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"JIMMY
BROWN - THE NEWSBOY" MIXES BLUEGRASS WITH CATHOLIC
SPIRITUALITY
by Jeff Burson
 (CatholicMusicNetwork.com) Take foot tappin’
Bluegrass and mix it with old time Gospel and Catholic
spirituality and you have Fr. Edward Richard. Fr. Richard's
first CD "Do What Ever He Tells You” took many people by
surprise just as bluegrass became a hot item on Billboard
charts, thanks to the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou?” The
LaSalette Missionary priest, who is academic dean at
Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Shrewsbury and a review editorial
board member, recently released his second solo CD, "Jimmy
Brown, the Newsboy." It is an awesome mix of traditional and
original pieces with heartfelt vocals and instrumentals. Fr.
Richard calls this mixture Holy Mountain Music. I recently
talked with Fr. Edward Richard about his new CD “Jimmy Brown-The
Newsboy.”
CMN:
Father, the new CD is wonderful. First, How do you explain what
is Holy Mountain Music?
FR. RICHARD: The phrase refers to three things. First, I am a
Missionary of LaSalette. Our congregation was started after the
Blessed Mother appeared to two children in the Alps on Sept. 19,
1846. Not saying anything new, she called them back to God,
asking them to pray and respect her Son's name. We have a Shrine
there at the site which we always refer to as the Holy
Mountain. Second, Bluegrass is often called mountain music. So
the combination of the two just naturally leads to
the third, it's mountain music that is intended to be holy
music, to bring people closer to God as on the Holy Mountain of
LaSalette. Got that?
CMN: When did you realize you had a musical talent, and how long
have you be playing the banjo?
FR. RICHARD: I am still learning to play the banjo after twenty
some odd years. I have decided it's a continuing and evolving
thing. There's this bumper sticker that many of us have: "Have
you hugged your banjo today?" Being serious about the
five-string banjo is constantly challenging, even though it
might seem to some to be a "humble" instrument. I began
learning in Louisiana, inspired by a number of pickers, a good
guy named David Odegar helped me get started. But especially my
good friends, Ron Yule and Clifford and Sue Blackmun, who do
some of the work on "Jimmy Brown, the Newsboy," inspired me to
learn to play the music. They needed a banjo player.
I have always played music, as long as I can remember. I just
love it. What I lack in talent, I try to make up for in zeal.
In school I played in the band, sang in the choir, and, since
starting college, I've been involved in some sort of musical
group or another, mostly old country music.
Both my parents influenced me, though in very different ways.
My dad (deceased) was a Cajun and Cajun music was a part of our
heritage. I had a great-uncle who played the accordion and sang
his own style of Cajun music. That had a big impact. I even
tried the accordion for a while.
My mother is the one who really got me started on the guitar and
on bluegrass. As soon as I could hold a guitar I was trying to
play one. Eventually she sent me for some lessons. In high
school, I sort of let it slide a little. Then in college, I
really got turned on to the old mountain music.
A friend and, then, Bluegrass promoter, Bob Smith, helped me
get into the Stanley Brothers. I was mightily impressed with
Ralph and Carter's music the moment I heard it. I started a
collection of their records and wanted to learn to play the
guitar and banjo just like them. A fellow named Danny Davis
showed me how to play like George Shuffler, a guitar player who
played for the Stanley's and developed a style of guitar playing
called cross-picking. I do a good bit of that on "Jimmy
Brown." Early into the Stanley scene, I made Ralph's
acquaintance (Carter had died in 1966 unfortunately) and we have
been friends ever since. Ralph is special and I am glad that
people have now been able to get to know his music even more. I
have followed his career as much as time has allowed and I have
tried to get into the power of his music.
Ralph has most influenced me with his gospel music, even though
my banjo playing is mostly patterned on his. I enjoyed the old
hymns and the way the Stanley's played them.
CMN: When you see a Catholic priest, you think Latin or
Gregorian Chants; Why have you turned to Bluegrass as a way to
praise God?
FR. RICHARD: I love all things Catholic. And I like older
Catholic hymns. I like Latin plainsong. I love the great organ
sound. As a seminarian, I was in a chant group that sang at
various celebrations. But, I played Bluegrass long before I
ever thought about becoming a priest. I was already practicing
law (JD, LSU 1983) before I decided to answer the call. Even
so, in my ignorance I had resolved that if the Lord wanted me to
be a priest and give up Bluegrass, I would have done so.
Instead,
it's been just the opposite. He has always encouraged me,
providentially, to play, and Bluegrass hymns have inspired me to
love Him more. Everything just seems to happen at the right
time. I am so grateful to God. I praise Him for His Majesty,
and I am overwhelmed with gratitude that I have been given this
joy. If it all ended today, I would still be grateful for what
I have had these years.
CMN: Have you seen a growth in your audience since the film "O
Brother Where Art Thou"? Since the Soundtrack has been a number
one seller for months now - do more people take your music to
heart?
FR. RICHARD: No question, we Bluegrass musicians now have a much
wider audience than before "O Brother..". More people are
interested. Recently, I went back to my home in Louisiana and
played at a Gospel music show in a local music venue. We were
the only Bluegrass group, but many of the people there were
getting into our sound and into the spirit of our music. I am
sure that O Brother had a lot to do with the reception we
received there.
My base is still the same, though. Those are the people who
have been there all along and the majority of them ARE CATHOLICS
WHO HAPPEN TO LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC! They are the people in the
parishes and churches who have been my support and inspiration.
I wanted to do something for them, to give them something that
they could feel at home with. It's still new though. There
isn't a large offering of Catholic bluegrass.
I haven't seen many others.
CMN:
Was there much differences between the making of your first cd
"Do Whatever He Tells You" and Jimmy Brown- the Newsboy?"
FR.
RICHARD: There were several differences. First, I decided that
since I am an unknown artist, I should package the thing better.
You will never know what's inside if the outside doesn't appeal
to you enough to want to know what's in there. I asked Henning
Communications in St. Louis to design the cover. Pat Henning
and his company did all of the graphic design for the
publications for John Paul II's visit to St. Louis in 1999.
They did an excellent job. The surprise there is that my
sister, Dusty, did the photography and the people at the
Railroad Station are locals dressed up in period dress. My
nephew, Myles, is the newsboy on the track.
Secondly, musically, I have been playing with Ron Yule,
Louisiana Champion Fiddler, and Clifford and Sue Blackmun for a
good many years. I recorded a number of the songs with them this
time because I was comfortable with their style.
Third, I took more control over the recording, mixing, and
mastering. I have a lot to learn in those areas, but I know
what I want. It's not the best way to do it. I actually did
some of the digital recording and mixing myself. The first time
through the studio, I felt rushed and I was unsure of how the
process worked. After I got involved in the mixing, and took
more time with it, I made the choice that this would not just go
along a schedule and then, voila, finished product. I decided to
take the time I wanted. I also decided, in the process, that I
could add more variety to the sound and not just settle for your
standard 5-piece Bluegrass arrangement.
I learned a lot this time, too. Hopefully, the next one will be
even better.
CMN: Is it hard to write while balancing time with priestly
duties and prayers?
FR. RICHARD: I love being a priest and I wouldn't be doing what
I am doing now if I weren't. Realistically, I can devote very
little time these days to writing music. I am the Academic Dean
of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and the Director of the Paul VI
Pontifical Institute of Catechetical and Pastoral Studies in the
Archdiocese of St. Louis. I continue to teach Moral Theology in
the Seminary and I give a number of conferences in the US and a
few abroad. This year I flew to New Zealand to speak and play at
the Wellington Eucharistic Convention. My goal in music writing
is to try to put a few new songs on each new recording. Song
writing happens fairly quickly for me and the original
inspiration for each song comes usually in a flash, often in
prayer or when I am being prayerful. An "Ocean of Mercy" came
all at once while walking in a park. I believe the more I pray
the more music I will write.
Right now, I have an idea brewing for a song about Mass and the
book of Revelation. I am so unworthy to think about these
things, to know these great mysteries. Yet, it is wonderful to
be caught up into Heaven for the celebration of the Lamb's
Supper. My song on that will have a lot to do with the Saints,
I hope.
CMN: The Bread of
Life (John 6) is a great CATHOLIC song. What helped you to write
it?
FR. RICHARD: It was time for me to write a song about the Holy
Eucharist. I have often meditated upon and preached about John
6. I wanted to let people know that, following upon Jesus'
basic reasoning stated there, the story of Moses and the manna
has a good bit to say about what the Last Supper meant. Yet, I
didn't want to force the "Catholic" teaching. I did not dwell
on what my brothers in Protestant churches do with that text.
In any case, Jesus is quite clear and John had a very strong
point to make. He wants us to have life. Eat his body, drink
his blood, and He will raise us up on the last day. Direct and
to the point. Part II of that, though, is the Heavenly Liturgy.
Part III is what we do all the time even outside the church, our
spiritual warfare. The Eucharist, the bread of life and the cup
of salvation, is all of that. We Catholics believe that,
certainly, in a symbolic and spiritual sense, we "devour" Christ
and His Truth. AND, more importantly, we devour him quite
literally like Moses and the Israelites ate manna in the
desert. This cuts both ways for all of us, Catholic and
Protestant alike. I would like for all my Protestant brothers
and sisters to be able know and receive Jesus like I do at Mass.
"Sir, give us this bread always." We Catholics, in this day and
age, who actually partake of the Body and Blood of Christ in the
Holy Eucharist ought to be more on fire, though, with love for
His Truth as it is expressed in the Bible which so often is the
mainstay of dedicated Christians of all backgrounds. And if we
study the Biblical text closely, we see clearly that Jesus was
directly teaching the truth about the sacredness of the
Eucharistic bread and wine. It's Him. He is the Eucharist and
the Eucharist is Him. We don't just receive him into our hearts
in a spiritual sense. He is the Passover lamb who has taken the
form of the first priestly offering in the Bible by Melchezideck,
bread and wine. We receive him into our bodies as food and
drink. I can see why the Church wants us to prepare well for
the great mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ.
If today's Catholics, guided by authentic teaching, loved
biblical truth as much as some of our Protestant brothers and
sisters, they would love Jesus more in the Holy Eucharist. We
ought to, as St. Paul says, "discern the body." Read this
again: "I AM the BREAD OF LIFE."
CMN: You use a lot of older traditional bluegrass/ gospel songs
in your catalog. How did you come by them?
FR. RICHARD: So many of these songs were learned just by
playing with others or listening to others play them. Some of
them are just instrumental versions of old songs which are not
of a religious nature. But they make nice music to mix into a
blend like this. Most of them I have played for a long time.
"Father, We Thank Thee" is a tune that was an old French melody
adapted to a text based on the Didache. The banjo version of it
probably doesn't register for most people as the tune that they
might be familiar with, but we sing it in the Seminary all the
time.
CMN: Why was "Jimmy Brown- The Newboy" made the title track of
your new CD?
FR. RICHARD: I chose "Jimmy Brown, the Newsboy" as the title
track for a number of reasons. It's a well-known song from the
Carter family about a little boy who is able to express a
fundamental hope of Heaven, in spite of all the obstacles to his
happiness, in terms of something he is able to understand,
peddling the news. I always liked the song and I remembered an
old Columbia LP that my mother had of the song recorded by
Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. The theme of the song seemed to
me to be something that I could associate with my hometown and
the old Railroad station which is an important part of the
town's history. And its one of the first tunes that I watched
Danny Davis play on the guitar in the style that I now play it.
CMN: How did you find some of the friends that help you on Jimmy
Brown?
FR. RICHARD: I have already told you earlier about Ron Yule, who
is the fiddle player on some of the cuts. Ron is long-time
friend and an excellent musician who happens to be Missouri
Synod Lutheran. My repertoire on the banjo is much more diverse
than it would have been had I not known Ron. He plays lots of
styles and tunes. Jimmy Orchard is the other fiddle player who
really adds an old time feel to the songs that I wanted that
on. Jimmy organized the Ozark Bluegrass Boys in 1969 and I have
been playing the banjo for him when I can for about three years
now. Jimmy has done a lot to promote Bluegrass in the Ozarks
and I really respect his knowledge of the music and his ability.
Frank Ray plays the mandolin on the CD and is one of the best
mandolin players anywhere. It's been just great knowing Frank.
He is a member of the Assemblies of God and our
discussions have been deep when we have been out on the road.
You don't talk very long to Frank about the Bible without
knowing that he has really tried to penetrate its mysteries. He
has a gift for it and it's always refreshing to see how much the
Spirit has led him to profound truth. He is a member of the
Ozark Bluegrass Boys.
CMN: There is some great vocal talent on the new CD. Who,
besides you, sang on it?
FR. RICHARD: Rich Orchard, who sings lead on Jimmy Brown,
the Newsboy, is Jimmy's younger brother and is the lead singer
for the Ozark Bluegrass Boys. Rich is a good rhythm guitar
player and has perhaps the most awesome Martin D-28 guitar in
the world! Rich is a fine Christian man; he and his wife
Juanita are members of the Church of Christ. It was Rich who
initiated our meeting and my entry into the Ozark Bluegrass
Boys. Rich had heard about me and decided to go check me out at
a spot where I was playing one night.
Clifford and Sue Blackmun, who sing on a number of the
songs, are from Louisiana and are two of my friends from the
days when I was learning to play Bluegrass. I will put Clifford
and Sue up against any husband and wife team of Bluegrass
singers. I enjoy them so much. Clifford brings a special gift
to the music with his Primitive Baptist background. That comes
through on the a cappella “I'll Wear a White Robe.”
Guy Stevenson, who leads on “Over in the Gloryland”, is
the bass player for the Ozark Bluegrass Boys these days. Guy,
however, played bass for a couple of years for Bill Monroe in
the 70's. Guy is also a member of the Assemblies of God and is
just a great person to be around.
CMN: Thank you
Father!
The CD “Jimmy Brown- The Newsboy”, can be
found here at Catholic Music Network. Fr. Edward
Richard has said that proceeds from his CD support the LaSalette
Foreign Missions. Don’t miss out on this awesome CD!
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