Alan Munde
Encyclopedia
Alan Munde is an American
five-string banjo
player and bluegrass music
ian.
, Munde learned banjo from a well-regarded Oklahoman banjo player, Ed Shelton. He frequently played amateur gigs around the state where he first met Byron Berline
at the University of Oklahoma
. Shelton introduced Munde to three fine Dallas bluegrass players - Mitchell Land, Louis "Bosco" Land and Harless "Tootie" Williams - and the four of them joined to form "The Stone Mountain Boys" in 1965. Alan moved to Kentucky in January 1969 after he had graduated from college to play with Wayne Stewart and Sam Bush in a group called Poor Richard's Almanac.
"Wayne Stewart had this idea for a group with this kid he knew in Kentucky named Sam Bush, who was probably 15. So I moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and we formed Poor Richard's Almanac. Not long after, I got my draft notice, but before I left, Sam, Wayne and I made this tape, later released by Ridge Runner Records, called Poor Richard's Almanac, that was a lot of the instrumental things we were doing. I then went back to Oklahoma, was rejected by the Army, and worked in Norman that summer."
Munde joined the legendary bluegrass musician Jimmy Martin
in 1969. He played with Martin as one of the Sunny Mountain Boys from October 1969 to October 1971, and in the meantime earned his living by working as a school teacher in Nashville
.
In 1972, Munde became a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers, performing with Byron Berline. After a European tour, the Burritos split up and Munde joined Country Gazette, then consisting of Roger Bush on bass, Kenny Wertz on guitar, and on the fiddle, Byron Berline
, who had formed Country Gazette earlier in the year. Country Gazette went on to record their first album "Traitor In Our Midst" in 1972. For the next twenty years Alan remained a central figure in the Country Gazette, playing with notable musicians such as Roland White
, Clarence White
, Joe Carr and Gene Wooten
.
In 1977, Alan Munde and mandolinist Sam Bush
recorded "Together Again for the First Time" with Roland White, Curtis Burch and John Cowan (both members of legendary New Grass Revival
with Sam Bush).
Alan currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Bluegrass Music Association
. He taught full-time in the Bluegrass and Country Music Program at South Plains College
from 1986 to May 2007.
Munde wrote and hosted a monthly 5 string Banjo column for Frets Magazine during the 1980s
His current band is called Alan Munde Gazette. The band features Alan Munde-Banjo, Elliott Rogers-Guitar/Vocal, Bill Honker-Bass/Vocal, Steve Smith-Mandolin/Vocal, Nate Lee-Fiddle/Vocal.
(2002)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
five-string banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
player and bluegrass music
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
ian.
Biography
Born in Norman, OklahomaNorman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
, Munde learned banjo from a well-regarded Oklahoman banjo player, Ed Shelton. He frequently played amateur gigs around the state where he first met Byron Berline
Byron Berline
Byron Berline is an American fiddle player.-Biography:Berline started playing the fiddle at age five and quickly developed a talent for it. In 1965, he recorded the album Pickin' and Fiddlin with the Dillards...
at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. Shelton introduced Munde to three fine Dallas bluegrass players - Mitchell Land, Louis "Bosco" Land and Harless "Tootie" Williams - and the four of them joined to form "The Stone Mountain Boys" in 1965. Alan moved to Kentucky in January 1969 after he had graduated from college to play with Wayne Stewart and Sam Bush in a group called Poor Richard's Almanac.
"Wayne Stewart had this idea for a group with this kid he knew in Kentucky named Sam Bush, who was probably 15. So I moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and we formed Poor Richard's Almanac. Not long after, I got my draft notice, but before I left, Sam, Wayne and I made this tape, later released by Ridge Runner Records, called Poor Richard's Almanac, that was a lot of the instrumental things we were doing. I then went back to Oklahoma, was rejected by the Army, and worked in Norman that summer."
Munde joined the legendary bluegrass musician Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin was an American bluegrass musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass".-Early years:Born James H. Martin in Sneedville, Tennessee. Jimmy Martin was born into the hard farming life of rural East Tennessee. He grew up near Sneedville, singing in church and with friends from surrounding...
in 1969. He played with Martin as one of the Sunny Mountain Boys from October 1969 to October 1971, and in the meantime earned his living by working as a school teacher in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
In 1972, Munde became a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers, performing with Byron Berline. After a European tour, the Burritos split up and Munde joined Country Gazette, then consisting of Roger Bush on bass, Kenny Wertz on guitar, and on the fiddle, Byron Berline
Byron Berline
Byron Berline is an American fiddle player.-Biography:Berline started playing the fiddle at age five and quickly developed a talent for it. In 1965, he recorded the album Pickin' and Fiddlin with the Dillards...
, who had formed Country Gazette earlier in the year. Country Gazette went on to record their first album "Traitor In Our Midst" in 1972. For the next twenty years Alan remained a central figure in the Country Gazette, playing with notable musicians such as Roland White
Roland White
Roland White is an American bluegrass music artist, performing principally on the mandolin.-Biography:At an early age, White formed himself, his two brothers and his sister into a bluegrass band which performed locally...
, Clarence White
Clarence White
Clarence White was a guitar player for Nashville West, The Byrds, Muleskinner, and the Kentucky Colonels. His parents were Acadians from New Brunswick, Canada...
, Joe Carr and Gene Wooten
Gene Wooten
Gene Wooten was an American dobro player and multi-instrumentalist.-Biography:...
.
In 1977, Alan Munde and mandolinist Sam Bush
Sam Bush
Sam Bush is an American bluegrass mandolin player considered an originator of the Newgrass style.- History :...
recorded "Together Again for the First Time" with Roland White, Curtis Burch and John Cowan (both members of legendary New Grass Revival
New Grass Revival
New Grass Revival was an American progressive bluegrass band founded in 1971, and composed of Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, Ebo Walker, Curtis Burch, Butch Robins, John Cowan, Béla Fleck and Pat Flynn. They were active between 1971 and 1989, releasing more than twenty albums as well as six singles....
with Sam Bush).
Alan currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Bluegrass Music Association
International Bluegrass Music Association
The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, is a trade association to promote bluegrass music.Formed in 1985, IBMA established its first headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1988 they announced plans to create the International Bluegrass Music Museum as a joint venture with...
. He taught full-time in the Bluegrass and Country Music Program at South Plains College
South Plains College
South Plains College is a community college located in Levelland, Texas. It operates satellite branches in Plainview and at the Reese Technology Center, formerly Reese Air Force Base, in Lubbock. SPC also has many classes in the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, as part of a...
from 1986 to May 2007.
Munde wrote and hosted a monthly 5 string Banjo column for Frets Magazine during the 1980s
His current band is called Alan Munde Gazette. The band features Alan Munde-Banjo, Elliott Rogers-Guitar/Vocal, Bill Honker-Bass/Vocal, Steve Smith-Mandolin/Vocal, Nate Lee-Fiddle/Vocal.
Discography
- Alan Munde Gazette, "Made To Last", Munde's Child Records (2008)
- Alan Munde & Wayne Shrubsall, "Old Friends", CBP-2003-CD (2003)
- Alan Munde, "Solo Banjo, Just Banjo, All Banjo, Nothing But Banjo", CPB-2002-CD (2002)
- Various Artists, "Long Journey Home: Bluegrass Songs of the Stanley Brothers", Rounder Records, ROUN0349
(2002)
- Various Artists, "Knee Deep in Bluegrass: The AcuTab Sessions", Rebel Records, (2000)
- Alan Munde, "Texas Fiddle Favorites for Banjo", Mel Bay, MELBY02984 (2000)
- Alan Munde & Joe Carr, "Welcome to West Texas", Rounder Records, FLY 669 (1998)
- Joe Carr & Alan Munde, "Windy Days and Dusty Skies", Rounder Records, FLY 644 (1995)
- Alan Munde, "Blue Ridge Express", Rounder Records, ROUN0301 (1994)
- Alan Munde, "Festival Favorites Revisited", Rounder Records, ROUN0311 (1993)
- Alan Munde & Country Gazette, "Keep on Pushing", Rounder Records, FLY 561 (1991)
- Country Gazette, "Strictly Instrumental", Flying Fish, FF 446 (1987)
- Country Gazette, "Bluegrass Tonight", Flying Fish, FF 383 (1986)
- Alan Munde, "In the Tradition", Ridge Runner, RRR 0035
- Country Gazette, "America's Bluegrass Band", Flying Fish, FF 295 (1983)
- Alan Munde, "Festival favorites, Southwest sessions", Ridge Runner, RRR 0032 (1983)
- Alan Munde, "Festival favorites, Nashville sessions", Ridge Runner, RRR 0031 (1982)
- Country Gazette, "American and Clean", Flying Fish, FF 253 (1981)
- Alan Munde, "Festival favorites, Volume 2", Ridge Runner, RRR 0027 (1980)
- Alan Munde, "Festival favorites, Volume 1", Ridge Runner, RRR 0026 (1980)
- Alan Munde, "The banjo kid picks again", Ridge Runner, RRR 0022
- Country Gazette, "What a Way to Make a Living", Ridge Runner, RRR 0008 (1977)
- Sam Bush & Alan Munde, "Together again for the first time", Ridge Runner, RRR 0007, (1977)
- Country Gazette, "Out to Lunch", Flying Fish, FF027 (1976)
- Alan Munde, "Banjo Sandwich", Ridge Runner, RRR 0001 (1975)
- Country Gazette, "Live", United Artists Records, (1974)
- Country Gazette, "Don't Give Up Your Day Job", United Artists Records, (1973)
- Country Gazette, "Traitor in Our Midst", United Artists Records, UAS 5596 (1972)
- Sam Bush & Alan Munde, "Poor Richards Almanac", Ridge Runner, RRR 0002 (1968)
External links
- http://alanmundegazette.com/
- http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=107970209
- http://cdbaby.com/cd/amgazette
- http://www.spc.cc.tx.us/creativearts/amunde.html
- http://www.melbay.com/authors.asp?author=223
- http://www.eddiecollins.biz/mundsm95.html
- http://www.thebluegrassjournal.com/ts-art-alanmunde.html
- Country Gazette Discography
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 1
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 2
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 3
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 4
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 5
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 6
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 7
- Recording: Country Gazette Reunion 2007 Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Part 8
- Recording: Jam at Culpeper-Warrenton 1973 with many other stars