BUCK MOUNTAIN BAND, BULL AT THE WAGON

BUCK MOUNTAIN BAND
BULL AT THE WAGON

Bent Trees
No Number

Buck Mountain Band is Bob Taylor on fiddle and harmony vocals, Debbie Larson on bass and harmony vocals, Amy Boucher on banjo and lead and harmony vocals, Harrol Blevins on guitar and lead and harmony vocals, Dan Peck on guitar and banjo and harmony vocals, Sue Taylor on guitar and ukelele, and guest Sam Gleaves on guitar and lead vocal on “Sweet Marie.”

They play a wide variety of songs and tunes from many places. They open with Amy Boucher singing lead on “Ain’t Gonna Rain No More.” Then another minstrel piece, Dan Emmett’s “Boatman.” “Sweet Marie” is spreading as an old-time tune, but Gleaves sing’s Larry McPeak’s lyrics. “Banjo Tramp” is attributed to fiddler Ed Haley. Next is Charlie Poole’s “Milwaukee Blues.” “Fat Meat And Dumplings” comes from the fiddle of Missouri’s Vesta Johnson. “Evening Star Waltz” is from the Shelor Family. “Bull At The Wagon” is from Texas. Their version of “Shady Grove” is from Doc Watson. “Hangman’s Reel” derives the French-Canadian “Reel de Pendu (Reel Of The Hanged Man),” but came into Virginia in this version from Albert Hash. “Beware, Take Care” is from Blind Alfred Reed. Arthur Smith is the source of “Peacock Rag.” “Westphalia Waltz” is a Polish tune once recorded in Westphalia, Texas. “Golden Slippers” was written in 1879 by James A. Bland. “Waiting For The Boatman” was played by West Virginia’s Melvin Wine. “Miss Emily’s Waltz” was written by Larry McPeak for his granddaughter. The CD closes with “Train 45.”

All these tunes and songs are competently played and sung in what I would describe as the kind of relaxed style you might hear in a very diverse old-time jam but tighter, of course. None of it is at dance tempo, but it’s a very listenable collection. (Buck Mountain Band, 371 Rippin Run Rd., Ruckersville, VA 22968, www.buckmountainband.com.)SAG