Duffey proposed some rules that the others agreed to including playing only one night a week at local clubs, doing occasional concerts and festivals on weekends, making records, and keeping their day jobs. Duffey repaired musical instruments, Eldridge was a mathematician, Starling a physician, Auldridge a graphic artist, and Gray a cartographer with National Geographic. The Scene's first home was the Red Fox Inn in Bethesda, Maryland, where they spent six years before starting weekly performances at The Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Virginia.
Bluegrass reached a second peak in popularity in the early 1970s, and the progressive bluegrass style played by The Seldom Scene was particularly popular. Duffey's stratospheric tenor anchored the group, but the vocal blend of Duffey/Starling/Auldridge set a new standard that attracted new audiences to what had been a niche music. Their weekly shows included bluegrass versions of country music, rock, and even classical pop. The band's popularity soon forced them to play more than once a week--but they continued to maintain their image as being seldom seen, and on several of their early album covers were photographed with the stage lights on only their feet, or with their backs to the camera.
Though the Scene remained a non-touring band, they were prolific recorders, producing seven albums in their first five years of existence, including two live albums (among the first live bluegrass albums). But the band's philosophy of not touring and maintaining their day jobs eventually caused some changes in membership.
In 1977, John Starling left the group to focus on his medical career, and was replaced by singer and songwriter Phil Rosenthal, whose song "Muddy Water" had been recorded by the Scene on two earlier albums. Around the same time, the group switched record labels from Rebel Records to Sugar Hill; however, while Starling had been officially the band's frontman, these changes made little significant difference to the band's overall sound.
The band recorded several more albums in the 1980s and firmly established themselves as one of the most influential bluegrass bands. In 1986, Rosenthal and Tom Gray both left the band to focus on other pursuits, and were replaced by Lou Reid and T. Michael Coleman, respectively. Coleman proved to be very controversial, as many purists objected to his use of an electric bass in what is an acoustic genre, but the albums produced by the band after Coleman's arrival maintained the traditional appeal of any of the Scene's earlier albums.
Reid left the band in 1993, and Duffey convinced former member John Starling to return to the band for the next year. During that year the Scene recorded the album "Like We Used To Be," but Starling did not wish to stay with the band long term. He was replaced in 1994 by lead singer Moondi Klein.
Throughout these changes, John Duffey remained the group's spiritual center and greatest influence, and his initial ideas about keeping a light touring schedule and staying close to home continued to prevail. Though there had been disagreements about this philosophy before, it wasn't until after Starling left for the second time that it cost the band a majority of its members at once. During 1995 and 1996, Klein and Coleman, along with original member Mike Auldridge, left the group to form a new band called Chesapeake. This new band became a full-time project for its members, and for a time the Scene stopped recording.
Duffey and Ben Eldridge, the two remaining original members, recruited resophonic guitar player Fred Travers, bassist Ronnie Simpkins, and guitarist and singer Dudley Connell to join the band, and the reconstituted group recorded an album in 1996 and resumed live appearances.
For 25 years The Seldom Scene remained extremely popular in bluegrass circles even with the near-constant personnel changes. But the band was dealt what seemed a crushing blow in late 1996, when founder and leader John Duffey suffered a fatal heart attack. The band again stopped recording and made no live appearances for some years. Duffey had been widely regarded as one of the most powerful and entertaining stage performers in bluegrass, and there was no one who could replace him.
Nonetheless, the band was simply too popular to disappear for good. Banjoist Ben Eldridge, the sole remaining original member and a significant force in banjo music in his own right, assumed leadership of the band. Former guitarist Lou Reid rejoined the band on mandolin. Initially the new Scene concentrated on live performances, but in 2000 the group recorded a new album, "Scene it All." The Seldom Scene continues to tour, and remains on the Sugar Hill label for future recordings.
The band currently consists of Dudley Connell (guitar/lead vocals), Ben Eldridge (banjo), Lou Reid (mandolin/tenor vocals), Fred Travers (dobro/lead vocals), and Ronnie Simpkins (bass/baritone vocals).
John Starling died in May 2019.
Discography
Act I (Rebel, 1972)
Act II (Rebel, 1973)
Act III (Rebel, 1973)
Old Train (Rebel, 1973)
Live At The Cellar Door (Rebel, 1975)
The New Seldom Scene Album (Rebel, 1976)
Baptizing (Rebel, 1978)
Act IV (Sugar Hill, 1979)
After Midnight (Sugar Hill, 1981)
At The Scene (Sugar Hill, 1983)
Blue Ridge with Jonathan Edwards (Sugar Hill, 1985)
15th Anniversary Celebration (Sugar Hill, 1986)
A Change Of Scenery (Sugar Hill, 1988)
Scenic Roots (Sugar Hill, 1990)
Scene 20: 20th Anniversary Concert (Sugar Hill, 1992)
Like We Used To Be (Sugar Hill, 1994)
Dream Scene (Sugar Hill, 1996)
Scene It All (Sugar Hill, 2000)
External links
Official site
I Will Always Be Waiting For You
The Seldom Scene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you loved me so dearly and true
But today it seems to me you have changed dear
Are you telling me that our love is through
When youÂ're far far away from me darlinÂ'
If youÂ're sad and you donÂ't know what to do
And you feel that no one cares about you
Oh, I canÂ't forget the day that you told me
That youÂ'd love me and be my sweetheart
But it looks like my dear youÂ've forgotten
For you say now that we have to part
All the days seem so lonesome and dreary
And the nights are so lonely and blue
Since you left me alone here without you
Oh, please come back IÂ'm waiting for you
The Seldom Scene's song "I Will Always Be Waiting For You" is a classic country ballad about unrequited love. The lyrics start with the singer confessing that it has been several weeks since their loved one professed their true feelings towards them. However, the singer senses a change in their relationship and questions if their love has now come to an end. The chorus then brings in the theme of the song, which is the singer's unwavering commitment to their love interest, even if they are far away, sad, and feel like no one else cares about them. The second verse reinforces the theme of longing and heartbreak after the loved one has seemingly forgotten their declaration of love and ended the relationship. The final verse is a plea to the love interest to return, as the singer claims they cannot bear the loneliness and dreariness of life without them.
The lyrics of "I Will Always Be Waiting For You" are relatable to anyone who has experienced unrequited love or the pain of a broken relationship. The song's melancholic melody and harmonies further reinforce the theme of longing and heartbreak. The use of repetition in the chorus also emphasizes the singer's commitment and validates the strength of their love for their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been many weeks my dear since you told me
It has been a significant duration from the time you last declared your love for me.
That you loved me so dearly and true
You expressed the depth of your affection and faithfulness to me.
But today it seems to me you have changed dear
However, it appears that your feelings and attitude towards me have altered.
Are you telling me that our love is through
Are you implying that our romantic relationship has come to an end?
When you're far far away from me darlin'
During the period when you are in a distant location, my love.
If you're sad and you don't know what to do
In case you are unhappy and uncertain of how to handle your emotions.
And you feel that no one cares about you
And it seems like nobody is concerned about your well-being.
I will always be waiting for you
I vow to be a constant presence and source of support in your life.
Oh, I can't forget the day that you told me
The instance when you professed your affection to me is firmly lodged in my memory.
That you'd love me and be my sweetheart
You pledged to cherish and be my romantic partner.
But it looks like my dear you've forgotten
However, it now appears that you have disregarded your previous promises.
For you say now that we have to part
You have currently decided that we must separate and move on from one another.
All the days seem so lonesome and dreary
Every moment feels empty and melancholic in the absence of your companionship.
And the nights are so lonely and blue
Additionally, the evenings are isolated and sorrowful.
Since you left me alone here without you
Ever since you departed and left me on my own.
Oh, please come back I'm waiting for you
I earnestly request your return, for I am patiently anticipating your arrival.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JESSE MC REYNOLDS, JIM MC REYNOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind