Reviews

THE CADLEYS DUETS AND BALLADS Catiemae Records No Number Songwriter John Cadley and his wife Cathy have released this project of which they call their “favorite songs.” In the studio, The Cadleys are joined by producer Clay Hess (guitar, mandolin, banjo), Irl Hees (bass), John Dancks (bass), Tim Crouch (fiddle), and Randy Kohrs (resonator guitar)….

ALAN BIBEY & GRASSTOWNE GONNA RISE & SHINE Morning Glory Music MGM190524    Morning Glory Music (Mountain Fever Records) has released this first all-gospel recording by Grasstowne, which brings their total album count to five. It’s a very strong result with songs written by several of bluegrass music’s well-known composers, but also one from Alan Bibey…

CANEY CREEK THE TALE OF WILLIE TACKETT 9 Lives Records No Number Caney Creek has followed the success of its first album, Cool Kentucky Rain, with a new offering, The Tale Of Willie Tackett. The group stayed in its lane with a release aimed straight at fans of traditional bluegrass. The group features Chris Smith on guitar…

LONESOME RIVER BAND OUTSIDE LOOKING IN Mountain Home 17272 The branding of LRB is solidly embedded in this excellent recording. The liner notes capture the mood of the disc precisely: “We always spend a lot of time and thought when choosing material for a new project and try to keep the ‘LRB sound’ you have…

LARRY STEPHENSON BAND 30 Whysper Dream Music WDM 7428 Larry launched his own band in 1989, which may seem just a short time ago to those of us who have followed his career with the likes of Bill Harrell and The Bluegrass Cardinals, to mention just two. Now, we’re listening to a project that celebrates…

SCOTT SLAY THE RAIL Bonfire Recording Co. BRC5011 Working from Denver, Colo., Slay has created a new project featuring his unique style. (This follows prior work with Big Virginia Sky and a 2015 release under that name.) Scott displays his writing skills on eight of the thirteen tracks, which also includes one, “Truth Came Out,”…