Ricky & Marty Play Bill's Mandolin on "Big Night"

You've got to check out the recent hour and a half show filmed at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum which is now on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCKUUSntqWQ

Some legendary instruments in the collection are removed from their display cases for some incredible musicians to play. The highlight for me was Carlene Carter on her grandmother Mabel's 1928 Loar L-5 playing with Marty Stuart on Bill Monroe's 1923 Loar F-5. But all of the performances were terrific! Guy Clark fans will love his segment.

If you liked the show as much as I did please donate.

Thanks. I checked it out. Really enjoyed the input from the artist and hearing them play those iconic instruments was great.
It was interesting to hear the difference in sound and tone Ricky and Marty got out of Monroe's mandolin. I would love to see a special with some of today's big names show casing the mandolin after they have had a chance to spend a little time with it, and learn its quirks and nuances. That would be cool.
Also noticed it looked like Ricky had his tonegard on the mandolin.

Adam

I've gotta say my highlight was Carlene and Marty at the end too. Will The Circle Be Unbroken has been the closing song of so many bluegrass festivals and events in my life - hearing those two play it was a perfect conclusion to the show. I felt very nostalgic during that performance. And if you ask me, Marty pulled much better tone out of Big Mon's mando than Ricky..

Did Bill’s mandolin still have that rattle in it?

Bob

No way to tell about the rattle whereabouts, but I did find it interesting that the mando was sans Bill's cool rawhide strap in the display case so when both Ricky and Marty played it they had to use their own straps. Marty's strap looked like the very one he uses on his Chris Warner F-5. Ricky did use a Tone-Gard, and as usual Marty did not.

Going back to the tone they pulled... Ricky's was surprisingly thin and sounded like he was using a thin pick, but Marty's tone was terrific and sounded very much like Marty when he's playing his Warner. I should also mention that the tone that Marty pulled out of Lester Flatt's 1950's D-28 was excellent as well.

Seriously, the entire program was exceptional and well worth sitting through the annoying YouTube commercials.

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Originally Posted by MojoMando

Going back to the tone they pulled... Ricky's was surprisingly thin and sounded like he was using a thin pick, but Marty's tone was terrific and sounded very much like Marty when he's playing his Warner.

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No argument there. I wondered though, when I heard Ricky's first note if the mic placement might not have been optimal. Hard to see exactly what's going on in the video, but it looks like they're using different mic setup/configurations (to me anyway).

The other variable (as mentioned) is the tone-guard. Not a great advertisement for their worth.

Thanks for posting! That was great. We're fortunate to have Marty as a music ambassador. I actually really enjoyed Keb' Mo' marveling at the mojo in Jimmie Rodgers guitar.

My impression on the different tone was that Ricky played it like it was a fragile treasure and Marty played it like it was his own. There are arguments to support either approach.

Jim

I could tell the banjo has that special great tone still. It came out some. The mandolin well...
Following comments here, I heard Ricky Scaggs had some kind of arm or hand injury. It kinda looked like he was having a hard time with that right hand. Most folks wouldn't notice, only us mandolin nerds. As mentioned Marty sounded like Marty. Great to see these instruments from behind the glass.
I know who I'd like to see playing these iconic instruments but they probably don't have the draw of "star power " to make good TV.

Does it get any better than this? Mother Maybelle's 1928 L-5 and Bill Monroe's 1923 F-5 proudly sitting in front of Thomas Hart Benton’s “The Sources of Country Music”. (Photo from the Big Night event.)

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That photo is truly something special. From the instruments to the room to the painting, it's all perfect! I got to pick some Monroe tunes in the rotunda a few years back, it was a such a wild experience. That spot is a sacred place.

Really cool show. I'm not going to get hung up on analyzing it, let's just appreciate that it was pretty cool that these guys got to play it and we got to see it.

Great song choice for these instruments to come alive on. Skaggs seemed nervous maybe super excited and kept it rather plain, but it still had it. Marty don't play like Lester and it sounded like strings were dead. But Allison , she got the punch out of that banjo. Up and down the neck it had the mojo still alive in it.