Pa's Fiddle Project īaldassari and Professor of Musicology Dale Cockrell co-produced the Pa's Fiddle Project, a projected 10 CD series that will record and collect the 127 songs Pa Ingalls played in the " Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In addition, Baldassari released a series of mandolin instruction books, CDs, and DVDs via Homespun Music Instruction. Starting in 1986, Baldassari taught at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music for several years, achieving the rank of adjunct professor of mandolin.
SoundArt specializes in acoustic mandolin music and instruction, ranging from classical to bluegrass. SoundArt Recordings label īaldassari established the SoundArt Recordings record label in the late 1990s. Other musicians involved with the project included Stuart Duncan and Bobby Hicks (fiddle), Scott Vestal (banjo), and Byron House (bass). Leavin' Tennessee īaldassari's final recording project Leavin' Tennessee was a collaboration with guitarist Van Manakas. The Nashville Mandolin Trio consisted of Baldassari, Gene Ford (guitar) and John Hedgecoth (mandocello), and recorded several albums on the SoundArt label. Their 1997 album Sales Tax Toddle was nominated for a Grammy. In 1995, Baldassari performed with violinist Richard Greene in his band The Grass is Greener. Their 1992 album Lonesome River Band was nominated for a Grammy, and the song " Lonesome Standard Time" was named Song of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 1993. Lonesome Standard Time įrom 1992 until 1998, Baldassari was a member of the bluegrass band Lonesome Standard Time with Larry Cordle (vocals, guitar), Glen Duncan (violin), Keith Little (banjo, guitar), Robin Smith (bass), and Charlie Cushman (guitar). Their musical repertoire included bluegrass, classical, Celtic, and jazz, and they revived the 19th-century mandolin orchestra concept: 11 musicians incorporating mandocello, mandola, guitar and bass. The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble īaldassari moved to Nashville in 1985, and founded the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble in 1990. In 1988, they won the Best Bluegrass Band Award by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA). Besides Baldassari, the band included Mike Bub (bass), Ron Block (banjo, guitar), and Chris Jones (guitar). He was a member of the band from 1986 to 1990. While completing postgraduate work at the University of Nevada, Baldassari joined the bluegrass band Weary Hearts. 2.6 As a member of the Nashville Mandolin Trioīaldassari played guitar in rock bands as a teen with his brother Buster, but converted to mandolin in 1972 at the Philadelphia Folk Festival when he saw Andy Statman with David Bromberg and Barry Mitterhoff with the Bottle Hill Boys.2.5 As a member of The Grass is Greener.2.4 As a member of Lonesome Standard Time.2.3 As a member of The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble.