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Butch Baldassari: Baldassari in the Library Collection

This guide provides information on the life and works of Butch Baldassari, a well-known bluegrass mandolin player and former Blair instructor.

Sound Recordings Featuring Butch Baldassari:

Leavin' Tennessee, Butch Baldassari (mandolin), with Van Manakas (guitar), Scott Vestal (banjo), Byron House (upright bass), Stuart Duncan, Shad Cobb, Bobby Hicks, and Barbara Lamb (fiddle), Sound Art SAR-2256, 2010, CD. Call number CD MUS-13329.

The Vespa Love Festival Sessions, Butch Baldassari (mandolin), with Frosty Horton, Gene Ford, John Mock (guitar), Jim Hoke (soprano saxophone, harmonica, recorder), Byron House and David Spicher (bass), Andy Peake (drums), David Hoffner (keyboards), Dale Armstrong (percussion), Sound Art SAR-2255, 2007, CD. Call number CD MUS-10668.

Turlough Carolan, Music of O'Carolan, Butch Baldassari (mandolin and bouzouki) and John Mock (guitars, concertina, low and high whistles, harmonium, bouzouki), Sound Art SAR-2254, 2007, CD. Call number CD MUS-10669.

Appalachian Mandolin and Dulcimer, Butch Baldassari and David Schnaufer (mandolins and dulcimers), Sound Art SAR-2252, 2005, CD. Call number CD MUS-16655.

Bach, Beatles, Bluegrass, Nashville Mandolin Ensemble (Butch Baldassari, mandolin; Stephen Dudash. mandolin, 5-string viola; Walter Carter, mandola; John Hedgecoth,mandocello; Van Manakas, guitar; David Spicher, bass), Sound Art Recordings SAR-1258, p2003, CD. Call number CD MUS-18303. 

The Mandolin Tribute to Andrea Bocelli, Butch Baldassari (dulcimer), with Van Manakas and Roger Hudson (guitars), John Ownby (bass), CMH Records CD-8419, p2003, CD. Call number CD MUS-18302.

Evergreen: Mandolin Music for Christmas, Butch Baldassari (mandolins, mandola, classical guitar, bouzouki), Sound Art SAR-1257, p2002, CD. Call number CD MUS-18304.

Nightfall, Silent Sound (Butch Baldassari, mandolins, mandola, mendocello, octave mandolin; David Hoffner, sampled guitars, basses, marxiphone, cuatro, harp, woodwinds, shakers, congas, misc. percussion, strings, vocal pads, and analog synthesizers; Jim Hoke, flute, recorders, clarinet, saxophone, harmonica, autoharp), Spring Hill Music SMH 6035.2, p2002, CD. Call number CD MUS-18307.

Country Road: An Acoustic Tribute to James Taylor, Butch Baldassari (mandolin, mandola, mandocello, octave mandolin), Lex Browning (fiddle), Jeff Cox (bass); Gene Ford (guitar), Jim Hoke (harmonica, accordion), Byron House (bass), Steve Huber (5-string banjo), Jim Hurst (guitar), Pete Huttlinger (nylon string guitar, tres), John Mock (guitar, concertina), Mickey Raphael (harmonica), CMH Records CD-8540, p2000, CD. Call number CD MUS-18308.

Pickin' On the Allman Brothers, Butch Baldassari (mandolin, mandola, mandocello), Rob Ickes (dobro), Scott Vetsal (banjo), Gene Ford, Pete Huttlinger and Jeff Autry (guitar), Barbara Lamb (fiddle), Byron House (bass), Tom Roady (percussion), CMH CD 8538, p2000, CD. Call number CD MUS-18306.

TravellersButch Baldassari, (mandolin), Robin Bullock (cittern, guitars, mandolin), John Reischman (mandolin, mandola), Sound Art Recordings SAR-1255, p1999, CD. Call number CD MUS-16864.

American Portraits, Butch Baldassari Trio (Butch Baldassari, mandolin, octave mandolin; Gene Ford, guitar; John Hedgecoth, mandocello), Kenny Malone, percussion; David Spicher, bass, Sound Art Recordings SAR-1256, [1999], CD. Call number CD MUS-16653.

Reflections, Butch Baldassari, (mandolin), John Carlini (guitar), Sound Art Recordings SAR-1254, p1999, CD. Call number CD MUS-16652.

Cantabile: Duets for Mandolin and Guitar, Butch Baldassari (mandolin) and John Mock (guitar), Sound Art Recordings SAR-1251, [1998], CD. Call number CD MUS-6679.

Old Town, Butch Baldassari (mandolin), accompanying musicians, Rebel Records REB-CD-1681, p1990, CD. Call number CD MUS-18305.

New Classics for Bluegrass Mandolin, Butch Baldassari (mandolin), various accompanying artists, Sound Art Recordings SAR-1252, [199-], CD. Call number CD MUS-6678.

Tunes, Transcriptions, and Teaching Methods:

Butch Baldassari, 30 Fiddle Tunes for the Mandolin (Nashville: Homespun Tapes, [1997]). Call number MT608.5 .B353 T4 1997 (accompanied by CD MUS-16590).

Butch Baldassari, You Can Play Bluegrass Mandolin v. 1, Homespun Video, c2004, DVD. Call number DVD MUS-1374.

Butch Baldassari, You Can Play Bluegrass Mandolin, v. 2, Homespun Video, c2004, DVD. Call number DVD MUS-1375.

Butch Baldassari and Rob Haines, 16 Gems: Authentic Mandolin Transcriptions as Performed by Bill Monroe (Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard, [1999]). Call number M130 .M757 1999.

Other Recordings:

Butch Baldassari performs selected tracks on the sound recordings listed below. He is not the primary performer.

The Road Home: A Tribute to Butch Baldassari, various performers, Sound Art SAR-2256, [2009], CD, call no. CD MUS-12450.

Dulcimers for David...Tradition Continues, various performers (Baldassari performs mandolin on "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight and "I'll Fly Away"), N.p, 2013, CD, call no. VAULT CD MUS-17474.

The Arkansas Traveler, various performers (Baldassari performs "The Devil's Dream" with David Schnaufer), Pa's Fiddle Recordings PFR 0168-2, p2006, CD, call no. CD MUS-8756.

Happy Land, various performers (Baldassari performs mandolin on "The Girl I Met Behind," "Sweet By and By," "Oh Susanna," and "Uncle Sam's Farm"), Pa's Fiddle Recordings SAR 1259, p2005, CD, call no. CD MUS-7857.

All The Rage: Mandolin Ensemble Music from 1897-1924, Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, New World Records 80544-2, p1998, CD. Call number CD MUS-4150.

John Johns, Live in Studio C, v. 1 (Butch Baldassari performs mandolin on "Lord Inchiquin" and "Sheebeg and Sheemore"), WPLN Public Radio, [2000], CD. Call number CD MUS-18354.

Live in Studio C, v. 2 (Butch Baldassari performs mandolin on Recuerdos de la Alhambra), WPLN Public Radio, [2001], CD. Call number CD MUS-6891.