Final performance by Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers

Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers’ final performance – photo © Hallie Adams

After 20 years of music, 12 successful albums, and a wealth of national popularity, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers performed their last set of concerts at Meadowgreen Music Park in Clay City, Kentucky on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

The Radio Ramblers performed for two packed houses at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. I attended the evening performance.

The Meadowgreen Trio, composed of Alecia Wasson (mandolin), Darren Wasson (guitar), Kylee Riddell (guitar), and special guest Harold Nixon (upright bass) opened the show with a set of bluegrass and gospel favorites. The 45-minute set of music was both uplifting and heartfelt with fantastic tight-knit harmonies sung overtop simple musical arrangements. The music they brought to the stage was the perfect way to start the evening.

Daniel Mullins, Joe’s son, was in attendance with an abundance of family and friends of the Radio Ramblers. He introduced the Radio Ramblers and brought them on for their final set of music. Band members included: Jason Barie (fiddle), Chris Davis (mandolin), Zach Collier (upright bass), Adam McIntosh (guitar).

Joe and the boys got right to it and played several songs in a row before addressing the crowd. Everybody was there to hear them knock it out of the park one more time, and they delivered in style. They kicked things off with the song Forsaken Love, from their 2023 release, Let Time Ride. The up-tempo two-part harmony number has become one of my favorites. It brings to mind brother-duets by artists like the Monroe Brothers, and Joe’s tenor vocal is perfect for the style.

Next out of the gate was the banjo driven Black and Decker Blues. With smooth, rich lead vocals from Davis, it’s a song for anyone who has ever earned a living swinging a hammer or wearing a hard hat. Joe did a little hammer swinging as a 19-year-old laborer for a “crusty general contractor,” and his choice of banjo licks, especially in his second solo, shows just why he’s been hammering on the 5-string banjo instead of houses for the past 40 years.

The blend of four-part harmonies from Barie, Davis, McIntosh, and Mullins were showcased on the gospel song, Journey On, from their recent project titled Thankful and Blessed. An interesting arrangement, quartet harmonies that are second to none, and good solid picking really made Journey On a stand out number.

By the time The Radio Ramblers had gotten to their fourth song, they had received enthusiastic applause multiple times. Joe’s high lead version of Goodbye Old Pal is nearly as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar, and the solos from Davis and Barie were full of power and grit.

Joe Mullins thanked the concert attendees for being “like family” there and said it was a wonderful place to “wrap everything up” with “wonderful hospitality from Rickey Wasson and his family.”

Mullins jokingly stated the members of his band were all “tougher than 10 cent whiskey.” The band performed a near flawless version of The Boys from Indiana’s Atlanta is Burning. It and other bluegrass favorites like Goodbye Liza Jane with mandolin and fiddle twin parts showcased their talents for arranging material and proved his point. The only instrumental totally written by Joe himself, the Cancellation Blues, a bouncy c-position number, inspired by Covid-19’s lockdown of 2020, was also a standout. There aren’t enough good C-tunes out there!

There were several moments in their final performance that were particularly poignant. As the band sang lyrics to songs like Some Kind of War and Black and White, audience members seemed to hush in contemplative silence. Barie’s double stops and perfectly placed notes on Ashokan Farewell, accompanied by McIntosh’s rolling guitar and Collier’s bass, was also quite moving.

There were plenty of light hearted moments too. Band members joked and teased about coloring their hair and even losing their jobs. The crowd cheered the last two lines to the third verse Joe wrote to Another Day, Another Dollar was sung.

At least I have a job to go to,
and I thank God my bills are paid,
nothing is left after they tax me,
from the cradle to grave.

During the intermission between performances, a young lady named Maliyah Flowers asked Joe if she could help him sing the crowd favorite, Bacon in My Beans. Joe obliged by letting her sing it on stage with the band during their last set of music. She was just tall enough to be able to sing into the microphone Joe had been using for his banjo. At a time when many artists would’ve rejected the request; especially during their last performance as a band, Joe showed grace and hospitality to the youngster.

I had a chance to speak with Joe and he wanted to share this with our readers:

“I’ve been very fortunate to have dedicated, professional band members in The Radio Ramblers and to have found and recorded quality, new songs over the years. I’ve always said it takes much more than a banjo and a few corny jokes to succeed!

The final year and especially the last few months, Adam, Jason, Chris and Zach, were very supportive. And they were all singing and playing at their ever loving best! We made a lot of memories and good music and I will miss them personally and professionally.

I’m hoping that our recordings will be exciting and inspiring for fans in the future and encourage new generations of musicians to persevere.

I’ll never take for granted the opportunities I’ve been blessed with. Thousands of people wish they could perform with a great band, produce music and perform at a professional level. I’ve been fortunate to be part of three bands who had success – The Traditional Grass, Longview, and The Radio Ramblers.”

Joe Mullins actively toured with a band for around 40 years. He holds the distinction of being the only person to earn International Bluegrass Music Association Awards for Entertainer of the Year, Song of the Year, Broadcaster of the Year, and Event of the Year. Although the Radio Ramblers are no longer touring, it’s safe to say that he won’t be leaving the world of bluegrass music behind.

As for the concert, if you weren’t there you missed it! Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers are some of the most talented folks on the planet.

For Posterity’s Sake, here’s the last set performed by Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers: