Reviews

COULDN’T HAVE A WEDDING WITHOUT THE FIDDLER: THE STORY OF TRADITIONAL FIDDLING ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND BY KEN PERLMAN University of Tenn. Press. Paperback, 504 pp., $39.95. (Univ. Of Tenn Press, 110 Conference Center, 600 Henley St., Knoxville, TN 37996, www.utpress.org.) This is the crown jewel of Perlman’s extensive research of the fiddling on Prince…

DEL McCOURY AND DAVID GRISMAN DEL & DAWG LIVE! Acoustic Disc ACD-CD-50051 I think it was way back in 1989, when I attended a concert at a time when David Grisman embarked on a tour with the Del McCoury Band. At the time, I recall it seemed like a startling change of pace for Grisman,…

JUNIOR SISK AND RAMBLERS CHOICE POOR MAN’S PLEASURE Mountain Fever MFR160527    This fine album is marked by the presence of a few friends stepping in and making it something special. It is Sisk’s voice married to the guitar of Aaron Ramsey that provides the groundwork this project is built upon. Sisk injured his hand while…

THE FARMS HANDS DIG IN THE DIRT Pinecastle Records PRC 1199 The Farm Hands latest is a delight. To be blunt, nothing vocally or instrumentally is going to stop you in your tracks with its virtuosity. What this set of 12 captivating and well-rendered songs will do is entertain, make you listen, make you think,…

ARNIE NAIMAN MY LUCKY STARS Merriweather Records M01AN Arnie Naiman is one of the leading exponents of old-time banjo and an important figure on the Canadian old-time and bluegrass scene. He has influenced many players and is held in high regard especially in the old-time scene. Most of the cuts here are his originals, with…

GIRI PETERS JUST WHITTLIN’ AROUND No Label No Number The debut album from eleven-year-old, Nashville-based Giri Peters features his talents on mandolin, fiddle, and vocals. He is joined by his eight-year-old sister, Uma, on clawhammer banjo and vocals on three cuts, along with Brandon Bostic on guitar and resonator guitar, Austin Ward on bass, and…