Wilkie

This Thursday night is a special treat for bluegrass fans in Northeast Ohio. King Wilkie, a fine young band out of Charlottesville, VA, rides into the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland. And many a fan will be waiting, including this one.

When I first started this blog back in 2005, I posted the lyrics for a track from their 2003 release, Broke. The tune is Broke Down and Lonesome, and you can hear the whole thing here.

These guys represent the best of young bluegrass. They are livin' proof that you can honor a tradition and keep it steady and real. This is not the enticing trad experimentation of the Mammals or the easy-going popular bluegrass of other bands like Mountain Heart. I love all that stuff, too. But there are new young bands who are taking no prisoners, and these guys are in that category, the Real Bluegrass McCoy, straight up and down, true to form.

If you're a young kid who not only likes bluegrass but can sing in that high lonesome sort of way, well, it's sure to set you apart. If you find friends who like what you like, well, you sure better stick with them. I'm glad that's the way it worked out for this bunch.

If you can't get out to see King Wilkie with me on Thursday, I hope you'll catch them sometime soon in your hometown.

I've got Broke going and OOOOHH my hears are just really happy. So I just gotta get away from the computer and pick up an instrument. Meanwhile, check out a few full-length tracks on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/kingwilkie, or see some great video clips at their website here. Will I see you? Oh, you won't know me. Just holler for MandoMama and see who turns 'round. Hope to see you!