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Goins Brothers & Shed House Trio - Bluegrass My Home In The Mountains

(River Track Studios RTS-1415) 1990

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I don't have a copy of this rare cassette & I haven't been able to find an MP3 rip anywhere, so this section is a bit of guess-work based on what I've been able to dig up... Any amendments / corrections, much appreciated! As usual... Please get in touch via the Contact page.

The Shed House Trio consisted of Bill Hamm, Gerald Evans and Rick May, who released three cassettes during the period they were associated with the Goins Brothers. The first is reviewed in the October 1988 issue of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' as "The Shed House Boys" entitled 'Sunrise' (No number). From the review this appears to be the same as the 'Give Me Wings' cassette, and confirms that the band had previously been known as Sunrise. Presumably then, when Melvin recruited them for the Goins Brothers show, the band was re-named and their old Sunrise tape was re-badged as The Shed House Trio.

In the "General Store" section of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' from July 1988 it notes: "The Goins Brothers" show now includes appearances by Big Wilbur and the Checkerboard Squares. Also making an occasional appearance are Effie Highheels, Moonshine Kate and Lady Plushbottom. You've got to see it to believe it". The latter seems to be a reference to occasional performances in drag with the trio sending up Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton & Linda Ronstadt - the 'trio'.^[1]

The November & December 1988 issues of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' also carry small adverts, which emphasis the importance of the trio to the show, where "Each Goins Brothers set includes a segment where Hamm, Evans and May take centre stage for a song or three demonstrating their harmony singing".^[1]

In August 1990, 'Bluegrass Unlimited' included an advert for the '1st Annual Shed House Trio and Family Bluegrass Festival' 20-23 Sept 1990 in Grayson/Greenup, Kentucky. The Shed House Trio were billed on all four nights, with the Goins Brothers also billed for the Friday & Saturday.

In October 1990, the remaining two cassettes were listed in 'Bluegrass Unlimited', though it's not certain in which order they were released. The one which is reviewed in full is credited to Bill Hamm, Gerald Evans & Rick May entitled "Bill Gerald & Rick" (Vetco 3057), and the other which is itemised under 'New Releases' is the "Bluegrass Home In The Mountain" with the Goins'. This was later reviewed in full in the March 1991 edition & is reproduced in full below:-

From the Oct. 1990 review of "Bill Gerald & Rick", it sounds like it is also well worth picking up, should you be lucky enough to find a copy. As with the He Showed Me The Way Vetco LP, Buddy Griffin was involved with production. Joe Mullins is on banjo and Mike Anglin (of Gray Brewer & The Kentucky Ramblers) played bass, with Bill Hamm on mandolin, Gerald Evans on fiddle and Rick May on guitar.

The cassette that I have heard, Give Me Wings, also features excellent harmony vocals, thoughtful arrangement & some fine instrumentation. The title track, which was written by Gerald Evans, was also recorded by Bill Monroe on his 1988 'Southern Flavor' album, and by Ralph Stanley for the Pray For The Boys CD.

In a feature on The Traditional Grass in the Dec. 1993 edition of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' Gerald Evans recalls that he he started working with the Goins Brothers in 1987. On the 'Shed House Trio' he says:-

The article mentions that they later added a cowboy trio 'The Cass County Kids' and an Elvis act. Also the "Bill Gerald & Rick" tape, which features Joe Mullins on banjo led to Gerald joining the Traditional Grass in August 1990, and wasn't released as The Shed House Trio as they didn't want to use that name for a gospel project.

NB: On the 'Bluegrass My Home...' tape I'm assuming Be My Blue Eyed Darling is another version of My Blue Eyed Darling which the Goins had previously cut on Take This Hammer & Bluegrass Blues albums. Love Please Stay is probably the same song which Melvin & Ralph Stanley wrote and recorded for Brand New Country Songs. Likewise I'm assuming God Gave You To Me is the old Stanley Brothers song. I Saw Your Face In The Moon is likely to be the same as that first cut by Ray Whitley's Range Ramblers & subsequently Justin Tubb, Webb Pierce & Mac Wiseman; and finally Stay A Little Longer is presumably the Bob Wills song.

• Melvin Goins: guitar
• Ray Goins: banjo
• Gerald Evans Jr: fiddle
• Bill Hamm: bass
• Rick May: mandolin
• John McNeely: guitar

^{[1] 'Bluegrass Unlimited' review of the "Bill Hamm, Gerald Evans & Rick May" (Vetco 3057) cassette, October 1990.}