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Cedar Ridge In 2012, the band was comprised of Kenny Meyer, Butch Ryan, and Al Queen. Long-time mandolinist, composer and songwriter Rick Moon had passed away from heart complications (see the "In Memory Of" page). Butch told me they had really settled in to a great band with a real comfort among them all. The loss of Rick, both as a friend and a fellow musician is such a tragedy. He will always be missed by countless friends and fans alike. It was so great to hear Cedar Ridge practice at festivals I would attend. Mary and I always loved to stop over and visit with the fellows and their wonderful wives. They've had such a successful group for over twenty years now; everybody working together for the good of the music. They've all long been favorites of mine. Best of luck, guys, for the continuing seasons as you grow, change and expand. I'm glad to hear the band will continue on. Rick would have wanted it that way. Cedar Ridge 2009Cedar Ridge Although I am no longer playing actively in the Band, I sure enjoyed the band members and their spouses for the many years we traveled the roads hitting festival after festival. If I remember correctly, the year 2009 is the 19th year of the Band. I played banjo with them several years and at one time even played mandolin for a short period. Occasionally, I would play the fiddle along with Don Perkins when he was with the band. I can not say enough about how grateful I am to have been a part of Cedar Ridge and their families. I wish them all very well. If the reader of this post ever gets a chance to hear the group, by all means do so. The core group is comprised of Ken Meyer, guitar; Bill "Butch" Ryan, standup bass; and Rick Moon, mandolin. The tune that plays automatically when this page loads in is named "The Only Way To Say Goodbye". Here, it's performed by Cedar Ridge when the band consisted of Ken Meyer on guitar, Butch Ryan on bass, Rick Moon on mandolin, Donnie Perkins on fiddle and yours truly on banjo. On this recording, Kenny played rhythm guitar while I played second rhythm guitar and picked the lead break and sang the song. It was recorded at Ed Young Studios in Round Lake, NY. Ed does a superb job of recording. Needless to say, Cedar Ridge did a great job on the whole album (CD) they recorded at Ed's. Pickin' at Little Meadows Festival in Pennsylvania 2009 Here is the Cedar Ridge band dressed for comfort against the sweltering heat in the summer of 2009 in Pennsylvania. This picture was taken by the PENNY Bluegrass Association. |
