Tim O'Brien

[stringslowe]

I'm really pumped up that folks are posting about great songwriters/players today. Great respect for Rodney Crowell and Don McClean, and another unsung genius, Tim O'Brien. Tim played with Hot Rize, The Oh Boys!, and sang for years with his sister Molly. A virtuoso on the mandolin, octave mando, and fiddle but also a great songwriter. I must have 13 or 14 CDs of his, and a number of collaborative efforts with OT musicians like Dirk Powell and John Herrmann. He also did a killer CD with songwriter/producer/multi-instumentalist Darrell Scott.

Any other Tim fans out there?

[Manzanita]

I got first turned on to Tim O'Brien after buying the "Songs From the Mountain" cd last year at the Smoky Mtn Natl Park visitor center outside Gatlinburg. Then the radio station where I work seemed to go through a big Tim O'Brien phase during their Saturday folk/bluegrass show... and they have a pretty awesome cd collection so I was able to listen to a lot of his stuff. I really like his "Traveler" cd but I've had trouble getting into some earlier stuff.

[fitness1]

Oh yeah,
probably seen Tim around 20 times in the last 18 years or so, Hot Rize/ Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers was one of the most entertaining shows you will ever see......I have many pics from over the years (One of my best concert pics ever was one of Charles Sawtelle)
Tim wrote lots of songs that people don't realize......one of my fave was Late in the Day, which I don't think anybody ever covered. I also have a couple of obscure Molly discs that are EXTREMELY good.......the best being "Move Too Soon" on a really independent label (can't remember which) Molly is actually married to Hot Rize bassist Nick Forster (who is also a helluva guitar player).
Tim alway amazed me at how effortless he sang.....his lips almost never moved. I had the chance to hang out with him one night after a show with Molly....it was his birthday and he was a little blue because he was on the road and away from his family.....we had a nice chat.
An interesting tidbit about Hot Rize.....one of the reasons they quit touring was that Pete Wernick and his family were actually on the plane that crashed in Iowa about 15 years ago and survived....as the story goes, they found themselves huddled in the middle of a field, all together and alive.....I think Pete probably figured that he was given a second chance and maybe better rethink all the traveling......Charles Sawtelle also has survived some major health issues......I saw the Reunion Tour of Hot Rize about 3 or 4 years ago and it was just like old times...........great thread, by the way!!!

[stringslowe]

Molly is married to a jazz guitarist if I'm not mistaken. And Pete Wernick is an old friend of mine - I used to jam with his band Country Cookin' in Ithaca NY while he attended Cornell. Russ Barenberg, John Miller, Tony Trischka, Stacy Phillips - all those guys played with Pete.

I talked with him at Merlefest about 5 years ago - hadn't seen him in 20, and it was like yesterday. We talked about that crash - he said it changed his life.

Great folks - his wife Nondi is a wonderful BG singer, too!

[Yoda]

Tim is one of my favorites. His newest "Traveler" has re-awakened my long time desire to learn to frail the banjo. I like his work with DarrellScott, too.

Fitness, unfortunately Charles Sawtette didn't survive all his health problems. He died of cancer a couple of years ago.

Now, if any one has a tape of Red Knuckles and the TB doing the bit about 'radio hits' that includes Innagaddavida, we could talk some bidness.

Yoda

[fitness1]

I didn't realize Charles was gone......I feel really bad now......He had one of the most awesome live sounds with that guitar.....I don't think I have ever heard a 'meatier' miked acoustic guitar

Red remembers the Sixties is what you're looking for......I am not sure if I have it or not, but I will check. I think it might have been done on one of their Austin City Limit performances (or some other Tv show) I have a lot of their stuff on video

[Tizer]

Only know of him through Nickel Creek. They recorded 'When you come back down' on their 'first' CD and it rates up there as one of my favourite tracks.

[marl]

Yoda--I have a tape my sister recorded that has the Hot Rize Austin City Limits performance which includes the "Red Remembers the 60's" bit. It's hilarious. The whole set is great--their version of 'Molly Kane" will send chills up your back.The tape is eclectic,but mostly acoutic stuff---a Lonesome Pine set with Tony Rice,Allison Krauss,David Grisman( a great band,needless to say),an incredible performance by a young blind boy fiddler (looks to be about 12 years old)playing with and talking to Doc Watson,a few songs from the Del McCoury bluegrass band,a fantastic boogie woogie/blues set by Dr.John,solo piano,Peter Rowan bluegrass band,a couple of Ralph Stanley band numbers,a couple of Junior Wells and BB King blues numbers,and even a wild number or two with Jerry Lee jumping all over his piano.It's about a three hour tape.I don't mind copying it and sending it to you .If you(or anyone else) are interested,let me know.....marl

[Yoda]

Marl,

I knew the home-town folks would come through. You have an e-mail coming.

Yoda

[Luigi]

I'm a big fan of Tim, especially his work with Hot Rize/Red Knuckles and the O'Boys. I was fortunate enough to catch Hot Rize live with Charles Sawtelle before he died. Tim's recording of Dylan tunes (Red on Blonde?) ranks with my favorite recordings......

[marl]

Yoda--sorry,I changed over to DSL last week,and my old email address is no longer valid.I updated my profile today so now you can email me for the tape...marl

[91Bear]

I'd sure love a copy of the Austin City Limits with Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers if anyone has a copy.

91Bear AT gmail.com

[beach bob]

<raises hand>

Another Tim O'Brien fan here. I'm playing catch up w/his catalog... I only really figured out who he was via the Darrell Scott duo CD. But that's because five years ago I could name only about three bluegrass musicians; the whole genre is in catchup mode for me

Anyways, a fantastic performer. I was sorta hoping he'd show up in Nashville for Darrell's set two weekends ago, but it was not to be. So we had to settle for Joe Craven <G>