Reviews

KENNY & AMANDA SMITH UNBOUND Farm Boy Records No Number Since their first project in 2001, Kenny and Amanda Smith have become one of bluegrass music’s most endearing and solid duos. Amanda (vocals) and Kenny (guitar, vocals) are joined on this project by Jacob Burleson (mandolin), Kyle Perkins (bass), Justin Jenkins (banjo), and Wayne Winkle…

JOE K. WALSH BORDERLAND No Label No Number Despite establishing himself as a formidable presence in the world of bluegrass and traditional mandolin with stints working for the Gibson Brothers, Darol Anger’s Mr. Sun, and duos with the likes of Courtney Hartman and Grant Gordy, Joe Walsh still probably gets more attention from being confused…

TYLER GRANT EARTH & WOOD Grant Central Records GCR 1602 The world of flatpicking guitar is a mighty competitive one these days, with each picker hotter, faster, and flashier than the one before. It can be hard to stand out musically, but Tyler Grant has used his versatility to make a strong impression on his…

BANJO DAN THE SLEEPING SENTINEL: BANJO DAN’S SONGS OF VERMONT, VOLUME IV No Label VSB 110 A pioneer of the second wave of New England bluegrass musicians, Banjo Dan Lindner has led his Mid-Nite Plowboys since 1972. He started the Banjo Dan’s Songs Of Vermont series back in 1987 and has released one volume per…

AUDIE BLAYLOCK AND REDLINE THE ROAD THAT WINDS Patuxent Music CD-289 Even after all the years of bluegrass bands covering rock tunes, it still comes as something of a surprise to find Audie Blaylock and Redline opening their recording with the Elton John/Bernie Taupin classic, “Daniel.” Less of a surprise is how well they cover…

VALERIE SMITH & LIBERTY PIKE SMALL TOWN HEROE Bell Buckle Records BBR – 400 Two years ago, Valerie Smith teamed up with a group of musicians from the Maryland/DC area to form her new version of Liberty Pike, which now consists of Joe Zauner (banjo, guitar), Lisa Kay Howard (mandolin), Tom Gray (bass), and Wally…