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
My Little Georgia Rose
The Seldom Scene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A story that I know is true
A little rose that bloomed in Georgia
With hair of gold and a heart so true
Way down in the blue ridge mountains
Way down where the tall pines grow
Lives my sweetheart of the mountains
Her mother left her with another
A carefree life she had planned
The baby now she is a lady
The one her mother couldn't stand
We often sing those songs together
I watched her do her little part
The Seldom Scene's song Little Georgia Rose tells a tale of a little girl who grows up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. The song is a story about a true and beautiful rose, which is referring to a young girl with blonde hair and a pure heart. The lyrics describe how her mother abandoned her, leaving her in the care of someone else. Despite this, she grows up to be a lovely lady with a melodious voice. The song expresses the love the singer has for her, and how they sing together.
The lyrics also mention how the young girl's mother had not wanted her, yet she became a beautiful and beloved young lady. The singer is amazed at her beauty and is proud to be acquainted with her. The melody is fast-paced and upbeat, which enhances the story's aura of positivity.
Little Georgia Rose was a popular song in the bluegrass and country music genres. The lyrics have been covered by other famous musicians such as Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, and Jerry Garcia. The song's enthusiastic tempo and charming story made it an enduring classic in old-time country music. The song's popularity is evident from its widespread use in television, radio, and movies.
Line by Line Meaning
Now come and listen to my story
I have a true story to tell, so please listen.
A story that I know is true
I guarantee you that this is a true story.
A little rose that bloomed in Georgia
There was a young woman from Georgia whom I affectionately call my little rose.
With hair of gold and a heart so true
She had beautiful gold hair and a genuine heart.
Way down in the blue ridge mountains
She lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains, deep down below.
Way down where the tall pines grow
Her home was located in an area with many tall pine trees.
Lives my sweetheart of the mountains
There, my beloved mountain girl lived.
She's my little Georgia rose
That's why I refer to her as my little rose from Georgia.
Her mother left her with another
Her mother left her under someone else's care.
A carefree life she had planned
Her mother had decided to live a carefree life instead.
The baby now she is a lady
The young girl has now grown up into an adult.
The one her mother couldn't stand
Interestingly, her mother had a difference in opinion and didn't like her own child.
We often sing those songs together
The two of us often sing songs together.
I watched her do her little part
While singing, I watched her playfully and enthusiastically contribute to the performance.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL MONROE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind