Today’s post was written by Paul.
For the second video in this year’s Train Song Series I’m sharing an instrumental from Mr. Jamie Mason.
Jamie played “Train 45” with me several years ago when we teamed up for “Bringing that Georgia Mail” for the train series.
Our instruments were in great tune that day, and Jamie’s playing was very clean. Not sure why I didn’t make more guitar runs.
I saved this video for a couple of reasons. I thought it would be good to have an extra video held in reserve in case I ever didn’t have time to shoot a new one for the series. Also, I thought that we might possibly do this song again sometime with a mandolin.
“Train 45” typically opens with a mandolin mimicking train sounds. I thought I might learn to play the intro or get a mandolin-picking friend to do it for me. I never attempted either, so I figured this year that I should go ahead and share Jamie’s good picking on this tune, rather than hoarding it any longer. 🙂
You can search YouTube to find the mandolin intro I’m talking about. JD Crowe’s band provides a great example here.
Hope you enjoyed the video!
Jamie is in a new band called Appalachian Smoke, and they recently landed a recording contract with Mountain Fever Records, a label that is home to several well-known bluegrass acts. In fact, Appalachian Smoke’s new album has a song on it that reached as high as #7 on the top 100 bluegrass chart! I’m very happy for Jamie, and his success is well earned. I hope the band gets more and more attention and gets better and better. To check out their music and learn more about them, please visit his band’s website Appalachian Smoke.
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is a copy of our latest cd “Live to Never Die” which is a compilation of Pap’s original songs plus five classic hymns. The cd is unopened but the case is cracked. Leave a comment on this post to be entered. *Giveaway ends November 17, 2023. You can pick up a copy of the cd in our Etsy shop here.
Paul
That was great.
Beautiful! I love bluegrass.
I would cherish a copy of paps songs!
This series brings back a lot of childhood memories. We sat around listening to good music my whole childhood. Now so much family has gone on but this music sure brings back great memories.
Train music is so interesting to listen to. Love your post!
I am truly enjoying the Train Song Series. Thanks for sharing your talents!
Such good music to be appreciated. Thank you for sharing.
Enjoyed
Love the title, “Live To Never Die!”
Two of my cousins sang and played when they were young men, even on a local TV channel on Glen Stepp show. They’re gone now and I wish I had videos of them but can’t seem to find any online. Bruce was on guitar and Ervin mandolin. They were the Daugherty Boys. Bruce stayed in California but Ervin took his family and moved back to east Tennessee. Paul sings and plays beautifully. I do so enjoy his music. In fact, I enjoy all your family’s music.
Enjoyed the song as always!
I love train songs..and have
never written one!
One of my favorites is my friend Gove Scrivenor’s version of Jack Clements’ “I’ve Got a Thing About Trains “
Trains and train songs have always interested me, I really enjoyed the music, thanks for sharing it.
Love the music.
Once again we get to hear Paul’s talented playing! My dad played guitar, banjo, organ, and harmonica. He had a good singing voice and he could really make his harmonica talk. I always wished I could play something, but I guess some of us have to be the listeners! Thanks for some really nice music, Paul!
Yes, we absolutely loved the video and look forward to hearing more. Thanks for sharing.
I always enjoy Paul’s guitar playing. The banjo and guitar were great together. I listen but the only thing I can play is my radio and my wife says I play it too loud.
A cracked CD case would make that CD look T home with my other cracked cases. That wouldn’t bother me a bit. I’d love to have a copy of the CD. I love reading this and watching your videos. I’m in SW PA and so much of this sounds like stories my parents and Aunt and Uncles told. Thanks!
I purchased “Live to Never Die”. The winner will surely enjoy it!! I also purchased the Christmas cd but will wait until after Thanksgiving to open it. I can hardly wait as I love Christmas music…..really any time of year!! Thanks for sharing such wonderful music!!
Love this music.
I liked today’s song. I like the old style bluegrass songs, especially bluegrass hymns. I want “Where The Roses Never Fade” played at my funeral. I also listened to the older post “Lonesome Wind Blues”, the lyrics are now so true for me except for the line “I don’t know on earth where she could be”, I know where she (my wife) is. I like all of the musicians mentioned in the two post, especially the Whites singing the old time gospel hymns. I normally go to church but didn’t go today and listened to Dr. Charles Stanley on tv. I took a hard fall on my deck Friday and I am kinda stoved up. The safest part of me (my hard head) took a hard lick, but I am alright except for a few more aches. I might have to replaced a few deck boards!
Randy-sorry you fell. Hope you heal up quick!
Beautiful!!! I love it !!! I’m looking forward to checking out Appalachian Smoke and I’d love to win the CD of Live to Never Die !!! Thank you for sharing!!! Happy Sunday & God Bless you all !!!
Great song! I have been taking fiddle lessons and one of my goals is to learn to play Train 45.
Great job Paul and Jamie! I loved the song. Thank you so much for sharing it. Also, congratulations to Jamie’s new band. I will have to check them out and I love the name, Appalachian Smoke.
You are truly blessed to be in a musical family! Thank you for sharing your talent with the rest of us!
Thanks for that great tune! I am loving Train Month!
Enjoyed listening to the guitar and fiddle. I took lessons in 5th grade, but we had so little money back then I was unable to buy a decent instrument. Wish I would have been able to continue in music. I truly enjoy any kind. My daughter was a flute player. Was so proud of her beautiful music. Her brother was a singer in grade school, middle school and in high school. There he was in show choir. He didn’t keep it up, but he was very good. My favorite song, their choir in middle school ever sang was, There Was A Balm In Gilead. It was beautiful. I have the album these talented children made back then. A treasure to me. Thanks Tipper.
Good Sunday morning everyone. Enjoyed the banjo picking. Paul the best guitar run, in my opinion, was the duet with your mother singing “”I looked all over heaven.” You and Jamie are very talented men. Congratulations on your upcoming retirement!
Blessings to all.
I really am enjoying the Train Series and hope there are many more to come. I absolutely love the banjo & Jamie sure can play it well. Prayers to Granny today as she continues the treatments this coming week. Congratulations Paul on your upcoming retirement. This will give you a lot more time to concentrate on your music which will be a plus for us as you make more music videos for us to enjoy. Hugs!
The CROWE really flew high on this number! Paul and Mr. Crowe really got my blood going with this lively number! I scooted and stomped til I scared the cats! Lol. It did sound right indeed! Yesterday I rode the struggle bus with a broken kitchen faucet and putting a 80 inch new cat tower together (which went fine once I threw out the directions-smh)but joy has come this morning! Amen! Bless every one of ya here today with a special request climbing high for Granny Louzine our Appalachian Queen!!!
Enjoyed the song.
Certainly enjoyed Jamie and Paul’s instrumental version of Train 45; one’s inclination to get up and do a bit of “buck dancin’ or cloggin’ was mighty powerful”! Am sure at least a couple of the readership did, indeed. Thanks for the share, Paul and not holdin’ on to this upbeat tune and recording. Have you got one or two more laying around somewhere …….
Oh how I would love to share these songs with my church! We use a CD player a ton since we don’t have great WiFi there.
Great tune. Love Bluegrass and trains! I still have my American Flyer S gauge train set.
Great music.
Blessings to all
I love hearing this. It amazes me when I see such talented people. Thank you for sharing with us and brightening my day.
I wonder how many readers will notice the young man in the back. He appears to be reading a book, perhaps doing schoolwork. I can only see part of his face but he seems to favor Mr. Jamie. Would it be going out on a limb to say that you all are in the media center at school and he is waiting for his dad to take him home?
Papaw-good catch 🙂 I think that was Jamie’s son.
I love banjo music. I’m interested in checking out Appalachian Smoke.
Good job men!!! God bless Granny Wilson with love care and protection with healing and health and strength to endure in Jesus name, God bless Tipper also with strength to endure in Jesus name, God bless you Paul, your friends and family in Jesus name ❤️
Ya’ll are so supportive of others and so encouraging. I would love to be entered for a chance to win.
I love JD Crowe. It’s funny that I found him just a few weeks ago, and now you’ve shared a link. His music isn’t very popular in New England – folk music of New England and Acadia, and traditional music of Ireland/Scotland is more common. JD Crowe popped up in my YouTube suggested list recently, and probably because I watch your channel.
You are so lucky and blessed to come from a very special and musically talented family. I thoroughly enjoy the music I have discovered on your blog and You Tube channel.
Happy Sunday, y’all! Time to praise our Lord with thankful hearts, then we all should be doing that every day. What a fun, toe tapping way to start the day. If this fun train tune don’t get ya going, well I don’t know what will. Thank you to both Paul and his banjo picking friend Jamie for getting our feet a tapping. Y’all have a blessed day! Prayers for Granny and all the family.
Loved the song. I so admire people who can play instruments. I am happy for their success and to you, Paul, happy retirement from the school system. This is the last year for my husband as well. He is in IT for the Media Department (used to be call Library), at an Elementary School.
I love your music.
That was such a fun song to listen to this morning. Loved, loved it!,
I always marvel at the speed of the players fingers when strumming guitar strings, such talent. It is a beautiful raining morning here in N Myrtle Beach, S.C. Winter is surely on the way. Have a Blessed one Pressleys and give Granny my thoughts and prayers.
I love all the singing by your family!!
The train songs remind me of taking my son to see the miniature trains a group of train enthusiasts sets up at the local library at Christmas each year.
thanks for the blessing of the day!
Paul, I sure enjoyed listening to the both of you play. Again, I wasn’t familiar with this song. Thanks for introducing us to your friend and his band. Keep sharing your work. I like to hear you sing!