BOB MINNER THERE & BACK & BACK AGAIN

BOB MINNER
THERE & BACK & BACK AGAIN

Missouriboy Music
No Number

When you see a group of performers play, you often don’t have the opportunity to truly hear the skills of each individual. You listen to the blended ensemble with some solo breaks thrown in. That’s one of the reasons it’s such a joy to hear flatpicking guitarist Bob Minner have a chance to shine.

As a longtime member of country superstar Tim McGraw’s band the Dancehall Doctors, Minner has the enviable position to back one of today’s hottest acts, but with his first solo CD, listeners have the chance to really delve into Minner’s talents, which certainly stretch way past the boundary lines of the country genre. This acoustic journey takes listeners through the lands of jazz, Latin-flavored tunes, and straight-ahead bluegrass like “First Hog To The Trough.”

Minner’s music is influenced by his musical palette while growing up that included mountain banjo guru Wade Ward, various string bands, and the Osborne Brothers. He started off playing the clawhammer banjo and played weekend bluegrass festivals when he was just a kid. He went on to become a flatpicking guitarist, winning third place twice in the National Flatpicking Championships. “Now That’s A Song,” written by Minner and Shawn Lane (of Blue Highway fame), features Lane’s singing with Don Rigsby providing harmony vocals. Minner also persuaded the stellar talents of Rob Ickes (resonator guitar), Andy Leftwich (fiddle/mandolin), and Mark Fain (bass) to join him in the studio. Minner’s oldest son, Zach, plays drums on four of the tracks. Tim Stafford along with Diamond Rio guitarist, Jimmy Olander, contribute the CD liner notes. You’ll need to buy two of his CDs, because the first one you are sure to wear out. (www.bobminnerguitar.com)BC