Reviews
THE COX FAMILY, GONE LIKE THE COTTON
THE COX FAMILY GONE LIKE THE COTTON Rounder Records 11661-37553-02 If all the bluegrass fans in the world woke up in the morning to find their hopes for mainstream country radio had come true, this new album from the Cox Family is the kind of thing we’d be listening to over our coffee and eggs….
THE SUNNY MOUNTAIN SERENADERS, INTO THIN HAIR
THE SUNNY MOUNTAIN SERENADERS INTO THIN HAIR L-Century LLC CD-1002 The Sunny Mountain Serenaders are a relatively new band, but the members bring a wealth of old-time music experience with them. Mark Campbell is a Virginia fiddler who has won (on fiddle) the prestigious Appalachian String Band Festival contest held in Clifftop, W.Va. Mac Traynham,…
GROUNDBREAKERS BLUEGRASS SINGER Home of Bluegrass HOBG-003 Jussi Syren and the Groundbreakers aren’t just a band that plays traditional bluegrass. They are a traditional bluegrass band that formed in 1995. Consider this. They are the first generation of bluegrass music in Finland. Just like the first two generations of American bands, most of their gigs…
HOEDOWNS, REELS, AND FROLICS: ROOTS AND BRANCHES OF SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN DANCE
HOEDOWNS, REELS, AND FROLICS: ROOTS AND BRANCHES OF SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN DANCE—BY PHIL JAMISON—University of Illinois Press 9780252080814. Paperback, b&w photos, $28. (Univ. Of Ill. Press, 11030 S. Langley Ave., Chicago, IL 60628, press.ullinois.edu.) Written by a nationally known old-time musician, flatfoot dancer, and square dance caller who teaches Appalachian music, dance, and mathematics at Warren…
CLAWHAMMER BANJO: TUNES, TIPS & JAMMING
CLAWHAMMER BANJO: TUNES, TIPS & JAMMING—BY WAYNE ERBSEN—Native Ground, No Number. Spiralbound, 120 pp., two CDs and mp3, $24.95. (Native Ground Books & Music, 109 Bell Rd., Asheville, NC 28805, www.nativeground.com.) There is an awful lot to love about this book. If you’ve ever used one of Erbsen’s books, this one is a must have….
JAKE AND REBEKAH WORKMAN DEEP INTO THE HEART No Label No Number It won’t be long before most of the bluegrass community knows the name Jake Workman, since he joined Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder near the end of 2015 on the recommendation of Bryan Sutton and Cody Kilby. Meanwhile, we can enjoy Deep Into…