Reviews

JUNIOR SISK LOAD THE WAGON Mountain Fever MFR200214 Junior Sisk has been on the bluegrass scene for over 30 years and is well known for his straight-ahead traditional bluegrass. Load The Wagon is the first album branded specifically under Junior Sisk’s name and utilizes his current band (since the dissolution of Rambler’s Choice). Vocals are provided by…

CANE MILL ROAD LET’S ALL DO SOME LIVING Trailhead CD-1901 Cane Mill Road, a young band from western North Carolina, brings forth its second album Let’s All Do Some Living. Mandolinist/fiddler Liam Purcell was only 16 years old and banjoist Tray Wellington was in college at East Tennessee State University at the time this live album…

BRADLEY & ADAIR OH DARLIN’ Pinecastle Records PRC1235    Five-time IBMA Female Vocalist Of The Year Dale Ann Bradley teamed up with Sister Sadie bandmate Tina Adair to release their duet project Oh Darlin’. If you’re familiar with the iconic Skaggs & Rice duet album, several tracks on Oh Darlin’ have the same bluegrass feel. “Mommy Please Stay Home With…

SCOTT PROUTY SHAKING DOWN THE ACORNS Old-Time Tiki Parlour 016 Scott Prouty is one of a fine group of young fiddlers making a name for themselves playing old-time music. This combination set of CD and DVD features two dozen solo performances by Prouty on fiddle and banjo. There are great tunes from West Virginia, Missouri,…

JOHN LOWELL THIS LONG STRETCH OF GRAVEL Beartooth Records BR0010    Known to many as one half of the Growling Old Men with Ben Winship, Lowell is a guitarist and songwriter from Montana, where more good music happens than most folks probably know about. The first sounds on this project include Joe Newberry’s old-time banjo and…

SOUTH CAROLINA BROADCASTERS HOME TO STAY Patuxent Music CD-338 Bluegrass and old-time music are distinct genres, though old-time is clearly one of the key progenitors of bluegrass. However, there is a gray area between them, which is precisely where this CD resides. There are songs such as “Rocky Island,” which are common in the bluegrass…