Jesse Burdick 

February 14 at 9:27pm · Ivor, VA · 

My review of the new Mama Corn bluegrass band album, going up on www.jesseburdick.com tomorrow:  

"The boys from Pennsylvania have done it again: boasting a great lineup of slick originals and covers of the modern bluegrass sound, Mama Corn's "Live and Learn" swings for the fences and delivers a grand slam. With thoughtful writing (a la Darrell Scott/Tim O'brien/Steve Earle) and innovative chord structures (that really shine on Bruce Forr's I Have a Song and Bryan Homan's In the High Rise), it is no wonder that these guys are such a tight group. 
Forr and Homan are not the only bright stars when it comes to writing, though. Jeremy Nelson's Live and Learn carries with it that same thoughtfulness with an added country charm, and Johnny Stevens Sing! is just plain fun. These boys know how to write a tune and spin a tale. They also know how to pay tribute to the greats, especially on Peter Rowan's Nobody Died and Robert Earl Davis' Hard Times Down The Road. 
The musicianship of the players themselves is a force to be reckoned with. Nelson's rock solid banjo playing carries with it the inherent reminiscence of JD Crowe and Danny Barnes. Bruce's mashy rythym guitar and lead is the perfect tag to Bryan Homan's spot on upright work. Of course, the intense and intricate styling of Stevens' dobro needs to be mentioned to truly capture such a fine recording's selling points: Johnny is working hard on this one, and the listener feels it. With special guest Greg Moore on some soaring fiddle, this album is one of the most well-rounded bluegrass offerings in recent memory. 
In summation: if you are a fan of bluegrass recorded to the highest standard of writing and performance, then Mama Corn's Live and Learn is the album you need to be listening to right now." 

Jesse Burdick 

jesseburdick.com

Hello Corn Stalkers!  Our new CD, Live and Learn got a really nice review in the August edition of Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine!  It is always an honor to have our music reviewed by respected and well known music industry outlets, and Bluegrass Unlimited is among the best in our genre of music.  We are really stoked at what they had to say about our newest CD, so we wanted to share with you!  Thanks to BGU for the plug, and HK for the kind words!!

MAMA CORN 
LIVE AND LEARN

No Label 

Mama Corn, a fun and funky bluegrass group from central Pennsylvania, has scaled down from a quintet to a quartet since their previous recording Hold That Crooked Line. On Live And Learn, they sound like they’ve done exactly that, refining their sound and repertoire and managing that precarious balance between polish and spunk. They also succeed in maintaining a relatively consistent sound, which can be a bit of a trick when you’re balancing four different lead vocalists and four songwriters. It helps that all the singers are solid vocalists, with guitarist Bruce Forr’s craggy delivery standing out as the most distinctive. But when combined with some high-tenor harmonies and the tasty banjo work of Jeremy Nelson and the single-string resonator guitar playing of John Stevens, Mama Corn offers enough of bluegrass music’s rootsy charm even while delving into folk and blues. 

Regional bands can live or die on the strength of their original material, and Mama Corn has included some memorable songs on their new release. One of the numbers that stands out is “Nobody Died,” a very clever novelty song that serves as an alternative to the classic bluegrass death wish and turns out to be a hitherto-unrecorded collaboration between Stevens and none other than Peter Rowan. Bassist Bryan Homan contributes “In The High Rise,” an up-tempo, if not upbeat, exploration of modern 9-to-5 existence that John Hartford captured so eloquently in his “In Tall Buildings.” There’s a surprising but ultimately successful bluegrass adaptation of Tom Paxton’s classic “Last Thing On My Mind.” “Sing!” is an effectively rousing paean to rambunctious musicianship, an appropriate anthem for a band such as this. 

It’s gratifying to see a band like Mama Corn take a significant step forward in their musical growth, and Live And Learn indicates that the band may have lots more good music in them and ahead of them. (www.mamacornbluegrass.com)HK

**Original article can be found here:  http://bluegrassmusic.com/content/2017/reviews/mama-corn/

Music is a very powerful, very magical thing.  It has the ability to evoke emotion and memories.  It can motivate and move us, comfort and soothe us, excite and rouse us, relax and unwind us .  Perhaps the most wonderful attribute music has is the ability to inspire us.  Ask any musician and they will tell you how they were inspired to play from watching or hearing someone else at an early age.  A family member, a teacher, a friend, or even a live band.  Mama Corn recently received a very touching letter explaining to us how our music inspired the life of a young person and motivated them to learn to play.  It was a touching letter, one we wanted to share.  Thanks to Tina Anthony for allowing us to share this publicly.   Below is a copy of that letter:

"Hey Mama Corn, 
I just wanted to let you know how much of an influence you have been on the life of my now 11 year old son. We saw you guys for the very first time 2 years ago at the Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival in Pennsylvania. We loved every minute of your performance and wanted more! Your music was such an eye-opening experience for my 11 year old, he turned all his energy into wanting to learn to play the banjo. My husband and I surprised him this past Christmas with a 5 string Pyle Banjo. He won't put it down. He continues to teach himself different songs and continuously listens to your CD's on REPEAT, lol.  He is absolutely obsessed with bluegrass and you guys were his inspiration. We can't wait to see you guys in August at the Wind Gap Festival. We will definitely be at your shows. He is working so hard on playing his banjo and learning new music everyday. Thank you so much for influencing his life in such a positive, motivational way. We love you Mama Corn!!!! 

A very proud parent"

Hello friends!  Here is another great review of our new album by legendary music guru, DJ, PA Musician Magazine columnist and friend, Jim "The Professor" Price.  Jim Price has been covering the PA music scene for over 30 years and is a respected and trusted name for all that's happening in and around Pennsylvania's vibrant music scene.  His reviews are worth their weight in gold so we are honored to have our new CD studied by such an esteemed and cultured professional!  Check out what he had to say below! 

April 10, 2017 

MAMA CORN – LIVE AND LEARN (Bait Shop Music) Altoona-based bluegrassers Mama Corn enter their tenth year as a band by unveiling their third album, Live and Learn. What unfolds through the disc’s dozen tracks is a skilled band that has evolved, lived and learned over their first decade, and developed a strong chemistry that makes each song a superior moment. Mama Corn has lots going for them here – Guitarist Bruce Forr, banjo player Jeremy Nelson, upright bass player Bryan Homan and dobro/harmonica player Johnny Stevens have all blossomed into skilled songsmiths who know how to craft melodies, spin lyrics and weave stories. They also possess quality singing voices to carry their creations, instrumental dexterity and finesse, and a bond as players that enables them to execute tightly like a well-oiled machine. Every song here is relatable and easy to digest; Bruce’s uptempo opener “I Have a Song” shares how music can provide solace and sanity when times are rough. Co-written with bluegrass legend Peter Rowan, Johnny’s “Nobody Died” addresses the tendency toward frequent loss of life in bluegrass song lyrics; for a fresh change of pace, everybody survives this tune. Meanwhile, Bryan realizes that the climb up the corporate ladder isn’t worth the loss of natural surroundings and tranquility on “In the High Rise.” And on the title song “Live and Learn,” Jeremy extols the value of life’s experiences and lessons. Also strong are Johnny’s two collaborations with Nashville’s Doug Forshey, “Big Ol’ Moon” and “Sing!” plus Bruce’s groove-driven “Goodbye Comfort Home,” Bryan’s inquisitive “Black Crow” and Jeremy’s instrumental closer “Playing with Fire,” highlighted by the sharp fiddle skills of guest Greg Moore (of the Hillbilly Gypsies). Mama Corn also does superb work on two covers, Tom Paxton’s “The Last Thing on My Mind” and the Earl Brothers’ “Hard Times Down the Road.” The performances are upbeat and enthusiastic, and the instrumental interaction between all four musicians and their guests shines brightly throughout the album. Produced by the group, and recorded and engineered by Bill Filer at his Audible Images studio in Port Matilda, Live and Learn sounds warm, full and clear. This is Mama Corn’s finest set yet – Live and Learn offers the sound of a seasoned, tight group that knows their musical turf, and has fun playing on it. This presents a joyous listen, and I highly recommend it. (The CD can be obtained through the website www.mamacornbluegrass.com.) 

Article found here:  http://pamusician.net/wp/2017/04/10/cd-reviews-april-2017/ 

Mama Corn is pleased to announce the release of our third studio album, "Live and Learn".  Available now for purchase (via hard copy or digital download) on our website and at live shows, this new disc is packed with Mama Corn's signature Allegheny mountain sound.  Featuring 12 tracks, 10 of which are Mama Corn originals, there's something for everyone on this one.  Live and Learn was released in time to coincide with Mama Corn's ten year anniversary, and after all the miles we've put on in that time, the title fits us well.  The new CD features many original tunes, as well as song collaborations with the legendary Peter Rowan and Nashville's own Doug Forshey.  We also brought in our friend and fiddle virtuoso Greg Moore to help us light it up on a few tracks!  We are very proud of this recording and it will be a worthy follow up to our other studio endeavors, "Mama Corn" (2011), and "Hold That Crooked Line"(2014).  Live and Learn is hot off the press, so pick up your copy today!!