Reviews

THE LIFE I’VE PICKED BY JOHN McEUEN Chicago Review Press 9781613738955. Paperback, index, color photos, 328 pp., $18.99. (Chicago Review Press, 814 N. Franklin St., Chicago, IL 60610, www.chicagoreviewpress.com.) This autobiography has received topnotch ratings from many reviewers. Readers of this magazine may already know of McEuen’s many credentials: founding member of the Nitty Gritty…

HIGHER GROUND BLUEGRASS HGB: 20 YEARS DUKE WEDDINGTON & HIGHER GROUND BLUEGRASS CLANN No Label No Number Hailing from New Mexico, these folks bring a well-played program of bluegrass from the folksier side of the genre. Their music has a broad appeal with its uptempo approach and contemporary vocal stylings. Some of their original material…

FINK, MARXER, GLEAVES SHOUT AND SHINE Community Music CMCD213 Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer are known for their unique take on many genres of music, from country to bluegrass to folk to old-time. On this project, they’re joined by multi-instrumentalist Sam Gleaves to round out the trio and produce a fine collection of songs from…

DON’T GIVE YOUR HEART TO A RAMBLER: MY LIFE WITH JIMMY MARTIN, THE KING OF BLUEGRASS BY BARBARA MARTIN STEPHENS Univ. of Illinois Press 9780252082764. Paperback, 200 pp, b/w photos, $19.95. (Univ. of Illinois Press, 1325 S. Oak St., Champaign, IL 61820, press.uillinois.edu.) Fans know the professional life of Jimmy Martin from his years on…

FEINBERG BROTHERS PARTY FOR ONE Cabinwood Music 0418 The album cover of Party For Onetells all about the Feinberg Brothers. Rourke and Patrick Feinberg are featured with instruments in hand, along with big, bluegrass grins. The cover is a simple, black and white image with black text. The brothers are dressed in suits and ties. The…

HAWKTAIL UNLESS Padiddle Records PDD-CD-001 Hawktail may be a new band name, but it’s certainly not a new band. Fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Paul Kowert, and guitarist Jordan Tice have been recording and touring together for over four years as Haas-Kowert-Tice. With a desire to expand rhythmic dynamics, the band added mandolinist Dominick Leslie and…