Reviews

RANDALL HIBBITTS TRAVELER No Label No Number First Randall Hibbitts lands a spot as the bass player for Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, fulfilling as he states, a “lifelong dream.” Then, he releases his debut solo album, one which should bring him some recognition as a singer. Right now, he must be quite…

BOB DICK LIFE’S HIGHWAY Appleland Records 2014 This new project from a talented New England musician is a retrospection of his extensive music career. The project contains selections from some of the groups and individuals he’s played and recorded with over the years, including Front Range, the Seldom Scene, Tom Gray, Roger Williams, his brother…

VARIOUS ARTISTS THE HAYLOFT GANG: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL BARN DANCE Hayloft Gang Prod. 369287  The National Barn Dance, which originated in 1924 from WLS in Chicago, was the first of the radio barn dance shows to have both longevity and national recognition. (The Grand Ole Opry began in 1925.) Many of its early…

VARIOUS ARTISTS DEAR JEAN: ARTISTS CELEBRATE JEAN RITCHIE Compass Records 7 4631 2    Jean Ritchie is an amazing musician whose work has influenced artists from many genres. A native of southeastern Kentucky, she is not only known as an accomplished songwriter and performer, but she’s also hailed as a songcatcher who revived much older tunes that…

CHRIS THILE & EDGAR MEYER BASS & MANDOLIN Nonesuch Records 544735-2 Mandolinist Chris Thile and bassist Edgar Meyer are true titans of today’s acoustic music. This latest collaboration comes on the rapid hooves of The Goat Rodeo Sessions, their Grammy award-winning project with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and fiddler Stuart Duncan. As with that outstanding album,…

EIGHT DOLLAR MOUNTAIN TIED TO THE TRACKS No Label EDM 003 Eight Dollar Mountain’s third CD might be called Tied To The Tracks, but nothing in terms of enthusiasm or musicianship is held down or back. This Oregon-based band is a talented outfit especially successfully in rolling off the well-traveled bluegrass tracks into the new…