Mountain Stage: Holsapple & Stamey

If there ever was a time we had better get it right it had better be tonight, right here and now... (Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey - Right Here and Now)

I got to see a live taping of the Mountain Stage show this past weekend! The live radio show from out of Charleston, WV is hosted by Larry Groce. The show features 5 artists that may range from rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, gospel or whatever. Each artist plays about 5 or 6 songs with the headliner maybe getting an extra one or so. They close out the show with all the artists performing a standard. It is a very nice show and I recommend the show if you have the opportunity.

This was my second Mountain Stage show in the last few years. The first show that I saw was back in May 2008 and the headliner was Kim Richey. That show is in the Mountain Stage archives here.

The show this past weekend featured Nanci Griffith, Todd Snider, The Greencards, Ashleigh Flynn & Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey. I've been a fan of Nanci Griffith since I fist heard her Other Voice, Other Rooms; her album of covers from 1993. I've wanted to see Todd Snider for a while now and his set was a treat. The Greencards and Ashleigh Flynn played fine sets as well. I was most excited about seeing Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey.

Back in the summer of 1984 I was studying in Colorado. One of my classmates that I traveled out west with introduced me to a new band, The dB's. Their sound was fresh, their songs, mostly love gone bad, were clever and funny. Their singers had unique voices. Their main singer/song writers were Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey. They had (and still have) a kind of Lennon-McCartney thing going on; a kind of yen and yang. The dB's made 2 great records 1981's Stands For Decibels and 1982's Repercussions. Chris Stamey left the band just as they had landed a bigger record deal. Although The dB's continued for a few more records without Stamey, the band suffered without his songs and vocals.

I followed Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey from afar. I have actually seen Peter a few times as he was a sideman with R.E.M. and Hootie and the Bowfish. Peter has recorded several albums with the Continental Drifters, a collection of like minded artists including Vicki Peterson formerly of The Bangles and Susan Cowsill of The Cowsills. Chris has recorded as a solo artist and has worked as a producer with such artists as Whiskeytown and Alejandro Escovedo among others. In 1992 Holsapple and Stamey released their first duet CD Mavericks; a very underrated and solid album.

Holsapple and Stamey are back with a new collection of songs entitled Here and Now. I read a very good review of the CD here. During the Mountain Stage taping they performed 5 songs (I think), all from Here and Now. They opened with "Early in the Morning" and the powerful "Santa Monica". They also played "Long Time Coming" and "A Song For Johnny Cash". A short but very nice set. These guys really gel together and here's to hoping they play together for many more years. Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey - Here and Now