Reviews
JIM LAUDERDALE, OLD TIME ANGELS
JIM LAUDERDALE OLD TIME ANGELS Skycrunch Records No Number Below the surface of a couple or three songs on Jim Lauderdale’s latest project lurks a touch of modernity. It’s a slight nod to the fact that although these 11 songs sound old (and I mean old as in written, recorded, and designed to sound that…
BARN DANCES & JAMBOREES ACROSS KENTUCKY—BY J.D. WILKES WITH A FOREWORD BY JOHN COHEN
BARN DANCES & JAMBOREES ACROSS KENTUCKY—BY J.D. WILKES WITH A FOREWORD BY JOHN COHEN—History Press 9781626192683. Also available in eBook, 159 pp., $19.99. (History Press, 645 Meeting St., Ste. 200, Charleston, SC 29403, www.historypress.net.) What a fun and satisfying book! It makes me wish I was moving to Kentucky, getting ready to roam around the…
MARTEKA AND WILLIAM, TRUE GRASS REVIVAL
MARTEKA AND WILLIAM TRUE GRASS REVIVAL No Label No Number After my first listening to True Grass Revival by Marteka and William Lake, I knew what I was going to say: Wow! Marteka, at age 15, is already a banjo player who demonstrates much depth. She has obviously studied Earl Scruggs in detail, and she…
THE BANKESTERS, LOVE HAS WHEELS
THE BANKESTERS LOVE HAS WHEELS Compass Records 7 4614 2 With their fifth CD, The Bankesters now shift to Compass Records and bring their bright, fresh sound, fine vocals, and ever-advancing instrumental chops. Most importantly, they and producer Alison Brown have corrected the minor flaws of their previous release. That self-titled CD had good overall…
ROBIN & LINDA WILLIAMS, BACK 40
ROBIN & LINDA WILLIAMS BACK 40 Red House Records RHR CD 274 Robin and Linda Williams are celebrating their fortieth anniversary as performers with Back 40, a commemoration to share with their loyal audiences. It’s primarily a collection of re-recorded versions of songs from their earlier out-of-print albums, creatively recast with a supporting crew of…
DETROIT COUNTRY MUSIC: MOUNTAINEERS, COWBOYS, AND ROCKABILLIES—BY CRAIG MAKI WITH KEITH CADY
DETROIT COUNTRY MUSIC: MOUNTAINEERS, COWBOYS, AND ROCKABILLIES—BY CRAIG MAKI WITH KEITH CADY—University of Michigan Press 9780472052011. Also available in eBook, 327 pp., $25. (Univ. Of Mich. Press, 839 Greene St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104, press.umich.edu.) Detroit is, of course, Motown, Kid Rock, and Eminem. So, at first, the title of this work seems almost satirical….