The Special Consensus Explained

The Special Consensus is an acoustic bluegrass group led by banjoist Greg Cahill.^[2]

Biography

History

In 1973, graduate student Cahill jammed with other bluegrass musicians at the University of Chicago Folk Festival. They began playing house parties, but in 1975 Cahill and bassist Marc Edelstein decided to pursue a music career for a few years as Special Consensus.^[3] The initial line-up included Cahill, Edelstein, Jeremy Raven (mandolin), Jim Iberg (guitar), and Jim Hale (fiddle).^[4]

The band name was inspired by a series of books written by Carlos Castenada about rituals of the Yaqui Indians. Special Consensus was a state where spiritual and physical good things physically came together. Plus, a band is a consensus of musicians providing performance and inspiration.^[5]

As of 2021, the Special Consensus membership has included 18 guitarists, 12 bass players, 18 mandolin players, and two fiddlers. Bandleader Greg Cahill has been the one consistent member through the band's history.^[6]

Touring

Special Consensus tours frequently across the U.S. Every other year, the band has also toured Ireland and the United Kingdom, through at least 2017.^[7]

Bluegrass In Schools

In 1984, The Special Consensus initiated the Traditional American Music (TAM) Program, in which they introduce students and teachers to bluegrass in schools across the country. Cahill estimates TAM has reached approximately one million children.

Special Consensus has also been involved with IBMA's Bluegrass In The Schools (BGIS) program. Cahill has been chairman of the BGIS Committee. He and his wife Jackie wrote a BGIS Implementation manual. In addition, Special Consensus provided the instrumentation for a Discover Bluegrass DVD.

Awards

The group is a two-time Grammy nominee for "Best Bluegrass Album of the Year" for the 2012 album Scratch Gravel Road, and the 2018 album Rivers and Roads.^{[8] [9]}

In 2016, Special Consensus was awarded the IBMA Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year for their version of "Fireball."^[10]

Reunion concerts

Every five years, current and past members of the Special Consensus gather for and perform in an anniversary concert, often at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.^[11]

Past members

Alumni of the Special Consensus include:

Discography

Albums

• 1979: Special Consensus Bluegrass Band (Tin Ear)
• 1983: Blue Northerns (Acoustic Revival)
• 1986: Freight Train Boogie (Turquoise)
• 1989: A Hole in My Heart (Turquoise)
• 1991: Hey Y'All (Turquoise)
• 1993: Green Rolling Hills (Turquoise)
• 1995: Roads and Rails (ShyTown)
• 1996: Strong Enough to Bend (Pinecastle)
• 1998: Our Little Town (Pinecastle)^[12]
• 2000: 25th Anniversary CD, DVD (Pinecastle)^[13]
• 2002: Route 10 (Pinecastle)
• 2005: Everything's Alright (Pinecastle)
• 2007: The Trail of Aching Hearts (Pinecastle)
• 2009: Signs (Pinecastle)
• 2010: 35 (Compass)^[14]
• 2012: Scratch Gravel Road (Compass)^[15]
• 2014: Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver (Compass) as Special Consensus & Friends^[16]
• 2016: Long I Ride (Compass)^[17]
• 2018: Rivers and Roads (Compass)
• 2020: Chicago Barn Dance (Compass)
• 2023: Great Blue North (Compass)

As primary artist/contributor

• 2001: various artists - In Memory of a Friend: A Tribute to Randall Hylton (Pinecastle) - track 5, "Thirty-Two Acres of Bottom Land"
• 2003: various artists - Blue Ridge Mountain Gospel, Vol. 3 (Pinecastle) - track 8, "When the Walls Come Tumblin' Down"; track 13, "Come Unto Me"
• 2003: various artists - Americana Gospel Series, Vol. 1 (Pinecastle) - track 2-09, "New Jerusalem"
• 2003: various artists - Pinecastle Christmas Gathering (Pinecastle) - track 16, "Go Tell It on the Mountain"
• 2007: various artists - Folksongs Of Illinois #1 (Illinois Humanities Council) - track 1, "Nine Pound Hammer"
• 2008: various artists Bluegrass Jamboree DVD (Pinecastle) - track 12, "Silver Dew on the Bluegrass Tonight"; track 13, "Listening to the Rain"; track 14, "Irish Medley"
• 2013: various artists - Roanoke: The Music of Bill Monroe (Pinecastle) - track 6, "Strawberry Point"

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Special Consensus | Bios . 2013-02-08 . 2013-02-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130225080315/http://www.specialc.com/Bios.php . dead .
2. Web site: Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment. 23 January 2013. 2013-02-07. 2013-06-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20130606103715/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-23/entertainment/ct-ent-0124-pikelny-cahill-20130123_1_greg-cahill-special-consensus-scratch-gravel-road. live.
3. News: Thanki. Juli. Special Consensus celebrates 40 years, to play Station Inn. July 11, 2017. The Tennesean. March 5, 2015.
4. News: Royko. David. Remarkably, After 25 Years, The Band Plays On. July 11, 2017. Chicago Tribune. May 4, 2000. August 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180809184034/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-05-04/features/0005040022_1_25th-anniversary-band-robbie-fulks. live.
5. News: uncredited. Special Consensus. July 5, 2017. Chicago Tribune. July 12, 1991.
6. News: Cardwell. Nancy. Greg Cahill & the Special Consensus: Forty Years and Rolling. July 11, 2017. Bluegrass Unlimited. October 1, 2015.
7. News: Thompson. Richard. Special Consensus ready for Europe. July 11, 2017. Bluegrass Today. January 9, 2017. January 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170110011613/http://bluegrasstoday.com/special-consensus-ready-for-europe/. live.
8. Web site: Topekan nominated for Grammy Award. 2013-02-07. 2013-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20130208022138/http://cjonline.com/news/2013-02-04/topekan-nominated-grammy-award. live.
9. News: Teplyske. Donald. The Story Behind...The Special Consensus. July 5, 2017. Fervor Coulee. March 17, 2013. May 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210511020928/https://countrystandardtime.com/blog/FervorCouleeBluegrass/entry.asp?xid=953. live.
10. News: Lawless. John. Special C's side trip to Louisville. July 11, 2017. Bluegrass Today. November 22, 2016. November 7, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107165608/https://bluegrasstoday.com/special-cs-side-trip-to-louisville/. live.
11. News: Stuart. Chris. Greg Cahill – Consensus Builder. July 11, 2017. Bluegrass Unlimited. November 1, 2010. September 18, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150918175218/http://bluegrassmusic.com/content/2010/feature/greg-cahill-consensus-builder/. live.
12. News: Weisberger. Jon. Special Consensus - Our Little Town. July 12, 2017. No Depression. October 31, 1998.
13. Web site: Special Consensus: 25th Anniversary. Country Standard Time. July 12, 2017. Jonathan Colcord. September 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200928063140/https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=2565. live.
14. News: Foley. Michael. CD Review: 35 by Special Consensus. July 12, 2017. Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association. July 10, 2010. November 23, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101123175139/http://hvbluegrass.org/articles/reviews/374-cd-review-35-by-special-consensus.html. live.
15. News: McGee. David. Some Kind of Moment. July 12, 2017. The Bluegrass Special. May 1, 2012.
16. News: Steinberg. David. A tribute to a country boy: The Special Consensus' latest effort honors John Denver. July 12, 2017. Albuquerque Journal. February 28, 2014.
17. News: Lawless. John. Long I Ride from Special C. July 12, 2017. Bluegrass Today. May 25, 2016. October 25, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201025084119/https://bluegrasstoday.com/long-i-ride-from-special-c/. live.