Reviews
THE CHUCK WAGON GANG, COMPLETE RECORDINGS, 1936-1955
THE CHUCK WAGON GANG COMPLETE RECORDINGS, 1936-1955 Bear Family BCD 17348 Today’s Chuck Wagon Gang offers some of the best down-home, soul-stretching gospel singing there is, at least in the country/bluegrass universe. This year marks the eightieth anniversary of the original quartet’s 1935 debut on KFYO in Lubbock, Texas. In 1936, they moved to WBAP…
ROSIN IN THE AIRE, GOOD TIMES IN THE HOMELAND
ROSIN IN THE AIRE GOOD TIMES IN THE HOMELAND Rita Records 0102 Eighty-nine percent of the second recording from Rosin In The Aire is recycled material. They say it’s ninety-four percent, but sixteen of eighteen rounds up to eighty-nine percent. Does it matter? Not one bit. It’s just an intro and a way of…
SNYDER FAMILY BAND, WHEREVER I WANDER
SNYDER FAMILY BAND WHEREVER I WANDER Mountain Home MH15862 In many ways, this new album should be a coming out party for the Snyder Family Band. Family groups filled with young musicians can be fun, yet cute. But, the members of the Snyder Family, out of Lexington, N.C., have reached a level of bluegrass virtuosity…
SHANNON AND HEATHER SLAUGHTER, NEVER JUST A SONG
SHANNON AND HEATHER SLAUGHTER NEVER JUST A SONG No Label No Number You’ll find quality tracks all through this encore recording from Shannon and Heather Slaughter. If you heard their debut and their two solo efforts, that should come as no surprise. That doesn’t mean all 14 tracks are equally impressive. It does mean that…
NIALL TONER, WORKING ON LOVE
NIALL TONER WORKING ON LOVE Avalon Records AVCD 0071 Toner is an Irish native who already has four projects under his belt. For this new CD, Toner traveled to Nashville to record this all-original project of love songs and songs of relationships. Toner sings lead and plays mandolin, banjo, and guitar, and is joined…
CODY SHULER
CODY SHULER Rural Rhythm RUR-1131 Cody Shuler, longtime front man and mandolinist for Pine Mountain Railroad, offers up his debut solo recording, and the results are quite good. Shuler has always had a strong presence with PMRR, writing songs for them and handling his share of the vocals. Here, he’s written all twelve tunes, ten…