Reviews

MARK KUYKENDALL, BOBBY HICKS & ASHEVILLE BLUEGRASS FOREVER AND A DAY Rebel Records REB-1865    In the liner notes, Mark Kuykendall (guitar) and IBMA Hall Of Famer Bobby Hicks (fiddle) note that combined, they have 110 years of performing and recording bluegrass music under their Blue Grass Boy belt buckles, and it shows. Hicks, the legendary…

NOTHIN’ FANCY IT’S A GOOD FEELING Mountain Fever MFR1 70922 Twenty-three years and eleven albums into their career, the five members of this Shenandoah Valley, Virginia band have hit an impressive stride and have clearly earned themselves a berth in contemporary bluegrass music’s front ranks. I have to confess that until listening to It’s A…

FELLER & HILL BROTHERS AND HEROES Rural Rhythm RUR-1139 What is not to like about this third release from Feller & Hill? In addition to some of the best harmony singing out there, there’s the rich and resonant lead vocals of Chris Hill, best exemplified on “Atlanta Is Burning,” the moderately-loping “Love Is A Stranger,”…

BULL HARMAN AND BULL’S EYE DRAW FOUR Bull’s Eye Records BER-1210 Of the instrumental musicianship in Bull Harman and Bull’s Eye, there can be little doubt. Bull, as anyone familiar with his work can attest, is an upper-tier bluegrass guitarist. His solos are imaginative. His lines are fluid. And he brings great energy to his…

BOBBY OSBORNE ORIGINAL Compass Records 746872    Let’s put the term “musical legend” aside here folks. It certainly applies to Bobby Osborne, who along with Jesse McReynolds and other true originals took the foundations of bluegrass mandolin, handed down by the great Big Mon, and introduced their own unique and invaluable contributions to that sound. And…

TIM STAFFORD ACOUSTIC GUITAR Hedge Drive Records HDR02 Tim Stafford, again and again, displays why he is one of the most talented people in bluegrass. A co-founder of Blue Highway, he’s contributed countless great songs, wonderful vocals, and stunning guitar work to that landmark band. He’s co-authored the definitive Tony Rice biography. And his solo…