Reviews

ERYNN MARSHALL & CARL JONES SWEET MEMORIES NEVER LEAVE Dittyville 006 Erynn Marshall and Carl Jones both have deep roots in traditional music. Erynn is Canadian, but spent many years learning from West Virginia and Kentucky fiddlers. Carl has played with Norman Blake, James Bryan, Beverly Smith, and many others. Both also compose new tunes…

GRANDPA’S COUGH MEDICINE 180 PROOF No Label No Number Grandpa’s Cough Medicine’s new album 180 Proof is rip-roaring, rowdy, and fun. But, let me be clear right off the bat. There is such a thing as “outlaw bluegrass,” the Earl Brothers being another good example, and the music of Grandpa’s Cough Medicine is truly on…

THE FOGHORN STRINGBAND DEVIL IN THE SEAT No Label No Number    Caleb, Sammy, Reeb, and Nadine are back with 16 selections on the eighth Foghorn Stringband recording. They open with a sprightly version of “Stillhouse” from Virginia banjo player Matokie Slaughter and then go into a powerful Reeb/Nadine duet of Hazel and Alice’s “Mining Camp…

ADKINS AND LOUDERMILK Mountain Fever Records MFR150317    On Dave Adkins’ solo recording last year were bassist Edgar Loudermilk, guitarist Jeff Autry, banjoist Jason Davis, mandolinist Wayne Benson, and fiddler Justen Haynes. Adkins and Loudermilk wrote one song together, and three each separately. They co-produced and Aaron Ramsey and Mark Hodges engineered. The results were good…

CHUCK WAGON GANG MEETING IN HEAVEN New Haven 8109-2    A new CD, Meeting in Heaven, presents today’s Chuck Wagon Gang, whose glowing voices add a new degree of musical brilliance to the vocal blend of the original quartet. Shaye Smith has inherited her grandmother Anna Carter’s warm and passionate alto, and she guides the group…

BLUE MAFIA PRAY FOR RAIN Pinecastle Records PRC1194 This fine band is as strong as ever. Edgy and driving like a fully-loaded locomotive, they bowl down everything in their path. Dara and Tony Wray form the nucleoli with strong support from singing fiddler Kent Todd. Michael Gregory on bass and Cody Looper on banjo round…