Mother’s Day

Needless to say, there are lots of bluegrass songs about MOM. Here are some good ones:

First, a couple of bluegrass albums featuring songs about MOM:

• “Mother: Queen of My Heart”
  • Various Artists (Sugar Hill)
• “Mama’s Hand”
  • Various Artists (Rounder)

And … why not play something in honor of MOTHER MAYBELLE CARTER? (Her birthday is May 10, which sometimes falls on Mother’s Day.)

Now, songs about MOM:

• A Mother’s Hand
  • Frank Solivan II “I Am a Rambler” (no label)
• A Mother’s Last Words to Her Daughter
  • Dry Branch Fire Squad “Just for the Record” (Rounder); also on Various Artists “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
• A Mother’s Love
  • Phoenix “A Place Called Home” (Virginia Arts)
• A Mother’s Prayer
  • Ralph Stanley “A Mother’s Prayer” (Rebel)
  • Shawn Lane “Mountain Songs” (Cat Town)
• A Picture of Mother
  • NewFound Road “Life in a Song” (Rounder)
• A Pretty Wreath for Mother’s Grave
  • Third Tyme Out “The Best Durn Ride” (CMG)
• A Vision of Mother
  • Ricky Skaggs “Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown” (Epic)
  • America’s Bluegrass Band “America’s Favorite Hymns” (OBR)
• Always Be Kind to Your Mother
  • Reno and Smiley “Early Years 1951-1959, Disk 2” (King)
  • The Louvin Brothers “Live at New River Ranch” (Copper Creek)
• Angel Mother
  • The Crowe Brothers “Forty Years Old” (Mountain Fever)
• Apron Strings
  • The Whites “A Lifetime in the Making” (Ceili)
• Being a Woman (Is Like Being the Sun)
  • Caroline Jones (single/Compass)
• Cactus in a Coffee Can
  • Melonie Cannon “And the Wheels Turn” (Rural Rhythm)
• Coat of Many Colors
  • Dolly Parton “Live and Well” (Sugar Hill)
  • Lynn Morris “The Lynn Morris Band” (Rounder)
• Dear Julianna
  • Carley Arrowood (single/Mountain Home)
• Dear Old Mother
  • Jim and Jesse “In the Tradition” (Rounder)
• Diaper Song
  • Honi Deaton and Dream “Chasin’ Dreams” (Lamon Records)
• Don’t Tell Mama (I Was Drinking)
  • The Grascals “Long List of Heartaches” (Rounder)
• Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away
  • Chris Stuart and Backcountry “Mojave River” (Backcountry)
  • Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass “The Room Over Mine” (Rounder)
• Every Day is Mother’s Day
  • Larry Stephenson Band “Thankful” (Pinecastle)
• Every Step of the Way
  • The Brombies “From the Piney Hills of Hollywood” (Adina)
• Forty Years Old (And I’m Living in My Mom’s Garage)
  • “The Austin Lounge Lizards “Never an Adult Moment” (Sugar Hill)
• Give Mother My Crown
  • Flatt and Scruggs “1948-1959” (Bear Family)
  • Dave Evans “Hang Out a Light for Me” (Rebel)
  • Darren Nicholson “Things Left Undone” (Bearded Baby)
• God Bless Her (Cause She is My Mother)
  • The Louvin Brothers “Live at New River Ranch” (Copper Creek)
  • The Crowe Brothers “The Gospel Way” (Copper Creek)
• God Bless Mommy
  • Grasstowne “The Other Side of Towne” (Pinecastle)
• Gonna Shake Hands with Mother Over There
  • The Crowe Brothers “The Gospel Way” (Copper Creek)
• Have a Happy Mothers Day
  • Joe Isaacs “From a Cabin to a Mansion” (Little Cabin Records)
• Hear Mother Pray
  • The New Tradition “Bluegrass Gospel at it’s Best” (Brentwood)
• Hickory Switch
  • Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome “Blue Side of Me” (No Label)
• How I Miss You, Mother
  • Larry Sparks “The Testing Times” (Rebel)
• Hungry Eyes
  • Merle Monroe “Back to the Country” (Pinecastle)
• Hymns My Mother Sang
  • Bill Harrell “Bluegrass Gospel; Pure and Simple” (Leather)
• I Haven’t Seen Mother in Years
  • Mac Wiseman (Dot)
• I Heard My Mother Call My Name in Prayer
  • Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder “Live at the Charleston Music Hall” (Skaggs Family)
  • Tommy Brown and the County Line Grass “Mountain Bluegrass“ (Hay Holler)
• I Heard My Mother Weeping
  • Longview “Lessons in Stone” (Rebel)
• I Know Whose Tears
  • The Gibson Brothers “Ring the Bell” (Compass)
• I.O.U.
  • The Farm Hands “Good Things” (Pinecastle)
• I Saw Mother with God
  • Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs “When the Saints Go Marching In” (ACS)
• I Thought She’d Never Leave
  • The New Tradition “Stand and Be Counted” (Mountain Home)
• I Was Dreaming of a Little Cabin
  • Seldom Scene “Baptizin'” (Rebel)
  • Traver Hollow “By Request” (THP)
• If I Could Crown You, Mother
  • Ralph Stanley “Child of the King” (Rebel)
• If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again
  • Bill Anderson “Whisperin’ Bluegrass” (Madacy)
• If I’d Had a Mother Like You
  • Don Rigsby “Empty Old Mailbox” (Sugar Hill); also on Various Artists “Mother the Queen of My Heart” (Sugar Hill)
• I’m Never Going Home (‘Cause Mother’s Waiting)
  • Paul Shelasky “Fiddle Crazy” (Lost Highway Records)
• Jesus Has a Mother Too
  • Summer Villa “Home in the Heart” (Reception Records)
• Jesus, My Mother and Me
  • The Churchmen “I’ll Be Long Gone” (Pinecastle)
• Like My Mother Does
  • Southern Raised “Another World” (StowTown)
• Mama
  • Lou Reid and Carolina “Sounds Like Heaven to Me” (Rural Rhythm)
• Mama Don’t Allow …
  • For a fun version of this, try The Austin Lounge Lizards “Employee of the Month” (Sugar Hill)
  • Flatt and Scruggs “1959-1963, Disk 4” (Bear Family)
  • Lubos Malina (with Druha Trava) “All You Can Eat” (VenKow)
  • Doc Watson on Various Artists “Mother the Queen of My Heart” (Sugar Hill)
• Mama Don’t Forget to Pray for Me
  • Larry Cordle (with Diamond Rio’s Marty Roe) “All Star Duets” (Mightycord Records)
  • Jeff Scroggins and Colorado “Western Branches” (no label)
• Mama Prayed for Me
  • Curtis Wright “Curtis Wright” (Voxhall)
• Mama Raised Me Right
  • Troy Engle “Southern Skies” (no label)
• Mama Tried
  • The Reno Brothers “Acoustic Celebration” (Webco)
  • The Seldom Scene “Scenechronized” (Sugar Hill)
  • Rhonda Vincent (single/Upper Management)
• Mama, What Does Heaven Look Like?
  • The Circuit Riders “Let the Ride Begin” (Pinecastle)
• Mama’s Apron Strings
  • Larry Sparks “It’s Just Me” (Rebel)
• Mama’s Bible
  • Ali Shumate “Every Bit of Me” (Hadley Music Group)
• Mama’s Cross
  • Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road with Donna Ulisse “A Little Bit of Bluegrass” (Pinecastle)
• Mama’s Crown
  • Big Country Bluegrass “My Old Virginia Home” (Hay Holler)
• Mama’s Flowers
  • Rambler’s Choice “Sounds of the Mountains” (Rounder); also on Various Artists “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
• Mama’s Hand
  • The Lynn Morris Band “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
  • Hazel Dickens “A Few Old Memories” (Rounder); also on Various Artists “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
• Mama’s Hungry Eyes
  • Merle Haggard “The Bluegrass Sessions” (McCoury Music)
• Mama’s Midnight Altar Calls
  • Josh Slone and Coal Town (Rural Rhythm)
• Mama’s Opry
  • The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band w/ Iris Dement “Will the Circle be Unbroken, Vol III” (Capitol)
• Mama’s Old Hat Box
  • Nick Chandler & Delivered “Silver Bird” (Pinecastle)
• Mama’s Rocking Chair
  • Linda Barker and Appalachian Trail (Heartland)
  • The Whites “Ain’t No Binds” (MCA)
  • Southern Rail “Glory Train” (Pinecastle)
• Mama’s Roses (Marshall Warwick)
  • The Spinney Brothers “No Borders” (Mountain Fever)
• Mama’s Roses (Raymond C. Davis Jr.)
  • Valerie Smith “Turtle Wings” (Rebel)
• Mama’s Song
  • Randy Waller and the Country Gentlemen “One Mile East of Hazel Green” (Lendel)
• Mama’s Songs
  • Larry Sparks “The Rock I Stand On” (Rebel)
• Meadow on the Mountain
  • David Parmley and Continental Divide “Three Silver Dollars” (Pinecastle)
• Medals for Mothers
  • The Osborne Brothers “Singing, Shouting Praises” (Sugar Hill); also The Osborne Brothers “1968-1974, Volume 1)
  • Third Tyme Out “Back to the MAC” (Rounder)
  • Rhonda Vincent on Various Artists “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
• Memories of Mother
  • The Stanley Brothers “1953-1959” (Bear Family)
  • Ralph Stanley “Classic Stanley” (Freeland)
  • Ralph Stanley II and John Rigsby “Clinch Mountain Echoes” (Copper Creek)
  • Ralph Stanley & Claire Lynch “Clinch Mountain Country” (Rebel)
  • James King “Life Goes On” featuring various artists (Rural Rhythm)
• Momma
  • Larry Sparks “Almost Home” (Rebel)
• Momma Cried
  • Alison Krauss and Union Station “New Favorite” (Rounder); also on Various Artists “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
• Momma’s Apron Strings
  • Larry Sparks “Almost Home” (Rebel)
• Momma’s Prayer Beads
  • Various Artists “Look to the Light: Songs of Rick Lang”
• Momma’s Prayers
  • Merle Haggard “The Bluegrass Sessions” (McCoury Music)
• Momma Prayed
  • Greenbriar “The Back of the Book” (no label)
• Mom of Constant Sorrow
  • Sue Fabisch “Wal-Mart Woman” (Safe and Sound) Also on Prime Cuts #65
• Moms are the Reason Wild Flowers Grow
  • Ralph Stanley II (This One is II)
• Mom’s Old Picture Book
  • Lou Reid “When It Rains” (Sugar Hill)
• Mother’s Day
  • Dewey and Leslie Brown “Jealousy” (Bell Buckle)
• Mother’s Footsteps Guide Me On
  • The Stanley Brothers “The Early Years 1958-1963, Volume 4” (Starday/King)
• Mother I’m Sorry
  • America’s Bluegrass Band “America’s Favorite Hymns” (OBR)
• Mother Knows Best
  • Marty Robbins “Good ‘n’ Country” (MCA)
  • Jesse Brock “Kickin’ Grass” (Pinecastle)
• Mother Left Me Her Bible
  • The Stanley Brothers “The Early Years 1958-1963, Volume 2” (Starday/King)
• Mother No Longer Awaits Me at Home
  • The Stanley Brothers “The Early Years 1958-1961, Volume 3” (Starday/King)
  • Ralph Stanley II and John Rigsby “Clinch Mountain Echoes” (Copper Creek)
• Mother of a Miner’s Child
  • The Country Gentlemen “Souvenirs” (Rebel)
• Mother Prays Loud in Her Sleep
  • Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs “Sacred Songs” (Harmony)
  • The Earls of Leicester “Rattle & Roar” (Rounder)
• Mother’s Day
  • Dewey & Leslie Brown “Jealousy” (Bell Buckle)
• Mother’s Footsteps Guide Me On
  • The Stanley Brothers (King)
• Mother’s Hand
  • Darrell Webb “Behind the Scenes” (Lonesome Day)
• Mother’s Not Dead (She’s Only Sleeping)
  • Bill Monroe “Columbia Historic Edition” (Columbia) or 1970-1979, Vol. 1 (Bear Family)
  • Ricky Skaggs “History of the Future” (Skaggs Family) and “Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass” (Skaggs Family)
• Mother’s Prayers Were Not In Vain
  • The Blue Grass Review “Down in Caroline” (MasterShield) Also on Prime Cuts Vol. 70.
• Mother’s Songs
  • Joe Ross “The Spirit of St. Louis” (Zephyr)
• Mother’s Tender Love
  • Johnny and Jeanette Williams (Major Bluegrass/Trax. Vol. 2)
• Mother’s Voice is In the Wind
  • The Johnson Mountain Boys “The Walls of Time” (Rounder)
• Mother the Queen of My Heart
  • Lonesome Standard Time “Lonesome As It Gets” (Sugar Hill)
  • Jim Watson “Don’t Tell Me I Don’t Know” (Barker Records)
• My Dear Mother’s Waltz
  • Buddy Merriam and Backroads “Back Roads Mandolin” (no label)
• My Memories Aren’t Precious Anymore
  • The Traditional Grass “Howdy Neighbor Howdy” (Rebel)
• My Mother’s Bible
  • Don Reno and Red Smiley “16 Greatest Gospel Hits” (Gusto/King)
  • The Crowe Brothers “The Gospel Way” (Copper Creek)
  • The Goins Brothers “Run Satan Run” (Hay Holler)
• My Tennessee Mountain Home
  • Dolly Parton “Live and Well” (Sugar Hill) Intro is about her mother.
• One More Me (The Cloning Song)
  • Barry and Holly Tashian “At Home” (Copper Creek)
• Please Dear Mommy
  • Dan Tyminski “Carry Me Across the Mountain” (Doobie Shea)
• Remembrances of Mother
  • Chris Warner “Goin’ to the Dance” (Patuxent)
• Shake Hands with Mother Again
  • Jimmy Martin “Singin’ All Day and Dinner on the Ground” (Decca)
  • Laurel Canyon Ramblers “Blue Rambler 2” (Sugar Hill)
• Shake My Mother’s Hand for Me
  • The Whitstein Brothers on Various Artists “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
  • Carl Story “The Late and Great Carl Story” (Gusto)
  • Bill Monroe “The Essential Bill Monroe” (Legacy)
• She Put the Music in Me
  • Larry Stephenson “Close My Eyes to Heaven” (Webco)
• She’s My Angel (a mother singing about her daughter)
  • The Dixie Bee-Liners “Ripe” (Pinecastle)
• Stray Dogs and Alley Cats
  • Lonesome River Band “Chronology, Vol. 3” (Rural Rhythm)
• Sunday Clothes
  • Randy Kohrs “Quicksand” (Rural Rhythm)
• Thank God for a Mama
  • The Lonesome River Band “One Step Forward” (Sugar Hill)
• Thank You, Mom
  • Ralph Stanley “Let Me Rest on a Peaceful Valley” (Rebel)
• The Beautiful Altar of Prayer
  • Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver “There’s a Light Guiding Me” (Sugar Hill)
• The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
  • Gary Ferguson “I’m Really Leaving” (Webco)
• The Mother of Bluegrass
  • Charlie Louvin “Bluegrass Style” (Niptune)
• The Rocking Chair
  • Dale Ann Bradley “Cumberland River Dreams” (Pinecastle)
  • Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers “Ramblers Blues” (Rebel)
• The Sweetest Gift (a Mother’s Smile)
  • The Seldom Scene (with Emmylou Harris and Linda Rondstadt) “15th Anniversary: Live at the Kennedy Center” (Sugar Hill)
  • Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard on Various Artists “Mama’s Hand” (Rounder)
• These Old Pictures
  • James King “These Old Pictures” (Rounder)
• Use a Napkin, Not Your Mom
  • Kathy Kallick “Use a Napkin Not Your Mom” (Sugar Hill)
• Wearing Her Knees Out Over Me
  • Brandon Rickman “Young Man Old Soul” (Rural Rhythm)
• We’d Always Ask Mama to Pray
  • Ralph Stanley and Joe Isaacs “A Gospel Gathering” (Freeland)
• When Mama Prayed
  • LeRoy Mack “Stories” (no label)
• When Momma Played the Fiddle
  • Appalachian Drive (Prime Cuts, Volume 17)
• When I Meet Mother in Heaven
  • Bobby Osborne “Memories” (Rural Rhythm)
• Will I Be Good Enough?
  • Dale Ann Bradley “Don’t Turn Your Back” (Compass)